1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: Soon. 2 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Ozone Podcast with Jaguars senior writer John Osher. 3 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 3: All Right, welcome into this week's Ozone podcast. And I 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 3: say every week how much I look forward to the guests. 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 3: Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. But in this case, 6 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 3: I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this. 7 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 3: I am joined today by long time and now former 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 3: believe it or not. Four the Time's Union columnist Gene 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 3: Fornette Jane. First of all, I appreciate you doing this. 10 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm glad to do it. 11 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 4: I didn't know that I had to retire to finally 12 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 4: get on an Ozone podcast. 13 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 3: Well that's kind of the rules around here. No current media. 14 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 3: That's not true, is it. I know it's hard for 15 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 3: me to believe each victory retired because I never thought 16 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 3: you would it. Is it hard to believe? And how 17 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 3: is it going for a couple of weeks? 18 00:00:56,280 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: Uh? 19 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 4: Now, not really, because, to be honest with you, when 20 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 4: my wife re hired like eighteen months ago, I kind 21 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,639 Speaker 4: of we kind of pegged the spring of twenty twenty 22 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 4: five as sort of being the finish line for me 23 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 4: because I knew i'd do one I do. I said 24 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 4: I'd do a couple more seasons, but I didn't know 25 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 4: if I wanted to really do a third. It just 26 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:22,119 Speaker 4: too cognizant of the fact that you know, you wait, 27 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 4: you wait, you wait, and and while you may get 28 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 4: some financial benefits out of it by maxing out your 29 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 4: Social Security, the flip side is is that you don't 30 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 4: know nobody, none of us. I promised tomorrow, and I 31 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 4: wanted to be able to go out while I still 32 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 4: felt like I was somewhat at the top of my game, 33 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 4: but also healthy, sure, and be able to be able 34 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 4: to do things with my wife in retirement. And so 35 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 4: that's why I did what I did. I don't you know, 36 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 4: I don't judge it on anything else other than that. 37 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 4: And to be honest with you, your body and mind 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 4: will sort of tell you when it's the right time 39 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 4: told me ten years ago. So yeah, so I just 40 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 4: kind of felt like it was the right time. I've 41 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 4: had no regrets about it. It was the right decision for me. 42 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 4: For others who want to, you know, stay working in 43 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 4: the media into their seventies or whatever, if that's what 44 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 4: they choose to do, then that's fine. 45 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: I just I just didn't want to do that. 46 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: Fantastic we talked a little bit. I joke with you 47 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 3: over the years more than we actually talk, So I'm 48 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 3: looking forward to actually talking without I like to give 49 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 3: you grief. But forty four years, man, I mean, I 50 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 3: know we talked a little bit when you first announced, 51 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 3: when I first found out. That's an unbelievable career gene 52 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 3: in this media age. So first, congratulations, And do you 53 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 3: have a sense of you know, sort of navigating a 54 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: tough industry. I guess how rare it is going to 55 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 3: be for somebody to have a forty four career, your 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 3: career as a columnist, sports media, whatever that means. 57 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 4: Well, you know, the ironic thing is is that when 58 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 4: I left the Palm Beach Evening Times in eighty one, 59 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 4: and I was the prep writer there, and I took 60 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 4: the same job at the Jacksonville Journal for seventy dollars 61 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 4: more a week, and yeah, and when I left, the 62 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 4: guy who replaced me in Palm Beach ironically as Tom DiAngelo. 63 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: And Tom is still there, so he's been forty four. 64 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 4: Years in Palm Beach as well. So I mean, obviously 65 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 4: it's a coincidence. I figured when I came to Jacksonville, 66 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 4: i'd be here like two or three years and then 67 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 4: move on somewhere else. I really liked the job. Wasn't 68 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 4: all that keen on the city when I first got here. 69 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 4: First of all, it took forever to get to get anywhere. 70 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 4: I mean, you don't realize how big Jacksonville really is. 71 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 2: And there was no bypass. 72 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. 73 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a different driving world than many people 74 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: who are listening today realized. 75 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 4: And speaking of driving, you know, and every time you 76 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 4: went over a bridge, you had to dump a quarter 77 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 4: into the thing, right, or you bought the two dollars 78 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 4: book of tickets for you got ten tickets for two dollars. 79 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: So you did. 80 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 3: What I did was was do the fake and then 81 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 3: once you went through in the bell ranguent like you missed. 82 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: No, I never, I never. 83 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 4: I never did do that because I knew that the 84 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 4: people who do who do get caught on that. Yeah, 85 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 4: I mean, it's not worth the consequences for not having I. 86 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 3: Was fortunate friends of mine did get caught. So I 87 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 3: want to get into some of your thoughts on journalism. 88 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,359 Speaker 3: But this is a Jaguars centric podcast. I want to 89 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 3: ask Jags. 90 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 2: First, Well, you know you've. 91 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 3: Seen so much of this organization, and you saw a 92 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 3: glimpse of what's going on now with Tony taking over. 93 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 3: What are your thoughts on the direction of the team's going. 94 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 4: Now, this is a very early projection without really there. 95 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: They haven't put enough to me on the table yet 96 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: to make a clear. 97 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 4: Cut judgment on how it's going to go over the 98 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 4: long haul. I would say what they've done so far, 99 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 4: I like, I'm optimistic about where the direction that this 100 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 4: franchise is headed. But again I say that because we 101 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 4: all know what happens. 