December 31, 2025 • 49 mins
A coach who chose roots over rungs. That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with Case Western Reserve University head football coach Greg Debeljak, whose uncommon path in a nomadic profession shows what happens when you build a program—and a life—around staying power.
We dig into why Division III fit his wiring, how mentors like Tony DiCarlo and Jim Tressel shaped his approach, and what “family culture” looks like when it’s lived for decades. Greg opens up about their international tours to Italy and Greece, where club teams play for love of the game, the NCAA grants extra padded practices, and players come home with stories of the Vatican, Pompeii, and island sunsets that tighten a locker room more than any lift. He breaks down the season’s chaos, from back-to-back lightning delays and a tie at Rowan to finishing a road game at a local high school because the stadium had no lights—then the gut punch of losing star QB Aaron Phillips, the rise of Sam DiTilio, and a four-game win streak that kept them in the title hunt.
Leadership and relationships sit at the center. Greg shares how AD TJ Shelton’s people-first style turns mistakes into solutions, why admissions partner Johnny “Fiddy” Falconi proved invaluable for grad recruits, and what he learned coaching All-American Cam Brown, son of NBA coach Mike Brown. You’ll hear a vivid account of Mike’s visit and his film-backed talk on rebounding from heavy losses—a masterclass in resetting a team’s mindset. We also explore Case Western Reserve’s transformation: bigger enrollment, booming international presence, and a research ecosystem that launches careers across STEM, business, and beyond. Greg’s final message for families is clear: choose your circle with care. Fit is the multiplier that shapes who you become.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (04:32):
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants podcast.
This is, as always, your host,Mike Bono.
I have a great guest for ustoday.
He's coming to us from theCleveland, Ohio area.
He is the head football coach ofCase Western University, and
that is Greg Debelek joins theshow.
Greg, thank you for joining.
(04:53):
Hey, Mike, great to be here.
Great to be talking to youtoday.
Absolutely.
Uh for sure.
We're happy to have you on.
I know we've been trying to getthis scheduled for a couple of
weeks now.
I'm glad we were actually ableto make this happen, but you are
the head football coach there atCase Western Reserves
University, like I said, uh inCleveland.
How many years have you beencoaching at Case?
And uh can you walk us through alittle bit of your coaching
(05:16):
journey?
SPEAKER_00 (05:16):
Yeah, I've been coaching at Case actually since
2001.
I took over as head coach in2004.
So 25 years at the university.
Uh before that, I was uh 12years at John Carroll, two years
as a graduate assistant, and 10years as a full-time coach.
And during that time, um, youknow, I my journey as a coach,
(05:38):
very, very different.
I've been in two places in 38years.
Uh we live in the same house.
Um, my kids went to the sameschool district, K through 12.
I I I tell this to some D1 guys,and they they look they look at
me and thinking like either likeI don't believe you, or well,
(05:59):
that would have been nice.
Um so it it uh I I I love the D3experience.
You know, I I I I attended JohnCarroll and played football and
basketball there, um and neverreally had any aspirations to be
a Division I coach.
NFL would have been interesting,but uh when I was at John
(06:21):
Carroll, there was a mancoaching there named Tony
DiCarlo that uh was at JohnCarroll coaching for 40 years.
Um he was the head wrestlingcoach and won a national
championship there andeventually took over as the
football coach.
So that's kind of what I waskind of exposed to.
(06:42):
And also I really admired JimTressel, was at Young Sound
State for so long in Ohio State,and just felt that like the way
I was wired, that was that waswhat was best for me to just
kind of go to a place and kindof be there a long time and you
know create a environment whereyou know it's it's just a like
(07:04):
more of a family environment.
And yeah, I've I've coachedpretty much a generation of Case
Western Reserve athletes.
So I've I I feel that's prettyspecial.
SPEAKER_01 (07:16):
That that is that's awesome to hear.
I it it's it's rare anymore inthe in the coaching world and
the sports world to see a coachlast at a uh a program as long
as you have so kudos to you forbeing able to to last at one
program.
Um and you know, only everreally coaching at two, that's
(07:37):
huge.
Uh, you know, for you and yourfamily, that's that's awesome
for sure.
You know, uh most families ofcoaches, you know, they're
they're moving around a lot,they're finding the next uh
opportunity, the betteropportunity.
I think that's that speaksvolumes to your character right
off the bat and everything likethat.
And having that in mindset, uh,this is where I want to be, this
(07:57):
is where I want to coach.
Um, and making that uh work foryou.
Um I mean that just reminds me,you brought up the NFL, it
reminds me of the PittsburghSteelers, three coaches in in my
lifetime that I've ever you knowreally got to experience.
And it's been the only three.
Um, so finding something thatworks that I mean that that
definitely shows the commitmentthe case has to you, uh, for
(08:20):
sure.
And um yeah, that that it's justthat that threw me for a loop.
I was not expecting that answer.
I'm not gonna lie to hear Craigtalking to coaches.
I'm normally used to like, oh,I've coached here, here, here,
here, we moved there.
You know, it's that so that kindof threw me for a loop, but in a
good way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:37):
Yeah, it's not a it's not a typical story.
And and I I I coached uh, youknow, John Carroll with uh all
those guys that are in the NFLnow.
Josh McDaniels uh was actually arecruit of mine.
Um Nick Casario, who's the GM ofthe Texans, uh Jerry Shaplinsky,
who's with the with the Texansnow.
(08:57):
He is I think his title ispassing game consultant.
Um Jerry coached a case with mefor five years, but was a John
Carroll kid that that was reallygood friends with Nick and Josh,
and Nick Josh gave him anopportunity with the Patriots,
and and and Jerry had thattypical.
He was with the Patriots for sixyears, and then after that it
was the Dolphins one, the Giantstwo years, Vegas two years, Rams
(09:24):
one year, and now he's in hisfirst year of the Texans, and he
has four girls.
And they're they've been movingall over the place.
So hey, God bless them.
And I I I I'm glad the Texansare doing well.
They started off kind of rough,and I was concerned, like it's
might be another move.
Um so it's it's a toughbusiness.
(09:46):
Um, and and to survive in thatbusiness, you you have to be
really good.
Um, but there's you'resacrificing a lot of things too.
SPEAKER_01 (09:54):
Right.
Yeah, that that's one of themain things that a lot of people
have talked about on the show,all the other coaches that I've
had on the show, um, talkingabout the sacrifices they've
made with their families andmaking it work.
So it it's it's great to hearthe other side of that too, for
people who have made it work atone university and one program,
um, and were able to have thatsuccess there uh too as well.
(10:17):
Uh and this past spring, youknow, your team and your staff
went to Italy to practice andplay an international game.
Can you talk to us about thatexperience?
Uh, how did that work?
And you know, how did uh how didyour game go uh as a resident uh
Pizan myself here in America?
I gotta I gotta hear the storyabout being able to go to Italy.
SPEAKER_00 (10:36):
Yeah, so it it it definitely goes back to my days
at John Carroll, um, where whenI was a coach there, we went on
three foreign trips, 94, 97, and2000.
And when I became the headcoach, it was such a great
experience.
Um, you know, for for the kids,for the the coaches, um, and it
(10:57):
was a great team building umexperience.
So I wanted to get that going atcase, and it took a while
because the the case kids kindof like didn't get it.
Like I'd kind of try and sellthem on it, and they're like,
Well, why would we do that?
I have I start my my co-op, youknow, in May.
And how am I gonna do this?
(11:17):
And I'm like, well, just youknow, ask them for a week off.
I mean, like, let's let's find away to do this.
And right the first time wewent, we went with uh just 24
players and a travel group of45.
Um the game isn't like the bigdeal.
Um it they they're not good.
(11:38):
Uh there are places in Europethat are that are pretty good.
Germany and Austria, uh they putthe most resources into it.
Um, Italy is is not thatcompetitive.
These are club teams that youplay.
Okay, they don't have collegefootball.
So you're playing people ateverybody's over 18, but they
you have a lot of guys that arein their upper 20s, their lower
(12:01):
30s.
You you'll you'll see a40-year-old here and there.
They're just people that reallylove American football and want
to play.
So the the teams that we played,and we've done four foreign
trips at Case, um, the standardyou know kind of format is they
will have an American coach andthey will have two American
(12:24):
players uh that are just out ofcollege.
The the team we played this thispast spring, um, they had a
player from UCLA.
He was a receiver for UCLA thatthey they played at quarterback
because he was a high schoolquarterback.
Um, and they had a linebackerfrom a Division III school.
(12:45):
Um, and they had a coach that Iwas familiar with, and they had
a couple of assistants that wereyoung Americans, um, and they're
just trying to teach the game.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (12:57):
So more of a learning experience for uh the
international players uh to getto know the game a little bit
better.
Is that kind of is that kind ofa like what am I right in
thinking that?
SPEAKER_00 (13:11):
Yeah, and and they have a season, they have a
10-game season, and they playother club teams.
Um, they have practices, butthese these guys are you know,
they have full-time jobs,they're not, you know, this
isn't what they do, it's not asorganized as a college where
you're practicing every day.
They they practice a couple ofdays a week.
Um, and hopefully they geteverybody there.
(13:34):
So it again, it's it's it's moreof a club thing.
They do it for fun, but they'revery passionate about it.
Um you know, the the positivesfor us, football-wise, is the
NCA allows you to train for thisgame and gives you additional
practices in the spring.
