WEBVTT - TOM's Talks | John Crotty Weighs In On Heat 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.640 This podcast is part of the seventy Sixers podcast network 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:08.200 search seventy Sixers podcast Wherever you get your Pots. In 0:00:08.240 --> 0:00:10.960 this week's edition of Tom's Talks, we figured with the 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:14.040 seventy Sixers and the Miami Heat in a two games set, 0:00:14.360 --> 0:00:17.360 we'd get the perspective of a man from Miami. We 0:00:17.520 --> 0:00:20.320 touch base with a TV analyst for Fox Sports son 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:23.919 the home of the Miami Heat, John Crotty, a Jersey 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:26.240 guy who starred in high school in the Garden State 0:00:26.280 --> 0:00:30.000 before moving on to the University of Virginia. Krowdy eventually 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:33.640 had an eleven year NBA career. He played with NBA 0:00:33.840 --> 0:00:38.280 Legends and for league coaching Royalty and Krowny has also 0:00:38.560 --> 0:00:42.920 long established a career in commercial real estate in South Florida. 0:00:43.040 --> 0:00:47.879 Here's another edition of Tom's Talks with John Crotty. Welcome 0:00:47.920 --> 0:00:50.400 to another edition of Tom's Talked, and we're joined by 0:00:50.720 --> 0:00:53.519 John Crotty at the Miami Heat television broadcast and a 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:56.720 former Heat player in a long time NBA player, and John, 0:00:56.760 --> 0:00:59.640 thank you so much. We appreciate this. As we speak, 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:03.280 we're between games between the Sixers and the Heat during 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:07.160 this mid January two games set and even though both 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:09.520 teams didn't have you know, a lot of its players. 0:01:10.000 --> 0:01:12.200 Quite a game in an entertaining overtime game in the 0:01:12.240 --> 0:01:15.319 first matchup last night as we speak, Yeah, it really was. 0:01:15.360 --> 0:01:19.600 Hey Tom, good to see you. Very exciting game and uh, 0:01:19.760 --> 0:01:22.720 you know, really different obviously the Heat only having eight 0:01:22.720 --> 0:01:25.840 available players and you know, having their two all stars 0:01:25.880 --> 0:01:29.680 out and the Sixers mixing missing you know, some of 0:01:29.720 --> 0:01:33.640 their quality players and starters as well. Just different lineups, 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:38.040 different matchups, rotations all over the board. A very exciting 0:01:38.160 --> 0:01:41.360 game could have gone either way. And uh, obviously with 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:45.240 the Sixers pulling it out in overtime. So one are 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:47.600 the players from Miami that has excelled. He had a 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:50.000 career hid in the regular season last night with thirty four. 0:01:50.320 --> 0:01:54.280 Certainly shine the bubble was Tyler Hero And you know, 0:01:54.440 --> 0:01:56.400 you came into this league as young player, but have 0:01:56.480 --> 0:01:58.960 you ever seen a guy with swagger and the way 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:04.040 he he's played in his first season's special? He's special. 0:02:04.080 --> 0:02:06.360 I mean, it's it's really interesting. He only played one 0:02:06.440 --> 0:02:10.880 year at college at Kentucky, came in had great confidence. 0:02:11.160 --> 0:02:14.480 Has it really interesting, you know, mix because he's got 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.120 great confidence when he steps in between the lines, but 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:20.760 he's very humble off it. I think it's really endeared 0:02:20.800 --> 0:02:22.720 him to some of the veteran guys on the team, 0:02:22.720 --> 0:02:26.280 and guys like Jimmy Butler in particular, and Bam and 0:02:26.360 --> 0:02:30.240 Dragget you've taken him in and um, you know, instead 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:32.440 of being sort of the brash guy and then turning 0:02:32.480 --> 0:02:35.160 guys off, I think he's really done a nice job 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:37.840 of playing with a great swagger on the court but 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:40.679 being also you know, humble and wanting to learn and 0:02:40.840 --> 0:02:43.760 and really putting the work in as a young player, 0:02:43.800 --> 0:02:46.320 and the older veteran guys you know, want to see 0:02:46.400 --> 0:02:50.079 him be successful. So I don't know if you from 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.120 your seat would call it an improbable run. But the 0:02:53.200 --> 0:02:56.160 Miami Heat made the NBA Finals and a most unusual 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:59.040 circumstance last year in the bubble, and that had to 0:02:59.080 --> 0:03:00.720 be quite a bit of fun for all of you 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:03.480 guys down there in South Florida. It really was. I mean, 0:03:03.520 --> 0:03:05.680 it was a phenomenal run, being a fifth seed in 0:03:05.680 --> 0:03:08.240 the East to make it to the finals, and you know, 