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Speaker 1: Broker.

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Speaker 2: Back to day three of the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

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Speaker 2: We're broadcasting from the Indiana Convention Center here right next

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Speaker 2: to Lucas Oil Stadium. It's time for a little shift

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Speaker 2: change in our broadcast venue. Jerry Dulek of the Post

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Speaker 2: Cosette and the Steeler Radio Network with you for the

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Speaker 2: next two hours. Dale Lowlly remains here, of course, Stealer

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Speaker 2: Nation Radio, Stealers dot Com, and Max Starks joins us

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Speaker 2: as well, the sideline reporter on the Steelers Radio Network.

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Speaker 2: Former offensive tackle, past Combine participant and captain.

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Speaker 1: You've done it all here. I've done it.

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Speaker 3: I've done I've literally done it all here except for

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Speaker 3: run individual interviews. That's that's that's on the Net's up next,

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Speaker 3: that's up next.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna work my way into that.

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Speaker 4: Well, you are going to sit down and interview Omar

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Speaker 4: con later on today, so that that could count, you.

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Speaker 1: Know that could count. I mean, I got the guy

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Speaker 1: who's actually you're.

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Speaker 4: Actually doing it in reverse fat sh Usually it's guys

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Speaker 4: like Omar who get doing the interviews.

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Speaker 1: You're you're gonna be tables of turn.

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Speaker 2: I shouldn't be asking this on air, but as Omar

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Speaker 2: scheduled to come on the radio with us. I'm assuming,

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Speaker 2: but it's gonna be tomorrow. Oh okay, tomorrow, you know what,

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna have to miss it because I'm going to

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Speaker 2: be in Rod to Pittsburgh.

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Speaker 1: I'm sorry to say, yeah, And then you can watch

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Speaker 1: the Steelers. There you go.

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Speaker 2: We're gonna get a chance though, to talk to Omark

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Speaker 2: on this afternoon. He's going to meet with the local

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Speaker 2: media and then he's going to be up on the

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Speaker 2: podium at three point thirty here in the Indiana Convention Center.

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Speaker 2: So uh uh, we'll finally get a chance to talk

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Speaker 2: to the Steelers general manager after fretting through all these

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Speaker 2: other interviews so far between players and coaches. Uh the

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Speaker 2: more player interviews today, they're back on the field to Max.

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Speaker 2: But you know where I want to start is with

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Speaker 2: our friend Bill Hillgrove announcing this morning on WDV, the

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Speaker 2: flagship station, the flagship for the Steelers radio network, that

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Speaker 2: he is retiring after thirty years. And I know you

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Speaker 2: spent the past couple of years with him. I had

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Speaker 2: go back with Billy, both broadcasting with the Steelers and

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Speaker 2: traveling with him with pitt Basketball. I go back to

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Speaker 2: nineteen eighty seven with him and our friend Dick wrote,

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Speaker 2: God rest his soul, and you know it's it's anytime

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Speaker 2: somebody gets to retire, it's a great day, but it's

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Speaker 2: a sad day because his voice will be missed and day.

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Speaker 2: Of course, I know you spent many a time with

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Speaker 2: Billy as well, and congrats to Billy. I got a

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Speaker 2: chance to talk to him this morning after his announcement.

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Speaker 2: He's going to join us here on the radio, hopefully

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Speaker 2: in this hour. I know he has a lot of

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Speaker 2: commitments with the Steelers, but we're going.

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Speaker 1: To talk with him.

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Speaker 2: But he's a great guy and he's going to be missed.

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Speaker 1: Now, he absolutely is. I mean, Billy's an absolute legend.

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Speaker 3: I mean, you know, from my time in my experience

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Speaker 3: with Steelers, that's the only voice, you know, that I've

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Speaker 3: known consistently, and you know, his his his candor is

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Speaker 3: one of a kind personality that just comes through the

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Speaker 3: radio dial is going to be missed. I mean, and

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Speaker 3: he was he was that he you know, look I

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Speaker 3: looked at him like an an uncle. I mean, he

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Speaker 3: was a guy you just knew when you walked in

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Speaker 3: the broadcast booth before any game.

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Speaker 1: Hey, Max, right.

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Speaker 3: You know, And it was just a smile and a

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Speaker 3: pop and an energy that was just infectious and just

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Speaker 3: he was that way all the time, all the time. Yeah,

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Speaker 3: I've never seen him have a bad day, even when

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Speaker 3: I was a player and I used to.

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Speaker 1: Go host some of his his Christmas.

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Speaker 4: I saw one bad day and all the years that

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Speaker 4: I've known him, And that was when he broadcast a

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Speaker 4: pit game I believe in Louisville and the Steelers were

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Speaker 4: playing in Miami and he had to fly from Louisville

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Speaker 4: to Baltimore. His playing got delayed, yes for several hours,

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Speaker 4: and he was wondering it was very dicey whether he

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Speaker 4: was going to make it to the stadium in time,

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Speaker 4: and made it to the game like an hour before

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Speaker 4: the game time, and he was.

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Speaker 1: That was a bad day for Bill and he was

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Speaker 1: huffing and puffet.

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Speaker 3: And that was the one where where Quinlan comes down

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Speaker 3: to our producer. He was like, Hey, Max, what's your

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Speaker 3: play by play experience? I'm like, I'm like, I could

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Speaker 3: do it, but I was like, but I mean he

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Speaker 3: boards needed. I mean, how much time do I have

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Speaker 3: to Well, you'll have until game time if Billy shows

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Speaker 3: up by game time, you're off, you're off the hook,

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Speaker 3: but you're you're you're.

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Speaker 1: On the clock. Here. We can run it like that.

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Speaker 1: I was like, okay, sure.

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Speaker 2: A number of years ago a similar situation that Billy

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Speaker 2: was hung up somewhere and they weren't sure if he's

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Speaker 2: going to get there in game time by game time

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Speaker 2: and didn't set in doing it. Wolf said there's no way.

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Speaker 2: So Nick del Grico at the time says to me,

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Speaker 2: who was the producer, you might have to start.

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Speaker 1: I go, I've never done it.

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Speaker 2: He says, well, somebody's gonna have to talk.

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Speaker 1: Somebody has to do it. Fortunately, fortunately Billy got there.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, but like I said, I mean, throughout

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Speaker 3: all that, like you said, he'll have a bad moment,

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Speaker 3: but when he's in, when he's on and that and

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Speaker 3: and that that broadcast goes live, I mean, there's none

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Speaker 3: better man. I mean, And and it's it's a warm,

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Speaker 3: welcoming voice, and you know the knowledge that he had,

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Speaker 3: the moments that he can recall out of his mind.

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Speaker 1: It's just it's phenomenal to hear him.

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Speaker 3: So he will be truly missed, and you know, it's

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Speaker 3: one of these things, A sad day man, because like

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Speaker 3: it's it's it's like losing your uncle on the broadcast, right,

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Speaker 3: And and he's brought joy to so many Steeler fans

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Speaker 3: over the years. I mean I was reading some of

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Speaker 3: the replies on under the Steelers X account when they

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Speaker 3: posted it and just talking about this is the only

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Speaker 3: voice I've known as a Steeler fan, and like I

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Speaker 3: turned my TV off so I could hear his voice.

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Speaker 1: And you hear so many of those stories. And that's

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Speaker 1: what it means.

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Speaker 3: I mean, that's why local broadcasts matter over the national

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Speaker 3: because there is an affiliation, there is a connection with

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Speaker 3: the broadcaster to the fan base.

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Speaker 1: And yeah, it's gonna be truly missed.

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Speaker 4: I just tell him, he's the voice of God in

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Speaker 4: my mind. When God speaks, it's Bill Hill.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it's not only a familiar voice. It's a familiar voice.

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Speaker 5: You know.

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Speaker 1: That's very like you said, it's very comfortable.

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Speaker 2: So you're talking with your uncle and uh, you know,

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Speaker 2: and and of course off the air one, he's just

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Speaker 2: a tremendous storyteller. He might maybe the best you could

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Speaker 2: tell a joke like nobody and Dale, you know, have

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Speaker 2: a being at training camp all those years and being

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Speaker 2: able to spend the time with Billy, of course, away

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Speaker 2: from the booth and everything else.

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Speaker 4: Billy and I in the last couple of years, because

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Speaker 4: Billy's a big you know, jazz and and and uh,

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Speaker 4: you know, blues guy. So i've i've you know, the

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Speaker 4: last couple of years, but I will look and see

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Speaker 4: where some you know places are at that we can

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Speaker 4: go to a different road spots. And we've gone out

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Speaker 4: and listened to music. And Billy for a long time

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Speaker 4: hosted uh a jazz show on in Pittsburgh way back when.

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Speaker 1: And so he knows the you know, he knows all

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Speaker 1: the places.

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Speaker 4: You know.

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Speaker 1: You know, he loves the ham and Oregon. I sent him.

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Speaker 4: We went to the Slippery Noodle last night and there

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Speaker 4: was a guy playing on the ham and organ there,

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Speaker 4: and I sent Billy a little snippet of the guy

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Speaker 4: playing on the ham and organ because he loves the

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Speaker 4: ham and organ, and you know that's I took Billy

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Speaker 4: there during the regular season this past year to go

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Speaker 4: see the bands that was playing there because he just

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Speaker 4: loves that live music.

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Speaker 1: And he'll sit there and there when they played here. Yeah,

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Speaker 1: you know, the.

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Speaker 4: Foot start start tapping and he's just popping along there. Yeah,

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Speaker 4: he loves the music.

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Speaker 1: No, he does.

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Speaker 3: And you know, you always know what once you got

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Speaker 3: off the bus, like, hey Billy, what time? Well there's

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Speaker 3: did you see the you knows as you're driving on

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Speaker 3: the team bus and everything. I mean, and he has,

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Speaker 3: like you said, because he's been to all these cities

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Speaker 3: so many times. So you just you see, you hear

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Speaker 3: stories about man. Remember the one time we were driving

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Speaker 3: to and you know Buffalo. I mean, I mean there's

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Speaker 3: so many places. Baltimore has a lot of stories. Yeah, Baltimore.

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Speaker 2: Usually the road back from Baltimore.

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Speaker 1: Definitely do anytime he has to pass through Contiac Lake.

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Speaker 2: You know, Billy is the type of person where that

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Speaker 2: and and this is true as a pit guy, a

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Speaker 2: pit announcer known of of course the voice of the Panthers.

