Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is it right here?
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Combining a team of reporters, columnists and commentators.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Are you serious?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Jack Ebling has brought thought provoking discussion.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
What are you doing?
Speaker 4 (00:16):
That's a day in coaching the faith opinion customers, the
one who decides when the future gets here?
Speaker 5 (00:21):
Oh no, just check the report? Are you urring me that?
Speaker 6 (00:28):
Gameless?
Speaker 7 (00:28):
Next and overall infotainment.
Speaker 6 (00:31):
I'll take Jim Arbo, What is done?
Speaker 8 (00:33):
Greseuda Criminaccia.
Speaker 9 (00:38):
Quiet, please exactly fifteen seconds we'll be on the air.
Speaker 5 (00:41):
Thanks, big fellow.
Speaker 7 (00:42):
Don't you ever come.
Speaker 9 (00:43):
Back here again?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
No arguments.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Those are called ashtans.
Speaker 7 (00:46):
So buckle up.
Speaker 9 (00:47):
You're talking to me.
Speaker 7 (00:49):
It's time for the Drive with Jack Ebling.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Yeah, for some reason or another, who signed a little
Cola Radio. Great afternoon, Michigan and beyond, and welcome to
the Drive with Jack the Spotlight a radio network, Jack
Ebling here with my producer Boston Rob in studio today
and an ugly day, certainly not the nicest we have
(01:13):
had this month's seventy eight degrees. But cloudy looks dreary.
He's been raining off and on, and I think they're
still going to get the ballgame in tonight. In Detroit
Terrek Cooble.
Speaker 7 (01:25):
Yeah, that's the question. What a pitching matchup?
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Yeah, eight, Trek Scouble and Hunter Brown the day before that.
We are going down as our group of six people
there tomorrow for the Astros Tigers game. But we're not
gonna talk baseball, not now, not with this guest. No, no, no,
he's too important. He has too many other things to
inform us about in terms of Michigan State football. That
(01:48):
is Stephen Brooks from twenty four to seven Sports Spartan
Tailgate premium site. Steven, how are you?
Speaker 9 (01:54):
I'm all right. I would have rooted it on the
rain if I knew there was a Tiger's game on Jeopardy.
So yeah, I was happy to dried up, But now
I kind of wish it was still going.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Stephen Brooks the only guy in mid Michigan who roots
for rainouts when the Tigers have home games. All right,
let's talk a little bit about Michigan stayed ten days
away from the season opener, and we have captains, five
of them?
Speaker 5 (02:18):
What can you tell us correct?
Speaker 9 (02:22):
So yeah, I mean five again, it was five last year,
so you know, you got a little bit of a
trend there. Very interesting. I mean two technically homegrown guys,
not that that really matters anymore. Yeah, But on the
other end of that, I mean, so the five for folks,
if you don't know, Matt Gold in the center, Yeah,
transferred in from Wake Forest. First year guy Quandarius Don
again defensive, Then second year guy Jordan Hall junior linebacker
(02:46):
going to be there starting Mike and you know, and
has been sort of lauded as a future captain for
years now ye eight, and Child's back for year two
of his term. So he's back. He's one of five
last year. And then Sam Edwards, six year linebacker, who
has always he's the other homegrown guy. He's been in
the program the whole time, been through a whole bunch
(03:06):
of different stuff, coming in as a walk on, originally
from Williamston, played at Lansing Catholic and you know, decorated
the student, well respected guy.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
In locker room all that.
Speaker 9 (03:14):
So I think it was a good group. It wasn't.
There was nobody I was like, WHOA, like that's kind
of weird or anything. I think there's a couple others
you know that that I'm guessing we're probably right in
that mix. Uh, I don't know exactly how if this
was a team win vote or sort of a captain's coaches,
you know, collaboration with like some older guys, or I
don't know exactly what it was because I asked Smith
(03:37):
about it earlier this summer and he said he wasn't
totally sure.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
The way they would go about it, and they.
Speaker 9 (03:41):
Didn't ask him out about it yesterday. But I think
it's a good group. Me know, Matt Golvin sort of
stands out because he did just come in in January
and he is at a position that we all know
is under a microscope. So but I think that's a
good thing. You know, for somebody to emerge as a
leader in that offensive line room, and for him to
do it in eight and a half months of being
around these guys is a big deal.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
How unusual is it, Steven for a guy to be
named a captain if he has never worn the helmet?
Speaker 9 (04:09):
Again, I mean, it's becoming less five years ago, it's
probably unheard of, basically, but it's becoming less though. I mean,
most of the guys last year, I'm trying to think, uh,
were that. I guess Maverick Hanson was a holdover. I
can't remember all the other ones off the top of
my head. But Montory, No, he wasn't a captain, was he.
(04:30):
I don't remember. So it's it's just it's becoming more
common because you're getting more movements that that just is
what it is. But we've been here and you know
fairly consistently that Golvin was, you know, was a guy
with that capacity and that comp that leadership capability. And
I thought there's other you know, I thought sat Ramil
could maybe be in that discussion from that room. I
think he's done some of those things. Uh luka vinciech
(04:52):
another transfer. You hear this a lot of the same
things about him having an important voice there and being
sort of an energy source for them and for the offense.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
It's right similar situation, and I think you need to
have someone representing the offensive line. I guess the center
is a good place to find the leaders anywhere.
Speaker 9 (05:14):
Yeah, And Jim Mahaltack even said the other day that's
the most demanding position in their offense with everything that
they put on that guy, and he's learning learning it,
he's done a little.
Speaker 6 (05:22):
Bit of it.
Speaker 9 (05:23):
But what he was when he was playing center away,
he was not like playing center here where he's actually
delivering the snap under center in ways and just the
run schemes and different things that he would he's have
to be in part of. So he's kind of naturally
thrust into a leadership role by the nature of that spot.
And then you know, obviously it sounds like he's taking
(05:44):
that and then beyond some to to earn this title here.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Are you at all surprised that Stanton Ramil was not
the choice among the offensive linemen. He's back. He's the
guy who represented the program out in Las Vegas.
Speaker 9 (05:59):
A little bit. You know, I think he's probably in
that like next tier of guys, Like you remember when
Mark Antonio they had like that Eagle council where it
was like twelve sort of sub captains. Basically it was
the next layer below, you know that they'd wear the
A if it was hockey. I guess we'd say.
Speaker 5 (06:17):
So.
Speaker 9 (06:18):
I think he would probably be a part of that group. Yeah,
I'm thinking I'm guessing he was probably close or at
least some of the discussions. He's still a younger guy.
I mean, we kind of think of him as this
ready to you know, as this guy that's about to
take elite. Potentially it could turn himself into a pro
and all these things, but he's still a semi young guy.
I mean, this is only his third year, isn't He's
not played three years yet, so I think there's that.
(06:39):
I think it was important for him to come to
media day because he was again he was he is
a homegrown guy. He can sort of speak to some
big picture of things, whereas you know, if he brought
a gulf in there. He's still relatively new and his
perspective is just different, so slightly but not like, not
in any kind of way that really moved the needle.
In terms of surprise, I.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Think almost everyone Steven would have said Jordan Hall's got
to be a capped and then probably the same for
Aiden Childs, although he was not in Las Vegas. The
other two spots I found interesting, not shocking, but interesting.
Guendarius done again a name that it's fun to say,
but a lot of people wouldn't really be able to
(07:22):
tell you much about him. And Sam Edwards I think
is a great pick. And watching other players in the
way they respect him, they revere Sam Edwards and he's
been through a lot and whatever they need, he says
I can do it. What do you make of those
two choices?
Speaker 9 (07:41):
Yeah, I think he nail it. It's important voices in
the locker room.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (07:44):
I mean, folks probably don't know Sam Edwards number and
he's thirty five. He's the guy who was kind of
the babysitter on kickoff last year and was telling the
actual return man to go or stay. Yeah, they needed that.
Apparently he's been an emergency long snapper. He's been on
probably every special teams unit. So yeah, he's a guy
that fills in a lot of cracks behind the scenes.
(08:05):
Maybe our future governor of Michigan. You know, I think
I think he's interested involved in politics to a degree there,
so we'll see just a four time like academic, all
big ten, all that type of Stuff's a guy that's
got a lot going for him, you know, beyond football,
and like I said, just a really I respected voice
within the team. And you've heard that for years. You know,
(08:25):
his name would always popped up from time to time
from guys sort of giving him his props there and
Doneagan has been the same thing recently. He's only been
here two years, but he's had a big voice in
that building. You know, very positive, uplifting type of guy.
I think the oldest guy on the team played in
twenty nineteen before COVID R seventh year senior, So the
most seasoned player on the team two years before nil,
(08:48):
one year before COVID. This guy's like a he's like
a relic of history. So he's definitely got the maturity,
you know, to sort of speak on things and have
that experience. And yeah, like I said, he's been an
important voice as well, pretty much his all time here.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Seventh year senior. You think about that, Jonathan Smith is
an eighth year head coach. So this guy has been
playing college football almost as long as Jonathan Smith's been
running a program.
Speaker 9 (09:16):
He could have played theoretically against like Mark Antonio and yeah,
you know, Rocky Lombardi. Trying to think. I don't think
Joe Bacchi maybe was there in nineteen or Rake one
and Mike might still have been, you know, so just
names that you haven't heard in a while. He could
have theoretically played on the same field as those guys.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Huh, interesting stuff. Oh, when you think about this team
and we're hearing all the optimism now as you do
each year about this time and taking kind of a
show me attitude. It's like we're in Missouri, not Michigan.
But when you think about this year's team, it's a
little different. Steve and his first time I can remember,
(09:55):
we're not looking at the offensive line as t you know,
that's the ess hole by far, and can they be adequate?
I think we talked a couple of weeks ago about
concern for the defensive line, and I'm hearing Jonathan Smith
at every availability and Leggy Sue on Noah and Chad Wilton.
(10:15):
They're talking about this group like they're not scared to
go up and play the games.
Speaker 9 (10:21):
No, they're not. They're definitely more confident internally than we are,
which you know in some ways that's always going to
be the case, but it does make you sort of,
you know, if you're like in my shoes, it does
make you sort of think twice about some things like, huh,
not that you expect a position coach go out there
and be like, guys, we are in trouble. Hold onto
your seats this year, you know, I mean, that's not
(10:42):
going to happen, right, So you kind of got to
read between the lines and recluse and everything yeah, I
mean I think there's been some mixed messages in terms
of like the scrimmages, because sometimes it's like, yeah, we
like the interior pressure, but oh we're also getting five
to six yards of run, so you hear both things.
I mean, there is a push pull there when any
internal scrimmage is going on. So you know, every success
(11:02):
is somebody else's failure. Obviously you've heard different things. You know,
I did hear in this last one that they got
some good pressure fairly consistently, so then it's like, Okay,
that's good. What are the tackles? You know, is the
old line not holding up there or they just you know,
were they just that good? So you never know exactly
what to make of it. But yeah, defensively, they seem
to think that that their numbers will get them by,
(11:25):
you know, the MSU basketball strengthened numbers type of thing
where hey, you don't have a star necessarily now you
know Jase Richardson sort of turned into one later, but
for the most part, you don't really have a star,
but can you just throw numbers at them and just
sort of overwhelm them with waves and energy and being
and you know, being fresher than your opponent. I think
that's possible. But even at the high end of those numbers,
(11:48):
you want to have, you know, like a like a
Jade Nakins who's kind of a fringe all big ten
type of guy ish, you know, and and of course
you'd love a Jace Richardson to e merge of this group.
And I yes, that's possible because there are some guys
in here that we haven't seen a ton of when
you look at the whole D line, especially the rush
end position. But that's kind of where they're at with it. It
(12:09):
seems to be the case. I mean, I know Joe
Rossi is really confident, like you said, Suey and Noah
and Will and all that they they seem legitimately confident
in it. It's just hard for me to square on
paper yet until I see it against a couple of
legit big ten teams. So that's other than the kicker,
which seems to be a pretty big issue right now.
Delon still will go into the year is my number
(12:30):
one sort of question mark slash concern.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
I want to talk about the health of this team, Steven,
and maybe it's early for a rash of injuries a
couple times in recent years. It hasn't happened till the
first three hals of play and then they're decimated. But
there are some names we have heard or we know about.
They have been disclosed, and Jonathan Smith says, well, i'll
tell you you guys season ending injury. But he's mentioned
(12:56):
some other things that might be a clue. Jack hasn't
done much. He's about ready to get back into the flow.
What do you think the chances are that he would
play in the opener?
Speaker 9 (13:11):
I don't know. I'd be guessing at this point. Because
he did get back this week. I'm thinking, you know,
maybe sixty percent, but I could see definite situation where
he's trying and it's just not coming together yet, and
it's Western and you got other guys and I might
as well just put them on the shelf for a
little bit. You want him for Boston College the following week.
(13:32):
So but I think more likely than not because he
did They said he did get some more going yesterday, isn't.
Smith's pretty been pretty consistent that he thought he could
be back for this game one, So it's not like
he's beating the clock or anything to do that, but
so yeah, i'd say about sixty, you know, a little
bit better than a coin flip.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
What about pretty safety? Nickai Martinez and I thought he
had a pretty good year last year, but not sure
he's going to be a elbow for Game one.
