Basketball & Bourbon Podcast: Recent Episodes
Patrick Rady
Basketball and Bourbon podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Patrick Rady. Guest will talk about basketball and bourbon.
Coach John Jones, along with his wife Molly, owns Shipley's Tavern in Madison, IN. Shipley's is the second oldest bar in the state of Indiana. Coach Jones is also a successful women's college basketball coach at Hanover College.
In this episode we talk
- our experience with barrel selection process at both Woodford Reserve and Cascade Hollow Distillery (George Dickel)
- How Coach Jones used his barrel selection to also raise money for the town of Madison
- We talk about the most recent women's final four and coach Jones talks about watching Iowa's Caitlin Clark's shooting workout, prior to the NCAA Final 4
- What Jones looks for in a recruit
- His starting 5 of bourbons
- much more
In this recent episode we talk to Nashville Recording Artist Clayton Anderson. Anderson has a new single out called "Indiana" A song about growing up in the state of Indiana! Anderson performed his new song before the IHSAA girls and boys state finals games this past season.
In the podcast we discuss
- his love for basketball
- his boyhood idol, Damon Bailey
- Advise that Coach Bob Knight gave him his freshman year at IU
- His favorite bourbon and the bourbon he will take a sip of before he hits the stage!
- Working with Country singer Thomas Rhett
- Lessons learned from playing HS basketball in Indiana
- Funny story about sneaking into a Floyd Central dance after a road game
- much much more
Episode 19 we talk to bourbon and basketball enthusiast Brian Haara! Brian is a Louisville, Kentucky attorney who found a way to combine his passions for law, bourbon, and history. After stumbling upon the Pepper v. Labrot case from 1881 and then learning the real truth about Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr., Brian knew that he had to tell the true story about bourbon and its connections with the development of American commercial law and the growth of the nation.
Brian and I talk about Kentucky basketball and how he fell in love with the Wildcat team. He talks about the 1996 Kentucky team and has a story about the team party after the championship! Brian also tells us about his passion for bourbon as well as his starting 5 of bourbons!
In Episode 18 of Basketball and Bourbon Podcast we talk to Billy Powell. Billy is a basketball historian and hosts a weekly podcast called Keeping the Nostalgia Alive. Billy and I get into a great rabbit hole of 6 degrees of separation basketball style! Billy and I discuss IU’s Coach Mike Woodson, and the impact he has had on Billy and many other in the Indianapolis area. Billy and I also talk a little Sycamore basketball and Billy opens up about his sobriety. Of course many more Indiana basketball stories here.
Episode 17, we talk to the host of Indiana Sports Beat Jim Coyle.
Jim and I discuss our passion for basketball and bourbon.
- Jim talks transfer portal and NIL
- Growing up in Southern Indiana
- Whiskey Row in Louisville
- His Grandparents working at the distillery
- IU Men's and Women's teams
- The Movie Stripes being filmed at the Jim Beam Distillery
- His most exciting day calling a game
- much much more
On episode 16 of the Basketball and Bourbon Podcast Matt Kusek returns to match a bourbon with each player on the 1996 Chicago Bulls roster! We also discuss
- Whiskey Advocates Whiskey of the Year Jack Daniels Bonded.
- What is the difference between Tennessee Whiskey and Bourbon. You might be surprised they really aren't all that different.
- The Last Dance
- and much more
Episode 15 is the 2nd part of our Interview with Former ISU players Greg Thomas and Rob Vickers. In Episode 2 we talk:
- more stories about some of their teammates
- Try bourbon Old Grand Dad 114
- About the time Coach Tates Locke kicked them out of their locker room and made them dress in the women's locker room.
- the lasting impact a coach can have on their players
- Earning something vs being given something
In Episode 14, I talk to college friends, and former Indiana State Sycamore Men's Basketball Players; Greg Thomas and Rob Vickers. Vickers played for the Sycamores from 1987-1990, during that time Vickers played in 79 games and was a dead eye from 3-point range shooting 40% for his career. Thomas played at Indiana State from 1989-1993. Thomas scored over 1,000 career points in high school and college. In 1993 Thomas was named to the 2nd Team Academic All-American Team! During that season, Thomas led the Missouri Valley Conference in FT% at 86.7%.