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Speaker 2: He he could and did and has and he walked

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Speaker 2: into a bar in West Virginia and take over the crowd.

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Speaker 2: Because if that's just who he is, his type of person.

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Speaker 4: That nobody has a bad word to say about it

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Speaker 4: ever ever, And he's just he's amenable to everybody, yemenible

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Speaker 4: and he and he's.

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Speaker 3: Also cheeritable because I remember hosting a couple of those

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Speaker 3: Christmas parties back in the day when I was active player,

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Speaker 3: and just you know, to hear the people up there

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Speaker 3: in the chair, and that his charitable giving, I mean,

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Speaker 3: is just phenomenal. And like you said, everybody has great

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Speaker 3: things to say. There's never a bad word spoken, and

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Speaker 3: you know, and and he he he entertains everybody, like yes,

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Speaker 3: he does. Nobody is a stranger to Billy. It's just

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Speaker 3: a friend he hasn't met yet.

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Speaker 2: He once told a joke about I mean, it's not

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Speaker 2: it's not dirty or anything, but it's I'm still not

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Speaker 2: going to repeat it.

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Speaker 1: But about Tibby Dough.

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Speaker 2: And he told this joke so well, and it was

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Speaker 2: so funny that I actually had him tell it for

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Speaker 2: me and for about the twentieth time, but he told

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Speaker 2: it to me, and it was my answering machine.

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Speaker 1: Was Billy telling that joke. That's awesome.

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Speaker 3: Runner again tonight was wes Cotail.

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Speaker 1: Oh, yeah, today, I'll.

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Speaker 2: Tell you what, if we have a bite of that

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Speaker 2: while we're on the radio, it's gonna be a little

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Speaker 2: pause in our voice.

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Speaker 1: We're gonna have to take take turns. I might need

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Speaker 1: it to.

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Speaker 4: Like I'm a little horse today yeah, yeah, it might,

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Speaker 4: it might clear you out a little bit.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: I had it Monday night. It's just too shrimp and

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Speaker 2: that was plenty. I couldn't take any more. Yeah, Reagan

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Speaker 2: ordered me the full kid. I was like, oh my god,

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Speaker 2: this is going Were you there the other night? I

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Speaker 2: was there a Sunday night. Oh you got on here

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Speaker 2: Sunday huh yeahhh, there we go. We're not gonna let

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Speaker 2: it interrupt our right question. Well, Gladly samples.

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Speaker 1: Absolutely that one looks good and saucy.

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Speaker 2: I have and I do love. They brought a full

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Speaker 2: train in. Max says, that's plenty for me.

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Speaker 1: How about the other?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, I'll steal one here.

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Speaker 1: Thank you very thank you very much to break I

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Speaker 1: got you.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, if you haven't, if you come to Indianapolis, you

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Speaker 4: have to go to Saint Elmo's and yeah.

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Speaker 1: You have to try it. I had it.

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Speaker 2: I had it Monday night, and I had a sign

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Speaker 2: and it was, uh, I can't miss always wonderful.

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Speaker 4: That's tremendous, tremendous stuff, and it's one of the things the.

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Speaker 1: City is known for.

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Speaker 3: This is classic Indianapolis hospitality. Is when you go to

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Speaker 3: Saint Elmo's and you have to get that. I mean,

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Speaker 3: it's funny, like on the menu it's that's the starter,

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Speaker 3: other ones, but that's the only one listed. And and

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Speaker 3: it's legendary COCTUSI I mean, now you can get a

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Speaker 3: giant eagle, right, you can get it, but it's something

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Speaker 3: about getting it freshly made and in the restaurant that day.

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Speaker 2: I'll still remember the time we went. It was Wolfe's

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Speaker 2: first time and the probably ten of us whatever, I guess.

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Speaker 2: We were with the Steelers and well, you know, told

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Speaker 2: them we'll be careful that, you know, well one bite.

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Speaker 2: He took it in one bite and I think he

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Speaker 2: regretted that instantly.

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Speaker 1: And it was funny. Is so we had it for

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Speaker 1: the Monday night game two years ago.

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Speaker 2: Yes, there, they had it in the press box, right,

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Speaker 2: and they didn't this year.

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Speaker 1: Did you know what they did because of Saturday afternoon?

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Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the reason why I guess

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Speaker 3: only on prime time it is the only time they

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Speaker 3: can bring it out.

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Speaker 1: Was a special game, Saturday game. It was a Saturday

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Speaker 1: Who gets to go on Saturday except for college.

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Speaker 3: But I remember distinctly getting it and bringing it, sitting

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Speaker 3: it down in front of wolf and wolf cut it

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Speaker 3: in very small pieces.

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00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:27,400
Speaker 1: He learned his lessons.

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00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,040
Speaker 3: He took a small dab on top of it. He

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Speaker 3: ate it very cautiously. Oh, here he goes the whole hoty,

262
00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:37,120
Speaker 3: whole hot on the shred.

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Speaker 1: That's because he said he's been sneezing. I think it's

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Speaker 1: gonna work.

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Speaker 3: It probably will dislodge any anything that might be sticky.

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Speaker 1: Sign this package, Lava. I don't know if he's going

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Speaker 1: to lean over the can here in a minute. Look

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Speaker 1: at his eyes, his eyes half the time.

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Speaker 2: But I mean it is, it's just it's just a

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Speaker 2: delight and you have to have it when you're here.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, no, you have to have I mean that's one

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Speaker 3: of the things like you can't say I went to

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Speaker 3: Indian and then you did not go to Saint Elmos.

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Speaker 1: You can't say that you didn't go to Indy.

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Speaker 2: Ye as soon as whenever you know, whether you know

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Speaker 2: on on Twitter X, you know, if people know I'm

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Speaker 2: in India, automatically, are you going to Saint Alma's. Yeah,

278
00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,880
Speaker 2: when I just I just tweet the picture back to.

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Speaker 3: All of this is it's a win, right going you

280
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Speaker 3: know at that point? So yeah, so this is and

281
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Speaker 3: now this is. This is a delicacy we've expected at

282
00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,200
Speaker 3: training or at combine. Is they must come around, you

283
00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,080
Speaker 3: must try it. But yeah, I ate the whole thing

284
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Speaker 3: by myself on Sunday night and all what four or

285
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Speaker 3: all four? All four?

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Speaker 1: And you know, because it comes in like most traditional

287
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Speaker 1: cocktail sauce.

288
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Speaker 3: You know, they come like the Martinez last right, they

289
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Speaker 3: have them sitting on the side of the cocktail sauce

290
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Speaker 3: in the middle, buried there, buried at the bottom, and

291
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Speaker 3: the sauce is slathered over it. So you can't help

292
00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,040
Speaker 3: but get a big hunk of horse radish no matter

293
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Speaker 3: what you do.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely.

295
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Speaker 2: You know, we were talking about Bill Hillgrove and you

296
00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,960
Speaker 2: know I've uh they were replaying on radio his call

297
00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,600
Speaker 2: of the Aaron Bailey near catch Oh yeah yeah in

298
00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:08,960
Speaker 2: the AFC Championship game that sent the steelerst to the

299
00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,120
Speaker 2: Super Bowl in ninety five. But I always list I

300
00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:14,760
Speaker 2: tell everybody, I said, go back and listen, as you

301
00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,600
Speaker 2: well know, Max Willie Parker's seventy five yard touchdown run,

302
00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,640
Speaker 2: go listen to that, and go listen to Santonio Holmes's

303
00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,920
Speaker 2: catch in the end zone. And of course Billy was

304
00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,360
Speaker 2: talking today on Dve and when he joins us later

305
00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:29,599
Speaker 2: we'll talk about that. As you know, when we're in

306
00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,199
Speaker 2: Raymond James Stadium and even the broadcast booth, you're at

307
00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,640
Speaker 2: one end of the field, not in the middle, and

308
00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:39,240
Speaker 2: this throw, this touchdown is occurring in the opposite fore

309
00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:41,960
Speaker 2: end of the field, and he's trying to call it

310
00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,280
Speaker 2: and we know it's toe tapping. People right there didn't

311
00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,319
Speaker 2: know what the heck happened, and he's trying to call

312
00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,559
Speaker 2: it as just a remarkable call. And he was told

313
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Speaker 2: about the Detroit Paula molloy interception in the AFC Championship game,

314
00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,800
Speaker 2: the touchdown return, and he said today that he said

315
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Speaker 2: he feared for his life because the stadium thought it

316
00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,680
Speaker 2: might it might collapse. And the only other time that

317
00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,960
Speaker 2: I heard hind S Field at the time erupt like

318
00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,640
Speaker 2: that was to shake Townsend's interception to close out the

319
00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,960
Speaker 2: Cow the regular season game. I mean, that noise and

320
00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,600
Speaker 2: that reverberation rivaled the paul.

321
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Speaker 4: The Paula Mallo one was very var You never forget

322
00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,000
Speaker 4: that because you're you're sitting in the press box and

323
00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:25,080
Speaker 4: just starts rocking like.

324
00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:28,080
Speaker 1: An earthquake.

325
00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:34,960
Speaker 3: The construction integrity of are we are we earthquake grated?

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00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:35,440
Speaker 1: Yeah?

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Speaker 4: Right right, yeah, I mean those moments like that, that

328
00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:44,360
Speaker 4: that Billy got the call just you know, when you

329
00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,080
Speaker 4: listen to those, it's like listening to the immaculate Reception

330
00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,240
Speaker 4: and hearing Jack Fleming, you know, on his call on that.

331
00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,040
Speaker 4: I mean, that's that's what you know, that play, you know,

332
00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:54,720
Speaker 4: Franco catches the ball.

333
00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,240
Speaker 1: And that's you know, that's one.

334
00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:02,400
Speaker 4: Of the neat things about the the the Steelers Museum

335
00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:05,400
Speaker 4: is the play by play calls that you can do

336
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,440
Speaker 4: over you know, that area of it, and Billy made

337
00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:09,200
Speaker 4: so many of those.

338
00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's the familiarity of the voice.

339
00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,800
Speaker 2: As we were saying Max that, you know, you just

340
00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,040
Speaker 2: get so used to hearing that that to hear a

341
00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:21,840
Speaker 2: different voice, no matter who it is, it's going to

342
00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,520
Speaker 2: come in, you know. It's like anything. It's it's going

343
00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:25,880
Speaker 2: to be different. I don't want to say it's going

344
00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,720
Speaker 2: to take time to adjust to, but it is going

345
00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,680
Speaker 2: to be different because thirty years he's been doing god,

346
00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,800
Speaker 2: he's been doing pit football for fifty yeah, and pitt basketball.