102 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 1: The April May. 103 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 4: June July is what I call the fool's goal time 104 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 4: of year. Everything's great, there's optimism, you know, with all 105 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 4: thirty two teams possible exception of the New York Giants 106 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 4: or what have you. But you know this time of 107 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,600 Speaker 4: the year every year, you know, fans get fired up, right, 108 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 4: and they even get more fired up when there's change. 109 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 4: They got fired up with urban Meyer was hired, you know, 110 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 4: and you know, and they certainly were fired up after 111 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 4: Doug Peterson's first year, thinking hey, this is going along 112 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 4: on a very good path. And it just goes to 113 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 4: show you that the NFL is every year, with the 114 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 4: exception of maybe what the Chiefs have done under Andy Reid. 115 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 4: It's really hard to predict because injuries, you know, factor 116 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 4: into it. 117 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: And when you've got a new regime. 118 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 4: You look at the Jaguars depth chart right now, there's 119 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 4: probably like thirteen or fourteen guys which is not an 120 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 4: unusually absurdly high number that are on the too deep 121 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 4: chart that are new arrivals. They're either unrestricted free agents 122 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 4: that they paid for or their draft picks. And to me, 123 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 4: what I like about what this franchise is doing is 124 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 4: they seem to be creating genuine, legitimate competition at a 125 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 4: lot of different positions. 126 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: Which is hard to do. People talk about competitions, yeah. 127 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: But it doesn't. 128 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I was just looking. I just took 129 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 4: a glance at the Hour Lads depth chart for the Jaguars, 130 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 4: and I could legitimately look at that depth chart. 131 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 3: Please tell me, Jane that you did that to prep 132 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 3: for this podcast, and that's not what retirement looks like. 133 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: Correct, That's correct, that's correct. Yes, the latter is the 134 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: former is true. 135 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 4: But you know, you could look at about five positions 136 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 4: where they projected a starter where it wouldn't be that 137 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 4: outlandish to see the second guy listed be the starter. 138 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 3: Which except is rare competition is off in lip service 139 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 3: and it's not. 140 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean I can easily see two or three 141 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 4: offensive line positions. The guys that are listed there now, 142 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 4: you know, might be the backup rat come September ten 143 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 4: or whatever the season opener is. So I think from 144 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 4: that standpoint, and I just like the idea that from 145 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 4: the very moment James Gladstone got here and. 146 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: You look at certainly what happened. 147 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 4: I mean, everybody's obviously talking about Travis Hunter. I mean, 148 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 4: Travis Hunter has taken over as the face of this franchise, 149 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 4: which I'm sure Trevor Lawrence is more than happy to 150 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 4: bequeath to him, right because Travis has got a little 151 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 4: bit more of the personality to kind of take on 152 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 4: that sort of thing that he would kind of welcome 153 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 4: it a little bit more. But you know, just the 154 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 4: bold move to go up and get Travis Hunter. I 155 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 4: mean I wrote about it because I was, you know, 156 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 4: I was, I was still a week out from retiring 157 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 4: when they drafted him. I just thought it was a 158 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 4: bow move that this franchise would not ordinarily make. It 159 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 4: certainly would not have been made if Trent Bulk would 160 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 4: have been the GM that trade. That trade would have 161 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 4: never happened. So I just kind of liked that. It's 162 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 4: not just a fresh start, but you've also got a 163 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 4: got a head coach who is coming off a track 164 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 4: record of transforming the quarterback in Tampa, and Baker Mayfield 165 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 4: and so a lot there's a lot of signs pointing 166 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 4: in a very positive direction. You know, you know, is 167 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 4: Travis Hunter going to be a future Hall of Famer 168 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 4: like so many people seem to be projecting him to be, 169 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 4: because the optimism about what he can do for this 170 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 4: franchise is unbelievable. That Yeah, yeah, Personally, I think it 171 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 4: would be easier for the Jaguars to play him more 172 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 4: full time as a cornerback and part time as a receiver. 173 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 4: But you know, I get it. Liam Cohan wants to 174 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 4: he wants to generate the offense. I'm sure he's very 175 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 4: selfish about trying to get the extra three or four. 176 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: Points per game talent. 177 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, so yeah, I early on, I like the 178 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 4: direction it's going. But you know, I'm not going to 179 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,599 Speaker 4: sit here and say, hey, there'll be a minimum of 180 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 4: love it and five eleven and six This year. 181 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 2: Sure, you know, we'll see. 182 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 3: I want to get your perspective on a couple of 183 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 3: history things because you've been around this franchise as long 184 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 3: as I have, and then you were around for ten 185 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 3: years when I wasn't here. We both have the perspective 186 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 3: of what this team meant to this city because we 187 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 3: both predate the team. 188 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: I grew up here. 189 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 2: You were here for what. 190 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,319 Speaker 1: Fourteen years before they came, before they started playing. 191 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 3: So you saw it when I saw it when the 192 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 3: city was the gay or ball in the Florida Georgia 193 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,679 Speaker 3: game and hoping against hope to get a team. Do 194 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 3: you think that a lot of people our age are 195 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 3: listening to this, but a lot of young people are. 196 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: Do you think young people in the city appreciate how 197 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 3: much the Jaguars have changed? And I guess how because 198 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: you me have an attachment to it. How glad are 199 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 3: you that it's secure now for the future. That has 200 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,439 Speaker 3: to mean something to you as somebody who has been 201 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 3: about sports in this town for forty five years. 