Season Three Opener with the Boss

Rafa and Joe G are on their best behavior as they're joined by Cavs CEO Nic Barlage to discuss all the upcoming excitement set for this season. In the second segment, the guys finally land Lucy Veres, the team's Manager of Community Relations, to talk about the Cavs in the community.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:11):
M hm shot block shows three like drawing a double
off the weight had the hurry big Shot, that was
big Shot. That was your broadcasting live from Rocket Mortgage

(00:31):
field House on the sunny shores of beautiful Lake Erie
and nice downtown Cleveland. He you've tuned in to Wine

(00:52):
and Gold Radio. Now here's your host Rafa and Joji
you Hey, hey, everybody, I am Joe g Ceeded to
my right is Ernandez bo Always three and you have

(01:13):
joined us for another power packed installment of Wine and
Gold Radio Season new season. This is technically yeah, this
is season three. Like we kind of did a little
pre we did a couple of preseason episodes just to
get warmed up. But this is the real deal now,
so if we screw up, it's on the record now.
So let's let's try and be good. And we also
have a power pack show with a couple of big guests.

(01:36):
Uh so stick around for that. I'm not even gonna
go ahead and say yeah, I think okay. One ceo
l half a CEO of Rock Entertainment Group, Nick Barlage,
so be on your I don't want to get Candida,
I mean you know what I mean. I won't even
ask behave really Yeah, I promise you, okay, okay. And

(02:00):
then in segment three, Oh my god, I'm happy about
the greatest, Yes, the greatest, the greatest human in Cleveland.
You've heard her say it many many times. And he
misses Lucy various anything for Lucia Lucia. So we have
a power packed show. But before we get to that
in one one week today, we're recording on a Monday,
one week from today. It's on training Camp Media Day,

(02:23):
which leads to training camp. That's the last really screw
around day. Yeah, and the guys I've already been already
in town, in town, they're in they're in the building
with us right now. Actually that they actually doing the
same thing they did last year. And one of them
stayed the summer, like like jam and Allen loves it
here in the summer. Yeah, you got like you get
a little haircut. I saw him this morning. Yeah, I
haven't seen him. Yeah, he's got like it's like a

(02:45):
mini from Yeah, I guess because he's like a little
summer I can understand that it's you know, but he
looks we're gonna call him like fo Yeah, yeah, I
saw he's kind of streamlined he he's good. Really, he's good.
So I met Robin Lopez today. Really, how's he doing?

(03:07):
He's doing great. I finally get and you get and
you did your Robbin Lopez impersonation. Already go ahead. Now,
I haven't worked for him. I worked for his brother
with his brother when he when we were both together
with the Nets. Yes, Brook Lopez, so we worked with
he seems like a cool guy, nice dude. Yeah, I

(03:29):
got it together because I know he's had a beef
with Moondog. Yeah. I want to see if we can
both tag team against CEC. What do you ever against
CC man because he act only thinks that might be
or his name after him. I love CC I p A.
He's so nice, he's got that big head. He's smiling.
That's the only good thing about it. But he lost
his mask, he's literal liver mask. He ripped and he

(03:50):
hasn't he hasn't replaced it. That's what he's kind of
falling off on bad standing. You should wear that all
the time. Hey, you know what it would be like?
Media Day will kind of take people's attention away next
week it will kind of distract people. But there's no
distracting clevelanders this morning from how angry we are about
the Browns. You know what, I finally we're very We're

(04:10):
very angry. I finally discover why see that point, see
the point it is, see the point park, see the point.
Well you see that park, see the point to the point.
Maybe the best amusement park in the country. Finally discovered
why they closed the roller coaster. I know what, because
you can actually right one for free reading your Twitter
fee on Sundays here, Dad, It's unbelievable, like it really,

(04:34):
like you know, they tell you not to do a
Super Bowl parade after week one, and that's why you
don't really want to elect Kate York to the Hall
of Fame before he gets a couple of games under
his belt. And he wasn't even well it's not his fault.
I'm not saying. I'm just saying, be patient from week
to week, don't you know what I mean? Like Mike

(04:57):
Brown from a Cavs coaches to say, don't get too
high after a wind, don't get too low after a loss,
and that's kind of important, kind of be steady throughout
the year. And Browns fans don't have that speed at all.
Man we go. It's like a roller coaster, it really is.
Und on twelve seconds, fourteen point lead at home, and

(05:18):
Murphy's Law chose up to prove once again that anything
I can't go wrong will go wrong. The one thing
I will not tolerate that. I mean, I've listened to
all kinds of finger pointing this morning and yesterday about
the Browns game on Sunday. The one one thing I
will not allow is the Nick Chubb thing. Don't even try.

(05:41):
I think the argument for those who don't know is
that Nick Chubb scored the go ahead. Well, he scored
the touchdown that put him up in to ye put
him up two touchdowns with under two minutes to go,
and people are kind of saying that, well, maybe you
should have taken the knee and then that way they
which is really the stupidest argument of all time. I mean,

(06:02):
maybe it makes sense, but look, no competitive athlete in
that situation would have done that or should have done that.
If you go up two scores with the under two
minutes ago, that should be ball. It's not like they
were going to go up one with the with the
extra point, or they were just gonna be up whatever

(06:22):
they were up three. Yeah, there's no he did it
last year. I forget the situation. He did he did,
he did it last year and and right, so he
knows when you could do it, but that was not
the time yesterday on Sunday. So, uh, that's thing. Yeah,
I can't, I can. I can. There's a lot of
finger pointing, but I can't. You can't point it at him.

(06:44):
I think you can't. The defense has a lot most
of it and obviously comes down to coaching and and
again it's easy to put Blane. But at the end
of the day, their type of first in the division, right,
and also they could still win that the a f C.
They really got their stuff together. Like they all say,
they have a number like the Bears eighty six defense
and or the the Giants defense. But it's at the

(07:07):
end of the day, it's football, yeah, And like they
always say, even the last minute has sixty seconds, right,
And a sign of a sign of a team that
has a lot of growing to do is the fact
that when you see the avalanche coming, you gotta be
able to stop, especially at home. Okay, you gave up

(07:27):
the quick touchdown to that amazing rookie by the way,
by my and I. You know, I'm a Jets fan,
but I was rooting for the Browns yesterday because I
think that the way the way things were going, it promised.
It's still promising. But to give up that kind of
place in the fourth quarter again for second week in

(07:49):
a row, you know, and and barely making it it
just those are the things that needs to be fixed.
You said, the avalanche coming. You mentioned that as you
were watching it, this will tell you whether you're in
Cleveland or not. Did you feel like it was going
to happen and there was nothing that could stop it. Yes,
because I've been in Cleveland for note years, right, But

(08:10):
didn't you have that feeling like this is coming? And well,
I tell you what, And I texted you it's years
past his prime. Because I had taken the Browns giving
away six and a half points. So when k when
Ka missed the extra point, I texted you and I said,
he calls the bad beat. Now they're gonna go a

(08:30):
touchdown and they're gonna win by six. But I gotta
be honest, I didn't think beyond them giving a touchdown.
Of course, I didn't think they're going to give it
up into plays and and and it was like a
sixty yard I think it was so yeah, once that happened.
And then the onside kick, which is really a great
on side kicks, but you have to be ready. You

(08:53):
cannot get full by the guy pointing everything to the
right and then kicking it to the left. That is
that the oldest trick in the book, but it never works.
And then when you look at it now, Mary Cooper
had a chance to catch the ball or pick it up.
He didn't. And then you know again Joe Flacco, the

(09:15):
guy that everybody in this town was claiming he was
done and he should should have retired, and everything and
everything you want to call it. He knows how to
win it. But again, the ability to not be able
then the inability to not be able to stop the
train incoming train. You do not even get out of
their way. It was coming. There was sign of Cleveland

(09:39):
is the sign of its fans who were complaining about
everything when they were up and they weren't control of
the game. But I think it's all, it's all, It
all comes together, and people here in Cleveland invoke pain.
They do almost point where they beg for it. In

(10:00):
It's like I said, when when when when when New
York at the inside kick it was you could have
carved it in stone that it was happening at that
point and it Cleland, only the Cleveland. But you felt
like this, this cannot be stopped. This is our fate
to lose. And I have told you this story before.