In part 1 we discuss
- Rob & Greg talk about growing up playing on the black top courts
- Rob tells us about the time former Maryland Coach Lefty Driesell
- Greg talks about the two things his dad gave him before he dropped him off for college.
- Both give us their toughest match-ups in college, a little hint they all come from the Big 10
- Greg gives us his bourbon starting 5
- We do some taste testing of bourbons
- many more great stories!
In Episode 13, Walt Ferber joins the basketball and bourbon podcast! Over the past four decades, Walt has become one of the most familiar voices in Southern Indiana area today.
Walt is a graduate of New Albany High School and Indiana University. He started in radio at WREY where he was the youngest radio sports director in the entire state. He worked for radio stations in Bloomington before joining WITZ, in Jasper, 1980.
Walt is an award-winning broadcaster and sports Hall-of-Famer, Walt has broadcasted many sports in the Southern Indiana area. Walt and I discuss
- Chicken Cock Bourbon (you don't want to miss how Walt talks about Chicken Cock's way of using barrels)
- How he got started in radio
- Former MLB great Scott Rolen was an outstanding basketball player too. Walt talks about what made Scott a winner in all sports
- Walt's earlier days he worked with IU athletic announcers Don Fischer and Joe Smith
- Walt calls a game at Cannleton. They have to stop the game because the volunteer fire department was below the gym floor!
- Walt talks about calling a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
- much much more!
In Episode 12 our guest is division 1 basketball official Mike Kashirsky
Mike officiates games in the Big 10, Mountain West, WAC, Big Sky, MAC, Summit, and Horizon League. During the MLB season Mike serves as the batting practice pitcher and replay coordinator. Mike, is a former minor league player in the Chicago White Sox organization. He played collegiate baseball at St. Joseph's University.
Mike and I talk about:
- Importance of having mentors in the officiating profession
- How to advance in the ranks of officiating
- Advice he gives young officials when officiating a game where coaches and fans are chirping
- The replay process at the college level
- The Netflix Untold documentary “Flagrant Foul”
- Difference between replay in basketball and baseball
- What it would take for him to T a coach up
- A Unique story about his connection to former MLB player Ron LeFlore
- A couple funny interactions with coaches
On Episode 11 I sit down with Indiana Bourbon Drinkers Facebook Founders Nate Van Sell and Eric Wathen.
Episode 11 is heavy bourbon talk, as Nate and Eric share their Bourbon experiences with us. They have over 5,000 followers on their facebook page and after listening to this podcast you can certainly tell why! Their passion for bourbon can be heard all episode long! In this episode we discuss
- The reason and the vision behind the Indiana Bourbon Drinkers Facebook page.
- They Talk about how they do a barrel selection
- They discuss one of their favorite distilleries, Old 55 Distillery
- Each of us talk about the first bourbon that got us hooked into the bourbon hobby.
- Some places you can go in Indiana to find great Store Picks
- Best Bargain Bourbons for your $$
- Nate and Eric give us their starting 5
- much much more
In Episode 10 of the Basketball and Bourbon podcast, we talk to Meghan Mckeown. Meghan is an award-winning sports broadcaster based out of Chicago with a unique range of skills. A former basketball player at Northwestern University, the Medial School of Journalism alum has served as a color analyst for Big Ten Network, the Chicago Sky, Big East Digital Network, and ESPN+. In 2018 Meghan was named to STAA’s Top 30 Sportscasters Under 30. Meghan welcome to the basketball and bourbon podcast.
In this episode Meghan and I discuss
- How she prepares for a basketball game as an analyst
- Her and I both had fathers who were life long coaches. We talk about the road trips we would take with our fathers on scouting and recruiting trips
- Meghan previews IU and Purdue women’s basketball teams
- Some of the great basketball atmospheres in both the men's and women’s games
- We talk wine and Meghan gives us her starting 5 of bottle of wines.
