August 10, 2025 • 23 mins
On this episode of CAROLINA Focus with Sharon Thorsland, Jim Szoke and Ed Billick
Profiles in Broadcasting - Sharon Thorsland - Celebrating her 25-year career at WBT
Born/ Raised - is an identical twin. In college a pre-med major .... fell in love w/communications and sports. Her mother a big influence in getting her into radio!
From WNSR in NYC to Grad School at UNC - got a job at Florida State and other assignments along the way.
Jim interviewed Sharon, hired at WBT Summer of 2000!
Listen here for more !!!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, and welcome back to Carolina Focus, a public
affairs show heard every Sunday on News Talk eleven ten,
WBT Mixed one of seven nine and Sports Radio ninety
two seven wfn C. Always available as a podcast over
there at WBT dot com Profiles and broadcasting This morning, folks,
and we're talking with our own Sharon Thorsland, and then
(00:20):
studio with me is Jim Zoki.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Jim, good morning, Good morning, and thanks for assembling this
as you do such a great job any you guys
do the program every week. But it was Ed came
to me and said, we have got to honor share.
This is twenty five years this summer of her being
at WBT. So I'm glad you had the idea and
made this this hour about that. And we were talking
last segment about you know, sharing a kind of her
(00:44):
background in history amping up to getting the job and
doing the job and so forth. But what were some
of like some of like your your anecdotes and stories
of just as Ed said going in the break, there's
weather situations, there's you know, goofy personalities, there's you know,
as you said, you've got to meet some really cool
people like magic Johnson some others through the years. But
when you kind of think of, like you know, your
(01:04):
anecdotes and your remembrance is, what were some of your
stories that you think about.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Well, it's like there's cool people that I've interviewed that
aren't in the sports world and in the sports world,
and then like the silly stuff of course. But when
I was at Florida State, just because it was not
technically just a sports show, I got to interview Madeline Albright,
Remember Madelin Albright, the Prime Minister of England, you know,
I mean I got to interview maddal In Albright. Norman
(01:29):
Thaggard was an astronaut, another there's another astronaut too, and
just some like unbelievable William Sapphire, I mean, like unbelievable people,
Ellie Vizzell, I mean like unreal people that I got
to do one on one interviews with Billy Joel.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
This was the top, though, Billy Joel, top.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Thing I ever got to do. At Florida State. We
had a big, beautiful old theater called Ruby Diamond Auditorium
and it was right in my building, Westcott Building there
at Florida State. And Billy Joel was playing there with
one of those intimate concerts that they do. You know,
it's only see, I don't even know how many people.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It's that.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It was small and he was doing a sound check
and I had arranged to do a one on one
interview with Billy Joel, and so I go and they're like, he's,
you know, doing a sound check at the piano, and
they sort of give him a little flag that I'm
here and ready. When he is, they let me go. Sit.
He called me over. I sat on the piano bench
next to Billy Joel. Well, yeah, somewhere in a mile.
(02:23):
I have no idea where it is now because the
back thing weren't digital back then, and he was playing
the piano, and I got to hear his whole sound check,
did an interview with him sitting on the piano bench,
played a duet of Heart and Salt until you know,
I played the piano and I played the panel, so.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
You and he were playing together.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
We do it with Billy Joel and sit and listen
to his entire Sounddug. That was probably the coolest interview
I ever did at Florida State, hands down, or probably
one of the coolest every time. Oh he was great. Yeah,
he was awesome. So it was unreal because I love
Billy Joel and I love the piano, so it was
that was really cool.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
You have a piano man and the piano girl.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, it was together. It was really cool. So I
have some recording of it somewhere in life if I
could find it. But and then we did a really
cool TV show, you know it was. It was actually
pretty well done. Actually, and I got to interview David Stern,
who was the then commissioner of the NBA, and he actually,
(03:17):
it was so funny. He went to high school with
my father in New Jersey. He was a year younger.
And I still I have the recording of this because
it was just too close.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Remember your day. Oh.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
He went on and on about my dad. He said,
the Thorsland brothers, they ruled teenage high school because my
dad had two. They were huge. They were all six
five sixty six and went on to play professionally and
in college and stuff, all of them. And he said,
I have followed his career for years. I knew every
stat he was spouting out stats of his senior year
and how fast he threw and everything. It was hysterical.
(03:49):
So my dad gets a big bang out of that.
But yeah, my dad played in the Orioles organization and
so but and my uncle played at Clemson and in
the CFL and Canadian Football League, and my other uncle
played basketball Clemson. So we have.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Joe.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah. Yeah. And then when I got here, and then
I had a lot of just athletes too, obviously, I
mean work done and Peter Warwick and you know, Chris
Winky that this was really funny. So Chris Winky is
at Florida State as quarterback my last year when I
was there. He might have been there two years when
I was there. And I come to North Kuna and
(04:23):
get the job here at WBT. The Panthers draft Chris
Wink and I'm out there on the field and we
do our little huddle after practice is over. That's how
they used to do it. We used to grab players
on the field, and everybody's interviewing Chris Winky, you know,
because he's the new quarterback whatever. And I'm like sort
of standing over on the side and I see him
see me and do like a double take, and he's
like trying not to laugh, and finally he's burst out laughing.
(04:46):
It's like, what are you doing here? It was really
so I was here first, but anyway, so I there
was some really unbelievable athletes and famous athletes like you know,
Magic Johnson, and like I said, so that was amazing.