347
00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,880
Speaker 2: I didn't realize there was a separation. It's been doing

348
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,280
Speaker 2: it longer been doing fifty five years pit basketball in

349
00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,760
Speaker 2: my days when I covered Pitt basketball, and you know

350
00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,720
Speaker 2: that was I went through three different coaches, Paul Evans

351
00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:48,840
Speaker 2: or Ralph Willard in the beginning of Ben Hallin's era,

352
00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:52,040
Speaker 2: so you know, it's probably seven or eight years, and

353
00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:56,440
Speaker 2: traveling with he and Dick Groate were just among the

354
00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:01,240
Speaker 2: treasures of my traveling life, without question, all the postgame,

355
00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,080
Speaker 2: having a little beverage and then after that going to

356
00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,600
Speaker 2: get a bike dat at Denny's or wherever at two

357
00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,560
Speaker 2: in the morning. I used to say, those guys, no

358
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,440
Speaker 2: matter what time we got in and what time we

359
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,680
Speaker 2: got up, those two guys were laughing the entire time,

360
00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,800
Speaker 2: even going to the airport off four hours sleep. They

361
00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:20,960
Speaker 2: just had a great relationship. Of course, Dick Grote just

362
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,480
Speaker 2: one of the fine, fine gentlemen of our time, and

363
00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,520
Speaker 2: we miss him dearly. But those two were unlike any other.

364
00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,840
Speaker 2: And I've never seen two guys interact and have such

365
00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:33,840
Speaker 2: a good time around each other. And I know it

366
00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:36,840
Speaker 2: really pained Billy when of course, when Dick Grote passed,

367
00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:38,560
Speaker 2: you know, his long time basketball non.

368
00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,720
Speaker 3: So, and I think that's something that you know, you

369
00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,960
Speaker 3: look at Billy's career, and not to make this any

370
00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,040
Speaker 3: type of but to lose like two guys that you

371
00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,560
Speaker 3: really have a lot of respect for in that profession.

372
00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,360
Speaker 3: And you know, as I'm growing in my profession as

373
00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,120
Speaker 3: a broadcaster as well, you know, you build those relationships,

374
00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,520
Speaker 3: I mean with the guy you're in the booth with.

375
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,440
Speaker 3: And you know, anytime you've spent that much time together

376
00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,720
Speaker 3: with one person, you know, it's like it is like

377
00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:07,879
Speaker 3: a marriage, right, right, it's a partnership.

378
00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:08,919
Speaker 1: It's a relationship.

379
00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,439
Speaker 3: And so when you lose those individuals or things happen

380
00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,760
Speaker 3: and you're no longer with the it is it is

381
00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,679
Speaker 3: a sense of sadness. And you know, and yes, you

382
00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,200
Speaker 3: have other people around, and there will be someone else

383
00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,560
Speaker 3: that will come in. You'll create a relationship. But it's

384
00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,240
Speaker 3: something to be said when you spend that much time

385
00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,560
Speaker 3: with someone. And for Billy, I mean, to have to

386
00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,240
Speaker 3: have lasted and to have just done everything like you

387
00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,040
Speaker 3: said with the smile and the consummate professional just truly

388
00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:36,840
Speaker 3: speaks to the character of the man.

389
00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,679
Speaker 2: Yeah, And and if there is a downside to Billy's career,

390
00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,359
Speaker 2: it is just that you look, you know, five of

391
00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:49,840
Speaker 2: his broadcast partners have passed away, Johnny Sower, Bill Freelik,

392
00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:54,240
Speaker 2: It growt It, Pitt Twunch, and Myron here with the

393
00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,200
Speaker 2: spretty good line up there too. Yes it is, and

394
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,200
Speaker 2: of course his friends Stan Savern passed away this past year.

395
00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,639
Speaker 2: And yeah, that would be you know, because you build

396
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,720
Speaker 2: those relationships professionally and personally.

397
00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,359
Speaker 3: Yeah, because you're involved in family life. I mean you

398
00:18:08,359 --> 00:18:11,040
Speaker 3: know that you're talking to each other's kids, you're around

399
00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:11,920
Speaker 3: each other's wives.

400
00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:13,439
Speaker 1: I mean, you're doing events together.

401
00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,520
Speaker 3: So there is that, like you said, familial connection that

402
00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,040
Speaker 3: that you build, because that's what makes great broadcasting, right.

403
00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:21,840
Speaker 3: You want to know that the guys that are talking

404
00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:23,119
Speaker 3: are actually friends.

405
00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:26,200
Speaker 1: You know. It's not like, hey, we do a job,

406
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,399
Speaker 1: I leave and then we're going our separate ways. We

407
00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:29,280
Speaker 1: never talked like you.

408
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,800
Speaker 3: Said, we're out, we're at we're breaking bread together. We're

409
00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,000
Speaker 3: spending time together, not just in season, but in the

410
00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:36,520
Speaker 3: off season. So pretty cool.

411
00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:41,560
Speaker 2: Yeah, we're gonna take a break. We are broadcasting from

412
00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,720
Speaker 2: the NFL Combine in Indianapolis Jerry Dulac along with Dale

413
00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:50,000
Speaker 2: Lawley and Max Starks. It is day three of the combine. Here,

414
00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:55,439
Speaker 2: the players are interviewing testing at Lucas Oil Stadium today

415
00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,160
Speaker 2: as well. We're going to take a break and we'll

416
00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,400
Speaker 2: be back with more. You're listening to Fox Sports Pittsburgh

417
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:05,760
Speaker 2: and Steeler The Radios.

418
00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,960
Speaker 3: Couple we jumped out twenty twenty four and Avil.

419
00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:16,800
Speaker 2: Combine, Mindian Apples, Smug Steelers Asian Week. Yeah, welcome back

420
00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:19,840
Speaker 2: to a three of our Walter Wall coverage of the

421
00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:24,520
Speaker 2: NFL Combine here on Fox Sports Pittsburgh and Steeler Nation Radio.

422
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,120
Speaker 2: We're gonna be joined in just a little bit by

423
00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,119
Speaker 2: Bill Hillgrove, who has a busy day, I guess talking

424
00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:29,680
Speaker 2: to a lot of people, but he's certainly going to

425
00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:32,520
Speaker 2: talk to us and uh in here in a couple

426
00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,480
Speaker 2: of minutes, and uh we'll look forward to that. You know,

427
00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,120
Speaker 2: I wanted to ask you before, Max, you know, when

428
00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,600
Speaker 2: you came on board onto the network. You know, and

429
00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:45,560
Speaker 2: I just know this from experience, but there couldn't have

430
00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,199
Speaker 2: been a more welcoming person. I would imagine makes it

431
00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:51,800
Speaker 2: so much easier. Yeah, because you could walk into a

432
00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,040
Speaker 2: situation and be a little you know, maybe it in

433
00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:56,280
Speaker 2: a crazy about having you are the person's just a

434
00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:59,320
Speaker 2: kind of stand office that certainly, of course is not built.

435
00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:00,560
Speaker 1: No, that wasn't Billy.

436
00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,879
Speaker 3: And especially when you think about the network, right, I

437
00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,879
Speaker 3: mean you think about Billy, Tunsch and Craig, the amount

438
00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,240
Speaker 3: of time they've spent together and been together, it's almost

439
00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,000
Speaker 3: like a second since. And you know, as a young broadcaster,

440
00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,320
Speaker 3: you know, I've been put in those situations where I've

441
00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:16,960
Speaker 3: had a guy and or they just say, hey, Max,

442
00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,880
Speaker 3: you're just gonna go in and this is your new

443
00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,600
Speaker 3: play by play guy for this game. You know, and

444
00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,920
Speaker 3: I've never met the guy before, I know who they are,

445
00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,280
Speaker 3: and they have their crew, you know, they have their

446
00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,000
Speaker 3: own spot, they have their own stats guy. Hey, you know,

447
00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:29,959
Speaker 3: the producer and the engineer. They know everybody. And then

448
00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,000
Speaker 3: you're like just the odd man out, like the one off,

449
00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:35,159
Speaker 3: and you can feel uneasy in that environment because like

450
00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:36,120
Speaker 3: how much do I talk?

451
00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,840
Speaker 1: How much do I not talk? But no, not with Billy.

452
00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,879
Speaker 3: I mean, Billy welcome me with warm arms, and Wolf

453
00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,080
Speaker 3: as well, and just knowing the crew that was there,

454
00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,080
Speaker 3: I mean from day one, they're like, Max, listen, We're

455
00:20:50,119 --> 00:20:52,879
Speaker 3: here to have fun. It's like if you're not having fun,

456
00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:54,960
Speaker 3: the fans aren't gonna have fun. The listener's not gonna

457
00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:56,879
Speaker 3: have fun. They're not gonna tune in. So at the

458
00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:01,280
Speaker 3: end of the day, give your opinion and be honest,

459
00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:03,719
Speaker 3: be frank, but have fun with it. You know, this

460
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,960
Speaker 3: is this isn't surgery, This isn't this isn't laying bricks.

461
00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,640
Speaker 3: You know, this is this is something that people want

462
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,199
Speaker 3: to hear your insights. They care about that and just

463
00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,000
Speaker 3: be you. And so you know that's that's a very

464
00:21:15,040 --> 00:21:18,640
Speaker 3: welcoming and comforting moment to have someone of Bill's ilk,

465
00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,199
Speaker 3: like you said, that's done it for fifty plus years,

466
00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:23,480
Speaker 3: to come in and just say have fun.

467
00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,880
Speaker 1: And you know he has an infectious, almost like kid

468
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,760
Speaker 1: like enthusiasm about it.

469
00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:30,680
Speaker 3: Gave me a big old hug for the first game.

470
00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,200
Speaker 3: We're at the Hall of Fame game a couple of

471
00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,159
Speaker 3: years ago. You know, my first time. I'm nervous. I

472
00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:36,520
Speaker 3: don't know what to do. You know, this is also

473
00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,959
Speaker 3: post COVID, so I'm like, I don't even know. Am

474
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,160
Speaker 3: I allowed to touch you? Am I allowed to shake your hand?

475
00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:43,119
Speaker 3: I don't know, because the air high five or something.

476
00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:44,760
Speaker 3: But you know it came in and gave me a

477
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,719
Speaker 3: big old hug and and that just softened everything and

478
00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:51,639
Speaker 3: whatever anxiety you have Billy has a natural way of

479
00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:53,680
Speaker 3: just disarming all of that and making you feel comfortable.

