I mean, my body's shaking a little bit right now thinking back of just never never being in an environment close to that. You don't quit on your team here in a blue collar city like Indianapolis. There's levels to WNBA fandom. There's levels to superstardom. Caitlyn Clark is on planet Mars. Is it championship or bust?
That's why I do think the urgency with all these pieces around her, it's not going to be so easy. It has been way too long. We're going on a decade of Chris Ballard leading the Colts franchise. Two playoff appearances, zero AFC South titles. What would you do for Notre Dame to win a championship? Run around 465 naked.
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, however you may be listening. Thanks for tuning in to the Get Indiana podcast network. My name is Dominic Miranda and I've been covering sports for nearly a decade. Most of which right here in Indianapolis. This is the Get in Sports Podcast. We're going to be covering everything in the Hooser State, high school, college, pro, in the sports capital of the universe, in the greatest state on planet Earth.
Thanks so much for coming on this journey with us. Let's get into it. On today's episode of Get in Sports, we're talking to Kevin Bowen of 1075, the fan, host of the morning show with James Boyd. You probably hear him all the time. He covers the Indianapolis Colts extensively. He is a hooer through and through.
He went to Cathedral. He went to IU. He is a diehard Notre Dame fan. I'm talking bleeding blue and gold. Kevin Bowen, one of the most respected sports voices in the city of Indianapolis. You will not want to miss our interview.
We talked to him for over an hour and he's just a a wealth of knowledge, not only about Indianapolis sports, but what it takes to get into this industry. He gives back as a professor at his alma mater, IU. So, stick around for Kevin Bowen. You won't want to miss it. That's going to be a fun conversation. We got to talk about the Indiana Fever.
a long week off. Finally, we're coming to the close of that right now at the time you're listening to this. Happy July 4th, everybody, by the way. Happy early July 4th. But there's a lot going on with the Indiana Fever. It feels like every episode of Get In Sports, we're talking about the Indiana Fever, things happening off the court.
In this case, things very much happening on the court, but it's not basketball. So, we're going to have to talk about what in the world is going on with the Indiana Fever. You know, we talked earlier, you know, in the month in the year about should we be worried about the Indian fever and it was a resounding no. I'm wondering if that answer isn't changing as it stands right now. Also, a lot of Indiana guys getting drafted to the NBA specifically in the second round. We were talking Ryan Conwell who went to Pike, Braden Smith, the Indiana kid stays in Indiana.
Can you believe it? Trey Kaufman Ren sneaking in the end of the draft right there. and a lot of guys signing after the draft concluded as well. So, Indiana standup obviously doing great and the US men's national team, I mean, what can you say? Vibes are through the roof. Don't forget about the World Cup.
It's been a fantastic, wholesome event worldwide, nationwide, it's fantastic. Absolutely love it. In the US gold, the quarterfinals very much in play. But let's get into it. Get in sports begins right now. Like I said, happy July 4th, everybody.
Early July 4th. I hope you are on vacation right now, sitting by a lake, sitting by a body of water with a beverage or 10 and listening to get in sports. I don't really understand how you could do anything better ahead of fireworks, have a hot dog, a bra, a burger, a beer, and you're listening to Don Miranda here. We're getting sports. It's a great time to be alive for the Indiana Fever as it stands right now. 11 and eight at the time of this podcast.
finally after a week off and I think a much needed week off traveling out west to start a road trip and maybe it will do them very well to just get out of their get out of their homes get out of the state of Indiana just play basketball and we'll see if Kaylin Clark is healthy by this game obviously the back-to-back games at home against the Phoenix Mercury fireworks okay and for those who don't know let's take it back to last year 2025 the fever come In year two of Kalin Clark, everyone's super excited, and they should be because Kaylin Clark was absolutely ridiculous as a rookie, setting record after record. You should be excited. Then you had Leah Boston, a year older, a year wiser. Kelsey Mitchell, a baller. And you added pieces like Sophie Cunningham. You added pieces like Dana Bonner, who's one of the best players in WNBA history.
Certainly up there on the all-time scoring list. Dwana Bonner is a bonafide player in the WNBA and one of the best there is. And it was a match made in heaven. Stephanie White coached her in Connecticut. Everything was hunky dory. Well, she started last season, wasn't going great.
She gets stubbed out of the starting lineup. In about six, seven games in, all of a sudden, you just stop seeing Dana Bonner on the floor and things are just not good. Vibes are in fact terrible. And it comes out later that she essentially quit on her team. I mean, she can put in whatever narrative she wants to put in, but she essentially quit on her team and it wasn't going to work out here in Indiana. And that was just a a bad move all the way from the get-go.
She said it wasn't the right fit. So, she had to protect your mental health and not play. I call BS. If you sign a contract and you're getting paid, step on the floor and play until they decide to trade you or wave you. They ended up releasing her. She ended up signing with the Phoenix Mercury.
They go to the finals last year. Everything's great. Everyone's happy. Fast forward to this season, back-to-back games against the Phoenix Mercury. Every time Dana Bonner gets the basketball, she's gonna get booed because this is an intelligent fan base. And you don't quit on your team here in a bluecollar city like Indianapolis.
Her and Caitlyn Clark get tangled up. They go face to face. There's some expletives shared. Maisha Hines Allen defends her teammate Caitlyn Clark. Sophie Cunningham. You've seen the meme by now.
It's incredible. Pointing at each other. It was just it was anything but basketball towards the end of that game because the Fever scored six points in that first quarter. That first game those two teams played against each other. They end up outscoring the Phoenix Mercury by like 25 30 points in the second and third quarters combined. They're up 21 by the time all these antics happen.
And then the fourth quarter lasts 85 minutes because it's foul after foul after foul. And it just set the table for then what happened the very next game where Kaylin Clark is getting absolutely beat up. The refs had zero control over that game. The refereeing officiating has been a consistent conversation for two years now. Okay. Stephanie White has to come out after the game and say how egregious it is.
Look, I've said this before on this very podcast. You can have a problem with the way that Caitlyn Clark handles herself. You can't deny that she is a generational talent. And the moment she set foot in the league, private charters happen, okay? Private planes from game to game happen, okay? Increased pay happens.
More viewership happens. 19 of the top 20 viewed WNBA games of all time include Caitlyn Clark. We had to move arenas, move to NBA arenas in Dallas and Miami and Washington DC and, you know, all these different places to accommodate the viewership, the audiences that were going to be around for Caitlyn Clark. And nobody likes her. Nobody likes her for some reason. The the league just cannot handle that she has a different level of fan base.
I mean, there's just levels to this. There's levels to WNBA fandom. There's levels to superstardom. Caitlyn Clark is on planet Mars. Everyone else isn't even out of the earth's atmosphere. It's not close.
That's not to say there's not good players in the WNBA. That's not to say there's not good fan bases in the WNBA and players who command a great amount of money and great viewership, but there's just no one like Caitlyn Clark. And the proof is in the pudding. Okay. Does she have off games? Yes.
Does she not handle herself great on the court all the time? Yes. But you can't argue what she has done for the WNBA in three short seasons and other players in the league, other coaches in the league. The league itself cannot seem to understand this and handle this. I mean, Alyssa Thomas is punching her in the throat. Okay, she can say it wasn't intentional.
She can say it wasn't cheap. I saw the photos. I saw the video. She got a oneame suspension. And a lot of people would argue it should have been more. Stephanie White said she was okay with it, but the refs have to see this in real time.
They're not. They're taking Caitlyn Clark's plant leg out from under her on a three-point shot. They're punching her in the neck. She's finally sits out with a back injury. The Fever did fine. They won that game.
They're 11 and eight here through about 20 games this season. But the conversation just can't stop when it comes to this team about anything but basketball. And I felt like we were past it. Felt like the league had kind of rallied around Caitlyn Clark. and not only Kaylin Clark, but Paige Beckers and Olivia Miles and Angel Reese and all this young crop of awesome talent in the WNBA that makes it really fun to watch. But we're right back to where we started and now every single national outlet is talking about the treatment of Caitlyn Clark, the officiating of the game as a whole, the officiating of Caitlyn Clark as a specific player, and it's just exhausting.
I can't imagine what it's like being Caitlyn Clark having this conversation over and over and over again. But what I saw between the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever was cheap. I don't know about how you feel about it. Yeah. Uh cheap is a very good word to describe it. We talked about, you know, the background between the two teams.
There was a little bit of off the court issues already there. And I just don't think that people can understand how disrespected a generational star like Caitlyn Clark is getting. I mean, could you imagine? Like we've said in the past, this is a LeBron James type hype time. LeBron James type level of player in the WNBA. And what did the NBA do when LeBron came in the league?
They opened him up with wide open arms. They accepted him as soon as he could get in the league. And you can see how the viewership went. You can see how LeBron's fandom went. And just to see the almost honestly exact opposite of a player that can absolutely change the entire landscape of not only a team, but like a country and a league in itself is just unbelievable. I'm looking right now.
The WNBA released their uh 30-year anniversary poster. Have you seen this? Yes. And they put in Paige Beckers and they put in Angel Reese. And who do they put in for the Fever? Not Caitlyn Clark.
They put in Sophie Cunningham. Yeah. And And I've heard reports come out that that was like a licensing issue. But if that's true, just say it. Yeah. Come out and say it.
Nothing's been made. Not only that's a great point you make like all these little Easter eggs and the league's just dancing around it and then when you reach the league for comment there is no comment no comment about what happened with Caitlyn Clark like they cannot control the narrative to save their life like I like the commissioner okay but she this is a desperate time for leadership these last two years and you are proving how just out of your depth you are when it comes to this Because why are these narratives running crazy? Because you just can't nip it in the bud. Come out and say, "Look, we do not have a problem with Caitlyn Clark. She is a generational talent. She's one of the many great players in this league, but she has made a difference, a positive impact on this league that cannot be denied.
But we will not tolerate this like ridiculous treatment of her and towards her." You know, I used to think it was kind of overblown. It doesn't feel overblown. It feels like there's a jealousy factor at play here. It feels like there's just this ganging up on her. And I'm I'm not trying to be like the woe is Caitlyn Clark.
Caitlyn Clark does not mean need me to defend her. She has a great life. She makes a lot of money. She's already setting records in just three years in the WNBA. But I just don't understand what what benefit does it give you to go against Caitlyn Clark until like there is just put your foot like dig your feet in the ground. We will not accept her.
This is not okay. I mean, we're just going to cheap shot her anytime we get. We're going to make her life miserable and she's going to still succeed in spite of all this. She's going to average like a triple double and set records and they're probably going to win a championship. Now, this iteration of the Fever not looking championship worthy, but I just I can't understand this. I do not understand the resistance to embracing the growth of the league due to the superstardom of a player.
I don't see the benefit in digging your feet in and just being so resistant to Caitlyn Clark and making it so so very obvious. It's such a weird situation. I mean that like plain that that's just what it is. Plain and simple. That's what it is. When I you went on your little rant of the WNBA not protecting Caitlyn Clark and being against Caitlyn Clark.
When you think of any other league and their star player, it's almost the exact opposite. You understand the fact that oh, it's a star player. Let's go to the NBA. LeBron James, Shay Gilich Alexander. anytime they get touched, anytime they get bumped, he's going to the free throw line. That's kind of what I expected to see when Caitlyn Clark got into the WNBA is like, you're going to protect your star player, you're going to protect your superstar franchise player.