202 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I've never been of the mindset even back and 203 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 4: I remember when we had this conversation when you were 204 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 4: still in Indianationalist You know, you wanted to, you know, 205 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 4: you wanted to take the job, but you were concerned 206 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 4: about how long the team was going to be here 207 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 4: because I was an outsider, Yeah, and you said, hey, 208 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 4: I need at least three years, And I said, John, 209 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 4: that they're going to be here, right, you know. I 210 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 4: just I just felt very strongly that that Shod Cohn 211 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 4: was about making this thing work in Jacksonville, because I 212 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 4: knew what he had discussed with Wayne Weaver when he 213 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 4: bought the team, and I had to clarify. 214 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 3: I got back before Shod bought, so we were still 215 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 3: talking during the Wayne years, so I was not sure. 216 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, I just didn't. 217 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 4: I just know how hard it is for an NFL 218 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 4: team to move. You know, It's not as if this 219 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 4: happens a lot, right, I mean, yes, we saw the 220 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 4: trucks in the middle of the night go from Baltimore 221 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 4: to Indianapolis, and you saw what happened with Cleveland and 222 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 4: Baltimore and how much Al Davis flip flopped between LA 223 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 4: and Oakland. But other than that, it's it's rare to 224 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 4: get to get a circumstance where an NFL team actually moves, 225 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 4: And I just kind of felt like I had no 226 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 4: reason to doubt that shod Cohn wanted London as a 227 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 4: financial supplement to its franchise, not as an option to 228 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 4: go overseas, because I still don't think the NFL in 229 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 4: Europe can work. I just I don't see how. I 230 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 4: just think there are too many hoops to jump through. 231 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 3: At all. 232 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, I thought it was much more, much more dangerous 233 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 4: or for the Jaguars to move to like you know, 234 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 4: in la or a Saint Louis or something like that, 235 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 4: than it ever was to London. But to answer your 236 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,679 Speaker 4: question about whether the young whether the young generation can 237 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 4: appreciate that, I don't know that you can, because if 238 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 4: you've never known the Jaguars to be nonexistent, you know, 239 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 4: it's hard. 240 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 1: To get a sense of what that history is. 241 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 4: And as you know, I mean it was a little 242 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 4: bit of an upset when the Jaguars got the franchise, right, 243 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 4: I mean, Saint Louis had to drop the ball, and 244 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 4: they dropped the ball and Jacksonville capitalized it got the turnover, 245 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 4: and you know, thirty years later, they're still here. And 246 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 4: despite all the terrible seasons the Jaguars I've had over 247 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 4: the last you know, seventeen eighteen years. You know, and 248 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 4: obviously I'm biased because I'm in the industry, but I 249 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 4: just think the city of Jacksonville is so much better 250 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 4: with the Jaguars than without them. 251 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: It just gives you, first of all. 252 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,439 Speaker 4: It's a fantastic entertainment option for some people, and even 253 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 4: for people who don't care about football but care about 254 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 4: Jacksonville wanting to grow as a city. I mean, you 255 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 4: get a lot more respect when you have an NFL 256 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 4: team than when you have no major pro sports franchise whatsoever. 257 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 3: No doubt I can talk to you about a million 258 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 3: different topics because we know a lot of the same 259 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 3: topics and you've been doing it for you did it 260 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 3: for so long. But what over the years your relationship 261 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 3: with Tom Cofflin, just covering him as an entity in 262 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 3: this city, with the J Fund, with the team. When 263 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 3: I say the word Tom or I would say the 264 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 3: name Tom Coughlin first reaction, and then just talk about him. 265 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 4: Well, I would say, when I think of Tom Cofflin, 266 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 4: I think as much of the J Fund as I 267 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 4: do of him being a two time Super Bowl winning coach. 268 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:51,959 Speaker 4: I mean, I think more people obviously will think of 269 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 4: him as a two time Super Bowl winning coach and 270 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 4: I hope one day that that his resume gets him 271 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 4: into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But that's a 272 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 4: separate topic. You know that that's becoming more challenging. But 273 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 4: when I think of Tom Coffin, I think of the 274 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 4: foundation upon which the Jaguars are built. I mean, it's 275 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 4: like you have this you know, you're building this house, 276 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 4: and before you can design the kitchen and the bedrooms 277 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 4: and all that other stuff, you have to have the foundation. 278 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 4: And to me, that's what Tom. When I think of 279 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 4: Tom Coffin, I think of the guy who built the 280 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 4: Jaguars foundation. And he had the power to do so 281 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 4: because he was both the GM and the head coach. 282 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 4: And he did a fantastic job. I mean, four postseason appearances, 283 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 4: two AFC title games within the first five seasons is 284 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:42,479 Speaker 4: pretty remarkable. 285 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 3: I've always been intrigued, probably as we've gotten further away 286 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 3: from it. I'm gonna shift to college football for a second. 287 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 3: The time that we covered college football together, I only 288 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 3: covered for a couple of years, but I covered the 289 00:14:57,120 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 3: Spurrier and you were right there. You touched the Bowden 290 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 3: there at FSU. Clearly the golden era of college football 291 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 3: right here to me? Do you have an appreciation for 292 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:14,760 Speaker 3: how fortunate you've been to have sort of seen a 293 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 3: lot of that. 294 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 2: Level of college football up close? 