But then when I got here and started doing the
sideline stuff for ESPN, there was really you know, like
(05:08):
Ben Roethlisberger. I did get to do a hit for
the real ESPN for that because that was when he
was deciding if he was going to come out of
college or not after his junior year, and it was
my of Ohio plan at Ohio University, and I got
to do a live thing for ESPN, which is really cool.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So a lot of these coaches players recognize you years later, well,
like I mean, everyone's interviewing them, so there.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I mean, it depends like some of them like if
I see if I saw John Fox, yes, he'll come
up and give me a hag Ron Rivera too. I
mean the people that were here for a long time
that you had a relationship with, that's one of my
I mean, I love coach Rivera and I just adored
John Fox. I just loved him. He was one of
my Absolutely, I just loved him. It is what it
is with all of his little statements. But yeah, he
(05:50):
was great. And you know, when you're with somebody for
that long and on a regular basis, you know, they
they recognized you after a while, all of them, you know,
all the reporters and stuff, the ones that are there
you know for a long time. So so, I mean,
so there were fun things when I went to when
I was doing the Mac games, I had a game
with Urban Meyer and up there in North and Illinois,
(06:13):
and I was interviewing a guy. This was my Susie
Colberg moment. I was interviewing this wealthy donor who had
just donated some huge amount. They were honoring him at halftime,
and I had to do the little interview. He was
just three sheets to the wind.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Drug older guy.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Older guy.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, he was probably in his mid forties. He was
he was not really, I mean, I was whatever in
my twenties and he was however old he anyway, he
was just just so drunk. And that's he tried to
pull that. He was like, oh, come here, let me
give you a hug whatever, and then let me give
you a kiss.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
I was like, wow, back off on the air.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
On the air. So they were like telling me they're like,
step back whatever. I'm like, oh my god, I'm trying.
It's just that's a little awkward. So you get it
every now and then. Had one of those, but that
that was the that was the one that really sticks
out of that kind of thing. But people always ask me,
do you have a hard time with being a female
in a male dominated world? But I never really had
(07:05):
any issues with things like that.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think it's because your personality are very like fired up,
let's go, you know what you're talking about, and uh,
you're assertive, so that that's good.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, Well I never. I don't know, I just never.
I never had any issues with it. And I don't
get easily offended. If somebody calls me, like Bobby about
Haygal or something, I'm like, oh my god, don't you
know some people, some women get a little more easily
offended with with things like that, or if you know,
somebody makes an off comment about girls and whatever, I'm like, whatever.
I don't play football, never did.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
I don't really can.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
From a couple of years ago, or he said something,
was that a Wednesday press conference thing?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I was there.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
He thought it was funny. She knew what a route was.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
It wasn't that she knew it. He was like he
was just making I thought it was really harmless, even
though at the time I always remember thinking to myself,
oh boy, did he really just say that out loud?
He made She asked him some really intricate question about
route running, which you know she was. She's a great writer,
great writer. She was a very in depth.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
She was with Mina Mina Kings whatever from the ESPN.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Yeah, she's she works with the Athletic right now. She
was with the Observer at the time, and she was
like to ask this intricate question about routes, and Cam
sort of look at her from it and he was like, Wow,
that's sort of you know, that's that's pretty wild. You know,
a girl asking about, you know, routes like that. And
it was more like I think that he was like, wow,
you're Kevin press across, but it came across the wrong way,
(08:28):
and then you know about all that, that all just
took off the wrong direction. I was like, whatever, it didn't,
so I'm not it didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I think a lot of our listeners want to know
about the playing trips and traveling to the different places
before we do that though weather. Sorry he'd mentioned some
of the worst weather, some of the craziest. I mean,
there was a panther game one time, pouring out of
the stand watching.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
That you were there.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I was out the sidelines for that one.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
From getting ready more.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
It was warm then, so I had a raincoat and
I had rain boots. But I remember standing out there
because I wouldn't when we go hide in the tunnel
a lot when especially you know, in the gates, yeah,
and then they make it come off. But this was
literally it was the monsoon of all monsoons that I
have never seen anything like it. The water it was,
it was just unbelievable. They were, like you said, there
(09:20):
was water like just coming down in like the waterfalls
and on the sideline because the field sloped, you know,
it slopes down, so we're we're on the low low end,
you know, when you're on the sidelines, it's way lower
down there. And they have like the channel drains back
there to get the water, and wasn't doing any good.
The water, I'm not kidding. The water was up over
the top of my rain boots exactly. And there's stuff
(09:41):
floating down behind me, you know, like cups and things.
I was like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
It was cleaning up the stadium at the same time exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That was the worst rain, but the worst cold and
rain put together two years ago, remember here against Atlanta.
Oh my gosh. And I knew ahead of time that
it was going to be freezing cold and rain and
it isn't going to be snow. So I had, you know,
the big park, and they gave me they you know,
they'll give you stuff too to add to it. But
I had like the big plastic clear thing because I have,
(10:09):
you know, you got a microphone. I have my notepad
in my notes, and when it's pouring rain, it's sort
of hard to use that.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
And the engineers, of course like, do not let the
mic get wet, don't let I don't care as much
about the human as just destroy.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
So I have the plastic thing and I have my
note pad, and when you end up you can't use
After that, I was just gave up because then your
hands are so cold you can't even write, so I'm
just trying to keep the microphone warm. That was the
absolute coldest, wettest, most miserable day ever. And you do
have to prepare for that and that's part of the gig.
And then I've had some cold ones. Toledo against Bowling
Green Sleep just total sleet storm in late November, you know,
(10:43):
just sleeted the entire time. So yeah, you have to.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
And then halftime.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Do they have a room where you can go warm
up and all that?
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, so I can come up and it's like all
of ten minutes. If you're lucky, you know, you come.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
In because you do, you're working and you have to still.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Write and work during halftime. But Tampa two years ago,
we had an unexpected storm that came out of nowhere.
I had no rain gear, nothing, and it was in
the second half and I could see these just black
clouds coming in and I almost remember asking David is
it supposed a rain? He's like, no, it doesn't seem
like it. And then I just wo, I was just
wet repped.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Never never had safe stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
It's fertile.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
So yeah, so the rain. I don't mind the cold
or the heat. I just I don't like the rain.