Speaker 9 (14:02):
I'd go lower with him to I don't know, thirty three,
you know something like that. I guess I think less
likely for him. I definitely know Jack definitely is more likely.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
Do we know what his injury is? We know what
Velling's injury was, we saw him in the boot, but
what do we know about Nikai's injury? Anything?
Speaker 9 (14:22):
I believe it's upper body Okay, okay, that's that's from
what I remember here in a while back, But not
anything elaborate that I have there. But just I would
know upper body.
Speaker 4 (14:35):
I'm laughing, Rob, You'll get a kick out of this.
Now we get upper body or lower body. We don't
know which extremities are involved.
Speaker 7 (14:44):
It's like a hockey injury, upper body, little bar Hey.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
When I was covering this program for twelve years with
George Perlis, not only would he tell you exactly what
the injury was, he would show you. I mean, I'm
sure it would have gotten in big trouble for this.
But I mean I saw ex Raise, Uh you know,
he would tell you everything. And Jack, yeah, he called
(15:07):
the doctors. He said, hey, you know which toe is it?
You know that kind of thing.
Speaker 9 (15:11):
So it was it depends on who you ask, because
we talked to the offensive lineman the other day and
Big Dooley Christian Phillips told us exactly about his a
cl and waking up the next day and not feeling right.
And then Brochus is diagnosing the bolt that goes through
his foot now and the ligaments that shattered or what
you know. He went into extreme details. It does depend
(15:35):
who you ask.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
Yeah, all right, Uh you mentioned it, and you know
it's my fixation. I think Michigan State season could swing
by one or two games depending on the place kicking.
And from what I understand, Tarique Abbott, mask and Martin
(15:56):
Connington have not done much yet. Maybe the I'm at
basic is a little closer to being back, but there's
a chance that neither one of those guys will be
functional for the.
Speaker 9 (16:08):
Opener, right, That's what it sounds like. I mean, every
time we've asked Smith, it's been like, hey, you got
to look at the kickers yet No, not yet. You know,
that's pretty early. They were hurt. And then we've asked
the two or three times since then it's been the
same answers, No, not yet. So and it's not like,
I mean, these guys could use some reps, you know.
I mean, it's not like they have a lot of
(16:29):
experience to bank on and lean back on. So I mean,
I'm at basically, I think kicked like a pat or
two or something like that. Conton's never played in a
college game, right, And then they quietly over the summer
brought in Blake Fislow as an unstate kid. Yes, played
three years at Davenport, but never actually got a gout
(16:49):
on the field and then did not play last year.
So he sort of has experience in the loosest sense
of the word, but not really. So it seems like,
you know what Smith said, he was functional for him
in practice in terms of just getting allowing them to
get practice reps you know, on kickoff, on real goal,
that type of stuff to get everything else figured out.
(17:11):
But yeah, no, it does sound like a bit of
a concern, you know. I mean, again, it'd be one
thing if one of these guys was even even if
they were shaky last year and they sort of would
were a part timer. You know, they're competing for a
job with somebody maybe lost it, but at least they
got four kicks out of it or something, you know,
I mean some sort of experience. They kind of have
nothing between them, so that's what's scary, and that doesn't
(17:32):
you know, maybe one of them's a star in the making.
I mean, we didn't know that Ryan Eckley was gonna
you know, follow us Bryce Behringer with pretty much nothing
lost and transition there, so maybe there's something there. We
just don't know it. So it is concerning until you
see it. And yeah, with a team that we don't
expect to have, you know, ample margins to play with,
that could absolutely determine a few things, could even determine
(17:56):
you know, Bowl eligibility at the end of the day,
if it's if it is miss and John and Smith's
a guy as we saw he's he's from the Dan
Campbell school. You know, he's willing to go for it
on fourth and down. Yeah, I have to imagine that
could even be pushed further this year. You know, if
there's not a lot of confidence in there, right in
their legs.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Are you convinced that Michigan State is not in a
position where it's going to have to go for it
on fourth down in the opener and it's gonna have
a lot of pooch kickoffs because it can't get the
ball inside the ten.
Speaker 9 (18:27):
I would think so. But I mean I say this
every year, like if you're Michigan State and you're playing
a vaccine like, you got to dominate him. He has to,
so I would think so. I think there'll be an
emphasis on that. I mean, they were embarrassed a couple
of times last year in that opener on short yardage,
and I think that shocked everybody. So yeah, I would
expect them to, uh, to push it and to try
(18:49):
and physically, you know, overwhelm in those moments. And you know,
Redzland was such an issue for them season long last
year that I think they'll absolutely try to capitalize on that.
And if it's fourth and five, if you know, in
the red zone, might as well just go for it,
you know, and throw some madam, try and get some
confidence going.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
The shortyarded stops in the opener last year were a
flashing red light to what we were going to see
in the next eleven games. There's one other player who
has been banged up a little bit. I don't think
it's anything serious, but he was not in the scrimmage Saturday,
and that's Jace Clarizio, and I thought that was a
(19:26):
very important scrimmage for him, maybe as much as anybody
who trying to break through. And if you can't do it,
then I think that you really have to make your
case another way. And it certainly sounded like Makai Frasier
did everything that they wanted, and Randon tell Us was
good too.
Speaker 9 (19:49):
Yeah. Yeah, So I was not aware of Jays. That's
unfortunate because yeah, he probably could have, you know, that
is and was a great opportunity for him to to
make a big statement there and then put himself in
the conversation. I still out of him. Is at least
a four game guy, so I think he'll get enough
run in, you know, especially Western Youngstown type of games
to get a good look at him. And that's just
(20:09):
a position that sometimes needs to be settled out in games.
But yeah, I do expect coming into the year. It
sounds like like you mentioned Fraser as you know, Smith
effectively said yesterday Smith and Fraser and Tullis are the
top two. That doesn't surprise me whatsoever. I thought the
entire offseason that it would be those two. I had
always leaned tell Us a little more. It sounds like
(20:30):
I should lean Fraser at this point. It is probably
getting the first carry. He's been very consistent in this camp.
They mentioned him catching the ball well lately, especially in
the scrimmage, so I think there's just a little more
all around to him. I think he's just been a
little more all around productive. And then tell Us is
just physical. He's built different from the rest of the
room and gives them an alternate dynamic there. And those
(20:54):
last couple of weeks, especially since they have put the
pads on and he can really showcase that part of
his game, I think he's he's made some ways. So
running back is starting to come into clarity there. And
you know, yeah, I still think there's a chance that
Jase could be like a gadget guy or return guy,
sort of a change of pace. You know, there will
be room for a third guy there. But then if
if he's the third guy, you're talking about two sophomores
(21:15):
and a freshman, is anybody there up just enough past
blocking wise, Like, I still think there's a there's a
small role for Tayle Tolliver and something like that. There's
a third down player, especially because he can catch it well.
So we'll see there. But it looks like there's a
little clarity there, you know. I think they have clarity
at linebacker. They have clarity. They're not saying it, but
I think there's there's there's a lot of clarity, not
(21:36):
full clarity on the old line. The receiver is almost
fully clear, you know. I think there's still some discussion
around that third spot. And then.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
With two set and four playing for the third spot,
and then they'll they'll be subbing.
Speaker 9 (21:52):
Yeah, yeah, so you know, and I think they'll be there.
Will There'll be more than fine there. That's that's the
strongest group on the team.
Speaker 6 (21:59):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (21:59):
And then dB maybe less clarity, so but a lot
of stuff's coming into shape. Still.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
Who plays for safety in the opener if the time
Martinez cannot.
Speaker 9 (22:10):
Go, My guests would be Justin Denson sophomore played a
lot last year, played probably more than anybody planned or
wanted or expected, just because of how how banged up
they got back there. So I would think him just
with the experience in the system. I'm intrigued by some
of those transfers, like a Tracy Revels from Bowling Green
or Cromwell from Texas Tech. Is potentially interesting. But you know,
(22:34):
you're talking about three four weeks in the system. That's
a lot to do to earn that trust to go
go be a starter, get.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
That spot game one.
Speaker 4 (22:44):
You're kind of.
Speaker 9 (22:47):
With some new corners potentially, I mean Eaton I expect
to start. E's going to be new and maybe it's
a chance Rocker, maybe it's somebody else on the other side,
so potentially two new ones were there.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
When said that the guy who gives an the most
trouble and he said he came back to it was
Malcolm Bell. Do you hear that.
Speaker 9 (23:06):
Yeah, yeah, very surprised to hear that. I was expecting
him to say Josh Eaton, just because you know, Eaton
is a long, physical guy that would have those tools
to sort of match up with marsh being another long
physical guy. So yeah, that was very interesting to hear.
You know, I think they're stronger that top four. You know,
if you include like Bell and Nase Burr, Aidan West
(23:29):
maybe might be in there the true freshman. I think
their top four are all pretty good. I think it's
pretty competitive there. I just think I'm gona see second
string almost across the board is going to be better
this ytter. Yeah, which is something you know that you
can bank on as you can go into this year
and hoping that they're obviously the record gets better. We'll
see about that, you know, and how much better they
are on the high end. But but definitely I think
(23:51):
they're they're second stringers and their depth at a lot
of places is going to be market do better.
Speaker 4 (23:55):
Tongue with Steven Brooks twenty four to seven Sports Spartan
Telgate premium site about Michigan State football. Steven, what do
you know about Western Michigan?
Speaker 9 (24:07):
Very little at this point? Actually, that's something you know.
I filed away is either this week or early next
week to really start diving into them. See who they lost,
who they picked up. I mean they I know they
went I think six and seven last year they went
to a bowl game. I believe they've lost that bowl
game close. I remember watching that. I think they I
think they lost close on there. So a third year coach,
(24:29):
I want to stay in Lance Taylor so you know,
as I guess, he kind of is making progress. I
think they went like four and eight maybe his first year.
I'm guessing off the top of my head here. I
don't have this in front of me. I went to
a Bowl game in year two. So not letting the
world on fire, I guess making you know, progress though
within their level and whatnot. So yeah, so you know,
(24:50):
they played Wisconsin fairly tough last year in the non conference.
For reference, even Wisconsin wasn't great, but just that they
did go out and play a Big ten team pretty tough.
So but that's about what I have right now. Like
I said, I plan to get into a deeper look
at them later this week or next week to really
know more what I'm talking about.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
You're a Kalamazoo guy, you know, Robin.
Speaker 9 (25:14):
Hook Is that the name sounds familiar.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
That he's a long time right for Western Michigan.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
I've been doing it for you.
Speaker 9 (25:23):
I've never met him, but I heard the name.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
He'll be on the show next week. He comes on
whenever we have any Western Michigan stories to talk about.
But there are a couple of games in this series,
and Stephen, it shouldn't be a total shock because we
have seen Michigan and Michigan State lose these kinds of games.
We saw Michigan lose to app State and then get
(25:46):
beat by Toledo and closest team geographically to ever win
in Ann Arbor. And we've seen Michigan State lose three
times to Central Michigan. We've seen some other pratt falls,
but I can point to three games against Western Michigan
(26:08):
and pretty good Michigan State teams. In one case, a
great Michigan State team really struggle in the opener against
the Broncos. He wouldn't remember this one, but this is
nineteen eighty five and it's George Purlis's third year. This
wasn't the opener, but they're playing Western Michigan just after
(26:33):
they had played a tremendous game against number one ranked
Iowa and Chuck Long and they lost thirty five thirty
one to play where Long's holding the ball over his
head on the bootleg and Nick Saban almost killed Keith Fisher.
And the week after that they had a home game.
It was kind of weird the way it worked out,
but they were playing Western Michigan and the Spartans won
(26:56):
seven to three. On a spewed a touchdown. John Offerdahl,
who was a tremendous linebacker, went on and had a
great career with the Dolphins. To this day, says Lorenzo
White did not get in the end zone on fourth down,
it would have been a three to nothing Broncos win.
And I wrote a column for the Lansing State Journal
(27:18):
saying that that was a disgusting effort. Michigan State should
have been prouder of its loss at Iowa than the
win over Western Michigan, basically saying, you know, he might
want to give that one back. And I got a
call that George wanted to see me the next day,
which was not unusual. Usually had something he wanted to
rant about. And I walked in and he just blew
(27:40):
the hair off my head and for about twenty minutes
he called me every name in the book about that.
Speaker 5 (27:46):
Said, you never get back wins. It works when it's
better than a.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
Look, you know, he just went on and on and on.
He was very intimidating, kind of standing over the top
of me. And so that that went on. That team
went on and played in in the All America Ball
and then Michigan State had a game with Western. This
is the Mark D'Antonio era, and it was the start
(28:12):
of the twenty thirteen season, which was a pretty good year,
thirteen and one. They went to Rose Bowl. Remember they
started that season with Andrew Maxwell at quarterback. Four guys
in competition for that. No one knew who kind of
cook was unless you were really close to the program.
And they had Riley Buller was a starting tailback. Jeremy Langford,
(28:36):
you know who's he. So it took a while. It
really took to the Iowa game for Michigan State to
get its identity. But Michigan State won that game. I
want to say it was twenty seven to thirteen and
one on Chaliite Calhoun's strip and score, and the first
couple weeks of the season he was a leading scorer
on the team. It's how bad the offense was that year.
