Episode 358: Vern Lundquist, A Voice Through the Ages - Celebrating a Storied Sports Broadcasting Career

There are voices that define eras, and then there's the legendary Vern Lundquist, whose rich timbre and heartfelt enthusiasm have painted the backdrop to some of sports' greatest spectacles. Settle in as Vern, on the cusp of his final Masters tournament, takes us behind the scenes of a broadcasting journey interwoven with the tapestry of sports history. From the hallowed greens of Augusta National to the electric tension of a Monday night football game, we traverse the peaks and valleys of an astonishing career that has left an indelible mark on the hearts of sports fans worldwide.

Imagine sitting across from giants like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, your voice the conduit for their iconic feats to millions. This episode does more than just reminisce; it celebrates a storied tenure filled with laughter, candid moments, and the kind of personal stories that turn legendary figures into relatable humans. Join us for anecdotes that highlight the lighter side of broadcasting, including Vern's humorous missteps and the musical talents of his beloved wife, Nancy, that resonated even at 30,000 feet.

As Vern prepares to hang up his headset, we don't just bid farewell—we honor the legacy of a broadcaster who has truly seen it all. From the emotional resonance of captured moments to the beauty of places like Austin and Steamboat Springs, this conversation is a heartfelt thank you to Vern, Nancy, and every guest who has shared their narrative, enriching the tapestry of sports broadcasting. Tune in, not just to witness the spirit of a farewell tour, but to feel the deep appreciation for the unpredictable, exhilarating ride that is the world of sports through Vern Lundquist's eyes.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Hi, this is Sean Clinch, the host of Stories Inside the man Cave podcast, and this episode is brought to you by our friends at Shoal Creek Saloon, your unofficial home to UT men's and women's basketball. Well, we have someone, a very special guest, who I have looked up to and admired his work from afar, and he really hasn't been that far. He is from Austin, our majority of his life. He's one of the legendary sports broadcasters in this great state of Texas and a national name, and you have heard his voice before Some of the biggest calls in professional golf, football and, of course, march Madness, vern Lunsquist and his career. Let's talk about it. It's magical. I love how podcast you can make magical things happen. That's show Creek promo video. That was like four months ago, vern. We're at the end of March and I'm wearing the same sweater. The day started it was, I promise you, it was cold. I know I'm a Texan, but I'm not that soft, I understand.

Speaker 2: 1:23

I had a sweatshirt on earlier.

Speaker 3: 1:25

Did you really I?

Speaker 2: 1:26

sure did. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 1:29

It makes me feel much better that you understand and you can help me out if anyone's like wait, this is late March and that guy is wearing two layers today.

Speaker 1: 1:38

Yeah Well, I am Sean Clinch, one of the hosts of Stories Inside the man Cave. And before we get forward, you know, move forward with this episode. I definitely want to give a shout out to the two main sponsors. Let's talk about it Honest Plumbing and Air. They're based out of Hutto, texas, but they are serving the greater Austin area and you know they're saying where a handshake still means something that's old school. But true, they're behind their work.

Speaker 1: 2:06

And, of course, shoal Creek Saloon on the bottom right. The crawfish are huge right now and the prices have dropped and, as Vern knows, that is an ATX original and it's a great place to get crawfish, cold beverages and, when there's water in Shoal Creek, it's one of the special places to sit and watch in Austin, texas. I'm trying to figure out where to start, but right now I think what's timely is you're about to make the trip to Augusta, georgia, not for the final time, but for the final time as the broadcaster, the voice of the Masters, since 1983, I was 10 years old then and I told you one of my special moments of watching the Masters was with my father, beginning in 84. And you made it special then and that's when I was hooked in 84 because of you and that great, great golf course that is Augusta well, uh, sean, it is uh the best golf course in America in my view.

Speaker 2: 3:15

Uh, it is the best run tournament in the world in my and uh, I've been privileged. I uh my first event there was in 1983. And then I missed two years, 97 and 98. We had lost CBS had lost the rights to the NFL in 1994.

Speaker 2: 3:38

A shock unlike any other for all of us. And so I stayed around for a year in 95. And then I went for the money. I'll admit it. The former executive producer at CBS was a fellow named Mike Pearl, took a job at Turner Broadcasting and he called me and said we can offer you a substantial amount of money if you'll come over here. So I went in 95 to do the NBA and the NFL.

Speaker 2: 4:10

And just to give you some background, my three partners on NBA broadcast were Chuck Daly, danny Ainge and Doc Rivers for two years, and my partner on NFL broadcast on Sunday nightay night was pat hayden. Oh my goodness, yeah, I mean and and uh, they're, they're all danny. I haven't seen in a while, doc, and I still, like you know, every time he changes jobs I shoot him the text and say well, what's what's next? But uh, you know he's with mil Milwaukee now and we're still very close friends. And Chuck, of course, passed away and Pat lives in Los Angeles. He's been in ill health.

Speaker 2: 4:55

I'll share something with you about Pat Hayden. He is a member of Los Angeles North Country Club, pine Valley and Augusta National, and there's one more in there, I'm not sure which, but Pat Hayden is one of the brightest, most special people I've ever met, and so I was blessed. But then, in 1998, cbs reacquired the rights to the NFL and I was doing the Olympics. At the time I had done the 92 Olympic Games with Scott Hamilton, the 94 in Middle Harbor. You might remember Tanya Hardy, nancy.

Speaker 1: 5:35

Kerrigan.

Speaker 2: 5:35

Nancy Kerrigan wow. And then in 98, we were in Nagano, japan, and during the ice make, before the men's final, sean and Tony Petitti, who's now the commissioner at Big Ten, approached me in the broadcast area and said Sean, said you ready to come home? And after I got up off my knees I said you bet. And so I've been back ever since.

