Ride along with the SHOTGUN as the fabled WhatIfSports.com user and Cincinnati-area radio host discusses Hoops Dynasty, the Big Red Machine, TIVO, left-handed shortstops, Bob Costas, Benjamin Bratt, banning the DH and more.
WIS
Many of us are familiar with your show on WSAI 1360 Homer in Cincinnati, but how did you become the Shotgun?
SHOTGUN
Trust me, I had nothing to do with it. My boss at WBOB 1160 gave it to me when I first came back to town. I showed up for work on day one and SHOTGUN was on my mailbox. He told me I "fired off" a lot of opinions and sounded excited to talk sports, so he dubbed me SHOTGUN, spraying opinions all over the place.
WIS
A great deal of our users found out about the site through you. How did you find out about WhatIfSports.com?
SHOTGUN
I read about WhatIf in The Enquirer several years ago. I came back from vacation and was going through all the newspapers I had missed. I assumed you guys were an out-of-town company so I emailed your site, trying to get someone on the show to talk about it. Little did I know you guys were in town and right down the street.
WIS
Which games have you played?
SHOTGUN
Hoops Dynasty, Gridiron Dynasty, Sim Baseball, Sim Football and Clutch Racing.
WIS
Which do you prefer?
SHOTGUN
Hoops Dynasty. I love the hands on feel of it and the ability to build a program.
WIS
Besides sports, what are some of your other interests and hobbies?
SHOTGUN
Playing with my two children, Casey 5, Peyton 3 and watching TV shows. My wife Kelly and I are addicted to TIVO. We record/watch 20 one-hour shows a week.
WIS
Which are your favorite teams of all-time?
SHOTGUN
The Big Red Machine '75-''76 Reds. The team of my childhood.
WIS
Did you play any sports as a kid?
SHOTGUN
I played baseball. I reached the end of the line as a left-handed shortstop when I got to high school. My coach said, "If you can't play, have you thought of broadcasting." My HS had a radio station, and the rest is history.
WIS
Do you play any sports now?
SHOTGUN
I run every day. But have retired from team sports. I am headed to Reds Baseball Heaven in February, with hopes of not pulling a hamstring or tearing a rotator cuff.
WIS
What players did you admire most growing up?
SHOTGUN
Pete Rose was my guy. I ran to first on a walk and slid headfirst because of him. I always wanted to wear #14, but when you are the smallest guy on your little league team you got #1 and were always in the front row of team pictures.
WIS
Who are your favorite players in today's game?
SHOTGUN
Sean Casey and Derek Jeter. Sean has an appreciation for the game and an innocence and "realness" that I love. We named our son Casey after him. Jeter just plays the game the right way.
WIS
Who are your favorite sports writers of all-time?
SHOTGUN
John Feinstien is tremendous and my favorite author. He's been on my show for just about every book he has written. He can make me interested in stuff I'm not usually interested in. Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News is the best college basketball writer going. Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News is the best baseball writer I have ever read. Jay Mariotti and Paul Daugherty are the columnists that make me think and react the most.
WIS
Build your dream college basketball team:
SHOTGUN
Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan in the backcourt, Lew Alcindor in the middle and Larry Bird and Christian Laettner along the front line.
WIS
Who provided your best on-air interview?
SHOTGUN
Pete Rose. He actually called in one time from his restaurant in Boca Rotan to sing happy birthday to me.
WIS
What is the top sports related thing you want to do in life that you have not yet done?
SHOTGUN
Watch a baseball game at Fenway and a basketball game at Cameron Indoor.
WIS
Which five people, past or present, sit at your dream roundtable discussion?
SHOTGUN
Bob Costas, most well-rounded sportscaster of my generation, Anthony Munoz, one of the classiest guys I've ever met. Bob Knight, not afraid to speak his mind. John Wooden for his wisdom and perspective. And Jackie Robinson for what he went through.
WIS
If you could be commissioner of any league, which sport would it be and what would you do to change the game?
SHOTGUN
Baseball. I'd fix it in four steps: Salary cap, one year ban for positive steroid test, earlier start time for World Series games and ban the DH by 2008, adding a 26th roster spot in it's place.
WIS
What is your greatest WIS moment?
SHOTGUN
Getting my first Division One Hoops Dynasty job at The Citadel.
WIS
What is your favorite aspect of our website?
SHOTGUN
The general concept of letting me build a program.
WIS
You have helped with promoting and consulting on many of our games. If you could change one thing about our Dynasty games, what would it be and why?
SHOTGUN
I would add a recruiting service that we could purchase for HD and GD that would give us a heads up on recruits that already love us and give us the low down on those kids. I would color code the jobs page to show us what schools we actually have a shot at, no shot at, would be favorites for, etc. It's tough scrolling team by team to see what our Sim Agent says about the job.
WIS
What is the best advice you can give to Dynasty game users?
SHOTGUN
Be patient in building your team in HD/GD. I have taken over teams and gone 1-25 in my first year, but by their senior season, they were 23-4. Listen to your potential recruits. Recruit high work ethic kids.
WIS
Give us an "I believe..." WhatIfSports style:
SHOTGUN
I believe I have reached an addiction level with WhatIfSports.
WIS
What TV show should I be watching that I am not?
SHOTGUN
Prison Break is the best show currently on TV until "24" returns (Editor's Note: Thanks for the Fox plug). And E-Ring with Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hoppner on NBC.
WIS
How is Casey doing?
SHOTGUN
He is doing very well. He is 28 months past his bone marrow transplant, on his way to clearing 36 months and being in the clear from his AML leukemia. He's now 5 years old and going to school everyday.
WIS
With our deepest sincerity and appreciation, all of us at WhatIfSports.com would like to wish Casey, Peyton, Kelly and the entire SHOTGUN brigade the best. Thank you for everything.
WIS
Thanks for taking the time out to meet with us.