(28:56):
And then it all kicked in and nobody remembers that. Now,
there was a game when Michigan State actually had to
go to Kalamazoo. It was one of those you know,
six for one or eight for one, those kinds of deals,
But Michigan State had to play a game in Kalamazoo
and there were more Spartans there than Broncos I think
in the stands. But Western was so motivated for this game.
(29:21):
There's hair on fire, came out and making big plays
to get kick return for a touchdown and and it
was scary into the fourth quarter of that game. And
again that was another really good team. So you look
at Michigan State and sometimes it's not what we think.
Speaker 9 (29:42):
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, I remember that fifteen game,
I remember the thirteen game. I mean yeah, there's there
have been situations, you know. I mean as much as
the Friday and night kickoff used to be a tradition,
it also used to be a tradition to struggle with
a team, you know, on that Friday night that was
PERI be much lesser than Michigan State, and even in
great seasons like you mentioned, and there's several other examples
(30:05):
of very good Michigan State teams that proved to be good,
that had really sweaty, uncomfortable, unsatisfying openers. So John Smith,
I'd recommend avoids that you know, just just handle business,
push the envelope, go for it, and forth run it
up a little bit. Yeah, the nobody, nobody has much
appetite for something like that, I don't think so they
(30:26):
should just they should just handle that best, say hands,
Do you have.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
A favorite Michigan State opener? A lot of people talk
about the Oregon game, Uh, when Amp Campbell came back
from the neck injury and then he gets the eighty
five yard fumble return to win the game. Of course
you had, I think a Poise State game and you
(30:51):
had it was the one with the Le'Veon Bell hurdle
that we've seen so often. We've had a few of those.
But do you have a favorite memory of a game
a season opener, Spartan Stadium or anyway?
Speaker 9 (31:06):
The Bois one was cool because it was just cool
to see them there and that was still you know,
it's kind of the end of their their run where
just but they just had a mistique about them as
a program. Seeing those jerseys and that logo like in
Spartan Stadium was cool. But that twenty twelve offense was
not cool at all. It was really one of the
worst things I've ever watched in my life. Yeah, but
(31:28):
maybe maybe twenty eighteen, the first year I was back
covering them, just because that that Utah State game and
that played by Joe Bachi. Yes, that he makes at
the end is one of the freakiest and most impressive
plays I've seen.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
You know.
Speaker 9 (31:40):
That was that was my first year back covering the
team and it's still probably on the top five short
list of impressive and individual plays. That thing was that
was incredible. And you know, they had Jordan Love, they
were a solid team. So I mean that was another
one where they had to battle and for battle for
it and earn it. You know, in week one there
against the mid major type of school Jobaci had to
(32:00):
do that superhero stuff at the end to steal it.
Speaker 4 (32:03):
Do you know where Baci is now?
Speaker 9 (32:07):
He's with the Colts last I know he is.
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Just had a big play in a preseason game, had
a kind of an amazing interception. He's really good at
that kind of thing. Maybe could have been a tight
end if he'd wanted to. But there's a game that
I will never forget this day because it was Mark
d'antonio's debut in two thousand and seven and Michigan State
(32:32):
played UAB September first and Spartans beat the Blazers fifty
five to eighteen. But the thing that was significant, it
was really two things. When it was the debut of
the Big Ten Network, it was the first day that
they were doing games, and you know that it was
a conversation the Big ten Network, what's that going to be?
(32:53):
Like that?
Speaker 10 (32:54):
Don't never make it?
Speaker 4 (32:55):
And the Big Ten Network's first game was in a
arbor app State and Michigan, And so Michigan State takes
care of you ab and after the game, Will Teman
is doing the postgame rob you know this story very well.
(33:18):
He's interviewing Dantonio and the score had just come across.
I mean, people are like hanging out waiting right to
find out what happened on his last drive. And then
they blocked the short field goal and run it back
almost for a touchdown. So people are going crazy all
over the Midwest cheering for app State. And Will Teeman
(33:38):
says to D'Antonio, so did you have about Michigan And
he said what and he told them what had happened.
They lost, and Mark said should we have a moment
of silence? And that supposedly triggered Mike Hart and you
know the little brother comment than pointing to his watch,
(34:01):
everyone pointing to their fake watches. The Michigan sideline. So
it all started with that question from Wilt to Mark
and the answer, it's too bad. You we have a
moment of silence.
Speaker 9 (34:15):
Amazing the butterfly effects. So yeah, the ripples through. You
know what that did for this series potentially is yeah, turned.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
Out to be a great thing for Michigan State, right,
and not that game against Michigan in two thousand and seven,
but that was really the jet fuel for the rivalry.
You know, it's it's not over, it'll never be over,
it's just starting. And it started for a lot of
people that day.
Speaker 9 (34:43):
And yeah, I already know we're going to have to
go through this in a couple of weeks. But I
think that I take the idea that MSU lost the
Michigan game this year because Jonathan Smith was new to
the rivalry is I think that's like the dumbest idea
that people hold them. I don't give it a shred
of credence. Like, yes he was new to it, and
(35:04):
yes his eyes were open, but it just go back
and watch that game, like they were in control in
the first half. Oh yeah, and they played it fairly aggressively,
you know, which, like if you think like somebody's like
overwhelmed by the rivalry. That's not what happens. That means
they puckered up and they were scared and conservative, and
this math they pushed the tempo. They pushed the issue
(35:25):
with an on sidekick early, with that first drive down
to the goal line, going for it by trying to
push the ball before halftime, though Aden Childs gets stripped
and that ended up being a problem. That's where the
game turned. But they played it aggressively. So I don't
know on the field what you can point to and say, oh,
this is a staff that didn't get it. They don't understand.
They shied away from it this and I just think
that's the most ridiculous narrative that's been out there. Yeah,
(35:47):
Jonathan Sman himself didn't know a lot about it. Yeah,
but I think I had zero bearing on the outcome
of that game.
Speaker 4 (35:53):
Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. And if you look
back at that game, you watch it again, or even
if you just look at the statistics, I mean, it
was dominance. It was like the twenty fifteen game, the
Jalen Watch Jackson game when Michigan stayed out gained Hi
by one hundred and fifty six yards. As Spartan said,
more rushing yards, more passing yards, obviously, more total yards,
more first down sixteen, more minutes of possession. But Michigan
(36:18):
did not have a penalty, and I'm not talking about
the NCAA Committee on infraction, so they didn't have a
penalty in that game, and they didn't have a turnover. Meanwhile,
Michigan State, did you mentioned the Aiden Childs strip and
also Jonathan Kim who was a very reliable kicker, missed
that twenty five yard field goal that would.
Speaker 5 (36:38):
Have been big.
Speaker 9 (36:39):
Yeah. Yeah, I just think it's a comfortable, sort of
convenient Yeah, maybe even lazy sort of excuse to cling
to be like, oh, we had a new coach the
East on the West Coast. You know that's why I like, yeah, no,
he you know, he's personal emotions. Everything might have been
awoken and all of that. But they coached that game
very aggressively and played to win and showed up prepared.
(37:01):
Chris can they did. Their coaches give them some credit. Now,
they caught Mischi can stay and fooled them a couple
of times in the second half with some trick players
and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (37:08):
But I don't know how that happened, but he was
they couldn't couldn't see him.
Speaker 9 (37:14):
Yeah, I can't draw any line between like the running
back pass that they called and fooled. Mischi can stay
with to John Dean Smith not knowing the heat, you know,
the emotions of the rivalry anything. So I just we
can go back into this in a couple of weeks.
I'm sure we will, but I just want to set
that tone early that I think that's really a really
stupid narrative that a lot of folks have clung to.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Steven, thanks so much for joining us. When we talk
to you next week, a couple of days before the opener,
and I guess we won't see you until Monday. There's
nothing on the schedule for the rest of this week
in terms of media availability, right.
Speaker 9 (37:51):
Not as of now. Yeah, for football, so we'll see
who what else could pop up? You never know. You
always got to be in your toes around you.
Speaker 4 (37:58):
But yeah, we'll see you next Monday.
Speaker 9 (38:02):
All right.
Speaker 4 (38:03):
Good Stephen Brooks, twenty four to seven Sports, Spartan Telgate
Premium site. When we get back Rob. A couple of
weeks ago, we had Mike Pearson, Big ten Historian, specifically
Michigan State and Illinois, and we went through the best
quarterbacks in Michigan State history, which was an excruciating exercise.
(38:25):
I can tell you, as I look back at it now,
Mike probably thinks that I'm a dim wit and I
look at his list and I said, what are you doing?
You know? But we did have some commonality and I've
actually put together a composite of that and we thought, okay,
well we'll go from that now to pick the Big
ten quarterbacks. But we're going to audible a little bit.
(38:45):
We're going to push off all of our Big ten
lists until Big Ten season. So today we're going to
go back through the history of Michigan State running backs.
Quarterback was tough and good luck with this. I mean,
there are five people who are not going to make
the top ten who will want to sue. We'll be
(39:06):
right back on the drive with Jack.
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Speaker 4 (42:50):
Russell, Welcome back. It is a drive with Jack the Spotlight,
a radio network and Jack Evelin here with my producer
(43:12):
Boston Rob in studio today. Been have some special guests
in studio a little bit later, Rob, that's the plan. Anyway,
I want to go back to our guest line. Very
happy to welcome in old friends from Saint John's, Michigan
and grew up with Lynn Henning. We're talking about Mike Pearson. Mike,
(43:33):
you used to know all the Tigers batting stances. How
many of them can you do today?
Speaker 6 (43:40):
Let me think none?
Speaker 4 (43:42):
None?
Speaker 6 (43:42):
Probably yeah, none, No, No, I see it now. I
don't see the games. You know when I saw those
games back in nineteen sixty one. You know, when you
watched one of those games, it was somehow embedded in
your bod. You know what they did. The Rocky Colorvito point, yes,
(44:04):
the Norm Cash kind of waigle, etc. The Dick McCall
off stance, you know those. But today I don't see
as many of those games. I think I could imitate
Riley Green, but that's about it.
Speaker 4 (44:20):
Well, we're going to try to imitate experts here for
the next few minutes. And we just did an exercise
picking Michigan State's best quarterbacks. And I'm going back through
what we did Mike, and we were pretty close on
four guys. That's it. After that, we had a lot
(44:46):
of guys we mentioned, but some of them were on
your honorable mention, some of them were on mine. We
both had Connor Cook number one.
Speaker 6 (44:56):
Let me say that you saw the great majority these
in person. I saw most of them in person, but
only on one or two occasions. And you know you
saw him game after games. So I'm gonna go with
your list over mind.
Speaker 4 (45:12):
Well, you had some guys who neither of us saw
in Tom you Sick, you had him very high on
your list, Geene Glick, you had him high on your list.
Jim Nanowski. I saw him as a Lions quarterback, but
not as a Michigan State quarterback. And the same with
Earl Moral, although Earl was a first team All American
and he was number four on both of our lists.
(45:35):
So the only guys we had in the same spot
were Connor Cook number one and Earl Moral number four.
But if you put our list together, okay, and you
give him one point for first and ten points per second,
the idea is it's like cross country low score wins.
The number one quarterback is clearly Connor Cook number two
(45:55):
and he averaged two point five, so he was second
on my list and third on yours is Kirk Cousins
four wins over Michigan. I should speak volume. Is the
only guy who can say that number.
Speaker 6 (46:09):
This week?
Speaker 4 (46:10):
By the way, Yes, and if you need a loan,
he's a good guy to talk with.
Speaker 5 (46:13):
He's sure.
Speaker 4 (46:17):
A couple three hundred million dollars. Earl Morrale, we both
had fourth, but he slides into third on our list,
and number four is ed Smith. Eddie was five on
my list and sixth on yours, so he averages five
point five. That's his average ranking, and then from then
on it's a kind of pick them.
Speaker 6 (46:38):
We had at poject, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (46:39):
We had Tom Musick, Drew Stanton, Jim Nanowski, Jeff Smoker,
and then tied for ninth were Steve Judey and Bill Burke.
So interesting list, but when we do the running backs,
I think this is going to be even more challenging.
I've made a list here, and I said, how silly
(47:02):
was I to even suggest we do this? I know,
do you have some honorable mentions here before you get
to your top ten?
Speaker 6 (47:10):
Here's who didn't. Here are the all Americans who aren't
even on my didn't even make honorable mention? How about
for all Americans aren't brands editor Johnny Pingo, Don mccauliffe,
who had a heck of a year in fifty two,
Leroy Bolden in fifty three, Wal Kohalchick in fifty seven,
(47:34):
and George Sains in sixty two. They didn't make my
They didn't make my honorable mention list. They didn't make
so okay, okay, and they were all Americans.
Speaker 4 (47:46):
Yeah, Wall was a Heisman finalist, by the way.
Speaker 6 (47:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right. So my honorable mentions.