480
00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,200
Speaker 2: Yeah, and a sports guy through and through Dale as

481
00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,520
Speaker 2: you know, you know, love sports, very passionate about it.

482
00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:05,199
Speaker 2: He knows it's a game and to your point, he

483
00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:05,840
Speaker 2: has fun.

484
00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,040
Speaker 4: Doesn't take it too seriously. It's not life and death.

485
00:22:08,080 --> 00:22:09,960
Speaker 4: It's you know, it's it. It is a game. And

486
00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,360
Speaker 4: he called thousands of them, so it's you know, it's

487
00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,760
Speaker 4: just another day at the office for him. And you

488
00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,679
Speaker 4: know the amazing thing when you think about Billy is

489
00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:26,280
Speaker 4: that again, nobody in a business where oftentimes you'll see

490
00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,639
Speaker 4: people clashing and you know the channel to the Channel

491
00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,640
Speaker 4: four it's it's Ron Burgundy type stuff. Channa four news

492
00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,840
Speaker 4: team doesn't talk to the Channel two news team. And

493
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,800
Speaker 4: they all everybody loved Billy.

494
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,399
Speaker 3: Everybody no he he was He was the calming, neutralizing

495
00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:43,680
Speaker 3: force for any situation.

496
00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:45,600
Speaker 1: Like he could diffuse.

497
00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:48,439
Speaker 3: Any tense environment, no matter what guy has felt in

498
00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:51,719
Speaker 3: different environments. You knew you were comfortable with Billy Hillgrove

499
00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:53,320
Speaker 3: when he was around and he was going to tell

500
00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:55,720
Speaker 3: you a story, he was gonna laugh, his face was

501
00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:00,280
Speaker 3: gonna get all beat red, laugh to the laugh is

502
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:01,800
Speaker 3: just great. It's like one of those things like and

503
00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:05,240
Speaker 3: he and he slap his knee and fall back. I'm like, whoa,

504
00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,879
Speaker 3: you know, like I want you to fall out of

505
00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,760
Speaker 3: the chair. But he just he had that very jolly,

506
00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,760
Speaker 3: welcoming uh persona. And you know, I think and the

507
00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,679
Speaker 3: one good thing is, like you know that we can

508
00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:19,520
Speaker 3: be said about this. We can give him his roses

509
00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,439
Speaker 3: right now, right, This isn't you know for everybody out

510
00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,720
Speaker 3: there listening. This is a joyous moment for us because

511
00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:26,919
Speaker 3: we can regale him and he can hear this, and

512
00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:29,080
Speaker 3: we will talk to him to be able to pay

513
00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,439
Speaker 3: those respects because he is that dynamic of a person.

514
00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's he's getting what he uh and will

515
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,520
Speaker 2: continue to get what he deserves. Yes, professionally, there is

516
00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,040
Speaker 2: no doubt about it. Billy is tied up right now

517
00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,600
Speaker 2: doing some TV hits. I'm told with the Steeler Steeler

518
00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:51,439
Speaker 2: dot Com and CJ. If you're listening, it'll probably be

519
00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,880
Speaker 2: more like five to ten minutes before he's available, so

520
00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,560
Speaker 2: you know it, don't have to keep calling him. Give

521
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:03,800
Speaker 2: him a little bit, everybody, right, breathe right, and and

522
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,920
Speaker 2: and we'll talk to Billy in a little of course

523
00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,440
Speaker 2: everybody will know. I want to know who's going to

524
00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:10,679
Speaker 2: repay replace Billy, and we're certainly not going to sit

525
00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,680
Speaker 2: here and pontificate about that. But no matter who, it is, right,

526
00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:16,520
Speaker 2: bigger than your shoes.

527
00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:19,200
Speaker 1: What are you seventeen? I'm nineteen there, Yeah, but thank

528
00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:21,600
Speaker 1: you for checking, right. I think you told me once

529
00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,679
Speaker 1: we always History Museum has it in there, right, we

530
00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:26,119
Speaker 1: would we.

531
00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,320
Speaker 2: Would always tease Max that his feet would get to

532
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,159
Speaker 2: h Hinesfield at two o'clock and he'd get.

533
00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 1: There at two o five.

534
00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,280
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, like that's what they said about Boblin Air

535
00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,159
Speaker 2: at Saint vonov And by twenty one.

536
00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,159
Speaker 1: Yeah, his shoes were ridiculous, exactly.

537
00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:41,920
Speaker 3: There used to be now here we go dating myself

538
00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:45,119
Speaker 3: just for feet was a was a shoe store and

539
00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,120
Speaker 3: they famously had Bob Lanier's shoe in the class.

540
00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:50,920
Speaker 1: That's unbelievable. Yeah, it was. It was unreal.

541
00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,480
Speaker 3: And they were like Chuck Taylor like low tops, so

542
00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,080
Speaker 3: you know they look like a canoe like in case like, okay,

543
00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,399
Speaker 3: is this what she used to kayak with? Yes, his

544
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:01,560
Speaker 3: shoes just lay them up to us.

545
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:02,360
Speaker 1: People could just walk.

546
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,639
Speaker 4: You could literally walk on water with them because they

547
00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,040
Speaker 4: have so much surface area.

548
00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:07,919
Speaker 1: Yeah, you be from one side to the other just

549
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:08,600
Speaker 1: three steps.

550
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,360
Speaker 2: So so Max, so you come in and and you

551
00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:16,400
Speaker 2: you know, Bill hill Groves the lead dog, and he's welcoming.

552
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:20,720
Speaker 2: And so when he'll grow, Bill Hillgrove starts, he replaces

553
00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,000
Speaker 2: Jack Fleming. He did not politic or seek the job

554
00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,960
Speaker 2: because of his friendship with Jack Fleming. The Steelers. Dan

555
00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,440
Speaker 2: Rooney came to him. Billy didn't even submit a tape.

556
00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:32,480
Speaker 2: Dan Rooney came to Billy.

557
00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,359
Speaker 4: But so he comes into at that point, Billy doesn't.

558
00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,200
Speaker 4: His resume is out there, right.

559
00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,320
Speaker 2: Yeah, So now he has to come in and he

560
00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:45,200
Speaker 2: has to quote handle the legendary great Myron Cope. You

561
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,520
Speaker 2: well know door in a game could go any one

562
00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:51,040
Speaker 2: of fifty directions. And now Billy Hill right, Billy has

563
00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,640
Speaker 2: to learn how to harness that properly. And boy, those

564
00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,760
Speaker 2: two just melted right away together. Fleming had his problems

565
00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:01,919
Speaker 2: with Myron for that reason, and Bill had none. Yeah,

566
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:03,440
Speaker 2: that's the thing. He had no ego.

567
00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,680
Speaker 4: You know a lot of guys in that position, uh

568
00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,720
Speaker 4: you know, Big I'm the I'm the league guy.

569
00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:10,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, and that was not Billy at all.

570
00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,119
Speaker 3: Ever, No to this day, ever, and that that, and

571
00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:19,040
Speaker 3: that takes a special personality to not have the because

572
00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:23,520
Speaker 3: right because in radio, the play by play analyst drives everything, right, Yeah,

573
00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,040
Speaker 3: and then the color analyst adding the support. You're adding

574
00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,280
Speaker 3: the color and your short concise to give him enough

575
00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:32,000
Speaker 3: room to breathe for the next play. So when you

576
00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:34,600
Speaker 3: have a coke type of personality, it seems it the

577
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:35,000
Speaker 3: other way.

578
00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:36,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, you can get some feelings involved.

579
00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:38,639
Speaker 3: But you know, but like you said, when you have

580
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:40,960
Speaker 3: a good relationship with a person in a rapport, they

581
00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:44,840
Speaker 3: start to understand, Hey, I want you to give the sizzle.

582
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,520
Speaker 3: But my job, I'm just setting the table for you, right,

583
00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,440
Speaker 3: I'm not I'm not here to tell you how much

584
00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,760
Speaker 3: of what to to scoop onto your plate. Let me

585
00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:54,520
Speaker 3: just set the table. Have at it after that. And

586
00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,680
Speaker 3: that was a unique thing that Billy and not a

587
00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,199
Speaker 3: lot of guys and there's very few guys that have

588
00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:00,520
Speaker 3: that depth of touch to be a to do that.

589
00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:04,000
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, we talked about some of the iconic

590
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,840
Speaker 2: calls that Billy delivered, you know, the Paula Mallo interception,

591
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,840
Speaker 2: Willie Parker's touchdown, the San Antonio Holmes catch don in

592
00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,439
Speaker 2: Tampa but there was some other uh uh, great little

593
00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:19,879
Speaker 2: intriguing moments that the bye play between Myron and Billy

594
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,080
Speaker 2: and even Tunsch when he was in the booth, and

595
00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:25,920
Speaker 2: it occurred in a game in New Orleans. I knew

596
00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,720
Speaker 2: you were going there where a cornerback by the name

597
00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,600
Speaker 2: of fuck Here Brown was beaten on.

598
00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:37,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, might as well. I'm not gonna say no, it's

599
00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:39,680
Speaker 1: getting low. Yeah, I'm not gonna turn down a second shrimp?

600
00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:41,840
Speaker 1: Are you kidding me? Absolutely?

601
00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:46,640
Speaker 2: And and of course Byron, who you know, I don't

602
00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:48,960
Speaker 2: know that you would notice. Max spent a great deal

603
00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:53,439
Speaker 2: of time before every game making sure he had pronunciation correct.

604
00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:58,360
Speaker 2: And of course Tommy Maddox throws a touchdown. I want

605
00:27:58,400 --> 00:27:59,919
Speaker 2: to say it was to oh, I could see the

606
00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,280
Speaker 2: I'll think of it. But nonetheless it was over for

607
00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:07,200
Speaker 2: here Brown and Myron of course is apoplectica with the touchdown,

608
00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,840
Speaker 2: and he's trying to describe the play, and of course

609
00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:13,080
Speaker 2: he screws up for Keer Brown's name and Billy's reaction

610
00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,120
Speaker 2: AND's reaction are just classic.

611
00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:18,159
Speaker 1: And if you google it you can go find it.

612
00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,720
Speaker 3: Oh, now that you're talking about like golden Radio moment,

613
00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:25,960
Speaker 3: that is the Golden radio moment. It's funny is we

614
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,960
Speaker 3: would pull that up, you know, every year a couple

615
00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,680
Speaker 3: of times, just because it's one of the best moments

616
00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:35,400
Speaker 3: and gaffes that you could have. And you can laugh

617
00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,760
Speaker 3: about it, right because it's legends that are on this call.