I don't like it when it rains because you can't
take notes and you're dripping, and you know, I have
to keep the microphone dry and I don't like the ren.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
So you get to be good friends with the equipment
trainers and stuff like that, the equipment managers because they've
they've got like the special stuff for the players obviously,
if you need gloves or a hat or whatever, that's
the way to go. And yeah, if they happen to
forget to get it back at the end of the day,
you got something new for your use.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I have a I had a really cool old rain
cup at that was before they changed the logo, so
I can't use that anymore. Captain Maunderline gave it to
me on the side of he felt sorry for me
because I was like getting drenched and it's like, here,
take my rain coat.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
What has changed in your twenty with the Panthers, access security,
all of.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
That, all of that, we used to drive up into
the stadium back behind the main gates and park like
right outside the door and go right in, you know,
I mean, no problem and just walk in. That was it.
I mean you could basically take anybody on the field
with you back then and get a pregame pass and stuff.
But that was it was so easy to get in then,
(12:27):
and we just we used to go out on like
when coach Fox did it. We would go out and
watch practice. I don't know how we we couldn't maybe
watch all of it, but we would watch practice. He
would do an interview with us right there on the field.
Then we'd all walk up to the locker room together
and interview the players and you could. And that was
great because that's why I got so much information, because
when you're you know, just you know ya, you know
(12:51):
you could, that's when you just start, oh, hey, what
about bla bah? You just instead of like this, and
so you get great information. Like there was some player
I never forget this, even though I forget his He
was a receiver trying to make the team, and it
was like before the fourth preseason game, and he would
he told me that. I asked him how he's getting ready,
because you know, this is do or die here for
the game. And he's like, oh, I scaled the fence
at night of the practice field and run routes in
(13:13):
the dark. I was like what, but you know it
was anyway. I still remember that, but so you get
good stuff. So now that's completely changed. Now they took
the parking way years ago, you know, and so now
you just have to park really far away and walk.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
In the parking city parking.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yeah, and you know, yeah, and for a while or
we didn't have any parking.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I lost twenty eight dollars yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I forgot to get my forgot to get valid.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I was I was doing an interview. I missed about
your moment.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Is that NFL or is it Panthers.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
Or yes, I think it's I think it's Life College team.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
To just access to everything in general is limited because
of the paranoia that somebody today's digital world, phones and
all that. Yeah, it just takes one person, like putting
stuff on the internet.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Well like the whole thing with cam and that, that
whole thing that went viral. And so before that, and
I still remember there was a reporter here in town
that still covers of Panthers wrote something that Brentson Buckner.
Remember Brenson Buckner did not like and he.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Was that practice this week. As a matter of fact,
Buckner was it was Tuesday to day.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
We didn't get yeah, and he refused to talk to
him after that. And this was before you know, Twitter.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And Jimmy, you're right, the over sensitivity people way over
sensitive makes something.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
That's really not Yeah, and so that's changed drastically, and
I think with just the access thing, but the biggest
thing has changed in the relationship that you have with
the athlete now, and I think it is it's because
of the social media. They're much more stand offish now.
They don't they're not as forthcoming, and they don't tell
you stories as much anymore. They because they don't. I
(14:41):
don't think they trust us anymore as much as context.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I mean, they'll be asked a question, they'll answer the question,
and then it becomes a story because the headline isn't
written with the context, or the tweet isn't presented a
full context about something. That becomes like, oh, he's unhappy
with his contractor he didn't like this about the coach.
When they were at specific question they answered it. Someone's
looking for an angle or they think they can create
(15:05):
one because they want the clicks or whatever. So I
think a lot of players give very standard answers or
short answers because of that, and then some just kind
of let it fly and you get some you know,
crazy fun moments. But it's I would say more conservative
than it is guys that show their personality now because.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
They coached through high school through college to be that way,
you know, as the old, younger ones come up and
then of course their.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Agents, I'm sure coach.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well, I think the teams do too, because nobody wants
to average. Yeah, you know, but so that that's that's
what's changed a ton because it and that makes our
job a little harder to be able to.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Less interesting because you get a bunch of interviews and
sometimes we'll walk out and you know, the past years
we've had really because it's been a younger, growing team,
a lot of younger guys right out of college, and
you're like, going, well, I did the interview, but nothing
really newsworthy.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Came out of it.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It was very standard, like yeah, a lot of repetition
of obviously they've been coached to say. And again I'm
not saying blanket everybody with a number of players like, well,
just trying to get better, and they won't talk like
she tested to scouting report on their team. They're very
hesitant to talk about the other team. Because it's kind
of paraphrasing, but well, we just worry about ourselves. If
we do what we're supposed to do, it doesn't matter
what insert teams feels.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
A scouting report, previewing the other team. So I ask
a specific question, you know, what is it about whoever?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
You know, it could be like the best player.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
He's somebody you know against Pat Mahomes or whatever. Yeah,
Patrick Mahons. What makes him such a great athlete?
Speaker 5 (16:31):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Well, you know, he's really good. But if we do
what we need to do to contain, I'm like, that
doesn't help me. I need I need something to say, oh, well,
he's awesome because he does this, this and this. But
they don't want to do that anymore. It's hard to
don't yeah, exactly the same kind of thing. Or they
don't want to be looked at as like, you know,
adulating the other team or something. So it's definitely got Yeah,
it's gotten a little a little more difficult to just talk.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
About a fun part of traveling. I mean a lot
of business travelers hate to get on a plane. You
guys go to the some of the fabulous cities the
night before.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Jim's always saying what restaurants in Pittsburgh are good?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Talk to us, talk to our listeners about travel and
where do you sit on the plane, where the players sit?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
I mean, we have no idea what.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
That's like, yeah, well, I mean it's fun. I don't
think I would enjoy traveling with Panthers now as much
because for years, I mean I didn't for ten years
or however many years I was only home games and
it was great, you know, and then with everything, you know,
there's been some turnover there with people on that ended
up back on the sidelines, you know, three years ago,
and oh it's the whole thing traveling. I was like, oh,
but I tell you what, you can't beat traveling with Panthers.