0:03:08.320 --> 0:03:11.960 have significant injuries early in that series against the Lakers 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:15.160 and still take the Lakers to six games. Um, and 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:17.000 the way the team did it I mean, this is 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:22.799 a team that played with incredible unselfishness. Um shared the ball, 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:26.880 move the ball, Um you know, really got hot. And 0:03:27.520 --> 0:03:30.480 you mentioned Tyler Hero. I think he made maybe one 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:34.079 of the great improvements from the end of the regular 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:37.520 season to the restart to the bubble where he played 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:40.120 it at such a high level. Um, you know, got 0:03:40.160 --> 0:03:43.520 better really during the three to four month break that 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:46.840 everyone experienced due to COVID and then the team just 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:50.880 came together and played to win and everyone, um, you know, 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:54.720 really rose their game up and it was it was 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:58.840 really a fun group to see, uh, you know, play 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:02.440 and get hot and beat teams that you know, everyone thought, 0:04:02.480 --> 0:04:05.960 we're going to take care of them. Last thought on 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:08.080 the here and now and then we're going to delve 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:10.520 a little bit into your career. But you know, we've 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:13.360 all been saying this is going to be an unusual season, 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:15.400 and now you have to amend that and say no, 0:04:15.560 --> 0:04:19.440 it is an individual scene with game postponed and the 0:04:19.600 --> 0:04:21.560 specter of all that is out there with the health 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:25.200 and safety, the calls and whatnot. So what do you 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:27.720 think so far in terms of the East, Like you're 0:04:27.760 --> 0:04:31.479 seeing some teams like Milwaukee, you expect team Brooklyn to 0:04:31.680 --> 0:04:34.240 rise up. Philadelphia had a great start obviously with the 0:04:34.320 --> 0:04:37.960 sexually starting seven in one, But Indiana and your club 0:04:38.040 --> 0:04:41.960 and Atlanta, what do you think right now in the eat? Yeah, 0:04:42.000 --> 0:04:45.359 it's really interesting because there's so many other factors that 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:47.960 are kind of you know, weighing in other than just 0:04:48.279 --> 0:04:52.120 you know, the typical um, you know situation where you 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:54.600 see teams, you know, trying to pull together and get 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.880 the chemistry. You got so many distractions it seems going on, 0:04:58.080 --> 0:05:01.600 you know, with COVID and player in and out. You know, 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:05.120 just our game last night was a great example. I mean, uh, 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:08.160 you know, every team really seems to be using their 0:05:08.160 --> 0:05:11.120 two way players and going with the full seventeen man 0:05:11.200 --> 0:05:14.520 rotation because they have to. They need the depth. I mean, guys, 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:17.279 you know, are are being counted on. We had we 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.760 had Gabe Vincent as an example as a two way 0:05:19.839 --> 0:05:23.200 player play significant minutes and had a career high last 0:05:23.279 --> 0:05:26.560 night and really help Miami. I think teams are doing 0:05:26.560 --> 0:05:29.800 that as a result. It's still it's been shoppy. You know, 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.679 it's hard to tell. There's some teams that are underperforming. 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:34.720 You know. I always feel like it's a good rule 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:36.800 of thumb Tom that you know, you have to kind 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:39.160 of give a team twenty games before you really can 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:42.839 evaluate who they are and where they are. And but 0:05:42.960 --> 0:05:45.200 with early on, with a lot of players in and 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:48.840 out due to COVID and due to injury, and just 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:52.600 um the way the schedules flowed. Um, it's it's kind 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:54.400 of hard to tell right now because there's some teams 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:56.520 that I think that are better than their record implies. 