#153 Bill Althaus | 40 Year Sports & Entertainment Writer for Kansas City/Blue Springs Examiner

Bill Althaus is a 1972 graduate of Truman High School. His senior year the school’s newspaper won the Robert F. Kennedy Award as the top high school paper in the country. He graduated from Northwest Missouri State University and has been an award-winning columnist and sports writer at The Examiner the past 33 years.

He has won eight Missouri Press Association first-place awards for columns, features and sports stories and been honored by United Press International, the Associated Press, Morris Communications and Gatehouse Media for his work. In 2009, he was named the Central Hockey League’s Media Member of the Year for his coverage of the new Missouri Mavericks hockey team and he is a lifetime member of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He was the Kansas City Royals beat writer for 21 years.

Bill also hosts The Sonic Locker Room, a weekly radio program that features 18 area high schools. He has been honored by the Missouri Broadcasters Association for his work on that program and his play-by-play broadcast of last year’s Blue Springs South High School state championship basketball game.

Bill has written nine books, including his most recent – “From the Guys Who Were There” – which takes fans into the locker room and behind the scenes of the Kansas City Royals past two World Series appearances, including last year’s World Series crown. Some of the highlights: Alex Gordon lists his five favorite defensive plays, Salvador Perez talks about the origin of his post-game dunking celebration and Wade Davis details his dramatic ninth-inning performance against the Toronto Blue Jays that helped the Royals reach the World Series. He has also written books with Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame second baseman Frank White, former Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowlers Dante Hall and Priest Holmes and books tracing the history of the Chiefs and University of Missouri sports.

He and his wife Stacy have two sons – Zach and Sean – who are both members of the Grain Valley High School Hall of Fame, Zach for golf and Sean for basketball. Dad joined his sons in the Hall of Fame two years ago when he was voted in for his work covering Grain Valley sports for The Examiner. His constant companion is Marley, the family’s mini-wiener dog who has overcome paralysis and a laundry list of medical issues to inspire him in his daily walk through life.

When he’s not covering area high school or professional sports, Bill enjoys concerts and movies. If you ever want to talk sports, movies or rock ‘n roll, he’s your guy

Transcript

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All right, everybody. It's the Always Be Cool podcast, hanging out with your hosts, Bobby Kerr, Darren Copeland. What's up, everyone? We are very excited today. This is our first time ever repeat guest decades long writer for the Examiner, Mr. Bill Althaus. All right, everyone. Here we go. So like Bobby was saying, very special episode. You should feel really blessed. Well, I mean, I want to know who canceled on that. No, the first one went so good that we're like, we got it. We have to do another one. So just a recap for those, just to remind you guys. So we have an award-winning sports writer for the examiner for 41 years. He's won several almost, I believe eight, correct me if I'm wrong, Missouri press association awards for his columns. He was a Kansas city, world's beat writer for over 21 years. He's a lifetime member of the baseball writers association, which is just phenomenal. He's written several books covering the Royals and cheese all around. Awesome guy, Bill Althaus. Welcome back brothers. Good to see you guys. I I'm so thrilled to be back. I mean, it's going to be a fun conversation. It is. If you wanted to lead the show with those compliments you were giving us before air, if you would like to repeat what you said about my best friends, total professionals, they, you know, it's not an interview. Conversation and that's the greatest compliment I can get from a coach Administrator or especially the kids. I want them to feel comfortable I want them to feel like we're just talking and it's funny how you ease into an interview It does become a conflict with you guys. It was good. Yeah, I'm super simple and also, you know Not to pump you up too much bill, but you're an excellent storyteller I mean, you've seen so many things in your career and We're going to talk about some of it. You know, it's not only sports, but you've got some really cool music stories, love music, you know, acting movies, like just a whole gamut. So I know we have a whole bunch of stuff that we want to start off with. So Bobby, is there anyone in particular that we want to roll with? I know one of the really cool things that we didn't know about you is something to the effect that you were on the tour bus heading East with a nitty, the nitty gritty dirt band. In fact, I was on the tour bus with head East. Really? Yeah. The old, you know, the original John Schlitt and those guys and the Nitty-gritty Gert band. And the coolest thing about the Nitty-gritty Gert band is they were watching Spinal Tap. Oh my gosh, yeah. Which is my favorite movie. And they're like, we don't need to watch this. We live it. It's true. It was so cool. But you know, when you see those, I wrote from St. Joe, I mean, Maryville, Missouri to St. Joe. Okay. And... because I was a student at Northwest and went up, interviewed him and I just had a friend on campus drive my car down. I'm not gonna, heck, no way I'm gonna miss out on this opportunity. But Jeff Hanna was amazing, their lead singer. He was so much fun for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. And I saw them in 1973 and their opening act was this banjo player who didn't go over very well. So. He's, he's playing and he's done and little bit of applause, few boos. And then all of a sudden the spotlight is in the crowd and he's like, that's the greatest thing I've ever, I do. Want to hear more Steve Martin? I knew, I knew that's where you were going. Are you serious? Oh man. I was going to say, are we talking about Steve Martin? I didn't want to blow the punch. Yeah. But, uh, that's Cowtown Ballroom. That's wow. Yeah. Man. I was, uh, watching. video just a couple of days ago. And it was, it was a interview on Howard Stern. And it was Rob Reiner talking about making spinal tap and how when it first came out, well, he's talking as an artist, right, as a director and as a writer and as a comedian. They a lot of times they just they write what they feel. And then sometimes it bombs. And he was writing the movie and writing the script and he hired I forget who it is, but he hired the filmmaker who did like all of the rock and roll documentaries of the 60s and 70s, right? So he's like, I want spinal tap to look like a real documentary on a rock band. And so we hired the guy and the guy that was the, he was doing all the film work. They did the whole movie and he goes to Rob, he goes, I don't get it. I don't get this movie. I don't know why it's not funny. It's not funny. And so Rob said that the entire time that he was making the movie, he had all these people second guessing him the entire time of, this isn't going to be funny. No one gets it. And then he just said, I'm betting everything on this movie to be really, really well. And of course, I mean, I don't, you could speak better than I could, but I don't think it was a hit. Oh no, it's a cult classic. Everybody knows it, but it bombed cause nobody really got. the idea. And so now it's just this running joke with every musician in the history of the world. If you're walking through a venue and you check this door and it leads to the bathroom or this door leads to the basement, you can't find the stage. You're like, Oh, we're having our spinal tap moment. Well, it had they heard that happened to Tom Petty. Yeah. And I asked Petty about that one time I met him many, many years ago and he goes, Oh, yeah, yeah. He goes, you know, I'm still working with my lawyers to get a cut of that film because they stole that one