A Walk Down Memory Road
I am a few days shy of my 50th birthday. I guess as that "big milestone" gets closer the more I have thought about things. Last night I had a pretty crazy dream. I was in a room with a bunch of coaches and players from all sports, as well as radio and newspaper guys. At the table I was sitting at was Rick Bentley, Tom Gemeinhart, Gene Peterson, Jim Forrest, Elden May, Dicky Martin, Jack Calhoun and Hop Brown.
It was quite a dream. We were all telling stories, laughing, having a wonderful time. Each of those men have had an influence on my life, whether they know it or not, in their own way.
As I woke up today, I went to a little drawer in my room where I keep a few mementos. Just stuff that nobody else would think twice about, but things I have cherished over the years. There is an article from Elden in which he called me the "McGyver of radio," there are some stats from Mr G concerning the East vs West Football rivalry, a newspaper article Rick wrote about he and I "working" together (long story, but Rick was writing for ADI and doing color for me at the same time) several of recordings, one of which is part of a state championship game I did with Dicky, another with Jim and a notebook I have kept for a book I thought I might write some day, choked full of quotes and quips and memories. My favorite ones are from Hop Brown.
I don't have the energy to write them all. I chronicled a couple in Francis Nash's book about Hop.
I do want to give you a couple of short ones though. Both from the 2001-2002 season.
The Lady Comets had won their first 11 games that season and were in the Championship Game of the Lexington Catholic Tournament against a very good Holmes team (they made it to the semi finals of the Sweet 16 later that season). The Lady Comets lost to Holmes and it really wasn't even close. In the post game interview (mind you I was in my 3rd season doing games at this point)
I wasn't real sure how to handle Hop. Usually he was great even after a loss, but not always when his team didn't play well. My first question was something like, "Well coach, your 11 game winning streak was snapped today, I guess the old saying is true, you can't win 'em all."
Hop turned to me and looked me right in they eye (with an almost mean look) and began his answer as he usually did, "Well Timbo," Hop always called me Timbo, he said it was from calling his daughter Kim "Kimbo" so I was honored by that. "Well Timbo, we lost a game when I played in high school and I went home mad and bothered and my mommy said to me, 'Hoppy you can't win them all son.' I looked her right in the eye and said, 'Mommy, you can if you're good enough!'" Now I got tickled by that but didn't really want to laugh. Hop then grinned at me and said, "Timbo, we just aren't good enough."
Later that season, the Lady Comets were in the championship game of the All A Classic. It was a Sunday afternoon and the night before it was announced that Hop would be on the coaching staff for the Kentucky Indiana All Star Game. My first question in the pre-game show before they took on Jackson Co was, "Well Hop, before we talk about the game today I want to congratulate on the honor of coaching in the All Star game, how does that feel?"
"Well Timbo, I have always wanted to be in 3 things in my life. The championship game of the Sweet 16, the coaches box for the Kentucky Indiana All Star Game and Bill Gates' will. 2 out of 3 ain't bad and if I hit that 3rd one, well, you and me will be walking in high cotton brother."
I hated to wake from that dream to be quite honest. I could have sit there and talked to those guys for a very long time.
I would like those who read this to remember some things.
Talk to people. Take the time to talk to people. Especially people older than you. They have a wealth of knowledge if you take the time to listen and learn, you will be better for doing so.
Take nothing for granted. There was a time when the men sitting around that table were available to me at a moments notice. Some are now gone and others have moved away or have drifted away due to circumstances. Take the time to let people who have influenced your life know how much you appreciate them. You may never get the chance if you don't do it now.
Don't be afraid to say "I love you" If there was one thing I learned from Hop Brown it was that you should never leave someone without them knowing you care about them. When Hop was sick, I would go visit him at times whether in the hospital or at his home. I never left his presence without him saying, "Thanks for stopping by. I love ya Timbo." It was very important to me to know that Hop loved me and respected what I did for him and his team. He told me that a lot. Not every coach was like that.
