Remembering Frank Giardina, with Guests Mark Martin and Dana Ferrell

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Welcome to Let's Talk with Carl Lee.
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Let's Talk is proudly presented by attorney Frank Walker. Real talk,
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real experience, real results. FrankWalkerLaw.com. Let the conversation begin on
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Let's Talk.
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Hello, ladies and gentlemen.
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This is Carl Lee with Let's Talk.
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And I have in the building with me Hollis Lewis. Hello.
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And Lisa Odie.
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Hello, hello.
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My co-host.
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And we also have another person from the actual, from
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the station who's been been here forever and great at
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everything that he does. Mark Martin is going to join
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us as well. And so, guys, this is probably one
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of the.
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I'm going to say this is going to probably go
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down as one of the most disheartening, hurtful show to
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actually talk about. And I'll even open it by saying.
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Frank Gardenia is probably the person who got me behind
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a mic for the first time ever. And here I
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am still here. And it's all because of him. And
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if anybody doesn't know already.
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Frank passed and.
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And we're going to tribute this show all about him.
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And hopefully we can all kind of hold it together.
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Because this is, to me, a really, really, really tough one.
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Lisa Hollis.
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Yeah, I just want to throw in there, you know,
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it's a very sad day for broadcasting in general. I
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feel like, you know, he was a true pioneer in
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the whole franchise. field of sports broadcasting. You know, he
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was the legendary radio voice of the Marshall Thundering Heard
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for a period of time.
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He was a premier sports writer. an athletic administrator.
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He dedicated his life to college sports. You know, he
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was kind of known as the, you know, for his
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elephant-like memory when it come to sports and sports trivia.
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You know, he had deep personal faith. And, you know,
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he's just going to be truly missed. And that's kind
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of why we asked Mark Martin, you know, one of
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our longtime sports directors at WCHS-TV in a recent, he's
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also a recent West Virginia Broadcaster of the Year and
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a four-decade journalism veteran to come in and kind of
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share his memories of Frank with us.
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So, Mark, are you there?
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I'm here.
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So maybe you could tell us a little bit about
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your memories with Frank.
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Well, I graduated from college in 1983, Marietta College, and
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I was at the North-South All-Star football game that summer
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in July of 83, and Frank was in the broadcast
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booth in the press box getting ready to do the
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North-South game on the radio, and I just introduced myself.
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And I knew of him. I watched him on TV,
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listened to him do herd games, and so had followed
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him for a few years. And so it was a
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big thrill just to meet him, number one. And I
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remember him vividly saying, you know, hey, if you need
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any help, let me know. And so, lo and behold,
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later that year, probably a couple months later, I got
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hired in radio down in Huntington. So that was my
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first full-time job. out of college, and the station that
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I was working for was the old WG & T, WAMX,
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and they carried the Marshall Network. They were the flagship station,
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and so the color analyst for Frank for football and
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basketball was Stan Howe, who now runs in the Kanawha
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County Library, just a great guy, and so I was
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working with Stan at the radio stations, and Stan said, hey,
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you know, why don't you come and keep stats for
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us in basketball? That was Rick Huckabee's first season as
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Marshall's basketball coach. So that's what I did. It was
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a big thrill for a young 22-year-old guy from Ripley,
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West Virginia, to get that opportunity. And that's how my
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relationship with Frank started, and that was a great friendship
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from that time on. And, in fact, Frank got into
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college administration college He had a variety of places and
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then came back to West Virginia, and he was at
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Marshall for one year. And he called me and said, hey,
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I want you to get back involved with Marshall Sports
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down here. Start doing sidelines for football. And I did that,
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and it's led to almost 20 years now being with
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Marshall in some capacity, radio and television. And so, you know, Frank,
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a lot of people have meant a lot to me
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in my career and and when I start trying to
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say who's at the top, that's hard to do, but
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Frank Ardige would be crowding his way into that top spot,
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no doubt about it. Just a wonderful person, and I
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just learned so much from him, just how to conduct myself,
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how to handle interviews, how to call a game, you
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name it, and just have that great appreciation not only
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for Marshall, but just for the great state of West
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Virginia in general.
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Yeah. Hollis, did you cross paths with Frank at all? Unfortunately,
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I didn't.