But it's just been the exact opposite. You let her get banged up and you let her get trashtalked all throughout the media and what does she do? She keeps her mouth shut. She keeps her head held high and continues to press on. You think about the NFL with Patrick Mahomes. We know how many roughing the passer calls he's gotten.
We know that the NBA and the NFL try to protect their stars and for whatever reason, the WNBA just turns a blind eye every time Caitlin Clark gets hit and tries to act like nothing happened and she keeps pressing on. But I'm I'm telling you, Dom, one of these days if this treatment continues, something's going to give and I don't think it's good to be the WNBA. No, I and you know, if Kaitlin Clark was just this horrible human being, terrible teammate, like I think we'd be able to tell with her teammates, okay, she has a great relationship with Leah Boston. She has a great relationship with Kelsey Mitchell. She has a great relationship with Lexi Hull and Sophie Cunningham. I mean, Maisha Hines Allen was about to go to war for her right there on the spot.
Okay. And I, you know, there's these narratives that Stephanie White and Caitlyn Clark don't get along. I don't I don't know where these came from. Caitlyn Clark came out and said, "Steph is my ride or die." When Caitlyn Clark was injured and it was it came out that she was going to miss the rest of last season, she cried in Stephanie White's arms. Like I Stephanie White is super respected in the WNBA.
Yeah. Okay. Did a lot with a little in Connecticut. Okay. Has stop stops numerous different places. She's an Indiana legend.
She'll be a Hooser High School hero very shortly on Don Miranda TV's and Get in Sports social media pages. Okay. I I don't This fabrication is is kind of unreal and it just it comes with the territory of being Caitlyn Clark, I guess. and LeBron would probably tell you it was just as crazy with that without social media back in the early 2000s, but uh I I struggle to reconcile this situation with Caitlin Clark and I just wonder why we can't move on. They're 11 and eight. Look, as far as on the floor stuff, they're they're a 500 team.
They're performing like a 500 team. They cannot guard a chair, okay? They turn it over 17 times a game and they're allowing 60 plus points in the paint a night. uh they can score with anybody and when they're clicking it is as fun as can be. I mean they were down 13 points to up 21 in the blink of an eye the other day against the Phoenix Mercury like I said. Um even without Kaylin Clark scored over 100 points I believe um yes against the Sparks uh over the weekend.
So 111. Yeah. So I mean the offense isn't the problem. Um, but you know, you are who your record says you are and you you are who you continue to show yourself to be and you are an inept defensive team as of right now. You struggle taking care of the basketball and if you're not hitting shots, you're probably not beating anybody. So, they're a 500 basketball team right now.
Uh, we'll see if they go on a run here. Much needed time off uh this week, I think. And then uh, you know, got to hit it hard in July before the All-Star break in Chicago. But uh the Fever interesting interesting times to be an Indiana Fever fan. NBA draft also happens since the last time we talked first round. Nothing crazy with Indiana folks, but obviously everyone watching Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman Ren.
Braden Smith drafted 38th overall to the Chicago Bulls traded immediately to the Indiana Pacers. He played AAU basketball with Chad Buchanan, GM of the Pacers son. Also Ryan Carr who was in the front office. He's now uh I use I want to say IU's like general manager now. Um Ryan Carr, great people by the way. Um so the Westfield group sticks together, but I mean Braden Smith can play.
Is he going to be the starting point guard tomorrow? Absolutely not. It's going to be a two-way contract. He's going to play on the Noblesville boom more than the Indiana Pacers, especially to start. But uh I mean he's just as good, if not better, than Cam Jones, who you gave up for him. and he has succeeded in spite of his height at every single level.
You know, people can talk smack about it. What What's the worst that can happen that he's on the Indiana Pacers and he's on a team that's good where he can develop and isn't asked just like we talked about with Matthew Carroll. Go listen to that podcast. He isn't asked to shoulder a crazy load. He can develop and become a serviceable backup point guard in the NBA. I think that that could happen.
Yes, absolutely. You make great points. Westfield alum, went to Purdue, Stixs in Indiana. He's already going to have a fan base going for him. The G- League just moved to Noblesville very recently. Like I said, Hamilton County, there's going to be so many fans watching those games.
I think that's great for the business side of it, too. But let's just think about who he's mentored by. Tyrus Hallebertton, one of the best sisters in the league. TJ McConnell, we made the draft comparison to T. J. McConnell even before Braden Smith got drafted.
And now you put him in a place that one, he's going to be surrounded by guys that know what they're doing. They have championship experience. You're surrounded by a group of GMs and coaches and Rick Carlile who's been to finals before. But not only that, you stick in the basketball state of Indiana where you have intelligent fans and you have intelligent everyone in Indiana knows what basketball is. And so I don't think that there was any possible better outcome from Braden Smith. I love this for the Pacers.
I mean, yeah, if you like him as a basketball player, you know who he is as a person. like the Indiana Pacers. I mean, every sports franchise in Indiana is way more than just making it's a it's like a family culture type situation for better, for worse, you know, for better with the Pacers right now, for worse with Colts right now. But that I do respect that out of all the franchises here. And if you like the way he plays and you think he can do well here, I I don't see a downside. I mean, you didn't you didn't even have a pick coming into the night, so why not?
Uh Trey Kaufman Ren, what was he second or third to last pick? Second to last pick. the 59th pick. And did I see this right? That there was only one pick that wasn't traded in the second round. In the second round, there was 29 of the 30 the 30 draft picks were traded at least once.
I think the most traded was eight times in one day. That's it's insane. I just can't believe that. Um, yeah, Pace. I mean, look, kind of a consolation getting Braden Smith and a lot of people around here have something to hold on to because we're all still salty about not getting a top five pick in the NBA draft. Very disappointing.
Okay, but things are going to be all right. I promise you. And maybe Brain Smith can be the air apparent to TJ McConnell. Um, yeah, Trey Kaufman Ren to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Uh, really happy to see him drafted. I think that's I think that says a lot actually.
I did not think he would get drafted. I didn't either. I thought he was going to be someone that, you know, summer league two-way contract. But now that we look at Minnesota's roster, there's legit chance that this kid plays. They have Rudy Gobear. They traded Nas Reed to Charlotte.
I was just going to say they just traded a bag to Charlotte. They traded Nas Reed to Charlotte. They traded Julius Randle to Brooklyn. And so you're looking at their backup center minutes and there aren't really. They have Yong Baron JJ who was their rookie last year, played 40 games, was dealing with injuries, got a lot of coaches DMPs, but TKR honestly could legit get minutes and I could see him playing pretty well. So, he's going to work his ass off.
He is. That's for sure. So, and so is Braden Smith. I mean, that just following those guys for four years, studs. Shout out Silver Creek. Shout out Westfield.
Shout out Purdue. Indiana boys getting it done in the league. And that's a little teaser. Stay tuned after the Kevin Bowen interview. We will do a little Indiana Basketball trivia in the National Basketball Association. Have to mention this.
World Cup. Awesome stuff. Yes, the US lost its last game unfortunately to Turkey. Um hopefully by this time, actually, I'm just going to call it right now. They're beating Bosnia. They're in the round of 16.
Congratulations to the United States men's national team getting to the quarterfinals. It's happening and that would be a raging success. And it has been so much fun to watch. I gotta tell you, there's so much good in this world, folks. And just search Europeans visiting America for the World Cup and you will see what I mean. Just actually outstanding stuff.
I binge it every single day. And the United States, Mauricio Pocutino, extension, contract extension. Love that for him. That guy rocks. Love his fishing attire for games also. Um, yeah, that's just been a joy to watch.
I've loved every single second of it. I have watched almost every World Cup game. I did I was not expecting it. I was not expecting to get into it like I have been, but it has been great. And we'll talk a little further about that with Kevin Bowen. You will not want to miss this interview.
It's coming up right in just a second. But Kevin Bowen, he's the man. A super respected voice in Indianapolis. 1075 the fan morning show. Kevin Bowen joins get in sports. All right.
Joining us right now on this episode of Get In Sports, a man who is one of the main voices of sports in sports in the city of Indianapolis in the great state of Indiana, a man whose voice you will almost certainly immediately recognize. He's a Hooser. He's as hooer as Hooser gets really spending his entire life in the state of Indiana working his you know what off to get to where he is today. Happy to have Kevin Bowen, the host of the morning show on 1075, The Fan here in our studio this afternoon. Kevin, is this weird like Matrix for you? because you're usually on the other side.
It is a bit odd, but then as soon as I saw that beautiful logo on your chest, I was like, "Ah, he's my Notre Dame therapist and that's literally what you are." So, uh, now I feel comforted. I feel welcome. So, beautiful studio here and thanks for having me, man. Yeah, absolutely. The vintage for those who are watching Jersey.
What is this like a specific sport? I don't know. I think it's I think it's a little Notre Dame baseball throwback, but yeah, this would definitely be a um I don't know if this would be allowed personally in the Notre Dame Under Armour collection there. But, uh yeah, little little summer throwback baseball tea here. Kevin, die hard Notre Dame fan, as am I. I'm from up around South Bend.
I'm I'm interested to actually get the backstory to your Notre Dame fandom. So, we'll have to put a pin in that. But like I mentioned off the top, Kevin been in Indiana the his entire life, worked his way up to where he is now. Started in high school, college, worked his way up. I think a lot of people really respect the way you cover sports here in Indie and you're a very respected voice on 1075 the fan. Thought you were a great get forget Indiana because of what I just said being in Indiana, get in sports primarily.
Uh what is it about this state? I mean, you started at Cathedral, you went to IU, here you are, one of the main voices in the state. What I mean, just from the beginning, what made you want to talk sports in the state that you grew up in? Where does it all start for you? Yeah, I mean, it starts at the kitchen table, uh, reading Bob Kravitz and the Indie Star on a on a daily basis. You know, I still remember both my parents are teachers, so I'd wake up early with my dad before he would go off to school and and, you know, we'd look at the box score.
where I learned how to do math through the Reggie Miller box scores of okay, how many two-point field goals, how many three-point field goals, and yeah, I I just been obsessed with sports at a very young age. I have an older brother, it's five and a half years older than me. Uh, and he kind of instilled a little bit of that into me. And then, um, shout out to Deb Davis, my seventh grade, uh, newspaper teacher at Clay Junior High. Nice. Uh, she kind of said to me, you know, pretty early on of like, you know, you can do this for a living.
And I was like, oh, wow, really? Tell me more. uh don't have to write, you know, boring English papers or anything like that. So, that's probably what sparked things. Uh and then, you know, obviously so many great role models here in our market and just our sports culture. You know, it's hard, I think, not to grow up and love it.
You know, whether it was the Reggie Miller and Pton Manning presence or how much we love college sports, how much we love high school sports. Obviously, the Ny500 speaks for itself. So, I think just a part of all of that. Um it's hard not to be uh I guess uh indebted into it, if you will, right? not only just what's going on sportsswise as far as Pacers, Colts, Caitlyn Clark, Indy500, but everything that's hosted here. And you mentioned high school sports.
Just the way I feel like media treats it as college sports. You're a part of it. That's intoxicating. I mean, really, not a lot of states do that and it's really, really, really cool. Um, okay. So, how was your experience at Cathedral High School when it comes to this or just, you know, you grew up here?
Yeah, it was great. Yeah, I went to Carmel Clay schools until high school. Um, my mom taught in Carmel Clay schools and then, yeah, went to Cathedral. Um, loved it there. Had a great time. Obviously, they have a really strong athletic program, so I got probably contributed to my continued love there.