295 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: That era? 296 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:21,160 Speaker 2: I mean, it was. 297 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 3: I'm not sure the Times Union covers it as much 298 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 3: as it used to, but during that time, you were 299 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 3: face front for the best. 300 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was. 301 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 4: Not only was it a golden era for college football 302 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 4: in this state. And I think you would be hard 303 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 4: pressed to find two more successful head coaches who were 304 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 4: coaching at rival schools than Bowden and spur. 305 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: Your And we almost took it for granted. 306 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 4: Maybe maybe Tom Osborne obviously right in his era, right, 307 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 4: Barry Switzer, that's the only other one that I could think, Okay, 308 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 4: I mean, you know Bo schamp Black or what he has. 309 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 2: I mean, but you know, I was too young and 310 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 2: dumb to realize it. 311 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: Yeah. 312 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 4: So that was the nineties, and all of this coincided, 313 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 4: by the way, with a time where newspapers really mattered 314 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 4: the internet. The Internet hadn't been really full fledged yet, right. 315 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 4: It truly was the golden age, you know, And I 316 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 4: mean the eighties and the nineties for newspapers, and also 317 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 4: the seventies and sixties. 318 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 1: And all that as well. 319 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 4: I mean the nineties was kind of like the last 320 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 4: part of the Golden age for newspapers, right, And it 321 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,960 Speaker 4: just so happened to be at a time when Florida 322 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 4: and Florida State, I mean Florida State was on a 323 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 4: fourteen year streak of top five finishes. Spurrier was winning 324 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 4: like six six SEC titles in a twelve year span 325 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 4: at Florida. 326 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 2: The days, my friend, we thought they never ended. 327 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 4: And oh, by the way, that Jacksonville has an NFL 328 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 4: team and they're going to the postseason, you know, year 329 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 4: after year. 330 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know that football in this area will. 331 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 4: Ever have a better time than that, right, I mean, 332 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:05,680 Speaker 4: you hope they will, right, But. 333 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: You'd be hard pressed to find something better than that. 334 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 2: It's hard to imagine. 335 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 3: You assume they're both in the top five, and for 336 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: a little while it's been a while around here, but 337 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 3: for three or four years, you sort of assume this 338 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:17,679 Speaker 3: tune to be in the postseason. 339 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 2: So that's exactly right. 340 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 3: This is very journalism one oh one, And I'm sure 341 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 3: people who don't care about journalism will fall asleep. But 342 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 3: it's my podcast. So where do you see it going? 343 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 3: You know, in terms of newspapers, you know, your position. 344 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 3: I grew up dreaming of wanting to be a columnist. 345 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 3: Now it's not quite you know, it's a tougher it's 346 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,400 Speaker 3: a tougher industry to define. You're not really the rock 347 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 3: star as much as maybe the mid nineties, right where 348 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 3: do you see it going? 349 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 2: You know, five ten years? 350 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: Quite frankly, I don't like the direction that is going. 351 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 4: A lot of a lot of content that you see, 352 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 4: sports content that you see on the internet now is 353 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 4: somebody playing off what somebody else wrote. 354 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: You know, they they see, oh this is what you. 355 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 4: Know, somebody on ESPN said about this, and then they 356 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 4: create a blog about that and that gets thrown up there. 357 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 4: Everything's like these short, blurpy reads now that people you know, 358 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 4: there's there's there's no time for storytelling or anything like that. 359 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 4: Uh now, which is what? 360 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: Which? 361 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 4: Which is why I kind of appreciate the athletic a 362 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 4: little bit because they still they still, you know, still 363 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 4: reserve some room for doing that. But everything is, you know, 364 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 4: throw it up on there, and the bigger name you 365 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,640 Speaker 4: can throw in there, that's going to get more clicks. 366 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: Uh, you know, have at it, you know, you know. 367 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 2: I mean, and accuracy doesn't matter, not as much. 368 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: No, it doesn't. I mean it doesn't. 369 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 4: It doesn't matter whether it's politic or whether it's sports. 370 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 4: Just get a name in there so that they can 371 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 4: put this up on their Google searches and to get 372 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:09,399 Speaker 4: the clicks and. 373 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: Everything like that. I mean, think about this. 374 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 4: The Jaguars are going to be playing the Kansas City 375 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 4: Chiefs on a Monday night football game right week five, 376 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 4: Week six. 377 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: How many stories do you think in. 378 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 4: That week are going to be about Travis Travis Hunter 379 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 4: versus Taylor Swift, you know, I mean, it's just the 380 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 4: fact that you have to think about that just for 381 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 4: a second, tells you where the train is headed. 382 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that could be a series of podcasts with 383 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,879 Speaker 3: people such as yourself and myself and probably not get 384 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 3: as much depth as you could because it's it's troubling 385 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 3: for people like us. But okay, now, I guys the question, 386 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 3: You've got to tell me the story behind the Turkey, 387 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 3: because anybody listened to this, there's a there's a Twitter 388 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 3: picture that I repost every and many of my unfunny 389 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 3: friends in the media tweet it was. 390 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 2: The Turkey for real? Take me through the morning of 391 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 2: the turkey. 