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But I think that it's sort of like, I won't
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say a fraternity, but I think that once you enter
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this side of the business, particularly being a player, I think,
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number one, you realize how difficult it is.
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Yeah.
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It's not easy. It is not easy.
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You guys make it, you know, the pros, you make
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it easy as far as doing the, you know, the play-by-play,
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the color commentating, and even, you know, kind of even
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doing this to a degree. And it's just, you know,
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it's one of those things in which it's just kind
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of funny like how, you know, starting on that side
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can lead you to so many different things. You know,
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I was reading his bios. He did, you know, some
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executive producing. Like you said, he got into you know,
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higher learning administration and different things of that nature. And
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also kind of the last point is that it's those
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voices become synonymous with those teams and those organizations in
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those years, win or lose, particularly, you know, if you're
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listening to a radio broadcast and doing a television and
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different things of that nature.
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And, and I, and, and again, and I know it's
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always hard to say like who was, you know, one
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of the best or all of those kinds of things, but,
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So I won't even use best. What I will use
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is I felt like he was so likable that when
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you heard his voice at a game, it was like, oh,
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that's the perfect voice for the game. It's going to
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be okay. The game's going to be okay. I can
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listen to this. It just seemed like he had all
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of that, but he was the nicest person ever. And,
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you know, the crazy thing about it, like I don't
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and we used to talk all the time and I
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used to see him, but never did he ever talk
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about a game that he called or something that he
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did good. It was just like he was just the
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most genuine person. that I think I may have known.
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And then when you start talking about in the sports world.
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He was so humble.
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He was.
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That's the perfect word for Frank.
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How did he get you into doing a broadcast?
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He contacted me and asked if I would be willing
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to get out or to come here, do this.
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Kind of stuff. And I was like, well, okay. And
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he walked me into.
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Being able to do it. You know what I'm saying?
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Like he, it would be, he didn't, I don't think
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he would have wanted to have tried to quote, quote,
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teach me. But what he did was he just brought
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me into it in a such an easy way to
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be able to respond to him and create a conversation
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that was worthy of somebody wanting to listen to. And
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it wasn't because what I was answering, but it was
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the way he could bring you into the conversation and
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make you feel comfortable.
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Did he, were you guys like on the, like a
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radio broadcast? We were here. We were, we were here. Yeah. We, we,
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we started here. Okay. Okay. I like the color commentator
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for some of the Marshall games.
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Yeah.
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We, we, wasn't it the drive you guys were on here?
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Yes.
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We, we started that and, and I had no, I
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was as far away from thinking about doing something like that. And, and, and,
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And the fact that he was so good, it made
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it so easy for me.
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You know what I'm saying? And that's because, you know,
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you don't know.
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Like sometimes when you get you just somebody just gives
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you the mic and you're getting ready to try to
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have a conversation. He made it so, so easy to
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just to talk about it. And then when I when
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you finish, you feel like, well, that was easy, you know,
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and it was easy because he made it that way.
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Yeah, he would always say, I'll never leave you hanging,
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Lisa O. That was his famous thing he said to me.
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I'm going to bring Mark back into the conversation. Mark,
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so you were referencing the Marshall history and you have.
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with the school, and so did Frank. But in 1977,
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Frank became the play-by-play voice of the Thundering Herd until 1986.
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And he had that unique responsibility as a hometown alum
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broadcasting to a community that had been through so much
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including the plane crash. Do you think that Frank set
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the standard for what the voice of the herd truly
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means because he could handle that adversity at that time?
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Well, he definitely is up there. There's no question about it.
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I mean, they've had some big timers just down through
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the years, dating back to the very beginning. In fact,
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I was talking to Steve Cotton, the present voice of
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the herd, who other than You know, Steve's been there
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the longest, and Frank has been there the second, had
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the second longest stint. And the first guy ever, later,
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he was the voice of the herd, and then became
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the voice of the pirates. They've had some great ones. But, yeah,
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definitely Frank, you know, he just brought a passion to Marshall.