(10:21):
As a Yankee fan, I saw how the Red Sox
fan towards the end of the first cycle of the
course of the Bambino, because he has an end that
he just recycled itself. The Red Sox could be up
four runs in the eighth and you will still see
people in the stands with the fingers cross and like knowing, like, okay,
how is it that it's going to happen now? Because

(10:43):
you know it's coming. It's coming, right. And I told
you my story the first my first year here. Sobody
invited me to a to a Browns game and they
were playing because this is okay, they were playing the
Rams and they were up fourteen points that they half
and everybody was upset because they knew he was coming.
Watch it, They're gonna lose, watch it. They always lose it.

(11:04):
And then there were one yeah, and I was impressed.
That was my first experience with the the invocational mysteries
that Browns fans like to do here. The invocation. Yeah,
it's like a religious My dad used always tell me,
you know, he grew up. I mean he had season
tickets and you know, big Jim Brown fan. He used
to say. He always said this line that the Browns

(11:27):
used to be the Yankees of football, and that they
were dominant. There was no team like the Paul Brown era. Uh,
that they won every championship for eight or nine years,
and things like he's he used to say, you know,
when the Browns were down fourteen seventeen points, you never
sweated because you knew they were gonna win. That's how
you feel. And it's interesting that you bring up the

(11:48):
Red Sox because it's the opposite. Now you're waiting for
the other shoe to drop all the time. That's and
you know what, that's it's a cultural thing. It is
and it's gonna happen. Look at the Red Sox. They
did have to be and three not three, being down
three nothing to the two Yankees and in the one
of the first ever post season serious between the two teens.
Because now, because because everybody makes the playoffs in baseball,

(12:10):
they they were able to meet in the playoffs. But
I think it's also I am still learning from the fans. Obviously,
Cats fans are different and they're a little more looking
forward to it. And it Browns. Obviously it is a
football town and there's no no, no, there's no way
about around it, right, and people need to understand it's

(12:33):
like it's a long season. But they are also like
guardians fans I always and you know me, I can't
help it, but get involved on social media. You know,
there's some there's some fans that I can't believe they're
losing to the Twins. I'm like, dude, they got fifteen
games left. They're not gonna go fifteen and a right, right, Yeah,
that's the thing. Like they were upset that they lost
yesterday after that double headed sweep the night before that

(12:54):
ended up one third in the morning on Sunday, they
were lucky to be in the game and he had
a rookie picture go and it's like, right, right, they
are what they need to be. Forget about the fighters
ahead where they should be, yeah, but for forgetting about
all that a baseball team wants to be in first place,
in the late September and then have to have their
destiny controlled by them. Yeah. Right, They're not gonna win

(13:16):
every game left in the season. They just gotta be
able to bring right now. It's all about that magic number, right,
bring it. But but Browns, man, that was a bad game,
and luckily for them, I think they get back on
it Thursday night against Pittsburgh, which is actually a good
thing we always talk about in the NBA. You hear
players say it all the time. The best thing about

(13:36):
the NBA. Right, if you have a clunker, two nights later,
you got another game, you can right you're wrong. So
maybe the Browns can right the wrongs. And if you're
gonna do it, this is the team to do it against,
you know, against Pittsburgh. But another thing to look into
is now the same thing that happened last season and
the season before, he's happening now and you keep cleaning.

(13:56):
It's kind of like when you car have the check
engine light and you go fix the light, Yeah, and
you don't fix what's what's causing, right, Right, That's what
that's one needs to happen here because I know I'm
there's not many Baker Mayfield fans in this building, people
that listened to us. But he was not just the problem.

(14:19):
I mean his score. He lost two games last season
when he put up forty plus points. So stop talking
about this amazing defense. But all this stent. You know,
twenty one day looked like he was still in Ohio
State and playing him in the NFL yesterday you're you're preachy,
acquired and the same thing, and then it's like you

(14:39):
cannot give this wide up. Whatever happened to to preventive
difference when you just want to keep the guy in
front of you right again, they lost, you know, they
lost in the fundamental it's the one in the defensive
huddle before that play you have to say, what is
the one thing that cannot happen? The one thing. But

(15:00):
again these are all excess and ose and just uh,
you know, excess nose against fate and destiny are no
match because once that Boulders started rolling downhill yesterday. But
there was no scheme in there. But that's what I mean,
there's no scheming your way out of it. Man. They
have no ability to stop, to do to change that.
It's bigger than them. It's it's weird space. We're Sunday,

(15:22):
by the way, right all the way the Raider have
the Raiders blew it up home. The Rams almost did.
The Ravens also did it to to to They too
looked like like that Marino yesterday. Yeah, yeah, yeah, there
was a weird Sunday, but good teams managed to win
all the games. Yeah, you're right, and that's that's aboutom.
You're right the way, Nick Chobb, keep running and keep scoring. Hey, man, man,

(15:46):
I want to hear any crap about Nick Chubb. Enough
of that. Hey, let's let's move on because we have
we have a power packed a couple of segments coming
up here, so let's get right to our guests. We'll
bring in Nick first. Uh, you gotta get good Boston first,
up Bat and then right and then then then we'll
get to uh to Lucy. We'll be back on Wining

(16:09):
Gold Radio right after this. Hey, this is Cats reporter
Chris feed Or. I never listened to Wining Gold Radio,
does anyone? I mean, there's so many other options these days,
including my own podcast that has a very similar name.
If I were youth, I just listened to that Action Radio.

(16:36):
Election enrolling is now open for Calf Academy the official
youth basketball program of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Clinics are open
to youth ages seven to sixteen, and all scale levels
are welcome. For only sixty five dollars, athletes proceed expert
instruction and All Star Drive Fitch shooting shirt and two

(16:57):
tickets to a Cavalier's home game in roll that calfe
dot com slash cleinic. Remember that's all the classic I'm
gonna catch that come with the Frank calneo. I think,
although I have to hear the voice to know for sure,

(17:18):
but as you may or may not know, it's white
from the range. So you're you're kind of a Cleveland guy, Yeah,
a little bit, but uh, I don't know. I don't
even know what I sound like. That's the freak me out.
I started to think about totally, like Charles Barkler, That's
what happened. Let's talk about the end of that game.
They did exactly what they needed to do. Jar Austin
said the ball and Kylerie Irvin shot from half court

(17:41):
and it was a layup form. That's how good it is,
a great man with a great ability and then nailed it.
That's what I love to see these guys playing well,
and that's what happened. And they're they're gonna change the streatquels.
They had to lose the street. It's gonna get better.
It's gonna get vera for a more positive than Barkley

(18:02):
has ever been. No, but but one thing, Charles. It
wasn't half court shark because John Madden knows. It was
like a three pointer. Yeah, I mean you you can
only get three points. Somebody needs the Kyrie. Tell Kyrie,
you only get three no matter how the part of
you started from. Now, how did you meet your wife
in the first place? My wife was in the front
row of a comedy club in Cleveland, and uh she uh,

(18:22):
she said she overpaid. She wasn't laughing. She wasn't laughing,
then laugh at a single thing I did? Did she
didn't know who John Madden was at the time. Did
she think she was going to go home with one
of the characters? Is that what happened? No, that would
have been terrible. That'd been a willow willowby. Well, we
can't wait to come back to Cleveland and glad you

(18:44):
brought us some luck tonight. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm
telling people. That's why I'm still taking Uh, I'm still
taking the credit for last year forgetting them on the streets.
So I had nothing to do with it, but I
will take any credit that I can. All Right, sign
off as somebody on calves out Smith. Just release the
ball again. That's what it means every time it shoots.
He is the only man in the world who could

(19:07):
have more shots made than attempted. That's how good. Signing
off in Phoenix Jr. Charles and Frank Somewhere in there,
I'm friend with Clark games At. Now back to Wine
and Gold Radio and boom goes tonite. Hey everybody, and

(19:31):
welcome back to segment two of Wine and Going. Hey,
you know what, I'm so glad we have this special
guest on because every every episode since Lenn Camraskis was on,
you bugged me about the polka, And now after this show,
I think I never have to worry about it again.
Correct absolved from that? Yes, yes, And on our very

(19:53):
special first first episode of season three, Uh, we have
a very special guest and that is CEO of Rock
of the Rock Entertainment Group. That's so impressive, dude, Nick Barlange,
how are you welcome a boy thank you both for
for having Joe rafa. Um, it could be more excited
about the season that's coming up and and the summer

(20:14):
we've had as an organization as a team, UM, but
just really appreciate the opportunity to to to jump on
here and hang out with you guys for a couple
of minutes. Okay, So before we even get going, Ralph
and I in the first segment, we talked a little
bit about Sunday in Cleveland, the Browns and the Guardians,
and uh, that was kind of a unique, unique afternoon.