0:05:57.320 --> 0:06:00.960 And yet you know, the East overall is no question 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:05.520 tougher because there's been more talent acquired and on teams, 0:06:05.800 --> 0:06:08.440 you know, like you mentioned, So I'm still kind of 0:06:08.440 --> 0:06:12.600 scratching my head. Every game is is you know, a 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:16.080 different challenge, and it's like it's hard to look ahead. 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.280 You gotta you gotta just put keep your nose down 0:06:18.279 --> 0:06:21.200 and keep grinding, I think, day in and day out, 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:26.480 and just stay competitive. After your playing career, you got 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:29.599 into broadcast in Miami and you have a parallel career 0:06:29.640 --> 0:06:32.440 that will touch on in commercial real estate. But you've 0:06:32.440 --> 0:06:35.359 done it shows. You were with Mike English for a 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:37.360 number of years on the radio and now you're on 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:40.280 TV with Eric Reid. How has that been in terms 0:06:40.279 --> 0:06:45.040 of adapting the Tellable. Yeah, well, it's it's it's interesting. 0:06:45.080 --> 0:06:48.520 You know, I think you learn something from every aspect, 0:06:48.960 --> 0:06:52.240 from the media perspective. Coming in on radio with Mike 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:56.040 and English reference was a phenomenal experience for me. I 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.640 did that for like eleven twelve years. And what you learn, 0:06:59.720 --> 0:07:01.760 I think radio and you know, as you've got to 0:07:01.760 --> 0:07:04.600 be succinct, and particularly as an analyst. You know, the 0:07:05.080 --> 0:07:07.640 play by play guy is the one describing the action. 0:07:07.720 --> 0:07:11.440 Obviously the fans can't see the action, so um, you know, 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:14.520 my time to jump in as the analyst is basically 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:16.760 when the ball goes in the basket and is being 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:19.880 inbounded and walked up the floor to the half court line, 0:07:19.880 --> 0:07:21.440 and then I got to get out. So it's a 0:07:21.880 --> 0:07:25.240 it's a really quick, uh situation where you've got to 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.000 make sure you make your points and get in and 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:29.320 get out. And I think it's great training for television, 0:07:29.760 --> 0:07:32.840 um where now people can see. UM. I had some 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.560 studio experience which gave me comfort, you know, more comfort 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:39.000 getting on camera and you know where to look and 0:07:39.080 --> 0:07:41.280 have someone in your ear, you know, with an earpiece 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:44.080 telling you when you're coming on, when you're going off. 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:47.160 And that's another skill set to learn to be able 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:50.040 to think, well, you know, someone's yelling in your ear. Um. 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:54.960 But the the chemistry with Eric's been amazing. UM. You know, 0:07:55.080 --> 0:07:58.160 Eric Reed's been our broadcaster with the Miami Heat from 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:01.360 the very beginning in his thirty third year and you know, 0:08:01.480 --> 0:08:04.160 just won an award as the best sports broadcaster in 0:08:04.200 --> 0:08:08.240 the State of Florida again. Um. And you know, he 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:11.400 does a great job. His preparation is amazing and he 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:13.920 teased me up well, and you know, I get to 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:15.560 do what I love to do, which is described the 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:18.400 how and the why. Um, you know, why something's happening. 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:19.960 I think a lot of people love to see the 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:22.800 dunk or the jump shot, UM, but I like to 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:26.480 see what transpired an order for that person to get 0:08:26.480 --> 0:08:29.120 open to do that, you know, and um, be able 0:08:29.120 --> 0:08:31.200 to articulate that for the fan, and then you know, 0:08:31.280 --> 0:08:34.520 try to try to teach people the game when I can, UM. 