(17:35):
It's nice, you know, you go, they make it really
easy because you just you know, drive up and park
and walk up and get on the airplane and you
know it's food and everything you need and.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
It's all first class.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Then right, well not for us, but.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
We are really towards the back of the play. That's
that's staff. That's like anybody that's not football or coaches
or the trainers. Like we're in the back with like
the social media and the writers.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Yeah, for the for.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
The executives, the general managers, the well of course.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Us I've never even even Jerry Richardson didn't like they
fly separate different. This is when we say charter it's
like American or Delta and flight where you know everybody.
So it's not like a special plane. It's one of
their planes, but it's just where you know everybody on
the plane. Well, you know, it's not a special like
the Hornets have their own special plan used.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
To have with the logos on the of the fence.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I think the Patriots have stuff like that. There's a
couple of teams that have their own, maybe Miami. I
don't even know. But but we're treated well, we're fed well,
and we get pred I get to stay, you know,
at the best hotels. We're the same hotel as the
players are. And the best thing is when the game ends,
like we get on a plane, whether it's five in
the afternoon or midnight.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
You get like when you get off the airplane at
your destination city, there are buses on the tarmac and
you go straight from the airplane to your bus. You
have the escort taking you, you know, so you have
no sorry.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
About what the West side of show. It gets blasted by.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
The police escorts coming down. It's like we're the president,
you know, coming in.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
So when you arrive at the hotel, a lot of
autograph seekers, a lot of fans, yes, Sharon.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah, we got a lot of that, not switch for
the players, but for Sharon.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
And then I would say more like a handful that
kind of hang.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Out on the hotel.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
So so that's good, and you know it's normally pretty.
I feel pretty. I'm not the best flyer in the world.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
I'm always like, you're telling me some white knuckle I do.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I tell one thing about Sharon because I've not picked
up a book in like ten fifteen years.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
I'm not a book read. I used to love reading books.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
She always has a book, so she's always reading. And
you have obviously people.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Other phones, they're watching the movie or whatever. Like she
is old school, like she.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Is reading an actual book, a paper paper.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Fiction.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I love well. Some I've read just finished on last
year on the plane. I read Pat Conroy is My
Losing Season, so that's a sports book. And the Pete
and Merriviage Pistol pet that was a really good book.
But no, I read all sorts of all sorts of stuff,
mostly fiction. So but I love I love to read,
and I get uninterrupted time to read because I'm on
an airplane for a few hours, especially like kids I
(20:16):
don't have to do anything. I get to read at
night at the hotel. Yeah, it's great. So yeah, so
I do enjoy that. The travel. The traveling is it's
really fun. And we get to go to some like said,
some cool cities and of course Germany the funny thing
last year. So we fly all the way to Germany
and that's you know, this like overnight, middle of the night,
and we're all on the team playing together, you know,
the players and the coach. We get on first, and
(20:37):
then the lower tier players and then the upper tier
players and then the coaches and stuff, you know, so
we load, you know, like you normally load a plane.
So half to know, they don't even see us. So
Adam Thielen's at the team hotel and we had all
just got there and I was doing something when I
was waiting to do something with Dave Canalis, maybe with
a niche and and I'm finally like, oh, I get
to go up to my room finally. And so I'm
waiting there for the elevator and Adam Feelin hops off
(20:58):
and he's like, oh, you made it, You're here, and
I'm like yeah, and he was like, how is your flight?
And I was like, I was on your flight, Adam.
You know, I'm like, I'm always on your flight. They
don't even know where they are.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
It's a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
So I was like, coaching staffs have gotten so big,
support staffs have gotten so big.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
It's just like everything that their plan.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
So sure, this has been wonderful. We got about two
minutes left.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Advice for younger people, the younger Sharones or the younger
Jim z Okies in the world.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
What what I mean. You've had a wonderful, wonderful career.
Many different facets talk to us.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Do everything, volunteer for everything. Never say no, never say no.
Don't say oh that's beneath me, or oh I don't
know how to do that, Say yes and figure it out.
That's that's what I would say. And then the networking.
Networking is huge. That's how I got almost all of
my jobs in this you know, networking is very big.
I'm a big proponent of following up with thank you
(21:52):
notes and following up with people. I think that's a
lost art. I think that that sets you apart. I
had somebody send me a thank you note for something,
and I was like, oh my god, that's amazing work
related and so I think you need to do that.
And then just always be prepared. I mean, just be
so prepared. Don't go in thinking that you're you know,
you know everything, and you need to be prepared, do
your homework. And then really most importantly is build relationships
(22:17):
with people. I think that that's so key. Don't burn bridges. Yeah,
don't burn bridges and make and develop relationship with people,
especially in this business because you know, it is it's
a small world, it really is in the broadcasting world.
So build relationships, don't burn bridges, and have the upmost
respect when you're like in a locker room or working
(22:37):
with the team, don't go in there, like I don't
go in there thinking I'm their buddy, you know, I
don't think you know, and you know, and being a female,
I'm always like dress appropriately for the job. I always
talk about that sometimes, like I can't believe that person's
out here worrying what she's wearing on football field right now. Yeah, exactly,
they look and it's like, you know, because I think
that that that doesn't help the other females in the business,
(22:57):
you know, who are trying to be professionals and do
it the right way, and you've got somebody dressed like
they're going to a nightclub out there, so anyway, but yeah,
so that's my advice.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Be prepared, Jim funnel Wards.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
For Sharon, We've just been lucky to have her for
twenty five years. It really seems odd that that much
time has passed by, to be honest with you, but
I mean, people know her from all the many things
she has said on the air, but the person is,
if not better, I mean just like it's just a
joy to work with.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
People that are that easy to get along with and
do a good job. Harder to find than they used
to be.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Very very nice words jail are too nice for Ed
Billick and Sharon Thorsland.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Folks enjoyed Carolina Focus of Special Profiles and Broadcasting as
we honored Sharon Thorstler for twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Have a great Sunday.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Talk to you all next week on Carolina Focus.