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You know, he went there, and certainly that was neat. And,
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you know, he was very young when he got the
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chance to, you know, start calling games. And in fact,
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you know, kind of crazy, but I was doing the
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math there, Carl. So obviously he did your entire career,
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you know, as the play-by-play voice of the herd. So,
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you know, seasons of 79, 80, 81, and 82. And
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he's calling your games. And so that's pretty cool. And
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then to leave Marshall, which I know was a very
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difficult decision for him, And then he goes to East Carolina.
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And obviously East Carolina, you know, is where the final
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game for that 1970 team was played. So there's just
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a lot of, you know, neat aspects of Frank's career. But,
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I mean, just a guy that worked diligently at it.
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And I remember when I first met him, you know,
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he was not only the voice of the herd, but
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he was also a sportscaster for WSAZ. So I remember
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he would be there and the game would end, the
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basketball game would end, and he'd look at Stan Howe
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and he goes, hey, man, I got a bolt. I
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got to be on the air and be on TV,
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you know, for the 11 o'clock news. And I'm thinking
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to myself at that time, I said, man, I want
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to be, that's what I want to do. I want
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to be that guy that's got to rush from one
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thing to the next. And I found out what that's
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all about.
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So you found out.
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It can be kind of crazy at times, but yeah.
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He definitely set a standard. There's no question about it
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in terms of just what he meant to not only
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Marshall Athletics, but to the university and the city of Huntington.
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He's just a proud West Virginian. He grew up in
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the Cole area down in McDowell County and then obviously
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came later on to Kanawha County and went to DuPont
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High School. You talk about a guy that had a
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plethora of knowledge about the state of West Virginia when
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it came to sports. You know, it wasn't just about Marshall.
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I mean, that guy knew something about every single thing
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that has ever happened in this state from a sports standpoint.
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And I think oftentimes, like, you know, when we talk
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about sports, I know at least growing up in our areas,
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like if you grew up in the 80s and 90s
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and maybe beyond that where you're actually listening to games
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on the radio or if you only have a limited
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number of channels, those voices of those sports franchise become
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vital and they become a part of your childhood, right?
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Like I know for me, like growing up, listening to
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John Madden every, you know, on Sundays and different things
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of that nature. And they just become such a vital
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part of like sort of that, that sports experience, you know?
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And can, can, can we say that maybe he was
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that voice? Here in West Virginia, at the peak of,
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I'd say the peak of the sports, I really feel like,
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and maybe it was just because I was able to,
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when I got back here especially, and I was around
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him a lot, and it felt like he was the guy.
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You know, he was the... Maybe the most notable guy
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or at least was he or let me just ask
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this question. Was he the most notable guy? Just was
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it just to.
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Me or was it the other people that felt like
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this is the guy you want to hear?
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This is the guy you want to listen to.
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I mean, I think that he he was he was
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the guy. I mean, you know, you think about all
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the awards that Frank accumulated, you know, over the years
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throughout his career.
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You know, he had nearly every major honor in his field.
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You think about, you know, he was sportscaster of the
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year in West Virginia at one time. He was inducted
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into the West Virginia Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He also
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won the the I think it was the one of
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the Gene Morehouse Award.
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Right.
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And so, you know, you think about that, that that's a.
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a lot of high honors.
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The top.
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The top in the state of West Virginia. So in
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order for you to earn that many, you know, different
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awards at a high level, you, you must be doing
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something right.
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And I think, I think when, when, as days pass,
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I think that, um, the recognition should, in the state
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of West Virginia of how.
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I think should be at its best.
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I think when you start talking about someone who was
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involved in sports, somebody who was the epitome of West
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Virginia sports journalism, I think something has to be done. Like,
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I don't think this is something that you can just
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let sit and just pass through.
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I think....
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That name, Frank Gardenia, should not be something that will pass.
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It needs to be somewhere. It needs to be on something.
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I just feel like it's too important. He was too
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important to the success of sports in West Virginia not
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to be recognized permanently here some kind of way.
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Yeah, and Mark, you actually did, I think, a story
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just recently on Frank.
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Has that released yet?
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Well, we did a small piece just as he had
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passed away, but a bigger, nicer, more fun, long-form piece
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will be coming out later this week. In fact, I
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just tried to interview Steve Cotton today about Frank because
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Steve got a chance to work with Frank in the
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one year that Frank had returned to Marshall. You know,
297
00:17:01.539 --> 00:17:04.000
it's kind of neat because Frank was at Marshall for
298
00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:06.700
all those years as the boys he left. He went
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to East Carolina, and then he was at Penn State. And,
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you know, he was there and did a lot of
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different things phases of the broadcasting department for the university.