Um, and those are fully fullypadded practices in division
(13:57):
three.
Uh spring practices arenon-contact.
Yeah.
Um when you go on a foreigntrip, you get 10 days to do
whatever you want.
You can play football.
So we had a spring game.
Um, we coordinated that springgame with a really big
recruiting event.
Um, so those are the positives.
Getting over the game, you'renot, you know, it's not
(14:19):
competitive, it's fun.
You get to know the otherplayers.
Most of the guys kind of connectwith them on social media before
they go.
Um, and and again, some uniqueexperiences after the game.
One year, not not this pastyear, but the previous time we
went in 22, uh, one of theplayers owned a bar in Rome.
(14:41):
So that's where all the playersheaded after the game, they all
went to this guy's bar andsocialized with with the players
from another team at this guy'sbar.
That's awesome.
But uh yeah, but everything uhyou know, we we were in Rome, we
went to the Vatican, uh two daysafter they named the Pope.
So that that vibe was was reallycool.
(15:04):
Um, we went south, we went toMount Vesuvius, Pompeii, uh,
Naples, um, yeah, just just somesome very memorable places, and
then uh we flew from Naples toGreece and spent three days in
Greece culminating with uh aboat tour of three Greek islands
(15:27):
on our last day.
So pretty cool experiences forour players, and and I do allow
families to come.
So our our total travel groupwas 190, the largest we've had.
Yeah, it it's it's quite alogistical project, and I have a
like a middleman that kind ofsets up all those things, but
(15:49):
still it it's a lot, it's a lotof planning um to make this
thing work, but well worth it.
SPEAKER_01 (15:57):
Yeah, I mean it's definitely sounds like it's it's
well worth it with you know justthe experience of traveling to
another country.
Most people aren't gonna getthat opportunity uh in their
lifetimes, it seems like, youknow.
Um, so being able to do that asa college student and getting to
play a game over there too whileyou're at it, you know, just
(16:19):
kind of the icing on the cakethere.
Um sounds like it was a lot offun uh getting to see that and
uh great experience for yourplayers and their families that
got to go with you with you onthe trip.
Um your 2025 season just endeduh with a four, five and one
record overall.
Can you walk us through thisseason, uh minus the game?
(16:39):
Your first two games of theseason seem to have quite the
story attached to them, fromwhat I've been told.
SPEAKER_00 (16:45):
Yes, we um you know I've been coaching 38 years and
maybe a handful of weatherdelays in my career, but we've
always been able to finish thegames.
Um our first two games, we hadlightning delays, and the first
game we we couldn't finish it.
We were playing in uh NewJersey.
(17:07):
We were playing uh RowanUniversity in New Jersey, and it
was a one o'clock start, andthis delay there was lightning
storms up and down the eastcoast.
It became very apparent thatlike these were not just passing
showers, it was going to be asignificant delay.
And you know, I wanted to finishthe game, but also like we we
(17:29):
wouldn't be able to get a hotel.
You know, we had to check out ofour hotel.
We wouldn't be able to getrooms.
I, you know, we it was afour-hour lightning delay before
we called it.
We didn't have any food.
Um, last time we ate wasbreakfast.
So to me, it it became it becamesort of a uh a safety issue, and
I had to get these guys back tocampus.
(17:51):
You know, I and I told the thethe opposing AD, I go, look, we
gotta set a time that's like ifwe can't get it in by this time,
it's it's over.
Um, and they weren't on boardwith that in the beginning, but
then they kind of understood.
So yeah, we never finished thegame.
We we mutually agree that itwould go down as a tie uh for
(18:14):
NPI rankings purposes, becauseif if if we just didn't finish
the game, it's a no contest andneither team would get any
points.
SPEAKER_01 (18:22):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (18:23):
Um, and it was a close game, so we just we we
kind of figured like this wasprobably the best for both
programs.
So we get back on campus 5 30 inthe morning, and we have a game
the next week.
So, you know, our rhythms areoff, our kids are, you know,
we're trying to figure outwhat's the best way to make sure
these guys physically are readyto go.
(18:43):
And our next game is on theroad, it's another seven-hour
trip um just west ofIndianapolis to Wabash College.
And again, another lightningdelay.
And the unique thing there, youcould see it was gonna, it was
eventually gonna go, and we'regonna be hopefully able to
finish it.
(19:04):
The issue there was their homestadium had no lights.
Oh so now we're thinking, can weget this in before darkness?
And and I asked the, I go, guys,I I want to finish this game.
We gotta, you know, are you guyson board and my guys, yeah,
coach, whatever we gotta do.
So we figured it out, and weplay we finished the game at a
(19:26):
local high school that hadlights.
SPEAKER_01 (19:29):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
So it didn't go in our favor, but we we got the
game in and again got back topractice five in the morning.
So yeah, tough start, and uhwhat made it extremely
difficult.
I my best player, uh myquarterback, Aaron Phillips, uh
senior, just one of the bestI've ever coached.
(19:51):
And we figure, hey, we're alwaysgonna be in any game we play
with Aaron.
Uh, he went down with a seasonending injury uh third quarter
of our first game.
Oh that that created some realchallenges.
Um, and Sam Di Tilio came in anddid a great job, um, but just
(20:11):
didn't we just didn't haveenough firepower to beat the
better teams on our schedule.
And we played the uh all of ourlosses were to teams that are
were in the postseason.
So we played a really difficultschedule, um, but unfortunately
came out you know at with afour, five, and one record.
SPEAKER_01 (20:28):
Yeah, I was gonna say that the after after the
start that you just told methere with two lightning delays,
losing your start quarterback,you know, in the first game uh
to a season ending injury, four,five, and one's nothing to shake
a stick at.
That's that's a pretty goodbounce back for the issues that
you had there at the beginning.
Um, and it sounds like you guysplay a brutal schedule uh with
(20:52):
all the teams making thepostseason that uh that beat
you.
Um so it's not like you werelosing to some some slack teams.
It sounds like you guys heldyour own this year.
SPEAKER_00 (21:02):
Yeah, we and we were competitive in the losses.
Uh, you know, four of the fivelosses were within one score.
Um yeah, and and we did putourselves in position uh after
the tough start, we won fourgames in a row.
And on on November 1st, we'replaying WJ, who was undefeated
uh in our conference.
And uh it was basically a uh achampionship game against them.
(21:27):
If we would have beat them, wewould have been in first place.
So the kids bounced back great.
I thought the coaches did a nicejob uh changing things around
with all the injuries, but yeah,it's just you know, you you
coach long enough and play longenough, you know, things things
happen, and you just have toadjust and make the make the
best out of them.
And I I thought our players andstaff did did a nice job at
(21:48):
doing that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:49):
Yeah, definitely sound like you did that.
Speaking of your staff, uh yourcurrent director of athletics
there at uh case is TJ Shelton.
Uh he has been on the show as aguest here.
Uh, he's a big supporter of theshow.
We love TJ to death.
Uh talk to us a little bit aboutworking with TJ.
SPEAKER_00 (22:08):
Yeah, TJ's uh a people person, and it probably
comes through in the show.
He loves people.
Um he's a relationship guy.
Uh I've coached, uh I excuse me,I've worked for uh if you count
the interim, six different ADsum at Case, and everyone was
different, and everyone hadtheir pluses and their minus.
(22:29):
I've coached with you know thepolicies and procedures and
paperwork AD that that maybewasn't as you know socially and
person personal skills.
Um, you know, I've coached withkind of hardline ADs.
Uh boy, TJ's a a breath of freshair because he is such a
(22:49):
people-oriented person, um, youknow, values relationships, um,
has your back for sure.
He understands if if people aregonna make mistakes and let's
hey, let's let's try and solvethe problem and let's not just
blame, let's let's fix thisproblem.
And um, you know, verysupportive.
(23:11):
Uh Case is is lucky to have him.
I I know that the coach in theathletic department it really
value him as our leader, uh,because again, we feel we have a
guy that cares about us and hasour backs.
SPEAKER_01 (23:24):
Yeah, I mean, that definitely came through in the
show, everything you said thereabout TJ and having him on the
show.
He was.
I mean, it was it was a breathof fresh air to talk to him.
You know, normally you get thesethese ADs that come on and they
they seem pretty even killed,but you know, TJ was just you
know all about wanting to helppeople, and and that's what you
(23:46):
need uh in your ADs.
Uh speaking of that, and formerguests of the show that you
know, um uh former guest of theshow, you know, and athletic
director at Baldon WallaceUniversity, Steve Thompson.
So, how do you know Steve?
SPEAKER_00 (24:00):
So Steve uh worked for he was uh an athletic
administrator at Case.
Um, and I think he was ourfacilities director, I believe.
Um super nice guy, and I and I Ididn't know him, but when when
he came, we figured out hisfather um was my physics teacher
(24:21):
in high school.
Yeah, he ran, we had a like aum, oh gosh, it's not a
nadatorium.
Um what do you what do you callit when the The the that
projects the stars andconstellations.
Oh, um, what is that?
I'm blanking on the word for it.
Oh he he ran that planetariumplanetary, yeah.
(24:44):
Yeah.
And he ran that and was aphysics teacher.
And so he taught physics in theplanetorium, and they had these
seats because it's anauditorium, there's it's like a
globe on top, like a big domethat projects things, and so the
seats had to go way back, and itwas always dark, so like
everyone would fall asleep allthe time.
(25:08):
Mr.