from us. But you know, and it was all ad-libbed. Yeah. I mean, so much of it was ad-libbed. And, uh, there wasn't a certain script on that at all. Was there a bit of an outline? Yeah, that's a good way to outline. Yes. You know, the, uh, you know, why don't you just play it at 10? It goes to 11. And Christopher Guest, you know, ad-libbed that. And I, honest to God, I watch that movie at least once. Once a month. That's amazing. Sometimes you just got to go to that extra edge and instead of 10, it goes to 11. And when Derek Smalls gets caught in the pod on stage, there are just so many classic moments. It's so good. Well, gosh, so you text us and we were talking all week like, hey, you know, being our first second time guess, right? Like, that's a really cool thing. I mean, George Brett was here for two episodes because he stayed for like 14 hours. But for you to come back and hang out is really special. And you said, man, we have so many stories that we didn't get to last time. So we kind of want this to be total conversational. I should have poured a whiskey so we could just hang out. But let's just kind of let you go, tell some stories that come to mind, whether it's music, entertainment, sports, whatever. I mean, let's just tee you up right away, right? You know, I'm a massive Miami dolphins fan and you text me today. You're like, Hey, I got a great Miami dolphin story. So let's just start there. Well, uh, 1972, the dolphins are playing the chiefs. It's a great year by the way. Oh yeah. 72 is the best year ever. Yeah. I graduated from Truman high school. There you go. Truman. Um, my, uh, my mom and dad just couldn't get tickets anyway. It was blacked out. So we were going to Clinton, Missouri to watch the game with my grandma and grandpa. But before we left, I, I. I asked my mom, I said, hey, you know, be okay if I went down, I know what hotel they're staying at, I want to go down and try to meet some of those guys. So you know, she said, you know, Sharon, and times are so different now. I mean, there's no way you would ever meet a Bob Greasy or Larry's hotel. So I go down, I'm the only kid there. I didn't have any pictures. I had a couple of sporting news covers. And I just took a white sheet of typing paper. And I had everybody sign that typing paper except Larry Zonka and Jim Kick. And they kind of walked by me like I wasn't even there. Well, Bob Kuchenberg, big offensive lineman for the team saw that. He goes, Hey, you trying to get everybody on the team? I said, yeah. He goes, let me run up to my, to my room for a second. I'll be right back. He came back down with a Manila envelope with like this many pictures in there. He took me into their team meal. And he went up to kicks and Zonka and said, you better sign for my friend. Wow. Are you serious? He brought you a stack of pictures. Yeah. It was the public. Yeah. And, uh, you know, you know, it, it's sad that kids will never be able to experience that because I was on cloud nine. I got to hang out with those guys a couple of months ago at, um, Miami dolphins cruise. I saw you. As we go through here, I'll find, oh, here we go. I got a picture with, uh, as you're looking there, Bobby had, I have a very important question. Yeah. Bill, did you get to eat with them as they were signing your stuff? You know, I think I could have asked and could have, um, Lance Alworth was, took me in to eat with the chargers. No kidding. Yeah. Unbelievable. Yeah. It's, uh, well, an even crazier, um, Gosh, what's his name? The big linebacker, Cooper, something Cooper for the, for the Oakland Raiders, um, invited me in and I sat with him and they, no kidding. Wow. I mean, like I say, it's, you know, I mean, autograph collecting now has become such a, a hobby and a huge, huge business back when I was a kid, I was the only person there and the guys would come up, sit and talk to me. They'd leave a hotel, come back and say, Hey, who do you need? And, and, and it was so much fun. It was just, it was my passion. And, uh, gosh, I haven't, I haven't asked for an autograph in years and years and years, and, um, you know, still run into some guys, uh, during interview sessions and things like that, that it's so much fun, but I need to get a kick out of, out of the dolphins because I'm, I mean, my gosh, Marv Fleming. Bob Greasy and Paul Warfield and Mercury Morris and eventually kickin' Zonka. Unbelievable. They're really cool to hang out with. And the thing is, like you said, you know, times have changed so much. You know, back then those guys weren't worried about you going out and throwing it on eBay or something like that and selling it. I mean, that was a very special time. It was, it was a great time to be a kid. It really was. I'd go, I'd go to a Royals game, you know, from, from. guys, 12 years old to 16 years old. My folks had season two season tickets, uh, $250. And they were right behind third base for the full year. Yes. Yeah. And, uh, I would be the first kid in there. And you know, if I didn't get everybody on the team, I so disappointed. So, uh, yeah, I've got great memories. That's cool. That's amazing. And speaking of baseball, it's a perfect segue. You said you have a really good Dick Howser story. Oh, Dick was so special. I did the last interview Dick ever did. Um, his wife, Nancy called me and he was very close to the end and she invited me over to the house and he was having a golf tournament and wanted me to do the story about Dick for the golf tournament. And, um, boy, it was tough. I mean, I, I'm battling tears and, but such a sweet, sweet man. In 1985, one of my best friends, Bill Sobey, who was the activities director at Park Hill High School, legendary Winnetonka athlete, three sport athlete, was in the Dodgers organization, but wasn't a high pick, so we never saw the big leagues. But for 20 plus years, he was the Royals bullpen catcher. So, only players flew to St. Louis for the 85 World Series. So Bill and I drove, we got a hotel room where the team was staying and when Danny Jackson threw the game of his life and they finally got a win against the Cardinals, uh, Bill and I are sitting down in the, uh, the hotel where the team's staying and we're kind of facing each other. And somebody comes up behind me and gets me in a headlock and says, we finally got those bleep. And it was Dick house. Oh, no way. And Dick sat with us for a few minutes. He got, you know, I mean, nothing. No earth-shattering conversations, but he threw a $100 bill down on the table and he said, the rest of the night's on me, guys. No way. Yeah, what an amazing guy. Yeah, tremendous guy, just tremendous. And you talk about a guy that was a players manager. He loved his players. And the next year with him being diagnosed with cancer, and then he tried to come back and that was just so tough to watch. You know, that had an effect that began the 30 year skid. Yeah. Somebody else that was on the show and I can't remember who now, but somebody was in this room telling a story about that year that Dick tried to come back. And that was, they said something to the effect of what you just said, like that kind of started the downhill of just the morale within the clubhouse and that just things kind of snowballed. Well, you know, I mean, it's much like the death of your Donald Ventura. I mean, that, that never got over that. No. And all the success they'd had in 14 and 15. And then when your dark, your Donna was, was killed in the car wreck. They just couldn't recover. Oh, and Dan Connors is the linebacker from the old, the great or they took me indeed with themselves. That's pretty good. Well, the interesting thing, a lot of people don't might not know this about Dick Houser, but you know, back in the mid late seventies, early eighties, you know, the Royals had such a rival rivalry with the New York Yankees. So well, Dick was a Yankee. Right. He was a coach and then in 1980 became a manager. And 1980 was when the Royals finally beat the damn Yankees and it cost Dick his job. Yeah. And then a couple of years later, Billy Martin was before that. Yes. Yeah. Late seventies. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Every time the Yankees came down, there were some, you know, Billy got fired once when they were in Kansas City. And it was in Kansas city that he and Reggie had that huge argument that everybody continues. It was just like on a, on a, a thread where it just was shown over and over and over again, and, uh, God, those, you know, when the Yankees came to town, oh man, you circled that on your schedule. It was on. You were going to miss those. It was on. And you know, I did a piece on with George Brett, an interview with George Brett for a world series program. And it was all themed on the Yankees. And he says to this day, I hate him. Yeah. I just, you know, he was really good about these with Greg Nettles, right? There's a classic poster of that fight and they both have on Puma cleats. And at the bottom of it says, at least they can agree on their shoes. Ah, that's pretty cool. That's really cool. That's awesome. Yeah. We talk about, well, let's just talk about the Royals. We're there for a second. Let's talk current events about our beloved boys in blue. But it's tough. It is so tough. And what a horrible timing to try to get the voters of Jackson County to vote for a new downtown stadium. Yeah. And I went to a couple of, of John Sherman's public forums. Um, you weren't allowed to ask questions, but you could write questions down on a card, give them to the staff and they'd give them to Mr. Sherman. And, and not, none of mine were select shocker because yours weren't puff pieces. I was so surprised, but you know, now not only is it everybody in Jackson County's upset, but they're, they're starting the war between Jackson County and Clay County. Yeah. I don't think, I don't think there's any chance. that this has not been settled on downtown already. Well, I see. I agree. Yeah, it's already done. I think all the real estate's been purchased. I think it's ninth in Charlotte area. There's no way it's going up north. Well, and you know, you have to have new exits off I-70. The cost of that is astronomical. You know, people are going to go down and see this new stadium. They'll probably grow at 2 million the first year, but if they're playing like they are now, they don't have a prayer. Yeah. Well, and the soonest it could go would be what? 27, 28. That's what I'd say. Something like that. Yeah. It's we're all pretty, you know, I mean, we are all tied very closely with the Royals, you know, in some form or capacity. And so I think we sometimes self-censor. I mean, I'll be the first to say it. Darren and I self-censor whenever we're talking about the Royals because we are so tight. But when you talk with other alum and those guys don't self-censor, they're the first to say the stuff's messed up, you know, all the way top to bottom. Yeah, I had a conversation with somebody just the other day or last night who's got some inroads and they had some nasty things to say about top to bottom. Like this stuff's get this team's getting turned over. Right. Like we've got some placeholders for some people in some high ranking positions. And it's just, it's just sad because we all want it. We all just want to go have a good time at a ballpark and watch our team that we love. My first year of governing the Ross 76 from 75, man. You, you tied it just perfect. Oh my gosh. I mean, talk about like the most epic decade of Royal baseball. Exactly. You were front row. And you know, it's funny. I, you know, uh, I haven't talked to George in a long time. You know, we just don't see each other. You guys were really close. And I knew George before he was George Branch. And you know, he'd see this naive young kid come into the locker room and, hey, the guy from the Examiner fish wrappers here, you know, I mean, he loved, he and Hal McCray just loved to give me a hard time. And I became really... close to each one of them. And I mean to, to watch George for over 11 years, every time he came up. It was like Christmas. You know, I mean, it was amazing to watch bow during his hay day because his strikeouts were epic. His hits were epic. His defensive plays were epic. But you know, I, I saw George Brett more than any other player, but You know, if aliens are coming to the United States and I need one guy to get a base hit to save the world, it's George. Well, exactly. What in the thing is, is like, he was like you said, he was such a treat to watch every at bat, right? I mean, to see that type of caliber and the consistency that he was, right. And all those players. So I had a question because I was growing up during that era and my grandpa was taking me to general admission seats and there are a dollar, dollar 50. And I got to get a hot dog. Thought that was big stuff. But I just remember as a kid seeing how fast Willie Wilson was. And that was out in the cheap seats. Right? So what was that like to see some of the, you know, the Royals has some amazing team speed back in the day. What was that like to see him run the bases? First to third with Willie Wilson. It was breathtaking. We'd never seen anything like that. And John Sherholds did such an amazing job. Building a team. Building the team. And finding outfielders that could fill all those caps. And I mean, without Cowens and right field, uh, at this time, Willie and right field and Amos and Sam. Holy cow. Those guys cover a lot of ground. Yeah. But you know, Willie had that year and I'm right there in the dugout when Dick Hauser is calling somebody in the moment, I think that the A's were playing the Milwaukee Brewers. And Ricky Henderson and Willie were neck and neck. Yeah. When he found out that Ricky Henderson made an out and that guaranteed Willie the batting title, they took him out of the game. Wow. I mean, to be right there and you know, the details get foggy, but we're all back there, the Royals said, you know, the game was still going on, but Willie Wilson was. Was. When he's running, when his speed's involved, the most electrifying player I've ever seen. Really? Whereas, uh, Bo Jackson was the most dynamic. I mean, you had to, you know, nobody was ever went to the bathroom. And Bo Jackson was coming up and nobody made it look easier than Amos Otis. And he told me one time, he says, you know, it just hacks me that I make it look so easy and they don't know how hard I'm working. You'll never see Amazotus make a diving sensational catch. Because he didn't need to. Because he got there in time. Yeah. Lonnie Smith and Lou Pennella, anything they ever caught, it was diving and sensational because they didn't know what they were doing. It's because their first step was the wrong step. Exactly. So they had to make up for it, but Ayo didn't make the first wrong step. Never. Right. I know he did, but personally, I mean, I never saw him make a mistake. Wow. He's such a sweetheart of a guy. He's so funny. He's so quiet, but he's so funny. He's one of the fan favorites at Royals Fantasy Camp. Oh, I bet. His Nolan Ryan stories are just to die for. And unless he's on Leo's team, if he's not on Dennis Linder's team, he's not coming to Fantasy Camp. Like those guys are super tight. All right. So last time you shared some great stories about the great Geraldo Rivera, and you told us some stories about how you were living in his apartment with him as a fresh out of college kid and the same complex as John Lennon. John Lennon lived in Block Up. Woody Allen and Paul Simon. I never saw them, but they lived there. Just that scene in New York. When you told those stories, I think the listeners could really paint the picture in their head. So let's kick off there and tell some more stories. And you're just a kid at the time, right? Yeah. I was 18 years old. I had never been on a plane. Wow. That's right. And my plane, uh, I lost her all those phone numbers. So the first night I took $300 to New York for the summer. And the first night I paid like 112 bucks for a hotel room. Oh, like half your net worth. Go on the night. I mean, I'm like, I'm not going to eat this summer, I guess. But it was amazing. He came to Northwest Missouri State University, showed the Abraham sub pruder film of the assassination of John Kennedy. I was his guest. We spent the whole day together. He, you know, it bothers me and I know it really bothers him that all he's