Played golf there in high school. Um, and just some of my favorite memories, honestly. Um, you know, being there and taking a part in that and you think back fondly on teammates and friends and all of that. And, you know, really from a newspaper standpoint, I still kind of grew up in that age, if you will. You know, I did write for their school paper, but you know, really once I got to IU, I think that's what kind of sparked a little bit more into it. And, you know, you and I are around the same age.
That's kind of where social media started to develop a little bit here. The podcast world started to develop. I had a a great friend, Frank Thurber, who kind of pushed me in the direction of, hey, let's go to the WUX student radio callout meeting. And I was like, oh my gosh, seeing that red light always strikes fear in me. I'm like, I don't know if I'm ready for that. Um so shout out to him because without him I don't know if I would have pursued uh the industry and I think honestly media's evolved a lot DM to where the point of like it's pretty multiplatform.
Yeah. Um so that I think has kind of helped me out try to be you know as available as I can be across as many platforms as possible whether it's TV or radio or podcast or still writing uh digitally and then social media of course. So, um, again, a lot of great mentors throughout the years, uh, learned from a lot of people, uh, and very grateful to be, you know, in this market where I grew up in, uh, you know, being a hopefully a voice that people enjoy listening to each morning. I loved the Bob Kravitz call out cuz he's still doing it at a high level. But you're absolutely right. The the sports media that we fell in love with growing up has changed so significantly.
And you know that, and we'll get to this, but teaching the youth to embrace because you're told getting into this, do it in many different ways. Do it on air, be able to edit, do all this, but now it's like enhanced to a whole another nth degree with podcasting clips, be on TikTok, the whole nine yards. It's just it's fascinating. And you're right, it's changed so much just from the time we got into this to the to where we are right now. But all right, so you went to IU. Where does this IU fandom begin?
the Notre Dame fandom start. How How do we divide and conquer? We got the alma mater, but I I mean I know you and the Notre Dame love runs deep as it does for me. So, we're in the open right now. Yeah. Where does that start?
Yeah. Blue and gold. Yeah. Shout out to Ryan Bowen. I mean, my my older brother instilled in me at a very young age. We will cheer for Notre Dame and we will cheer for no one else.
Okay. Yeah. Loyalty to the nth degree. It's probably a question I get the most. People look at me very confused when I explain to them just because I was too dumb first off and then probably too poor secondly to attend the University of Notre Dame doesn't mean my fandom is going to stop. So yeah, my uh my mom's uncle taught there and so there was like a distant little connection and then my uncle Dan um I think really he didn't have any children and he really kind of took my brother and I you know under his sport fandom wings of like you know I'm a Notre Dame fan, you guys need to be Notre Dame fans, etc.
, etc. So yeah, I've been as dieh hard as they come. I, as you know, I'm a huge Notre Dame basketball fan. Yes, that's what that's what separates you, okay? that we got to stick together there because that's the that's the true Notre Dame fandom. Yeah, we we might be two of the very few that would say that.
But I think a little bit of that is the 49 states it's just basketball, but this is Indiana. Like I still think that's there in this state. I I've said this many times on air. You know, you know, there's nothing like what a Pacers championship parade would look like, I think, for this city. I know the NFL is king, but I still think that basketball heritage is so alive in many many people, especially maybe kind of our age group and older. Obviously, I grew up in a Pton Manning era, too, so football understandably has grown to be huge, but um yeah, there's something about basketball roots in this state.
So, I get that there are many people out there like, well, you can be fans of multiple teams. You know, certainly in this state, we have a lot of reversible jacket Indiana basketball, Notre Dame football fans that maybe have evolved to, you know, more of the IU football. But, uh, I will continue to be loyal. And it's nice for me cuz like we don't talk a lot of Notre Dame on the show, right? You can separate. There's enough distance where it's like, okay, that's the South End market.
We can be a fan and still talk IU Purdue. Yeah. We can be objective, you know, from a local standpoint. IU Purdue, of course, you know, Butler, uh, obviously Coloulson Pacers. Uh, but it allows me to be psychotic a couple Saturdays in the fall there. So, I apologize to our neighbors, you know, when things get a little rowdy there in the Bowen household.
But, yeah, I am a Notre Dame through and through. And I happily sent my uh admissions letter and happily got denied and uh saw that nice little monogram at the top and thought I should probably frame this. Frame it. You shot your shot. Why not? Yeah.
I think it was clear pretty early on I wasn't getting into Notre Dame so I next best thing and just but great institutions in our state. Oh absolutely you know lived and died with everything. I do I love that point you made football is king and it will always be king but a basketball championship you know at any level Purdue IU Pacers in this state in this city would be levels of cathartic I don't think. Yeah that's so well said. You know what I mean? So well said that's why the passion it would be more intense I think.
Yeah. And you know, we saw how close the Pacers were last year. You know, I've obviously seen images of this Knicks parade, and I know it bothers a lot here in this market, very understandably, because sports passion and sports hatred can be very healthy, I would argue, at times. Um, but yeah, I just think there is still that element in this state of, you know, we are a basketball state first. I think it's why a lot of people gravitated towards that Purdue team that just graduated because they did have a little bit of the local flare. they were kind of the outlier in today's just crazy frankly college landscape.
So, you know, high school basketball, college basketball, the NBA team. I mean, honestly, it's a very likable Pacers team, you know, and there are a lot of professional teams that I don't know if they would fit that bill there. So, uh yeah, looking forward to seeing what happens here when things get started uh in a in a few months. It is very small town, big city, and I think people latch on to that. All right. So you did mention that in at IU development of sports, media, personality, sports writer, what have you really became a realistic option for you?
What why was that? And IU's known for, you know, the media, sports media. They do a phenomenal job. I mean, you know that as a professor as well, but what was it about your experience there? Yeah. Uh my junior year I was taught by the late great Terry Hutchkins in a feature writing class at Ernie Pile, their journalism school.
And for those that don't remember what you know Terry was doing at that time, he was the indie star beat writer for the IU basketball team. So at that point, he was I think the early years of Tom Crane, if memory serves, I'm trying to think where I was. Yeah, I think Tom Kane was hired my freshman year now that I think about it out loud here. Um, so good experience for you as a student watching the basketball team. Good as a senior. Good as a senior.
Took a while because a lot of sanctions with the Kelvin Samson era coming to an end. So I think it was 69 12 I think were the win totals my first three years. Got it. Now senior year was w shot. Okay. And they made it to the sweet 16.
Paid off. Yeah. So finally um you were able to, you know, reap some of those benefits and have a Kirkwood or two celebration. But um yeah, you know, Terry Hutchkins taught us and you know, at the time he was, again, his real job was covering the team, but you know, he also taught us, but I thought it was just so cool to hear his real life in-person stories about covering a very prominent sport. Um, you know, certainly the Indiana men's basketball beat is a major major beat uh I would argue across the nation from a college sport standpoint. So, um, he really instilled in me, I guess, furthered my desire to want to be in the industry.
And I remember sitting in his class, I can distinctly remember where the classroom was of like, all right, if I ever somewhat make it in this industry, I would love to do what he's doing, have the real job in the industry, but then come back and provide a little bit of, you know, my experience with students. Obviously, professors are great, but I think having a professor or two that can be in the field. Yes. and teaching especially in our industry Dom where it's like we're so ever changing you know like this thing wouldn't have been a thing I would have envisioned in college exactly and to have someone who is in it understands those changes again like you said nothing wrong with a professor who's who's sure how you get into the industry at large but someone who just okay in three years this changed dramatically so yeah great and again it just kind of gets to the multiplatform that has evolved I really think kind of with us so um you know being the son of two teachers, I kind of always felt, hey, if this is possible, I would love to to do it.
So, you know, it took a while. Um, but, you know, now I've gone back seven years that I've been teaching at their media school. And again, it's a multiplatform journalism class. And I'm just such a big believer that, you know, you have to do things that are not just niched to one medium if you want to really thrive or survive, however you want to look at it, in our industry. And so whether that's TV or video or audio or radio or podcast or social media again, etc. , etc.
, you know, to me all of that is um really important to kind of dip your toes in as many things as possible. So I know it's something you clearly believe in. It's something that I believe in and it's what I try to um you know, teach back to the students. It's super energizing. I will say that. But you're thinking about it constantly as as like a content creator.
I I I mean whatever term, but like okay, what would strike well? this high school video did really well. This like true it's awesome. And like out of this podcast, we'll spawn 20 some odd clips. Like maybe we'll talk about Shrewsbury and you'll say it's it's it's a make or break year and then we'll play it in December. You know what I mean?
Like it's it's just it's awesome. I love it and it's like it's the most energized I mean I've ever been. It's it's just a fun thing to do in addition to, you know, 1075 the fan in addition to WTR and just multi ways for people to see you. I mean, right? Followers drive engagement and so on and so forth. But you mentioned being a professor, and I'm glad you did because I think you kind of touched on it there, being in the field, giving back to the youth, especially your alma mater, a place that really shaped you and and got you to where you are today.
what what energizes you about doing that and being able to pass on those changes to the youth and really probably stuff they need to hear to put them in a best position to succeed. Yeah. I would just say seeing their genuine curiosity. Yeah. And you know, it's an 18 person class. I I I teach it Tuesdays and Thursdays in the spring semester.
And driving down there, it it's funny how in those days I'm so much more energized, frankly. Um, you know, I don't want to share too much information. I'm not a big pre-show shower on a daily basis, you know. I mean, it it's radio here. I mean, it's morning. Let's be honest.
Come on. You think I care what James Boyd and Mark Dyton think of my hygiene here? Um, I mean, obviously, I throw on, you know, enough of the hygiene products that are necessary, but you catch my drift. But when I'm in the shower early on a Tuesday or Thursday morning pre-teaching because they deserve me obviously to be showered, I I I just It's almost like I don't need that extra cup of coffee. Yeah. It it just kind of has that feel for me and and I know my wife like she's super supportive and like I can see you energized on those days and sure it makes for a little bit of a busier you know kind of 8week stretch that I'm doing it but again just hearing their questions seeing their eyes and ears and a lot's changed in our industry of course since I was in college and a lot's changed in the seven years that I've taught it.
I mean, I remember the first day of co was literally the first day I taught and my wow, you know, first year and a half was really kind of zoom and I and I hated that. Like this to me is so much more valuable than anything we do from a virtual setting. So to be in person again to kind of see them uh react to things and and just you know their excitement level to be in class um I thoroughly enjoy. And now I'm kind of at the point where several of them have gone on to do pretty impressive things. Yeah. Uh in in the field of work, a lot of them in our market like that now has been extra rewarding.
So I'd love to continue to do it for as long as I can. I I pitched the class to Gayen Clavio, their head of the media school, um you know, back I guess seven or eight years ago at this point and and thank him for being so willing to like kind of hear me out on it. And you know, again, it's kind of a new age class, if you will. Um so yeah, I I I love it. I it's probably my uh favorite time of the year, honestly. That's really cool.
And just being able to give back, too. And I just think it's so valuable for these kids and just where it's trending. And that's so awesome. And to your point of being energized, it's funny that you said that about your wife because I've been at this 3 weeks and my wife is like, it's like a flip or switch has flipped in you like you're just going at this and like you're just putting it all at the wall and you have no free time, but it's awesome. And uh I totally get that. It's just it's such a great feeling.
Yeah. And like I think you and I are kind of in the same boat of, you know, a what that energy gives to you, but then also b like we work in an industry where there are a lot of pros. Yeah. But there are also a lot of cons. Yeah. And so like what my goal is with them is, you know, you're going to produce content all throughout your four years down here.