(20:35):
I don't know if you watched, and certainly I was
at the Browns game. Okay, very good. So the question
I had for you is working with other teams in
the market, what is your relationship? How does their success
affect you and the calves and how does their failures?
How do how do they affect you guys, or or

(20:57):
do they at all? Look, I don't. I think we
look at each other as partners um. Ultimately at the
end of the day in the community, UM, and look,
we think we firmly believe that high tides raise l
ships UM across across all of them. It's been unbelievable
to see what the Guardians have accomplished this season, you know,
to be in first place, um at this stage in

(21:18):
the year, and and really you know, trending very positively
towards another postseason appearance. It's it's it's incredible. Obviously seeing
the big win from the Browns last weekend, UM was
was fantastic. Um yesterday, Look, those things happen in sports. UM,
we don't want to see him happen in our own backyard.
But UM, they have any science that we we were

(21:39):
always rooting for them and we're always pulling for them.
They are, like I said, our partners in the community.
And um, you know, when they do well, Northeast Ohio
does well. And we think that's a really important and
good thing for all of us at the end of
the day. And I think that the way the temperature
of the of the community, it's related to how the
teams are doing. And I think the love that these

(22:00):
fans have for the for the France, for the franchises
here and I have been a witness to it's coming
from Miami and New York of how these people here
love the sports him and then they love the way
the teams get back and speaking of that. You know,
you mentioned the season we had last year, doubling the
amount of wins and and you know the great job
in in that Dan Gilbert, our owner, has done and

(22:21):
get into consistency now in the GM and in the
coaching staff and the players are signed the way we
have been built. To me, it's been different because I
came in. I don't know if I told you the story,
but I always say that Dan Gilbert went to Miami
to make two acquisitions Lebron and I. You know, this
is different because I feel like I've been part of

(22:43):
it from the beginning, from from the foundation that was
created at the beginning of the season two now and
what happened in Labor Day Labor Day weekend. I think
it's something that has to have everybody excited about what's
to come here at Rocket Morguess Films. There's no doubt.
I mean, we've been talking a lot of out as
a team, just the sustainability and the consistency, and obviously

(23:05):
a lot of that starts, you know, it all starts
really at the end of the day with our chairman,
Dan and and what he allows us to do. And
obviously and we're a little biased, but I think we
have the best chairman in all of sports from the
perspective of he allows us to reinvest in the business
and in the team. UM. Every time that we have
you know, Dan's not a guy that's taking a salary,

(23:26):
He's not taking a distribution. And to have that and
then and then to really empower people like Kobe and
JB on the basketball side, my you know, myself and
our great group on the business side, UM to make
the right decisions. It's been it's been incredible. And I
just would say that we really think about like, wow,
look at this thing over the next three four five years,

(23:48):
and it's been a long time since we've been afforded
the opportunity to think like that as an organization. Don't
get me wrong, there's still a lot that can happen.
There's a lot that can go on. We have got
to Our theme has been we've got to earn this
every single day and we take nothing for granted. UM,
But we're afforded an incredible opportunity because of Dan, who
he is and how he operates. And UH, we think

(24:10):
that there's a great a great degree of sustainability and
consistency and people UM which we think is ultimately a
great common denominator and a lot of the success we've
had over the years. One of the things you'll find
out from listening to one and Gold Radio that we
know nothing about excess and oh so we tried to
stay away from it. But since we have you here
CEO of Rock Entertainment and and also the CEO of

(24:33):
the Rock and Markets Fieldhouse on the cab, there are
a lot of exciting things coming to the building itself,
to the organized stage, and you're part of a you
your head and I think, I don't think, I'm sure
a new era in couple of years history. And I
think with the what's going on on the court and
what's coming we want to hear from you was coming
in the building and the transformation has been done, Nick,

(24:54):
and now is a matter of just keeping it, keeping
it new and keeping it going. Yeah, you know, it
feels it feels like a year some me first already. UM.
You know, back in June we announced and launched a
new brand identity with UM with new logos, a new
color scheme. We've got new jerseys that are rolling out
right now as we speak. And look these things, those
things take two years UM to plan in advance, and

(25:15):
so we were really fortunate that the timing syncd up.
We sometimes we say it's almost better to be lucky
than it is to be smart in this business, and
the timing worked out incredibly well for us UH from
that perspective in this summer, and once again this goes
back to the commitment that our chairman Dan has put
into this. But we're putting a record number of resources
into the building just to continue to double down and

(25:36):
triple down on the fan experience, where we're gonna be
putting a sports book in our Sherwin Williams Entrance, which
is in the northwest corner of our building UH with
our partners Caesar's. We also will be UM creating a
brand new members Seek Members Lounge which will be above
the restaurant in Fahrenheit UM due to the sports book
going in there. The members lounge was there before, and

(25:57):
so we wanted to find a new destination for our
most UH to our most valuable fans, which are our
members UH. And then we're also renovating our team shop
UM and really trying to curate and create a retail
experience there that will be world class. When our fans
come into it. The sports book will come online January one.

(26:17):
The team shop should be finished right around All Star
break of twenty of February UM, and so we're really
excited about what all those things mean for our fans.
We've got some new partners coming online where our South
End brew Pub will become Great Lakes UM, which is
something our fans love, and Christmas we're gonna do some

(26:39):
fun stuff with them in Christmas Sale. We've got the
Fubo Sports Lounge that's going in the Overlook Bar and
Loudville UM, amongst a myriad of other things that we're
working on. But UM very excited about those enhancements to
the fan experience and that the investment continues because we
feel like we've got some of the best fans, if
not the best fans in the NBA, and we want
to continue to, you know, create an experience around them

(27:03):
that's world class and that really brings the best in
technology and the best in opportunities to people right here
in Northeast Ohio. I bet when people meet you and
they find out what your title is and what your
job is, they're impressive because of how young you are
and how and how young you look? On top of it,
You're gonna you're gonna look at that age when you're
my age. How old are you? I'm in my late thirties.

(27:27):
I've got a couple of years before the Big Four. Okay,
so that's that's super impressive. But the reason I bring
it up is because and you talked about JB and
Kobe and the young team. This is a new era
we talked about it's a new era in it's a
new generation again. Uh. It doesn't seem like the Lebron
era was that long ago, but it is. It's past
and we are now in this new generation. You're part

(27:49):
of it, Kobe, j B and the young squad. How
does it feel to be kind of leading this new again?
You talk about all the renovations to the arena and
uh improvements. How does it feel to be leading this
charge right now? Look, I I don't think it comes
down to any one person. You know, we have a
great team of of people here on the basketball side,

(28:11):
on the business side, and the community. Um, and it's
really about what we can do together, not what what
I can do or what what you know. What it
is about me? And so I really view my role
as an opportunity to support the organization and put people
in a culture and in an environment that they can
be successful. Whether they're helping greet our guests at the
front door, whether they are marketing or selling, or in

(28:35):
our fine our finance team, legal, whatever the case may
be is you know, my my responsibility is to support
them and to really make sure we've got a world
class organization that's focused on the right things. Um. And
as Dan would always like to say, this is a
community asset at the end of the day, and so
we have to make decisions that are in the best
interests of our community, um, which may not mean the
best interests in our business, you know. And and so

(28:55):
it's really incoming upon our team to to evaluate those
things and to make the right decision that's the most
impactful for Cleveland and for northeast Ohio. But I look
at myself as a piece of the puzzle, and um,
you know, we have just such a great group that
cares so much about what we're doing, and I look
forward to just continue to help them build and grow
upon that in whatever role that they're in within the organization.