Speaker 1: 6:05

That's amazing and to think about what Vern just listed off I wouldn't call it a resume, but a bullet point that there were some major events, sporting events and sports moments globally that your eyes got to see and you articulated for all of us in a way that all of us understood it. I mean now Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding that was probably has to be up there with one of your most bizarre moments.

Speaker 2: 6:35

Oh, my gosh, almighty. I was flying into Detroit for the US Nationals. We had the right to the Olympic games and we had done them in 94. My partner was Scott Hamilton and I was flying into Detroit and landed six car. I've been in the air all day, steamboat rings, denver, denver, detroit.

Speaker 2: 7:00

And I turned on WJR radio and the all new station and they said here's the latest on the, the, the thrashing of Nancy Kerrigan. I didn't know anything about it and that was my first indication Something untoward had happened and there was a buffet that night at the top of the Western hotel, 70 some stories up, and I was invited, our whole crew. We were observing the event at the top of the Westin Hotel, 70-some stories up, and I was invited, our whole crew. We were observing the event, which is a great credential to have Means you ain't working. I had a member of the United States Figure Skating Association tell me that very evening, when we get to the bottom of this, I guarantee you Tonya Harding is going to be involved, and indeed she was. And it was her ex-husband, a guy with an unfortunate name of Jeff Gillooly, who hired a thug named Shane Stant, and the intent of the attack on Nancy was to make her incapable of competing and they almost succeeded. But the two of them almost never together, but they appeared on 21 or two national magazine covers and this thing just took off by the time we got to Norway. It was so bad.

Speaker 2: 8:24

And CBS, they were involved in a way that neither Sean that, scott Hamilton, nor our third partner, tracy Wilson from Toronto. We were not appreciative of it. But Connie Chung was co-anchoring for Evening News with Dan Rather at the time. She flew to Portland and accompanied Tanya Harding from Portland to Chicago, to Amsterdam, to Oslo, and into a car with a camera guy, into a box, I guess, 60 miles north to the site of the Winter Games. And and this thing, by the time we got to the first meeting of the two on the ice. It was the most bizarre thing you've ever seen.

Speaker 2: 9:12

And and then when they competed on that and and scott scott hamilton was offended by the attention to this cartoon show, what he called it, and they competed on a Wednesday night in 1994. And the next morning Scott and I were at the arena to watch practice and the president of our division, neil Kilson, said do you hear about the ratings? No, well, last night we had a 48.5, which means that 48.5% of every television set in America was tuned in. Now the original estimated audience and it's been pared way down now was 126 million people. So hype sells it, does it hype?

Speaker 1: 10:05

sells it does, and I think that story still has traction to this day, whether it be follow-ups, humor like Saturday Night Live, I mean you hear about it. I would venture to say Gen Z could tell you about Harding and Kerrigan.

Speaker 2: 10:23

There's no doubt. Have you ever seen the saturday night live parody? They, they ran this actually in 1992 before kerrigan. But if you have a chance on youtube, saturday night live, uh, february 15th 1992, uh, dana carvey played Scott Hamilton and he killed it and the late Phil Hartman played me and he got that pretty. I've got to watch now. And the skater involved was Jason Priestley from Beverly Hills 90210. I mean this was 32 years ago but I've seen. I use it in all the10. I mean this was 32 years ago but I've seen it. I use it in all the presentations that I do and I've seen it a hundred times at least. And I tell you I hold my side. It's the funniest darn thing you have ever seen. I'll just tell you, go to YouTube and look up Saturday Night Live, mid-February 1992. And then hold your sides sides because you'll laugh.

Speaker 1: 11:26

Do it now. You heard Vern. It's an oblique abdominal workout. If you're the subject of anything on Saturday Night Live, you know you made it.

Speaker 2: 11:36

Well, you know, it's so funny. Pat O'Brien was hosting an Olympic wrap-up show and he was hosting this in Albertville with us. We were in France and he had Scott on the night after this thing had aired and Scott was just beaming and Scott won the gold medal in 1984, right in Serie A, both men's figure skating. And Pat said, Scott, you seem more taken with this Saturday Night Live than you were with the gold medal. And Scott said, well, it's close, it's close.

Speaker 1: 12:15

So you and I talked briefly and I think a lot of people who know you realize you talk about it a lot and it's great to hear your two favorite moments. Begins with Jack Nicklaus, your master's moments. Yeah, I mean, fashion was a little different then. Golfers played with different types of clubs.

Speaker 2: 12:39

Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1: 12:41

Which Jack Nicklaus moment are we talking about?

Speaker 2: 12:44

Well, it might be 1986. I'm just guessing it could be.

Speaker 1: 12:52

That was a. I remember that. And wasn't there a rain delay that year? Yeah, Uh-huh.

Speaker 2: 12:59

And Jack began the day four shots back at Seve Ballesteros and he really had a very average. First eight holes and then he birdied the ninth, he birdied the tenth, he birdied the eleventh. There's a back story there but it takes a long time to explain it. Frank Cherkinian was our executive producer at the time. He's gone now, but Frank was an Armenian American. We called him the Ayatollah, partly out of respect but mostly out of fear. And boy could he be gruff. And the associate producer then later became the executive, a fellow named Lance Griffin who lives up in Colleyville, texas. Lance is retired now, but Lance was a man, a heavyset guy. He was on the second row behind Frank and he said Frank, we've got Jack Nicklaus with Birdie on nine. And Frank stood up, turned, looked at him and stared at him and barked Buddha, listen to me, we are storytellers and Jack Nicklaus is not a part of this story. Wow, okay.