392 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: The turkey was for. 393 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 2: Real, because this is why everybody's listening to this podcasting. 394 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: So here's the great irony about that picture. Right. I 395 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: never and I when. 396 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,639 Speaker 4: I say never, I mean n E V E R 397 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 4: tweet put anything up on social media about food. 398 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 2: Ever except that one. 399 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: Except that one. I don't know what. 400 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,440 Speaker 4: I don't even know what made me do it. I'm 401 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 4: just sitting there at the table. I just said, I 402 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 4: just so, I just took a picture of the turkey 403 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 4: that was stuffed and all this stuff. And I guess 404 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 4: just whether it was the angle of the picture or 405 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 4: how the turkey looked, you know, to people who saw 406 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 4: it, it didn't look appetizing at all. 407 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: Wait, what the heck is this? Right? 408 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 4: I never dreamed it would take the shelf life that 409 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 4: it did. 410 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 3: And here it is, like because I think it was 411 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 3: frid after I got back. It was it was twelve 412 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 3: or thirteen, Oh yeah it was. 413 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 4: It was easily over a decade ago, so you know, 414 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 4: it was just like this, just like this innocent, Oh, 415 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 4: I'll just throw this up there, not, you know, not 416 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,400 Speaker 4: that I was expecting any great feedback. And and obviously 417 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 4: if i'd have known what I know now, I would 418 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 4: have never. 419 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 3: Put maybe you would have. It's been a great it's 420 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 3: been a great touchstone for everybody. But do you have 421 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:38,680 Speaker 3: an appreciation, Jean? And I don't really talked to you 422 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 3: about this, for you know, a Twitter Jeene has been followed, 423 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 3: you know, the Turkey and people, the fans really have 424 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 3: embraced you on Twitter. 425 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 2: And there's a weird part of Twitter as well. There's 426 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 2: but there there. 427 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 3: Are factions of Jaguars fans that Jean Frenette is part 428 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 3: of it. And I think that's pretty cool. And I 429 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 3: know you're a professional, but there's also that as well. 430 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean number one and maybe this is this 431 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 4: is maybe the you know, the way my dad was 432 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 4: if you got to be able to laugh at yourself. 433 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: Sure, if you if you screw up or whatever. 434 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 4: Or you do something and I'm not talking about a 435 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 4: screw up where anybody's hurt or anything like that. I'm 436 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 4: just talking about or a journalism which is not Yeah, 437 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,000 Speaker 4: and if you and if you make a mistake, you 438 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 4: just show it, right, I mean not it. I mean 439 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 4: nobody does their job absolutely perfectly where they don't make mistakes, right, Okay, 440 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 4: that's that's even that's even true for a Northeast Florida 441 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 4: cultural icon. 442 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 2: When I first thought leader. 443 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 4: When I first saw that, I go, oh, okay, this 444 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 4: is one of those things that John's gonna make stick. 445 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 3: And for those that you don't know in the Ozone 446 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 3: mailbag fans, I think I did it once. And fans 447 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:11,400 Speaker 3: just love to sort of make up feats of strength 448 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 3: for Gene, feats of cultural identity that he has nothing 449 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 3: to do with. They associated with Gene and he is 450 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 3: longtime Florida Times Union sports columnists and cultural icon, Northeast Florida, 451 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 3: Northeast Florida cultural icon, Eugene P. Gene Furnett, And you know, 452 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:32,919 Speaker 3: to set the record straight for a lot of people 453 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:39,719 Speaker 3: who watch this, Gene as much as we tease him 454 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 3: about the Turkey, as much as we have teased him 455 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 3: about different things. So out of the Corsy has always 456 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 3: been the best sport and gets the spirit of what 457 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 3: things are. And again, I think that's why a lot 458 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 3: of fans on Twitter, because this is a long time 459 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 3: fifteen years on Twitter sort of interacting being a guy 460 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 3: that people go to in the Jaguars and you've always, uh, 461 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 3: I thought done a great job of embracing that. 462 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 4: Well, I got a question for you in relation to 463 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 4: this uh tag as Northeast Florida Cultural icon icon. What 464 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:18,399 Speaker 4: came first that? Or King of All Funk? 465 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 3: Which which came King of All Funk may have been 466 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 3: before that, It's probably around the same time. 467 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 2: But I am the King of All fund Yeah. 468 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: Well, and k O A F fits better than n 469 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: f C. 470 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 2: I right, that is true. 471 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 1: That is true. 472 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: It's so are you gonna miss it? 473 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 4: I will miss parts of it. I will not miss 474 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,399 Speaker 4: all of it. I certainly don't miss what the profession 475 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 4: has become. As as we've gotten older, and you know, 476 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 4: as as many people know, Gannett has not only bought 477 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 4: The Times Union, but they've bought up virtually all the 478 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 4: papers in Florida, with the exception of Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale. 479 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: And Saint Pete. 480 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 4: Okay, they you know, they own, they own, you know, 481 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 4: they own Gainesville, Tallahassee, uh, Brevard County, West Palm Beach, Lakeland, Sarasota, 482 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 4: Fort Myers, Pensacola. 483 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 2: I mean that's what they're doing, really, is the news. 484 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 4: They're creating their own State of Florida network. So uh so, 485 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 4: Times Union doesn't send people anymore to Florida football games 486 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 4: or f s U games in anything. 