Good morning, and welcome back to Carolina Focus, a public
affairs show heard every Sunday on News Talk eleven ten,
WBT Mixed one of seven nine and Sports Radio ninety
two seven wfn C. Always available as a podcast over
there at WBT dot com Profiles and broadcasting This morning, folks,
and we're talking with our own Sharon Thorsland, and then
(00:20):
studio with me is Jim Zoki.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Jim, good morning, Good morning, and thanks for assembling this
as you do such a great job any you guys
do the program every week. But it was Ed came
to me and said, we have got to honor share.
This is twenty five years this summer of her being
at WBT. So I'm glad you had the idea and
made this this hour about that. And we were talking
last segment about you know, sharing a kind of her
(00:44):
background in history amping up to getting the job and
doing the job and so forth. But what were some
of like some of like your your anecdotes and stories
of just as Ed said going in the break, there's
weather situations, there's you know, goofy personalities, there's you know,
as you said, you've got to meet some really cool
people like magic Johnson some others through the years. But
when you kind of think of, like you know, your
(01:04):
anecdotes and your remembrance is, what were some of your
stories that you think about.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Well, it's like there's cool people that I've interviewed that
aren't in the sports world and in the sports world,
and then like the silly stuff of course. But when
I was at Florida State, just because it was not
technically just a sports show, I got to interview Madeline Albright,
Remember Madelin Albright, the Prime Minister of England, you know,
I mean I got to interview maddal In Albright. Norman
(01:29):
Thaggard was an astronaut, another there's another astronaut too, and
just some like unbelievable William Sapphire, I mean, like unbelievable people,
Ellie Vizzell, I mean like unreal people that I got
to do one on one interviews with Billy Joel.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
This was the top, though, Billy Joel, top.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Thing I ever got to do. At Florida State. We
had a big, beautiful old theater called Ruby Diamond Auditorium
and it was right in my building, Westcott Building there
at Florida State. And Billy Joel was playing there with
one of those intimate concerts that they do. You know,
it's only see, I don't even know how many people.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It's that.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It was small and he was doing a sound check
and I had arranged to do a one on one
interview with Billy Joel, and so I go and they're like, he's,
you know, doing a sound check at the piano, and
they sort of give him a little flag that I'm
here and ready. When he is, they let me go. Sit.
He called me over. I sat on the piano bench
next to Billy Joel. Well, yeah, somewhere in a mile.
(02:23):
I have no idea where it is now because the
back thing weren't digital back then, and he was playing
the piano, and I got to hear his whole sound check,
did an interview with him sitting on the piano bench,
played a duet of Heart and Salt until you know,
I played the piano and I played the panel, so.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
You and he were playing together.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
We do it with Billy Joel and sit and listen
to his entire Sounddug. That was probably the coolest interview
I ever did at Florida State, hands down, or probably
one of the coolest every time. Oh he was great. Yeah,
he was awesome. So it was unreal because I love
Billy Joel and I love the piano, so it was
that was really cool.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
You have a piano man and the piano girl.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, it was together. It was really cool. So I
have some recording of it somewhere in life if I
could find it. But and then we did a really
cool TV show, you know it was. It was actually
pretty well done. Actually, and I got to interview David Stern,
who was the then commissioner of the NBA, and he actually,
(03:17):
it was so funny. He went to high school with
my father in New Jersey. He was a year younger.
And I still I have the recording of this because
it was just too close.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Remember your day. Oh.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
He went on and on about my dad. He said,
the Thorsland brothers, they ruled teenage high school because my
dad had two. They were huge. They were all six
five sixty six and went on to play professionally and
in college and stuff, all of them. And he said,
I have followed his career for years. I knew every
stat he was spouting out stats of his senior year
and how fast he threw and everything. It was hysterical.
(03:49):
So my dad gets a big bang out of that.
But yeah, my dad played in the Orioles organization and
so but and my uncle played at Clemson and in
the CFL and Canadian Football League, and my other uncle
played basketball Clemson. So we have.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Joe.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Yeah. Yeah. And then when I got here, and then
I had a lot of just athletes too, obviously, I
mean work done and Peter Warwick and you know, Chris
Winky that this was really funny. So Chris Winky is
at Florida State as quarterback my last year when I
was there. He might have been there two years when
I was there. And I come to North Kuna and
(04:23):
get the job here at WBT. The Panthers draft Chris
Wink and I'm out there on the field and we
do our little huddle after practice is over. That's how
they used to do it. We used to grab players
on the field, and everybody's interviewing Chris Winky, you know,
because he's the new quarterback whatever. And I'm like sort
of standing over on the side and I see him
see me and do like a double take, and he's
like trying not to laugh, and finally he's burst out laughing.
(04:46):
It's like, what are you doing here? It was really
so I was here first, but anyway, so I there
was some really unbelievable athletes and famous athletes like you know,
Magic Johnson, and like I said, so that was amazing.
But then when I got here and started doing the
sideline stuff for ESPN, there was really you know, like
(05:08):
Ben Roethlisberger. I did get to do a hit for
the real ESPN for that because that was when he
was deciding if he was going to come out of
college or not after his junior year, and it was
my of Ohio plan at Ohio University, and I got
to do a live thing for ESPN, which is really cool.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So a lot of these coaches players recognize you years later, well,
like I mean, everyone's interviewing them, so there.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I mean, it depends like some of them like if
I see if I saw John Fox, yes, he'll come
up and give me a hag Ron Rivera too. I
mean the people that were here for a long time
that you had a relationship with, that's one of my
I mean, I love coach Rivera and I just adored
John Fox. I just loved him. He was one of
my Absolutely, I just loved him. It is what it
is with all of his little statements. But yeah, he
(05:50):
was great. And you know, when you're with somebody for
that long and on a regular basis, you know, they
they recognized you after a while, all of them, you know,
all the reporters and stuff, the ones that are there
you know for a long time. So so, I mean,
so there were fun things when I went to when
I was doing the Mac games, I had a game
with Urban Meyer and up there in North and Illinois,
(06:13):
and I was interviewing a guy. This was my Susie
Colberg moment. I was interviewing this wealthy donor who had
just donated some huge amount. They were honoring him at halftime,
and I had to do the little interview. He was
just three sheets to the wind.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Drug older guy.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Older guy.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
No, he was probably in his mid forties. He was
he was not really, I mean, I was whatever in
my twenties and he was however old he anyway, he
was just just so drunk. And that's he tried to
pull that. He was like, oh, come here, let me
give you a hug whatever, and then let me give
you a kiss.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
I was like, wow, back off on the air.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
On the air. So they were like telling me they're like,
step back whatever. I'm like, oh my god, I'm trying.