(29:17):
Is it ever overwhelming? Because we talked well We also
talk about we have a we have a type of
job where it's not a ninety five job. Your phone
is on all the time. You're always looking at your phone,
and that's almost every employee within the organization. Is it
ever overwhelming? Because again, you have ownership coming at you,
you have fans and not in a negative way, but
you have to deal with Broadcay, you like the biggest

(29:40):
high maintenance person, So you have a really coming at
you from all angles. Is it ever overwhelming? Yeah? Look,
I think it's a great question. I don't I don't
ever look at anything for the challenge that it presents,
but for the opportunity that it creates. And so I
think it's really important, um that you don't get overwhelmed,
and that you really make sure that you stay balanced

(30:01):
and you're thinking and you stay balanced, and and that
goes back to having a great group around you. That
goes back to having a great team of people. It
goes back to being in a great community like we
are here in Cleveland. And so from my perspective, you know,
I don't ever feel overwhelmed. I feel like it's an
opportunity for me to get better, for our business, to
get better or for us to just think about things differently,

(30:21):
and so um. You know, once again, I look at
it and and get excited about the opportunities to get
created um in our world every single day because we
have so much to look forward to and so much
to be excited about. And at the end of the day, Joe,
you know, when you think about it, you boil it
all down. What we do is fun. What we do
is about creating memories and experiences for people, and it

(30:42):
doesn't really feel like it's a it's it's a day
job a lot of days, and so you really try
to maintain that perspective because it helps to kind of
buffer you from some of the things that may creep
into the world occasionally that aren't as as uh as
sunshine and rainbows as I just talked about. Going back
to to how you got here and Nick, not many
people know that you were an assistant GM at a

(31:03):
wooden back league. Um, what do you learn back then?
I one of the things that I appreciated from from
reading about you was something that I did when I
changed careers, which was followed my passion. You were lucky
that you knew at a young age what your passion was,
or or at least you have the nerve to follow it,
which is what you did. When you're going back to that,
how does that process help you? You think? Now, I'm

(31:26):
pretty sure that there were many lessons learned back in
those days that that you still apply. Yeah, you know,
I feel when I feel very fortunate. You know, I
UM assistant Jim sounds like a sparkly. It was a
front office of two and I did everything from you know,
mow the infield to make hot dogs, all beer kegs, um.

(31:46):
You know, run around, do in game promotions, hang fence signs.
You know, you really do it all. No job smaller,
too big, right, That's right. It sounds kind of like
an awesome job. It was awesome. It was awesome. It
was it was unbelievable. It really was a great But
it's cemented, I think, robeit to your point. It cemented
the passion that I had for the sports industry, the
business of sport, and and then you know, from there,

(32:08):
I started off as an entry level ticket salesperson. And
I think the one thing that you know, I would
say I have some pride in UM, but not too much.
I have some pride in is just the function that
I've kind of worked at every level of an organization
and a different and different varying organizations, very very very
small to mid size too, you know, now a fairly
large group that we have here at the Calves in

(32:29):
Rock and Mortgage field House. And so I know what
people are going through. You know, when you're that team
member that just gets out of college and maybe you
have a bunch of student loans or you've got you know,
you've got just a myriad of things you're trying to
figure out in the real world. For the very first time,
I lived that, you know, I slept on the air
mattress and you know, you know really and in say
shouldn't they struggled, But I I worked through all those

(32:50):
things early in my career, and so I feel like
it's a great opportunity for me to give back and
and kind of pay forward to the next generation, um,
some of those experiences because you know, look, it wasn't perfect.
I'll be honest, I wasn't perfect, um, but I learned
a ton as I navigated through the twists and the
turns of my career, especially early on, and UM, it

(33:11):
really helped prepare me for this opportunity now. But I
you know, I enjoyed the heck out of all those
things that I mentioned, whether it was the Collegewood bat
League team that I worked for in Minnesota or the
three other NBA teams that I've worked for, and um,
I think every experience you should look at as an
investment in your own development. But I think the most

(33:32):
incredible part about that is and I learned it in
a different way because working in the Spanish side or
the business, you've got to be your own engineer, you
got your own producer, you're own editor and everything. So
you learned and I guess it serves you in a
way that you know what to expect from the people
working with you and your team because you've been there.
You don't you know how what needs to be taken,

(33:52):
what needs to be done, or what it takes to
get something done. Yeah, I think that's the that's a
little bit of the blessing and the curse, to be honest,
because you know, I do know or I do have
a maybe a thought in regards to how certain things
should be and the other thing you always have to
remind myself and Dan talks a lot about this, but
the speed of the game and how things are evolving
is is just become so fast, especially in the last

(34:15):
ten years. And so what worked when I was maybe
coming up, as they like to say, isn't as applicable today.
And so I've got to make sure I keep myself,
you know, and keep our team balanced around the function
of like, hey, what I did may not be the
same thing that somebody does in my job today within
the organization, and so you have to be vigilant to that.
You have to be sensitive to that. Um and you

(34:37):
have to be smart enough to know that, and and
and you know, surround yourself with smarter people that can
help guide you in a lot of those things because
you don't want to you don't want history to kind
of repeat itself in some ways. Before you go on
the next one, I have to I have to add something.
We talked about a new generation and the new the
new kids and everything. My friend Lorenzo would be would
be not happy with me if I don't mention about

(34:59):
the new patching or you in a for yes, you know,
I have to I have to mention that, yes, you know,
I'm glad you helped me accountable. Um. Not because I
haven't forgotten just because in the in thet me of
all this stuff we're talking about, Yeah, we couldn't be
more excited to welcome Cleveland Cliffs to the to the
front of our jersey. You know, you think about a

(35:19):
company oldest publicly traded company in Cleveland, UM, and a
company that's gone through this just incredible transformation over the
last five to seven years under Lorenzo and James and
sealso in the entire team's leadership over there. It's an
honor to be able to wear their logo on our jersey.
And the story that they're telling, we think has so

(35:39):
many parallels and synergies to the story that we're trying
to tell UM as we continue our transformation on and
off the court. And so it's UM it's one of
those just serendipitous type of moments where great opportunities and
great things come together around great people. And UH, it
is an absolute honor and privileged to to have that
Cleveland Cliffs logo on the jersey, have them in our

(36:00):
trans um and just have them be one of our
you know, one of the largest and top partners we
have in our whole Cavaliers family and and emphasis on
great people, by the way, They're amazing in the whole family,
The whole company is great. Yeah. UM, you mentioned real
quick about the logo and the patch on the uniform.
Thoughts on the new uniforms just on a personal level,

(36:20):
how do you like them? Yeah? I look, I I
love him. I think you know, we really worked hand
in hand with Daniel Harsham, our creative director, and our
entire marketing team did a great job. UM. You know.
They they're simplified, They pay some homage to the past
with kind of this look towards the future. I love
the new gold I really do. I think it's just
classy UM. But it also kind of symbolizes what we're

(36:44):
aspiring for, which is a championship caliber UM experience, championship
caliber team UM. And once again we're cautious to to
to think about those expectations, but it's okay to dream
and it's okay to kind of think about, you know,
what that represents UM in the form of a jersey,
and I just I really enjoy. We've got another one
we're launching in November, which we can't talk about quite yet,

(37:07):
but it's it's even more unique and even even more
different than what I think people have seen. And so yeah,
we're we couldn't be more excited about how they turned out,
how they look um, and we can't wait for people
to get them on and start walking them around town.
And then because we know you gots, we know we
have to get going. We can't. We're trying to ask
this of all our guys. You talked about the experience.