487 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 3: Which is a mammoth change that's really tough for local 488 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, it just is. 489 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 4: I mean it doesn't mean that as a columnist, I 490 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 4: couldn't continue to write about them. I just wasn't going 491 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 4: to be traveling there to go get stories. You got, 492 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 4: you know, you got you got to get interviews by phone, 493 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:54,640 Speaker 4: and you have to rely on the s I D 494 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 4: departments well. 495 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 1: To kind of deliver to interviews. 496 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 3: The difference in this day and I know I was 497 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 3: around Florida when you're covering Florida. You know, when you're 498 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 3: the columnist, you had very personal relationships with Bobby Baden 499 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 3: and Steve Spurrier that would probably be very hard to 500 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 3: replicate now just because you're not in person. And for 501 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 3: fans who are winning while I'm talking about this, that 502 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 3: affects coverage, That affects the depth of information that a 503 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 3: fan in Jacksonville can feel for the program. It's just different. 504 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 3: It's the way it is. 505 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 2: But I'm with you, It's what I would miss it 506 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 2: if I were in your shoes. 507 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, And it's another reason why I think that people 508 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:38,679 Speaker 4: who cover the NFL, who have covered both college and 509 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 4: the NFL now much before the NFL, because at least 510 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:43,439 Speaker 4: you can go into a locker room. Sure, you know 511 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 4: in college football, we haven't been in a locker room 512 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 4: twenty years, right or whatever. 513 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 2: You know it's done to me having covered it, but 514 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 2: I know it's true. 515 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 516 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 4: Now they bring, you know, a select group of players 517 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 4: to you and then you get to interview them that way, 518 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:01,680 Speaker 4: but it's just there you've lost. You lose the personal 519 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 4: connection that the media person, whether it's a columnist or 520 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 4: a beat writer has with the athletes. 521 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: You at least have that a little bit with. 522 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,960 Speaker 4: The Jaguars, although they will make sure that their big 523 00:27:12,000 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 4: stars probably get to keep their distance, like Trevor Lawrence 524 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 4: and now Travis Hunter will only be a once a 525 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 4: week guy in this coming season for the media to 526 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 4: have access to, and of course you'll have access after games, right, 527 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 4: But you know, so it's it's a much It was 528 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 4: so much more of a personalized business back when I 529 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 4: back when I when I was coming up in the 530 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:36,800 Speaker 4: eighties and nineties, and that. 531 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 1: Part I will miss. 532 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 4: What I won't miss is how corporate, uh, the newspaper 533 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 4: game has become. 534 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: Now they're you know, they're issuing. 535 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 4: Playbooks to these more still to the writers about Okay, 536 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 4: here's what we want for this week. You know, let's 537 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 4: make sure that we we hit this story. Not necessarily 538 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 4: because it's a great story, but because they think that's 539 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 4: going to get clicks, and that's gonna get the that's 540 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 4: what's going to stir up the Google searches. And and 541 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 4: the thing is, even if something gets a lot of clicks, 542 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 4: and I'll tell you, I'll give you a perfect example. 543 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 4: One of the things that got that gets a ton 544 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 4: of clicks down in the West Palm Beach area was 545 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 4: stories about when all this live golf controversy was being 546 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 4: stirred up. 547 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: All of a sudden. 548 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,640 Speaker 4: You know, they saw all these clicks and they're thinking, 549 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 4: oh my, this is great, right, but. 550 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: It gets old after a while. 551 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 4: Okay, here we are here, there are two years since 552 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 4: living the PGA tour were supposedly gonna come to this agreement, 553 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,199 Speaker 4: and they're still you know, they're still and and but 554 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 4: yet but they have to keep feeding that beast because 555 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 4: the the writer may be tired, the writer may be 556 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 4: tired about writing about it, but the higher ups don't 557 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 4: get tired about seeing. 558 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: What the numbers. 559 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 2: There's no substance to it anymore correct. 560 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 3: All right, One thing we do here, Gene is the 561 00:28:53,000 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 3: ozone five five quick questions and change them a little 562 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:03,479 Speaker 3: bit for you. Then gets information from you too, Gene Furnette, 563 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 3: what was your last binge watch? 564 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: My last binge watch on TV? 565 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 2: On TV? You remember TV. 566 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: Binge watch? I was I was I was doing. I 567 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:16,040 Speaker 1: was doing. 568 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 4: A pretty heavy deal of law and order. 569 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,479 Speaker 1: I tend to, you know, I guess you know. I'm 570 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 1: showing my age here. 571 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 4: I tend to like the older shows more than I 572 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 4: do the newer ones. I could I couldn't tell you 573 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 4: anything about. 574 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: Some of the No, no, that's a little that goes 575 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: a little too far back. 576 00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 4: I'm having a hard time getting off the dateline binge now. 577 00:29:39,920 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 2: Okay, that's another that's not it. 578 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 4: And I prefer the one hour ones as opposed to 579 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 4: the two hour ones. Okay, but yeah, if I'm going 580 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 4: to do a binge watch, it's probably going to be 581 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 4: that music. 582 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 2: What does Gene Furnette listen to on the way in? 583 00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 4: I'm probably gonna give myself away. I actually there's a 584 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 4: and this is I'm not saying that this is necessarily 585 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 4: my favorite. But there is a Christian station in town 586 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,080 Speaker 4: called k Love that I do listen to quite a bit. 587 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 4: I musical artists, I mean, Billy Joel is just one 588 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 4: of my all time favorites. I've been to about probably 589 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 4: about five or six of his concerts over time, country 590 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 4: music a little bit, not a lot, But I don't have, like, 591 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 4: what one specific hip hop guy. 592 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, that's me. 593 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,040 Speaker 4: Probably that, but not anything real. I'm not married to 594 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:36,840 Speaker 4: one specific station, that's for sure. 595 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:37,520 Speaker 1: I flip around. 