It's just that's a little awkward. So you get it
every now and then. Had one of those, but that
that was the that was the one that really sticks
out of that kind of thing. But people always ask me,
do you have a hard time with being a female
in a male dominated world? But I never really had
(07:05):
any issues with things like that.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
I think it's because your personality are very like fired up,
let's go, you know what you're talking about, and uh,
you're assertive, so that that's good.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
Yeah, Well I never. I don't know, I just never.
I never had any issues with it. And I don't
get easily offended. If somebody calls me, like Bobby about
Haygal or something, I'm like, oh my god, don't you
know some people, some women get a little more easily
offended with with things like that, or if you know,
somebody makes an off comment about girls and whatever, I'm like, whatever.
I don't play football, never did.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
I don't really can.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
From a couple of years ago, or he said something,
was that a Wednesday press conference thing?
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I was there.
Speaker 5 (07:42):
He thought it was funny. She knew what a route was.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
It wasn't that she knew it. He was like he
was just making I thought it was really harmless, even
though at the time I always remember thinking to myself,
oh boy, did he really just say that out loud?
He made She asked him some really intricate question about
route running, which you know she was. She's a great writer,
great writer. She was a very in depth.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
She was with Mina Mina Kings whatever from the ESPN.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Yeah, she's she works with the Athletic right now. She
was with the Observer at the time, and she was
like to ask this intricate question about routes, and Cam
sort of look at her from it and he was like, Wow,
that's sort of you know, that's that's pretty wild. You know,
a girl asking about, you know, routes like that. And
it was more like I think that he was like, wow,
you're Kevin press across, but it came across the wrong way,
(08:28):
and then you know about all that, that all just
took off the wrong direction. I was like, whatever, it didn't,
so I'm not it didn't.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I think a lot of our listeners want to know
about the playing trips and traveling to the different places
before we do that though weather. Sorry he'd mentioned some
of the worst weather, some of the craziest. I mean,
there was a panther game one time, pouring out of
the stand watching.
Speaker 5 (08:54):
That you were there.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I was out the sidelines for that one.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
From getting ready more.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
It was warm then, so I had a raincoat and
I had rain boots. But I remember standing out there
because I wouldn't when we go hide in the tunnel
a lot when especially you know, in the gates, yeah,
and then they make it come off. But this was
literally it was the monsoon of all monsoons that I
have never seen anything like it. The water it was,
it was just unbelievable. They were, like you said, there
(09:20):
was water like just coming down in like the waterfalls
and on the sideline because the field sloped, you know,
it slopes down, so we're we're on the low low end,
you know, when you're on the sidelines, it's way lower
down there. And they have like the channel drains back
there to get the water, and wasn't doing any good.
The water, I'm not kidding. The water was up over
the top of my rain boots exactly. And there's stuff
(09:41):
floating down behind me, you know, like cups and things.
I was like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
It was cleaning up the stadium at the same time exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
That was the worst rain, but the worst cold and
rain put together two years ago, remember here against Atlanta.
Oh my gosh. And I knew ahead of time that
it was going to be freezing cold and rain and
it isn't going to be snow. So I had, you know,
the big park, and they gave me they you know,
they'll give you stuff too to add to it. But
I had like the big plastic clear thing because I have,
(10:09):
you know, you got a microphone. I have my notepad
in my notes, and when it's pouring rain, it's sort
of hard to use that.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
And the engineers, of course like, do not let the
mic get wet, don't let I don't care as much
about the human as just destroy.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
So I have the plastic thing and I have my
note pad, and when you end up you can't use
After that, I was just gave up because then your
hands are so cold you can't even write, so I'm
just trying to keep the microphone warm. That was the
absolute coldest, wettest, most miserable day ever. And you do
have to prepare for that and that's part of the gig.
And then I've had some cold ones. Toledo against Bowling
Green Sleep just total sleet storm in late November, you know,
(10:43):
just sleeted the entire time. So yeah, you have to.
Speaker 5 (10:47):
And then halftime.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Do they have a room where you can go warm
up and all that?
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, so I can come up and it's like all
of ten minutes. If you're lucky, you know, you come.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
In because you do, you're working and you have to still.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Write and work during halftime. But Tampa two years ago,
we had an unexpected storm that came out of nowhere.
I had no rain gear, nothing, and it was in
the second half and I could see these just black
clouds coming in and I almost remember asking David is
it supposed a rain? He's like, no, it doesn't seem
like it. And then I just wo, I was just
wet repped.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Never never had safe stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
It's fertile.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
So yeah, so the rain. I don't mind the cold
or the heat. I just I don't like the rain.
I don't like it when it rains because you can't
take notes and you're dripping, and you know, I have
to keep the microphone dry and I don't like the ren.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
So you get to be good friends with the equipment
trainers and stuff like that, the equipment managers because they've
they've got like the special stuff for the players obviously,
if you need gloves or a hat or whatever, that's
the way to go. And yeah, if they happen to
forget to get it back at the end of the day,
you got something new for your use.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
I have a I had a really cool old rain
cup at that was before they changed the logo, so
I can't use that anymore. Captain Maunderline gave it to
me on the side of he felt sorry for me
because I was like getting drenched and it's like, here,
take my rain coat.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
What has changed in your twenty with the Panthers, access security,
all of.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
That, all of that, we used to drive up into
the stadium back behind the main gates and park like
right outside the door and go right in, you know,
I mean, no problem and just walk in. That was it.