People are going to encourage you, you know, work for the student paper, do this Cuban center that, you know, all these unbelievable opportunities that are there at really a lot of universities, but in particular IU when it comes to a media school standpoint. My thought is when you come into this industry, what's real life, right? What's the good? What's the bad? Yeah. You know, all of it.
There are, you know, time constraints, financial constraints that probably aren't as lucrative in our industry as some others. But I also wake up and do what I love every morning. And that's not lost on me either. And that is something that, you know, my wife reminds me of uh a whole whole lot. And I take a lot of pride and and frankly um I guess value to you know be kind of that early morning voice for a lot of people and uh that's something that I think is really cool and and and and really special. So I just kind of want to bring to them.
Let me lay it all out for you and can you walk out of this classroom with a better idea of what this industry is like again the good, the bad, the ugly of it all. Um and then make a decision off of that. You're going to experience it all throughout your career and we'll we'll talk about kind of your start and how you got to where you are. But yes, there are days where I'm driving to a high school game on a Friday night, you know, not getting home till 12:00 or 1:00 a. m. like, what what am I doing now?
It was fun. Was it awesome? Yes. But it's like, man, what am I doing? I would have loved to go out with my wife on a date night on a Friday night. But then I'll cover, you know, an NBA finals run, a final four, you know, Caitlyn Clark coming to Indianapolis, the Indianapolis 500, and like get emotional that I'm there.
Like people pay thousands to do this, and I get to be here and get paid for it. It's awesome, and it makes it all worth it. And those early days, you know, starting in like Teroot or Tallahassee, 18 hours away from home. Not great when you're making 25, you know, $25,000 a year. Not not exactly fun, but looking back, I would do it all over. And I'm sure you feel the same way.
Get getting into that. You started with a a professional football franchise right out of school. Not many people do that. You were writing for Colts. com or you parlayed a PR internship into a beat writer position. How did that work out?
How did that all come to be? So, I was actually entered my senior year with the Colts uh when I was at IU. I drove up every Monday and Wednesday uh and wrote for Colts. com just part of an internship via a class and and unfortunately they were two and 14 that year. So it was very difficult to try and find some things. Is that Pton Manning neck surgery situation?
Yeah. 2011. Um so I I guess I got my first start with the Colts. Um I mentioned my older brother. He was an accounting intern. He went to Butler.
He was an accounting intern with the Colts back when he was in college. And so he did a great job of kind of, you know, trying to span out to other departments within their organization. And so he got to know the public relations department. So as I kind ventured down this path, he's like, "Hey, you should contact them and see if they've got anything." So I was originally originally a training camp intern at Anderson University. Nice.
Back I want to say training camp after my sophomore year of college. So shout out to Smith Hall on the campus of Anderson University if it still exists. but stayed up there for three or four weeks and um you know that was awesome just to boots on the ground and get you know a great honestly just get a great foot in the door and then I think that allowed me to kind of show my worth a little bit there. Um that ended up being a game game day intern after that drove up every Sunday for home games that led to again doing the internship senior year and then they offered me a full-time internship uh when I graduated. So, it's definitely a lot of steps and you know, I try to remind students quite often, you know, that internship might sound like something like that word, I guess, is maybe not the full-time job. Uh, but it can lead to something, you know, pretty promising.
And eventually, I did get hired full-time by them and did a lot of digital media through them. Again, that was kind of the emphasis stages of multiplatform and writing for a website and you know did some radio with Matt Taylor and Bob Lamey and some TV with Jim Sorgy and um just loved it and it was really really valuable over there. So it was a great experience again public relations kind of into digital media which as you know there's a lot of overlap between both of those. Yes. Um you know I see people do the reverse of it. They first start kind of normal media if you will and then get into public relations down the road there.
But uh yeah, that was an awesome awesome time for me again growing up in this market, you know, to experience what I did. Go to a lot of unbelievable venues. Went to London when they played in 2016. Um just super cool. Yeah, PR is not for the faint of heart. People do not understand that.
I mean, it is you are busy and you're putting out fires a lot, but patience is everything in this industry, isn't it? I mean, yeah. The internship just cut your teeth. I imagine that is probably your biggest piece of advice to kids you teach is just like you don't need to be in market 4 at 22 years old. It's going to be okay. Yeah.
And like this is the time to try and experience these things and like you don't have all of the now, you know, I got married at whatever I was 29 years old and now have three kids under the age of six. But it's like when you're 22, 24, 26, you know, all those, you know, that's the time to, you know, whatever take risks and change. And again, I'm not someone that left this market. Plenty of people did. You being one of them. Um, so yeah, I highly encourage people to, you know, even if the internship doesn't necessarily work out how you liked.
Okay, now you know, you can cross that off like, okay, I don't, you know, need to whatever pursue that. But I I think you'll find it, you know, my next job working for the radio station, the work I did with the Colts led to the people at the radio station being like, "Okay, we feel like he's qualified to come over and help us out." Right. Um so again, you never know who's watching. Uh and was very fortunate to land with back then MS Communications, now Radio One. Yeah.
Everything happens for a reason. I I you don't need to have it figured out, you know, before age 30. I saw a Tik Tok that said 30 years old if you if life is 24 hours. When you're 30, it's 9:00 a. m. Huh.
You don't have to have it all figured out by noon. Yeah. Okay. Like it's okay. You can try things and like you said, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. Now you know.
I like the clock analogy. Now you know. Yeah. Well, I can't take credit for it. It was good. I I've been saying it to everyone like it was my idea.
But anyway, uh you mentioned the transition from Colts to EMS communications and and then when you get to EMS, you kind of work your way up and now now you're host of of the morning show. And I mean Kevin, a lot of people love listening to you and James truly. I hear it all the time. I listen to you guys when I I mean when I'm up that early. Um it's awesome. You got you guys have such a a great vibe and it's it's really insightful stuff, too.
But it it didn't just start. You didn't get the job and were host of the morning show. So, how how does that all pan out? Yeah, so when I initially uh got to EMS, I primarily wrote for their website covering the Colts and Pacers initially. Uh started my own podcast. Um I still do to this day focusing mainly on the Colts there.
Um but, you know, was kind of the emergency bullpen, you know, fill-in person. And you know, honestly, early on it really and well, I mean, like I said, at 6:58 every morning, I still get, you know, those those butterflies, but I I was pretty intimidated by, you know, hosting. And I I especially the solo host I I I find that talk a lot. I find that really challenging. And you know, hey, how much am I talking about the funny off the- field thing? Do people think it's funny?
Oh, wait. I need to transition back to Colts, Pacers, you know, college fever, etc. You know, how do you properly interview guest and and you know, what's the balance of, you know, taking fan calls and text lines and chats and, you know, how do you incorporate all of that? So, uh, I'm glad that it it it I could kind of get my toes wet a little bit and then all of a sudden they'd be back from vacation, the normal host, and I could go back to kind of my, uh, my, uh, you know, duties that I had with the station there. So, yeah, it took me a few years, but became a full-time host in like 21, I want to say. Um, and I honestly think the morning show kind of fits me.
Um, I I know I'm definitely not like the funniest or this great entertainer, per se. I'm probably more of like your sports centery. You were on a date last night. You missed whatever. Purdue playing, Pacers playing, you've got a 15 minutee commute in the morning. Can we give you something?
Right. A wealth of knowledge. Can we give you a morsel or two that all of a sudden, you know, you go to the water cooler and now you feel like you've learned something from the night before? That's kind of how I view us. Yeah. Um, you know, again, I take a lot of pride in being, you know, the main only really local sports show in town.
Um, that to me is like really really cool and, you know, I want to respect that as much as possible. I know there are a lot of outlets in today's climate that you could turn to for other info. I'd like to think local sports will always have, you know, a big big spot because you're probably not going to hear our teams talked about on Get Up or Sports Center or whatever your morning, you know, national brand is. I mean, we even saw that during the Pacers run. It felt like it was pulling teeth to get them to talk about the Pacers, right? So, again, locally, I think, you know, you know, where where uh where to be from 7 to 10 hopefully and I want to make sure we do a good job of sticking with that.
Sure, national stories are always going to be there that we will hit on, but I want to make sure we're local first. I take a lot of pride in being from here. I take a lot of pride in again the sports and our market to kind of go back to what we talked about to lead off the this show. Um, you know, we have you on every Friday during high school football season. Like I I want to make sure we continue to do that and not get away from what our roots are because I have a lot of passion for it and I know uh our our audience does as well. Yeah, I was just going to mention that.
I'm happy you did. But I think that's why people trust you. You're from here. You you live and die with these teams and like want to see them talked about and are there every day watching every day. How many national hosts are watching the Pacers every game that can talk about it intelligently? Right.
IU, Purdue basketball, sure, they're they're pretty well renowned in in the course of the Big 10 in college basketball, but even with the Colts in the NFL, like, you know, it's just so refreshing to tune in every morning or, you know, to Jquery or to JMV and just know what you're getting and like good, clean, I don't know, just conversation about the teams that you love here in Indianapolis. And I talk about the butterflies. The first time if you had told me 10 years ago that I would be on every Friday morning 1075 the fan talking sports talking about like Chris Ballard or Notre Dame like I would have been like no way this is like my dream. It was so much fun doing that on your energy. Yeah. We would have you on at 7:30 and you'd be live at one of these high schools like you talked about earlier and we'd be joking about how much Red Bull you've you've you've drank up until that point of the morning.
But again, like that's I mean I can vividly remember being in the parking lot of a high school Friday night football game being like that's Dave Calabro. Oh my gosh. Like Anthony Calhoun is right there. Like I mean just like you're just like bowing down to these people. And you know I'm half joking, half serious. Like that kind of spawned I think my interest in it.
You know obviously Reed Kravitz back in the indie star and all of that. So again to provide a little bit of um whatever uh info relief uh you know not to get too like philosophical but I I I find sports really unifying in in today's world we probably don't have enough of unifying things to kind of gravitate towards and to meet some of our audience in public you know when I do um you know whether it's race, religion, sex, you know political views whatever. Um, I I I think it's pretty cool just to see what sports can do and you know, I know a lot of Pacers fans obviously didn't love the run that you saw with the New York Knicks, but like you just watch their fans celebrate it. You know, that's what I think is so cool about sports, the World Cup. Like you watch some of these countries celebrate what a goal, not a win, a goal can mean for their country, getting to the World Cup, but what a goal can mean.
like I I I I don't know of really anything else in the world that can kind of bring all all that together. So, you know, not to get off on a soap box, but I I think there's some real real value in that. And again, I'm just happy that we can provide some of that relief for people on a daily basis. It's so well said because that's exactly why I got into this is because of how much I loved just watching sports or Steuart Scott top 10 every morning before school late to the bus because I have to see what was number one and like Neil Everett just his witty remarks. Kenny Payne. Um, Kenny Mane.
Kenny Mane. Kenny Mane. God, Neil Ever was so funny. He's hilarious. And And your point of the World Cup, like I'm I'm having my coffee this morning watching these videos of Scotland fans taking over Boston, Norway fans doing the Viking chant on the escalator up. And I'm like getting emotional because it's like there's so much good still.
Like I don't want to get too deep, but there's so much good and sports brings it out. and all these European people visiting saying America is so great. They're amazing hosts. Like everyone's so friendly and like what else but sports. Sure. To bring that out.