Thompson's class.
So, and then sometimes, youknow, we he'd bring in like he
put on these shows forelementary school kids, and he's
just yeah, no class today.
We got an elementary schoolcoming in, so it was a unique uh
class, and he was a unique guy.
And years later, I get to workwith uh his son.
So that was that was prettycool.
And Steve's gone on and justdone great things at yeah and
(25:30):
tough places, you know, atEureka, at Bethany, and now he's
at BW.
That's you know, that's youknow, big time division three
athletics.
And uh I I know the coaches overthere just love Steve.
SPEAKER_01 (25:42):
Yeah, we we all love Steve.
I I know I got uh know him alittle bit uh with my time at
Bethany College, uh, my almamater, where I graduated from
and everything like that.
And obviously through uh Johnny,the the manager of the show
here, too, as well.
Um so yeah, we love Steve.
Um, he's he's hysterical, butthat that's definitely odd you
(26:04):
know, uh a weird coincidencethat you you you realize that uh
you know uh his father wasactually your your physics
teacher.
And yeah, those net those thoseplanetariums, um planetarium,
yeah, yeah, planetariums.
Um that had to be a hard classto keep your students awake in
it with those seats and beingdark.
(26:24):
Like I I there's no chance I wasstaying awake in that class if I
was in there reclined back.
Yeah, it's gonna be game overfor me uh in a in a class like
that.
But that's that's just uh anawesome story.
Um to hear, and yeah, Steve umreconnecting with with Johnny at
Bone Wallace and everything likethat there.
(26:46):
It's great when things come fullcircle there.
So uh we'd love to see it.
You know, you you know a lot ofuh people like you said uh in
the NFL and that, but uh you gotto coach uh Cameron Brown, who
is the son of current NBA coachof the Knicks, Mike Brown.
Uh what was that like coachingnot only one of the the greats
(27:09):
at you know case in casehistory, but the son of an NBA
head coach?
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
So yeah, Cam was was an all-American for us,
four-year starter.
Um you know, and and thebackground we all knew.
We recruited him out of highschool and he chose to go to the
University of Cincinnati andjust go be a student.
And when he was coming out ofhigh school, like he was he was
a good player, but you know, hewas 205 pounds, he was
(27:34):
babyfaced.
You know, uh, you know, Mikecame up and and Mike's wife, and
it was great getting to knowthem.
And you know, he chose to go toCincinnati.
And uh a year later, Mike calledus again, say, hey, Cam wants
to, he wants transfer, he wantsto play football.
So we got him as a transfer, andthen now he's coming in and he's
(27:55):
matured.
He's 230 pounds, he's built, andit's like, okay, we're excited.
What stood out to me um and whatwas very apparent, um Cam, you
you wouldn't know by justtalking to him that he was the
son of an NBA coach.
He was he was very, very shy.
I don't know if shy is the rightword, very humble, um, you know,
(28:20):
didn't didn't come off as a bigtime guy, didn't talk about, you
know, going to practice andwatching LeBron James or any of
those guys that he, you know, hehis dad coached Kobe Bryant.
Um so, but you've never heardabout that.
But what you saw was thediscipline and the attention to
(28:40):
detail that a son of a coachbrings because he's been around
it, he's seen it, um, he heunderstands it.
And what what stood out to me iswe would, you know, in in our
preseason before school starts,we have these kids all day.
So what we usually do is we havea set of morning meetings where
(29:01):
we do our install, and then NCArules we have to give them three
hours off, and then they we comeand we practice.
So what Cam would do right afterthe meeting, he would go out by
himself on the field and do allthe footwork to the installs
that we just did by himself, andgo through everything we
(29:23):
installed against air andpretending there was an
offensive lineman in front ofhim.
SPEAKER_01 (29:31):
That that's definitely a player you want.
Like that they're committed.
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
And then Mike would would, you know, Mike would be
there for our scrimmage and ourfirst two or three games, and
then he had to he had to go.
He had he was at that time hewas with the Warriors, so you
know the season started, but hewould come out and he would he
would be there at a at apractice, like and he'd he'd
(29:57):
just sit in a chair while whileCam would go through his his
footwork, and it it was justsomething to see.
Um Cam then coached with us umfor a year or two, one yeah, for
two years.
He he volunteered one year, andthen he was our intern the
second year, and he was tryingto figure out if he wanted to
(30:19):
have coaching for a career.
His backup, what he was tryingto decide was between coaching
and going to culinary school.
He loves to cook, just loves it,and he would cook all the time
for his teammates, he wouldinvite them over.
It just he loved it.
SPEAKER_01 (30:40):
So it's just vastly different avenues to to to want
to go to.
That that's hysterical.
SPEAKER_00 (30:47):
So um he makes that decision and he's he's coaching
with us, and he he he's he tellsme, and by that time his his
dad's now the head coach of theKings, and he says, Hey, my
dad's gonna be in town, he'sgonna have you know a physical
at the Cleveland Clinic.
He he says he'll be he'll behappy to stop by and talk to the
team.
I'm like, Oh, that that's great,Cam.
(31:07):
Let's do that.
Whatever he wants to do, hey,it'd be great.
So we open up, we play our firstgame, and we get shellacked by
Johns Hopkins.
I mean, they annihilate us.
So I go, hey Cam, could couldyou ask your dad to talk about
like bouncing back from defeat?
Because that's what we need.
(31:28):
He comes in and he has a videopresentation where he has, you
know, Curry and Draymond, and Iguess in one of their rounds of
the playoffs in whatever year,they got beat by 40 by somebody.
And you heard these guys talkingabout how they reacted after the
loss, what they did to preparefor the next game, and then they
(31:50):
went out and won the next gameand won the series.
Um 45-minute presentation.
Um, just like, and he just likehe looked over in the middle and
goes, Hey coach, we okay?
Are we cutting into practice?
I go, Look, Mike, whatever wewould be doing out there, we're
getting way more out of this.
Just keep going, take as muchtime as you want.
(32:11):
Yeah.
Um, so it he was tremendous, andyou can tell why he's been, I
don't think he's everinterviewed for a job that he
didn't get.
You know, whether it beCleveland twice, the LA, the
Knicks now, the Kings.
He's an impressive guy, really.
SPEAKER_01 (32:31):
Definitely, yeah, not that I can remember.
I mean, pretty much anyone wherehe's wanted to go, he's he's
pretty much landed at landedthat job.
So that that's just kudos tohim.
And it must have been nice tohave a a coach's son on on your
team, that's somebody that getsit, they get the mindset of what
you're trying to do and toinstill into them, and uh to be
(32:53):
able to take that and run withit.
That that had to be just milesabove to help, and then that
that that mindset is infectious.
Other players are gonna start tosee that, they're gonna start to
do, and it just helps the wholeprogram out.
That's from what I've seen, isyou get that one guy in there
and they can change the entireprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (33:13):
And Cam is now with um the 49ers, he's assistant
defensive line coach with the49ers.
SPEAKER_01 (33:19):
Okay, so chose coaching over culinary, it
sounds like for sure.
Um so you know, you also know,like I mentioned there briefly,
you know, the manager of thepodcast, Johnny, uh Fiddy
Falcone, um, who was doing uhsome graduate admissions work
there at Case Western.
(33:40):
How did you meet Johnny and whatwas it like to get to know him
during his time there?
SPEAKER_00 (33:46):
Yeah, so I I think it was just during the
recruiting process.
Um, you know, Case has a numberof graduate schools, and you
know, we would occasionally getkids that had that extra year
and you know wanted to continueplaying while they pursued a
master's, or I I had a kid inlaw school play.
Um I had a kid, I've never hadanybody in medical school yet,
(34:09):
but it it's usually over at theWeatherhead School of
Management.
And Johnny was just invaluablebecause he had coached football.
Um, he understood what thesekids, you know, their passion
for it.
Um, and he was just he helped uswith the process, he helped the
incoming players with theprocess.
Um, you know, and usually wegotta hunt these people down to
(34:33):
help us.
Like they're they've got amillion things on their plate,
and you know, they're notreturning emails, they're not
returning phone calls, and youknow, Johnny was like, you know,
so proactive, um, you know,letting us know about kids and
where they're at without evenbeing asked to.
So yeah, he was a real help.
(34:54):
And um, you know, we actuallyhad two kids this year um that
that he helped with that bothstarted for us, um, that are
going through the and gettingtheir masters in finance.
So yeah, he he's uh certainly afriend of the program and a
friend of the athleticdepartment for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (35:12):
Yeah, John Johnny, anything football or sports
related, uh, he is all on boardfor it.
You know, his time coaching, youknow, didn't go the the greatest
for him to you know start outwith in uh that but he he found
a way to bounce back andanything that he's done, he he's
done.
(35:32):
And you know, he's just I mean,the I wish I could bottle up a
half of his energy some of thetimes, um, because he's just I I
don't think the the man knowsthe word stop.
Um because he is I think thatfrom the time his eyes open till
the time he closes them, he isgoing 152 percent in everything
(35:53):
that he does.
SPEAKER_00 (35:55):
Yeah, he's certainly a uh and he and he's still you
know now he's at BW workingthrough admissions and you know
I he just the people that thatwhose passion is to work with
young people, um they're they'redoing it not to get rich, you
know, they're doing it becausethat they love to help people.
And that certainly came out withmy you know with our time with
(36:19):
Johnny there and you knowcontinue to have a friendship
with them, and I I know he'd doanything to help out anybody.