618
00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,040
Speaker 3: But man, yeah, yeah, And I'm not gonna, like I said,

619
00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:44,320
Speaker 3: I'm not gonna repeat it because it is for Brown.

620
00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:46,440
Speaker 1: But you can imagine if you're trying to get it.

621
00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:47,480
Speaker 1: You know, his name.

622
00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:51,520
Speaker 2: Faker, that's the Faker and is laughing so hard it

623
00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:56,400
Speaker 2: goes Myron just calling Brown, just calling Brown.

624
00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:01,400
Speaker 1: Stop it. I blame the kid's mother there, man, that's yeah, yeah,

625
00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:01,760
Speaker 1: you can't.

626
00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,360
Speaker 3: You U said about for failure being stuck with that

627
00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:05,760
Speaker 3: like first grade?

628
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:07,720
Speaker 1: What's your name? What's your name? I'm sorry, you go

629
00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:09,840
Speaker 1: to office right now.

630
00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:14,200
Speaker 2: You know when I when I started uh doing radio,

631
00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,400
Speaker 2: and I was in the broadcast booth for the pregame show,

632
00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,600
Speaker 2: and you know, Myron always came in early, and he

633
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,600
Speaker 2: was always sitting right next to you, and I mean

634
00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:23,000
Speaker 2: while he's prepping who's off the air, but always want

635
00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,520
Speaker 2: to jump in on them, you know, just to be

636
00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,760
Speaker 2: around him. And I saw him go through that process.

637
00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,000
Speaker 2: But uh, you know, that moment though, was was just

638
00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:38,680
Speaker 2: uh was just pure Byron, you know, and that exchange

639
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,520
Speaker 2: is is just it was just delightful.

640
00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,440
Speaker 4: I mean really, if you think about it, Jared and Max,

641
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:51,480
Speaker 4: the the those legendary guys, they're known beyond Pittsburgh. I mean,

642
00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:53,920
Speaker 4: I've been with Billy and you're sitting there outside the

643
00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,920
Speaker 4: booth during the pregame show and the other teams, uh,

644
00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,360
Speaker 4: you know, play by play announcers or whoever come over

645
00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:01,800
Speaker 4: and say a look, I just wanted to come over

646
00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:05,880
Speaker 4: and sae, yeah, you know, listen, I've heard your voice

647
00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:06,560
Speaker 4: forever on this.

648
00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:09,040
Speaker 1: You know, because they played there, you know, on ESPN

649
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:10,320
Speaker 1: or or if you if.

650
00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,920
Speaker 4: You watch the Inside the NFL Show and they played

651
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,960
Speaker 4: back to play by play the home you know for touchdowns.

652
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:19,160
Speaker 3: We do it on our network series XM. We're all

653
00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,160
Speaker 3: we're always playing the play by plays, and.

654
00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,560
Speaker 4: So people know those voices, even though they're the local voices,

655
00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:25,920
Speaker 4: everybody hears.

656
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:26,680
Speaker 1: Them all over the country.

657
00:30:26,680 --> 00:30:29,400
Speaker 4: And to to you know, to have been around Billy

658
00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:33,080
Speaker 4: and Myron and Tounch and and just you know, I

659
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,040
Speaker 4: consider myself fortunate, you know, having been able to do that,

660
00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,080
Speaker 4: even Fleming. You know, I was, you know, they're there

661
00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,440
Speaker 4: for you know, the last year for Jack Fleming as well.

662
00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,360
Speaker 2: Think about yeah, and I was covering West Virginia UH

663
00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,440
Speaker 2: in the mid eighties. UH and Jack was the play

664
00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:51,080
Speaker 2: by play guys there. So I got to know him

665
00:30:51,160 --> 00:30:53,880
Speaker 2: then before because that was before I started doing this

666
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,400
Speaker 2: dealer stuff. You know, when when you think about it,

667
00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:02,000
Speaker 2: Billy is responsible at that period in time when Pitt

668
00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,360
Speaker 2: basketball overlaps pit football and blends in with Steeler football,

669
00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:10,000
Speaker 2: He's doing three to four games a week, responsible for rosters,

670
00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,480
Speaker 2: not just the teams he knows, but the other team.

671
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:13,600
Speaker 1: Think about that.

672
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,640
Speaker 2: It's hard enough doing one of them, he's doing three

673
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:18,000
Speaker 2: to four a week sometimes.

674
00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:21,000
Speaker 3: I mean, you have to think Billy has forgotten more

675
00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,520
Speaker 3: basketball and football than we can hope to learn right,

676
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:29,840
Speaker 3: and to do it year over year, week after week,

677
00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:34,120
Speaker 3: month after month. And he's traveling with the team. It's

678
00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,280
Speaker 3: not like he's doing this remote, like, hey, I can

679
00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:38,440
Speaker 3: do this. You know I'm sitting in my house. No,

680
00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:42,000
Speaker 3: you're on site, your courtside, you're up in the press box.

681
00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,160
Speaker 3: You're doing this and you're keeping the tempo of the game,

682
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,000
Speaker 3: You're keeping the cadence of the game and having to

683
00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:52,320
Speaker 3: know where everybody is. I mean his spotting charts are crazy.

684
00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:54,120
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, they're crazy. But they don't have a

685
00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:57,680
Speaker 3: lot of little notes on him because he has knowledge

686
00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,720
Speaker 3: up in his head. So it's remarkable see him do

687
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:01,360
Speaker 3: his craft.

688
00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:09,400
Speaker 2: Dal h Jack Buck broadcast at Saint Louis football and baseball,

689
00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,040
Speaker 2: and which I did not know this University of Missouri

690
00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,920
Speaker 2: football as well. Bill Hillgrove said, want he believes that

691
00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:19,400
Speaker 2: he and Jack Buck are the only announcers to ever

692
00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:22,640
Speaker 2: do play by play for three major sports teams.

693
00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:23,880
Speaker 1: Think about that.

694
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,360
Speaker 2: Concurrent, Bill Hillgrove, Right, yeah, exactly, Yeah, and Jack Buck

695
00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:29,640
Speaker 2: that's the company.

696
00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:31,360
Speaker 1: Bill Hillgrove keeps.

697
00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:34,240
Speaker 2: Yeah, let's take a break now because then hopefully Billy

698
00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,280
Speaker 2: will be done with his under hit and.

699
00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:38,280
Speaker 1: He could join us for this upcoming excite. He wants

700
00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:38,800
Speaker 1: to talk to Bill.

701
00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,440
Speaker 2: If not, we'll have him at the top of the hour,

702
00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,280
Speaker 2: but we will talk with Bill hill Grove soon. We

703
00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:46,040
Speaker 2: are at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Jerry Dulac, dal

704
00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,120
Speaker 2: Lawley and Max Starks. You're listening to Fox Sports Pittsburgh

705
00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:54,800
Speaker 2: and Steeler Nation Radio Life from about twenty twenty four

706
00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:19,120
Speaker 2: NFL combine this Steelers nation Ree. I'm not sure what's

707
00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,400
Speaker 2: going to be a bigger, more momentous occasion getting to

708
00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:24,840
Speaker 2: talk to Bill Hill Growth today or Omar Connes Steeler GM,

709
00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:26,920
Speaker 2: which we will talk to him later on today.

710
00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:28,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's gonna be.

711
00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:32,240
Speaker 4: It'd be the first time that Omar has spoken this offseason.

712
00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,160
Speaker 4: We've obviously we've heard from Mike Tomlan, We've heard from

713
00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:39,040
Speaker 4: Art Rooney and uh, you know, now we'll hear from Omar,

714
00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:42,200
Speaker 4: and I would expect you know, they've had a little

715
00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:44,600
Speaker 4: more time now since we had the opportunity to speak

716
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,360
Speaker 4: to Mike and Art. Uh, you know, it's been a

717
00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:51,040
Speaker 4: month and so they've started formulating that off season planned.

718
00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:54,200
Speaker 4: So it'd be interesting to see if there's anything new there,

719
00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:55,160
Speaker 4: any new development.

720
00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,360
Speaker 2: Yeah, and I'm sure, of course everybody you know that

721
00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,720
Speaker 2: it's going to be the Pittsburgh at least are sure

722
00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:03,240
Speaker 2: be asked it nationally too. But you know, what's the

723
00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:07,120
Speaker 2: situation a quarterback? What's the plan if you moved on,

724
00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:11,520
Speaker 2: i mean moved toward any discussion so far with Mason Rudolph.

725
00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:14,080
Speaker 2: How about these rumors that are out there, you know

726
00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,120
Speaker 2: they have four different quarterbacks coming to the Steelers every quarter.

727
00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,560
Speaker 2: Every everyone is available has been I can't wait to the.

728
00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:21,279
Speaker 1: Depth chart next year.

729
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:23,800
Speaker 3: It's gonna be nine deep, exactly, Like we only have

730
00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,640
Speaker 3: one under contract, but here's all of our It's like

731
00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:28,960
Speaker 3: playing cards, you know, if you play spades at all,

732
00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:31,200
Speaker 3: like yeah I got one book and a possible, it's like, yeah,

733
00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:32,759
Speaker 3: I got one in like nine possibles.

734
00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:33,960
Speaker 1: So you know, I don't know how.

735
00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,080
Speaker 2: I don't know how those salary cap can fit all

736
00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:37,680
Speaker 2: those guys, those high priced guys.

737
00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:38,399
Speaker 1: Gonna be tough.

738
00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:42,040
Speaker 4: But yeah, I mean that's gonna be the big question,

739
00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,400
Speaker 4: you know for Omar, and I would expect it. You know,

740
00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:47,440
Speaker 4: we'll hear exactly what we've heard from everybody else that

741
00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:48,760
Speaker 4: you know, we gonna.

742
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:49,120
Speaker 1: Believe in Kenny.

743
00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:52,240
Speaker 4: And you know, I don't understand why the national folks

744
00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:56,640
Speaker 4: don't believe that. They've said it. Mike said it, Art

745
00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:58,160
Speaker 4: said it, Omar will probably say it.

746
00:34:58,280 --> 00:34:59,320
Speaker 1: He'll say it as well.

747
00:34:59,400 --> 00:35:02,840
Speaker 4: And people, I don't believe that the Steelers still believe

748
00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:03,440
Speaker 4: in Kenny.