And this is a guy who I hated to leave off,
but I just he just didn't quite make it for me,
which was squirm and Sherman Lewis, And I loved Lewis,
(48:10):
I love you he was, but you know he had
Uh he was one of the more exciting players I
ever saw, especially in youth. Uh. Another guy who who
didn't make my list who I hated to leave off
was T. J. Duckett. That was one that that was
(48:33):
a tough one for me. I didn't put his brother
on my list. Another guy who followed a superstar was
Blake Esora in the late eighties didn't made my autiable
mention list, didn't make my uh Ja hu Calcrik was
another one. And Richie Bay. Richie Bay one of my favorites.
(48:58):
Uh you know in those in those seventies years.
Speaker 4 (49:02):
A word with you if you come back to a
game now, he's in the broadcast booth with blah.
Speaker 6 (49:06):
So I know that, and I give you I gave
great credit to those guys. But you asked for a
top ten. Mine's actually I put a tie for tenths.
Uh So if you're ready to, if.
Speaker 4 (49:22):
You want to do a tie for tat that gives
us a little wiggle room we can have eleventh. I
didn't think about that.
Speaker 6 (49:27):
Okay Oka, I couldn't. I couldn't get over a couple
all Americans, one for both for Biggie Mont was Lynchad
Noy and Sonny Grandilias. Both had school record totals in
in their senior seasons. Sunny was the first Spartan to
(49:49):
gain one thousand yards and just the seventeenth back in
college football history to crack a thousand yards in one season.
It's pretty amazing. And Chad NOI was was you know
he was there number two. He ranks number two on
Michigan State's all time rushing average list, six point five
(50:11):
five yards.
Speaker 4 (50:13):
Per carry behind George Gary.
Speaker 6 (50:15):
Right, Yes, that's right, George Gary. Yes, yep.
Speaker 4 (50:21):
So those guys are tied for tenth on your list,
Is that right?
Speaker 6 (50:24):
Those are tenth? Number number nine I had Cedric Irvin.
He's he was fifth on the rushing list, fourth and touchdowns.
So it's really hard to leave a combination.
Speaker 3 (50:39):
Like that off your list.
Speaker 6 (50:40):
But I've only got him number nine on my list.
How high was he on yours?
Speaker 4 (50:47):
Just about the same place. I'll get to that in
a minute. Absolutely, Okay, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (50:53):
Now, Jeremy Jeremy Langford was number eight for me. Uh
he you know, he scored a bunch of touchdowns. I
think it was forty or something like that he had.
He had twenty two one year and eighteen another year
and finished in the top ten and all time rushing
Number seven was one of my very favorite players. Was
(51:16):
Eric the flee Allen. Yeah, you know, I'll always remember
the three hundred and fifty yards yes against Purdue, and
I'll especially remember, you know, Fred Stabley telling me that
he had to call down to Duffy and tell him,
you know, here's the deal. He's he's pretty close to
(51:36):
the old time record, and Duffy sent him in for
one more play and he made He made the record
on one run. But so Eric the flee Allen, I
think is maybe one of the most exciting runners.
Speaker 5 (51:50):
Yes for me one and sixty.
Speaker 6 (51:54):
Yeah, yep, we mentioned the Ducats Tico is number six
on my list. He had I had a heck of
a total. He's number three on the all time list
with well over four hundred yards average almost five and
a half yards per attempt. That's pretty tough those are.
That's pretty tough running there. Okay, let me on bell
(52:18):
is Is. I would have loved to have moved him up,
but on my list he'd finished number five.
Speaker 5 (52:28):
He was.
Speaker 6 (52:30):
Seventh all time in rushing, seventh all time in touchdowns,
had that big big game against Minnesota I remember in
twenty twelve, and so he's a terrific player. Now here's
I'm cheating. I'm gonna cheat on this next one.
Speaker 9 (52:48):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (52:48):
My all time running back for the nineteen sixty five
sixty six great teams of Spartans is Clinton Jones and
Baba Pisa. I don't know how you separate those guys together.
You know they're they're they're gaining about what four to
(53:09):
five thousand yards together, So I you know, a Pisa
if not for Clinton Jones, Baba, Pisa would have would
have been clearly, you know, a great running back as
he was, he was kind of he played kind of
second fiddle on that on that particular team. But I
(53:31):
had to cheat and put put two great ones together. Okay,
number three he only played one year. But what a
year was Kenneth Walker for me? You know, well over
six yards a rush, had almost seventeen yards and almost
(53:53):
twenty touchdowns, big games against Michigan, big game against Northwestern,
one of the great single seasons, and won a couple
of major awards. So it was hard to leave him
on the Locker Award.
Speaker 4 (54:11):
You know it wins the Maxwell Award. You're a tough judge,
all right, what do you have too?
Speaker 6 (54:17):
Number two is Javon Ringer number two in all time
rushing thirty four touchdowns, a couple of great seasons, particularly
in two thousand and eight, almost seventeen hundred yards and
twenty two touchdowns and averaged well over five And number one,
I'm going to be very disappointed if he's not number
(54:39):
one on both of our lists. He is my favorite.
The guy who wore thirteen double e's on his feet
is Lorenzo White. You know, I got to I was
the one of the football sids at that point for
the Spartans, and so I got to know. I got
to know Lorenzo pretty darn well. And what what? I
(55:03):
give him? First team on my All Character list. You know,
he he is just a terrific individual. But the games,
the game I remember was not his biggest yardage game.
He had two ninety two against IU on a bunch.
Speaker 4 (55:20):
Of fifty six carries.
Speaker 6 (55:22):
Yeah, okay, But the game I remember was in eighty
five at Bloomington. Yes, when when after two carries in
the second half, George pulls him from the lineup.
Speaker 4 (55:37):
Carried the ball twenty five times, twenty five times for
two hundred and eighty six yards.
Speaker 9 (55:42):
Two eighty six.
Speaker 6 (55:44):
Had he stayed in the game, he's well over four hundred.
Speaker 4 (55:48):
It would have been about fifty. He would have been amazing,
you think.
Speaker 5 (55:53):
Yeah, yeah, fantastic. Okay, all right, well that's pretty good.
Speaker 6 (55:57):
Last there's my kind of ten eleven twelve. Wow, I
kind of cheated a little bit on you.
Speaker 4 (56:03):
All right, all right, uh number ten. Since we're in
this sharing now, you know you can have two running backs,
so we're gonna do that, and I'm gonna have Blake Ezor,
who I think, for pound for pound, was about as
tough a running back as you can get. It was
funny after Lorenzo had all that success against Indiana the
(56:26):
next year, people in Bloomingjar said, man, you're glad that
Lorenzo White has gone and here comes Blake and he's
got two fifty.
Speaker 5 (56:32):
Yeah, yea, he was.
Speaker 4 (56:34):
He was amazing and so beat up after the game
he could barely walk back to the hotel. And I
have him in a tie. And Cedric's absolute gonna kill me.
Was Cedric Irvin, who you know leeds Michigan State in
rushing every year as a freshman sophomore in junior and
then went on to the Detroit Lions. But scores four
(56:56):
touchdowns in this first game.
Speaker 5 (56:58):
How do you do that?
Speaker 4 (57:00):
I mean, we know what tenneth Walker did in his
first game at Northwestern, but this guy comes out as
a big ten opener and there's never been a more
confident Michigan State player. But my number one memory of
Cedric Mike you'll appreciate this. Nineteen ninety eight and Spartans
are up and down, struggling, and they go to Columbus.
They're playing number one ranked Ohio State and Michigan State
(57:23):
scores at last five times it touches the ball, has
a series until Ronaldo Hill's interception and they just take knees.
But the five straight scoring drives. And after the game,
Cedric Irvin is digging up the end zone and he
takes it with him. He says, you know what I
(57:43):
own this field? That was swerve An Irvin. Yes, exactly,
So they're tied for ten. Number nine on my list
is the best pass blocking back I can recall. And
Mark kind of lucked into him. He got a reference,
(58:04):
and you got to take this guy. He couldn't get
tickets to an Ohio State game from Columbus. That's Le'Veon
Bell and I think you're still jumping over Boise State defenders.
Number eight on my list, and again, you know this
guy's every one of them is too low. I don't
know how you fix that. But Eric to flee Allen.
(58:24):
He was also a terrific kick returner, and the thing
that really kills me. Is he lived in the dorm
with me? He did, Yes, we were in Wonders Hall.
So yeah, and the flea from South Carolina. Number seven
on my list is Skirman Sherman Lewis, and he finished
(58:45):
third in the Heisman race. And talk about big plays,
I mean against Notre Dame against Michigan eighty five yard
catches and ninety yard punt returns and the best in
big game James. And I think if President John F.
Kennedy hadn't been shot, he would have been the star
(59:06):
on Thanksgiving Day or the Saturday before Thanksgiving Day, excuse me,
and Michigan State would have gone to Roach Bowl in
nineteen six.
Speaker 6 (59:13):
He had to play. He had to play against a
guy named pretty.
Speaker 4 (59:16):
Good, pretty good Illinois team. That's right. Illinois won that
game thirteen to nothing, and a really good team was
going to be left home. There was no second spot
for a bowl game either in those days. Number five
on my list is Javon Ringer, and I have a
little story about it.
Speaker 6 (59:29):
Did you skip number six? You had Lewis seven?
Speaker 4 (59:32):
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 14 (59:33):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (59:33):
Six on my list is okay, you're going to do
the backfield thing. Then I'm going to follow along with you.
That's Clinton Jones and Bob A Pisa. And Bob A
Pisa was a fullback who ran like a half back.
You know, he had that touchdown in ann Arbor at
the end of the Michigan game when they thought they
were going to take a knee and he blasted through
(59:55):
the line for about a forty yard touchdown and then
threw the ball at the fans, you know. And uh
so he was. He was incredible. If he hadn't torn
up his knee, Mike, I think he would have really
changed the way the fullback position was played in pro football.
Never really had a chance to do that.
Speaker 6 (01:00:11):
And he would have been the one guy on our
list that you didn't want to see running at you.
Speaker 4 (01:00:17):
No, he and he and maybe uh T J. Duckett
was another one I wouldn't have.
Speaker 5 (01:00:22):
Wanted to.
Speaker 4 (01:00:24):
But uh Clinton Jones from Cleveland, two time All American
and All America hurdler, and uh he was amazing in
that what he Hayes was so mad at him for
leaving the state of Ohio. He couldn't believe. And you know,
you can go where you can go there Terribles you know,
(01:00:46):
and then he came back and he kicked their butt.
So uh, he ranks along with Bob at Pisa in
that number six spot.
Speaker 3 (01:00:53):
I'm glad.
Speaker 6 (01:00:54):
I'm glad you. I'm glad you matched, men matched.
Speaker 4 (01:00:57):
Number five is Javon Ringer. And the thing I'll never
forget about Javon was his senior year against Michigan and
he got hurt during the week. A lot of people
didn't know it, but I knew it, and I opened
my big mouth. I got in big trouble, and I
got somebody else in trouble who told me and came
(01:01:19):
on the air and I mentioned, you know, I just say, hey,
you know, there's a chance to von Ringer's not going
to play in this game, and the coaches didn't know
if he'd played the game, and he did, and one
hundred and eighty five yards later, including that bounce out
run down the sideline, Michigan is still chasing him down
the sideline. And that was a big win because it
was the first for Mark D'Antonio and his eight wins
(01:01:43):
over the Wolverines. Big win in an arbor. Number four,
I have TJ. Duckett, and the reason I do two reasons.
Speaker 7 (01:01:50):
Really.
Speaker 4 (01:01:52):
It was funny when he was a freshman and we're
with Saban Big ten media days and said, what are
you going to do with t J. Duckett? He said,
I don't know, what would you do with them? And
I said, well, you know what, Georgie always said, the
better you are, the more times you should touch the ball.
Maybe he should touch the ball. I think Nick wanted
to make him a linebacker. He's always thinking about defense, right,
(01:02:14):
So he makes him a running back and scores four
times as a freshman against Penn State the last game
of the year, and then in two thousand and one,
his junior year before he turns pro, they play Michigan
and of course he catches the pass from Jeff Smoker
with one second to go in the game. He could
(01:02:37):
have fair caught it. He was just waiting in the
end zone for it. But what people forget Mike is
he had two hundred and eleven rushing yards in that game,
and you know he was They always said, hey, the
team that runs the ball better and that game will win.
Well that was that was TJ. Duckett and number three,
I have Tiko Duckett, whom I got them both. I
(01:03:00):
got them both. I got him three and four. And
talk about an iron man behind Lorenzo. He carried it
more than anybody, and for a little guy. But he
was a track guy. He was a sprinter from Kalamazoo.
And you know it's funny when he went to the
NFL and is talking to the packers talking about how
(01:03:21):
Durabile is. You know, I carried the ball are times
and they're shaking their head and they said that's too bad.
I mean, it's too bad. He said, Man, you got
a lot of miles on those tires. They didn't want
a guy who carried the ball as often as Tico
Ducktt carried at Michigan State. But Tico and TJ the
only brother combination Mike to score winning touchdowns against the
(01:03:42):
University of Michigan.
Speaker 6 (01:03:44):
Huh interesting Yes, and and but together almost eight thousand
rushing yards.