SPEAKER_01 (36:26):
So absolutely, he's been a big help to to the show
here once I brought him on onboard here uh with it.
And I mean he's just for thepast five years we've been
working, you know, hand in handwith the with the show and and
helping it grow and everythinglike that.
And he does it just because hewants to.
I mean, he I mean he could leaveat any time, and I would I would
(36:46):
let him go um if he he wantedto, uh, but he doesn't.
And it it's great to see.
But I wanted you to talk uh alittle bit here as we wind down
near the end of the episodeabout Case Western Reserves
University and what type ofuniversity it is, you know, as a
whole, you know, for studentsand aspiring students, and what
(37:07):
can they offer them?
SPEAKER_00 (37:09):
Yeah, so it's you know, it's a major research
university and that that playsD3 sports, which you don't find
a lot of those.
Um it's changed dramatically.
Uh I'm a Cleveland area native.
Uh I grew up in Mentor, Ohio,and I I knew Case Western
(37:29):
Reserve growing up because mybrother attended Case and played
football.
So I was on campus as a16-year-old watching my brother
play football.
Um back then, much smaller, itwas about 3,200 undergrad.
Um when I came into 2001, that'swhat it was, 3,200.
(37:50):
Um I was surprised um that itwas difficult to get into, but
the not too difficult.
Um now it's 6,200 undergrads, soit's almost double in size in in
25 years.
Um our international studentpopulation has grown
(38:15):
dramatically.
Undergraduate uh internationalstudent population is about 15%
of the undergraduate population.
It was 2% when I first arrived.
Um you know, major, majorchanges in facilities, uh, you
know, not just athletics.
You know, the the Weatherhead uhbuilding is is basically 25
(38:38):
years old.
Um, all of the development onEuclid Avenue, the Uptown
Project, um, you know, thoseused to be parking lots when I
came in 2001.
So uh it has grown in stature.
Uh it is extremely competitiveto get admitted.
Um and I've seen the other endwhen they graduate, our
(39:03):
graduates are are scooped up.
I mean, the the people out thereunderstand that if if they get a
case Western Reserve graduate,that they're getting somebody
pretty special.
So it is uh wide variety.
We're known for STEM.
I think the business school ishigher ranked than any of our
STEM programs.
Both my daughters attended Case.
(39:25):
My one daughter is a uh clinicalpsychologist, she went out and
got her PhD.
Um, so that that was aninteresting experience.
Never in a million years would Ithought she would go on and get
a PhD, but I think because sheattended CACE and the people
around her influenced hergreatly to do that.
(39:46):
And she had an experience, shedid research at the Cleaton
Clinic as a junior, and she hadthat research published as a
senior, and that's what got herinto the PhD program.
She was the only one in hercohort that didn't have a
master's.
So I think that was directlyfrom like Case Western Reserve,
(40:07):
opened that door for her.
So, and then my other daughterwas an English major, she had
the most non-case major ever.
English and teachingcertification.
Like, like that, that was anunusual major.
And um, she taught uh highschool for three years and then
got in.
She's a uh coder, a computerprogrammer now.
(40:28):
No, again, her her friends fromcase um greatly influenced her
to hey, you should try this.
And then she has a friend fromthe soccer team that's a big wig
with uh Microsoft, and whenanytime she wants to um excuse
me, uh Google, big wig atGoogle, and there's I guess
(40:51):
there's a five-step uh interviewprocess at Google, and she gets
to skip the first three stepsbecause of her relationship with
this this case Western Reservewomen's soccer grad.
So um I tell kids all the time,it's you this your decision to
go to college is your first bigmajor decision.
(41:11):
You know, you couldn't choosewhere you lived or where you,
you know, in most cases whereyou went to high school, you
just lived where your parentswanted to live.
It's your first big decision,and and you should make it based
upon who you want to surroundyourself with, because who you
choose to surround yourself withuh is going to greatly influence
(41:31):
the type of person and and andthe success that you're gonna
have as a person.
So that's why I was so happythat my kids chose to go to Case
because the people that they gotto surround themselves with.
SPEAKER_01 (41:45):
Yeah, that that's definitely awesome about the the
everything there, uh, especiallywith your girls there too, as
well.
Good for them.
Uh, hope to to see where theycan go with all that and
everything like that.
Everything's great.
I mean, that sounds awesome.
Uh, but like I said, Greg, weare running down near the end of
the show here, but I do have toget this one last segment in
(42:07):
here.
Um, and that is the Fast 55.
Five random questions from thewonderful manager of the
podcast, Johnny Pitty Balconi.
Uh, these are completely atrandom.
Uh, they're kind of rapid fire,but you can elaborate if you
need to.
Uh, they have nothing to do withwhat we've been talking about
for the better part of almost 45minutes now.
(42:28):
So if you are ready, we can getgoing.
Shoot.
All righty.
Question number one (42:32):
what's a better fruit, a kiwi or an
orange?
Orange.
Okay.
Question number two (42:38):
what's the most interesting animal at the
zoo?
SPEAKER_00 (42:45):
Oh boy, I saw a liger one time.
That was the most interestinganimal I ever saw at the Miami
Zoo.
For some reason, we went to azoo and we were in Miami,
Florida, and they had a liger.
unknown (42:58):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (42:58):
You know what that is?
Is it a lying tiger?
SPEAKER_00 (43:01):
Isn't it?
Yeah, it's like a geneticallylike created animal.
It's not in nature.
They they create it genetically.
Most people know it's fromNapoleon Dynamite.
That's his favorite animal.
SPEAKER_01 (43:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
The only reason I know what thatis, is because of that.
Never seen one.
That's awesome, though.
Uh, question number three Whatis the best golf course you have
ever golfed at?
SPEAKER_00 (43:31):
Uh Canterbury Country Club.
It's actually, I live two blocksaway from it.
It's hosted major championships.
They can't do it anymore becausethey just don't have the parking
and it's it's not long enoughanymore.
But Jack Nicholas is one there,Arnold Palmer's one there.
It's it's it's a classicold-style golf course that just
(43:51):
they they still have some uhsenior events there and LPGA,
but that's the best one I'veever golfed at.
SPEAKER_01 (43:56):
That's awesome for sure.
Uh, question number four What'sone word to describe Tom Brady?
Driven.
I like that one, uh, for sure.
Last but not least, what's themost interesting place you have
ever visited?
SPEAKER_00 (44:15):
Um I I would say the the Vatican.
Yeah, I've been there fourtimes, and like we I just went
back for the fourth time in inMay of 2025, and I was excited
to go.
Um it It's a special place.
There's so much history to it.
The art, um, obviously thespirituality.
(44:38):
You know, I've been in the, youknow, the uh Sistine Chapel.
Um it it's it is the mostinteresting place I've been.
SPEAKER_01 (44:48):
Yeah, that's that's definitely gonna take the cake
for for anyone there.
That's not that's awesome.
But that was the Fast FittyFive.
And I gotta say, Greg, I think Ifeel like I feel like you took
it a little easy on you withsome of these questions there.
Uh because we we've had somesome really weird random ones
from Johnny.
If anybody knows him or havelistened to the show, you you've
(45:09):
heard some of these questionshere.
Uh, but Greg, I get every guestthis opportunity at the end of
every show.
If there's any anything that youwant to get out there, um,
whether it's about case, yourfootball program, anything else
you've got going on, or even ifit's just a good message for the
listeners out there, I'm gonnagive you about a minute and the
floor is yours.
SPEAKER_00 (45:29):
Okay, you know, I I've worked in uh upper
education my whole career, 38years, worked at two very
different institutions.
Um, I've worked with a lot offamilies um to kind of help them
pick their college choice.
And what I see, the mistakesmade, um, they don't research
(45:50):
things well enough.
Um, they go just to play a sportand don't consider anything
else.
Um my my advice to people, bothparents and high schoolers
coming up, is you know, have anidea of what you want to
accomplish with your collegecareer and athletics should
certainly be part of that if youif you're passionate about that.
(46:13):
Um, but also what is the bestfit for you.
And then go out and research it.
Go out and make as many visitsas you can, talk to as many
people as you can, um, and tryand make as educated a decision
as possible.
Um and just you know, find thatfit because everybody's fit
(46:33):
isn't the same.
We think Case Western Reserve isan unbelievable opportunity for
people, but it has to be theright fit.
So that's as a recruiter, that'swhat I'm trying to do.
Trying to find the studentathlete that's the right fit for
our program, and the familiesshould be trying to find the
best fit for their sons ordaughters that's going to help
(46:56):
them develop into the personthat they want to be.
SPEAKER_01 (47:00):
That is awesome.
Uh for sure.
I love it when people have agood message like that that ties
into what they they have goingon for themselves too as well.
Um I kind of almost wish Ididn't have to do a promo read
after that, but I I do here uhfor the new sponsor to the show
in Web Western, uh, a clothingcompany designed for those who
(47:22):
aren't afraid of hard work, forthose who live off the land, who
love hunting, fishing, andeverything outdoors, uh, or just
working the land.
Uh, WebWestern is a no BScompany and they support anybody
who is uh in that.
I am wearing one of their newhats here today.
Uh the arrow reminds everybodyto be a straight shooter.
(47:44):
Once again, uh go towebwestern.com, use the promo
code Mike Bono and save yourself10% off of your purchase.
Once again, webwestern.com.
