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September 4, 2025 14 mins
We have on “Legend of the Locker Room” Lifetime Longhorn TJ Ford as he promotes his TJ Ford’s Foundations Bowling Fundraiser at the Main Event on Friday. Many Longhorn stars will be attending, and he tells the guys who are the better bowlers in the group. He discusses how important it is for him to remain involved in the Austin and Houston communities. He explains how he stays connected through basketball by being a sports analyst. He gives his thoughts on Texas Basketball Head Coach Sean Miller. How much impact does he want to have in helping the basketball team and recruiting big players in the state? You can hear it all here on “The Morning Kickoff Show!”
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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Let's just stain Mark, Henry.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
And Mike Welcome back to Good Morning Kickoff right here
on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. We have
this special segment called Legends of the Locker Room where
we go back and find some of those great legends
that are doing great things. And speaking of doing great things,
he is having a bowling event here in Austin, Texas.

(00:40):
And by saying he he is one of the best
players and he got his number retired in the rafters
here at the University of Texas, he has won TJ
for Good Morning TJ.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
How you doing, brother, Good morning man. How you guys
doing this morning? We're doing great, awesome Mindvillion.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Voice man, good to hear you guys. Man, glad you
got an amazing job earlier in the morning. Man, giving
people some good stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
To hear on the way to work and waking up.
That's right.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
We try to keep them live and ready to go.
And you got something that you're doing this weekend that
is going to help raise some doing some fundraising here
in Austin, Texas. So tell everybody what you got going on.

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Vin, It's Friday.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
We also in a bout of event strike to unite
and pretty much the whole agenda for this weekend is
to you know, bring some former players back, get us together,
create this this brotherhood, in this bond, continue to keep
our history going for guys who've done a lot of
great things and had a great time on the basketball
court here at the University of Texas. So trying to

(01:45):
unite everybody together. You know, it's the first home football game,
a lot of people come to town. So we also
would like to kind of, you know, kick things off
our basketball season as an introduction to each other again
and you know, also give opportunity for good to you know,
engage and meet our k new coach Sean Miller.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Speaking of the DJ that was one of the questions
that I wanted to ask, is you know, Sean Miller
comes in a lot of changes happened over at the university.
But Sean Miller, with his record, with his mindset and
his ability to recruit, what are some of the things
that you've noticed since you've been here, Because I've seen
he's brought you in multiple times to be.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Around the team.

Speaker 4 (02:27):
And Coach Miller is a guy who's an established coach
who has a history of winning, has been at the
elite program before to a program to you know, hire managers.
When you look at him coming in and you look
at Race at the table, you know us playing him
a few times in a tournament as well, but to
have him and his staff bring this energy, everyone is

(02:51):
kind of excited.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
You know.

Speaker 4 (02:53):
Obviously it's you know, it's football season and the attention
that they get. But for us in our basketball program,
we're trying to do everything in our power to support him,
just like we would do any other coach. And I
think everyone will see the excitement as we get closer
to the basketball season.

Speaker 5 (03:11):
TJ. I'm looking at the flyer and I see Roy
l Ivy on there, and I see DJ Augustine. Who's
the better bowler out of you three? Because I don't
if I come in there, I want to be on
the best team.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
I don't know, Man, I haven't seen those guys bowl.
You know, I'm kind of competitive. I'm not the greatest bowler,
but I know I'm not last. I'm not sure who's first,
but I'm gonna say it.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
Hard. How's your bowling game?

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Heart?

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Man?

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Come on, man, you know better than that. You know
I come with it every single time. So don't don't
even come at me like that. But TJ. I, Man,
you've been putting in a lot of work.

Speaker 3 (03:53):
Man.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
You got a lot that you do with your foundation.
You do a lot with the kids in Houston and
all over the place. How is that hall? Is all
that going right now? And what's next for TJ?

Speaker 3 (04:07):
For?

Speaker 4 (04:09):
You know, I always been into the mentorship of the
youth and being able to kind of give back and
use your voice and I don't know your voice, man,
just being present. And I think that's what I've kind
of been known for, you know, since I retired from
the game of basketball, is just being president and being
available to you know, kids and to parents and kind
of showing them away and what it takes to kind
of be successful. And that success doesn't, you know, equate

(04:31):
that you have to be the best basketball player. So
I think when you look at you know, kind of
my mission and kind of what I'm about is just
being able to kind of, you know, give kids some
type of you know, vision for themselves, to give them
some type of hope and some type of encouragement, and
just knowing that those habits that they can create and
we can help them create, will allow them be successful
long time, no matter what industry they and whether it's

(04:52):
sports business, you know, even you know, being in the
classroom or some sort.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
So we just want to be able to continue to
impacted you.