Speaker 4 (01:03:52):
Not bad. Yeah, I could have blumped them together if
we're doing all of these tandem things. But I made
them three and four, number two Knine, Kenneth Walker, the IID.
I don't think we'll ever see a better performance, even
low with the two hundred and ninety two yards in
the Rose Bowl, elimination game. Didn't do what Kenneth Walker
the third did against Michigan in twenty twenty one with
(01:04:14):
the five scores and the first time this guy touched
the ball for Michigan State Goes seventy five yards for
a touchdown against Northwestern, and half the country didn't see
it because there was a game that went long. John
in progresses he's just about to go into the end zone.
But he was an amazing guy and not only did
(01:04:35):
lead the league, lead the nation in rushing mic, he
led the nation in yards after contact. He was not
playing behind the twenty thirteen through fifteen offensive lines with
Jack Conklin and Donovan Clark and Jack Allen. He was
making a lot of yards on his own.
Speaker 5 (01:04:54):
He did, he did.
Speaker 6 (01:04:55):
He bounced off a lot of people, didn't he.
Speaker 4 (01:04:58):
He is number two and number one of course is
simply the greatest offensive player in Michigan State history. And
when you think about Low in fact, we just got together.
We could go Friday over at one North for dinner,
but uh I got. I had a very special relationship
with Lorenzo's mother, Gloria Gold, and she said, you know
you're going to look out after my son. You know
(01:05:19):
you got to be I said, you don't have to
worry about him. He's carrying the ball so much.
Speaker 6 (01:05:23):
He couldn't possibly the same line. Yeah, you want me
to look after Lorenzo up.
Speaker 4 (01:05:28):
Couldn't possibly get in trouble. You know, one one stretch
a sophomore year, Mike, when he set the record and
rushed for twenty sixty six yards. He carried the ball
one hundred and two times in eight days.
Speaker 6 (01:05:42):
Wow, that was very disappointing for me. You know, we
we we pumped the heck out.
Speaker 5 (01:05:49):
We weren't so white.
Speaker 6 (01:05:50):
That that particular year, and we were I personally, I
know Nick Evista was as well. We were very disappointed
that he didn't finish higher in the high Been than
he did. But the guy who won it was pretty
good too.
Speaker 4 (01:06:06):
Yes, yes, in eighty five and eighty seven Bo Jackson
and Tom Brown. He was a fourth place finisher both years.
So how often does that happen that you finished in
the top five twice? But that's a great list you have.
Speaker 6 (01:06:21):
Well, we were, we were pretty pretty close. You I
put a couple of old timers in there that you
didn't have. But I just I have to give my
I have to tip my hat to those great Biggie
Money teams of the past, and so that was that
was the only way I could do it. But that
was fun putting together the list.
Speaker 4 (01:06:41):
All I can say, Mike is we could take our
honorable mentions and win a Big ten title.
Speaker 6 (01:06:47):
That's for sure. That's for sure. How would you like
to rotate the guys that we left off the list? Yeah,
that's for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:06:53):
Hey, thanks so much for joining us. I appreciate it.
I understand that you're bouncing back well from the surgery,
right he had a replacement.
Speaker 6 (01:07:01):
Yeah, yeah, I you know, I started I started walking
at about age one and I'm going to start walking
again at about age seventy four here, so it's a
seventy three year span. But I'm I'm getting there and
it's it's not as bad as I thought it was
going to be, and I know I'm going to feel
(01:07:21):
a lot better. So thanks for the well wishes.
Speaker 4 (01:07:24):
Well, I can I tell you a funny story about
that with Judd Heathcote, you know, and he had an
insult for everybody, but he had a friend over at
Walnut Hills who was one of the pioneers. Okay, on
the first guys when this wasn't really a popular thing
to do, and he had a replacement surgery and Judge
talked to him. I'm in the office and he says, oh,
what do you have replaced? And the guy said, uh, oh,
(01:07:46):
there's my hip And jud said, I was hoping it
was your head.
Speaker 6 (01:07:54):
Yeah, my old paddle ball partner had had some quick lines. Yes,
he was a special He was a specially difficult as
a partner. By the way. Uh, you know, he always
blamed me for not getting to the shot. And the
problem was he he had a he had a three
foot circle around him, and he did He did a
(01:08:14):
heck of a job in that three foot circle.
Speaker 4 (01:08:16):
But he was slightly he was slightly, just slightly more
mobile than Sparty.
Speaker 6 (01:08:26):
You'd appreciate that.
Speaker 4 (01:08:27):
And Mike, thanks so much for joining us. So we'll
do this again next week. We got a long way
to go. We got receivers, we got defensive players. This
is going to be fun, O Mike Pearson, all right,
we will be right back, and we have a couple
of distinguished guests in studio. Uh you per Rob is
here and that's always fun. Actually, my fault that he
(01:08:49):
wasn't on a week ago, but appreciate coming back and
bringing young Ethan Kingdon with him. Uh Ethan is a
Michigan State fountain of information, and we're going to get
some reflections from him on what to expect in twenty
twenty five. And then we're going to talk with Richard
(01:09:10):
Kincaid and Richard is going to join us and he
is our new Detroit sports correspondent and'll be talking about
the Tigers and much much more. All that coming up
here on the Drive with Jack will be ready game
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Speaker 11 (01:12:04):
A WARDU.
Speaker 4 (01:12:15):
Well, welcome back. It is a drive with Jack the
Spotlight Radio Network. Jack heblin here with my producer Boston
Rob and a couple of very important guests in studio.
My buddy you perh Rob is here. Rob. I know
that you're playing photographer right now, but first of all,
thank you for all the attention you've given young Ethan
(01:12:37):
and allowing him to do things that otherwise would not
have happened. Ethan, Welcome back.
Speaker 15 (01:12:43):
You've been here before, yep, yep, way back when when
I was around Go ahead, I was way back when
when I was around seven or nine somewhere.
Speaker 4 (01:12:52):
Yeah, there.
Speaker 7 (01:12:53):
It was a fun.
Speaker 4 (01:12:54):
We said then that you were going to sit here
and succeed me. You're not quite there yet, but you're
moving up.
Speaker 15 (01:12:58):
Yeah, not quite there yet. It's still got my senior
year of high school and haslet yep, so home of
that four star and we're yeah, getting ready for senior year.
It starts tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (01:13:09):
Yeah. You taught Corea Mockray how to carry the football?
Speaker 7 (01:13:12):
Right, Oh, I wish you wish?
Speaker 5 (01:13:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:13:15):
Do you think he's going to wind up at Kansas?
Speaker 15 (01:13:17):
Well, it really comes down nowadays to you know, yeah,
three major drivers, Yeah, and iol you're you know, how
early can you get on the field? And is the
school a big enough brand for you? And I think
(01:13:37):
Kansas just barely kind of outbeat Michigan State for him.
Yeah yeah, but I mean in the modern area, you
can't burn bridges.
Speaker 4 (01:13:46):
And I've heard that his school of choice, a school
he loves and has not gotten an offer. Is the
Ohio State University really Yes, I don't know if that's true,
but I've heard that through the grape vine from more
than one source. So it kind of came down to
a Kansas Michigan State choice, and I think that there
were a lot of things pointing in that direction. Michigan
(01:14:07):
State had just brought in a local running back who
was heralded and Jace Clarizio who said no to Alabama. Yep,
And they have a couple of running backs they love
who are sophomores going to be around for a while.
So when you talk about playing time, Kansas might have
had a better situation for that. They definitely identified him
and wanted him and said this is our guy. Yeah,
(01:14:29):
So I hope he does very well. He had the
injury last year and that made a big difference, but
when he's healthy, he certainly looks the part. All right,
tell us a little bit about what you are doing
now going into your senior year. What's going to be
the highlight at Assle High School?
Speaker 15 (01:14:47):
Well, for me, you know, senior year, I've been just slowly,
you know, learning more about broadcasting and that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (01:14:55):
You know, how have you done that.
Speaker 15 (01:14:57):
Well, Lucky for me, I happened to go to the
one high school that really has a built broadcasting program. Yes,
haslet you know, media productions, their YouTube channel. Right, they
broadcast almost every single sporting event.
Speaker 4 (01:15:11):
And are you doing play by play?
Speaker 15 (01:15:12):
I have not done play by play?
Speaker 4 (01:15:14):
Okay, it's a challenge for you.
Speaker 6 (01:15:15):
Yep.
Speaker 15 (01:15:16):
I've thought about it before and mostly right now, I'm
just staying behind the cameras. They're you know, operating a camera.
Speaker 4 (01:15:23):
You're gonna be running the station. You'll be the president ESPN. Right, yeah, Okay,
that's a good thing, a very good thing for your wallet.
Let's talk a little bit about after that. You have
one more year to go, and I understand you have
a choice to right, yeah, yeah, it's tell us about this.
We're gonna have one of those hat dance things where
you have the hats out there when you decide graduation party.
Speaker 15 (01:15:44):
I'll have, yeah, both the Michigan State hat that I'm
looking into and the Syracuse hat, and I'll take them
out and then I'll throw a hat across the building.
Speaker 4 (01:15:52):
Uh huh. All that with the advantage of Michigan State,
besides proximity and the fact that you can work with
us here is what well, I mean a cost in
state tuition, we get that. What else?
Speaker 15 (01:16:05):
Well, yeah, I have a brother who is growing up
right now, he's just two years old. But uh huh,
getting to stay you know, with family in the area.
Speaker 4 (01:16:15):
Your dad passed away suddenly, one of my favorite people.
And you have come through that shining fashion. Yeah. But
as far as sticking around, do you want to go
and see something else and experience something different?
Speaker 15 (01:16:34):
I mean, yeah, that's part of the driver to go
to a place like Syracuse is that you get to
kind of see how you can do by yourself, you know,
and you get to kind of take a breath of
fresh air in a sense, and you know, see what
you can do. And I mean it's not just that
that's driving to Syracuse. They're very good for you know, broadcasting.
Speaker 4 (01:16:59):
One of the three communications broadcast programs in the country
that is truly elite. I don't know anyone who's ever
said a negative word about the broadcast curriculum at Syracuse, Northwestern.
Speaker 5 (01:17:10):
Of Missouri, YEP.
Speaker 4 (01:17:11):
Those are the three stand out They're the Ivy League
of Broadcast Journalism, YEP. Education. Okay, let's talk for a
minute very quickly about Michigan State. What are we going to.
Speaker 15 (01:17:21):
See well this year. I'm expecting Michigan State to improve.
I don't think they should have finished five and seven
last year. I mean that Boston College game not bringing
up bad memories, but you probably don't want to lose
that game again this year, especially no no, and that
Michigan game yet again bad memories. But I mean you
(01:17:43):
can't leave you know, six points of field goal field
goals on the field basically, and I mean it's a
game of inches. Yeah, And that's a famous, you know,
famous saying, mark' antonio said.
Speaker 4 (01:17:55):
A lot because it's, true yea.
Speaker 15 (01:17:58):
To find the inches this. YEAR i, mean there were
two crucial false start penalties in That michigan. Game first
one came on the first, drive and we're at the
one yard, line fourth and. Goal we're going to go for.
It and even if we don't get, it moving the
ball very, well, Yes and even if you don't get,
(01:18:19):
It michigan's stuck at the half inch yard line and
they're not passing the ball very, well they're gonna learn.
It you could even get a, safety just points left
out there by a false start penalty that you take
your offense off the, field then kick a field, goal miss.
It and then later on the, game your last drive
with the, offense you're getting down the, field you're down by.
Seven you have to score a touchdown now and you
(01:18:41):
get to round the twenty yard, line sixteen yard, line
sixteen and it is first down, Ten you hand it,
off get three second down and seven false.
Speaker 7 (01:18:50):
Start yeh, second.
Speaker 4 (01:18:52):
Now you're behind the. Sticks that was actually their second
penalty on that, drive and they overcame it because they
had a grounding penalty intentional grounding on the first play
of that, drive and then they had the long screen
pass that made it up To Nate. Carter so, yeah
they had to really work to lose that.
Speaker 15 (01:19:08):
Game, yeah but they really. Did and of course that
last possession you ended with fourth and five five yards.
AWAY i can only wonder what those five yards came.
From and, lastly you, know this year you don't Play Ohio,
state you don't Play. Oregon you do have you, know
a lot more mid Tier You're, Minnesota, Nebraska Indiana's iowa
(01:19:33):
and they're not they're not at home this. Year you
have them pretty much all on the, road, right so
you have to you, know find a way to compete
on the. Road But i'm not too concerned, about you,
know eight in chials being rattled by a.
Speaker 4 (01:19:46):
Crowd this, year The Michigan state regular season record will.
Speaker 7 (01:19:52):
Be i'm gonna go with eight and four this.
Speaker 4 (01:19:55):
Year eight was This Jay? Green we got in here
roun eight and? Four eight and? Four?
Speaker 5 (01:20:02):
Really?
Speaker 4 (01:20:02):
Yep, okay which games do they?
Speaker 15 (01:20:04):
Lose they're gonna lose to USE Usc Penn state makes,
sense and then they're gonna win one of these, three
which is At. Nebraska, Yeah michigan And.