Speaker 3: 14:23

All right.

Speaker 2: 14:23

Turned around, jack birdied 10. And Buda screwed himself up and said Frank, we've got Jack with a birdie on 10. Cherkinian just turned around and stared at it. Then, the third time Frank, we've got Jack with a birdie on 11. All right, okay. So we played 9, 10, 11, and I promise you, sean, from that moment on, jack Nicklaus did not take a step that wasn't documented on CBS.

Speaker 2: 15:01

And ultimately, when he came to 17, that two-shot lead, four-shot lead that Seve had had dwindled and Seve as Jack was on the tee at 17, seve put age of 46, with a really ugly putter and a pair of plaid sacks that I don't think he kept. Jack had his second shot and 17 is a relatively straight par forward and he hit it about 12 feet with a double break in it and and he read the put correctly, and and, uh, and he sank it. I said what I, what I did, uh, maybe. And then, yes, sir, a little more emphasis than that, uh, and it's. It's a moment of which I'm really quite proud, and Jack is not a guy to ever look back, but we talked about that moment a couple of times and he said, yeah, whatever, and here I, no, jack, it was really I got to share with you, sean.

Speaker 2: 16:21

I did a fundraiser here in Austin two nights ago for the Headliners Foundation and my guest was david faraday and it was a wild and riotous night. I promise you that, david and our great friends, hilarious. We were housemates together for 11 years at augusta. It was david, myself and peter costas and Peter Costas and anyway, among those in the audience he lives here now was Jack Nicklaus III. Wow, his dad was on the bag with his grandfather in 1986. And this Jack III is the nicest young man. I'm late 20s, I would guess. I don't know what he does here, but he's a resident of Austin.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Everybody's a resident here now no kidding.

Speaker 2: 17:14

How do you like the traffic on Mopac?

Speaker 1: 17:18

Wait till the total eclipse of the sun, that's what I keep hearing. It's not going to be pleasant, but that's what I keep hearing that, uh, it's.

Speaker 2: 17:24

It's not going to be pleasant, but uh, it's still a great city, oh, a great city well, I moved here when I was 12 years old, yeah, and went to university, junior high school, austin high class, proud class of 1958. Loyal forever, yeah, loyal forever is right. And uh, and I went to Texas Lutheran University. It was college then for four years and ultimately I didn't have any idea what I wanted to do with my life. My dad was a Lutheran minister and I thought, well, I'll try that. I had a degree in sociology and a minor in history. I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I did.

Speaker 2: 18:08

I finished one year at the Lutheran School of Theology in Rock Island, illinois, but I knew within six weeks that I didn't have the commitment, the dedication and I had landed a weeknight radio job across the Mississippi River in Davenport, iowa, and I wrote KDBC and I thought maybe I could hook on for the summer or something. And Cactus Pryor hired me and and they started me out as a weekend sports guy, charted me out as a weekend sports guy and I had a Monday through Friday. Uh, burn Lundquist radio show five to nine on radio 59 by golly stacks of wax and mounds. Now get me, give me a break. And and uh. And then cactus, they hired another fellow to do the full-time job and he didn't work out. And uh, cactus said you want to stay here and do this? And I said, yeah.

Speaker 2: 19:08

So I was at channel 7, same building that's there now, you know, 10th and Brazos. Before we go back home, our full time home is Steamboat Springs, colorado. I'm going to go by channel 7 and just walk in and say, hey, I used to work here. Could I go upstate and see how small it really is Now? Those of you who are watching this and who are longtime residents of Austin will recognize the name Neal Spilts. I stood to Neal's left for those three years and at this fundraiser with David Faraday two nights ago. Neil and his wife, connie, were there and it was like old home week for us, because he's a dear and trusted friend. And anyway, I digress, I'm not sure. Oh, we started off talking about Jack who, oh. Well, started off talking about Jack who, oh well you know what?

Speaker 1: 20:11

He had several great moments, but I want to play for you and the viewers and listeners. It's either 1A, 1b. 19 years later, at Augusta National, a tiger was on the loose, and here's Vern's classic call.

Speaker 3: 20:35

Hold that, hold that, here it comes. Oh, my goodness, oh my goodness, oh wow, in your life have you seen anything like that?

Speaker 1: 20:59

Chills, chills on your arm. I got them.

Speaker 2: 21:04

You know I get asked about those two. And Sean, let me tell you there are worse things in one's professional career than to have your names associated with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. And I know Jack much, much better than I do Tiger. It's generational in part. Jack is six months older than I am and.

Speaker 2: 21:25

I never fail to remind him of that. But my intention now this is going to be my life here at Augusta, but I'm fully intending to stay after the Champions dinner on Tuesday night. We're lucky enough to have a dear friend who's a member of Augusta National and we're having dinner in the Trophy Club on the night of the Champions Dinner with them and with another couple, and when the Champions Dinner breaks up, they all come down and mingle. The wives are all sitting in the Trophy Club and I'm going to stay at the bottom of the stairs and say hello to Jack, obviously, but I'm going to shake Tiger Woods' hand and say and thank you, sir, for everything you did to help make an impact on my career.

Speaker 1: 22:19

It's amazing because, regardless of what people think or opinion of god, it's honestly that was one of his moments which lured in a new part of america to follow god, and that's just, that's a fact. And it's a tiger created a new following.

Speaker 2: 22:41

Oh gosh, yes uh, I can remember being on being on planes back then in in the late 90s, early 2000s, and I I specifically, I still remember where I was flying. But I was lucky enough to be up front and there was an elderly lady sitting next to me and I don't know something. She recognized what I did for a living and she said do you know tiger woods? And I said I've met him. And she said, oh my gosh, I mean she was in awe that she was talking to somebody who actually knew this guy. Right, and uh and uh. So, and I haven't seen tiger in gosh years, and so, and I haven't seen Tiger in gosh years, but I'm, my full intention is to wait at the bottom of the stairs and just say thank you and then remind Jack again that I hadn't been back in his life.