I mean you could basically take anybody on the field
with you back then and get a pregame pass and stuff.
But that was it was so easy to get in then,
(12:27):
and we just we used to go out on like
when coach Fox did it. We would go out and
watch practice. I don't know how we we couldn't maybe
watch all of it, but we would watch practice. He
would do an interview with us right there on the field.
Then we'd all walk up to the locker room together
and interview the players and you could. And that was
great because that's why I got so much information, because
when you're you know, just you know ya, you know
(12:51):
you could, that's when you just start, oh, hey, what
about bla bah? You just instead of like this, and
so you get great information. Like there was some player
I never forget this, even though I forget his He
was a receiver trying to make the team, and it
was like before the fourth preseason game, and he would
he told me that. I asked him how he's getting ready,
because you know, this is do or die here for
the game. And he's like, oh, I scaled the fence
at night of the practice field and run routes in
(13:13):
the dark. I was like what, but you know it
was anyway. I still remember that, but so you get
good stuff. So now that's completely changed. Now they took
the parking way years ago, you know, and so now
you just have to park really far away and walk.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
In the parking city parking.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
Yeah, and you know, yeah, and for a while or
we didn't have any parking.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I lost twenty eight dollars yesterday.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I forgot to get my forgot to get valid.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I was I was doing an interview. I missed about
your moment.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Is that NFL or is it Panthers.
Speaker 5 (13:40):
Or yes, I think it's I think it's Life College team.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
To just access to everything in general is limited because
of the paranoia that somebody today's digital world, phones and
all that. Yeah, it just takes one person, like putting
stuff on the internet.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Well like the whole thing with cam and that, that
whole thing that went viral. And so before that, and
I still remember there was a reporter here in town
that still covers of Panthers wrote something that Brentson Buckner.
Remember Brenson Buckner did not like and he.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
Was that practice this week. As a matter of fact,
Buckner was it was Tuesday to day.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
We didn't get yeah, and he refused to talk to
him after that. And this was before you know, Twitter.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And Jimmy, you're right, the over sensitivity people way over
sensitive makes something.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
That's really not Yeah, and so that's changed drastically, and
I think with just the access thing, but the biggest
thing has changed in the relationship that you have with
the athlete now, and I think it is it's because
of the social media. They're much more stand offish now.
They don't they're not as forthcoming, and they don't tell
you stories as much anymore. They because they don't. I
(14:41):
don't think they trust us anymore as much as context.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
I mean, they'll be asked a question, they'll answer the question,
and then it becomes a story because the headline isn't
written with the context, or the tweet isn't presented a
full context about something. That becomes like, oh, he's unhappy
with his contractor he didn't like this about the coach.
When they were at specific question they answered it. Someone's
looking for an angle or they think they can create
(15:05):
one because they want the clicks or whatever. So I
think a lot of players give very standard answers or
short answers because of that, and then some just kind
of let it fly and you get some you know,
crazy fun moments. But it's I would say more conservative
than it is guys that show their personality now because.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
They coached through high school through college to be that way,
you know, as the old, younger ones come up and
then of course their.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Agents, I'm sure coach.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Well, I think the teams do too, because nobody wants
to average. Yeah, you know, but so that that's that's
what's changed a ton because it and that makes our
job a little harder to be able to.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Less interesting because you get a bunch of interviews and
sometimes we'll walk out and you know, the past years
we've had really because it's been a younger, growing team,
a lot of younger guys right out of college, and
you're like, going, well, I did the interview, but nothing
really newsworthy.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Came out of it.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It was very standard, like yeah, a lot of repetition
of obviously they've been coached to say. And again I'm
not saying blanket everybody with a number of players like, well,
just trying to get better, and they won't talk like
she tested to scouting report on their team. They're very
hesitant to talk about the other team. Because it's kind
of paraphrasing, but well, we just worry about ourselves. If
we do what we're supposed to do, it doesn't matter
what insert teams feels.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
A scouting report, previewing the other team. So I ask
a specific question, you know, what is it about whoever?
Speaker 5 (16:21):
You know, it could be like the best player.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
He's somebody you know against Pat Mahomes or whatever. Yeah,
Patrick Mahons. What makes him such a great athlete?
Speaker 5 (16:31):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Well, you know, he's really good. But if we do
what we need to do to contain, I'm like, that
doesn't help me. I need I need something to say, oh, well,
he's awesome because he does this, this and this. But
they don't want to do that anymore. It's hard to
don't yeah, exactly the same kind of thing. Or they
don't want to be looked at as like, you know,
adulating the other team or something. So it's definitely got Yeah,
it's gotten a little a little more difficult to just talk.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
About a fun part of traveling. I mean a lot
of business travelers hate to get on a plane. You
guys go to the some of the fabulous cities the
night before.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Jim's always saying what restaurants in Pittsburgh are good?
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Talk to us, talk to our listeners about travel and
where do you sit on the plane, where the players sit?
Speaker 4 (17:10):
I mean, we have no idea what.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
That's like, yeah, well, I mean it's fun. I don't
think I would enjoy traveling with Panthers now as much
because for years, I mean I didn't for ten years
or however many years I was only home games and
it was great, you know, and then with everything, you know,
there's been some turnover there with people on that ended
up back on the sidelines, you know, three years ago,
and oh it's the whole thing traveling. I was like, oh,
but I tell you what, you can't beat traveling with Panthers.
(17:35):
It's nice, you know, you go, they make it really
easy because you just you know, drive up and park
and walk up and get on the airplane and you
know it's food and everything you need and.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
It's all first class.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Then right, well not for us, but.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
We are really towards the back of the play. That's
that's staff. That's like anybody that's not football or coaches
or the trainers. Like we're in the back with like
the social media and the writers.