- Talk about one of her mentors, PTI’s Michael Wilson, and his influence on her career
- She talks about covering the WNBA champions Chicago Sky and how Chemistry, peaking at right time, and being healthy were the recipe for the Sky winning the 2021 championship.
- We both share how family plays a big part of our careers
- Of course much much more!
Episode 9 We talk to Greg Rakestraw. Greg has played a major role in the Indianapolis sports scene for over 25 years. Greg has called play-by-play on the radio and tv for HS sports, Indianapolis Colts, IUPUI basketball, Indy Eleven Soccer, and hosts a post game show after every Colts game. Greg and I discuss a variety of topics
- How we both would flip professions if either of us had decided not to pursue our current career choice
- Greg talks about HS hoops in southern Indiana when he was growing up
- His experience with sports growing up in a locker room how it has helped him in his career today
- the sports of tennis and soccer and how some of the skills in those sports transfer to basketball.
- I talk about some of the best bourbons under $50
- We compare the IU/Purdue rivalry to the UK/Louisville rivalry
- Greg takes us through how he prepares for calling a game
- The difference between calling play by play on radio vs tv
- He talks St Elmo's bourbon
- I have a change in my bourbon starting 5, as I drop one of my favorites from the starting 5
- And much much
Episode 8 I talk to Purdue FT Wayne Coach Jon Coffman and DuPont Hospital CEO Mark Dooley. In this episode we talk about
- How Coach Coffman has been able to sustain success over his tenure at Purdue FT. Wayne.
- Coach Coffman, a native from Atlanta, tells us he had the Hoosiers movie poster up in his room and how much it meant to him to speak at a clinic in the gym Hoosiers was filmed.
- Mark tells us how he took an Uber to get a bottle of Weller 12
- Coach Coffman & UK's Coach John Calipari suit story!
- Mark compares Indiana HS basketball to Alabama HS basketball
- Benefits of the NIL
- Coach Coffman as a mentor to his players and how he has teamed up with a local business leaders to help his players prepare for life after basketball
- Mark gives us an impressive bourbon starting 5
- Mark tells us what made his HS team so successful
- Coach Coffman talks about how he prepared his team for a recent trip to Italy.
- of course much much more!
Episode 7 we talk to Bourbon Analyst with malt-review.com Matt Kusek. Matt and I share a passion for both bourbon and basketball! We discuss many basketball and bourbon topics, including:
- Some bourbons are hard to find or outrageously expensive, but Matt says you can find great tasting bourbon that is readily available at a reasonable price
- Matt talks about the importance of chemistry for a basketball team as well as making a great bourbon.
- We talk about how Matt went from not playing basketball in HS only to play basketball in college.
- Scottie Pippens value to the 90’s Bulls team as well as Scottie Pippens bourbon Digits.
- Matt’s love for playing pickup basketball still today!
- The “Curry” effect on the game of basketball today
- What if Reggie Miller played in today’s game
- “Kusek Law” and how this can help you when it comes time for finding a Christmas gift for that bourbon lover you know
- Our bet for the upcoming season between Matt’s Bulls and my Pacers!
- What goes into reviewing a bourbon
- How each persons pallets are different.
- Difference between sour mash and sweet mash
- Matt’s thoughts on Peerless Bourbon and why he gave it a high review!
- Much More!
In Episode 6 we talk with National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame Coach Joe Kuhn. Coach Kuhn is entering his 26th season as a head coach at the NJCAA Division 3 level and his first season at the College of Dupage in Illinois. Over the past 25 seasons Coach Kuhn was the coach at Joliet Junior College. During his time at Joliet, Kuhn had record of 525-259, including a National NJCAA Division 3 title in 2010.