Speaker 3: 23:38

Oh, that's hilarious.

Speaker 1: 23:39

He has to be reminded of that. But what a what an amazing fraternity of people in in professional golf and in all those amazing courses. But Augusta National, it has to be the supreme. I don't even know the right adjective of what, how to label Augusta National.

Speaker 2: 23:57

I really I've been blessed, I've done Pebble Beach and I've done Augusta and I was never a good golfer. I could talk about it. But I've done Pebble Beach and I've done Augusta and I was never a good golfer. I could talk about it, but I never could do it Same. But I played both and I get asked often which is your favorite?

Speaker 2: 24:15

And my favorite is Augusta, although and this is 25 years ago, I bet Nancy and I played Augusta played pebble beach once with with a fella who a dear friend of ours, he's a er surgeon in sainbo springs and I remember standing on the 18th, he and his wife and nancy and me and he said I've never in my life, my life, dreamed it'd be worth 495 dollars to play around the golf, but by gosh, this meets the test. Now that was 25 years ago. I have no idea what it costs to play now, but I've been lucky too. I've played Augusta twice the second time. The first time was with our then president of CBS and Pat Hayden. This guy named Brent Musburger.

Speaker 1: 25:06

I've heard of him.

Speaker 2: 25:07

Yeah, so I got to share a story with him. I'm going way out of bounds here. No, I love it, but we're at the 10th seat. We teed off at 10. And Peter Lund, who was the chairman it's not bad for your career if your boss is named Peter Lund and so he said handicaps, he said I'm a 12. And pat said I'm a 12. I said I'm an 18 and brent said uh, uh, put me down for an 18. And we teed off right and and pat and peter were right down the.

Speaker 2: 25:43

I'm over in the right, I was in the second cut, otherwise it's called the rough, but not there. And but I hit my second shot short of the green and pitched on. Those two guys were on and two and they both three putted and I got on and I and one of them they both three putted and I, I got on and I took a six. Meanwhile, over in the in the woods, we hear this thrashing around and all of a sudden this ball pops out and here comes Musburger and so Peter's taking the scorecard. He said, okay, I had a five. Pat said I have a five, I said I had a six and Brett said ah.

Speaker 1: 26:31

He's going for 10 at least.

Speaker 2: 26:33

Yeah, oh gosh, yes. And how many did he miss in there?

Speaker 1: 26:39

I don't know that is amazing. I just can't get over how lush green the azaleas everything from a high-definition television.

Speaker 2: 26:50

Well, you know we're going back to the last one Right. And my boss and I talked about this two or three years ago and uh, he said uh, what are your thoughts? And I said, well, I'd like to get to 40 number. And he said that's, that's doable. And uh, I am 83 years old and uh, I I have the same issues with short-term memory that other people my age do. And, uh, what would you say your name was? Uh, where are we?

Speaker 1: 27:24

Yeah, what? That's right. What exactly are we doing right now? Who's condo is this but?

Speaker 2: 27:36

but uh, sean and I talked and he said how about 40? And I said yeah, that sounds really right with me.

Speaker 2: 27:45

Now there's this kid named Jim Nance who was a rookie in 86 and covered the 16th hole and had a great. Who was a rookie in 86. Wow, and covered the 16th hole and had a great, great line when Jack almost aced the hole. There's a backstory here Jack and Jack that's Jack the second. Jack hit his tee shot at 16. And Jack the second said be good. And without looking up, jack said it is, and it almost. Jack said it is, and he almost aced the hole. He got a two-footer for par and Jim said well, the bear has come out of hibernation and that was Jim's first.

Speaker 2: 28:30

Well, I'm going up on 40 this year. He's got 39. And his intent is to where he's 63 he's gonna work. He was 26 in 86 and he's gonna work till he's 75. So I'll hold this longevity record for exactly one year. And then and I don't think anybody learned gets get Jim, and just not coincidentally, I mean, he is the best golf host I think this broadcast craft has ever seen. He loves this sport. It shows he's great with placement of anecdotal information and he's a dear friend.

Speaker 1: 29:11

He's not bad for a Houston Cougar. He's not bad.

Speaker 2: 29:16

Oh yeah, the only thing is he lives in many places and he always refers to one of them as his hometown, his hometown of Houston, his hometown of Charlotte, his hometown of Salt Lake. Come on, jim, pick one.

Speaker 1: 29:35

I want to quickly bring up some familiar faces for you. You know Vern's been to a lot. He mentioned a lot of networks, worked with some fantastic people. There's going to be a couple of collages here. To the far left, that is a young Vern Lundquist. That's at the stadium right In.

Speaker 2: 29:54

Irving, it sure is. Yeah, I was working with Channel 8. Yep, holy cow.

Speaker 1: 29:59

Look at that hair. That's good genetics and I recognize that guy in the middle. I think he's going to be a championship level coach one day.

Speaker 2: 30:13

He could. I'll share a story with you, sean. My first ever network telecast was Ohio University at Kent State, and there was a kid on the. He was a graduate assistant at Kent State. He was staying there. His intention at the time was go back to Fairmont, west Virginia, and run his dad's gas station. But his wife, his girlfriend then Terry, had one year to go, so he agreed to stay on Don James's staff at Kent State and that fellow was Nick Saban. So and we've had he's a dear, he's a dear friend. I know that's crossing a line in some minds, but hey, nick and I got to know each other. I love the guy and I've seen him when he's not belittling local broadcasters.