596 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,920 Speaker 2: I think I know the answer. Most memorable event he covered. 597 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 4: Most memorable event that I've covered, yeh, memorable to me 598 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 4: because I because I was so familiar with them was 599 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:53,400 Speaker 4: the Hall of Fame induction of Tony Basselli and Leroy Butler. 600 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 4: I mean I've known them both for and I knew 601 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 4: Leroy back when he was fifteen sixteen years old because 602 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:01,760 Speaker 4: he was which by courkyd over at Lady and I 603 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 4: used to go over there practices, but to see them 604 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 4: inducted on the same day, and you know, and I 605 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 4: knew LeRoy's mother so so well because she lived in 606 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 4: her Arlington neighborhood near Jayu and I used to see 607 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 4: her walking her dog. It was a shame that she 608 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 4: wasn't around to see that. And and also for Tony 609 00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:24,440 Speaker 4: not having his not having his dad, but just watching 610 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 4: not only watching the ceremony unfold and their speeches and 611 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 4: all that, but going to their celebrations afterwards. 612 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: I went to Tony's first. 613 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 4: I went for an hour and a half, and then 614 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 4: I went to LeRoy's about twenty miles away. That for 615 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 4: about an hour and a half. Just the the unbridled 616 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 4: joy was. 617 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 1: Just I've never I've never. 618 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 4: Seen Tony so happy as he was that dad, and 619 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:49,520 Speaker 4: the same for Leroy. Yeah, And it was just you know, 620 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 4: just knowing what you know, what it to get to 621 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 4: the pinnacle of your profession and having it happen for 622 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:57,959 Speaker 4: such quality human beings. 623 00:31:58,120 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: That was That was the best work day ever. 624 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 3: My guess is a close second would have been the 625 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 3: World Series Oakland San Francisco. I remember you covered that 626 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 3: from the paper back when the paper covered World Series events. 627 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 3: And you probably don't remember this, but I was a 628 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 3: huge Oakland A's fan. And Jane brought me back on 629 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 3: Oakland A's World Series pennant from that. Oh, that's that's 630 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 3: how far back you and I. 631 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 4: Go, well, listen, what's amazing about how much the newspaper 632 00:32:26,760 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 4: game has changed. 633 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: Not only did the TU. 634 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 4: Send me out to California, but they brought me back 635 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:35,640 Speaker 4: after the earthquake delayed the World Series. 636 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 1: And then I went back. 637 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 2: For Games three and four. 638 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,680 Speaker 3: People in the business now, for the TU to have 639 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,479 Speaker 3: covered baseball without a team, it just shows you the 640 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 3: money the newspapers had back then. It was a different game. 641 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 3: Your biggest influence, like, who's the reason that you're here? 642 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 4: Well, I told this story in my farewell column. But 643 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:06,480 Speaker 4: I was twelve years old going into my last year 644 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 4: of Little league baseball and my dad came home one 645 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 4: night and he was he was my coach for the 646 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 4: first three years, and said, I'm not going to be 647 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 4: coaching anymore, and you know, and I was like flabbergasted, 648 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 4: is like, hey, what do you mean. We're finally going 649 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:22,160 Speaker 4: to have a really good team this year because we 650 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 4: got we got we got more twelve year olds on 651 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 4: the team we had we had the previous years. I 652 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 4: think we went from two and twelve to five and 653 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:33,640 Speaker 4: nine to seven and seven, and now we were going 654 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 4: to have an even better team. And he says he's 655 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 4: getting out, and so they completely reshuffled the whole league. 656 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:40,760 Speaker 4: And it turns out that the guy that was my 657 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 4: new coach happened to be a sports writer and he 658 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 4: was a two time sports writer of the Year in Vermont, 659 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 4: and when I expressed an interest a couple of years 660 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 4: after I got done playing for him and being a 661 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 4: sports writer, he let me go around with him to 662 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,680 Speaker 4: to cover football games, keep the charts for me. But 663 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 4: I got to see him go and interview people after 664 00:34:01,640 --> 00:34:02,920 Speaker 4: the game. And I know it was only on a 665 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 4: high school level and you're only basically interviewing the coach. 666 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 4: Players weren't high school players weren't really interviewed back then, 667 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,520 Speaker 4: the coaches were. But it gave me a feel for 668 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:14,520 Speaker 4: what it was going to be like and I and 669 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:16,759 Speaker 4: I wanted more of it, and then I got my 670 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 4: and then he helped me get my first job, like 671 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 4: about nine months later when. 672 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 1: There came and opening. 673 00:34:21,960 --> 00:34:25,839 Speaker 4: So in terms of influence, I would my little league 674 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,359 Speaker 4: coach was big. And also when I was in when 675 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,640 Speaker 4: I was in West Palm Beach, Bill Panella, who ended. 676 00:34:31,560 --> 00:34:33,719 Speaker 1: Up coming to Jacksonville from about period a year and 677 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 1: a half. 678 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 4: He was my executive sports editor there, and he was 679 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:40,560 Speaker 4: a really big influence because he wasn't afraid to tell 680 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 4: you where you needed to get better, and he would 681 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 4: never do it in a face to face meeting. 682 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: He'd always leave. 