going to be remembered for is Al Capone's vote. The fact that it was empty. There was nothing in the vault. Yes. And when I was out there, he had just won the Peabody award for an investigation. He did into a home, uh, for mentally disadvantaged people, but there were. there were capable people in there too. And he broke a window and took a camera crew in there. Oh, the photos and I couldn't watch it. I mean, it was just horrible. But he invited me out and it was, you know, I mean, it was the greatest summer of my life. I saw every play on Broadway. Thanks to her although, my favorite play was same time next year with Ellen Burston and Charles Grodin. And I got to meet each one of them. Charles Groten. Charles had heard that. Oh, he's amazing. You know, when he was on, uh, the Louis CK show before Louis got involved in some nefarious stuff, he, he was, and he was like 90 when he was doing that. And, uh, this was the kind of the leading man, Charles Groten and, uh, it was just so much fun. I mean, I could, they could tell I'm just. You're an aunt. Yeah, exactly. And they were so nice to me. So if you ever need tickets again, just let us know. Have you come back and see us. But that summer was so incredible because there weren't curve cuts in New York back then to where a person in a wheelchair could go over the curb and not come. And I worked. with a young lady and I'd give anything if I could remember her name. She was confined to a wheelchair and Geraldo was the big push behind this, but that summer they put Curve Cats in New York City. Really? Wow. And they also put doors next to revolving doors. You couldn't... With a wheelchair you can't get in. Couldn't get into the Empire State Building. No, so that's when they started putting doors next to the... Absolutely. New York City. And he did so many great things and you know, I went to... Muhammad Ali's training camp, which was phenomenal. I mean, of course it was Ali then. And I, you know, I don't remember if I told this last time, but, um, Heralda was married to Kurt Vonnegut's daughter. Yeah. And Kurt was your favorite. And we had dinner with Kurt Vonnegut at the apartment. That was like the ultimate. That was that. That one was just blew me away. Blew me away. But you know, there's no way I could have ever stayed out there. And you talk about the fast pace, the fast lane. ABC was really close to a blind institution where people came in and these blind people are walking 10 times faster than I am. You know, I'm like, I'm not made for this. Wow. Just a different pace. Yes, you know, great place to live, great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Yeah. And I've been back several times. And one time I happened to run into a herald. Oh, he was out jogging. No. What? And yeah, it was 1984 when the Chiefs made the playoffs. And I thought, you know what? I'm just going to go see what the apartment looks like, what I remember about it. And I'm walking. Here comes this guy. And I'm like, I said, herald. He goes, Bill. Well, did he instantly recognize you? Did he really? Yeah. And that was pretty cool. That's amazing. That was the summer of. that's all you know. Do you still have a relationship with him at all? You know, um, I haven't talked to him in a long, long time. Uh, I reached out to him. Uh, we follow each other on Twitter and I reached out to him, but I, I haven't heard anything. Well, boy, we have a surprise for you, Dan. Will you get the door? Yeah. Hold on. Mr. Herrota Rivera, everybody. So did you ever ask him like, you know, that whole thing, I remember being a kid and that whole Al Capone and his bolts being a huge thing. Did you ever ask him like, bro, didn't you like want to crack those open a little bit before you went on live? Well, he, do you remember Bob Burdella, who worked down at, uh, the hamburger place, the, the historic place in downtown Kansas town topic? Uh, yes. No, no, not town topic. Uh, it was like, uh, he had a store in there and sold like skulls and different things. It was, uh, he is serial killer. Yes. And that's why I know that name. Yes. And Geraldo came and did a piece on 2020 about Bob Burdella. And he called me and he goes, Hey, let's try to get together. And, you know, I was out there light years before, uh, the Capone deal, but I asked him and he said on my gravestone, it's going to say the vault was empty. Oh man. Yeah. Wow. Oh man. That's a tough one. That's tough because he did some great things. Yeah. You know, um, I mean, he revolutionized the mustache on national TV. And him and Tom Selleck carried that flag for a long time. He still got it. I mean, he's 80, but he still got the stash. So, Peralta was always very aware of how he looked. And you know, he, oh my God, he was the rebel in the news. That was part of his shtick. I mean, that was, what's so cool to hear is like an awesome guy like yourself have firsthand knowledge. Man, this guy was a good dude. Well, he was, I mean, he invites this 18 year old kid to come out. Um, he said, I can't pay you, but I'll find you a place to live. Yeah. I know in a penthouse in downtown Manhattan. And then if there were nights that, you know, something was going on, then he had an apartment down on Avenue C, which was the Puerto Rican Bureau. And I remember walking out of the apartment one time and guy comes up and Geraldo told me to always carry$20. a $20 bill because they could get a hit on $20. So this guy comes up to me and he says, Hey, hey, you need a hit. You need it. And this guy comes, he says, that's her, all those boys leave him. Don't, sorry, sorry. We apologize. And off they went. So he had kind of put you were like a maid guy. Yeah. Mafia style, but you want to have all those boys. Wow. Did you, what? I mean, That timeframe in New York City was so iconic for pop culture, for music. You remember any like entertainment music stories from just all those iconic artists that were, cause they were living in that same area too. Well, one night I got a call from her, all those brother Craig, and he goes, Hey, uh, we're invited to a, uh, party at a Rolling Stone writers house. You want to go? And I said, I guess. Yes. So, we went there and go up these stairs. It's a brownstone and Bob Dylan is sitting at the piano playing. Unbelievable. I mean, and I just- Just stood there. I just stood there and there was no way I was going to approach Bob Dylan. No way. And before long, Ian Hunter and Mick Robinson from Mata Hoopa walked in. Yep. Man. And Ian Hunter, I had- I hadn't met them and interviewed, not, not Mick Ronson, but I'd interviewed Ian Hunter, um, not six months ago when he was playing at Memorial hall in downtown Kansas city. And I wound up going to the show with them and their limo and, um, they gave me this, this little button, which I still have, and if you had that on your lapel, you could go backstage. Well, I didn't have, you know, right. He goes, you gotta go to St. Louis with us. And I, I didn't have two nickels to rub together, but. Ian Hunter walks in and he walks up to me and he goes, Kansas. Wow. He remembered from the interview. So we went to CBGB. Oh, really? Yeah. The CBG? The CBGB. Wow. And I'd love to say Patty Smith was playing there. The remote, I don't remember who was playing. But you know, I'm riding around in a limo with Mick Hunter, Ian Hunt, Mick Bronson, Ian Hunter and his wife, who went to CBGB. Wow. And we drove by Max's Kansas city. We didn't stop there, but oh my gosh. You know, I didn't realize how iconic they were until later in my life when I really started reading about these places and, you know, Lou Reed and the velvet underground and Nico and, uh, oh my God, you know, Springsteen opened for Patty Smith there. And, um, you know, one night for all the cities, Hey, you want to take a little ride to Kutztown, Pennsylvania and Kutztown State College. This guy wanted to be on Geraldo show. And Carl just said, go check him out and tell me if he's worth being on my show. And I did, it was Springsteen. What? You're kidding. And I didn't meet him at that time, but you can Google Bruce Springsteen and Kutztown, Pennsylvania. And setlist is online. Wow. And I remember him at the, I mean, this guy. ringing wet just working. Can you imagine? Yeah. I mean, you see, you know, I never miss him. And you know, at 67 years old, he's, he's putting more into it than any. He's still doing three hour shows. I know every night's three hours. He's 67 now. Yeah. I think he's older. I know this was when I saw him last time I saw him. He's like 77. Yeah. He's old. I think 74, 75, something like that. But, um, he's, he's down on the. war on his back playing his guitar and he grabs the mic and he goes, I don't know any more songs. I want to leave. You don't want to. I don't know any more songs. And it was cool because right after that he came to Kansas City and played at Memorial Hall. And I got to meet him and one of the biggest disappointments of going to New York was Geraldo had tickets to see him at that classic bottom line concert when Newsweek or Time wrote, I have seen the future of rock and roll. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. So, Heraldo said, you know, why don't you just go down and get them? So, I went down. They wouldn't give them to me because I wasn't Heraldo. Oh, really? But I got a poster from that night, and I got it signed when Heraldo was in, or when Springsteen was in Kansas City. Cool. And, you know, he's a very genuine guy. You know, I've met him. been lucky enough to meet him a few times. Wow. But, uh, yeah, that, that time in New York was, was pretty special. Bill, do you ever look back, man, because you know, you came out of high school pretty hot, man. Like some people would have peaked. Yes. That was the peak. That's basically was I mean, do you ever look back and go, did that really happen? Did I really do all that stuff in that short period of time? Yeah. Yeah, definitely. You know, if you watch Scorsese's Mean Streets, that was New York when I was there. First night I was there. Harvey Keitel, right? Oh yeah, Keitel and De Niro. First night I was there, Geraldo got the ABC limo and he goes, we're going to go drive around and I'm going to tell you where you cannot go. And he said, I'm serious. You know, it's not safe. This was a different time in New York City. Well, yeah, you know, it was mean streets. Yeah, it was mean streets and. Prostitutes would do lewd things when a limo drove by. I'm going to describe it. What are those lifting up address? Oh, there you go. Leave it with that. There you go. And her all, they're all those said, but you never saw that Maryville, Missouri. I know, no, I haven't. And I didn't. I mean, I stayed close to the vest. Man, I learned to use that subway. I can still use the subway system there. Yep. And my second day there, he had me go down to that monstrous New York public library and do some... Like the one that's in all the movies and stuff? Yes. Yeah. Ghostbusters. Yeah. That's immediately what I think of. Yeah. And... to start doing research on the curve cut story and just looking in and seeing, you know, but, but other places that had done it, how they had done it. And, um, it, you know, I, I told him, I said, I'll do anything, but. You know, this is my second day, man. He goes, you gotta learn. And I go down in this subway. 140 degrees down there, there's some whole homeless guy down on his hands and knees retching and, uh, wow, it was crazy. This is different than Maryville. But, you know, I got very comfortable there and, uh, every time my, you know, I love to go back with my wife and, you know, kind of have the feel for it, but, you know, Times Square, I, you know, I hear Times Square is getting kind of bad again, Broadway areas getting kind of bad because when I was there, on a one to 10 scale, it was a 20. It was an 11. And you know, when, when Stacey and I went a couple of times, it was, oh my god, you couldn't spit without hitting the car. Oh, really? Yeah. Toys R Us had their shop there and had the biggest Ferris wheel in New York inside in the store. Yeah, so it was awesome. Very safe. So let's bring it back to Kansas City a little bit. So actually, you mentioned Memorial Hall a couple times in those stories. I mean, Memorial Hall, most young people don't understand what Memorial Hall was. Right now. You're talking about Beatles? The Beatles were there in 62, I think, 63. I mean, you're talking 2,000 people in a place. Oh, 2,000. With the world's biggest bands that came through. That was the staple, you know, obviously before Kemper or Sandstone or Sprint. That was the place. Well, Municipal Auditorium had a few shows that, in fact, has been the home of more NCAA finals. That's right. But you know, when they had Kemper in, uh, 88 for the 50th anniversary, that was it. I hope everything has gone to the stadium. Bigger Enos. Yeah. In fact, uh, we went to a recent high school graduation. Blue spring South had their graduation now town of municipal every year they do it there. Yeah. And I read mine was there. Yeah. Really? Oh yeah. two years ago. I remember as a kid, because my dad, here's a shout out to my dad. My dad used to sell season tickets for the Kansas city Kings. And I forget what year it was, it was the early eighties. But do you remember we had a huge snow storm and the roof of Kemper fell in? So, yeah. So two days, two days before a Rod Stewart concert that I had Florida tickets. Exactly. So the Kings had to start playing at municipal auditorium because Kemper was El Nixay. Yeah. How about that? You remember what happened there with Darrell Dawkins? Oh, he, uh, wasn't he the first one to break the backboard broke the backboard. That's right. Yeah. From the Philadelphia chocolate thunder. And I don't think, did they have a backup or they finally found one. So, but I mean, the game was delayed forever. Oh yeah. He went up and hung on that and just shattered the whole, and I was down on the floor at the press table and I'm not, I thought it had been shot. or so I never knew you could do something like Bill Robbins. Zane was up gardening, um, Kansas city Kings player. And I mean, he came off and walked by me and he was just covered in charge of glass from the, from the ring. Yeah. From the arena. So, um, Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah. You know what? Let's not, let's not like overstep like, cause we don't get a very many opportunities to talk about the Kansas city Kings for you. Younger folks are listening. That means Kansas city actually had an NBA team. And an NHL team too. The scouts. Yeah. Absolutely. When the Kings left in 84, I was heartbroken. Yeah. I mean that, you know, when the A's left in 68, I knew that they were going to get another team, but when, you know, the year they left was Michael Jordan's rookie year. That's right. 84. That's when everything was starting to cook. And we had just won the division in 83, right? Yeah. I mean, uh, you know, Ron Boone, Brian Taylor, Burleson, Sam Lacey. I mean, the first round of the playoffs, they beat the Houston Rockets with Akeem Melladjewan and Clyde Drexler. Yeah, Ralph Sandson. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so. It was a big deal. That killed me, man, when they left. That was so tough because, you know, Jordan wasn't Jordan yet, but he had just made the shot to give Dean Smith his first championship. That's right. You just wanted to see him play. You think there's... This is, I'm asking this because I really do think that there is a potential for it. The Royals keep crap in the bed. Maybe taxpayers don't vote. You think there's a chance that conversation starts to happen? I think you're, you're closer to getting an NHL team because of a guy named Paul McGann and he used to be, um, well, he was the Royals trainer for many years. Okay. Uh, he is now the Rockhurst high school trainer. and Paul was the Paul. It's our Paul is our fantasy camp. That's why I know. Yeah. We know Paul really well. Yeah. Paul's like rubbed on us several times. Okay. Yeah. Well, then you got rubbed on by my groin. Yeah. I'm like, but he's, uh, she's in charge of a committee like hockey 24 seven or something and see he and many other people were told that the Pittsburgh Penguins. That's right. I mean, here. Well, that was, yeah. When they were building the sprint center, that was the whole thing. The penguins were coming to Kansas and