(37:30):
You obviously can go see any show, any show in
the arena. What concerts do you go see when you
want to kind of hang up? What have you gone
to see here that you dig? I? Um, I'm at
every I'm at every major concert just because I want to.
You know, it's it's part of our business. And um,
and I really enjoyed. I am an absolute melting pot

(37:51):
of of of musical interests. Um, you might hear me
listen to some country one day. You might hear me
listen to some rap music, E d M. Classic rock.
You might like that there's some classic music. It just
it just kind of depends. I don't know a lot
about you know, but the fifth on that one. So

(38:13):
for me, like, I just love seeing a great experience,
Like I think back to the two right, Yeah, I do,
But I think back to, like, you know, the ones
that stand out to me in the last you know,
call a couple of years. I think about the rock
and Roll Hall of Fame induction and just how like
the center of the musical universe was right here in Cleveland, Ohio.
It's similar to the NBA All Star Game obviously, but um,

(38:33):
you know that, like when you go to something like that,
it's just that'll be seared in my mind forever around
just one of those really unique experiences. Um. But I
love the spectrum of music. I think it's got such
a unique power when you walk the building and you
see the spectrum of demographics that they bring in, young, old,
from all different walks of life, you know, and I

(38:54):
just it's it's so powerful like sports, where it brings
people together. And I think, in this this time in
our country, in our world, bringing people together such a
powerful thing around what we do. And so, you know,
I don't really have a favorite. And if I'm not here,
I'm probably not going to a concert. I'm probably hanging
out with with my two little daughters, um and my wife.

(39:15):
But I would say that I there's no one favorite
I can really pick. But I have to ask you then,
since you're talking about me. Yeah, I've seen I've been
to Bruce a few times. I really like that show.
You have to bring Bruis. Yes, I do have um
beatles are rolling stones, big wine. We haven't have the like.

(39:36):
Let me look at I gotta, I gotta my my dad.
You know, I'll give my dad some some love rolling stones.
There you go, all right, wait, but before before that,
you know, like Joe Gi was saying that we have
another guest coming in later. Uh you see Varis, which

(39:58):
is the best human and they were going to say,
as great as you are, Nick, you you kind of
the second best guest on today's show. I'm sorry to say,
I totally get it. I won't have it anyway, but
she's been really great at involving all our team members
in in in with the community. We'll give him back.
You mentioned that the paying forward. My grandmother used to say,

(40:18):
throw the back down when you get out of the hall.
Don't forget where you go to new places, but don't
forget where you came from. I have in my hand
a flat Stanley that was chipped to our Community RELATIONSHI
department from a school the third grade is in Lincoln,
Rhode Island, and I have to have to take him
around like preseason to take him take pictures of him.
You already got pictures with coach Pickerstaff and Coach Walton

(40:42):
and at Rock and Morcatsfield had with the ring with
Larry O'Brien. But going back to that, and the question
is how important is it for the Cavaliers. Look, I
mean the community involvement. Yeah, no, I think it's a
great question. I mean, look, we you know, we have
a banner that hangs on the Sherwin Williams Um building

(41:03):
right you know, Catty Corner across the street from from
Rock Mortgage field House, and it's entitled for the Love
for the Land. And you know, it was one of
those exercises we went through, especially as at the start
of the social justice movement, and it's you know, right
after you know, George Floyd and a few of these
things happened, and and I go back to the power
of the events and what we do in the community.

(41:24):
You know, our our whole kind of mantra is for
the Love for the Land, and we've done a bunch
around activating that. We just had a Hoops after Dark
program with the mayor in the city of Cleveland, really
targeted to get kids off the street, young men off
the street. We just left a call where we're recapping
that and we're gonna we're gonna debut a men's in
a women's league around that once again. You know, we

(41:47):
want to we want to do things. We want to
have action in the community behind our words. And it
could be a myriad of social issues that are out
there today and people could think and have different views
on all of them, and that's okay. We we we
want to we want to welcome and be about equality
and humanity here in our four walls, and we want
to bring people together. You know, I think that's the
power of sport, that's the power of entertainment. That's the

(42:08):
power when you see Calves brand or any sports teams
brand for that matter. But it's about how can you
unite a community, how can you create momentum in a community,
and how can you create positive change at the end
of the day. And so whether it's and Lucy and
Pam and our entire team has been so fantastic, but
whether it's you know, helping with food insecurity or helping
close the digital divide, or whether it's working with underprivileged

(42:31):
youth to allow him to participate in a Calves camp
or Calves basketball clinic. You know, these are all these
little things that can I was just at a STEM
School dedication last week and we've done three of those
this summer. Those are all things that can hopefully just
change your trajectory of a young person's life here in
our own backyard. And next thing, you know, they maybe
they want to be the next Raff or the next

(42:52):
Joe g or maybe they want to be the next
Met or they want to be the next Kobe or
JB or whatever, right, whatever they want to be, whatever
they want to be, And so we just think such
an opportunity um to be a part, to be a
part of that puzzle once again that can be solution
minded and impactful in our community. It's probably the most
prideful thing that we do and that I love to

(43:14):
get a part of. We're gonna go plant trees next week,
you know, threes program with Davy Tree, and so there's
all these different things, and I could go on and
on and on, but the whole thing is like we
we want people to know we're more than just hanging
a ban around the wall. We're gonna walk the We're
gonna walk the walk and talk the talk in regards
to how we can really help our community be better.
And I always tell our audience, you know, I played

(43:36):
with refugee kids all summer. We play every Wednesday with
the monsters. We got all our three, all our four
Francists get involved in the community. I will do in
the whole mountain, a mulch in, Lorraine books and girls Glove,
but the best, the best out of all of them.
Geog and I a couple of weeks ago did replay

(43:56):
for kids and we solder toys so people kids with
disabilities can actually use them, you know, like the tickle. Yeah,
it was the most amazing experience. Once not only I,
I act, only they worked. Once we sold there the
adjustment to it so kids can actually just push the
bottom and squeezing it and everything I'm telling you. I

(44:17):
always tell people, get back is the best and you
feel and it feels good and it's fun and it
feels good. I mean, like I could have stayed there.
I finally it was it was, it was a blast.
I finally put my five years mechanical engineering education with
with a specialization in machine designed to really good us.
And yeah, the next community event you go to tell

(44:38):
the kids, don't be the next jo g. You don't
want to do that. Nick, thank you so much for
joining us a Wine and Gold Radio the episode episode
one of season three. It's great Nick, thank you so
much for joining us. And h Hey, good luck this year.
Thank you both, and keep up the great work. We
look forward to what's to come. Got a lot of
exciting things ahead and we just are greatful and thankful

(45:00):
we get to do this and play in Ohio. Hey,
that was Nick Parlidge, one of the forty on the
forty that he wasn't named on that list. And he's
a guy that inspires you to work hard and to
do to follow the lead. Yeah, like we talked about,
the two of us can never get promoted. We can't.