Speaker 1: 31:11

Well, I think he got out. This is a drastic change in college athletics. That's an entirely different episode. But I respect him, don't you, for that?

Speaker 2: 31:23

You know I've been so grateful and blessed to have so many good friends in these various sports and one of my really good friends is Tom Izzo, michigan State head coach, and I talked to Tom before the tournament began and, uh, he had been on the phone with Nick the night before. I chatted with him and he said I don't know when he's going to come clean about why he's resigning, but I guarantee it's NIL and transfer portal. It just it drove him nuts and I have not talked with Nick since he resigned. But parenthetically he is going to be sensational on game day. I agree, he's got a knowledge of the sport and he's got a great way of expressing himself and I think they're grooming him to to replace Lee Corso when the time comes, and Nick will be horrific in that role. I didn't even think about that.

Speaker 2: 32:23

Yeah, I think that's the idea. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 32:29

We're going younger bottom left.

Speaker 2: 32:30

Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2: 32:32

There's a guy, the guy in the upper left that fell in the middle. Yeah, that was a Duke-Georgetown basketball game. And the president came down and our producer was a filmmaker, bob Dekas, and he said I think President Obama's going to be at the game and I've asked if he'll come and join you and Clark Kellogg. And so the word came back from the White House yes, he will, but he wants to wait until the second half because he wants to get a. He's very serious about basketball, president Obama is, and so right then he came down and he joined Clark and me and I have an autographed picture of that in my office wall at Steamboat Springs. And the president said to Vern, thanks for giving me the audition.

Speaker 1: 33:27

Oh, fantastic.

Speaker 2: 33:28

And then that fellow on the right 11 years we were partners. That's Gary Danielson, and Gary works with Brad Nestler now and Gary and I were polar opposites in personality but we had a great team together. I love it. And he lives in Bonita Springs, florida. Of course the SEC disappeared from CBS this year but he and Brad and they'll be working, uh, big ten next year, but gary and I are really good friends.

Speaker 2: 34:01

And then that guy in the lower left that picture with arnie palmer was taken in. I was in channel 8 in dallas and that was taken. And that was taken at a cocktail party at Clint Merkison's brother's house, john Merkison, I don't remember what year that was, but I'm proud to have that. I guarantee it. That's classic. That beautiful lady on the right, she brings joy to our lives. That's Alan DeForest. She'll be working a broadcast in Turner. She's in Los Angeles for the NCAA playoffs.

Speaker 2: 34:46

Allie and her husband, joe Smith, are just treasures in our lives. She is a sweet, sweet, sweet lady gifted beyond imagination, and Joe had a 13-year career as a a reliever in major league baseball. And together, ali and joe, they live in ohio. Uh, they have a son named jacob who's two and a half years old and jacob. They named him because they met two of them, ali and joe, when joe was playing for the cleveland indians and ali was Joe. When Joe was playing for the Cleveland Indians and Allie was a weekend sports anchor on one of the I think it was Fox and Joe saw her on television, liked what she looked like and called her and said I heard you played basketball. She did at Ohio University. Oh, wow, yeah. And he said okay, I'm going to challenge you to a game of horse. Allie beat the. A game of horse. Smooth. Allie beat the socks off of him. Yeah, we're really, really close, the four of us.

Speaker 1: 35:44

I love that you can tell it's good synergy and good personalities. 100%, yeah, she's extraordinary. 100%, yeah, she's extraordinary. See, you know you mentioned I can't pick a favorite that you've been a part of but I think you could agree that this time of year is a very, very special part and I've got a special clip for you. Well, there will be dancing in the streets of Macadoshes tonight. There it is my friend, Wow, Stephen F Austin. Yeah, that night they whipped up on West Virginia. It wasn't that long ago.

Speaker 3: 36:29

Lumberjack yeah.

Speaker 1: 36:31

I'm a Stephen F Austin alum Alumnus, I might have guessed that no, no, but I thought, wow, I think what that you have, and I know you're not the only one but you do a great job of knowing your audience. You do a great job of knowing your audience and you know, in a time like that, when a team is winning is, you know that who's watching and you know who is. You're appealing to yourself or appealing to the audience watching, meaning you know there are people, probably SFA alums or whatever team it is, and probably had all 30,000 people of Nacogdoches watching that night. But what a special time, what a special quote Inside of the newly renovated practice facility in Nacogdoches at Stephen F Austin. Your quote in cursive in neon lights. I love that.

Speaker 1: 37:32

You're dancing on the streets in Nacogdoches with your name below it. I didn't know that. Oh, that's great Insane.

Speaker 2: 37:40

I'm honored, I'm just really honored at that, I really am.

Speaker 1: 37:44

Well, you deserve it. That's great. What are some of the you know you met the woman on the airplane about? Do you know Tiger Woods? Has anyone come up to you and asked you about certain one-liners or phrases that you've coined or said Well?

Speaker 2: 38:00

gosh off the top of my head. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 38:04

I get in your life a lot and I was just reacting. I mean, I'd never seen anything like that. Sean, it's got to be reactive. It can't be proactive. You've got to react to what's in front of you and hopefully you're good enough at your craft to be succinct and come up with words or phrases that are appropriate, and I've been blessed, I think, in that more often than not, I've had the right thing to say. Now I've had a couple of whiffs. I really, really have.

Speaker 2: 38:45

I did a game years ago and I Raft and I Billy Raftery, who's a dear friend and we were doing Villanova and Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh. I think, yeah, no, Villanova was down 5-1 with eight seconds to go in the game and they inbounded the ball to this guard named Scotty Reynolds. Scotty went the length of the court and laid it up off the backboard in the end and I never said a word. I was so mesmerized by what I was watching that I just did a total whiff. I did and I did it.