Promo code MikeBono, saveyourself 10%.
With all that being said, thatis actually going to do it for
this week's episode of the RideHome Brands Podcast.
I want to thank my guest, uhCoach Greg, for coming on here
(48:07):
from Case Western.
A lot of fun to get to talk toyou and hear everything about uh
what you got going on up there.
I will be following the programeven closer now for you, Greg.
I follow everybody that comesunder the show.
So looking forward to seeinggreat things from you up there
in Cleveland at Case Western.
But as always, if you enjoyedthe show, be a friend.
Tell a friend.
If you didn't, tell themanyways.
(48:27):
They might like it just becauseyou didn't.
That's gonna do it for me, and Iwill see y'all next week.
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants podcast.
This is, as always, your host,Mike Bono.
I have a great guest for ustoday.
He's coming to us from theCleveland, Ohio area.
He is the head football coach ofCase Western University, and
that is Greg Debelek joins theshow.
Greg, thank you for joining.
(04:53):
Hey, Mike, great to be here.
Great to be talking to youtoday.
Absolutely.
Uh for sure.
We're happy to have you on.
I know we've been trying to getthis scheduled for a couple of
weeks now.
I'm glad we were actually ableto make this happen, but you are
the head football coach there atCase Western Reserves
University, like I said, uh inCleveland.
How many years have you beencoaching at Case?
And uh can you walk us through alittle bit of your coaching
(05:16):
journey?
SPEAKER_00 (05:16):
Yeah, I've been coaching at Case actually since
2001.
I took over as head coach in2004.
So 25 years at the university.
Uh before that, I was uh 12years at John Carroll, two years
as a graduate assistant, and 10years as a full-time coach.
And during that time, um, youknow, I my journey as a coach,
(05:38):
very, very different.
I've been in two places in 38years.
Uh we live in the same house.
Um, my kids went to the sameschool district, K through 12.
I I I tell this to some D1 guys,and they they look they look at
me and thinking like either likeI don't believe you, or well,
(05:59):
that would have been nice.
Um so it it uh I I I love the D3experience.
You know, I I I I attended JohnCarroll and played football and
basketball there, um and neverreally had any aspirations to be
a Division I coach.
NFL would have been interesting,but uh when I was at John
(06:21):
Carroll, there was a mancoaching there named Tony
DiCarlo that uh was at JohnCarroll coaching for 40 years.
Um he was the head wrestlingcoach and won a national
championship there andeventually took over as the
football coach.
So that's kind of what I waskind of exposed to.
(06:42):
And also I really admired JimTressel, was at Young Sound
State for so long in Ohio State,and just felt that like the way
I was wired, that was that waswhat was best for me to just
kind of go to a place and kindof be there a long time and you
know create a environment whereyou know it's it's just a like
(07:04):
more of a family environment.
And yeah, I've I've coachedpretty much a generation of Case
Western Reserve athletes.
So I've I I feel that's prettyspecial.
SPEAKER_01 (07:16):
That that is that's awesome to hear.
I it it's it's rare anymore inthe in the coaching world and
the sports world to see a coachlast at a uh a program as long
as you have so kudos to you forbeing able to to last at one
program.
Um and you know, only everreally coaching at two, that's
(07:37):
huge.
Uh, you know, for you and yourfamily, that's that's awesome
for sure.
You know, uh most families ofcoaches, you know, they're
they're moving around a lot,they're finding the next uh
opportunity, the betteropportunity.
I think that's that speaksvolumes to your character right
off the bat and everything likethat.
And having that in mindset, uh,this is where I want to be, this
(07:57):
is where I want to coach.
Um, and making that uh work foryou.
Um I mean that just reminds me,you brought up the NFL, it
reminds me of the PittsburghSteelers, three coaches in in my
lifetime that I've ever you knowreally got to experience.
And it's been the only three.
Um, so finding something thatworks that I mean that that
definitely shows the commitmentthe case has to you, uh, for
(08:20):
sure.
And um yeah, that that it's justthat that threw me for a loop.
I was not expecting that answer.
I'm not gonna lie to hear Craigtalking to coaches.
I'm normally used to like, oh,I've coached here, here, here,
here, we moved there.
You know, it's that so that kindof threw me for a loop, but in a
good way.
SPEAKER_00 (08:37):
Yeah, it's not a it's not a typical story.
And and I I I coached uh, youknow, John Carroll with uh all
those guys that are in the NFLnow.
Josh McDaniels uh was actually arecruit of mine.
Um Nick Casario, who's the GM ofthe Texans, uh Jerry Shaplinsky,
who's with the with the Texansnow.
(08:57):
He is I think his title ispassing game consultant.
Um Jerry coached a case with mefor five years, but was a John
Carroll kid that that was reallygood friends with Nick and Josh,
and Nick Josh gave him anopportunity with the Patriots,
and and and Jerry had thattypical.
He was with the Patriots for sixyears, and then after that it
was the Dolphins one, the Giantstwo years, Vegas two years, Rams
(09:24):
one year, and now he's in hisfirst year of the Texans, and he
has four girls.
And they're they've been movingall over the place.
So hey, God bless them.
And I I I I'm glad the Texansare doing well.
They started off kind of rough,and I was concerned, like it's
might be another move.
Um so it's it's a toughbusiness.
(09:46):
Um, and and to survive in thatbusiness, you you have to be
really good.
Um, but there's you'resacrificing a lot of things too.
SPEAKER_01 (09:54):
Right.
Yeah, that that's one of themain things that a lot of people
have talked about on the show,all the other coaches that I've
had on the show, um, talkingabout the sacrifices they've
made with their families andmaking it work.
So it it's it's great to hearthe other side of that too, for
people who have made it work atone university and one program,
um, and were able to have thatsuccess there uh too as well.
(10:17):
Uh and this past spring, youknow, your team and your staff
went to Italy to practice andplay an international game.
Can you talk to us about thatexperience?
Uh, how did that work?
And you know, how did uh how didyour game go uh as a resident uh
Pizan myself here in America?
I gotta I gotta hear the storyabout being able to go to Italy.
SPEAKER_00 (10:36):
Yeah, so it it it definitely goes back to my days
at John Carroll, um, where whenI was a coach there, we went on
three foreign trips, 94, 97, and2000.
And when I became the headcoach, it was such a great
experience.
Um, you know, for for the kids,for the the coaches, um, and it
(10:57):
was a great team building umexperience.
So I wanted to get that going atcase, and it took a while
because the the case kids kindof like didn't get it.
Like I'd kind of try and sellthem on it, and they're like,
Well, why would we do that?
I have I start my my co-op, youknow, in May.
And how am I gonna do this?
(11:17):
And I'm like, well, just youknow, ask them for a week off.
I mean, like, let's let's find away to do this.
And right the first time wewent, we went with uh just 24
players and a travel group of45.
Um the game isn't like the bigdeal.
Um it they they're not good.
(11:38):
Uh there are places in Europethat are that are pretty good.
Germany and Austria, uh they putthe most resources into it.
Um, Italy is is not thatcompetitive.
These are club teams that youplay.
Okay, they don't have collegefootball.
So you're playing people ateverybody's over 18, but they
you have a lot of guys that arein their upper 20s, their lower
(12:01):
30s.
You you'll you'll see a40-year-old here and there.
They're just people that reallylove American football and want
to play.
So the the teams that we played,and we've done four foreign
trips at Case, um, the standardyou know kind of format is they
will have an American coach andthey will have two American
(12:24):
players uh that are just out ofcollege.
The the team we played this thispast spring, um, they had a
player from UCLA.
He was a receiver for UCLA thatthey they played at quarterback
because he was a high schoolquarterback.
Um, and they had a linebackerfrom a Division III school.
(12:45):
Um, and they had a coach that Iwas familiar with, and they had
a couple of assistants that wereyoung Americans, um, and they're
just trying to teach the game.
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (12:57):
So more of a learning experience for uh the
international players uh to getto know the game a little bit
better.
Is that kind of is that kind ofa like what am I right in
thinking that?
SPEAKER_00 (13:11):
Yeah, and and they have a season, they have a
10-game season, and they playother club teams.
Um, they have practices, butthese these guys are you know,
they have full-time jobs,they're not, you know, this
isn't what they do, it's not asorganized as a college where
you're practicing every day.
They they practice a couple ofdays a week.
Um, and hopefully they geteverybody there.
(13:34):
So it again, it's it's it's moreof a club thing.
They do it for fun, but they'revery passionate about it.
Um you know, the the positivesfor us, football-wise, is the
NCA allows you to train for thisgame and gives you additional
practices in the spring.
Um, and those are fully fullypadded practices in division
(13:57):
three.
Uh spring practices arenon-contact.
Yeah.
Um when you go on a foreigntrip, you get 10 days to do
whatever you want.
You can play football.
So we had a spring game.
Um, we coordinated that springgame with a really big
recruiting event.
Um, so those are the positives.
Getting over the game, you'renot, you know, it's not
(14:19):
competitive, it's fun.
You get to know the otherplayers.
Most of the guys kind of connectwith them on social media before
they go.
Um, and and again, some uniqueexperiences after the game.
One year, not not this pastyear, but the previous time we
went in 22, uh, one of theplayers owned a bar in Rome.
(14:41):
So that's where all the playersheaded after the game, they all
went to this guy's bar andsocialized with with the players
from another team at this guy'sbar.
That's awesome.