(45:21):
Not only are we I mean, but but like we can't. Like,
you're not going to be the senior director of Space.
It might be the senior play by play span is
played by play director of Like I'm not going to
be the director of Big Reporters. So like, but it's
still it's really cool to see a guy you know
what I mean I remember when Nick was here, you know,
back in the back of the day eight or so. Guys,

(45:44):
the most important thing is that he's been through the
ropes and he's not a guy that came into Everybody
that he's here respect the fact that he had really
worked his way up and and I'm telling something without
a doubt, there's no one person here that doesn't believe
in what he says we're going to accomplish. Yeah, obviously
he always who tells you what we need to do
to accompanish that everybody. But but he delivers it in

(46:05):
a very impressive way. I mean, he's that's what leaders
do exactly exactly. Thank god we don't. Thank god I
don't have that. I'd be overwhelmed all day every day.
Is that reason why you're right? He says, I've never overwhelmed?
Uh So anyway, Hey, uh, as we told Nick, as
great as he was, he's he was only the second
best guest on this show. Coming up next on Wine

(46:27):
and Gold Radio, we have the best person in Cleveland,
the best human in Cleveland, Lucia, Mrs Lucy Barris. She'll
be joining us next on segment three of Wine and
Gold Radio. Wine and Gold Radio. Hey, this is a
my crump in arena hope for your Cleveland Cavaliers. And

(46:48):
I will never and the crump means never listen to
Wine and Gold Radio. I mean what they are is
more of this. I mean, how come quickie on w
h K. I need a quickie on w h K.
After this on Wine and Gold Radio, Bring the family

(47:13):
the Cavaliers basketball with the Family Fund Pack presented by
Molina Healthcare, Darland out Front, Long Free Good gave it
off to Sexton down the Florida of Curl Towel till Hands,
a difference breaker Hit four tickets and four fan meals
started at Just Hit your Family Fund Pack. Today at
cab dot com. Slash offers four tickets and four fan meals.

(47:35):
Started at Partic Let's Go Cat. This was a dream
come true and I just want to thank everybody for
giving me a chance to be a part of it
as a player, even as an announcer, and then as
a great, great bass player. Why are you laughing? Of
course I'm not laughing. Of course this is a big

(48:04):
Daddy Marty happen. And I'm the announcer that says no.
Back to Wine and Gold Radio. And I never listened
to Wine and Gold Radio. No, back to Wine and
Gold radio. My goodness, Hey, welcome back everybody to Wine
and Gold Radio radio. That was the Boss El Cappo, No, no,

(48:31):
not all Chopo copy, the guy father, the Boss Boss.
And as great as it was, even as I told him,
as great as it was to have a named what's
the helf? What is that female ball? That's the female Boss.

(48:53):
It's not a cowl, though I thought that's what I
would have guessed. Uh, as great as it was to
have nikon last segment. Finally, finally, after in our third season,
we finally have how many requests have we had? With
a million? We have put in a request almost every week.
Finally we have landed. We have landed. Lucia the Great

(49:14):
Mrs Lucy Bays. Lucy, welcome to the show. Finally, welcome
to the How come you any you want to join
us before? Oh you know, I just wasn't available. You
were trying to see how downloads are, just to make
sure you have like some Yeah, that's exactly right. Yep,
you guys caught me. I'm here. Yeah, she wasn't gonna
go on just any scrub show. I had to wait

(49:36):
make sure you guys are legit after a while. So, Lucia,
what is your title here? I never I never know.
I'm mad with I don't know titles. All I know
is you're the Lucy of the organization, and he's the
Rough of the organization. And I assumed that every team
has one of us. So I don't know exactly what
your title is. I know what you do, but I
don't know your exact title. What is it? It's very

(49:58):
simple manager community Relations, that's it. Yeah, that's because I
do so much. They can't do everything that I do
into like one title, So it's just simple. Very Community
Relations is one of the most amazing departments and amazing
different PA Frasco, Lucia, Varius and and and it's for Selena,

(50:20):
Sandra and you guys. Yeah, oh, I thought you was
on the other side. Four. Then what is what is
Selena's last name? Seven? Yes, that's a nice Cleveland name,
it is. That's very good. I like that. You don't
They have the biggest Slovenian community here. We do, and

(50:42):
I'm Slovenian, so my my ancestors emigrated here and I'm
actually helping lead the Slovenian Heritage Night for the second
year in a row. It's get it when when we
play the Mavericks, Oh yes against yea, he's from Slovenia
and that's what you say because they have the biggest yeah,

(51:03):
because they were the huge flag and they're cheering. Oh yeah.
And he's a great guy either way, I believe, a
really good guy fluent in Spanish and and a really
good human. Yeah. Okay, So that's that. That is kind
of a simple title for all you do, because you
do I do a lot. So yeah. So I joined
up March of one, and at the time, the community

(51:28):
Relationship team did not have a formal food security pillar
in progress. We had done food distributions in the event
in the past, but we wanted to make it more
of a solid pillar of ours, so I sort of
started that program. So yes, it's become a big part
of our mission, which I love. We work with the
Cleveland Food Bank, Children's Hunger Alliance, We've worked with Meals

(51:50):
on Wheels and it's just giving food to those who
needed in our community. And it's been really important to
me because it's something I really care about. I love it.
I think I'm always trying to make myself avail when
Lucia sends, and I love giving back, you know, when
I came and this summer was kind of enlightening in
a way because I did two events that were like

(52:13):
I enjoy all of them, but two of them were
really like one of them brought me back to how
I how I came to this country, which was we
were working with the Monsters in a school in Lincoln
somewhere somewhere in a Fulton and it was with refugee kids.
Most of them were you know, it was like kids
twenty languages amongst themselves because most of them were Arabs

(52:35):
and Arabic. It's not like people say in Spanish that
has like dialects, like there's one Spanish, it's just some
people speak it differently, but it's just one. I can't
go to any country that's the Spanish is the is
the language, and they all understand me. But Arabic is different.
It has on serious, really really serious different dialects. So
it was twenty languages among the three kids, and probably

(53:00):
like a dozen of them spoke English or Spanish. So
and we went with the monsters and all we did
was like play soccer, first and then hockey on the
on the courter for like three hours. And it was
the most incredible thing because I was helped by a
lot of people that didn't even know who I was
or where I came from when I came to this
country and kind of help me to get to where
I am now make things easier. So that was incredible.

(53:23):
And then the one you and I did a couple
of weeks ago, we replay for kids. We soldering toy.
But it was great just to think of what it was.
What they do is they re refer replay for kids. Yeah,

(53:44):
for dsility, people with kids with disability. Maybe a kid
doesn't have the ability to squeeze put a wire, you know.
We kind of opened it up and then just step
on it and then Elma will do. Yeah, that was
incredible party. I'm telling you, like after doing it, like
I'm wondering and I've had to miss a few. I'm

(54:06):
not I'm not an all star, like right, well, no
one is like, no one is like, but like I'm wondering,
when's the next one? When's when's the next I mean,
if we can go back to replay for kids, I
would gladly go back. Well, you know what. I did
my research and they actually you can do. They do
worshops that you can actually take part on that and
they can also give you a kid to take home

(54:27):
and solder the toys at home. And I told her,
you know, I liked that, but I kind of like
being here. Yeah, Await from everything, I know what some
people said they would have loved to do it here,
which we've done, like we've done food packing events downstairs
the court clubs, So we could do something similar with
replay here, probably in the winter more when it's like
holiday season when kids are looking for toys. So we

(54:47):
definitely want to work with replay for kids again. We
will have another t m v P Week of Service
or day of service probably in November. So yeah, I
mean that's part of my other programs. I run the
t m v P program. So keeping concurrent events here
at the field House or more so out in the
community is something else that I'm running, which I think
has been pretty great. Not to toot my own horn,
but we're seeing everyone really great. And the thing I

(55:11):
want to ask about explain that to people listening, and
that you know people have heard they might have thought
it was just me and rough and a couple of
people out there fixing elmodiles. But that was a whole
day in that that But there was a team of
us that did that. And then I know, um Madison
went out and did a charity where they met with

(55:33):
So charity works with youth that have aged out of
the foster home. So they're eighteen plus and they're looking
to get their own apartments, so they need help figuring
out what they need where they're going to play. But
then those are two of I think they yes, So
I'm trying to remember. We install the in the theme.
By the way, we made a theme each summer. We

(55:55):
had three different of these days where each Friday we
had four or five different opportunities all day long. So
the theme of this one that you participated in was
safe spaces to live, learn, work and play. So I
figured out five places with the help of Sandra actually
helped me figure out some of these places, and we
were installing fire smoke alarms and fire fire education with

(56:15):
American Red Cross Northern Ohio. And then replay for kids
charity Good Nights, which is an Amherst where team members
were helping put together beds for kids who need them
great and they haven home playing with kids who are
in the homeless facility homeless population, and I think that
was it. Lucy and I did one day summer where

(56:35):
I have to get a new team MVP shirt because
I have to bring in like amount and a mulch
the Lorraine Club, I'm not exaggerating, and we have to
co over their garden because they do they have like
a area where they do their own gardening. And how
do you connect with these different charities? So some of

(56:58):
them we work with like Chose and Hunger Aliance, we
work with um. Some of them we just sort of
reach out. Many of them apply for grants and we
do work with some, but others we offer this as
an alternative way that we can get involved. So that
was a lot of our last one of the day
that you guys were there, That was a lot of
our programs was focused around those nonprofits. Okay, when's the

(57:20):
next one? Probably in November, we don't have a specific date.
And by the way, that's even we and then when
you're throw in all the airforts that are are team
member resource group to do, you know, like this this
month is Hispanic Heritage Month, so we've been all over
the place. Is like Saturday, we were Julia the Burgos,
which is an arts center for the only one for

(57:40):
for Hispanic kids, and e clevaland so it it's incredible
when you look at the whole spectrum of the work
being done in the community, which Nick mentioned, it's very
important too, And to me it's always important. Like I
thought you. My grandmother always said, when you get out
of the whole, the rope back down so somebody else
can can get out. So it's up to me. It's important.