683 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 4: He would leave notes in your mailbox, and that was 684 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:56,400 Speaker 4: very beneficial because you were getting honest, legitimate feedback, and 685 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 4: as a young journalist, that's what you crave, even if 686 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,359 Speaker 4: it's and if it's something that he's critical, okay, but 687 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 4: it's a learning experience. The older I got, the less 688 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 4: you got of that because everybody was so caught up 689 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 4: and making sure that the higher ups were being pleased, right, 690 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,800 Speaker 4: they don't they they sort of lost the art. Sports 691 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:22,160 Speaker 4: editors have lost the art of actually teaching, sure, and 692 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:23,879 Speaker 4: and a lot of that gets lost. And a lot 693 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 4: of the young guys that come up now, or young 694 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 4: and young women that come up in the business, they're 695 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 4: sort of you know, unless an older colleague kind of 696 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 4: takes them under their wing. The sports editor is too 697 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 4: wrapped up in other more important things to forget about 698 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 4: being a teacher and a mentor give. 699 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 2: Me one column you remember, you remember, let me let. 700 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 4: Me start with a story first back in In fact, 701 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 4: it was Bill Panella that that came that came up 702 00:35:53,760 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 4: with this idea. When the Cleveland Indians pitcher and I 703 00:35:57,440 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 4: forget his name got killed in the boating accident, remember, 704 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,479 Speaker 4: and the other and another one got great injured story 705 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,040 Speaker 4: as well. Uh, he said, hey, why don't you look 706 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 4: into going down to see if the if the widow 707 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:12,719 Speaker 4: who was still living in the house by the lake 708 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:14,400 Speaker 4: where the fatal accident occurred. 709 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:18,280 Speaker 2: And this was probably mid February, February. 710 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,320 Speaker 4: Of ninety four, it was when the Olympics was going on, 711 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 4: the Winter Olympics was going on, and uh, surprisingly she 712 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:27,480 Speaker 4: she agreed to it. So I was. I spent three 713 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 4: or four hours there at the house, visiting the site 714 00:36:30,680 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 4: and all that, and I got in touch with other 715 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:36,440 Speaker 4: people who were on the boat, and uh, you know, 716 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:38,239 Speaker 4: and it it turned out to be one of the 717 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:42,239 Speaker 4: one of the more impactful stories that I wrote, and 718 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,800 Speaker 4: the TU nominated it for a Pulitzer. 719 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:46,000 Speaker 1: And it was a. 720 00:36:46,040 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 2: Stunningly good story, really was. 721 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 4: But as far as the column goes, you know, the 722 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 4: memorable ones are probably the ones that might be might 723 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 4: involve a little bit of controversy where there was a 724 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:04,120 Speaker 4: Jaguars coach being fired I'll never forget. After the two 725 00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:07,520 Speaker 4: thousand and ten season, well, I think the Jaguars were 726 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 4: eight and five, and they lost their last three games 727 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:13,400 Speaker 4: and finished eight and eight, had a chance to win 728 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 4: the division. Peyton Manning beat him out in Indianapolis, had 729 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:18,799 Speaker 4: a chance to win the division. They ended up eight 730 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:23,239 Speaker 4: and eight, you know. And I and this was Jack 731 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 4: del Rio's eighth year as the head coach, and I 732 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,960 Speaker 4: advocated for his firing. I just kind of felt like, 733 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 4: you know, for three straight years, you know, without playoffs, 734 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 4: and it just wasn't going in a good direction. It 735 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 4: wasn't like the bottom hadn't fallen out or anything. So 736 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 4: I wrote the column. They didn't fire Jack. And then 737 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:50,759 Speaker 4: my first meeting with Jack in April, after reading that, 738 00:37:51,840 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 4: I brought it up. I said, look, I know we 739 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:56,759 Speaker 4: haven't had a conversation since I wrote the column advocating 740 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 4: for your firing, but I just want to let you know. 741 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:01,520 Speaker 4: I mean, it was nothing personal or anything like that. 742 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:03,840 Speaker 1: Jack. However, Jack looked at me. 743 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:08,240 Speaker 4: And said, well, it wasn't very well received in my house, 744 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 4: but he actually was very was very good about it. 745 00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:14,879 Speaker 1: I mean he understood that that's you know, that's part 746 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 1: of the job. That's part of the gig. 747 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 4: And of course before the following season was over, you know, 748 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 4: uh about the team. Yeah, it was you know, and 749 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:25,399 Speaker 4: it was just you know and Jack. 750 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:26,560 Speaker 3: You know. 751 00:38:26,680 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 4: I think it was after thirteen games or something like that, 752 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 4: or maybe it was eleven because I think melt. 753 00:38:33,680 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 1: Tusher finished the last five games. 754 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,320 Speaker 4: But yeah, that was that was kind of memorable because 755 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 4: of of I think I might have been the first 756 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 4: one in the media to advocate for that and then 757 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 4: and then Jack's reaction afterwards went. 758 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:48,759 Speaker 2: More received in my house. 759 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:49,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 760 00:38:49,880 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 3: Well, Jane, to close, I just want to tell you, 761 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:55,439 Speaker 3: you know, worked with you for twelve years, the TU, 762 00:38:55,680 --> 00:39:00,200 Speaker 3: worked around you for fifteen forty four years. That at 763 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:05,320 Speaker 3: the Times Union is an unbelievable feat. I am proud 764 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,160 Speaker 3: to call you a friend. I'm proud to call you 765 00:39:07,239 --> 00:39:09,360 Speaker 3: a colleague from day one at the TU. 766 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 2: I'm gonna say he took me under your wing, but 767 00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,719 Speaker 2: always one of the more helpful people that I ever 768 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,680 Speaker 2: worked with. You'll be missed. Enjoy retirement. You have earned 769 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:20,040 Speaker 2: a power. 770 00:39:20,440 --> 00:39:20,920 Speaker 1: Appreciate it. 771 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 4: John, I uh and I'll and I'll always credit you 772 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:26,400 Speaker 4: with the with the phrase a little gino is always 773 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:26,759 Speaker 4: Keith A. 774 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,839 Speaker 2: Little gino is always Keena, Jeane. Thank you very much, 775 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 2: my friends, all right, thanks for having me.