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:37.480 And that's that's been the real joy for me with 0:08:37.559 --> 0:08:42.000 the TV medium. So let's go way back and get 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:44.640 into the late eighties and then your college career at 0:08:44.720 --> 0:08:47.920 UVA into the nineties. But you're from like mid to 0:08:48.040 --> 0:08:51.920 North Jersey and you go to Brothers Academy and you 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:55.680 get recruited by Kerrie hire Harland at UVA just in 0:08:55.720 --> 0:08:59.160 the e back when the ACC was you know, probably 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:02.960 the pre empty basketball in the country, and you have 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:06.000 a lot of success at Virginia. Tell us about that 0:09:06.040 --> 0:09:09.840 whole experience. Yeah, well, look, I'm I'm blessed. I still 0:09:09.880 --> 0:09:12.480 have you know, look, my parents still live in New Jersey, 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:15.640 my sister does. I'm from Monmouth County, so the central 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:17.679 part of the state, and as you referenced, you know, 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:21.160 went to Christian Brothers Academy, which was a great basketball 0:09:21.200 --> 0:09:24.880 powerhouse at the time. We were you know, consistently ranked 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:26.800 in the state and when I was there, we were 0:09:26.880 --> 0:09:29.280 fortunately we were ranked in the country, so we played 0:09:29.280 --> 0:09:32.520 the best competition. It was a real um you know, 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.960 learning ground and testing ground for me and had the 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:38.319 opportunity to be in McDonald's All American and then be 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:41.760 highly recruited. And I always envisioned playing in the ACC. 0:09:41.920 --> 0:09:44.600 My father played at North Carolina and that was impactful 0:09:44.640 --> 0:09:46.880 to me. I grew up going to that basketball camp 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.680 and they recruited me. But Virginia was the best fit 0:09:50.280 --> 0:09:53.880 for me from an academic and athletic and social standpoint, 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:56.760 it was phenomenal. I I you know, love it to 0:09:56.800 --> 0:10:00.200 this day. My children went there, my wife. There are 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:03.360 just a lot of positive, um, you know, vibes. And 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:05.440 it's great to see what coach Tony Bennett's done with 0:10:05.480 --> 0:10:08.960 the program, you know, in the last seven years. Um, 0:10:09.600 --> 0:10:12.120 and you know that I thought, you know, Virginia and 0:10:12.200 --> 0:10:15.240 coach Holland really prepared me for having a chance to 0:10:15.280 --> 0:10:18.600 play in the NBA. And the competition, the acc was 0:10:18.640 --> 0:10:20.400 second to none. Every night you went out and you 0:10:20.440 --> 0:10:22.160 had to you had to put it out there because 0:10:22.160 --> 0:10:24.439 there were no easy nights, and you know, you learn 0:10:24.480 --> 0:10:27.839 to compete and develop and um, you know, to me, 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.120 those are those are some great memories for me from 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:34.840 eighty seven nineteen ninety one. So then when you get 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:38.720 into the NBA, I mean, what a challenge right for 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:42.160 you and you straight togethered his career and you played 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:46.160 for Jerry Sloan and down there in Miami with pat Riley. 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:49.680 What was your NBA experience all about? Yeah, it was. 0:10:50.800 --> 0:10:52.199 It was tough for me to get in there. I 0:10:52.280 --> 0:10:55.160 never anticipated and really thought about playing in the NBA 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:57.720 until I was about a junior in college, and and 0:10:57.760 --> 0:10:59.760 then I saw I had an opportunity I wanted to 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:02.080 having to play in a minor league. I came in 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:03.440 as a free agent. I had to play in a 0:11:03.480 --> 0:11:06.120 minor league for a year and then made the Utah 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:09.640 Jazz and started my career there for three years. And 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:11.600 that was a you know, it was it was tough, 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:14.200 but it was a great place to break in because 0:11:14.240 --> 0:11:17.520 they had, you know, excellent role models with John Stockton 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:21.240 and Karl Malone and ultimately Jeff Hornesseek as well. You 0:11:21.360 --> 0:11:25.000 had um Jerry Sloan coaching, who you know, was a 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:28.920 Hall of Famer and just phenomenal um, you know, a teacher, 0:11:29.000 --> 0:11:32.440 but also just a just a you know, an example 0:11:32.480 --> 0:11:36.320 of toughness and fairness and um. But those guys taught 0:11:36.360 --> 0:11:38.120 you how to be a professional and had to bring 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:41.760 it every night, the consistency, and I think that helped 0:11:41.760 --> 0:11:44.559 set me up. I played for eleven years, seven different teams. 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:47.720 Really enjoyed playing for Miami in the middle of my career. 