And I just think and you talk about the people you meet in Indianapolis who listen to your show and people who come up to me and say like the nicest things. They're so salt of the earth and they just love can't get enough of the local sports. I go to the Barber and it's like well do you think the Pacers are going to be like is Kyrie's going to be okay? Like I don't know. Can Monique Billings be a starter on a championship team? Like this kind of stuff.
Yeah, it's just like it's so awesome. You know, people are working, you know, their normal 9 to fives. I always say we don't have real jobs and you know, whenever whatever get together with family or friends, it's like largely my friends and family like they want to ask about your job, you know, what did you do today? What hey I I heard this, have you heard that? You know, it's not much of the hey, have you seen how our stock is doing lately? which you know again we're not in this business for lucriveness from a financial standpoint but um it kind of comes back to the reminder of like you are doing what you love and um that is not something that all I think industries uh provide on a daily basis and so I do feel very energized waking up early driving in and um again once that mic is put right here it's a it's it's a really cool honor even the bad days are good days and it's nice to be reminded of that every so often there's no question about it what was the out of the watch shot like as a student.
Yeah, so I I covered the men's basketball team that year for the Indiana Daily student. I can remember exactly where I was. They back back then they had media seating uh behind the opposite basket from where Christian Watford made that shot right next to the Kentucky bench. And so I was sitting right there. Um and I was in charge of getting the quick gamer up as soon as the buzzer sounded. Good luck.
So there were two beat riders, myself and Connor Aggera. And Connor had more of the bigger gamer and then I had kind of 150 word that I needed to get up right away. And obviously great game, back and forth game. And so, you know, there I am sitting with that, you know, cursor just staring at me, blinking at me like, oh boy, I got like three graphs I need to fill and I need to get it up. But like all of a sudden it's like, wait, what's going to happen here? I think it was I think it was Don Lamb maybe was at the line.
Um, and so I was thinking to myself, okay, you what is about to happen? and uh you know where it all unfolds just the utter shock and I could feel I mean my body's shaking a little bit right now thinking back of just never never being in an environment close to that again just to you know 69 and 12 wins my first three years basketball won three Big 10 games in four years so like I never got the college experience whatsoever from a monumental sport event standpoint up until really that moment and then you see all the players running, you know, just mobbing Christian Watford and all the students kind of filling out onto the floor. There was a moment there where I just kind of soaked it all in for about 30 or 45 seconds and then finally got to probably finger typing honestly cuz my hands were still shaking from what was going on in that moment. It was a Saturday night. I remember the game tipped at like 5 or 5:15.
And it it's funny. I lived on Kirkwood um that that year my my junior and senior year senior year. I live next to Oddfell or above the farm restaurant next to Buzzkirk Chumley Theater for those familiar with Bloomington. And so um I remember someone saying to me like, "Hey, if they win, you don't want your car on Kirkwood that night." And again, my college experience had never been like that. Like, you know, I I never got to even prepare for that, right?
Like, oh, go to Show Walter Fountain and, you know, steal the fish or climb light poles or no, like I I mean, football, basketball, none of it. So, uh, luckily my car was at Assembly Hall for the game and then I remember coming back and being like, I got to park that thing way way away. But, um, just an incredible night. Obviously, I was there writing, uh, really late, but I still have it framed in my basement uh, the front page of the Daily Student for that Monday and uh, got to have an article on the front page and uh, and the headline I I'll never forget. It says trampoline number one. Obviously, Kentucky was ranked number one, but there's a great image um I think taken by it might have been Chad Strange, one of our daily student photog of Daryus Miller, number one for Kentucky.
He was the one closing out on Christian Watford on the shot and his jersey number was one. Thankfully, he made it back to the locker room. Okay. I was going to say, did he get mocked? Did he did he get trampled? But the trampling of number one is all the IU players tackling Christian Watford and he's kind of in the fetal position underneath that.
So, yeah, I have that framed and uh you know, every probably once a month probably just find my eyes wandering over there and be like, "Man, that was so freaking cool." I was just going to say whenever if ever I need to feel something, I'll just throw that up and just watch it because it's just Tom Green's face, Shman's call, Mr. Shman, like unbelievable. Like hostile almost. Well, they're at the end. Yeah.
And like look at what's transpired since then. I mean, you know, last year I think we had IU at Kentucky and that might have been the first time since the watch shot we've gotten an on-ampus game between the two programs. I think you're right. you know, Kentucky doesn't want to come to IU, right? And now they're gonna play at Lucas Oil this year. It's just like we do those those are the environments I love about college sports.
You know, pro sports, we don't get a lot of those types of environments. So, to have witnessed that um and that season in general, I mean, Indiana beat Michigan State later in the year, top five. Ohio State on New Year's Eve top five. Uh they went to the Sweet 16. Will Shehy did a huge baseline jumper in the in the second round to beat VCU. They actually played Kentucky again in the Sweet 16 in the Georgia Dome.
It was a great game. Just an awesome, frankly, awesome atmosphere in an NFL stadium, as weird as that sounds with Kentucky and IU fans there. So, um, that was probably another moment, honestly, of just like you want to do this for a living. Yeah. Like, you know, Hollywood would have laughed at that script. Yeah.
You know, had it been presented to you at 3:00 on a Saturday. But that's the beauty of sports is you just never know. Yep. You really do never know. All right. to end here.
I want to go rapid fire with some uh local Indiana sports because we got kind of your path to where you are. And like I said, I just I love your perspective on different sports. I think you relate it to real life very very well. But let's stick with IU. And since we're talking about basketball, let's let's stick with basketball. To me, is IU a blueb blood?
Is IU basketball a blue blood? They are a blueb blood in history and resources, but that's where the blueb blood nature stops. They're not a present day blueb blood and winning by any means. So yes, you got to go to history. You got to go to resources to describe their blueb blood nature. But you know what is it?
One trip past the Sweet 16 in the last 30 years. That's my whole thing here. Like if you're going to call yourself a blueb blood, you need to roll out of bed to the NCAA tournament. Yeah. And if you look at our state, I mean Butler has obviously made it further in the tournament than Indiana over I mean like 20 years. Let's just go there.
you know, Butler has made it further multiple times. I mean, Notre Dame basketball has made two elite eights in the last 20 years and obviously Purdue, you know, dwarfs anybody else, you know, when it comes to that aspect of it. So, yeah, it's um is that bothersome is my question. You know what I mean? Like there's such a IU basketball is everything and it just feels like there's something missing where you know you these elite level programs are they getting to elite 8 final four every single year? Like maybe not, but they're making the tournament every single year, right?
I mean, I I I've said this quite often. I don't think there's a program in college basketball in the last decade that has gotten less return on investment than IU men's basketball. And again, that investment, fan base, money, facilities, just general passion towards it. I mean, there's only a handful, maybe 10 programs that match what Indiana has. And again, the return on that investment is hardly anything. you know, nothing past the Sweet 16 here since 2002.
So, I mean, I will say I think what Darren Dere has done the second year, it's a total 180 from how he handled the portal the first year, which I think if you're an IU fan, you're encouraged by that. It's not the stubbornness that maybe some prior coaches had. So, um I think there is some reason for optimism, and I get it. We've done the portal thing with Indiana a lot, but okay, all multi-year guys seemingly now in this year's portal hall. Uh some high major guys, um some legit size to compete in the Big 10. So, um I think you do appreciate kind of that aspect to it.
Yeah, it just it would be it would make my heart happy just as a sports fan in Indiana, the state of Indiana, wanting those teams to do well just to see IU perennially sure making the tournament. I I just think that's I just think that's bare minimum when you're when you're a program, when you're in your university, a basketball uh historic place like that. And just to stick with it for one more, you and I as Notre Dame football fans can certainly relate because we were in that mode for a long long time. And as much as my Brian Kelly fandom has probably waned a little bit, he deserves a lot of credit for getting the program back onto very solid foundation. And then Marcus Freeman of course has continued in I would argue has um you know grown it a little bit. So um yeah you know we have seen blue blood rich history programs be stuck be back in the middle of the pack the bottom courts however you want to define it.
Um so for Notre Dame football they were very fortunate to get out and now you know with Indiana basketball um yeah it's bleeper good off the pot. Yeah it just feels like making the NCAA tournament needs to be the bar every single season. I I would say the bare minimum. Bare minimum. So there's no question about especially now that we got what 170 teams make it now. Yeah, [ __ ] don't even get me started on that college sports.
But um I did you ever think that your alma mater in the sport of football would do anything remotely close to what transpired a year ago? No, no, no, no. I mean I said it a few minutes ago, you know, laughing at a Hollywood script. I mean, college me would have cackled at that script. Again, we won three Big 10 games in four years. You know, me as a diehard sports fan probably showed you where my priorities were in college.
I went to four quarters of football in four years. You know, four quarters and and you know, I'm as big of a sports fan as I think we lost to Ball State. I want to say it was twice in my four years there. So, um it it's incredible. Um I think there's a little bit of the myth of Indiana bought a national title team. Um I would strongly disagree with that.
Did they benefit from the new age of college football? Yeah. You know, the James Madison kids being eligible right away. Certainly. But who hasn't benefit? You know what I mean, right?
I mean, but again, Fernando Mendoz, I believe, was the only, you know, milliondoll player on this championship team. Um, so that's where I do think there's a little bit of a myth to what, you know, Indiana did to create the national title. Um, obviously was rooted in Kurt Signetti's just incredible leadership. Um and again a lot of those JMU guys were just great great finds. Uh clearly the culture is very real and Mendoza was obviously a huge huge part of it. But yeah I mean I would have it's one of the greatest stories in sports what Kurt Signetti is able to do with those guys.
They were at James Madison. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like any other It's not like they were even Portal like highly soughta portal guys. Yeah. there.
Let's not act like these were all, you know, they just, you know, completely enhanced their rankings. Well, it's like Texas Tech to me is the program that has truly bought a playoff team. Like financially, they have gone out and they have paid major top dollar for these guys. You know, really, yes, Indiana's in a very healthy financial state, of course, with their college football program, and they're matching this day and age climate of you need X amount of dollars to compete. But that was not the championship team. There was still a lot of homegrown James Madison players on that roster.
Even some guys that weren't were Tom Allen recruits uh honestly on that team as well. So I think that's kind of one myth is, you know, I see it a lot more nationally. Oh, you know, Indiana just bought a title and you know, biggest alumni base blah blah blah. Yes, there are benefits to what they have resource-wise and they will be at the big kids table, but that was not that team. That was not this bought championship team. Um, that was just a special special story and frankly one we'll probably never see again in sports.
I will never forget covering that and going out on the field when the confetti fell down. I felt a level of chills I've never felt. And I'm not this diehard Indiana fan, but I am just like a diehard sports story fan. That was incredible. And then the crowd all singing Fernando in unison. I I just never will forget it.
Little ABA action, right? Yeah. It's funny because I was actually listening to the morning show, the fan morning show, um when IU beat Akan in what was it three overtimes 29 to 27 and how sad them singing the fight song in the locker room was after. You were talking about it just laughing like this is this is a new level of rock bottom from that point to now 27 and two over the last two years 16-0 national championship peach bowl unbelievable yeah little a little different the glee club in that postgame locker room there to beat Akan versus everybody singing you know Fernando there with the national championship and like his individual presence I think kind of just made the story that much sweeter just the genuine nature to him, his family. Um, you know, one-year transfers can feel a little hired gunny, I think, in today's climate. But, uh, if there is such a thing as a legend, a statue down there that's not Robert Montgomery Knight, I I I would venture to guess a Kurt Signetti, Fernando Mendoza, one is probably going to be held in high regard.