Speaker 4 (01:20:19):
Indiana didn't you see The michigan players say the game
was already, over they took out their, belts and you
didn't see that whole. THING i, mean it's just a
matter of filling in the.
Speaker 7 (01:20:28):
Numbers, right not this, year so not last.
Speaker 4 (01:20:31):
Year matter That Michigan state's won ten of the last.
Speaker 7 (01:20:33):
Seventeen gonna Say jackie's gonna beat up With Jay. Green
Didn't Jake green say eight?
Speaker 5 (01:20:38):
Wins yes he?
Speaker 7 (01:20:39):
Did, yeah that's. Right, yeah to get them two, connected.
Speaker 4 (01:20:44):
It might be scary for EVEN i don't. Know all,
right thanks so much for coming, in and welcome to stick.
Around we can talk a little. MORE i Think John,
shinsky it's going to be here a little bit. Later
you don't know that, name or maybe you Know Ja Periphery.
Rob you certainly know he was captain of the seventy
(01:21:04):
three team and now at The orphanage And Ye Shinsky
orphanage And, Metamorris mexico and riding the bikes all the
way From Spartan stadium down across The Rio. Grande it's
an amazing. Story it's a made FOR tv. Movie but
we're gonna be right back and we're going to talk
With Richard kincaid waiting. Patiently he is our New detroit.
Correspondent we'll be right back on the drive a.
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Matt in the gang here On West Grand, River, okamiz
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(01:24:20):
it is a drive With jack The Spotlight Radio. Network
Jack eblin here with my Producer Boston rob and waiting.
PATIENTLY i don't know if he's a patient guy or,
not but tell you. What he has lost enough of
weight now he should be doing ozempic. Ads richard kincaid
(01:24:40):
a tremendous.
Speaker 7 (01:24:41):
Work with W.
Speaker 4 (01:24:42):
Jr and also as an author his Book gods Of Olympia.
Stadium rich you're going to take this as a compliment
that it was meant to. BE i was talking with
one of our most loyal listeners, earlier name Is Lynn
turco down In, trent AND i, said what do you
think Of Rich. Kincage she, Said, oh he knows. STUFF i, said,
(01:25:04):
well you're going to hear more of him now because
he's going to be on on a regular. Basis at
least that's the.
Speaker 5 (01:25:09):
Plan and, yeah she was excited about.
Speaker 16 (01:25:11):
That, Well i'm excited. TOO i think there's gonna be
loads of, fun so, much you, know so much to
talk about.
Speaker 3 (01:25:19):
Today the Passing Bill.
Speaker 16 (01:25:21):
FREAN i think it my personal list because he was
my he was he was my hero WHEN i was
WHEN i was little Ly. Gates you, know you see
those twelve year olds Playing Little league, Baseball but WHEN
i was a WHEN i was a kid grown, UP
i emulated.
Speaker 3 (01:25:34):
HIM i ran the way he. DID i was a,
catcher yeah you, know and.
Speaker 4 (01:25:37):
Uh, YEAH i was kind Of. Cheffle, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Exactly you, know he had the big ten batting record
for a long time at The university Of, michigan stood for,
many many. Years and, uh you, know as a as
A tiger in terms of gold gloves and being an,
anchor you always knew you were going to get one
(01:25:58):
hundred and fifty to hunt sixty games out Of bill
free hand behind the.
Speaker 16 (01:26:03):
Dish, yeah an amazing statistic in and of itself that
you know that many. Games, Also Sergei federroff that's announced
today is having his jersey number ninety one.
Speaker 5 (01:26:13):
Retired, yes you overdue for me.
Speaker 16 (01:26:17):
Being A i would, say, yeah, absolutely one of the,
greats one of the all time. Greats it was my
one of my great professional privileges to cover him in
his entire career here In. Detroit and he's responsible for
me being a.
Speaker 5 (01:26:29):
Dad oh tell us that story. Quick, well, now.
Speaker 16 (01:26:34):
WELL i used to THE i used to do The
Red wings postgame. Show, Yes and one night my Wife
jeanie came down and she was there and as we
were packing up the gear to, leave there were a
group of girls singing To Sergei federoff FED O R O.
V we Love, Federoff oh, yes because he is the.
Best and they with and actually with more tune THAN
(01:26:56):
i put into, it and they sang it over and over,
again And genia told me later that's how we remember
when our daughter was.
Speaker 4 (01:27:04):
Conceived oh, Okay so it just it was that. Night
it wasn't because Of federal Often.
Speaker 16 (01:27:11):
Iff hadn't been Federal, off those six young women would
not have been singing fdo et.
Speaker 3 (01:27:18):
Cetera, right was he.
Speaker 4 (01:27:20):
Like one of the most skaters to.
Speaker 16 (01:27:22):
Watch, unbelievable was a GREAT i, MEAN i mean. Listen
i'd watch him skate THE centerai circle as fast as he,
could and you sort of got to visualize. This THE
centerai service about twenty feet twenty five feet uh in in,
diameter and there's ALWAYS i Watched Sean birdchtryer do the
same thing After sergei stopped and shut made it about
(01:27:44):
one time around one a quarter times a round before spinning.
Out just and he would think at the national league
level that one player would not be able to so,
dominate you, know a similarly situated player in the national.
League but it was it was then against boys with.
Speaker 4 (01:27:57):
Him, yeah, YEAH i GUESS i should ask you this.
QUESTION i hadn't thought about. It but since you're the
one who wrote the Book gods Of Olympia, stadium who's
the fastest skater you've ever seen with the winged? Wheel?
Speaker 16 (01:28:10):
Oh, Wow dylan up?
Speaker 5 (01:28:13):
There dylan k got to be up.
Speaker 16 (01:28:16):
There but see they measure everything, now so that you,
know in miles per, hour how, fast how fast you?
Got But Dylan, larkin when's the Off Star seed skating
competition a couple of years, THERE i would have to
say it would therefore be. Him but in terms you,
know when you talk in terms of skating, ability, yeah
then you're talking about guys like Like federoff and And
(01:28:36):
pavo Dot, suk you, know just just amazingly, skilled skilled. Athletes,
NOW i personally am against the notion of retired.
Speaker 3 (01:28:43):
Numbers did you know?
Speaker 6 (01:28:44):
That?
Speaker 4 (01:28:44):
NO i didn't know.
Speaker 16 (01:28:45):
THAT i think we should honor that we were going to.
Speaker 4 (01:28:48):
RETIRE i guess we can't do, That, Rob we're going
to have to.
Speaker 6 (01:28:51):
Just well you could you?
Speaker 16 (01:28:51):
Could you can honor my, number especially if you use
The canadian you when you're doing the. Honoring OH i
would love. To i'd love to look down her some
night and see a number nine skating On detroit ice
wearing A Detroit revelue.
Speaker 5 (01:29:03):
Uniform i've never seen that a few.
Speaker 4 (01:29:04):
Times number nine wearing a, yeah, HEY i got one
more guy for you in the skating conversation. Here And
i'll let this go BECAUSE i don't think he was
as maneuverable as the guys you, mentioned but just in
terms of coming up on a, rush when you get
him on the left, wing he could cover more ground
those long. Strides Was Frank, mahovlich and The Red wings
(01:29:29):
got him a little later in his. Career that WAS
i think an almond, trade, right so they got him
a little. Later but when he was in his prime
with The Maple, leafs he was like one of those
table hockey games where the, guy you, know you just
shoved the stick and the guy goes and.
Speaker 16 (01:29:46):
Yeah but him And Gordie howe and the just recently
Departed Alex telvacchio gave us one of the great seasons
In Red wings history in nineteen sixty, Seven i'm, sorry
in nineteen sixty nine to, seventy when they reformed and
renamed the production oction, line and when those, three when
those three had come over the, boards Man Olympia Stateium.
Interests it's like nothing you could even. Imagine. Today your
(01:30:09):
place is just going.
Speaker 4 (01:30:10):
Ber you've already broken the record for the most hockey
talk in Mid. AUGUST i want to talk to you
about The tigers and what's going to happen now with
this eight and a half game lead over The, guardians
nine over The, royals and what a matchup tonight With
Trek scooble going up Against brown for The, astros and
(01:30:31):
then tomorrow we're going to be. There we're going to
get to See Charlie.
Speaker 16 (01:30:34):
Morton it's gonna Be, yeah it's gonna be so much.
Speaker 3 (01:30:38):
Fun basically eight and a. Half i'll tell you WHAT i.
Speaker 16 (01:30:41):
Feel i'm not going to come out here and apologize
for panicking about The tigers three weeks ago when their
leader was down to you, know we're down, sixteen seven game,
range and it got. Down it got down to five
at one. Point as a matter of, fact the thing
you have to note is that From july ninth Until august,
ninth The tiger's.
Speaker 3 (01:30:57):
Won eight and.
Speaker 16 (01:30:58):
Sixteen, yeah all, right And i'm thinking that's not enough, games,
right that's too many off. Days twenty four games in thirty.
Days But i've forgotten The All star, break so they
had a terrible month Of. July but, yeah you're feeling
better about things right now because they started beating up
on The, hamburgers like The.
Speaker 3 (01:31:15):
Twins Just hambred The twins of the.
Speaker 16 (01:31:17):
Weekend and now they're they're taking it to a pretty
good ball club In.
Speaker 3 (01:31:20):
Houston.
Speaker 4 (01:31:20):
Yeah, YEAH i think one of the keys for The,
Tigers rich has been the hero of the night. Plan
and it's not like there's one guy you have to shut.
DOWN i Mean Riley green four games without getting a.
HIT i can go three games out getting a bat
on the, ball and it's still they have a great
chance to. Win and they get guys Like Wenzel. PEREZ
(01:31:44):
i can't take how Important Dylan dingler has been behind the,
plate framing.
Speaker 16 (01:31:47):
Pitches say you know, what you know who leaves The
tigers in war It's Dylan.
Speaker 5 (01:31:53):
Dingler, YEAH i can.
Speaker 16 (01:31:54):
Imagine and second and second is.
Speaker 5 (01:31:57):
McKinstry yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 16 (01:31:59):
Okay NOW i can't explain baseball to women anymore because
of the, stats, right you, KNOW i don't know what's
good about a ground ball to flyball ratio for, example you,
know and, Therefore i'm unable to explain.
Speaker 3 (01:32:11):
Some of this.
Speaker 16 (01:32:11):
Stuff but in terms Of war two is considered to
be all star, caliber and The tigers the first five
guys are tour above and Then buyass one nine four And.
Speaker 3 (01:32:21):
Turtles is up there as.
Speaker 16 (01:32:22):
Well it has spreads throughout that they're dangerous throughout the?
Lineup is the point here and? Then and war measures
offense and?
Speaker 3 (01:32:29):
Defense does it?
Speaker 9 (01:32:29):
Not?
Speaker 4 (01:32:30):
Yes it does? Offensive war put them. Together and that's
Where danela really.
Speaker 16 (01:32:34):
Is Exactly you're being compared to an average?
Speaker 3 (01:32:36):
Player is the idea with? War so? Right right?
Speaker 16 (01:32:39):
Exactly and uh, yeah so they're. There they stuck up real,
well if you had thirty seven pictures this, year did
you know?
Speaker 4 (01:32:46):
That thirty?
Speaker 5 (01:32:47):
Seven, yeah isn't that?
Speaker 9 (01:32:51):
Amazing?
Speaker 4 (01:32:52):
Uh that? Is is that a? Record?
Speaker 3 (01:32:56):
Now you got? ME i don't know about.
Speaker 5 (01:32:57):
That, Close i'd be.
Speaker 16 (01:33:00):
Close now that does count a couple of position players who?
Speaker 5 (01:33:02):
Pitched oh, yeah oh, Yeah Jacob rodgers loves.
Speaker 3 (01:33:06):
That, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (01:33:08):
Exactly so, Well i'm looking at The tigers batting averages,
here and you know you're talking about two sixty, five
two forty, three two fifty, nine two fifty. EIGHT i
know batting areas have gone down two sixty six to sixty.
Eight here we, Go Dylan dingler two seventy. Four how
(01:33:29):
often do you have a catcher who's leading you in batting?
AVERAGE i Guess Will smith or The dodgers might be
in that situation if he Or Freddie freeman whoever is
leading him from night to. Night and we know what
Cal raley has done with thirty seven home, runs but.
Speaker 16 (01:33:45):
Two seventy four used to be A chroni batting.
Speaker 4 (01:33:47):
Asera that was, mediocre right at, best.
Speaker 3 (01:33:49):
Exactly exactly at. Best so, anyways SO i.
Speaker 4 (01:33:54):
Think they have what the nine players something like that
who are over three hundred this, year and you, know
it's just it's not like it. Exactly you, know if
you can bat three, hundred that means that seven out
of ten times you're failing and you'd have a chance
to lead the.
Speaker 5 (01:34:13):
League, amazing it, is it really.
Speaker 16 (01:34:20):
Is So so it's it's stand we have to understand.
Speaker 4 (01:34:24):
Baseball, yeah, yeah you.
Speaker 5 (01:34:26):
Know it's.