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00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:21.519
And obviously, you know, it was there during the, you know,
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the Joe Paterno heyday or part of that heyday. And
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then Frank decided to return to West Virginia and Frank,
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00:17:29.269 --> 00:17:31.390
you know, the thing about Frank, we talk about his
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knowledge of sports and how great he was as a,
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00:17:34.390 --> 00:17:37.569
as a writer, as a television broadcaster, as a radio broadcaster,
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you know, Frank was just such a great man of
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faith and he returned to West Virginia and, to be
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a part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and then
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along the way, you know, continue to be a part
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of the broadcasting and writing of phases of the business
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as much as he could, and then Mike Hamrick wanted
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00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:59.079
him to come to Marshall, and he spent a year
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00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:01.440
down there, and I had the pleasure that year of
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00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:04.400
doing Marshall games. I was the sideline reporter, so in
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00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.809
the booth you had Steve Cotton, you know, a Hall
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00:18:06.849 --> 00:18:10.640
of Fame broadcaster, Frank, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, and
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00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:14.529
they also were using Troy Brown, the great Marshall wide receiver,
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00:18:14.890 --> 00:18:16.369
in the booth that year as well, so it was
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00:18:16.390 --> 00:18:18.849
just great to be a part of that with those guys.
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You know, Frank went back into you know, broadcasting. And
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so it was kind of neat to see Frank kind
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of go full circle and return to the state in
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which he loved, you know, so very much.
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Do you think, well, I'm not even going to ask
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00:18:36.210 --> 00:18:44.529
it that way. When we look back at and say
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00:18:44.890 --> 00:18:50.000
the name Frank Gardenia, There's some of us that know
329
00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:58.150
him in one specific, I'll say genre, but he was
330
00:18:58.410 --> 00:19:02.230
so big and did so many different things here.
331
00:19:03.630 --> 00:19:07.750
That it's almost as though everybody.
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00:19:07.630 --> 00:19:09.910
Got a piece of something, but they don't have the
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00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:14.740
big picture of all the things that he did for
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00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:16.900
sports over his time frame.
335
00:19:17.890 --> 00:19:19.680
Would that be safe to say?
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00:19:20.650 --> 00:19:23.480
Well, obviously, you know, younger generation, you're going to say, boy,
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00:19:23.490 --> 00:19:28.000
you guys missed out. Yeah, yeah. You know, you missed out.
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00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:31.279
I think that's true with any of us, you know,
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00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:34.559
depending on when we grew up and those kinds of things.
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00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:38.640
But I hope that a lot of young people, even today,
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know who he is and got a chance to meet
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him in some shape or form. And, you know, the
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00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:49.259
neat thing, too, you know, Frank had five children.
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00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:49.680
Yeah.
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00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:53.140
And two of those, you know, very much involved in athletics,
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his son's a head coach of a college football program
347
00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:00.480
down in charleston and then you have his daughter is
348
00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:05.410
working at wvu in the athletic department so they didn't
349
00:20:05.549 --> 00:20:08.589
stray too far from uh part of their childhood of
350
00:20:08.630 --> 00:20:10.670
growing up and being around sports and of course his
351
00:20:10.730 --> 00:20:15.349
sister denise uh just a marvelous writer and the author
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of books and so just a very talented talented family
353
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and I know Frank, again, we talked about how humble
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he was. He was so proud of his sister, so
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proud of his children, and then just really proud of
356
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people that he had the chance to work with, maybe
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help mold, and then also teach broadcasting, teach how to
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be a better writer, all those things. And then truly,
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00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:43.569
as we said earlier, you get into the FCA work
360
00:20:43.630 --> 00:20:45.690
and just really try to have a, how to be
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00:20:45.869 --> 00:20:49.140
the best possible person you could be in, in a
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person of faith.
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00:20:52.819 --> 00:20:53.839
Oh, that's.