Maybe him, you know, leaping there for the end zone on the fourth and goal or on the fourth down run will be part of it one day. Amazing stuff. All right, a couple more for you. All right, let's talk Colts. All right, let me I just want to make sure I have all this correct. All right, we got a GM going on basically 10 years.
Hasn't accomplished a whole lot. QB making $50 million off a torn Achilles. New look defense, lot of rookies. Alec Pierce to Forest Buckner might not be ready to rock. Oh, by the way, Jonathan Taylor might want a new deal in a consequential season for both Shane Stiken and Chris Ballard. Is that all correct?
Boy, I think it checks all the boxes there. What What do you make of this? It just the the mediocrity. I mean, look, I love the Indianapolis Colts. I love covering the Indianapolis Colts, okay? And I think the intentions are good.
Big fan of Carly Ray Gordon, but it just results there and it just feels like this this is setting up not ideal this season. Yeah, I I mean it's kind of astonishing when you look at some of the numbers of now it's what 10 gosh, I should know these off top of my head, 10 or 11 years without a division title. And and if you just focus on that for a second, like think about the events Lucas Oil has hosted last since there was an NFL playoff game in there, you know, but whether it's a USA swim trials. I was just going to say there was two Olympic size swimming pools in there before a playoff game. Yeah. Taylor Swift having, you know, a concert in there.
You've had a college football national championship game in there. or hell, IU's won a Big 10 football title in that building uh since, you know, Andrew Luck to Dante Monree to beat Andy Dalton in the Bengals back in January 2015. Um, and you know, the division itself is not a juggernaut and you haven't been able to even, you know, scratch out, you know, many wild card appearances. All three of those teams have rebuilt and had success twice over in the time that Yeah, I think all of them have won the division multiple times since you last have there. Currently, I want to say it's like the third longest NFL playoff drought currently. Sounds right.
Um in the league. And again, the playoffs have expanded, you know, since, you know, you you last were in it with, you know, seven teams there. So, um yeah, it's an acceptance of mediocrity that I think is rightfully so very frustrating for a lot of fans. Um and I I I'm just very unsure of like what will hold with the season. We actually were talking about on our morning show today of you know what do you think is the bare minimum to run it back which is again I know a lot of Colts fans probably don't even want to see that like they almost have accepted the you know IU fans from a few few years ago you've got to fire Mike Woodson to get better like it's almost like Colts fans are like you've got to take two steps back before you go forward again and Chris Bow's in this contract year and yeah I I don't understand why the leash has been as long as it has in um I'm a little confused on exactly, you know, what is needed to all of a sudden mean you're going on a positive direction here.
You know, there's part of me that thinks this, Dom, what if you reverse last season to this season? You end it much better. Is there any part of Carly Ursa that says, "Well, Daniel Jones, he's now a full year removed from the tornles. We ended the year better than we started. Maybe the arrow is now pointing up. maybe we'll run it back again even though you only win seven or eight or nine games, something like that there.
So, um yeah, it's a very awkward time to be a Colts fan and I think the frustration is again very real and very understandable for that fan base there and um yeah, I I don't have grand expectations that this all of a sudden is going to get turned around in a positive direction. The acceptance of mediocrity is such a great way to put it and the reluctance of rebuilding because I just think you've had ample opportunity to do just that. lean into it and then, you know, it's you're not as bad as for as long as you think. I think you can turn it around relatively quickly with some savvy moves, but now you're without a first round pick and what should be what's shaping up to be a really impressive and deep draft in 2027 and you might lose your first five games, Kevin. Yeah. The schedule's so frontloaded to that point.
And if you just look at the two Super Bowl teams last year, Dom, like Seattle, you know, they pretty much told Pete Carol see you. Yeah. They pretty much told Russell Wilson see. and they were not in a position where they had five straight years of missing the playoffs. And again, those are two icons in their franchise. You look at New England, they hire one of their own in Drod Mayo and they're done with him after one year.
They re recognized it wasn't working, moved on immediately. And and again, sometimes it's the hard decisions in sports. I think about this with with the Pacers a lot. It was not not perfect by any means for Kevin Pritchard and his tenure. But when he realized Miles Turner, Damonte Sabonis next to each other, that was not going to work. They pivoted and they looked themselves in the mirror and said, "We did something wrong.
It's our job to try and now change that." Can you can you realize, you know, the stubbornness needs to be put to the side? You know, I mentioned earlier with Darren Dreeze, he's doing something different, right? That's what you want to see, I think, as a sports fan. When the results are not meeting what, you know, you intend to them to be, the definition of insanity can't be, you know, had there. So, um, I I think that's the frustrating element, too, for Colts fans.
It's like, you know, where are the changes, you know, when things are not going well? Can we do things differently to try and get back on track? I I I don't think I've seen enough of that because, you know, Chris Ballard will come out after every single season and say, "It's on me. It's on me." And it just feels like a lot more of the same. And I just you hit the nail on the head.
It's so frustrating. And you know that you don't want apathy in your fan base. It's starting to seep in. It's starting to absolutely And I'm nervous if there's a little bit of again the acceptance of mediocrity is just alive and well within that organization. You know, they there's something in the walls in the walk. You know what I mean?
Seriously. They didn't win the division by five games. They missed the playoffs by three games. I think at times we talk about last year like they were right there. I get some injuries occurred, but you know, as is at times life in the NFL. Houston had to turn to their backup for three games and they won all three of them.
You know, that that can be part of an NFL cycle there. So, um, again, awkward time to be a Colts fan. Is Anthony Richardson on the Colts throughout this season? Is there any sort of trade value there or are we, you know, zero return on investment when this season ends? Great question. Um, I I I don't think there's substantial trade value there at all.
We'll see if a injury would occur somewhere uh here in a training camp or a preseason that maybe would lend to a little bit desperate nature. But you again, if I'm that team trading for him, I'm thinking to myself, wait a minute, there's been questions about, you know, handling the playbook and all of that. Is he going to come into my system with a crash course and be able to get up to speed as quick as possible? That seems like it's a little bit of a wishful thinking element there. Um, I I'm at the point now where I would just keep him, you know, like it's gotten to the point where if you're not getting anything in return, you needed a third quarterback last year. Let him compete with Riley Leonard.
Let him see, you know, what could happen. Daniel Jones, unfortunately, has a long injury history list as well. So, you know, maybe you'll have to turn to him at some point here. So, that's kind of where I'm at. To me, it would be the best case scenario for the Colts and for Anthony Richardson because for the Colts, you get you got to get something in return for a fourth overall pick investment. And for Anthony Richardson, nobody's going to be interested in you unless you play.
So, obviously not great if he's on the field because that means Daniel Jones either isn't ready or he can't make it a 17 game season or what have you. But the best thing if he could just play two games and play relatively okay and not have under 50% completion percentage, I just think it works well for both. Now, who knows what's going to happen with are you gonna lose your first five games? Is Daniel Jones going to make it a 17g game season? Is Anthony Richardson still not up to where he needs to be when he does play? I just think there's a lot of moving parts.
But I I love that. Just keep him because if you're not getting anything return, that's ultimate worst case scenario. No. And again, cap space wise, they're sitting on a lot. It's not like trading him and having a team absorb some of that would enhance you that much. Again, draft pick-wise, there's no way you're going to get something uh, you know, even high up on day three.
I mean, they have a kicker competition right now. There's part of me that thinks, you know, the loser of that kicker competition could lend more of a trade return value than Anthony Richardson, which is just insane to say for the fourth overall pick. But again, that's the reality of where you're at right now. All right, couple more for you. Caitlyn Clark, the Indiana Fever. Is it championship or bust?
No, I'm kidding. It's not championship or bust, but what what do we make of this season? It does feel like year three of Caitlyn Clark, the time is now. Yeah. And obviously, you know, when you look at Kelsey Mitchell back and you look at Aaliyah Boston rising to that next contract, you know, some of the free agent moves. I do think it's one it's a team that should be one of the last few standing.
Um, and I get it. We have yet to see Caitlyn Clark, you know, play and win a playoff series. Obviously, was hurt last year and then the first year they lost to Connecticut in that opening round there. But you know, there is a little bit of the element to compare it to other sports of when you have a star player like her on a rookie contract. That is sometimes the time to pounce. Yes.
On it. You know, you see it in the NFL a lot. For example, New England is a good example with Drake May right now. They just made the trade for AJ Brown. They have that ability on the rookie contract where you're not paying crazy dollar. You're going to pay Caitlyn Clark crazy dollar understandably here very soon.
But Kelsey Mitchell is deep into her WN NBA career. Aaliyah Boston again is getting or has gotten to that extension level as well. So that's why I do think the urgency with all these pieces around her, it's not going to be so easy to go out there and find, you know, supporting players that are allstar caliber. At some point that player makes so much money they've got to cover up some spots on the roster. So, um I do think it's acceptable to have a high level of urgency and they have played better here as of late, but you know, when I look at the W as a whole, some really good teams, but still I don't think there's a runaway team. Um so, yeah, I mean, whether it's Minnesota, whether it's Vegas, whether it's New York, whether it's Atlanta.
Uh I I I I do think the Fever should be one of the last standing this season. It'll be interesting to see if there's a mid-season jump because they have played better of late certainly, but defense is a problem, turnovers are a problem. Um, but man, when the big threes clicking and then Sophie 24 the other night, it's just it's beautiful to watch offensively, especially when those uh three or four are clicking. But have you I mean, similar to the IU football situation, I mean, in the last three years being around Indiana and Indianapolis, seeing fever pre-Caitlyn Clark and fever post Caitlyn Clark, have you seen anything like that? No. No.
I mean, we we uh I I I tried to get Caitlin Clark on our morning show during her rookie season. Not easy. I I I thought I had a better chance of, you know, what you know, getting the president, frankly, on the morning show. We were able to finally get her on. And it was funny. It was sandwiched in between.
She recorded a message as an acceptance speech for the ESPs. That was what she did just prior to us recording an interview with her. And then just after uh and now we see her shoe now out. She had a meeting with like a dozen Nike execs had flown in to meet with her and this is like on a random Wednesday after practice, you know, in June. Uh life is schedule. Oh my gosh, can you can you imagine?
So, no, I mean there's there's nothing like the mania and honestly I see a little bit of with my daughter, you know, just like watching her focus in on games even when like Caitlyn Clark was playing with Team USA right before the start of the season. It's like, you know, her lock in nature on that is like, oh wow, this is he's as locked in on this on this as she is bluey, you know, like this is, you know, great to see, you know, her having this sports interest. So, uh, yeah, it's unlike any other. I I I do not envy her at all, uh, from an away basketball standpoint. I I find it very exhausting, honestly. All the discourse around her and and the pawn that she I think has used many times in conversation from people.
I got into sports to watch sports. I got into sports to talk about sports on the field, on the court, on the diamond. Um, that's what I like. That's what I enjoy. I I I love watching games, reacting to games, seeing the unscripted nature of the cinema of a Pacers run, of the IU run, of Butler, you know, in the national title game in Lucas Oil Stadium. So, I I I hope we can get to a point where that is more of the dominant topic with them and not so much of the other, you know, what when it comes to oftentimes Caitlin Clark and the Fever.
We were just talking to Tony East about this. You know, I think we could all stand to be a little bit more normal about Caitlyn Clark, not everything she does. That that is an understatement, by the way. It's a story. I I'm hoping we trend that way, but got a long way to go. Don't hold your breath.