749
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,280
Speaker 3: Pickett, right, Yeah, this isn't a Zach Wilson situation, right exactly.

750
00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:10,200
Speaker 3: Rogers and foremost it's not like We're going out there like, oh, well, yeah,

751
00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:11,719
Speaker 3: we like Zack Wilson and then it's like all of

752
00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:13,480
Speaker 3: a suden, Aaron Rodgers pops up on the roster.

753
00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:16,000
Speaker 1: No. I mean this is something where this is a

754
00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:16,600
Speaker 1: young guy.

755
00:35:17,120 --> 00:35:20,439
Speaker 3: You have to give him time to develop into who

756
00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,360
Speaker 3: you really think he's going to be.

757
00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,719
Speaker 4: We've seen flashes. It's not like there hasn't been something there.

758
00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:26,040
Speaker 5: Yeah.

759
00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,759
Speaker 2: Right, and again, go back, he's fourteen and ten as

760
00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:30,600
Speaker 2: a starter, and you go back from the end of

761
00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:33,120
Speaker 2: his rookie season the beginning of last season that stretches

762
00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:35,360
Speaker 2: seventeen games, he was twelve and five. Yeah, that's a

763
00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:38,160
Speaker 2: division winning record, Yes it is.

764
00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,440
Speaker 4: And he's beaten the Ravens in Baltimore and his one Insincinnati.

765
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,160
Speaker 3: You know these are you know these are in the

766
00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:48,360
Speaker 3: teams when you talk about signature wins, like on his resume,

767
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,799
Speaker 3: because that's what you're always like, even for coaches, right, like,

768
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,600
Speaker 3: what is this signature win that keeps him here? The

769
00:35:53,640 --> 00:35:55,680
Speaker 3: same thing for a quarterback, what are your signuations? And

770
00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:58,439
Speaker 3: he can point to those moments and say, yes, I've

771
00:35:58,480 --> 00:35:59,800
Speaker 3: won these games, I've.

772
00:35:59,640 --> 00:36:02,520
Speaker 1: Beaten these teams. Why don't you believe me?

773
00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:05,400
Speaker 3: You've beaten Cleveland before you beating everybody in our division

774
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,680
Speaker 3: as a starter. That's saying something, especially when you consider

775
00:36:08,719 --> 00:36:10,919
Speaker 3: this is probably one of the toughest divisions in all

776
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:11,720
Speaker 3: of the NFL.

777
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,000
Speaker 2: And yet it's year three form, which is a big

778
00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,960
Speaker 2: year for any NFL player, especially a number one draft pick,

779
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:20,760
Speaker 2: especially one who was a quarterback. We heard Mike Tomlin

780
00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:23,080
Speaker 2: say after the season, he said, it's a huge year,

781
00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:25,720
Speaker 2: and it's a huge he said, huge year for Kenny

782
00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:28,200
Speaker 2: Pickett because he you know, it's it's okay, this is

783
00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:32,920
Speaker 2: when the decision about where you're going forward is going

784
00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:33,200
Speaker 2: to be.

785
00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:34,800
Speaker 1: If not formed.

786
00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,799
Speaker 3: Made well and fifth your option because after this year

787
00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:41,520
Speaker 3: you make that decision, you guarantee two years for.

788
00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:42,680
Speaker 1: And that fifth year option.

789
00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:46,360
Speaker 4: The way that they do that now, especially a quarterback,

790
00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:47,160
Speaker 4: becomes expensive.

791
00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:50,600
Speaker 1: Now you're talking twenty plus million dollars. It's a balloon payment.

792
00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,520
Speaker 4: It's a significant it's a significant investment.

793
00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:53,959
Speaker 1: Yeah.

794
00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:56,960
Speaker 3: Yeah, so you need to give him every opportunity to

795
00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,640
Speaker 3: show you that this is the guy for the future.

796
00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:00,479
Speaker 1: You don't.

797
00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:03,040
Speaker 3: You don't sit there try and put borders on anymore.

798
00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,799
Speaker 3: It's like, hey, the training wheels are off.

799
00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,360
Speaker 4: Yeah, and again, if it's your situation where the first

800
00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:12,759
Speaker 4: two years we hadn't seen anything, any signs of all

801
00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:15,880
Speaker 4: this guy's nothing. You know that the comeback wins the fourth,

802
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,680
Speaker 4: you know all that stuff that he has done. You know,

803
00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:24,799
Speaker 4: I think people really underestimate for a young quarterback to

804
00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:28,160
Speaker 4: not throw a bunch of interceptions. Yeah, I don't think

805
00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:30,759
Speaker 4: that that's valued the way that NFL teams value the

806
00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:32,120
Speaker 4: way that Mike Tomlin values that.

807
00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:34,760
Speaker 1: Yeah. Internally, it's it's way more important.

808
00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:36,360
Speaker 3: I mean, why do you think Russell Wilson's in a

809
00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,359
Speaker 3: conversation he doesn't give the football up. Yeah, it doesn't

810
00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:41,840
Speaker 3: look good yet you got beat by fifty points in Miami.

811
00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:44,680
Speaker 3: But he's still a desirable guy. And that's what you

812
00:37:44,719 --> 00:37:46,879
Speaker 3: look at. I mean, those are the things that keep

813
00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,319
Speaker 3: your team going, They keep you on schedule, They.

814
00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:51,359
Speaker 4: Give your team a chance to win at all if

815
00:37:51,400 --> 00:37:52,680
Speaker 4: you don't turn the football over.

816
00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:53,919
Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, Yeah.

817
00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:57,680
Speaker 3: The points aren't sexy, right, But that's also a scheme philosophy.

818
00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:00,000
Speaker 3: Think there's a lot of other factors that go into points,

819
00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:03,399
Speaker 3: but you're not giving points away, you're not giving games away.

820
00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:05,279
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's and that's what the turnovers do.

821
00:38:05,520 --> 00:38:09,720
Speaker 2: Yeah, you mentioned Zach Wilson situation. Who we have seen benched.

822
00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:14,200
Speaker 2: We have seen Mac Jones in year two benched. Kenny

823
00:38:14,200 --> 00:38:16,839
Speaker 2: Pickett wasn't benched. He got hurt and it was the

824
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,440
Speaker 2: time of year. Mason comes in and all of a sudden,

825
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:23,839
Speaker 2: the offense flourishes. If Mason Rudolph comes in and they

826
00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,960
Speaker 2: do that for two games and it's September or October,

827
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:29,200
Speaker 2: Kenny Pickett goes back into the lineup.

828
00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,400
Speaker 4: Absolutely, But it was the time of year and you

829
00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:34,520
Speaker 4: didn't want to mess with what was working right and

830
00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:36,920
Speaker 4: you just had to keep rolling otherwise there was no

831
00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:37,520
Speaker 4: more season.

832
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:38,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, there was.

833
00:38:38,080 --> 00:38:40,640
Speaker 3: There was chemistry in the moment and something to be

834
00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,399
Speaker 3: said because when you think about December football, that's where

835
00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,560
Speaker 3: you separate from the competition. And when you had a

836
00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:48,120
Speaker 3: guy that's been injured and sitting for three four weeks,

837
00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:50,360
Speaker 3: putting him back in and get him reintegrated at this

838
00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:54,960
Speaker 3: critical juncture is not responsible coaching. Yeah, you know, we

839
00:38:54,960 --> 00:38:57,680
Speaker 3: would look at Mike Tomlin in a completely different light

840
00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,640
Speaker 3: if he did that type of move and the op direction.

841
00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:05,200
Speaker 2: Billy Hillgrove is online in joining us now from a

842
00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:08,120
Speaker 2: busy busy I'm sure somewhat emotional day.

843
00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:08,480
Speaker 1: Billy.

844
00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:12,560
Speaker 2: Good to talk to you, my friend, and first of all, congratulations,

845
00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,279
Speaker 2: and second of all, we're all going to miss you,

846
00:39:15,400 --> 00:39:17,680
Speaker 2: and a million million listeners are going to miss it.

847
00:39:17,760 --> 00:39:20,240
Speaker 2: That voice on the Steeler Radio Network.

848
00:39:20,239 --> 00:39:22,440
Speaker 1: How are you, my friend, Jerry.

849
00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,279
Speaker 5: It's been whirlwind, but I kind of expected it and

850
00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,160
Speaker 5: so I'm adjusting to it. But it's been it's been

851
00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,000
Speaker 5: a fun day so far. And you know, the warmth

852
00:39:32,000 --> 00:39:36,040
Speaker 5: that's coming from these congratulatory texts just overwhelming. So what

853
00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:36,800
Speaker 5: can I say.

854
00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:39,480
Speaker 2: Well, I'm here with a couple of your friends. Of

855
00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:42,400
Speaker 2: course you're a partner on game day. Max Starks is

856
00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:45,879
Speaker 2: here and Dale Lawley another long time associate and friend

857
00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:49,080
Speaker 2: of yours, and we're just very happy for you, Billy.

858
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:52,640
Speaker 2: And I don't know how long you had been thinking

859
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,880
Speaker 2: about it, but the announcement, of course this morning on

860
00:39:56,239 --> 00:39:59,880
Speaker 2: DVE the flagship for the Steeler Radio Network. And you

861
00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,160
Speaker 2: told me earlier it's it's you know, you know when

862
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:03,399
Speaker 2: it's time, and it's time.

863
00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:07,560
Speaker 5: Chuck Nohills said that if you're thinking about it, it's time,

864
00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:10,759
Speaker 5: and uh, I've been thinking about it and talking to

865
00:40:10,800 --> 00:40:13,920
Speaker 5: the family about it, and uh, I think it's just

866
00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:16,880
Speaker 5: time to start a new chapter. And unfortunately I'm going

867
00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:19,640
Speaker 5: to miss the Steelers nation. Uh, but I'll still be

868
00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:21,560
Speaker 5: part of it. I'll be a ruder now instead of

869
00:40:21,560 --> 00:40:23,799
Speaker 5: a broadcaster, and that will be fun.

870
00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:27,520
Speaker 1: Well, Belly, we we're going to miss you a great deal.

871
00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:29,160
Speaker 1: And I didn't text.

872
00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:30,440
Speaker 4: You because I knew we were going to get an

873
00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:33,680
Speaker 4: opportunity to speak with you this afternoon here. And uh,

874
00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:37,960
Speaker 4: my congratulations. Uh, you've been a great friend. You've been uh,

875
00:40:38,040 --> 00:40:40,960
Speaker 4: you know, a mentor for me. You know, just uh

876
00:40:41,080 --> 00:40:44,760
Speaker 4: the way that that you deal with the public and

877
00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,279
Speaker 4: the way that that that you handle yourself in those situations.