they parlayed it to get their own new, to get their own new state. Oh boy. We should get Paul on the show. You'll never see. We talked about it before. Yeah. Oh, he would be amazing. Yeah. I mean, the different things that he could talk about from all levels and then just, you know, being a part of those glory years with rock. Oh yeah. You know, yeah. Right down there, Bob. So we don't forget. Yeah. Paul would be amazing to have on. And I have his contact information. Cool. That's perfect. I don't have any paper. You write that for me. Yep. I was going to ask a question. Okay, so where were we going? We were going with, I think you were kind of alluding to, if there ever was a chance that we might lose the Royals. And I think one of the positive things that has happened recently is thank goodness that the Oakland A's are going to Las Vegas. Yes. Because Vegas was going to get a team no matter what. Yep. So that's one of the big targets that's off the board, but I worry about Nashville. Yeah, I just hope they, you know, John Sherman at every venue I've ever seen him talk swears. Said every owner ever. Exactly. He will never move them. And wow. I, you know, I mean. I hope that's the case, obviously. You know, yeah, definitely. The owners of the Kings told me several times that they weren't going to leave. I don't remember the ownership group. I remember exactly what the guy looks like. He kind of looked like job at the hut, you know, great big impose. Man, I think they just left at the wrong time. Yeah. That, that was really sad. You know, it was so cool as a kid. Cause you know, we got to go with dad having season tickets cause he sold them. But I mean, we saw, you know, Dr. J come through the 76ers. We saw magic and Kareem with the Lakers. Larry Bird, Larry Bird and the Celtics. I mean, it was just amazing. And then one time my dad told me I couldn't go anymore because what I would do after the games is, you know, those old school plastic cups that people would drink beer, I would collect them. And then here's this 10 year old smelling like beer. And he's like, you're going to get me in trouble. Stop collecting all those cups. Every cup when you guys come over, every cup is my house is. cup from a restaurant or brewery or something like that. My wife's like, you're not taking any more home. This is ridiculous. Well, I remember first time I went one of the first times it was at DC's house and he was showing the awesome Royals cups that he had from like the seventies and eighties. Oh, yeah. I've got them. And I drank, I used one. He was like, do not put that in the dishwasher. Oh, man. Yes. They're gone. A word to the wife. If you find one. first time I put one in there and it's like, what happened to my agent? Yeah. George Bratt used to be here, you know? Right. Yeah. Well, I hope our team always stays and I hope they turn things around. But that's just something that's I think in the head of a lot of fans right now. We don't want it, but it's kind of like the template that we're watching is what happens in every city that ends up losing a franchise. I just watched that doc. It was a football life on the 95 Browns. Oh, man. Yeah. And they promise they were. Yeah. Overnight. Yeah. In the darkness of nine. Literally overnight. He said he wasn't going to leave. Right. That's what I said. Every owner ever. Yes. Who did it? We've been to those rooms with John Sherman. Yeah. He said those same things to me. Yeah. You know, it's just anxiety. Yeah. It is. It makes me nervous when people always say the right things. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Like what you want to hear. So true. What's the, what's your, what's been your worst? experience being in your position. And I know it's easy to say, Oh, nothing's been bad. No, no. What was your worst moment? Either something that you brought on yourself, maybe and something that happened to you that somebody put you in a bad spot. Scariest position I was ever in had to do with one of your Miami Dolphins, Dan Marino. Bill Moss was married to his sister. I knew that. And so I'm, I'm talking to Moss and I was the Kansas city correspondent for USA today. Oh, uh, this was back when I'd write a story and I would, uh, either fax it to them or dictate it over the phone. This was before. Are you serious? So I'm talking to Moss and he goes, you know, he said, Dan Marino should love me. I made a millionaire out of his sister. In a conference because they got a divorce and she got it. Well. Oh no, this is good. I'm taking notes, but Billy Bob doesn't think that's going to go in USA today. And it was, they even highlighted Billy Bob, meaning Bill Moss. So I'm in the locker room every day. I go in and Nick Larry's locker was right by the door. And he said, Hey, have you seen Billy Bob? And I said, no, he goes, you might want to avoid him. So evidently he'd been ranting and raving about it, but we were really good friends. He told me, he says, he said, I just can't believe, I mean, it would be one thing if it was in the examiner, but the USA today, he says, do you know how many phone calls I've gotten? And Dan call him. Yes. Oh my gosh. And you know, we wound up kind of laughing about it, but I, wow, he's one guy. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, exactly. You know, over the years I need to figure out how many times I have spent waiting for an interview, waiting for a press conference. Um, that, you know, it's even now with, with high school coaches that I go and cover a football game, basketball game or baseball game, and they had, you know, some of them do 30, 45 minutes after a game. And I'm looking at these kids and, you know, at some much smarter than me said, you know, the kids after, especially after a tough game, they lose that attention span after two or three minutes. And here's the coaches railing on them. So that's part of my job that I never enjoyed. But I have been so lucky because I've, you know, I've never been accused of misquoting the player or misrepresenting myself in any way. You know, my gosh, I, you know, I... I've interviewed some high level folks. You know, I've interviewed some presidents and, um, you know, Jimmy Carter came to the, uh, carry trim museum to receive an award. Nice. This was back when a guy in the low, low rung of the totem pole could interview the president and, uh, that's amazing. George HW and George W. Bush a couple of times because I have a friend that was a photographer for the Republican party and. It was funny. We were at, um, uh, CrossFit Kemper's house and George was doing a, you know, I don't know, $5,000 plate type deal. And, uh, my friend was taking pictures of all the people who were there. Uh, two of the people happened to be George and Leslie Brett and George walks in and he goes, are you everywhere? What's up with this? I can tell you're George. Yeah. So, uh, yeah. So, uh, President Bush walks in and I had actually spent an inning in his suite at Georgia's last game in Arlington because Rush Limbaugh was there and you know, Rush used to work in the Royals. Yeah, he did. That's how he got his start. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And so I stayed at the same hotel as the Royals. Rush saw me and said, just come, use my name. You know, so I didn't want, you know, I was out of my league. But I walked in and, uh, you know, this was when Bush was still the, this is HW. No, this is W. George W was an owner of the Texas Rainbows. Yep. So, and the last game was so cool because it was Nolan Ryan and George Brett. Ryan couldn't play. There was a famous photo of them exchanging the last lineup cards and just a magical moment. That's awesome. But, uh, George, George Bush looked at him and goes, you're from Kansas City, aren't you? and talked to me for a few minutes and he was so gracious and so personable in person, but that just never transpired. He spoke in Crosby Kemper's house and I mean he had everybody right here and I've never seen him do that in a public forum. But what an amazing experience to be around all that. Oh yeah, yeah. And it's just, you know, everything in life is who you know. And I've not known a lot of great people and been able to do a lot, you know. I mean, a kid from Independence, Missouri spending a summer in New York being told, if we're not to go, you're gonna wind up dying. Right. And not only a kid from Independence, but a Truman high school grad. Well, there you go. Absolutely. Yeah. Not like those South grads. But it was phenomenal. Yeah. That's a good point. Wow. I've lived a good, you know, I'm 69. Um, people keep asking me how long you're going to do it. I'm going to keep doing it until I can't do it any longer. Well, you, you are different in that you have a special skill set. And we led the show with this and Whenever you interview people, and I can say this because you've interviewed me before, it very quickly leaves interview status and goes to buddies having a conversation. Absolutely. And where I think the pivot to this is where you spend the majority of your time now is conversing with high school kids and coaches and high school programs. So I know this is something that you are incredibly passionate about. So I know you wanted to share a couple of moments and talk about this part of your life. So go after it. Well, when I started at the examiner, all I covered was professional sports. I made a few trips with the Royals. I made every trip with the Chiefs. And it was a golden time for the Royals. It was when the Chiefs were... It's almost like now, but it's just reversed. Exactly. Right? It's great. You know, they really never... been great at the same time. Right. It's crazy how that happens. But I was thinking the other day of, um, you know, Albert Pujols just retired. I covered 30 or 40 of his games through American Legion and, uh, at Fort Osage high school, uh, you know, I was there when he led Fort Osage to its second state championship. Um, and what an amazing experience for a 23 year old kid. Did you, did you happen to know, uh, his base coach Walker? He was Chris Walker. So I played with Chris growing up with queen city, American. We went to William jewel together. We're at the same age. Yeah. Chris looks so much older than you. Let me, let me break out some cash. Yeah. Okay. I'm wait, I'll get, I'll take it afterwards. Um, yeah, you know, and I see Chris was the star of the first state championship baseball team there. Yeah. Uh, about that, we, we should have beat them. Well, everybody thought you were going to, and he and Brent Wilhelm and Bill Overbeck, there's a house out in left field at Fort Osage high school. I know they hit the house so many times that there's now this monster. Yeah. If anybody muscles up over that net, they're there. So, but not their big. So I played for Rick Berlin at. Yeah. So I played, so Truman and Fort Osage, we all played with each other. I mean, all this like for. Like your whole life over back and Brent Wilhelm, we all played on high boy together, sure. All grown up, right? So we were all the, I'm sorry. I don't remember you as much as I remember over back and Wilhelm. They were much better. I mean, Wilhelm went and played at KU. I mean, he was drafted by the Royals. Yeah. Really real low round pick. And you know, it's one or two years. Yeah. And here's, here's an interesting Brent Wilhelm story. Uh, his daughter is going to Missouri. Really? Yeah. And I'm sure she's a stud too. Oh my gosh. She's one of the best softball players I've ever seen. I figured. Yeah. And uh, you know, daddy and daughter, KU and MU. That's uh, that's cool. That's yeah. Yeah. And Brent has a lot of fun talking about that. So what do you got cooking with right now that you're really passionate about? Because you text me today and you were like, yeah, this is something I want to. Well, it's just the state of high school sports for me. Oh. Parents are out of control. Yeah. If you don't have an activities director that supports you, I've seen some of the emails, and some of the letters that parents have sent trying to get a coach fired. And it basically stems from playing time. Little Bobby and little Jane not playing. Yeah. And I don't know how you find principles. I don't know how you find activities directors. And the coaches have to have the thickest skin that you'll ever have. And it worries me. Um, okay. You're talking about high boys. Rod Zays fight. Oh, grow post 499 fights. The only one that's left. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. They just had the wood bat invitational, which it was 35th anniversary. It's a wood bat tournament at hidden Valley blue Springs. Yeah. Uh, You know, for folks that don't know Legion and all baseballs played with metal bats, aluminum bats, and I did a story for USA today when they had the first one, it was such a special deal. 48 teams there. Yeah. 12 teams at this last one. That's it. Going the wrong direction. That was like the highlight of our summer back in the day. Oh, listen, man. It was huge. I was on, I mean, Fike was my team right through all those years. So I remember those, those years well. Jim Moran, your coach. Jim was my coach and Kathy, his wife was my high school teacher for so many years. And so she and I still talk on Facebook all the time. That's so cool. Yeah. But you know, um, I don't know what's going to happen to high school basketball because they, you basketball is so it's taken over and the kids come in and all they want to do is impress people in the summer so they may score 30 points a game because They just keep feeding and feeding and feeding the ball. And then they come into high school and it's like, well, you know, we want you to be the, uh, you're not going to be the point guard when we get to be the off guard and play a little defense and, Oh, mom and dad don't like that. Yeah. And I've had several coaches tell me that, you know, they're concerned about the future. The best, the cream of the crop tennis players play USDA tennis. until they get a scholarship and then they might come back and play high school tennis. Wow. But a kid that was our player of the year, his sophomore year, did that. And he did get a scholarship and then he came back the next year. And I was talking to him and this wasn't for a story, but he said, you know, I shouldn't have done that. He said the coaches knew me from high school. Yeah. And, you know, my gosh, with social media, video, everything. All that. If you're a stud. They're going to know where you are. It's crazy. My neighbor who lives directly across the street, he is 14. He's going to be a freshman at Liesemann North. OK, so he was at Campbell and he is ranked. I don't know. First of all, that they rank middle school kids and is crazy. They rank younger than that. It's it is not. So he goes his parent. This is not I'm speaking very highly of them. That's what I'm trying to do. OK, good. Is that. they take him to these camps and it's like every month he's at a out of state camp where they have you know ex pros there or whatever but he's ranked like in top 10 top 15 in the country for his age class for his age class and so he's going in now least i'm a north is stacked right with some football guys but he's coming in as a freshman but he's already getting collegiate conversations. He's already at they've got pro scouts at these middle school camps. Are you keeping an eye on what's going on? So this is just the local Kansas City Lee Summit football conversation. So imagine what's happening in Texas or Florida or California. Yeah. I mean, I'm sure they're watching those kids in elementary school. Seriously. Well, it's like the Dominican 12 year olds are getting contracts. Yes. Right. Well, you know, and along those lines, I have had more kids tell me that they picked a school because they were the first ones to follow me. I think I talked about Grace Slaughter on the last program. She's a young lady from Grain Valley. People were watching her when she was in the seventh grade. No kidding. And her dream was to go to the University of Missouri. She committed to the University of Missouri as a freshman. And you know, you can't sign until you can make a verbal commitment, but you can't sign until you're a senior. And you know. Some big, big time coaches called her and said, look, you know, if you ever change your mind, you know, we've got a place for you. Well, she's the