Speaker 16 (01:34:26):
Not it's not the game that we grew up, with
where the pitchers threw eleven innings if the game went
eleven innings and if they have to throw three hundred,
pitches they did you know it's we all know. That,
yeah it's just BUT i like, it you, KNOW i
LIKE i like the pitch, CLOCK i like the rule.
CHANGES i like things being speeded up a little. BIT
i Like i've always liked baseball AND i still.
Speaker 4 (01:34:45):
Do, yeah it's gonna be two hours and thirty five,
Minutes i'm predicting tomorrow if we don't get any weather
issues or anything. Else long argument where guys are getting
thrown out of the. Game but you know it used
to be over three hours not long.
Speaker 16 (01:34:58):
Ago really looking forward to the seat improvement.
Speaker 5 (01:35:01):
Program you're a master of.
Speaker 4 (01:35:04):
This do you want to explain this to our?
Speaker 16 (01:35:05):
Listeners the seat improvement program is. Simple if you show
up at the ballpark and you don't look like to
see what you, got you try.
Speaker 3 (01:35:11):
To move the better.
Speaker 6 (01:35:12):
Ones.
Speaker 16 (01:35:12):
Yeah the worst that's going to happen is to kick
you out of the better, seats and you'd be slightly.
Embarrassed but if it works, Out, Hey i've done in
the front.
Speaker 4 (01:35:20):
ROW i Saw rico get ejected twice at The Champions
classic trying to Watch Michigan state And. Kentucky and first of,
All kentucky had enough people there that there weren't many empty,
seats But rico found, one and then someone showed up
and they had his butt kicked, out and then he
(01:35:41):
found another one and next thing you, know the cops
are pulling him out there. Too so the.
Speaker 5 (01:35:46):
Cops, yes.
Speaker 16 (01:35:50):
The only police involvement you want is. THIS i was
at a ballgame at the ballpark In, island me And
Paul woods recovering the reds of the.
Speaker 3 (01:35:56):
Playoffs weren't you?
Speaker 16 (01:35:56):
Right, yes some guy has to be ejected from the
stadium because he leaned over the rail in the front
row trying to come up with a, baseball which he did,
not but he tumbled onto the. Field so that's automatic. Ejection,
well this particular, ballpark these security guards Were, pinkertons and
the two they sent to address this situation where just
they were just. Gorgeous they just it's like they had
The pinkerton, uniforms you, know painted on kind of thing that,
(01:36:19):
Handcuff billy cubbs and the whole. THING i felt Compelled
jack to stand up and say to point, Out i've
been bad.
Speaker 4 (01:36:25):
Too you wanted to Be, YEAH i, understand that's.
Speaker 6 (01:36:31):
That's.
Speaker 3 (01:36:32):
Right i've been bad. Too.
Speaker 4 (01:36:33):
HEY i heard a stat the other, Night RICH i
Think benetti was talking about. This what do you think
The tigers record is when they lead after eight, innings
something in, one something in, zero they're going to the
major league. Record they're sixty two and zero To. Wow
(01:36:55):
now they've they've blown leads in the sixth, inning the seventh,
inning the eighth. Inning but if they can get into
the ninth inning with the. Lead and they've also had
a couple of games where they lost the lead and
then scored once it was, tied but they have not
lost a game when they've led after eight. Innings they're
(01:37:15):
sixty two and.
Speaker 16 (01:37:16):
Zip and consider the fact that nobody in baseball thinks
The tigers have a legitimate.
Speaker 3 (01:37:21):
Closer there you, go, well that's.
Speaker 5 (01:37:24):
Amazing, YEAH i was stunned by.
Speaker 4 (01:37:26):
That and it isn't All Kyle. Finnegant you, know that's
just found a way to do. It and sometimes it
has been pretty you, know they might have had a
three run cushion and then something happens and then it's,
one you, know and you know they're only up by a,
(01:37:46):
run but that that. Happens so The tigers also lead
the major leagues in a one run.
Speaker 16 (01:37:59):
Wins that's always a nice one to lead.
Speaker 4 (01:38:02):
In, yes, yes absolutely, absolutely when they're nineteen and, EIGHT
i believe in one run. Games so that's that's how
you win The.
Speaker 16 (01:38:13):
Division rich it is it, is, yeah And Baseball reference
says this was interesting to. Me Baseball reference today says
The tigers have a ninety nine point three percent chance
of making the.
Speaker 3 (01:38:24):
Playoffs, however at.
Speaker 16 (01:38:27):
The same, time it says they have a nine point
three percent chance of winning The World.
Speaker 4 (01:38:30):
Series, oh nine point three? Percent did it say what
chance they have of making The World? Series of being
in The World?
Speaker 3 (01:38:37):
Series, NOW i just had those two.
Speaker 5 (01:38:39):
Numbers.
Speaker 4 (01:38:39):
OKAY i know a guy very well who has a significant,
bet let's, say, okay and he got nine to one
before the season on The tigers making The World, series
not winning The World series because The dodgers were a,
favorite but representing The American league in The World. Series
(01:39:02):
and you, know he's really watching this with great interest
because it's important to him that The tigers finished with
one of the two best records in The American league
so they don't have to play the wild.
Speaker 16 (01:39:13):
Card round exactly. Exactly and you know, what for all of,
it the eight and sixteen stretch that lasted for a.
Month they got off to such a beautiful start this. Year,
yeah there are seventy three wins right, now and they you,
know they're still in the top, one two or three
in terms of wins In Major League. Baseball they should
(01:39:34):
have a pretty good. SHOT i think the whole, thing,
though comes down to those six games that we play Against,
cleveland the third, week the next to last week In,
september and the week prior to.
Speaker 4 (01:39:43):
That so what concerns you most these next two games
against The astros going against two very good, pitchers or
the four after that against The royals who are going
to be. Desperate they're nine, out but if they could
sweep The tigers and kind of to, five or even
win three out of four and cut it to, seven
(01:40:05):
and they're not exactly out of. It so which series is more?
Speaker 16 (01:40:08):
Important you sound, Exactly you sound exactly Like Sparky, Anderson
and you know the, Answer no series is more.
Speaker 3 (01:40:15):
Important than any.
Speaker 16 (01:40:16):
Other it'd be nice to woo used to a couple more.
Speaker 3 (01:40:18):
Times you. Know, obviously, well you got school going.
Speaker 16 (01:40:20):
Tonight you got to heck them a, shot, right but,
uh both you just get you got to continually kick
them when they're Down Kansas city was given up.
Speaker 3 (01:40:29):
On earlier this. Year now they're mounting a little charge
as we.
Speaker 16 (01:40:32):
See you just you, know it's these, little these little.
Fires you got to keep stomping them. Out And i'm
sure spark you, know no MANAGER A. J hinch To Sparky,
anderson To john, McGraw you. Know, ever, ever we'll conceide
that the victory is in the. Bag all, right seventy three,
wins that's not.
Speaker 3 (01:40:48):
Enough we got to win, tonight.
Speaker 4 (01:40:51):
All? Right what are we going to see? Tomorrow Hunter
brown And trek's school? Ball do you think eight runs
will win that? Game would you take? Three right? Now?
Speaker 3 (01:41:03):
Sure would?
Speaker 4 (01:41:06):
Tonight do you take? Three? Three three is?
Speaker 5 (01:41:08):
Enough?
Speaker 16 (01:41:08):
Right it hasn't been with these, guys is the. Thing
but you know what three is the number of. Hockey
the first team to three generally wins or gets the.
Point you, Know i'm starting to think.
Speaker 6 (01:41:22):
Three is the.
Speaker 3 (01:41:23):
Number it can be the number in, Baseball.
Speaker 4 (01:41:25):
Okay and the game that we're going to.
Speaker 5 (01:41:28):
Hire four or, Five i'm, sorry that's all.
Speaker 4 (01:41:30):
Right the game that we're going to see tomorrow, afternoon
you Get Kellie morton on the mount for The. Tigers
see forty one years. Old, now what do you make of.
Speaker 16 (01:41:42):
That if he gets them? Out if he gets them?
Out you know me what that you trust?
Speaker 3 (01:41:50):
THEM i don't know.
Speaker 16 (01:41:51):
YET i don't, know you. KNOW i mean that's kind
of the fun of the thing, too if you think about, It,
jack because it's people are battling For josh right now
to be on that postseason. Roster, yeah you know you
only get to take twenty it's twenty, five, Right, yeah
let's say let's take twenty, six you. Know but, yeah
so it's it's a little it's it's a little like
(01:42:13):
spring training all over again in some.
Speaker 3 (01:42:15):
Regards have you Seen.
Speaker 4 (01:42:19):
Kevin McGonagall. Play have you seen any video of him
or seen him?
Speaker 6 (01:42:23):
Live?
Speaker 3 (01:42:24):
NO i have.
Speaker 4 (01:42:25):
Not, okay he's In toledo now, right it's. Good, no
he's an. Eerie he's an. Eerie he's a DOUBLE. A
he went From West michigan To. Erie but he had
four home runs last week and he's a number two
ranked prospect in, baseball so much so That Scott harris,
said we ain't trading this. GUY i don't care what
you give, Us we're not trading him with the trade. Deadline,
(01:42:46):
Yeah so a lot of people are now starting to
think that with the position, change because you've got two
shortstops McGonagall and This Bryce, rayner who they love a
little bit, bigger that these guys could turn into What
ocurr And trammel two point? Zero is that too much
pressure to put on a pair of guys in DOUBLE. A,
(01:43:07):
NO i don't think.
Speaker 3 (01:43:08):
SO i don't think.
Speaker 16 (01:43:09):
SO i don't think young athletes worry about things like,
presser AND i don't think they have a real good
understanding What whitaker and drama, means because you, know we're
the guys that got to watch him for whatever it
was seventeen eighteen years turning those double. PLAYS i guess
what's intriguing to me. HERE i, Mean witterker And trammel
got you, know were there Were september call ups back
(01:43:30):
in seventy. Seven it wasn't seventy, Six, no seventy, seven
and then they debuted in seventy eight When whittaker won
The rookie of The year.
Speaker 3 (01:43:37):
AWARD i JUST i don't.
Speaker 16 (01:43:39):
Think you can do that right now with your team
in the middle of a pennant. Race you, know you
might want to bring this guy up to see how
he faces Major league pitching for a. Stretch but it's
JUST i think it's just a little bit. Different it's, exciting,
though isn't.
Speaker 4 (01:43:52):
It, yes you are ten days away from starting your
broadcast of high school, football AND i don't know what
it is About North armington and some of these other
schools in that. Area most of the schools in the
state are opening on The thursday Before Labor, day but
you guys insist on playing On. Friday right at the same,
(01:44:13):
Time Michigan state is Facing Western.
Speaker 16 (01:44:15):
Michigan, exactly AND i had to make a. Choice you,
know it's it's it's it's the assignment high school, football and,
uh the season opened all the, rest SO i hate
to hate to miss The WESTERN. Msu by the, way
it was so nice hearing from, uh From Mike pearson.
Speaker 3 (01:44:30):
Earlier in the.
Speaker 5 (01:44:31):
Hour, YEAH i don't.
Speaker 16 (01:44:32):
KNOW i don't know if you know, this but he
was the guy At Sports publishing that was responsible for
my book being.
Speaker 3 (01:44:37):
Published AND i.
Speaker 16 (01:44:38):
Just, thought you, know HERE i am coming back on
the radio for the first time a long, time and
Here's Mike pearson who's responsible for, that, uh that BOOK
i wrote that's in The Hockey hall Of fame of
Which i'm so proud.
Speaker 5 (01:44:47):
You should, be AND i just was on a.
Speaker 4 (01:44:50):
Day, well he has helped a lot of aspiring, writers
and he's responsible for a couple of. Mine uh from
The Detroit. Tigers Dugout as is, one and you know
he also helped with jud A Magical journey when we
got that crazy idea we were going to do. IT
(01:45:10):
i didn't tell you the story about the toughest part
of doing that. Book rich was convincing the old man
to do.
Speaker 3 (01:45:15):
It oh that's always the. Way.
Speaker 4 (01:45:18):
Yeah. Yeah finally he retired and they had this all
star game that was the nineteen years called The front
nine and a half in The back nine and a,
half and they brought The urvin era guys and then
they brought The skyles era guys and they played and
it was a very competitive game because none of these
guys are used to, losing, Right they didn't want to
(01:45:40):
lose before the fans that you, know back their old.
Place so they're playing this game In Breslin center And
i'm in. There it was the afternoon of the, game
AND i, Said, Jud i'm only going to ask you
one more. Time this is a seventh Time i've asked
you do you want to do this book or? Not
because in five years it's too, late nobody's going to.
(01:46:04):
Care do you want to do? It he, says should
we do? IT i, said what do you? THINK i
keep asking you IF i didn't think we should do?
It so get the guy on the. Phone so he
Gets mike's boss on the, phone guy named Bann an
and ban It's Peter bannon says to jud you know
when do you want me? Here so In, Champagne, yeah
(01:46:28):
DID i want you here in six? Hours and he drove.
Up he drove up and uh stealed the. Deal but With,
judd you never. KNEW i, mean if you waited eight,
hours he might change his mind.
Speaker 16 (01:46:41):
Twice, Now, jack when you were interviewing, him did you
find that he loosened up and just kind of got
free and easy with the?