Speaker 2: 39:23

I was part of a documentary film that's going to be shown before the final round of Augusta this year on Tiger in 2019, when he won and Jim had the phrase, phrase a return to glory, and and Tiger came to 16 and again it's a perfect tee shot. I mean, the membership of the Augusta National wants to see people to see holes in one of the 16. They welcome that, so they always make that whole location. It's the same every year. Back left and tiger hits his perfect tee shot and I just I watched it and was just overwhelmed with the marvelousness of the shot. I never said a word. I never said a word till the ball came to rest and then I had something trying to escape. The only thing I remember is that when we showed the replay, Michael Phelps was standing right behind Tiger. He was behind the tee box. Now you've got to know people to get back there. 100% you do. Yeah, he knew somebody.

Speaker 1: 40:32

I think he was accomplished at something Olympic related yeah, I've heard that.

Speaker 2: 40:39

And who was? Mark Spitz.

Speaker 1: 40:43

I've got a Google, maybe Wikipedia.

Speaker 2: 40:45

Mark Spitz, who is that guy, then I'm dating myself.

Speaker 1: 40:51

so how we usually end with special guests. The first segment, because the second segment is so quick. We've had some legendary man cave stories and you know this Texas Lutheran bulldog. If you want to know where Texas Lutheran is, it's in Sagin, just east of San Marcos, south of Austin. Now it's becoming part of the Austin sprawl, by the way, oh my gosh, yes, that's another story. By the way, I do have to let everybody know Vern has a building on the TLU campus named after him, which to me that's quite an honor. Are you still a Board of Regent?

Speaker 2: 41:30

No, I'm no longer a member of the Board, but I appreciate the opportunity for you to promote my alma mater On April the 5th. Oh, there it is. This is going to be the Student Athletic Center. We haven't begun construction. I had lunch with the president, a wonderful, wonderful person named Dr Debbie Cottrell. She was here two weeks ago and we're gonna break ground on this building in mid August. They've reduced the size, just roaring cost increases. And when Nancy and I are both gone, all of the memorabilia that I've accumulated over my life will go to Texas Lutheran and it will all be displayed in the foyer of this building. There's gonna be a strength room and all kinds of stuff. But what an enormous honor when they announced and if you know anybody, sean, who'd like to give us a million or so, the bank is open, as they say.

Speaker 1: 42:39

Can they Venmo?

Speaker 2: 42:41

Yeah, I think so, we prefer.

Speaker 1: 42:43

PayPal PayPal yeah, I'm not sure which one has the higher fee sometimes.

Speaker 2: 42:51

And let me promote another thing about TLU. On April 5th as a matter of fact, a week from tonight we will be in San Antonio at the Hyatt River Walk, and we are doing I've done a fundraiser that goes to the funds from which go to the FI department. Every year we're division three non-scholarship Right and we've done 20. This will be the last one and we're doing a repeat, and our honored guest a week from tonight in San Antonio will be Terry Bradshaw.

Speaker 2: 43:31

Oh my goodness, terry and I worked together for four years. We're still quite close and he and his wife Tammy will be there. He was our guest two years ago and he knocked it out of the park, and so last year we had Alan LaForse and Joe Smith, but we've had Archie Manning, david Faraday, charles Barkley, and they're all people with whom I was lucky enough to have an association. They told me 20 years ago all you have, you do the interview, we'll, we'll do the recruiting. That lasted for two years and and ever since then then they've said, okay, who you got this year? Well, we're gonna wrap this whole thing up in a big, big way. It's already sold out and, uh, terry and his wife tammy will be there a week from tonight.

Speaker 1: 44:27

So that's impressive, verne. I mean it. I mean it tells you right there you don't just have contacts, you have people who really care about what you're involved with.

Speaker 2: 44:37

I appreciate that.

Speaker 1: 44:38

I mean, that's a true mark of what you've accomplished Before we head to break. Is there any story involved in your life or your amazing career that is as comical now as it was when it happened?

Speaker 2: 44:57

I'm thinking, one that I can't repeat. There's a lot of those in our lives, oh my gosh, almighty. Well, I can work around this and people will get the idea.

Speaker 1: 45:08

Okay.

Speaker 2: 45:11

I think I was doing a Monday night game this is years and years ago with Brad Champ and who's a dear friend, another partner boys of the Dallas Cowboys and the Cowboys were playing the Philadelphia Eagles on a Monday night game. We're doing the radio broadcast.

Speaker 2: 45:29

I think I don't remember who was doing the NFL telecast, but Philadelphia had a defensive back named John Schara from UCLA and he had returned punts all night long. Just I mean it was amazing. And finally, in the third quarter we're on the air and here's Danny White back to punt again. John Schara's got it at the 25. He's after the 30, the 40, the 50, the 45. He's finally tackled at the 42-yard line. My gracious, the Eagles are ripping up the Cowboys' coverage tonight. Just transpose the two words.

Speaker 2: 46:20

I felt a shiver at the bottom of my feet. It came up here. I looked at Brad. Brad had his back turned. He was laughing so hard. I looked for help from the producer, a wonderful guy named Gary Brandt who, with his wife, marge, lives here in Austin now. We had been with him two weeks ago. Gary's over in the corner on his knees with his back turned. He's laughing so hard and I couldn't believe what had come out of my mouth. And my dear partner, brad Sham made up a T-shirt a cowboy jersey Instead of a name. It a cowboy jersey Instead of a name. It had C period coverage. I still wince thinking about it. That's the worst moment of my broadcasting career. I think I got that told properly. I think I got that told properly.