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:50.240 We were I was on a great team with Tim 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:53.719 Hardaway and Alonzo Morning and Dan Morley, a team that 0:11:53.760 --> 0:11:56.200 made it to the Eastern Conference Final. Again. We lost 0:11:56.240 --> 0:11:59.200 to the Bulls, who ultimately won the championship. But um, 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:02.880 I was able, you know, to maintain that connectivity so 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:05.760 that when I retired and ultimately moved back here to Miami, 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:07.960 I was able to you know, get an opportunity to 0:12:07.960 --> 0:12:13.719 broadcast when when the opportunity arose. At ninety seventeen, folk up. 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:17.680 Also with PJ. Brown, you played fifteen playoff games, so 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:20.760 you got a lot of experience. You had a role. Yeah, 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:24.040 back hard way, it'd be pretty cool. Yeah, my role 0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:25.959 was kind of interesting in the NBA, and you know, 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:28.559 we all come in being a star from college. But 0:12:28.880 --> 0:12:31.120 you know, my role was really as a backup point guard. 0:12:31.120 --> 0:12:35.440 But I had the opportunity which was again probably not 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:38.760 great the greatest for my opportunity career wise in a 0:12:38.840 --> 0:12:41.920 play I was always backing up all star point guards. 0:12:41.920 --> 0:12:44.480 You know, pretty much every team I was on up 0:12:44.520 --> 0:12:47.160 the seven, it was an all star ahead of me, 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.080 and so it limits your playing time. But what I 0:12:50.120 --> 0:12:52.240 did a lot was I would play with that guy 0:12:52.280 --> 0:12:54.800 and push him to the two. Um. I did it 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:57.120 in Seattle, Gary Payton, I did it in Utah with 0:12:57.200 --> 0:13:00.000 John Stockton, or I'd play the two and he'd played 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:04.160 the one. And then UM in Miami with Tim harrowing 0:13:04.880 --> 0:13:07.960 a lot. UM. So those were examples where you know, 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:12.240 you're playing with another ball handler, another attack or another shooter, um, 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:15.079 and you have an opportunity to go small and handle 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:17.400 the ball a lot like we're seeing actually today and 0:13:17.480 --> 0:13:23.240 today's NBA with you know, maybe a smaller active quicker players, 0:13:23.280 --> 0:13:25.320 particularly in the front court. You guys in the you 0:13:25.360 --> 0:13:29.880 know in Philly have a rare exception, um with Joel Embiid, 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:33.600 who's incredibly skilled, who can play inside and out, you know, 0:13:33.600 --> 0:13:36.199 with like a for a guy his size, the way 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:39.560 he's able to impact the game. Um. But it was, 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:41.400 it was, it was a great time to play in 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:43.520 the NBA. And um, you know, I had an I 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:45.840 had an awesome run over the course of my eleven years. 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.840 Just for a second, we'll talk about in bad because 0:13:50.080 --> 0:13:52.760 we speak again between these two games between the six 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:55.319 Ers in the heat and it beat ended up with 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:59.400 forty five, forty six points. But he at twenty third 0:13:59.440 --> 0:14:04.480 quarter he was eight for eight. And all over these years, 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:07.080 these guys, you know, with the big size and whatnot, 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:09.960 but the touch, I mean, the guy he was making threes, 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:15.000 falling down three point plays. That was a pretty incredible display. 0:14:15.200 --> 0:14:19.040 Of finest and footwork and strength all in one package. 0:14:19.040 --> 0:14:22.080 It really was. I mean, look, he's he's an incredible player. 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:24.480 I mean, you know, there are times I scratched my 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:26.320 head with him. In the first half, he was just 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.600 looked completely disengaged. At ten points, I think he was 0:14:29.600 --> 0:14:31.960 three or seven shooting something like that, and then he 0:14:31.960 --> 0:14:34.160 he flips the switch and you see what he can do. 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:38.720 He's he's so gifted, um, and he just asserted himself. 