But uh yeah, but everything uhyou know, we we were in Rome, we
went to the Vatican, uh two daysafter they named the Pope.
So that that vibe was was reallycool.
(15:04):
Um, we went south, we went toMount Vesuvius, Pompeii, uh,
Naples, um, yeah, just just somesome very memorable places, and
then uh we flew from Naples toGreece and spent three days in
Greece culminating with uh aboat tour of three Greek islands
(15:27):
on our last day.
So pretty cool experiences forour players, and and I do allow
families to come.
So our our total travel groupwas 190, the largest we've had.
Yeah, it it's it's quite alogistical project, and I have a
like a middleman that kind ofsets up all those things, but
(15:49):
still it it's a lot, it's a lotof planning um to make this
thing work, but well worth it.
SPEAKER_01 (15:57):
Yeah, I mean it's definitely sounds like it's it's
well worth it with you know justthe experience of traveling to
another country.
Most people aren't gonna getthat opportunity uh in their
lifetimes, it seems like, youknow.
Um, so being able to do that asa college student and getting to
play a game over there too whileyou're at it, you know, just
(16:19):
kind of the icing on the cakethere.
Um sounds like it was a lot offun uh getting to see that and
uh great experience for yourplayers and their families that
got to go with you with you onthe trip.
Um your 2025 season just endeduh with a four, five and one
record overall.
Can you walk us through thisseason, uh minus the game?
(16:39):
Your first two games of theseason seem to have quite the
story attached to them, fromwhat I've been told.
SPEAKER_00 (16:45):
Yes, we um you know I've been coaching 38 years and
maybe a handful of weatherdelays in my career, but we've
always been able to finish thegames.
Um our first two games, we hadlightning delays, and the first
game we we couldn't finish it.
We were playing in uh NewJersey.
(17:07):
We were playing uh RowanUniversity in New Jersey, and it
was a one o'clock start, andthis delay there was lightning
storms up and down the eastcoast.
It became very apparent thatlike these were not just passing
showers, it was going to be asignificant delay.
And you know, I wanted to finishthe game, but also like we we
(17:29):
wouldn't be able to get a hotel.
You know, we had to check out ofour hotel.
We wouldn't be able to getrooms.
I, you know, we it was afour-hour lightning delay before
we called it.
We didn't have any food.
Um, last time we ate wasbreakfast.
So to me, it it became it becamesort of a uh a safety issue, and
I had to get these guys back tocampus.
(17:51):
You know, I and I told the thethe opposing AD, I go, look, we
gotta set a time that's like ifwe can't get it in by this time,
it's it's over.
Um, and they weren't on boardwith that in the beginning, but
then they kind of understood.
So yeah, we never finished thegame.
We we mutually agree that itwould go down as a tie uh for
(18:14):
NPI rankings purposes, becauseif if if we just didn't finish
the game, it's a no contest andneither team would get any
points.
SPEAKER_01 (18:22):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (18:23):
Um, and it was a close game, so we just we we
kind of figured like this wasprobably the best for both
programs.
So we get back on campus 5 30 inthe morning, and we have a game
the next week.
So, you know, our rhythms areoff, our kids are, you know,
we're trying to figure outwhat's the best way to make sure
these guys physically are readyto go.
(18:43):
And our next game is on theroad, it's another seven-hour
trip um just west ofIndianapolis to Wabash College.
And again, another lightningdelay.
And the unique thing there, youcould see it was gonna, it was
eventually gonna go, and we'regonna be hopefully able to
finish it.
(19:04):
The issue there was their homestadium had no lights.
Oh so now we're thinking, can weget this in before darkness?
And and I asked the, I go, guys,I I want to finish this game.
We gotta, you know, are you guyson board and my guys, yeah,
coach, whatever we gotta do.
So we figured it out, and weplay we finished the game at a
(19:26):
local high school that hadlights.
SPEAKER_01 (19:29):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (19:30):
So it didn't go in our favor, but we we got the
game in and again got back topractice five in the morning.
So yeah, tough start, and uhwhat made it extremely
difficult.
I my best player, uh myquarterback, Aaron Phillips, uh
senior, just one of the bestI've ever coached.
(19:51):
And we figure, hey, we're alwaysgonna be in any game we play
with Aaron.
Uh, he went down with a seasonending injury uh third quarter
of our first game.
Oh that that created some realchallenges.
Um, and Sam Di Tilio came in anddid a great job, um, but just
(20:11):
didn't we just didn't haveenough firepower to beat the
better teams on our schedule.
And we played the uh all of ourlosses were to teams that are
were in the postseason.
So we played a really difficultschedule, um, but unfortunately
came out you know at with afour, five, and one record.
SPEAKER_01 (20:28):
Yeah, I was gonna say that the after after the
start that you just told methere with two lightning delays,
losing your start quarterback,you know, in the first game uh
to a season ending injury, four,five, and one's nothing to shake
a stick at.
That's that's a pretty goodbounce back for the issues that
you had there at the beginning.
Um, and it sounds like you guysplay a brutal schedule uh with
(20:52):
all the teams making thepostseason that uh that beat
you.
Um so it's not like you werelosing to some some slack teams.
It sounds like you guys heldyour own this year.
SPEAKER_00 (21:02):
Yeah, we and we were competitive in the losses.
Uh, you know, four of the fivelosses were within one score.
Um yeah, and and we did putourselves in position uh after
the tough start, we won fourgames in a row.
And on on November 1st, we'replaying WJ, who was undefeated
uh in our conference.
And uh it was basically a uh achampionship game against them.
(21:27):
If we would have beat them, wewould have been in first place.
So the kids bounced back great.
I thought the coaches did a nicejob uh changing things around
with all the injuries, but yeah,it's just you know, you you
coach long enough and play longenough, you know, things things
happen, and you just have toadjust and make the make the
best out of them.
And I I thought our players andstaff did did a nice job at
(21:48):
doing that.
SPEAKER_01 (21:49):
Yeah, definitely sound like you did that.
Speaking of your staff, uh yourcurrent director of athletics
there at uh case is TJ Shelton.
Uh he has been on the show as aguest here.
Uh, he's a big supporter of theshow.
We love TJ to death.
Uh talk to us a little bit aboutworking with TJ.
SPEAKER_00 (22:08):
Yeah, TJ's uh a people person, and it probably
comes through in the show.
He loves people.
Um he's a relationship guy.
Uh I've coached, uh I excuse me,I've worked for uh if you count
the interim, six different ADsum at Case, and everyone was
different, and everyone hadtheir pluses and their minus.
(22:29):
I've coached with you know thepolicies and procedures and
paperwork AD that that maybewasn't as you know socially and
person personal skills.
Um, you know, I've coached withkind of hardline ADs.
Uh boy, TJ's a a breath of freshair because he is such a
(22:49):
people-oriented person, um, youknow, values relationships, um,
has your back for sure.
He understands if if people aregonna make mistakes and let's
hey, let's let's try and solvethe problem and let's not just
blame, let's let's fix thisproblem.
And um, you know, verysupportive.
(23:11):
Uh Case is is lucky to have him.
I I know that the coach in theathletic department it really
value him as our leader, uh,because again, we feel we have a
guy that cares about us and hasour backs.
SPEAKER_01 (23:24):
Yeah, I mean, that definitely came through in the
show, everything you said thereabout TJ and having him on the
show.
He was.
I mean, it was it was a breathof fresh air to talk to him.
You know, normally you get thesethese ADs that come on and they
they seem pretty even killed,but you know, TJ was just you
know all about wanting to helppeople, and and that's what you
(23:46):
need uh in your ADs.
Uh speaking of that, and formerguests of the show that you
know, um uh former guest of theshow, you know, and athletic
director at Baldon WallaceUniversity, Steve Thompson.
So, how do you know Steve?
SPEAKER_00 (24:00):
So Steve uh worked for he was uh an athletic
administrator at Case.
Um, and I think he was ourfacilities director, I believe.
Um super nice guy, and I and I Ididn't know him, but when when
he came, we figured out hisfather um was my physics teacher
(24:21):
in high school.
Yeah, he ran, we had a like aum, oh gosh, it's not a
nadatorium.
Um what do you what do you callit when the The the that
projects the stars andconstellations.
Oh, um, what is that?
I'm blanking on the word for it.
Oh he he ran that planetariumplanetary, yeah.
(24:44):
Yeah.
And he ran that and was aphysics teacher.
And so he taught physics in theplanetorium, and they had these
seats because it's anauditorium, there's it's like a
globe on top, like a big domethat projects things, and so the
seats had to go way back, and itwas always dark, so like
everyone would fall asleep allthe time.
(25:08):
Mr.
Thompson's class.
So, and then sometimes, youknow, we he'd bring in like he
put on these shows forelementary school kids, and he's
just yeah, no class today.
We got an elementary schoolcoming in, so it was a unique uh
class, and he was a unique guy.
And years later, I get to workwith uh his son.
So that was that was prettycool.
And Steve's gone on and justdone great things at yeah and
(25:30):
tough places, you know, atEureka, at Bethany, and now he's
at BW.
That's you know, that's youknow, big time division three
athletics.
And uh I I know the coaches overthere just love Steve.
SPEAKER_01 (25:42):
Yeah, we we all love Steve.
I I know I got uh know him alittle bit uh with my time at
Bethany College, uh, my almamater, where I graduated from
and everything like that.
And obviously through uh Johnny,the the manager of the show
here, too, as well.