Speaker 3 (01:46:48):
Memories because that's WHAT.
Speaker 16 (01:46:49):
I found WHEN i was interviewed all those great hockey
players from the fifties and the sixties, days once they've
started once they were apprehensive at, first yeah and, once
but once they started getting, going it was just you
could see it in, there a beautiful.
Speaker 4 (01:47:00):
Thing you had a tougher challenge THAN i, did because
you had to weave all these stories. Together that's what
made your book so. GOOD i was just the. Voice
SO i took What judd said the recordings and put
it in his, voice and you, KNOW i let jud Be.
Judd we did twenty two hours of. Taping we did
(01:47:22):
eleven two hour. Sessions and the only rule was jud
once we turn this tape recorder, on anything you say
can go in the. Book so if you don't want
in the, book don't say.
Speaker 9 (01:47:34):
It.
Speaker 5 (01:47:35):
Yeah and the last.
Speaker 4 (01:47:37):
Day we had to have the thing at the post.
Office it had to be shipped if we're going to
get a bonus for being on time in our, contract,
right SO i had to be mailed by five. O'clock
AND i gave him the manuscript AND i, said just
take one more look at. This we could still do
at minor correction if you see something you don't.
Speaker 10 (01:47:57):
Like.
Speaker 4 (01:47:58):
Right, so he'd had the heart, attack and he always
would come home and he would have a sandwich and
then he would take a quick, nap right or we
go back for, Practice and sure, enough he puts the
manuscript up on the, table goes to take a, nap
(01:48:18):
And bev picks it up and the best chapter in
the book By far was jud talking about how basketball
had cost him fatherhood and he'd been a bad father
and all the things that had, happened and how he,
regretted and he was. Crying he Was jeddycolt was crying
when he told these. Stories ID i actually stopped the
(01:48:39):
tape the only TIME i did. IT i stopped the
tape AND i, said, HEY i told you the, rule,
Right SO i just want to tell you. Now you,
know if you don't want to talk about, this we
can change the. SUBJECTS i want to talk about, It,
Okay so we. Started we wrote that. Chapter it was riveting.
Stuff his wife picked it up and read it and
just read. HIM i had act when he woke. Up
(01:49:01):
there's no way you're airing our family laundry in this.
Speaker 5 (01:49:04):
Book you can't do, that.
Speaker 4 (01:49:05):
Right so he calls me and it's like three forty
five or three forty it's about an hour and fifteen
minutes before we had to have this thing in and he, says,
HEY eb got some bad. News what bad news would that,
be he, said the family. CHAPTER i, said, YEAH i,
(01:49:29):
said it's. Out it's. Out what do you mean it's?
Out we have to have the book.
Speaker 5 (01:49:36):
In the.
Speaker 4 (01:49:37):
Mail this thing is going to be shipped in an
hour and fifteen. Minutes he, says how long does it
take you to get from my house he lived right
Near Walnut hills to the post. Office said eight. Minutes
i've timed. It he, said, okay be here at four point.
Fifty nothing like cutting it, close, Right so he took
(01:49:58):
a stack of typing paper and a green flare pin
that used on his golf score cards and printed a
book chapter in an hour and there was not, one
not one misspelled. Word that was.
Speaker 16 (01:50:18):
Remarkable, guy my very, first my very first coach of
any kind because that Was Michigan state when when the
post was, There so he was he was the. First
he was the FIRST uh coach. ATHLETE i suck a
my phone in front Of.
Speaker 4 (01:50:34):
Yeah, yeah WELL i hope he treated you better. Then
some people incurred his. Wrath you, KNOW i thought he
was going to kill the page one.
Speaker 16 (01:50:43):
Time, well you, Know, Bob bob can do that. Sometimes you,
know we've gotta Love Bob. Page but, No i'm pretty
sure he treated me with the gentility BECAUSE i was a.
Speaker 4 (01:50:53):
Student what do you remember about that was the Nick
Vista Fred stable?
Speaker 9 (01:50:59):
Here?
Speaker 16 (01:50:59):
Right, oh, absolutely, yeah, Absolutely, yeah and that's why, Again
Mike peerson was working With Fred steve but back in
the day WHEN i knew him WHEN i was IN.
Jr back in those uh you, know late eighties and
to mid nineties. Period, yeah SO i know him very
well in the terrific.
Speaker 4 (01:51:15):
Guy if you had not had that, experience, rich if
you had not worked over in sports information and learned
from some of the giants who came through, THERE i,
mean the press box was filled with luminaries.
Speaker 5 (01:51:29):
Exactly, well how would your career been?
Speaker 16 (01:51:31):
Different my crew would have been different IF i couldn't
have gotten Into Red wings games WHEN i was in
high school for three. Dollars, okay here's how my, Career
my career would Have my career wouldn't have existed IF i.
HADN'T i was working at THE i was still going to,
school AND i had the job doing the lunchtime news
at the country station in, town AND i talked him
(01:51:52):
into having me cut file reports From Tiger stadium cover The.
Tigers AND i Called Hal, middlesworth who was The TIGER'S
pr director back. THEN i don't know if you remember,
him great, guy and my first question, was this shows
you how.
Speaker 3 (01:52:04):
NAIVE i was my.
Speaker 16 (01:52:05):
First, question how much does the credential cover The tigers?
Cost there's just found on the other end that makes
sense well Swayin. Stacker my news director told me it
was seven hundred, dollars but it just didn't sound right to.
Me SO i called The tigers and it turns out
he said it's free to a credited, Media AND i,
said how DO i become a credited? Media and he
(01:52:27):
told me it was a letterhead on the radio. Station
SO i talked these guys that are doing the reports
and set something. Off in the following week of The
Tiger stadium on the field holding a microphone talking To Erry, harwell, well.
Speaker 4 (01:52:38):
That's tremendous that you could have that kind of a,
start and that conversation With Al middlesworth got you into
the breast. Box it haven't been for. That, yeah who.
Speaker 5 (01:52:53):
Knows be a, Lawyer, Yeah i'd be a, lawyer.
Speaker 4 (01:52:56):
You'd be in, film you'd be uh.
Speaker 3 (01:53:00):
Right. Probably. Yeah the stand up thing's going pretty.
Speaker 5 (01:53:03):
Well, yes well this.
Speaker 4 (01:53:06):
Is going to be big. Fun And John shinsky walked.
In we're going to have him on for just a
couple of minutes here before we go to. Dinner but
this is going to be fun with The, Tigers, Lions Red.
Wings pistons's talking To Steve, klein Former Lansing State journal sports.
Speaker 3 (01:53:24):
Editor of, course, sure.
Speaker 4 (01:53:25):
And he, said looks like The Red wings have been
left behind by these other three teams with their tremendous.
Improvement so that's something that maybe The Red wings have
to play a little catch up Before Steve eiserman loses
his honeymoon. Period, right it's been a.
Speaker 16 (01:53:43):
While hockey's hockey is. Different if you finish in the
top eight in your, conference you got a chance to
win the. Cup it's it's not like that in the other,
sports but it's more likely for the upsets sucerrent. Hockey
All steve's got to do to save his job.
Speaker 3 (01:53:56):
Is get him in the playoffs this. Year it's about
time there you.
Speaker 4 (01:53:58):
Go all, right, Ye, rich thanks so much and look
forward looking forward to seeing you On. Wednesday so much.
Speaker 3 (01:54:07):
Fun looking forward to it. Too all, RIGHT.
Speaker 4 (01:54:08):
I want to say a quick. Hello got a couple
of minutes, left But John shinsky is here and talk
About cleveland's gift Of Michigan. State it isn't Just Clinton.
Jones this is a captain in nineteen seventy, three and
the guy That hall Of Famer joelomelera still says is
a tough. Sky you read the, block but talk about dogged.
(01:54:32):
Determination we have seen that over the years with all
the great things he has, done special education and going
on To Grand valley and distinguished career there and his
greatest contribution his, legacy The Shinsky orphanage In Mata, Morris. Mexico,
John how are you doing?
Speaker 6 (01:54:49):
Great? Jack?
Speaker 4 (01:54:51):
Now does your blood start to flow just a little
faster this time of?
Speaker 10 (01:54:54):
Year oh, yeah, yeah oh, Yeah and he gets heap
and faster as he keeps that's.
Speaker 4 (01:55:00):
Going i've heard enough stories about you that you. KNOW
i know you had the. SURGERIES i know how that
all affected your football. Career but if you had to
go out and play one series Against, michigan could you
put a hit on?
Speaker 10 (01:55:14):
SOMEBODY i sure, COULD i thought, so, yeah no.
Speaker 4 (01:55:18):
Question so stay away from number eighty eight wherever you.
Are it's a word to the, wise.
Speaker 5 (01:55:25):
Very.
Speaker 4 (01:55:25):
Quickly what's new at The. ORPHANAGE i know you've been
down there. Recently, YEAH i was down there.
Speaker 10 (01:55:30):
Recently their kids are doing, Well the staff's doing, well
working closely with the. Community i'm just so pleased because
so many great things have, happened and it just doesn't
happen based on us building the. Facility the most important
thing is is how do you build a community for these?
(01:55:50):
Children and The lansing community has been In Michigan. State
community has just been so phenomenal ever since the, beginning
for the last fifteen, Years, yeah supporting. This so it's
been a great venture and the kids are doing, great
And cindy And i'll be down there On, september, fourth,
fifth and.
Speaker 4 (01:56:08):
Sixth september, fourth, fifth and.
Speaker 5 (01:56:09):
Sixth.
Speaker 4 (01:56:10):
Fantastic we were talking earlier With Mike, pearson who was
a book publisher in one of his other, Lives Rich,
kincaid who has an award winning. Book i'm working on
number nine right, now and the big news is that
there's going to be A John shinsky book and then
not too distant.
Speaker 10 (01:56:29):
Future, yeah that's, Correct, Jack i've been working on it
for a few.
Speaker 5 (01:56:33):
Years.
Speaker 4 (01:56:34):
Fantastic there are so many great. Stories i'll tell you
what if you get a chance to sit down With
John shinsky and he tells you you couldn't make this.
UP i, mean this is just too. Unbelievable all the
things that have, happened and you know you have found
a way to make the dream of.
Speaker 10 (01:56:51):
Reality oh, yeah no question about.
Speaker 9 (01:56:54):
It.
Speaker 10 (01:56:54):
Jack there's been so many people that have been part of.
It but we've been blessed in so many different ways
with miracles and things that have happened that you never
would have. Imagined, now how does a person build an
orphanage In Mata, Morris mexico without them even knowing That Madamris,
Mexico mexico? Existed AND i don't even Speak, Spanish.
Speaker 4 (01:57:20):
So, uh what's the obstacle with? That what's the? Barrier
how do you handle?
Speaker 9 (01:57:24):
It?
Speaker 5 (01:57:25):
Oh.
Speaker 10 (01:57:25):
FANTASTIC i had people come together and that what. HAPPENED
i was. Blessed as a matter of, fact there was
A spartan down In South Padre island who owned a restaurant.
There it was one of my first. Connections his name
Was Tom, hanson and my first connections to be able
to get to know people around that. Area and then
it expanded from there to there to there to, there
(01:57:46):
and it just kept. Going and then ONCE i got Into,
metamorris it spread more even.
Speaker 4 (01:57:51):
More you don't Speak, spanish but you're very fluent in another.
Language the language of, love, absolutely and hugs and caring and.
Passion that's going to be in the first paragraph of your.
Speaker 10 (01:58:04):
Otle bit, Well, jack to tell you the honest. Truth you,
know it's one thing to say, It but at the same,
TIME i felt THAT i was an. ORPHAN i came
up in an. Orphanage people took me in in a foster.
HOME i was blessed to be able to go To
Cleveland Saint Joseph High school and a great school and
a great. Education and then of Course Michigan State. Spartans
(01:58:27):
you can't beat.
Speaker 4 (01:58:27):
That playing For Duffy dorty in one year With Denny,
stoles that's.
Speaker 10 (01:58:32):
Correct last. Year, YEAH i was captain and he was. Coach,
yeah how about?
Speaker 4 (01:58:38):
That are you? Hungry?
Speaker 5 (01:58:40):
Oh all the?
Speaker 4 (01:58:40):
Time all, Right we're gonna go grab. Dinner AND i
want to thank everyone who helped us today with this.
Show of, Course boston rob at The Controls Stephen brooks
twenty four to Seven Sports Spartan tailgate premium site talking
About Michigan state football with the season opener just ten days.
Away Mike, pearson a long time sports information Official Western,
(01:59:04):
Michigan Michigan, State, Illinois Miami, ohio and we always talked
about his. Work also talked about sports Publishing Ethan kingdon
in studio here With Uper. Rob appreciate him stopping by
educating us a little bit a what This Michigan state
football season is going to. Be Richard, kincaid he's our
(01:59:25):
New detroit, correspondent talking about The, tigers Red, wings and
much much. More we'll see Him wednesday down At Comerica
park And John shinsky number eighty eight year, program number
one in your. Heart we'll be back with you. Tomorrow,
everyone we'll talk to you just after the, Game Downtown,
detroit