Speaker 4 (05:01):
It's been a fun, fun time for me of being involved,
you know, since I retired. It gives me a lot
of uh, it gives me a great feeling. You know,
these kids and I'm around the world, not just here
in Houston. You know, they gives me a you know,
they give me my funk. They give me my energy
as well, because a lot of people continue to remember

(05:23):
the things that I've done basketball wives, but more importantly
just being around you know, through you know, AAU basketball
and you know, being in these events and tournaments, so
and something that's a passion of mind of just trying
to you know, keep kids on the right track, which
you know, when you're in sports, it comes with a
lot a lot of distractions, especially now, you know, with

(05:44):
the opportunity that kids have with Nils, it's a different
ball game and it's a different way of living.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
For these young guys.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
Because they're in young women, because they are able to
achieve a career at an earlier age while they're still
trying to figure out, you know, what they want to
be in, like through sports.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
So I enjoy it. You know that kids have.

Speaker 4 (06:06):
These opportunities and you know, now the interesting and the
challenge for us is to be able to kind of,
you know, guide them through this process that's getting a
lot of money at a young age, what to do
with and how to handle it. And I'm not talking
about investment, just you know, I'm around kids in a
way that they're able to kind of, you know, spend
it and enjoy it. So we just want to be

(06:28):
able to do a better job of, you know, helping
them through that process and market you know what that's
like being able to be a professional and just imagine,
you know, at eighteen years old being able to make
the type of money that you know, professional guys are
making in college.

Speaker 5 (06:46):
Yeah, TJ. You brought up a great point about the
AAU system in the future of basketball. How much will
you do you feel like you can help and add
to what coach Miller is doing with all these high
level Texas basketball players. You look on every major team
in the country and they have a Texas player that's

(07:09):
starting for them or coming off the bench for them,
Like when how can you and the Texas Xas and
the guys that are on the in this bowling tournament
get these kids to come to the University of Texas
at other big time Texas schools.

Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well, I think we want to be at to show
kids the opportunities that you have at the University of
Texas and way since you could take advantage of it.
I think that's the next source for us being able
to help you know, Texas Basketball and coach Shaun Millers
is being able to show that we are you have
a lot of good examples of guys that you know,
obviously made it to the NBA did pretty well for themselves.

Speaker 3 (07:47):
But you also have to understand that.

Speaker 4 (07:49):
You know, it's a lot of guys that did not
make it to the NBA that is doing very very
successful in a business.

Speaker 3 (07:54):
Well just have a career.

Speaker 4 (07:55):
So we want to be in a show that's different
magnitude of different athletes and are having success. You know,
obviously you always talk about the TJ Fors, Kevin Durantson,
you know, Royal Ivy, DJ Augustinees and Miles Turners. But
at the end of the day, you have guys like
Chris Clagg, Rage Freedman. You have Travis Mayys, you have
guys with all these different areas that have had an

(08:15):
impact on us of you know, just being good sound men.
And we want to be able to establish that those
guys are still doing well and it's not just a
few guys that's in the NBA, so collectively, if we
want to be able to show the impact in ways
that we can help them as an alumni and also
you know, being there to try to you know, got
these guys and what it would take off the court
to be successful.

Speaker 3 (08:36):
Awesome, that is.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
That is some great stuff. We're talking to lifetime Longhorn
and legend TJ. Ford. He is giving back to the community.
He's doing so much and he's also got a bowling
event that will be taking place this Friday at the
main event from seven to ten up in North Austin.
And TJ. You are also doing some commentaking. You're doing

(08:59):
some play by play, not play by play, but some
analysts work. How you liking that, man.

Speaker 3 (09:05):
Man, I'm enjoying it.

Speaker 4 (09:06):
You know obviously, you know, being connected to the game,
being connected to the NBA and being part of that
that family and that fraternity has always been amazing for
me and being able to you know, still support me
in many ways be connected to the game.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
You know.

Speaker 4 (09:23):
Obviously I've retired my last season playing with the Spurs,
and that history of when I was in college as
well as having that connection, so being a part of
that family, being connected to the basketball game and being
able to analyze and talk about it and at times
being to do something, you know, broadcasting. It allows me
to kind of share my thoughts and share.