Yeah, don't hold your breath. All right, here's one for you. Notre Dame your favorite alltime sports team? What is football basketball equal or is football like if you had to pick one, it's got to be football. Well, no. As shocking as it is, it would be basketball.
Really? Yeah, I know. I know. You're going to be I love that. Yeah, you're going to be appalled. I mean, I think about the 2015 team in the Elite 8 game against Kentucky.
I will never forget that game on a daily basis. Uh my brother and I had bought tickets to the Final Four, which was here in Indie if you remember correctly. Yeah, it was here in Indie. We bought tickets I think right around kind of the midway point of the season. So, D that was like Duke, Wisconsin. Duke, Wisconsin, and I believe Michigan State were the four loaded loaded.
That was the undefeated Kentucky team, of course, that um lost to Wisconsin, right, on Saturday night. The tank, Sam Decker. Uhhuh. Yeah. Nigel Hayes. Yeah.
And then Grayson Allen had a huge Monday night national title game in the second half to beat Wisconsin. But boy, I think back to that game so often. Jiren Grant shooting the three over Willie Collie Stein for the win there. Um well, Towns just ate August for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He did. He did.
You know what I mean? He was no match. He was dominant. Yeah, he was dominant there, especially late in the game. So yeah, it for me I mean like my Notre Dame football fandom is insane to be clear. The Notre Dame basketball fandom is just a just a tick above that.
So they're both very unhealthy obsessions to be abundantly clear. The work life balance with my family is something that gets debated a whole lot. Um so yeah, I should probably be a little bit more professional when it comes to that. But yeah, Notre Dame basketball just slightly above. But again, that's the 49 states in me, right? That's the 49 states is just basketball, but this is Indiana in me.
So, uh, you know, before it was Payton Manning, it was black sock, shaved head, Pacers, you know, that's what it was for me there. So, that's why Notre Dame basketball gets the slight edge. So, what would you do for Notre Dame to win a championship? Oh my gosh. I' What would you give What would you do? Run around 465 naked during rush hour.
I would, too. I would. But well, how about you can start on the southwest side. I'll start on the northeast side and hopefully we we don't have to cross paths. But uh yeah, I you know I was fortunate to be in the building for the nerd football national title game a couple years ago and you know we both were. Yes, we both were.
And like the opening drive, you know, and Riley Leonard scoring on that, you know, like I think it was fourth and goal. I don't know, maybe it was a bunch of fourth downs before that and then he, you know, pukes after scoring there. like that euphoria of thinking, "Oh my gosh, is this like going to happen?" Cuz Notre Dame was a, you know, rather big underdog to Ohio State. I had already accepted it like this was an amazing run. Incredible.
But after that first drive, it's like, okay, wait a minute. Yeah. Yeah. Is this going to be like the the story there? Um, so, you know, that's really the first taste of my lifetime. Like Notre Dame Alabama in 2012, it was kind of like you knew what was going to happen in that game.
Uh, you know, I was born in ' 89, which is the last one. I see. Um, you know that obviously I I I have no memories of that. So, uh, I will say and you can call me psychotic for this. You can say that, uh, it's sports jinxing for this, but my brother texts me back in February and goes, I have rooms booked in Vegas come January 2027, a one night stay and a two night stay, uh, however we want to handle it just in case. So do with this information as you will.
And again, the 27 National Championship game is in Vegas, so that might be sports jinxing to a lot. I don't believe in sports jinxing. I think it's confidence. Well, I I think it's smart planning. I mean, factor fiction, this is the best chance for Notre Dame to win a national championship since blank this season, right? I think I said it to you the other day in I would say our lifetimes if I could speak for both of us.
I mean, that's how I do feel about this season. So, I am very, very, very much looking forward. I get there's a lot of great teams, a lot of great quarterbacks, frankly, coming back in college football. Um, but yes, I am um I'm bullish and I know this might say, "Ah, you're just being a biased fan here." I frankly thought if they could have got in last year in the tournament, they could have gotten on a run. I probably would have felt more confident about them getting in last year than I did the year prior.
Um, but you know, that's a different conversation. That is a that would be an hour conversation. I just don't think we have time for it today. Uh, last thing I got for you. What makes sports in Indiana so special? Oh man, that's a great great great question.
Um, I would just say there is just an unbelievable genuine passion to want to a experience the events, but b also be hospitable when it comes to so many of our events. And that speaks to so many different organizations from a hosting standpoint of, you know, there is a little bit of a Cinderella story in our city and and how many we've been able to host and not just the 500, you know, whether it is a college football national title or the final fours or I mean again, you go back to the Panam games or you go back, you know, a ways to where all of this started and Bill Hudnut and his vision for our city being such a sports capital of the world. But like when you see the cities we are competing with to host these things, it's like our population, our location as a flyover city shouldn't really be that, right? But it is it is a big hitter and it is one that can more than hold their weight and has and I think will continue to do so.
Um, so I just think it's it's a huge part of our culture and that's pretty cool for a city that didn't get an NFL team until you know 84 and you know my parents didn't grow they grew up here but they didn't grow up obviously with an NFL team but to see their love of the ABA Pacers and obviously collegiate sports I think has always been a thing and certainly the Indiana high school you know basketball scene kind of speaks for itself. So I just think it's ingrained in so many of us at a young young age. So the passion for sports I I I would say is one. But you know again from a organizational standpoint you know seeing what it can do for your city and your culture and your climate um has really been embraced by so many important people in this city. So honestly thank you to them because without them I don't know if you and I are in the positions that we are uh to be able to do this and to continue to have these incredible events that call our city you know home on an annual basis.
And you know, again, I've been fortunate, you've certainly been fortunate to go to other cities in other events. You know, I'll speak to Atlanta, for example, that national championship game between Notre Dame and Ohio State. I did not feel anywhere near the same buzz that I felt, you know, when Georgia and Alabama came here for the national title, you know, now about a handful of years ago. So, um, I think that's what makes us pretty unique. Host, great answer. Hosting events in Indianapolis is embraced by this city.
Like I just can't even explain. Final four was the latest example. Everywhere you went, you knew the Final Four was in town. Every fan that was there knew where events were were. The signage was up. You know, when we went to the WNBA All-Star game a couple years ago in Phoenix, you would have zero idea that was happening there.
Some of the World Cup uh cities fans come like, "We don't know the World's Cup is going on here." Indianapolis does it at such a high level. That is a fantastic answer. Actually, I have one more thing for you before you get out of here because of your Pacers roots. Are they, you know, is Tyrese going to be all right? Are are they going to be okay?
You know, it just feels like this Zubots trade, NBA draft lottery, Tyrese injury, all in consequential order, you know, pre- this last season better or post this last season better. What's going to happen? Yeah, again, it's another terrific question. Obviously, there's a lot there. I mean, I trust Hallebertton so so much. I mean, I I think he's incredibly gifted on and off the floor really.
Um, and that injury just it does worry me. I do love the fact that he's going to get like a full 16 months really removed from it. You know, we aren't seeing that with Daniel Jones, for example, on the NFL side of it, even Jason Tatum or some of those others we saw basketball-wise. Um, and I don't think the East is some just unbelievable conference right now. Yes, you have the Knicks, but I think that's going to create a little bit more inherent motivation for the Pacers of like that should have been us. Yeah.
Like we beat them in game seven at MSG. We knocked them out of the playoffs the next year that they took our title from us. I think there will be some real healthy tension and motivation for the Pacers on that. We'll see what happens with Giannis and all that domino and the Celtics and and and and possibly where they are in the East. But um I will continue to have high expectations. I trust Rick Carile.
Um you trust Hallebertton. I like a lot of this core. I I'll be curious to see what they do if there is another piece there to be had. Um but yeah, I think uh I honestly think as crazy as it sounds is a good thing for the Pacers that the Knicks won at all because I think that's going to create a little bit more if you need anything else. It's going to create a little bit more of like we should have been there. We should have been having that parade that should have been us.
Um and I think that'll be a key key catalyst for him next year. Since the Knicks acquired OG and Anobi, uh noted Indiana Hooser, the Indiana Pacers are the only team to beat them in a playoff series. Ooh, interesting. So, yeah, I would say they probably think they should have been there. Well, and the other stat is Tyrese Hallebertton has never lost a playoff series when he's been healthy throughout. Oh my goodness.
Got hurt in the Eastern Conference Finals couple years ago. Obviously, got hurt with the Thunder. So, look, if you believe in the knocking of wood there, um yeah, I I just he's such a special talent. A and again, I just think he's um he was the perfect player and personality at the time the organization really needed a new front-facing individual there. So, um pretty fortunate, I think, in this market to, you know, I mentioned Reggie Miller and Pton Manny. Without them, I'm probably not doing what I'm doing right now.
Don't have the passion maybe I'm doing. Um, I I'd like to think I watch with my nephew, you know, on on a pretty frequent basis, a nine-year-old him, you know, watching Tyrese Hallebertton, and I think he's a pretty good person and player to emulate. Yeah, there's no question about it. I could talk to you for an hour more, Kevin. I know you got things to do, but this has been awesome. We covered a lot of ground.
How you got to where you are, rapid fire, sports in this city. Is there a better Is has there been a better time to cover sports here? No. No. And and first off, or I guess lastly, thank you uh for having me. Um, you know, I I told you this a couple days ago.
I love this. I love that you're going to have a presence on here. I think it was uh very very smart by all parties involved. Uh, and uh, I love your energy and we're lucky to have it Fridays in the fall with us here. So, congrats. Uh, looking forward to being a listener a whole lot and uh, thanks for having me, man.
I appreciate it. Kevin Bowen, everybody listen to him the morning show 1075 the fan. His podcast is great, too. I have listened a couple times on my way to various uh, different places in the car. So, Kevin Bowen, always appreciate your time. We'll see what the Colts do.
We're going to be out of training camp a lot together and so maybe we'll get you on again. I know you get you busy in the fall, but there's going to be a lot to talk about when it comes to the Indianapolis Colts. That's Kevin Bone. I'm Dominic Miranda. Get in sports back after this. Are you in or are you out?
I'm giving Dom three takes. He's going to tell me if he's in on them or out on them. Here's my first take. Braden Smith will become a real rotational player in the NBA. I'm in on that take. It's not going to happen in a day.
Rome wasn't built in a day. I'm not going to say it's next year. I'm not even going to say it's two years because the Pacers, by the way, are going to be in their championship window. So, does Brayden Smith play a huge role in that? Probably not, especially in his first two or three years in the NBA. But you're telling me four, five, six years down the line developing within this system of the Indiana Pacers with a lot of good vets to look up to.
Why shouldn't I believe that he could be a backup point guard in the league? At some point, I'm in on it. My second take, if the Colts underperform again this year, Chris Ballard should be out. Absolutely, I'm in on that take. It has been way too long. We're going on a decade of Chris Ballard leading the Colts franchise from the general manager position.
Two playoff appearances, zero AFC South Division titles. That That's enough right there. If you don't make the playoffs and win a game this season, you got to be packing your bag. Finally, World Cup. Is it quarterfinals or bust for the US men's soccer team? I'm out on that take.
Now, listen to what I'm saying. Getting to the quarterfinals is a successful World Cup in and of itself. However, you can say US men's national team has moved the goal post with how they performed in the group stage going two and one. Bad loss to Turkey with the backups in. No one counts it anyway. They're going to beat Bosnia and then you have a tough matchup with Belgium in the round of 16.