Um so yeah, we love Steve.
Um, he's he's hysterical, butthat that's definitely odd you
(26:04):
know, uh a weird coincidencethat you you you realize that uh
you know uh his father wasactually your your physics
teacher.
And yeah, those net those thoseplanetariums, um planetarium,
yeah, yeah, planetariums.
Um that had to be a hard classto keep your students awake in
it with those seats and beingdark.
(26:24):
Like I I there's no chance I wasstaying awake in that class if I
was in there reclined back.
Yeah, it's gonna be game overfor me uh in a in a class like
that.
But that's that's just uh anawesome story.
Um to hear, and yeah, Steve umreconnecting with with Johnny at
Bone Wallace and everything likethat there.
(26:46):
It's great when things come fullcircle there.
So uh we'd love to see it.
You know, you you know a lot ofuh people like you said uh in
the NFL and that, but uh you gotto coach uh Cameron Brown, who
is the son of current NBA coachof the Knicks, Mike Brown.
Uh what was that like coachingnot only one of the the greats
(27:09):
at you know case in casehistory, but the son of an NBA
head coach?
SPEAKER_00 (27:14):
So yeah, Cam was was an all-American for us,
four-year starter.
Um you know, and and thebackground we all knew.
We recruited him out of highschool and he chose to go to the
University of Cincinnati andjust go be a student.
And when he was coming out ofhigh school, like he was he was
a good player, but you know, hewas 205 pounds, he was
(27:34):
babyfaced.
You know, uh, you know, Mikecame up and and Mike's wife, and
it was great getting to knowthem.
And you know, he chose to go toCincinnati.
And uh a year later, Mike calledus again, say, hey, Cam wants
to, he wants transfer, he wantsto play football.
So we got him as a transfer, andthen now he's coming in and he's
(27:55):
matured.
He's 230 pounds, he's built, andit's like, okay, we're excited.
What stood out to me um and whatwas very apparent, um Cam, you
you wouldn't know by justtalking to him that he was the
son of an NBA coach.
He was he was very, very shy.
I don't know if shy is the rightword, very humble, um, you know,
(28:20):
didn't didn't come off as a bigtime guy, didn't talk about, you
know, going to practice andwatching LeBron James or any of
those guys that he, you know, hehis dad coached Kobe Bryant.
Um so, but you've never heardabout that.
But what you saw was thediscipline and the attention to
(28:40):
detail that a son of a coachbrings because he's been around
it, he's seen it, um, he heunderstands it.
And what what stood out to me iswe would, you know, in in our
preseason before school starts,we have these kids all day.
So what we usually do is we havea set of morning meetings where
(29:01):
we do our install, and then NCArules we have to give them three
hours off, and then they we comeand we practice.
So what Cam would do right afterthe meeting, he would go out by
himself on the field and do allthe footwork to the installs
that we just did by himself, andgo through everything we
(29:23):
installed against air andpretending there was an
offensive lineman in front ofhim.
SPEAKER_01 (29:31):
That that's definitely a player you want.
Like that they're committed.
SPEAKER_00 (29:35):
And then Mike would would, you know, Mike would be
there for our scrimmage and ourfirst two or three games, and
then he had to he had to go.
He had he was at that time hewas with the Warriors, so you
know the season started, but hewould come out and he would he
would be there at a at apractice, like and he'd he'd
(29:57):
just sit in a chair while whileCam would go through his his
footwork, and it it was justsomething to see.
Um Cam then coached with us umfor a year or two, one yeah, for
two years.
He he volunteered one year, andthen he was our intern the
second year, and he was tryingto figure out if he wanted to
(30:19):
have coaching for a career.
His backup, what he was tryingto decide was between coaching
and going to culinary school.
He loves to cook, just loves it,and he would cook all the time
for his teammates, he wouldinvite them over.
It just he loved it.
SPEAKER_01 (30:40):
So it's just vastly different avenues to to to want
to go to.
That that's hysterical.
SPEAKER_00 (30:47):
So um he makes that decision and he's he's coaching
with us, and he he he's he tellsme, and by that time his his
dad's now the head coach of theKings, and he says, Hey, my
dad's gonna be in town, he'sgonna have you know a physical
at the Cleveland Clinic.
He he says he'll be he'll behappy to stop by and talk to the
team.
I'm like, Oh, that that's great,Cam.
(31:07):
Let's do that.
Whatever he wants to do, hey,it'd be great.
So we open up, we play our firstgame, and we get shellacked by
Johns Hopkins.
I mean, they annihilate us.
So I go, hey Cam, could couldyou ask your dad to talk about
like bouncing back from defeat?
Because that's what we need.
(31:28):
He comes in and he has a videopresentation where he has, you
know, Curry and Draymond, and Iguess in one of their rounds of
the playoffs in whatever year,they got beat by 40 by somebody.
And you heard these guys talkingabout how they reacted after the
loss, what they did to preparefor the next game, and then they
(31:50):
went out and won the next gameand won the series.
Um 45-minute presentation.
Um, just like, and he just likehe looked over in the middle and
goes, Hey coach, we okay?
Are we cutting into practice?
I go, Look, Mike, whatever wewould be doing out there, we're
getting way more out of this.
Just keep going, take as muchtime as you want.
(32:11):
Yeah.
Um, so it he was tremendous, andyou can tell why he's been, I
don't think he's everinterviewed for a job that he
didn't get.
You know, whether it beCleveland twice, the LA, the
Knicks now, the Kings.
He's an impressive guy, really.
SPEAKER_01 (32:31):
Definitely, yeah, not that I can remember.
I mean, pretty much anyone wherehe's wanted to go, he's he's
pretty much landed at landedthat job.
So that that's just kudos tohim.
And it must have been nice tohave a a coach's son on on your
team, that's somebody that getsit, they get the mindset of what
you're trying to do and toinstill into them, and uh to be
(32:53):
able to take that and run withit.
That that had to be just milesabove to help, and then that
that that mindset is infectious.
Other players are gonna start tosee that, they're gonna start to
do, and it just helps the wholeprogram out.
That's from what I've seen, isyou get that one guy in there
and they can change the entireprogram.
SPEAKER_00 (33:13):
And Cam is now with um the 49ers, he's assistant
defensive line coach with the49ers.
SPEAKER_01 (33:19):
Okay, so chose coaching over culinary, it
sounds like for sure.
Um so you know, you also know,like I mentioned there briefly,
you know, the manager of thepodcast, Johnny, uh Fiddy
Falcone, um, who was doing uhsome graduate admissions work
there at Case Western.
(33:40):
How did you meet Johnny and whatwas it like to get to know him
during his time there?
SPEAKER_00 (33:46):
Yeah, so I I think it was just during the
recruiting process.
Um, you know, Case has a numberof graduate schools, and you
know, we would occasionally getkids that had that extra year
and you know wanted to continueplaying while they pursued a
master's, or I I had a kid inlaw school play.
Um I had a kid, I've never hadanybody in medical school yet,
(34:09):
but it it's usually over at theWeatherhead School of
Management.
And Johnny was just invaluablebecause he had coached football.
Um, he understood what thesekids, you know, their passion
for it.
Um, and he was just he helped uswith the process, he helped the
incoming players with theprocess.
Um, you know, and usually wegotta hunt these people down to
(34:33):
help us.
Like they're they've got amillion things on their plate,
and you know, they're notreturning emails, they're not
returning phone calls, and youknow, Johnny was like, you know,
so proactive, um, you know,letting us know about kids and
where they're at without evenbeing asked to.
So yeah, he was a real help.
(34:54):
And um, you know, we actuallyhad two kids this year um that
that he helped with that bothstarted for us, um, that are
going through the and gettingtheir masters in finance.
So yeah, he he's uh certainly afriend of the program and a
friend of the athleticdepartment for sure.
SPEAKER_01 (35:12):
Yeah, John Johnny, anything football or sports
related, uh, he is all on boardfor it.
You know, his time coaching, youknow, didn't go the the greatest
for him to you know start outwith in uh that but he he found
a way to bounce back andanything that he's done, he he's
done.
(35:32):
And you know, he's just I mean,the I wish I could bottle up a
half of his energy some of thetimes, um, because he's just I I
don't think the the man knowsthe word stop.
Um because he is I think thatfrom the time his eyes open till
the time he closes them, he isgoing 152 percent in everything
(35:53):
that he does.
SPEAKER_00 (35:55):
Yeah, he's certainly a uh and he and he's still you
know now he's at BW workingthrough admissions and you know
I he just the people that thatwhose passion is to work with
young people, um they're they'redoing it not to get rich, you
know, they're doing it becausethat they love to help people.
And that certainly came out withmy you know with our time with
(36:19):
Johnny there and you knowcontinue to have a friendship
with them, and I I know he'd doanything to help out anybody.
SPEAKER_01 (36:26):
So absolutely, he's been a big help to to the show
here once I brought him on onboard here uh with it.
And I mean he's just for thepast five years we've been
working, you know, hand in handwith the with the show and and
helping it grow and everythinglike that.
And he does it just because hewants to.
I mean, he I mean he could leaveat any time, and I would I would
(36:46):
let him go um if he he wantedto, uh, but he doesn't.
And it it's great to see.
But I wanted you to talk uh alittle bit here as we wind down
near the end of the episodeabout Case Western Reserves
University and what type ofuniversity it is, you know, as a
whole, you know, for studentsand aspiring students, and what
(37:07):
can they offer them?