Speaker 3 (09:41):
My wisdom of pot see the game.

Speaker 4 (09:42):
And it's been really, really fun. I'm assuming we had
the long run network. I was able to get a
lot of experience early on when I retired, and now
you know, being able to kind of, uh be still
connected to the game so many years later. Man, it's
fun and I hope to continue to get better at it,
you know. Obviously we here in Austin, Texas, all the

(10:03):
way down our thirty five and San Antonio. I hope
everybody kind of enjoyed that that Spurs vibe. Obviously, they
are the future with the amount of talent that they have,
So I'm kind of blessed to be able to kind
of look at these young guys, you know that they
have an uppercome a team that and maybe another you know,
two or three years, we'll be talking about this team
is potentially as a team that has championship ascelrations and

(10:25):
have a real chance to do that. So to be
very very close to it and watch it every day,
get to see this new generation workout and it's man.

Speaker 3 (10:35):
It's fun.

Speaker 4 (10:35):
I really really really enjoy it. And I will also
work on some things that allow me to kind of
talk about Texas basketball. We work on a few things
to try to figure out to get me to do
you know, some of that, you know based on our
basketball team as well.

Speaker 5 (10:51):
DJ, you mentioned Sanntonio. We have a mutual friend Vince
who down there is is Vin's going to be a
part of the tournament.

Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yes, you know Vince will u we'll be in the building.
You know, Vince is a guy that's a dial.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
On Long Horn. He's been advocated.

Speaker 4 (11:09):
About continue to build that brand for Texas guys off
the court. Obviously, he did the TBT thing that gives
players opportunity to have a chance to win a million bucks.
He's been a great guy that continues to try to
support these guys. He's he's definitely connected to you know,
players that are still playing basketball. So he's been like

(11:31):
Zion for me under stay connected to some guys that
I'm I'm not you know, personally tied to in that matter.

Speaker 3 (11:39):
So he's been a huge help, a huge.

Speaker 4 (11:42):
Guy that's just a die hard, long horn and an
awesome guy. So, you know, Vince is somebody that you
know when you look at managers, you look at these
guys that come in Texas. He also is a good
you know example. He also is a good person to
being the bounce things off because you know, he's in
the food.

Speaker 3 (12:00):
Industry with his family.

Speaker 4 (12:01):
Also now as a financial advisor for a company. So
we have a lot of good guys that are doing
amazing things that we want to be able to share
knowledge for the next generation because it's more than just
you know, basketball on the sport.

Speaker 3 (12:15):
We all know that it will end one day.

Speaker 4 (12:17):
And just want to be able to kind of show
everybody the amount of support, the amount of brilliant that
is coming from our sports program. And we don't really
get enough knowledge and you know, most people don't really
talk about those things, and we just want to anowlish that,
you know, our athletic program at the University of Texas
is just as powerful as the business program at the University.

Speaker 2 (12:41):
Of Texas, and that is something that is much needed,
especially in this day and age.

Speaker 3 (12:47):
TJ.

Speaker 2 (12:48):
As always, thank you, I'll continue to spread the word.
I'll post your flyer here in just a little bit
to let people know where this event is going to be.
And as for the TJ. Ford Foundation as well, and
make sure y'all get over to the University of Texas
this weekend, TJ. Because they bringing in Michael Gooseby, I

(13:08):
mean Austin Gooseby, one of the best players in the country,
and we need y'all to go over there and make
sure that young man comes to the University of Texas.

Speaker 4 (13:17):
Man, you know, we want to keep them home, any kids,
and as the opportunity, you know, to help us get
back to the Promised Land. We got to do everything
we can to make these kids understand this is the
place to be. So we know how important the first
home game is for every university and so this is
a big weekend where everybody's in town. We know that

(13:38):
these kids should have an amazing, amazing town and it's
a lot of good entertainment for these young kids this
weekend as well. So you know, hopefully this is the
best visit these two kids will ever experience.

Speaker 3 (13:50):
Uh. We bring it out all, We bring it out
everything to get these guys understand this place. They should
be all.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
Right, my man, appreciate it. There he is TJ Ford,
the Legend. We'll give you more information about TJ and
his event that is going on tomorrow night from seven
to ten at main event. Make sure you follow us
on social media. Thanks TJ. All right, thanks, guys, appreciate it.
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