Speaker 1: 47:23

I think Would that classify as a Freudian.

Speaker 2: 47:29

Oh yeah, Freudian and Carl Jung. Anybody else in that spectrum you want to name?

Speaker 1: 47:38

I love it. We're going to take a quick break and it'll be a very quick segment too. More fun with the Vern Lundquist as we pay homage to our folks at Hargrove Roofing, where you literally know who's on your roof.

Speaker 4: 47:54

Here at Hargrove Roofing we try to think outside the box, to kind of get the creative juices flowing. So I brought in my friend Stevie Lee, former defensive tackle for the Texas Longhorns. He's going to help the team strategize, really motivate them. Light a fire.

Speaker 2: 48:08

This guy's going to block down. This guy's going to block down. You put your butt into the guard and that way, my Mike linebacker gets free to do what.

Speaker 4: 48:18

Not only are they going to learn a thing or two, but they're going to also leave with a great attitude and a bunch of smiles on their faces.

Speaker 2: 48:25

I'm sorry. What does this have to do with roofing? Exactly?

Speaker 3: 48:31

Get out Right now.

Speaker 4: 48:33

I said get out For me. That's what it's all about. It's just having fun making our employees have a great time.

Speaker 3: 48:52

Hargrove Roofing know who's on your roof? Here's the tough part. Most of all to my lovely and amazing wife, nancy. We've shared this journey for 34 years and counting. She has been in the booth for every game this season and our crew admires her as much as I do. This final season has been filled with nostalgia, sentiment and celebration.

Speaker 1: 49:25

And there is the woman you referenced in your final college football game. I can't believe that was. That was the Army-Navy game, I think seven, eight years ago.

Speaker 2: 49:36

Yeah, 2016. 2016 in Baltimore. That photo was taken back home in Steamboat a number of years ago, not happy at all. We met in Dallas in 1980. And the night I met her I thought she's got the greatest smile I've ever seen and in my view she still does and she's a beautiful and engaging woman.

Speaker 2: 50:06

Nancy herself had a very successful career in sport and media. She did commercials, she sang jingles, she was a voice major oh, my goodness, that's what she was. And she was a voice major oh my goodness, that's what she was. And she was a jingle singer. You know KLIF in Dallas, that kind of stuff. And she did a lot of commercial work One of my favorite. You know, if you're in the public eye, you get used to acknowledgments at times. And it's another airplane story. The two of us were flying to Oklahoma City for some event and as we were landing, a fellow crossed the aisle from me. Nancy was sitting in the window and I thought he was going to say something nice about I've enjoyed you during your broadcast. He looked across me and said ma'am, ma'am, are you Nancy Miller? I've enjoyed your commercials that you've done. Oh, wow, he had no idea who I was. None, none.

Speaker 1: 51:11

He called her by her maiden name.

Speaker 2: 51:13

Well, that was her professional name yeah, and listen, she was really good. Has to have been. Yeah, she was. That's wow to have been. Yeah, she was.

Speaker 1: 51:22

That's wow. I love these types of stories. I really do. And, speaking of Dallas, you know a little bit about the Dallas Cowboys, a lot more than most. But I have to acknowledge this and I hate it for this guy because this was when I was exposed to the Dallas Cowboys. Oh gosh, how would you describe that moment against Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl? Because there was a quote that so many of us can relate to, either as a fan or maybe as a player.

Speaker 2: 52:05

Well, there's a back story. Jackie Smith, who dropped the pass from Roger Staubach in the third quarter, had been an all-pro tight end with the Saban's Cardinals and in free agency he signed with Dallas for his final year and because he thought they would get him to the Super Bowl where he'd never played before. And on Wednesday of that week, before the game, we had just discovered the ability, or uncovered the ability, to go live remotely. It was something no one could do, and so on Wednesday night of that week he was a guest on my channel eight, 10 o'clock newscast sportscast, and I asked Jackie and his wife what would be the most meaningful way, no, what would be the way he would want to be remembered, and he said I would like to be remembered as a guy who made a meaningful catch in a cowboy victory. So all of that was going through my mind the videotape of the live broadcast, rather of Jackie and his wife, on the live telecast on Wednesday.

Speaker 2: 53:23

And Roger Staubach will tell you now that Landry put, they practiced this play from the five-yard line in, the five-yard line in, and now it was third and goal from the 11-yard line in. And Roger looked over at Tom Landry and said no, no, no. And Landry just nodded his head in his stoic way and said yes, yes, run it. And Scott Laidlaw had a perfect block, and that left Roger open. But Roger will tell you now that he wanted to aim the ball and he took a little bit off of it instead of drilling it hard, hitting Jackie, and so it came in a little softer than Jackie expected, which may have led to the drop pass and I just reacted to what I was seeing in front of me and I thought he must have been the sickest man in america.

Speaker 2: 54:33

And just jackie has been invited back to cowboy reunions. He's never yet appeared, no one's. I don't know if anybody's been. I'm sure someone has been in touch with him, but he's never come back for a reunion of that team.

Speaker 1: 54:42

He was a big part of that team? Absolutely. I had a lot of hair back then, by the way, so did I yeah.

Speaker 2: 54:54

I barely remember. Would you show that photograph again of me at Channel 8?

Speaker 1: 55:00

That was a GQ model right there. Before we wrap it up, I got to show this is a recent pick being the loyal forever Austin High Maroon. For those of us in Austin, texas, or have visited here, you know the significance of Lions Municipal Golf Course. This is the other night that you referenced with one of my successors, tyler Feldman.