(58:01):
It is special, but like that one that replayed for
kids was extra special because my grandma used to say,
give me a cigarette. Literally. Now you kind of transitioned.
We talked to Nick earlier about how he transitioned. I
mean Nick started out what the GM assistant GM of

(58:22):
wouldn't bat, I wouldn't like baseball team. Yeah, so he transitioned.
But you yeah, he invented the computer team, right, you
were one of the original computer Yeah. Yeah, I was
here when we had Vine. For those of you who

(58:43):
remember Vine, which is the O G tiktokh. What was
that where you had like Vine walked so TikTok could run. Yes,
the snapchat, the first I was prior to me, the
digital team was like pitching in here and oh yeah,
like share a tweet today, Oh yeah, I'll update the

(59:03):
Facebook status. But then they realized this was like, oh,
we need someone to do this full time. It can
be you know, marketing and communication for our business. So
then I came along and they heard me and yeah
ten years later. Yeah, but but your transition even being
in like we we tease we call it the computer team,

(59:24):
but really the computer team is on the road. I
mean it's it's roll up your sleeves. Nothing against Corney
and and and Matt North. Yeah, but we wanted Lucia
on the road. Every time they have to switch something,
they're lucky. They're lucky. Thing was that Lucia was there

(59:44):
Game seven the So what's the transition been like for you?
Going from you because you traveled around the road, you're
in the playoffs, but you were more in the day
to day on the court. Yeah right right, So you're
asking me like what was the transition, like, how how
is how do you how do you like the new
you know, your new position? How is the trade was it?

(01:00:06):
Because again coming off the coming off the road for
a couple of years, which I did. Is hard for
me to be there. It's hard to do well for me.
Like I loved my job and I still I love
it still, but I was in my twenties. I was twenty.
Let me think when I started, I was single. I

(01:00:29):
had a lot of energy. I like, I wanted to
be out there. I was ready to grind and beyond
beyond it, like all the times of the day which
you have to be on social and then you know,
ten years later, I'm thirty, I'm married, now, I have
a dog, of a cat, of a house, and it's like,
I don't want to be on the road. I want
to be with my family. And I think the pandemic
really opened my eyes to like that sort of change

(01:00:51):
in like a life shift. So I think being home
just became my priority. And look, I'm only thirty three,
I'm young, but in the eyes of social I am old,
Like this is not my game anymore. So I think
passing it off to someone like Madison is like, she
is young, She's where I was, she's young, she's ready,
she wants to be on the road, et cetera. Like

(01:01:13):
I think that's perfect for her and people her age
to be doing that sort of thing. Yeah, I don't
like that though, I mean, what do you mean? Yeah,
makes sense, It's just a lot being on. And besides
the fact that people think that traveling with the team
is so glamoruous, I know, you know, and most of

(01:01:33):
the time is not. But until you've done it, you
can't explain. But it's because some people are like, oh,
you're totally experience in a five st i room, the
toilets have days on it, like one of those at home.
So I'm good. After Drew, my husband went to Japan

(01:01:56):
five times. I went with him once. We both were like,
when we get a house, we have to have happened.
It's not game changes. And only dude, he doesn't have
a been day. You are. It's a game change, damn it. Um.
But wait, let me go back to the Lucy Computer
Team days because back in the era, I had stopped

(01:02:18):
drinking because I was going through a transformation of in
my you know what you call broccoli rafa broccoli? I
hate broccoli right b broccoli Brocerly I went from jolly
rafa to brocoli broccolid. How much fun we could have had.
But God knows what it is that all right, he

(01:02:40):
or she does, God knows, because you and I together
in New York City on my on my jolly days
working for the one of us would have access to
have the things that I'm not good for you I had.
I had started, you know, and part of the transformation
was that I had chosen to start eating my calories
as opposed to drinking them. So, you know, alcohol was

(01:03:02):
one of the things that But that morning my doctor
texted me and said, hey, listen, if everything goes as
we hoped it does tonight, just go ahead and get
off the bike and keep doing what you're doing, and
then you get back on it tomorrow. So I was
still being good and we kind of got to the
locker room a little late when everything there was there was,

(01:03:23):
without a lie, at least three inches of fluid on
the floor of the at least at least two inches. Yeah,
it was water on the liquid. So everybody was looking.
And then I stumbled into a full case of champagne

(01:03:44):
bottles whenever when they were when the floor was little
with champagne bottles. So I went ahead and gave you
and John Michael one and we took that amazing picture
on the locker room and then I put like three
or four in my backpack, just you know, just for
what it was like. So he didn't even he didn't
even drink. That's we have found out. Yeah, I'm looking

(01:04:05):
out for Everyone's what I mean. So we have thrown
the rope up like Grandma said, Yeah, gaid for people too.
So we already found out that we weren't going to
Vegas like you did, you know, And we were waiting
for the bars and there was no there was no cruise,
so we have to go to a restaurant. But Lucy's
sitting behind me on the bars and she looked a

(01:04:25):
little like could use something in her hand, so I
gave her a bottle. She was a recipient of one
of my extra bottles of champagne. And we have an
amazing picture too for me in those days. But it
was great. We have a picture from that night as well. Yeah,
we're like soaked in champagne. It was amazing. I don't
know how long we were in that holiday inn, but

(01:04:48):
they opened up the bar in the kitchen for us
talking about we're cooking. Someone was we're throwing chicken fingers,
and in the kitchen it was like wild and we
got back and then we have to wait for you
guys to come into I could my back, but nothing
matter because I know we have a wonderful thing. Now
we're at the Now, we're at the ground The organization

(01:05:09):
I feel is at the ground floor again for ye Well,
you're right, we're probably more than so. We're on the
way up, though, But I want to feel that again.
I want to I want to be This one feels
different because we have been through every single brick that
has been laid on on the on the wall that

(01:05:29):
where we're going to go. When I came, it was
he was already there. We were and I didn't even
think of finals at the time. When I came to Cleveland,
I was just happy that I was working for the No. No,
I'm saying, obviously we had the team to do it,
but I'm saying it wasn't my expectation when I came
to Cleveland. The nice thing about I've said this about

(01:05:51):
this team is that it's fun. It's this is a
lot of this is great. Especially last year was gravy
and that when Lebron was here, every year was expectation
championship or Bus Championship or bus so well, and it
was legitimate because it should have been. But the point
was the regular season was no fun because when you
lose this the end of the world, when when you're

(01:06:12):
supposed to it was. I tell people, everybody thought they
see someone's gonna be fun. It's still gonna be fun.
He has to be fun because last year were like, yeah,
the kids right right now, it's like kids, come on, yeah,
I found money. I mean, this year's you gotta grow

(01:06:32):
up a little big. And the good thing about it
is that we have a really good bunch of guys,
just really good. Yeah. But the kind of us also
on the fans, I think that the chemistry and the
fun that everybody is having on the court. Yeah, no,
I think it's gonna be a fun year. They're there,