In the podcast Coach Kuhn and I discuss:
- The importance of "attention to details " whether it is making bourbon or coaching a basketball team
- His first reaction to trying Peerless Bourbon
- Why he loves recruiting kids from Indiana and how his teams have benefitted from having Indiana players on his teams.
- Coaching Kokomo's Dustin Smith, who happens to be 2022 Indiana Mr. Basketball & current Purdue player Braden Smiths father.
- The time commitment of coaching
- Who are some of the current NCAA teams he likes to study
- and much more
In Episode 5 we talk to former basketball coach and current talkshow host Dan Dakich.
- Dan and I talk about the first time we both got hooked on basketball
- Dan growing up playing basketball in the region
- Playing in the 1980 IHSAA Final Four
- The time when Dan's father canceled school on the Monday after Calumet HS won the sectional in the early 70"s
- Dan's favorite bourbons
- Talk about the 4 finger pour!
- What it is like watching our kids play sports opposed to coaching
- The desire to win as a coach
- Only thing Dan misses about coaching
- much more!
In Episode 4 we talk with Nick Greene, Author of the Book: How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius: What Game Designers, Economists, Ballet Choreographers, and Theoretical Astrophysicists Reveal About the Greatest Game on Earth.
We talk:
- Rare stories about basketballs inventor James Naismith
- The George Mikan effect on the evolution of basketball
- How the shot clock evolved
- FT % from across the decades, you will be shocked at what he reveals!
- The Elam basketball ending
- Slow motion and Michael Jordan
- Reggie Miller to Steph and Klay
To purchase Nick's book you can go to https://www.nickgreenewriter.com
This week our guest is Indiana Pacers Radio Play by Play announcer Mark Boyle. Boyle will be entering his 35th season calling Pacer games via the radio, and later this season Boyle will call his 3,000 NBA game for the Pacers!
In the episode Mark and I discuss:
- How he likes sports but how his passion is for his work not the sport
- His appreciation for the fans
- How he prepares for a game
- His relationship with Bobby "Slick" Leonard
- How he came about to liking bourbon
- His favorite bourbons and cigars
- How loud Market Square Arena would get
- When he first met Johnny Most
In this episode of Basketball and Bourbon we talk to IHSAA basketball official Tim Cartright. Last school year Tim officiated in the state finals for football, girls basketball, and boys basketball. Tim has nearly 30 years of officiating experience at levels from HS to college basketball.
In this episode Tim and I discuss many basketball and bourbon topics :
- Official shortages in HS sports
- Thoughts on Implementing the shot clock in high school
- His thoughts on how we can make the game more enjoyable to the fans
- His everyday bourbon
- Tim's bourbon starting 5
- Some of the greatest atmospheres he has officiated in
- His favorite distillery tour & much much more
Coach Jeff Strohm recently joined the San Jose State men's basketball staff this past July as an assistant coach. Strohm has almost 30 years of successful coaching experience at multiple universities and colleges.
Throughout his coaching tenure, he coached in one NCAA National Championship game in 1998 with Utah, two Final Four appearances (Utah, Marquette) and has nine 20 win seasons. Strohm also recruited and coached No. 1 NBA draft pick Andrew Bogut (Milwaukee Bucks). He also has seven conference championships and has coached 15 NBA players with five being All-Americans. Some of those coached by Strohm have been Olympians, All-NBA Team players, All-Rookie team players and NBA champions, plus he's coached eight conference of the year players. Strohm is also very proud of coaching four Academic All-Americans.
In this episode of Basketball and Bourbon we talk to IHSAA basketball official Tim Cartright. Last school year Tim officiated in the state finals for football, girls basketball, and boys basketball. Tim has nearly 30 years of officiating experience at levels from HS to college basketball.
In this episode Tim and I discuss many basketball and bourbon topics :
- Official shortages in HS sports
- Thoughts on Implementing the shot clock in high school
- His thoughts on how we can make the game more enjoyable to the fans
- His everyday bourbon
- Tim's bourbon starting 5
- Some of the greatest atmospheres he has officiated in
- His favorite distillery tour & much much more