Beating a top 10 team in the world is a success. So, I'm out on the take that its quarterfinals are bust, but I'm in on the take that US men's national team is going to make the quarterfinals and make America proud. There is interact for the week. Can you name the top five active NBA players with the most points who went to high school in Indiana? Yes. Let's try.
Uh, okay. Let me think here. I'm just going to go off the off the dome here. So, these are all active players. I will say the first two players are considered veterans. old 30s, probably been in the league 15 plus years.
Three, four, and five are all relatively new. All three of them have been drafted since 2019. All right, we're gonna go with Lawrence North's Mike Connelly. Number one with 16,715 points. He's been in the league for a while. Very successful career in the National Basketball Association.
Okay. Probably another vet. Um, how about is Eric Gordon still in the league? Number two, North Central 14,167 points. Okay. I didn't know if he was still in the league.
So, that's big time. He's holding on. He's holding on. Okay. So, then we got some some three young pups. We got some young pups.
We got a big man and we got two guards. Okay. I think I know who the big man is. And I think it's Jiren Jackson Jr. Yes. Number three from La Lumiere.
He has currently 8,449 points. Yeah. Park tutor before Lumiere, too. So, Indianapolis kid, you're on par right now. My two three. I I was thinking about that on the drive over and I felt good about those three.
Um, okay. Two more younger guys. Um Jiren Jackson Jr. Think I'm probably around that. Stick to the same high school if you could too. Not Yogi Frell.
Not Yogi Farrell. Yogi has been out for a long time unfortunately. Uh what about two guys I say that you will probably not associate with Indiana, although they did play their basketball within Indiana State for high school. Really? Yes. That's interesting.
What about like Chris Wils? Is he in the league? Not Chris Wils. WS. Um, do these guys play a lot on their teams? Yes.
So, really, the first guy Oh. Oh, Desmond Bane. Desmond Bane is number five. He's from Richmond Satan Catholic High School. Guy is a baller. 7,227 points.
Fun fact, my uh younger brother Vincent played AAU summer league basketball uh in an Indianapolis league against Desmond Bane. And that dude was just different from the beginning. stud at TCU, got a max contract with the Grizzlies before getting traded to the Magic. And another fun fact, if I may, uh when the after game seven of the NBA finals in Oklahoma City, my two co-workers and I came back, we were editing. It's like 3:00 in the morning. Desmond Bane comes down to the hotel park we're in and we were just chatting.
He had just gotten traded. It was him and his agent just chilling and he was at the game and we were talking. He's a great guy. He uh noticed our mic flags and like, "Oh yeah, channel 13." Anyway, Desmond Bane, big fan. Number five.
You got number four left. This guy started on a team, got traded, got traded again. I will say the first team that he got drafted to was when he was in his best. This is a guard. Okay, that's a good hint without giving it away. That's a good hint.
Um, he's been traded twice. Was he a lottery pick? Was not a lottery pick, although he was drafted first round. Okay. Okay. Drafted first round.
Best on his team. So, are we talking younger than 30? Yes. younger than 30. This man was drafted, I believe, in 2019. Oh, I forget these kids get drafted at 18.
Yeah. Um 2019. I'm getting this. I'm going to get this. 2019. Um he didn't go to an Indiana college.
He's a guard. He's a guard. He's a guard. Is it Indiana? Is it is it an Indianapolis high school? Yes.
You've already mentioned this high school once. So, there was another player that already went to this high school. Also, this should help too. Went at the same time. Park Tutor. No.
North Central. No. Lawrence North. No. Those are the three. Where did Where did Where did Jiren go after Park T?
Oh, Lumiere. There we go. Okay. Well, jeez, they're prep. Uh Ah. Oh, the prep schools.
This guy went to a Big 10 school. Okay. There was another guy that I mentioned within one through five where they were college rivals. Okay. So, he went to Michigan. Yes, he went to Michigan.
Drafted. Oh, dude. Wait, time out. Is it Gary Harris? It's not Gary Harris. Gary Harris is a Michigan State alum.
Shout out. Also, is he retired? No, he's still in the league. Number seven. Well, he's got Oh, he's number seven. Number seven.
No way. Really? number seven and current. Wow, I really thought Paris is number seven. Mason Plumbley, Warsaw Community was number six. Yes, I do remember the Plumbley brothers uh up around where I'm from.
So, you have a Michigan guard drafted in 2019. The team that he was drafted to is where he was his best. This is going to bother me. What? Time out. Are we Is he claiming Laumiere, but wasn't at an Indiana school before this?
He is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then transferred to La Lumiere after three seasons in playing Milwaukee. So he came for his senior year at Laierre. Okay. Okay. Okay. Michigan guard.
What about like a little Nick Stalskis? Not Nick Stalskus. I like the guess. That was a good guess. That was a good guess. Michigan guard.
Yeah, man. I might I don't know. I Unless you have a really good hint. I I'm stumped. Michigan guard on the Warriors. Oh my gosh.
This is like Yeah. You're just giving it to me basically. Um, this guy came off of the bench because he was behind Steph and Clay. Oh my word, dude. Considered him the third Splash Brother. What?
Who is this? Dom. Who is it? Jordan Pool. Jordan Pool. Dude, we're not claiming Jordan Pool.
Indiana's not claiming Jordan Pool, bro. Jordan Pool from Lumia. All right, that's okay. That was good trivia. I mean, I suppose he did play his high school in Indiana. That is That is true.
Okay. Are we claiming Jordan Pool or not? You guys come let us know. Yes. Put in the C. Or do we claim Jordan Pool?
I mean, I don't know. Okay. Third splash, brother. Third splash pool party. He's a dog. No, he's a good I just I was so baffled.
I was going to give you a little uh I was going to give you a little bit of a teammate drama beef hint, but I feel like that would have gave that That was good. That would have at least led me to pull. Can you name the top five players with the most points in NBA history that played their high school basketball in Indiana? Okay. Yes. I'm going to go number one.
The hick from French Lake, Larry Bird. Larry Bird is actually number two, but that is correct. 21,791 points. I'm going to go with Christmas Addicts Oscar Robertson. Oscar Robertson number one with 26,710 points. More points than Larry Bird.
More points than Larry Bird. Okay. Nice. Nice. Two for two. Nice.
Okay. Loving that uh for us. Um okay. Alltimer dime. Come on. Got the two.
You gave really good hints last time without giving it away, by the way. Um Larry Bird, Oscar Robinson. That's easy. What about a little like George Hill? Not George Hill. I like the guest, but no.
Not that many points, huh? What about Okay, then Jeff Teague. Definitely not. Uh, I mean, is Mike Connley on this list? Mike Conley is number five with 16,715 points. So, that's the What a career with him, by the way.
Um, great guy. So, both of these guys are between the 17,000 and 19,000 point range. Both big man as well, I will say. Okay. Both big men. Yes.
Not Greg. Too bad. Nope. Could have been. Uh, okay. Big man.
Big man. Big man. Come on. This is This is not One of these guys played from 2002 to 2018. the other guy. 1972 to 1982.
What about Josh McRoberts? No. I like the guess. Josh McRoberts, Indiana Pacers legend, might I add, but no. Okay. He didn't have that kind of career.
He did not. Uh, okay. 2002 to 2018. Yes. Okay. This guy, the 2002 to 2018, predominantly on a Western Conference team.
Predominantly on a Western Conference team. A successful one, I might add. from 2002 to 2018. Yes. Okay. So, we're talking about like like what the Mavs or like the uh 2002 to 2018.
So, like the Lakers or like how about the Rockets? Okay, we're just going down the list here. So, this guy played from on Portland from 01 all the way until 07. Timeout. What about Shan Kemp? Shawn Kemp is number six.
Number six. Oh my. I love the guests. Okay, sorry. Okay, Portland. Portland.
Uh, Portland. God, I really thought Sean Kemp was on there. Um, number six. He's right off of the cut. Stupid Mike Connley. I can't believe Mike.
Dude, Mike Connelly, this is a Mike Connelly appreciation podcast. Um, Portland, big man. Drafted to Portland, played there till 07, played with the Knicks for a few years, went to LAC to the Clippers, and then from 2009 all the way until he retired, he played with the Saint team where he was predominantly at his best. Are we talking about like not like Tyson Chandler? Not Tyson Chandler. Nope.
So, this guy, I don't know if this will help you or not. He played his basketball at Marian High School. Marian High School. Oh. Uh uh. Oh, okay.
I'm ready for this. It uh that's that was the one that helped me the most. We're going to go with Zack Randolph. Zack Randolph number three with 18,578 points. Marian High School. Okay.
Zack Randolph, man. Zebo. He had a career. Absolute stud. Memphis did have a great run. Marcus all and Mike Connley.
Yep. Gosh, man. Okay. Love that. Love that. That's a really good one.
Zack Randolph. Good hints, too. The high school did it for me. All right. Another big man. What?
Yeah. Give me his career range. Yep. Okay. So, he got drafted in 72, played all the way until 82. And I will say he finished his career on the Pacers.
Finished his career on the Pacers. Okay. It's not Kemp Benson because he was drafted in 77. I think he had a very successful career I had. What about um he got drafted to the Pacers, left for three years, excuse me, left for five years, and then retired after coming back to the Pacers from 72 to 82. Yes.
So he played from the on the Pacers from 72 all the way to 75. Took a trip to Philly from 75 to 78. played one year at Denver, then made his way back to Indiana where he retired in ' 82. Only 10 years. This is a predominant big man who, I might add is an MVP as well. What?
In the 1974 1975 season, this man won the MVP with the Pacers. Yes. This man won the 1974 1975 MVP with the Pacers in the ABA Hall of Famer. Oh. Oh, it's uh Gervin. No, I think you got the f you got the first name right out.
George. Okay, I got it. I got it. I got it. I got it. I got it.
George McInness. George McGinness. That is correct. From Washington High School in Indianapolis with 17,09 points. Okay, that's an awesome list. So, it's it's Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, um, Zack Randolph, Zack Randolph, George McGinness, Mike Connley.
There's your top five. How about that? Indiana, stand up. That's a solid starting five right there. Your first five all-time leading scorers in the NBA from high school in Indiana. That's awesome trivia, Will.
Thank you very much. So, we have our ATM our five active NBA scorers from Indiana high schools. Uh, well actually Oscar Robertson, Christmas Addicts, Larry Bird, uh, French Flick. Yep. Zebo Marian. Yep.
George McGinness, you said Washington. Yep. In Indianapolis. Okay. And, uh, Mike Connley, Lawrence North. And then for top five active, Eric Gordon.
Uh, Eric Gordon, North Central. Mike Connelly, Lawrence North. Not going in order, but and then the two prep schools. And then Laumi Jordan Pool. And then, um, also Jiren Jackson Jr. Jiren Jackson Jr.
And then Desmond Baines. I had never heard of this in Richmond. Seat Catholic Catholic. Small school. I went out there just once for something. But he's a he's a good he's a good guy.
Richmond big fans of him. But that's awesome. Love that trivia from you, Will. Uh hope you enjoyed Kevin Bowen's interview. He's awesome. All right.
Like he's truly salt of the earth. Fantastic guy. Ever since I started doing sports media in Indianapolis, like just a fantastic guy. Um, so you can obviously listen on Apple Podcast and Spotify and YouTube and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We're just keeping growing this thing. It's the summer.
We're seeing good growth. It's the summer, but come fall, you're going to wish you were following us 1,000%. Verbal meme. Sophie Cunningham pointing at you. That's what's happening. It's Will Duncan.
I'm Dominic Miranda. This is Get in Sports. Happy July 4th, everybody. We'll see you next time.