Laugh every day. The Bible says that laughter does the heart good, like a medicine. No matter how bad my day is going, or how troubling life is, I always find a reason to laugh. I search for the humor. I might be the only one laughing, and that's OK.
God bless and have a wonderful day.
It was quite a dream. We were all telling stories, laughing, having a wonderful time. Each of those men have had an influence on my life, whether they know it or not, in their own way.
As I woke up today, I went to a little drawer in my room where I keep a few mementos. Just stuff that nobody else would think twice about, but things I have cherished over the years. There is an article from Elden in which he called me the "McGyver of radio," there are some stats from Mr G concerning the East vs West Football rivalry, a newspaper article Rick wrote about he and I "working" together (long story, but Rick was writing for ADI and doing color for me at the same time) several of recordings, one of which is part of a state championship game I did with Dicky, another with Jim and a notebook I have kept for a book I thought I might write some day, choked full of quotes and quips and memories. My favorite ones are from Hop Brown.
I don't have the energy to write them all. I chronicled a couple in Francis Nash's book about Hop.
I do want to give you a couple of short ones though. Both from the 2001-2002 season.
The Lady Comets had won their first 11 games that season and were in the Championship Game of the Lexington Catholic Tournament against a very good Holmes team (they made it to the semi finals of the Sweet 16 later that season). The Lady Comets lost to Holmes and it really wasn't even close. In the post game interview (mind you I was in my 3rd season doing games at this point)
I wasn't real sure how to handle Hop. Usually he was great even after a loss, but not always when his team didn't play well. My first question was something like, "Well coach, your 11 game winning streak was snapped today, I guess the old saying is true, you can't win 'em all."
Hop turned to me and looked me right in they eye (with an almost mean look) and began his answer as he usually did, "Well Timbo," Hop always called me Timbo, he said it was from calling his daughter Kim "Kimbo" so I was honored by that. "Well Timbo, we lost a game when I played in high school and I went home mad and bothered and my mommy said to me, 'Hoppy you can't win them all son.' I looked her right in the eye and said, 'Mommy, you can if you're good enough!'" Now I got tickled by that but didn't really want to laugh. Hop then grinned at me and said, "Timbo, we just aren't good enough."
Later that season, the Lady Comets were in the championship game of the All A Classic. It was a Sunday afternoon and the night before it was announced that Hop would be on the coaching staff for the Kentucky Indiana All Star Game. My first question in the pre-game show before they took on Jackson Co was, "Well Hop, before we talk about the game today I want to congratulate on the honor of coaching in the All Star game, how does that feel?"
"Well Timbo, I have always wanted to be in 3 things in my life. The championship game of the Sweet 16, the coaches box for the Kentucky Indiana All Star Game and Bill Gates' will. 2 out of 3 ain't bad and if I hit that 3rd one, well, you and me will be walking in high cotton brother."
I hated to wake from that dream to be quite honest. I could have sit there and talked to those guys for a very long time.
I would like those who read this to remember some things.
Talk to people. Take the time to talk to people. Especially people older than you. They have a wealth of knowledge if you take the time to listen and learn, you will be better for doing so.
Take nothing for granted. There was a time when the men sitting around that table were available to me at a moments notice. Some are now gone and others have moved away or have drifted away due to circumstances. Take the time to let people who have influenced your life know how much you appreciate them. You may never get the chance if you don't do it now.
Don't be afraid to say "I love you" If there was one thing I learned from Hop Brown it was that you should never leave someone without them knowing you care about them. When Hop was sick, I would go visit him at times whether in the hospital or at his home. I never left his presence without him saying, "Thanks for stopping by. I love ya Timbo." It was very important to me to know that Hop loved me and respected what I did for him and his team. He told me that a lot. Not every coach was like that.
Laugh every day. The Bible says that laughter does the heart good, like a medicine. No matter how bad my day is going, or how troubling life is, I always find a reason to laugh. I search for the humor. I might be the only one laughing, and that's OK.
God bless and have a wonderful day.
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