Speaker 2: 55:30

Oh, wow, okay, On the green carpet before we went in, listen, scotty Sayers and Ed Clements. Betsy Clements was sitting at our table, so was Julie Sayers, and anyway, scotty had texted me and said there'll be a couple of media interviews before you go in. So that's what we were doing there. The talent that night was Ray Benson, who's been a friend of ours for 40 years. Love him Asleep at the wheel, and this guy who sings a pretty decent tenor named Larry Gatlin. He may make it one day.

Speaker 2: 56:11

You lead me to another story Rudy, the two-thirds of the Gatlin brothers. Steve was not here, but it was interesting because when Larry and Rudy came out, ray Benson took the third part and Ray's got, I mean, six octave range, if that's, maybe even more than that. And anyway, in the dressing room, we were all in the Gatlin dressing room before the show began and Rudy was in there and I said do you remember in 1982, honest to gosh the Cowboys were playing the 49ers at Candlestick. You got it. You got it and Rudy was in there, so that when they came out of the two-minute warning assuming the Cowboys were still on top he was going to do his Don Meredith impression and say turn out the lights, the party's over. Well, the 49ers got the ball of whatever. It was a 25-yard line.

Speaker 2: 57:20

Here they go, pecking away and the end result, of course, was what is still remembered as the catch Montana Dwight Clark over Everson Malls and Joe will go to his grave insisting he was trying to find Dwight Clark. Let me tell you as one who watched the game Larry Bethea and two tall Jones were about to sack him. He threw it off his back foot. He was trying to throw it out of the end zone. Dwight Clark went up and made this amazing catch. That's what went so well. Rudy never got a chance to sing. I would have loved to have heard him emulate. This guy named Meredith Didn't happen.

Speaker 1: 58:03

Turn out the light the party's over. I think the Cowboys, I think Tom Landry would have coached longer than 1988 if they had won that Super Bowl.

Speaker 2: 58:13

I do too, because it marked the elevation of the 49ers and the sad downfall of the Cowboys. Yeah, yeah, it really was that way.

Speaker 1: 58:27

What's a quick take from you. And I know what we want and what we think isn't always what's going to happen, and I know we're constantly evolving. But you know, our city's evolving Lions Municipal Golf Course is special to a lot of people, including the two of us. That's where I learned to play Okay Back in the day, or I tried to play. If UT owns that land and let's be honest with each other that's high dollar real estate.

Speaker 3: 59:02

Yep.

Speaker 1: 59:04

What is your opinion and what do you think will be the outcome, or do you think there'll be a good outcome out of it?

Speaker 2: 59:12

Well, I don't know. Scotty, and, and, and, and, uh, betsy Clement said to me, you know he's devoted his life to this and Scotty certainly has. And, matter of fact, nancy and I, we have a favorite coffee spot out on Lake Austin Boulevard.

Speaker 2: 59:30

This I give an unimpeded, unabashed promotion here Mozart's Coffee Roasters, beautiful place. We were out there today and of course, to get there you drive right by Lines Municipal and I thought I said to Nancy as we were driving over there it was a beautiful day here and I saw all these guys out there playing and.

Speaker 2: 59:50

I think, hey, build on the other side of the Right. You're crying out loud, come on UT. I also drive by the Santa Ria oil thing down there, martin Luther King Boulevard. You think UT doesn't have enough money already. Do the right thing. I really hope they will. I hope the Board of Regents will understand the significance Tyler asked me in that photograph. Well, among other things, lions Unicipal was the first integrated golf course in the city and that alone makes it worth preserving. Hey, ben, tell me something good.

Speaker 1: 1:00:38

In a world of negativity and a world of where everyone's about themselves, but that's the minority, it's not everybody. But, vern Lundquist, you have built quite a bit of following from all ages, both genders, every race, whether they're golf, basketball, football, whatever. What is something positive? Maybe you and your wife have experienced that you think this world could benefit from, or maybe from your wisdom of 83 years on earth, that I'm still upright?

Speaker 2: 1:01:19

I'm very thankful for that. That's a very good thing. Yes, so is Nancy. No, I mean within reason. We both enjoy good health. That's something good. We have our mental faculties and we love each other, and that's all good. That's all really really good.

Speaker 1: 1:01:45

That's great. That's great. You know. It's simple. Some of the best things are in front of us and people like me sometimes forget that. I'm just going to be honest. I'm going to tell you something great or good. Today, when we were doing this episode a lot of things I look forward to Beautiful weather. I found out why we I was reminded why we live in Austin, texas. I know you go from Austin to Steamboat Springs another great place. It is the pristine mountains of Colorado. I was looking forward to this and, as I expected, this was amazing and, vern, I appreciate it. Last time I saw you was just a handshake in Oklahoma City, oh wow.

Speaker 2: 1:02:36

Oh, wow. Well, John, it's been my pleasure, my great pleasure.

Speaker 1: 1:02:42

It was fun and I look forward to seeing you and to everyone Watch the Masters. I believe it begins April 11th. Yes A week later than usual. Yeah, yeah, I was thinking the same. I was like did I read that correctly?

Speaker 2: 1:03:00

Yeah, that's the way the calendar fell this year.

Speaker 1: 1:03:02

Yeah, and then just listen to Vern's words, the descriptors, everything, and you can feel the emotion and then watch them all the way to the end on Sunday, because there may be somebody pull a Jack Nicklaus and birdie all those holes in a row. You never know.

Speaker 2: 1:03:21

No, you don't. That's the joy of it. That is the joy of it.

Speaker 1: 1:03:26

Well, this has been a legendary conversation in my mind and I appreciate you, and for the OG man Cave boys, that being Harbaugh Harbs, big Mike and the Coach Moe, and for the Vern Lundquist and his lovely wife Nancy. We are out.