(01:06:53):
you know, like Danovan Mitchell said, they're they're a fun group.
They enjoy each other. You know, they get along and
you can see it. It's it's organic to you, it's not. Yeah.
I have an idea. Is it possible to invite fans
that say, if we have like a beach clean up
like we do this summer, we probably we don't like
team members thing. Yeah, I think we have plenty of
fans that would like to get involved get back. Yeah,

(01:07:15):
I'm sure you could play that for next summer each
clean up. Yeah, you did what you weren't involving. I didn't,
I know, and I promised Lucy, I'll never get I
always go to the beach in Miami the day after
Labor Day and you would be surprised how many guy
garbage cans I fill up on the day from the

(01:07:36):
weekend before you need to. I'm telling you, not just
beer cans or bottle caps. I mean everything, topperware, I
mean anything that everybody close diaper. It is unbelievable, the
mess that we that we make. What we're having fun?
Are you like that guy in that commercial where you
you clean off the beach and then you sit there

(01:07:57):
and watch the little baby turtles watching. That makes so
much sense that that's beautiful commercial. So cheesy though, that commercial.
I don't I clean it up because you know what
the reason ahead I clean it once because I hate that.
And I would never throw garbage on the floor like that,
and too because then people will see me leaving, and

(01:08:19):
I think it's me leaving all that garbage behind. No,
that's true, it's it's who's like, I kind of wonder
who's still litters anymore. By the way, it's crazy, by
the way, the beach has construction size. Garbage can tie
two trees like every every other ridiculous along the beach,

(01:08:40):
and you still see garbage in between the thing. So, Lucy,
do you have anything planned for this year? Is there
any new initiatives or anything? Or we just gonna keep
rolling along like the juggernaut that it is. I think
we're going to keep rolling along. I think as we
continue to loosen up COVID restrictions, we just to keep
doing more events with our players. Um, so that would

(01:09:03):
be something to look forward to, maybe a little bit
a couple more events this season. We of course look
forward to our season of Giving, which that will be
our next big initiative, which starts around Thanksgiving and last
of the New Year. And what is that kind of
that's a given away turkeys and something like that, turkeys
Holiday dinner. We'll have a new exciting event to come.
I'm not going to spoil it yet, but it'll be fine.

(01:09:23):
It'll be here Rock Morgage Field House. And yeah, the
toy drive for that, oh perfect, Yeah, the toy drive
and harvests are not harvest pilgrim Pilgrim. Yeah, that one
straight off the Mayflower. It is. It is the outfit

(01:09:47):
required for the event. Okay, one more question for you
before we I know you have to go interview Young
seasonal Young Seasonal for kids. Uh the last question is
beatles are rolling stones? My gosh, beetles all the time?
Damn straight? Lucy, Oh yeah, come on, look at my name.
Truly are named her dog Ringo Ringo stars. I do

(01:10:11):
love Lieutenant Dan. It's a cat that is missing here
in Cleveland. I know lieut F Lieutenant a great name,
but Lucy has a three legged loses as well. Ringo
the Ringos missing the front, front left, Lieutenant Dancy missing
the right, the right hand and I gotta shout shout
out Nori. That's our new letter. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, she's

(01:10:34):
so sweet. I want to bring to thee h. It
was so crazy that we can bring dogs the office. Yeah.
I would bring my fat dog to the office, but
she would Rosie. That would drive everybody from from home.
She's so cute, but she drive everybody nuts. Why so
I don't under estimatle seat that man. I'll try. Maybe
I'll bring her in and see, yeah, like a Friday,

(01:10:57):
everybody's gonna be like, oh my god, you see every Friday. No,
I think you don't organize it with people in culture anything.
I've seen people bringing the min on on Monday. Really
all right, I'm gonna bring Rosita in and just down
hooker and like brue nuts baby, and we're being capped.
I don't think so. When I cat, when I jacked,
Oh yeah, when I jacked the friendliest cat. Yeah yeah,

(01:11:18):
when I jacked. Ye, meet high when I come home,
but survive here. But thank you for settling, finally, finally
settling the debate that the Beatles are first Nick Stones
and yeah, but Lucy is a better guest and be
Lucy's and be Lucy's last, and see she's named after

(01:11:38):
a song. Nick's not named after any damn Rolling Stones song.
I mean, this is as legit as it gets right here. Yeah,
it's settled, very good. Lucy, you want to hang around,
hang out just for one second while we say thank you,
because I think you're going to know some of these luminaries.
We have to, even though we have a player on,
but we're gonna start having some players and personnel coaches
on next week. So we have, but we still have

(01:11:59):
to thank the PR staff, namely b J who runs
the PR staff with what Rafa the iron fast Baby,
and of course Jerome the straws there's the drink. Is
there anybody better in Cherome? No, there isn't guitar Flora,
he does not play the guitar. That's a that's an
urban legend, Okay, Sling and Sammy. Uh, we have to

(01:12:22):
thank Matt gold even though he couldn't make it today.
I think he was. I think he might have what's
his name, the gold El Mochaco Dorado, the Golden Boy,
the Golden Boy. I think he might have been a
little hungover. I think he might have a little a
little too much moonshine for that mountaineer this weekend. Yeah,
so I think, uh, we have to thank the what

(01:12:43):
do they call the engineering department? Joe Fritchen, who I love,
the great Joe fritchend casey coolist, who might have the
coolest hair out of anybody in Cleveland, coolest. It's right
he does. And then Pete Burman has some fictional character.
I think he's like the grim Shore. I don't know,
I don't I got I got introduce you to Pete Man.
There's no Pete I'll tell you what you know. They say,

(01:13:05):
there's no you know. They say, look what Habeas Corpus
produced the corpse like you can. If you can produce
a Pete Berman on the air, if I can actually
see him and our listeners can hear him speak, I'll
believe that he exists. Otherwise I do not. Georgia and
Ashley from the computer team. Georgia, who drives a truck
that he wheels, I think herself, I know that truck.

(01:13:31):
Yeah really, And the other day too, we're driving into
a into a parking guards and that your husband got
gets some nice wheels, and she's like, wait a minute,
but it's like a double wide or something. I mean,
it's like a truck truck. I haven't seen it, but
I'm sure it's. She's Canadian man, and she has to
come in, by the way before the opener degrade your
national anthem, because I don't think anyway they should let
you sing that. Rab Hageman and Joe Machner, who does

(01:13:53):
the hotline that still is really kind of stillec thing does.
I think it's still working, but we need to try
on two, one, six four, twenty hundred, Lucy, just call
it one day and just see, just see if it
exactly hundred. I would normally thank Mrs Lucy Verius the

(01:14:15):
greatest human in Cleveland. Right now, she's sitting here the
second best human in Cleveland. We have to thank the
guy who makes us all go, the backbone of the show,
the guy who the structure, the hardest working man really
in show business. DMC. Yeah, I love that guy. And
of course the dynamic duo of Dirty Kurt and Marty Ellen.

(01:14:38):
You know those guys. Oh, sure, the best, right sure yeah.
Thank you again to Mrs Lucy Veris the best. Thanks
for having you. Can I have one thank you? Okay?
Thank you to the third grade is uh, the Mrs A.
Yellow's class in Lonsdale, Lincoln, Rhode Island for sending I
gotta take a picture of Lattstown. Okay, thanks keep doing

(01:15:03):
do you? Thank you? Okay, guys, thank you out there
in Long Island. And we will be back on Rhode
Island whenever one of those islands. Uh, we'll be back
next week with I believe a player And next week
we're rolling, so uh check us out next week and
as always good night, Freddy Mac. Wherever you are, this

(01:15:25):
is like a Monoly sat with an extra sketch. It
doesn't matter how do you get there, but let's call
this hey winef Winter. You're listening to Wind and Go radio.
Give me that pole and this one is hover. Believe
the Cleveland savor it. Oh, let break America. Have a

(01:16:10):
good night, and everybody