0:14:38.720 --> 0:14:40.880 He demanded the ball and he scored I want to say, 0:14:40.880 --> 0:14:44.280 five or six straight buckets, and you know, that's that's 0:14:44.280 --> 0:14:46.560 a guy to me who Um. You know, if he 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.200 if he ever figures out how to play that way, 0:14:49.240 --> 0:14:51.320 you know, at a higher level throughout the course of 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.160 the game and with the conditioning, um, being in top 0:14:54.200 --> 0:14:58.640 top shape, he's unstoppable, Absolutely unstoppable. Um. There's nobody who 0:14:58.680 --> 0:15:01.240 can guard someone that big and strong with that type 0:15:01.280 --> 0:15:04.640 of touch. You can step outside or then bully you inside, 0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:07.160 and then he can pass. I mean he was passing 0:15:07.160 --> 0:15:09.360 out of double teams. Miami had to double him to 0:15:09.440 --> 0:15:11.640 try to slow him down. And he's able to find 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:14.840 shooters like Danny Green out there, you know, on the perimeter. 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:17.560 So man, he's a load. He's a tough guy to 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:20.280 prepare and match up for him when he's playing at 0:15:20.280 --> 0:15:23.920 that level. And now back to your gage, John, you 0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:26.600 had a fun thing after making a basket, You did 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:30.040 the karate chop. Tell us about that. I don't know, 0:15:30.200 --> 0:15:33.880 I just I mean the fans wouldn't you know, would 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:35.760 engage you and try to get me to do some 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:38.680 fun things. But look, I always tried to play hard 0:15:38.760 --> 0:15:41.600 and and uh, you know, always love the fact that 0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:45.760 you know, people appreciated that in my game. Just someone 0:15:45.760 --> 0:15:48.200 who was competitive and tried to bring it for their team. 0:15:48.240 --> 0:15:51.120 And um, you know you try to do what you 0:15:51.200 --> 0:15:54.520 can to maintain and have fun with the fans and 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:58.400 yet still still always stay competitive. Right. Yeah, No, you 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:01.160 didn't strike me as a guy with too much player. 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:03.840 I was gonna say, you could get some indide heat, 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.280 high tight fastball if we're careful doing the karate job. 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:11.800 But that's right, that's right, baseball you get knocked out. 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:17.240 Let's talk a little bit about going to Florida and 0:16:17.840 --> 0:16:21.320 being as you say, you maintained that tie and coach 0:16:21.440 --> 0:16:24.160 Riley took the fold. That happens when you go down 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:26.760 there to work and you get into that Heat culture 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:29.360 and you're in a situation now where you forged this 0:16:29.480 --> 0:16:33.000 whole second career in broadcasting because of that early stint 0:16:33.000 --> 0:16:35.600 as a pro with the Eat. Yeah, I mean in 0:16:35.680 --> 0:16:38.360 the NBA as a whole. It does a tremendous job 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:41.760 if you take advantage as a player. They have multiple 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:45.520 programs where you can do internships and try different things, 0:16:45.640 --> 0:16:48.840 and they put you in touch with some incredible people. 0:16:48.880 --> 0:16:50.640 This is in the off season. I used to try 0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.960 to spend two weeks every summer, you know, thinking about 0:16:54.040 --> 0:16:57.040 what I would potentially do when I retired, And you know, 0:16:57.080 --> 0:17:00.160 one of them that was always of interest was broadcast thing. 0:17:00.200 --> 0:17:02.480 And I was able to be connected with Ted Ballard, 0:17:02.480 --> 0:17:07.800 who's actually still the senior you know, producer executive producer 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:11.880 for the Miami Heat, and Ted set up a internship 0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:15.320 for me while I was still playing. Came in the summertime, 0:17:15.359 --> 0:17:18.000 and Eric Reid came in on two days in the 0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:22.560 summer on his own time, and we actually broadcasted two 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:25.439 games together that had previously occurred where they shut the 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:28.040 sound off and Eric and I broadcast the games together. 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.320 So I'm always I'm always in debt to both Ted 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:34.520 and now my partner Eric at such a small world. 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:36.720 How it's come, you know, all the way around. He 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:38.560 came in on an off day in the summer to 0:17:38.640 --> 0:17:42.520 do that, to try to, you know, help me and ultimately, 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:44.960 you know, it was the avenue for me to take, 0:17:45.000 --> 0:17:49.000 which which I really enjoyed it. Now, as I mentioned earlier, 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:51.800 you're on this this other track professionally where you've been 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.080 in commercial real estate for a number of years. In 0:17:55.400 --> 0:17:59.479 my I remember Septembers ago or whatever when we were 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:02.720 all together broadcast in New York and we were out. 