878
00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,880
Speaker 4: I've tried to emulate that myself and and uh, you

879
00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:56,560
Speaker 4: just uh always carried yourself with class, have always done so.

880
00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,680
Speaker 5: I appreciate that. And you know, one of the things

881
00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:04,120
Speaker 5: that's in the back of my mind, having grown up

882
00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:07,440
Speaker 5: in Garfield, is that if I ever put any errors

883
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:10,879
Speaker 5: on and impress somebody as a loose, my uncles will

884
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:17,279
Speaker 5: come out of their graves and beat and you know,

885
00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:20,719
Speaker 5: I think, no, I really think that's a lesson for anybody.

886
00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:24,640
Speaker 5: H You'll be treated like you treat people. And I

887
00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:25,360
Speaker 5: try to do that.

888
00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:29,040
Speaker 3: No, and you did it with with a grace in

889
00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:33,160
Speaker 3: the class that's that's matched by noun Billy, And I

890
00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:35,640
Speaker 3: just want to thank you for all you poured into

891
00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:39,160
Speaker 3: me as well, because you know, as a young broadcast,

892
00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:43,719
Speaker 3: especially knowing the mystique and your history and longevy you've had,

893
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:48,120
Speaker 3: I mean to welcome me almost immediately and in our times,

894
00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:50,759
Speaker 3: even as me as a player, inviting me to m

895
00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:53,000
Speaker 3: see some of the Christmas parties and stuff back in

896
00:41:53,040 --> 00:41:56,880
Speaker 3: the day, to now being a broadcast partner with you.

897
00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:58,840
Speaker 3: And you know, I told the guys on air, you

898
00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:02,400
Speaker 3: know you were the favorite uncle. You know that every

899
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,120
Speaker 3: kid wants to see and to work with you for

900
00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,000
Speaker 3: the last three years has been truly a blessing.

901
00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:08,640
Speaker 1: So I'm truly happy for you.

902
00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,840
Speaker 3: And I know I'll be seeing you around in Pittsburgh

903
00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:14,359
Speaker 3: when I'm there, but you know it will be a

904
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:15,280
Speaker 3: different tenor.

905
00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:16,840
Speaker 1: And we really appreciate you.

906
00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:20,600
Speaker 5: Max. Your words mean a lot to me. But I

907
00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,920
Speaker 5: do have one regret that picture you took at my

908
00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:28,640
Speaker 5: golf tournament with Elworth's face, the large and small of it, right,

909
00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:38,759
Speaker 5: I can't puy it then it's frustrating, but that was

910
00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:42,880
Speaker 5: a great picture and our friendship I do value and

911
00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,360
Speaker 5: thank you for your time works. Billy.

912
00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,800
Speaker 2: You started in nineteen ninety four with the Steeler Radio Network.

913
00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:53,000
Speaker 2: You replaced your friend Jack Fleming. You did not politic

914
00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:55,800
Speaker 2: for the job. You did not send them a the

915
00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:59,120
Speaker 2: Steelers an audio tape. Dan Rooney came to you, and

916
00:42:59,200 --> 00:43:02,080
Speaker 2: you did not policy out of your friendship with Jack Fleming.

917
00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:06,279
Speaker 2: And here you are, thirty years later, stepping down. But

918
00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,920
Speaker 2: that moment had to be both exciting and and but

919
00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:11,600
Speaker 2: I know you wanted to be respectful to Jack Fleming

920
00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:12,279
Speaker 2: at the same time.

921
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:16,280
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I'll tell you what. I got a text

922
00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:19,560
Speaker 5: this morning from Tony quatrinis matter of fact, we had

923
00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:23,120
Speaker 5: a conversation and he was a sales manager at WCAE

924
00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:25,880
Speaker 5: Radio at the time, and he called me out of

925
00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:29,800
Speaker 5: the blue. He said, mister Rooney keeps asking for your tape.

926
00:43:30,239 --> 00:43:33,879
Speaker 5: I said, what tape. I didn't submit a tape. He said, well,

927
00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:36,280
Speaker 5: he has a tape and he's using it to compare

928
00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:38,960
Speaker 5: to other guys. And the next thing you know, I'm thinking,

929
00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,440
Speaker 5: oh my gosh, I'm a candidate for a job that

930
00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:44,879
Speaker 5: I haven't even applied for. But it was the best thing.

931
00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,480
Speaker 5: It's the best thing that ever happened to be the best.

932
00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:53,080
Speaker 4: Yeah, and you know, for so many people, for you know,

933
00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:56,799
Speaker 4: several generations now of Steeler fans. You are as I've

934
00:43:56,840 --> 00:43:59,080
Speaker 4: always told you, you're the voice of God. You are

935
00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:03,520
Speaker 4: voice that they hear and then the voice that they recognize, uh,

936
00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:04,040
Speaker 4: you know.

937
00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:06,040
Speaker 1: As as the voice of the Steelers.

938
00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:09,320
Speaker 4: And and that's a had to be a just a huge,

939
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:11,640
Speaker 4: huge thing for you.

940
00:44:11,960 --> 00:44:13,800
Speaker 1: But it's also a big responsibility.

941
00:44:15,160 --> 00:44:19,320
Speaker 5: It is. But you know, it's rewarding that I can't

942
00:44:19,360 --> 00:44:22,279
Speaker 5: pass an elevator test. If I'm on an elevator with

943
00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,040
Speaker 5: my wife and I say something, people turn around to

944
00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:30,000
Speaker 5: look at me, like, I know you. So if I

945
00:44:30,000 --> 00:44:32,080
Speaker 5: ever do a stick up, I'll have to pass a note.

946
00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:37,280
Speaker 5: I can't open my mouth, Relly.

947
00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:42,319
Speaker 2: Any favorite calls or calls when you listen to them,

948
00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:45,600
Speaker 2: you know, obviously big moments, you know, Willie Parker's run

949
00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:49,480
Speaker 2: in Detroit, Santonio Holmes catch the Paula Malo interception in

950
00:44:49,520 --> 00:44:52,799
Speaker 2: the AFC Championship Game. Any favorite calls or ones that

951
00:44:52,800 --> 00:44:55,239
Speaker 2: we went back and listen to and go, oh, yeah, okay,

952
00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:56,160
Speaker 2: I nailed that one.

953
00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:01,759
Speaker 5: Well, they played one this morning on the and it

954
00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:05,920
Speaker 5: was the ninety five Championship game. I was proud of

955
00:45:05,960 --> 00:45:09,399
Speaker 5: that call because Ed Conway always told me, Billy watched

956
00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:13,040
Speaker 5: the official and there's this rainbow that Harbaugh throws up

957
00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:15,680
Speaker 5: and it comes down into this crowd of people, and

958
00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:18,200
Speaker 5: I was told that the Colt announcer and also the

959
00:45:18,280 --> 00:45:22,760
Speaker 5: national announcers both called touchdowns. But I'm watching the official,

960
00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:26,280
Speaker 5: and I'm watching Merle Hodge, and he's watching the official,

961
00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:28,800
Speaker 5: and as soon as he saw him point to the ground,

962
00:45:29,239 --> 00:45:31,719
Speaker 5: I knew the ball touched the ground, and I was

963
00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:35,160
Speaker 5: glad I waited that. You know, that patience kind of

964
00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:36,840
Speaker 5: is rewarding as I look back on.

965
00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:41,279
Speaker 3: It, and Billy and I think that's something that like,

966
00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:44,319
Speaker 3: because of your experience, because of the time you've spent,

967
00:45:44,800 --> 00:45:46,719
Speaker 3: those are the nuanced things I think a lot of

968
00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:49,480
Speaker 3: broadcasters kind of overlooked. Like you said, two out of

969
00:45:49,520 --> 00:45:52,960
Speaker 3: the three that were calling that game got it wrong.

970
00:45:53,360 --> 00:45:55,399
Speaker 1: But your patience and your experience, Can you.

971
00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:57,400
Speaker 3: Just talk I mean, for me, I guess that as

972
00:45:57,440 --> 00:46:00,600
Speaker 3: a young broadcaster, right, just talk about some of the

973
00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:03,480
Speaker 3: lessons that you would pass on to the next generation

974
00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:06,040
Speaker 3: of broadcaster that you learned, and the tricks of the

975
00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:06,960
Speaker 3: trade that you picked up.

976
00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:11,560
Speaker 5: You know, Max, some of the most rewarding comments I've

977
00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:17,200
Speaker 5: gotten have been from sightless people who say, you take

978
00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:22,080
Speaker 5: me to the game, And to me, that's that's my job,

979
00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:25,120
Speaker 5: you know, And that's the most rewarding thing that I

980
00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:30,600
Speaker 5: can be somebody's eyes at an event. To me, that

981
00:46:31,239 --> 00:46:36,600
Speaker 5: radio just has the quality and television you see it now,

982
00:46:36,760 --> 00:46:39,920
Speaker 5: radio you don't. You depend on that spoken word, And

983
00:46:40,320 --> 00:46:43,120
Speaker 5: to me, that's the satisfying thing, because it's the most challenging.

984
00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:45,839
Speaker 5: You know, You've got to take that thought from your

985
00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:47,879
Speaker 5: head and put it into somebody else's and you better

986
00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:49,319
Speaker 5: do a good job of it. And you better do

987
00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:51,880
Speaker 5: it now when that crowd roar is you better have

988
00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:54,440
Speaker 5: something to say. And I'm kind of proud of the

989
00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:57,920
Speaker 5: fact that I, you know, been able to basically keep

990
00:46:58,040 --> 00:47:02,120
Speaker 5: up with the plays and get them to the listener

991
00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:02,960
Speaker 5: as soon as I could.

992
00:47:03,600 --> 00:47:06,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, Billy, that's your number one responsibility, I would imagine,

993
00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:08,839
Speaker 2: as the play by play announce Of course, number one

994
00:47:08,920 --> 00:47:12,319
Speaker 2: is to get it to be accurate. But probably maybe

995
00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:15,360
Speaker 2: even more so than that is you get to be somewhere.