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00:20:55.740 --> 00:20:59.740
Again, I don't know if, if there was any, if
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00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:03.529
there's anything that we've left out, it would be, it
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00:21:03.549 --> 00:21:05.670
would only be something that was even greater than.
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00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:13.049
It's hard to squeeze in a lot about Frank Gardenia.
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00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:14.309
It really, really is.
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00:21:14.650 --> 00:21:17.490
And again, I'll say for the folks who may not
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have gotten a chance to actually really know who he
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was and what he was and his impact on people,
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sports media as a whole in West Virginia, I'm sorry
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that you missed it. I'm really sorry that you missed
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it because you really missed somebody really, really great, a
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really great person.
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00:21:39.259 --> 00:21:42.819
Well, I think it's always, you know, they say, don't
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ever pass up the chance to meet somebody. And boy,
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am I glad that I did not pass up the
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00:21:49.029 --> 00:21:52.309
chance to meet Frank Gardenia that day. You know, I'm
380
00:21:52.329 --> 00:21:56.279
going to the North South All-Star football game to cover it.
381
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I was working for a my hometown newspaper just, again,
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00:22:01.069 --> 00:22:03.390
had just gotten out of college and had been doing
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that throughout my college years. And I was just ready
384
00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:09.240
to see what else was out there and boy, to
385
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meet a guy like that and down the road, maintain
386
00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:18.099
a friendship from 1983, right up until his passing, you know, boy,
387
00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:21.279
that's a, that's special. And, you know, sometimes it's, and
388
00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:25.339
it's so much more than just about your career. It's about,
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I've told people this, and I'm sure all of you
390
00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:30.759
will agree that, whether you're a school teacher or a
391
00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:34.519
professional football player, whatever you might be a part of,
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00:22:35.380 --> 00:22:39.930
it's those relationships that you make along the way that really,
393
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really makes it special that you're grateful that you chose,
394
00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:48.079
in my case, to be a broadcaster or a writer,
395
00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:50.759
but just all the wonderful people I met. And again,
396
00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:53.220
as I said earlier, Frank Ardine is right up there
397
00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:53.759
near the top.
398
00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:58.420
Yeah, and again, as we close out and we're getting
399
00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:01.700
ready to have to take a break, I just think
400
00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:05.759
that he was really truly one of the greatest, and
401
00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:08.680
I'm just so happy that I actually had a personal
402
00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:12.579
relationship with him and got to know him really, really well.
403
00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:17.220
I think if you look up the word special in
404
00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:19.900
the dictionary, you're going to see a picture.
405
00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:23.650
Of Frank Gardenia. That's a fact. Mark, we appreciate your time, man.
406
00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:26.140
Hey, guys, appreciate you having me. All right.
407
00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:26.619
Thank you, Mark.
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00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.680
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to take a
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00:23:28.990 --> 00:23:30.589
quick break and we will be right back.
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00:23:30.950 --> 00:23:34.450
Let's Talk with Carl Lee is presented by attorney Frank Walker.
411
00:23:34.769 --> 00:23:40.180
Real talk, real experience, real results. FrankWalkerLaw.com. Comment on episodes
412
00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:44.059
or suggest topics at our Facebook page. Search for Let's
413
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Talk with Carl Lee. And remember to like the page
414
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415
00:23:48.809 --> 00:23:51.809
Let's face it, bad things happen to good people. Seriously
416
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injured in a car accident, trucking accident, or even wrongfully arrested.
417
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Life happens, and when it happens to you, you will
418
00:23:57.849 --> 00:24:01.269
need sound legal advice and aggressive representation. That's when you
419
00:24:01.309 --> 00:24:02.670
call Attorney Frank Walker at 304-413-0179.
420
00:24:02.670 --> 00:24:03.009
That's 304-413-0179.
421
00:24:03.069 --> 00:24:05.009
Lock it in your phone, text it to a friend.
422
00:24:05.029 --> 00:24:05.089
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423
00:24:05.089 --> 00:24:06.769
Or visit online at attorneyfrankwalker.com.
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00:24:19.690 --> 00:24:23.910
Welcome to Let's.
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00:24:28.289 --> 00:24:29.769
Talk with Carl Lee.