Speaker 5 (18:00):
Yeah, for the for.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
The executives, the general managers, the well of course.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
Us I've never even even Jerry Richardson didn't like they
fly separate different. This is when we say charter it's
like American or Delta and flight where you know everybody.
So it's not like a special plane. It's one of
their planes, but it's just where you know everybody on
the plane. Well, you know, it's not a special like
the Hornets have their own special plan used.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
To have with the logos on the of the fence.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I think the Patriots have stuff like that. There's a
couple of teams that have their own, maybe Miami. I
don't even know. But but we're treated well, we're fed well,
and we get pred I get to stay, you know,
at the best hotels. We're the same hotel as the
players are. And the best thing is when the game ends,
like we get on a plane, whether it's five in
the afternoon or midnight.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
You get like when you get off the airplane at
your destination city, there are buses on the tarmac and
you go straight from the airplane to your bus. You
have the escort taking you, you know, so you have
no sorry.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
About what the West side of show. It gets blasted by.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
The police escorts coming down. It's like we're the president,
you know, coming in.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
So when you arrive at the hotel, a lot of
autograph seekers, a lot of fans, yes, Sharon.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah, we got a lot of that, not switch for
the players, but for Sharon.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
And then I would say more like a handful that
kind of hang.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Out on the hotel.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
So so that's good, and you know it's normally pretty.
I feel pretty. I'm not the best flyer in the world.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
I'm always like, you're telling me some white knuckle I do.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
I tell one thing about Sharon because I've not picked
up a book in like ten fifteen years.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
I'm not a book read. I used to love reading books.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
She always has a book, so she's always reading. And
you have obviously people.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
Other phones, they're watching the movie or whatever. Like she
is old school, like she.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Is reading an actual book, a paper paper.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
Fiction.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I love well. Some I've read just finished on last
year on the plane. I read Pat Conroy is My
Losing Season, so that's a sports book. And the Pete
and Merriviage Pistol pet that was a really good book.
But no, I read all sorts of all sorts of stuff,
mostly fiction. So but I love I love to read,
and I get uninterrupted time to read because I'm on
an airplane for a few hours, especially like kids I
(20:16):
don't have to do anything. I get to read at
night at the hotel. Yeah, it's great. So yeah, so
I do enjoy that. The travel. The traveling is it's
really fun. And we get to go to some like said,
some cool cities and of course Germany the funny thing
last year. So we fly all the way to Germany
and that's you know, this like overnight, middle of the night,
and we're all on the team playing together, you know,
the players and the coach. We get on first, and
(20:37):
then the lower tier players and then the upper tier
players and then the coaches and stuff, you know, so
we load, you know, like you normally load a plane.
So half to know, they don't even see us. So
Adam Thielen's at the team hotel and we had all
just got there and I was doing something when I
was waiting to do something with Dave Canalis, maybe with
a niche and and I'm finally like, oh, I get
to go up to my room finally. And so I'm
waiting there for the elevator and Adam Feelin hops off
(20:58):
and he's like, oh, you made it, You're here, and
I'm like yeah, and he was like, how is your flight?
And I was like, I was on your flight, Adam.
You know, I'm like, I'm always on your flight. They
don't even know where they are.
Speaker 5 (21:09):
It's a lot of people.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
So I was like, coaching staffs have gotten so big,
support staffs have gotten so big.
Speaker 5 (21:15):
It's just like everything that their plan.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
So sure, this has been wonderful. We got about two
minutes left.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
Advice for younger people, the younger Sharones or the younger
Jim z Okies in the world.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
What what I mean. You've had a wonderful, wonderful career.
Many different facets talk to us.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Do everything, volunteer for everything. Never say no, never say no.
Don't say oh that's beneath me, or oh I don't
know how to do that, Say yes and figure it out.
That's that's what I would say. And then the networking.
Networking is huge. That's how I got almost all of
my jobs in this you know, networking is very big.
I'm a big proponent of following up with thank you
(21:52):
notes and following up with people. I think that's a
lost art. I think that that sets you apart. I
had somebody send me a thank you note for something,
and I was like, oh my god, that's amazing work
related and so I think you need to do that.
And then just always be prepared. I mean, just be
so prepared. Don't go in thinking that you're you know,
you know everything, and you need to be prepared, do
your homework. And then really most importantly is build relationships
(22:17):
with people. I think that that's so key. Don't burn bridges. Yeah,
don't burn bridges and make and develop relationship with people,
especially in this business because you know, it is it's
a small world, it really is in the broadcasting world.
So build relationships, don't burn bridges, and have the upmost
respect when you're like in a locker room or working
(22:37):
with the team, don't go in there, like I don't
go in there thinking I'm their buddy, you know, I
don't think you know, and you know, and being a female,
I'm always like dress appropriately for the job. I always
talk about that sometimes, like I can't believe that person's
out here worrying what she's wearing on football field right now. Yeah, exactly,
they look and it's like, you know, because I think
that that that doesn't help the other females in the business,
(22:57):
you know, who are trying to be professionals and do
it the right way, and you've got somebody dressed like
they're going to a nightclub out there, so anyway, but yeah,
so that's my advice.
Speaker 4 (23:05):
Be prepared, Jim funnel Wards.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
For Sharon, We've just been lucky to have her for
twenty five years. It really seems odd that that much
time has passed by, to be honest with you, but
I mean, people know her from all the many things
she has said on the air, but the person is,
if not better, I mean just like it's just a
joy to work with.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
People that are that easy to get along with and
do a good job. Harder to find than they used
to be.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Very very nice words jail are too nice for Ed
Billick and Sharon Thorsland.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Folks enjoyed Carolina Focus of Special Profiles and Broadcasting as
we honored Sharon Thorstler for twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Have a great Sunday.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
Talk to you all next week on Carolina Focus.
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