996
00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:17,040
Speaker 2: You get to be at that event, whether it's a

997
00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:19,960
Speaker 2: preseason game, a regular season game or super Bowl, and

998
00:47:20,040 --> 00:47:23,200
Speaker 2: your job is to take the listener there. That's why

999
00:47:23,239 --> 00:47:26,640
Speaker 2: you're there, and you have always painted that picture in

1000
00:47:26,760 --> 00:47:28,959
Speaker 2: terms of trying to take the listener there.

1001
00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:34,640
Speaker 5: Jerry, I appreciate your words and to that point, as

1002
00:47:34,680 --> 00:47:39,279
Speaker 5: you know, media and now are treated a little bit

1003
00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:42,320
Speaker 5: with less respect than we used to be in terms

1004
00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:45,040
Speaker 5: of where they have us. You know, I understand Baltimore

1005
00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:46,560
Speaker 5: is going to put us down to the end zone.

1006
00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:52,799
Speaker 5: But my greatest nightmare is I woke up in a

1007
00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:55,919
Speaker 5: cold sweat because I was doing a Brown Steelers game

1008
00:47:56,480 --> 00:48:03,479
Speaker 5: and my vantage point was the parking lot. You talk

1009
00:48:03,600 --> 00:48:09,400
Speaker 5: about frustrating and a cold sweat, but you know that, yeah,

1010
00:48:09,480 --> 00:48:12,640
Speaker 5: that seat, that seat, and it's always been good and

1011
00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:14,080
Speaker 5: it's free.

1012
00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:15,800
Speaker 1: Billy.

1013
00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:20,120
Speaker 4: You've called a number of big games, obviously with pitt

1014
00:48:20,160 --> 00:48:23,279
Speaker 4: basketball and pit football. You've also called a number of

1015
00:48:23,280 --> 00:48:26,239
Speaker 4: big games, you know, with the Steelers. Did you ever

1016
00:48:26,280 --> 00:48:28,880
Speaker 4: get nervous in those situations? You're calling a super Bowl

1017
00:48:29,560 --> 00:48:32,120
Speaker 4: for the first time, were you nervous in that situation?

1018
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:34,600
Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety five, I.

1019
00:48:34,560 --> 00:48:39,520
Speaker 5: Took a lesson from the movie Hoosiers when Gene Hackman says, hey,

1020
00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:43,439
Speaker 5: the baskets ten feet the lane's fifteen. You know, Well,

1021
00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:45,960
Speaker 5: the football field is one hundred and it's fifty yards

1022
00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:49,239
Speaker 5: plus wide, and it's four downs, and it really, you know,

1023
00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:53,040
Speaker 5: it's it's a game, and it's another game. And if

1024
00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:55,920
Speaker 5: you start to think about how big the stage is

1025
00:48:55,960 --> 00:48:58,680
Speaker 5: that you're dancing on, you're going to get distracted. And

1026
00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:01,040
Speaker 5: I've been fortunate enough to have the kind of tunnel

1027
00:49:01,120 --> 00:49:02,520
Speaker 5: vision I've been able to avoid that.

1028
00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:05,840
Speaker 3: All Right, Billy, I got to ask you, because you've

1029
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:08,840
Speaker 3: been in some of the most legendary stadiums and arenas

1030
00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:12,719
Speaker 3: and events, what was your favorite stadium that you visit,

1031
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:14,799
Speaker 3: whether it was college or pro. What's one of your

1032
00:49:14,800 --> 00:49:18,080
Speaker 3: favorite ones that you look forward to going and calling

1033
00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:18,960
Speaker 3: a game at.

1034
00:49:20,080 --> 00:49:21,439
Speaker 5: Wow, that's a tough one.

1035
00:49:22,920 --> 00:49:26,000
Speaker 3: We know Hinsfield, you know, is also is going to

1036
00:49:26,040 --> 00:49:27,680
Speaker 3: be out there.

1037
00:49:27,760 --> 00:49:33,000
Speaker 1: But yeah, but ah way, yeah.

1038
00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:36,640
Speaker 5: Yeah, Well, you know, the vantage points in Cleveland, Cincinnati,

1039
00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:41,000
Speaker 5: and Baltimore about to change, but you know they're still

1040
00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:47,160
Speaker 5: pretty good. Uh, You're not six stories up where everybody

1041
00:49:47,160 --> 00:49:51,440
Speaker 5: looks like ants. You know. I always when we go

1042
00:49:51,520 --> 00:49:54,040
Speaker 5: to Jerry World and you play the Cowboys or you

1043
00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:56,320
Speaker 5: play in the Super Bowl, you have to depend on

1044
00:49:56,360 --> 00:49:59,160
Speaker 5: the jumbo trump because you're looking at ants twenty two

1045
00:49:59,200 --> 00:50:05,120
Speaker 5: hands and your greatest fear is that you're ready to

1046
00:50:05,160 --> 00:50:07,720
Speaker 5: call the play and the ball is snapped and instead

1047
00:50:07,760 --> 00:50:10,560
Speaker 5: of looking at you know players, I'm looking at this

1048
00:50:11,120 --> 00:50:14,920
Speaker 5: the behind end of the center and the pair of

1049
00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:17,839
Speaker 5: hands taken the snap. You know they have the tight shot.

1050
00:50:17,880 --> 00:50:20,680
Speaker 5: And that's the greatest fear when you're depending on the

1051
00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:25,040
Speaker 5: jumbo tron for help. But you know it's been a

1052
00:50:25,080 --> 00:50:28,920
Speaker 5: great ride. I don't have any regrets. Oh yes I do.

1053
00:50:29,080 --> 00:50:31,400
Speaker 5: I would have liked to won all four Super Bowls,

1054
00:50:32,040 --> 00:50:34,560
Speaker 5: but I'm two and two, so I got some catching

1055
00:50:34,640 --> 00:50:37,840
Speaker 5: up to do, or at least the guy who replaces

1056
00:50:37,880 --> 00:50:41,200
Speaker 5: me with the person who replaces me has him catching

1057
00:50:41,280 --> 00:50:41,600
Speaker 5: up to do.

1058
00:50:42,280 --> 00:50:45,680
Speaker 2: Billy thirty years with the Steelers, fifty plus with the

1059
00:50:45,760 --> 00:50:47,680
Speaker 2: Pitt Football will be fifty one this year. I think

1060
00:50:47,719 --> 00:50:49,960
Speaker 2: you're going to continue to do that. I think fifty

1061
00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:53,400
Speaker 2: five with Pitt Basketball. You've had a lot of guys

1062
00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:56,920
Speaker 2: in that booth and courtside, and I know some of

1063
00:50:56,920 --> 00:51:01,360
Speaker 2: those people were dear friends and have have passed on.

1064
00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:04,359
Speaker 2: And I know that's difficult for you because not only

1065
00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:08,640
Speaker 2: the professional relationships but the personal relationships Myron and Tunch

1066
00:51:08,719 --> 00:51:11,680
Speaker 2: of course with the Steelers, our friend Dick wrote in

1067
00:51:11,719 --> 00:51:15,839
Speaker 2: your longtime associate Bill Frelick as well, and go back

1068
00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:18,840
Speaker 2: to Johnny Sower that that has I know, those types

1069
00:51:18,880 --> 00:51:22,560
Speaker 2: of situations, you know, can can be difficult, and and

1070
00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:25,120
Speaker 2: you know they those are the relationships you formed over

1071
00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:25,880
Speaker 2: all these years.

1072
00:51:26,920 --> 00:51:30,120
Speaker 5: And Jerry, that's part of my thinking. I'm not a

1073
00:51:30,160 --> 00:51:35,759
Speaker 5: permanent fixture. I'd better start smelling some roses. And I

1074
00:51:35,800 --> 00:51:39,880
Speaker 5: think that's probably a lesson. That's it's tough to learn it,

1075
00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:42,120
Speaker 5: but you have to learn it. I don't care what

1076
00:51:42,239 --> 00:51:45,239
Speaker 5: profession you're in. Uh, you know you're not going to

1077
00:51:45,280 --> 00:51:48,839
Speaker 5: be here forever, and so you know, start to smell

1078
00:51:48,920 --> 00:51:52,040
Speaker 5: those American duty roses because you don't know how many

1079
00:51:52,040 --> 00:51:53,439
Speaker 5: more you're going to get a chance to smell.

1080
00:51:54,760 --> 00:51:58,239
Speaker 2: Well, Billy, beyond thanking you for coming on today, each

1081
00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:00,759
Speaker 2: and one of us, of course, thank you not only

1082
00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:03,239
Speaker 2: for what you've done professionally, but for what you've done

1083
00:52:03,239 --> 00:52:05,879
Speaker 2: for each of us, each of us personally. And we're

1084
00:52:06,000 --> 00:52:08,279
Speaker 2: very happy for you. We are sad to see you go,

1085
00:52:08,680 --> 00:52:10,920
Speaker 2: but we're thrilled that you are able to make this

1086
00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,600
Speaker 2: announcement and walk out of there with your head held

1087
00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:14,800
Speaker 2: high above the clouds.

1088
00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:15,200
Speaker 1: My friend.

1089
00:52:16,280 --> 00:52:19,480
Speaker 5: Well, thank you very much for your kind words, and

1090
00:52:19,600 --> 00:52:22,680
Speaker 5: most of all, thank you gentlemen for your friendships.

1091
00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:24,800
Speaker 1: Thank you, Billy. Yeah, thank you Billy.

1092
00:52:24,920 --> 00:52:27,440
Speaker 2: That's Bill Hillgrove, the long time voice of the Steelers

1093
00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:31,439
Speaker 2: thirty years. Billy announced today that he is retiring after

1094
00:52:31,480 --> 00:52:33,920
Speaker 2: three decades of being the voice of the Steelers the

1095
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:37,160
Speaker 2: play by play man. He will continue on for at

1096
00:52:37,239 --> 00:52:41,160
Speaker 2: least one more year doing football and pitt basketball. We

1097
00:52:41,200 --> 00:52:43,800
Speaker 2: went a little extra long. We went a little overtime

1098
00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:45,960
Speaker 2: with Billy, but that's okay. We could go all day

1099
00:52:46,520 --> 00:52:48,839
Speaker 2: with the Voice of the Steelers. We're going to take

1100
00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:51,359
Speaker 2: a break. We are at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

1101
00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:54,160
Speaker 2: Jerry Dulek, Dale Lawley, and Max Starks. We're going to

1102
00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:56,799
Speaker 2: come back with our second hour right after this year.

1103
00:52:56,840 --> 00:52:59,960
Speaker 2: Listening to Fox Sports Pittsburgh and Steeler Nation Radio