SPEAKER_00 (37:09):
Yeah, so it's you know, it's a major research
university and that that playsD3 sports, which you don't find
a lot of those.
Um it's changed dramatically.
Uh I'm a Cleveland area native.
Uh I grew up in Mentor, Ohio,and I I knew Case Western
(37:29):
Reserve growing up because mybrother attended Case and played
football.
So I was on campus as a16-year-old watching my brother
play football.
Um back then, much smaller, itwas about 3,200 undergrad.
Um when I came into 2001, that'swhat it was, 3,200.
(37:50):
Um I was surprised um that itwas difficult to get into, but
the not too difficult.
Um now it's 6,200 undergrads, soit's almost double in size in in
25 years.
Um our international studentpopulation has grown
(38:15):
dramatically.
Undergraduate uh internationalstudent population is about 15%
of the undergraduate population.
It was 2% when I first arrived.
Um you know, major, majorchanges in facilities, uh, you
know, not just athletics.
You know, the the Weatherhead uhbuilding is is basically 25
(38:38):
years old.
Um, all of the development onEuclid Avenue, the Uptown
Project, um, you know, thoseused to be parking lots when I
came in 2001.
So uh it has grown in stature.
Uh it is extremely competitiveto get admitted.
Um and I've seen the other endwhen they graduate, our
(39:03):
graduates are are scooped up.
I mean, the the people out thereunderstand that if if they get a
case Western Reserve graduate,that they're getting somebody
pretty special.
So it is uh wide variety.
We're known for STEM.
I think the business school ishigher ranked than any of our
STEM programs.
Both my daughters attended Case.
(39:25):
My one daughter is a uh clinicalpsychologist, she went out and
got her PhD.
Um, so that that was aninteresting experience.
Never in a million years would Ithought she would go on and get
a PhD, but I think because sheattended CACE and the people
around her influenced hergreatly to do that.
(39:46):
And she had an experience, shedid research at the Cleaton
Clinic as a junior, and she hadthat research published as a
senior, and that's what got herinto the PhD program.
She was the only one in hercohort that didn't have a
master's.
So I think that was directlyfrom like Case Western Reserve,
(40:07):
opened that door for her.
So, and then my other daughterwas an English major, she had
the most non-case major ever.
English and teachingcertification.
Like, like that, that was anunusual major.
And um, she taught uh highschool for three years and then
got in.
She's a uh coder, a computerprogrammer now.
(40:28):
No, again, her her friends fromcase um greatly influenced her
to hey, you should try this.
And then she has a friend fromthe soccer team that's a big wig
with uh Microsoft, and whenanytime she wants to um excuse
me, uh Google, big wig atGoogle, and there's I guess
(40:51):
there's a five-step uh interviewprocess at Google, and she gets
to skip the first three stepsbecause of her relationship with
this this case Western Reservewomen's soccer grad.
So um I tell kids all the time,it's you this your decision to
go to college is your first bigmajor decision.
(41:11):
You know, you couldn't choosewhere you lived or where you,
you know, in most cases whereyou went to high school, you
just lived where your parentswanted to live.
It's your first big decision,and and you should make it based
upon who you want to surroundyourself with, because who you
choose to surround yourself withuh is going to greatly influence
(41:31):
the type of person and and andthe success that you're gonna
have as a person.
So that's why I was so happythat my kids chose to go to Case
because the people that they gotto surround themselves with.
SPEAKER_01 (41:45):
Yeah, that that's definitely awesome about the the
everything there, uh, especiallywith your girls there too, as
well.
Good for them.
Uh, hope to to see where theycan go with all that and
everything like that.
Everything's great.
I mean, that sounds awesome.
Uh, but like I said, Greg, weare running down near the end of
the show here, but I do have toget this one last segment in
(42:07):
here.
Um, and that is the Fast 55.
Five random questions from thewonderful manager of the
podcast, Johnny Pitty Balconi.
Uh, these are completely atrandom.
Uh, they're kind of rapid fire,but you can elaborate if you
need to.
Uh, they have nothing to do withwhat we've been talking about
for the better part of almost 45minutes now.
(42:28):
So if you are ready, we can getgoing.
Shoot.
All righty.
Question number one (42:32):
what's a better fruit, a kiwi or an
orange?
Orange.
Okay.
Question number two (42:38):
what's the most interesting animal at the
zoo?
SPEAKER_00 (42:45):
Oh boy, I saw a liger one time.
That was the most interestinganimal I ever saw at the Miami
Zoo.
For some reason, we went to azoo and we were in Miami,
Florida, and they had a liger.
unknown (42:58):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (42:58):
You know what that is?
Is it a lying tiger?
SPEAKER_00 (43:01):
Isn't it?
Yeah, it's like a geneticallylike created animal.
It's not in nature.
They they create it genetically.
Most people know it's fromNapoleon Dynamite.
That's his favorite animal.
SPEAKER_01 (43:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
The only reason I know what thatis, is because of that.
Never seen one.
That's awesome, though.
Uh, question number three Whatis the best golf course you have
ever golfed at?
SPEAKER_00 (43:31):
Uh Canterbury Country Club.
It's actually, I live two blocksaway from it.
It's hosted major championships.
They can't do it anymore becausethey just don't have the parking
and it's it's not long enoughanymore.
But Jack Nicholas is one there,Arnold Palmer's one there.
It's it's it's a classicold-style golf course that just
(43:51):
they they still have some uhsenior events there and LPGA,
but that's the best one I'veever golfed at.
SPEAKER_01 (43:56):
That's awesome for sure.
Uh, question number four What'sone word to describe Tom Brady?
Driven.
I like that one, uh, for sure.
Last but not least, what's themost interesting place you have
ever visited?
SPEAKER_00 (44:15):
Um I I would say the the Vatican.
Yeah, I've been there fourtimes, and like we I just went
back for the fourth time in inMay of 2025, and I was excited
to go.
Um it It's a special place.
There's so much history to it.
The art, um, obviously thespirituality.
(44:38):
You know, I've been in the, youknow, the uh Sistine Chapel.
Um it it's it is the mostinteresting place I've been.
SPEAKER_01 (44:48):
Yeah, that's that's definitely gonna take the cake
for for anyone there.
That's not that's awesome.
But that was the Fast FittyFive.
And I gotta say, Greg, I think Ifeel like I feel like you took
it a little easy on you withsome of these questions there.
Uh because we we've had somesome really weird random ones
from Johnny.
If anybody knows him or havelistened to the show, you you've
(45:09):
heard some of these questionshere.
Uh, but Greg, I get every guestthis opportunity at the end of
every show.
If there's any anything that youwant to get out there, um,
whether it's about case, yourfootball program, anything else
you've got going on, or even ifit's just a good message for the
listeners out there, I'm gonnagive you about a minute and the
floor is yours.
SPEAKER_00 (45:29):
Okay, you know, I I've worked in uh upper
education my whole career, 38years, worked at two very
different institutions.
Um, I've worked with a lot offamilies um to kind of help them
pick their college choice.
And what I see, the mistakesmade, um, they don't research
(45:50):
things well enough.
Um, they go just to play a sportand don't consider anything
else.
Um my my advice to people, bothparents and high schoolers
coming up, is you know, have anidea of what you want to
accomplish with your collegecareer and athletics should
certainly be part of that if youif you're passionate about that.
(46:13):
Um, but also what is the bestfit for you.
And then go out and research it.
Go out and make as many visitsas you can, talk to as many
people as you can, um, and tryand make as educated a decision
as possible.
Um and just you know, find thatfit because everybody's fit
(46:33):
isn't the same.
We think Case Western Reserve isan unbelievable opportunity for
people, but it has to be theright fit.
So that's as a recruiter, that'swhat I'm trying to do.
Trying to find the studentathlete that's the right fit for
our program, and the familiesshould be trying to find the
best fit for their sons ordaughters that's going to help
(46:56):
them develop into the personthat they want to be.
SPEAKER_01 (47:00):
That is awesome.
Uh for sure.
I love it when people have agood message like that that ties
into what they they have goingon for themselves too as well.
Um I kind of almost wish Ididn't have to do a promo read
after that, but I I do here uhfor the new sponsor to the show
in Web Western, uh, a clothingcompany designed for those who
(47:22):
aren't afraid of hard work, forthose who live off the land, who
love hunting, fishing, andeverything outdoors, uh, or just
working the land.
Uh, WebWestern is a no BScompany and they support anybody
who is uh in that.
I am wearing one of their newhats here today.
Uh the arrow reminds everybodyto be a straight shooter.
(47:44):
Once again, uh go towebwestern.com, use the promo
code Mike Bono and save yourself10% off of your purchase.
Once again, webwestern.com.
Promo code MikeBono, saveyourself 10%.
With all that being said, thatis actually going to do it for
this week's episode of the RideHome Brands Podcast.
I want to thank my guest, uhCoach Greg, for coming on here
(48:07):
from Case Western.
A lot of fun to get to talk toyou and hear everything about uh
what you got going on up there.
I will be following the programeven closer now for you, Greg.
I follow everybody that comesunder the show.
So looking forward to seeinggreat things from you up there
in Cleveland at Case Western.
But as always, if you enjoyedthe show, be a friend.
Tell a friend.
If you didn't, tell themanyways.
(48:27):
They might like it just becauseyou didn't.
That's gonna do it for me, and Iwill see y'all next week.
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