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:05.119 It was a beautiful night Harvard Cruise where around the 0:18:06.040 --> 0:18:11.400 lower part of Manhattan and everybody. But meanwhile you're closing 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:15.080 a different like a ball in Orlando. You're making money. 0:18:16.640 --> 0:18:19.199 More about that that track has You've really done a 0:18:19.200 --> 0:18:22.399 great job. You're getting into that and it's spent a 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:24.760 lot of time in that in that area. Yeah. Well 0:18:24.800 --> 0:18:27.000 look when I when I first retired, I did not 0:18:27.080 --> 0:18:30.840 have the broadcasting you know, um opportunity set up. So 0:18:30.920 --> 0:18:34.159 for the first basically three years I was retired, I 0:18:34.240 --> 0:18:37.680 was um, you know, making a living. Um. I pursued 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:41.840 a career in real estate looking to basically syndicate deals 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:44.919 that I could find and bringing investors, and um, you 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:48.080 know what really flowed into was a position as a 0:18:48.160 --> 0:18:52.119 broker where I was putting sellers together with buyers and um, 0:18:52.359 --> 0:18:55.600 you know, getting paid commissions when deals sold, and UM 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.520 it's it's been a great run. I've been doing that 0:18:58.600 --> 0:19:00.960 now for a long time and I'm a partner in 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:04.119 a firm. UM we do a billion dollars worth of 0:19:04.160 --> 0:19:06.480 sales a year. We do it throughout the state of Florida. 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:11.639 We sell large development deals, office industrial, retail type deals. 0:19:11.680 --> 0:19:14.840 And you know, you learn a lot obviously through doing 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:18.960 these types of transactions and made some great friends and 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:22.800 some great connectivity, um you know, with with um owners 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:26.359 of properties and buyers who become your clients and so 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:29.120 UM you know, that's been a lot of fun, very 0:19:29.160 --> 0:19:32.440 rewarding for me. Has allowed me to remain in one 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:36.400 place as well, in Miami, and then the broadcasting gig 0:19:36.480 --> 0:19:39.280 came thereafter. So it's it's been phenomenal to be able 0:19:39.280 --> 0:19:42.280 to have, you know, that real estate type type job 0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:45.159 along with you know, continuing to pursue my love and 0:19:45.200 --> 0:19:48.280 my passion for basketball, being a broadcaster and being able 0:19:48.359 --> 0:19:51.679 to um, you know, describe things from a player perspective. 0:19:51.680 --> 0:19:57.320 For fans, well, I know maybe a handful of moguls, 0:19:57.760 --> 0:20:02.159 but you're my favorite mobile. I love that title. I 0:20:02.200 --> 0:20:04.840 don't get called a mogul too oftent Tom, thank you brother. 0:20:05.640 --> 0:20:08.080 Let's marry the two things, though, because you so often 0:20:08.240 --> 0:20:12.320 here about the discipline and all of the things that 0:20:12.480 --> 0:20:17.400 made just specual, accessful college and educate at UVA, and 0:20:17.480 --> 0:20:20.000 then you know the thrill of the deal competing to 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:23.600 that deal and how all of those things like the 0:20:23.760 --> 0:20:26.439 order and the structure and the things you learned as 0:20:26.480 --> 0:20:30.320 an athlete and how that plays into a business. So 0:20:30.520 --> 0:20:33.040 it's a great point. It's I go on different panels, 0:20:33.080 --> 0:20:35.679 particularly for the Players Association a lot in a summer 0:20:35.720 --> 0:20:38.680 where players come in. They're trying to be educated. They 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:40.560 love the idea of investing their money. They want to 0:20:40.640 --> 0:20:42.679 learn more about real estate, and what I tell them is, 0:20:43.240 --> 0:20:45.040 first of all, you know, you come into that as 0:20:45.119 --> 0:20:47.760 a player and you don't have any experience, and it's 0:20:47.880 --> 0:20:52.439 very intimidating, and but there are qualities and traits that 0:20:52.520 --> 0:20:55.359 you do have as a player that you've developed because 0:20:55.400 --> 0:20:58.200 to get to that level, you have to and that's 0:20:58.200 --> 0:21:01.720 typically a hard work ethic. It's typically a discipline of 0:21:02.119 --> 0:21:04.119 you know, getting up and being a statu you know, 0:21:04.160 --> 0:21:07.199 getting having a routine and structure in your life and 0:21:07.240 --> 0:21:10.560 being able to follow through, um on a plan of 0:21:10.600 --> 0:21:14.000