leading scorer in the history of Eastern Jackson County, 22,570 points. That's unbelievable. And she missed half a year to COVID. And then with 10 games to go, her junior year tore her ACL. Oh my gosh. She'd have been the first kid to go over 3,000 points. Unbelievable. Wow. I wonder how many Jackie Stiles had. see, Oh, I'm, I can't even. Yeah. We had Jackie on the show. Yeah. She was got a statue, right? I've got a gym man. Her stories, she taught herself to shoot with the other. Yeah. Did you know this story? So when she was a sophomore, she broke her shooting hand. And so she didn't want to miss playing time. So in six weeks, she taught herself how to shoot left-handed. So she was shooting what? 2000 shots a day. It was either a thousand or 2000 shots. Yeah, just in her driveway, just repeatedly. So she taught herself. It doesn't surprise me. Grace, throughout her, both from eighth grade to senior year, her mom worked in the middle school and every coach wanted her to succeed so she could get a key to a gym somewhere. Eventually they had a friend who had a gym kind of in a barn, 1500 shots a day. No kidding. Most of them were three pointers. Wow. Because... You know, she's six, three, but she's going to be a point guard. You know, she could have been, and oftentimes was Green Valley's point guard. But, uh, you know, I've talked to her three times since she's been at Missouri. She loves it. Um, it's everything she'd hoped. Uh, the team she was on the past three years at Green Valley was like a family. And she said, you know, I really feel like I'm at a family in Missouri too. And so it's, it's been great, but I. You know, if anybody would have told me that Rod's A's, High Boy and Post 21 would be gone, be around, I'd say, Yeah. What are you smoking? What are you drinking? There's no way. And those guys, the managers of those teams told me it was coming and I'm like, no way. So they saw it coming down the pipeline. Oh, with all the kids doing the travel team. Yeah. Oh yeah. This could be like legit a whole other episode. Like my nephews or Craig's kids, these kids are playing. Now, we played a lot of baseball when we were young, right? What we thought was a lot. Like we were playing at 10, 12. We were playing 50 games a year. These kids now, they're getting them and taking them out. I'm not saying that this is right or wrong or indifferent. It's not my decision to make, but you're seven, you're eight years old. You can't play football. You can't play basketball. You're just gonna play baseball or... one of the sports the whole time. That's... Yeah, I hate that. It's crazy. It's something. The age of the multi-sport athlete is dying. That's why it's so special when... I interviewed a young lady this morning, Finley LaForge, number one singles player at Grain Valley, off guard on the basketball team, and a stud in track and field. And you know, you ask those kids, why do you do it? What else would we be doing? Well, she also... Oh, great. Of course. Sure. Of course. Grace's grade point average, 4.4 weighted. Super special. Yeah. And those kids are just special. And what I love to do is, is give as much attention as I can to a cross country runner or, you know, wrestling doesn't get, cause it's not sexy. Friday night under the lights. Are you kidding? Yeah. Let's do a story. Pay it. Pay attention to the kids who don't have the arena. the stands around them to make them feel special because they're working just as hard as everyone else. Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. Sure, man. So here's the thing. We should just schedule a third episode because we've got we're already past an hour. It's gone by so fast. So like time travel. I love it. I love it. So let's literally when we get off, we're going to schedule a third episode. And we're going to pick it right back up because there's some Kevin Costner stories. Oh, my God. Actually, you know what? Will you tell one to end the show? I will. Thank you. I met Kevin Costner to chiefs game, uh, many years ago, probably 10, 12 years ago, and just the most, he was there with, with his now ex wife and a baby. And, uh, I told him, I said, you know, you've made the greatest dad movie with field of dreams. You've made just the best baseball movie with bull Durham. But I said, uh, I'm the biggest John. Wayne fan and Clay Eastwood fan in the world, but open range is the greatest Western I've ever seen. He goes, and as it turned out, his team growing up in California was the chiefs. Yeah. Oh, you're kidding. He said, you told us that last time. I, he said, I, you know, that famous, uh, sports illustrated cover of OJ, uh, EJ Holland hiking the ball to Lenny. That, that was stapled to. ball in my bedroom. Wow. And we hit it off and he invited me to breakfast the next morning. He was here for a charity golf tournament. And we, you know, he was so casual and so friendly. I didn't, I was in awe, but it was just such a great conversation. I told him, I said, my two favorite scenes in open range, one is where Robert Duvall and he walk into the doctor's house and the gut manure all over their shoes. and they go down and try to sweep it up into their hat so they can get it out. And then Annette Benning, the doctor's daughter, who is Costner's love interest, gives them a glass of tea and their fingers are so big that they don't know how to pick this glass of tea up. And he goes, oh man, I can't believe he's like that. He says, those suits at the studio wanted me to cut those scenes out. Those were my favorite scenes too. Wow. And just. But he really loved you. Yeah. He, yeah. A friend for life. And you know, and then he came back with Modern West and played at, at Knuckleheads. And got a backstage pass and got to meet him and he remembered our conversation. And, uh, my wife and I were really struggling at the time with some, some health issues with my youngest son. And, uh, he dedicated a song during the concert to my wife and it's called the sun S O N also rises. And it's about somebody who's down and they rock. I'm crying. She's crying. And I looked at him and gave him the thumbs up and he just gave up. That's amazing. Yeah. He's, he's near the top of my list. So Kevin Costner, two shows in a row getting shout outs because on Tuesday we had Frank Hicks, the owner of Knuckleheads. Oh, you did sit right here. Yeah. Oh, 48 hours ago. That episode just got released yesterday. Yeah. So same, same like Costner. Oh yeah, so you know, because we're talking about all the great musicians that are all the great actors who want to be rock stars like Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon, for Sutherland, Billy Bob Thornton, Bruce Willis. Yeah, you know, Bruno era. So all those guys, they come whenever they play, they go on their short tours. Knuckleheads is like the first stop that they book. So I love it. I tell you what, Bill, you couldn't wrap that up with any better of a story. That is perfect. Yeah, we have another at least. episode or two. Oh my gosh for sure. Bill, tell the listeners where they can find you on Twitter and how they can get a hold of all the great articles that you write. Examiner.net is the website to the paper. My Twitter handle, Althouse, E J, well the little symbol, Althouse, A L T H A U S, E J C, standing for Eastern Jackson County, and K Althouse at. cherryroad1word.net is how you can send me an email. Awesome, that's awesome. And I just want to take the opportunity to thank you guys because this is just so much fun. I feel like, you know, I come in here and visit with you, I feel like I've won the lottery. Oh man, that's good stuff, man. You can come back. A gentleman and a scholar. Okay, you can come back. We love it too, man. This is, it's so easy and you're just a wealth of knowledge and stories and just a great human being. So thanks for hanging out with us. Yeah, it's always a pleasure guys. This has been the always be cool podcast. Be sure to subscribe and listen wherever you listen, your podcast, and leave a five star review hanging out with Bobby Kerr, Darren Copeland, and the wonderful Bill Althaus today. You guys take care and always be cool. See you guys. Nice job, dude. As always. It just goes so fast.