426
00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:47.240
Let's Talk is proudly presented by attorney Frank Walker. Real talk,
427
00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:53.500
real experience, real results. FrankWalkerLaw.com. Let the conversation begin on
428
00:24:53.660 --> 00:24:54.299
Let's Talk.
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00:24:54.700 --> 00:25:02.880
All right, ladies and gentlemen, and we have another guest, again,
430
00:25:03.089 --> 00:25:09.430
in the sports media field with all kinds of, in
431
00:25:09.529 --> 00:25:15.299
every aspect, I'd say, Dana Farrow. Dana, how you doing, man?
432
00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:17.279
I'm doing pretty good.
433
00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:24.230
That's good. That's good. We're glad to have you. Tough
434
00:25:24.250 --> 00:25:24.769
day today.
435
00:25:26.190 --> 00:25:29.849
Yes, it is.
436
00:25:30.230 --> 00:25:33.410
Tell us a little bit about how you feel today
437
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:37.380
in losing one of probably, I would make the case,
438
00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:41.480
one of the best sports individuals that I've known.
439
00:25:43.069 --> 00:25:48.190
Yeah, you look at it, this is a loft that's irreplaceable.
440
00:25:49.710 --> 00:25:53.150
There'll be others come along and do their own thing,
441
00:25:53.190 --> 00:25:55.230
but there'll never be another Frank Gardenia.
442
00:25:55.259 --> 00:26:02.420
And what's amazing to me, when I think of him,
443
00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:06.019
the first thing that comes to my mind is the friendship.
444
00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:13.779
It wasn't necessarily his friendship. him interviewing you or what
445
00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:16.880
the story said. I just, when I'm thinking about him,
446
00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:20.359
I see him now and had seen him for a
447
00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:25.269
while as like just this really good person who was
448
00:26:25.410 --> 00:26:29.390
so knowledgeable about sports, but I didn't, you know, it was,
449
00:26:29.549 --> 00:26:32.630
it was just, it was just a relationship that made
450
00:26:33.589 --> 00:26:37.009
me care for him so much. And that's going to
451
00:26:37.049 --> 00:26:39.049
be the thing that I think I will miss most.
452
00:26:40.410 --> 00:26:42.750
Yeah, and I think of all the things that he
453
00:26:43.230 --> 00:26:47.940
brought together that made him who he was and separated him,
454
00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:51.039
I think, from the pack of good broadcasters, a lot
455
00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:53.619
of good ones out there. But just what Senator Frank was,
456
00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.660
number one, he wasn't a former athlete like a lot
457
00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:59.529
of people that go into the business, and you know that.
458
00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:04.230
But as you say, he was an avid student of
459
00:27:04.250 --> 00:27:06.150
the game or whatever the sport.
460
00:27:06.369 --> 00:27:06.619
Yes, yes.
461
00:27:07.430 --> 00:27:11.390
And then I think another perspective he brought was he
462
00:27:11.430 --> 00:27:15.349
had been outside of West Virginia. So he was able
463
00:27:15.390 --> 00:27:18.990
to look at sports that they were inside the borders
464
00:27:19.029 --> 00:27:23.039
of West Virginia from a different perspective than just being
465
00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:27.319
a homer. And so I thought he brought that to
466
00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:27.859
the table.
467
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.420
And then.
468
00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:33.380
He, as we said, very professional player. I was always
469
00:27:33.450 --> 00:27:36.269
impressed when we were doing our shows because, you know,
470
00:27:36.289 --> 00:27:38.490
when you're out in the field, I always likened it
471
00:27:38.509 --> 00:27:41.190
to shooting moon rockets because you're taking technology and putting
472
00:27:41.250 --> 00:27:44.990
it in a hostile environment and pushing it to its limits.
473
00:27:46.170 --> 00:27:49.980
And so, inevitably, things could go wrong. And, you know,
474
00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:52.339
we'd have a, you know, as you set your schedule,
475
00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:53.380
what you want to do and who you want to
476
00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:56.140
talk to, but maybe somebody doesn't show up or somebody
477
00:27:56.200 --> 00:27:59.140
does on the fly, and Frank would just roll with it.
478
00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:00.299
He would.
479
00:28:00.339 --> 00:28:00.579
He would.
480
00:28:01.490 --> 00:28:04.690
He was the best at it. But the one I
481
00:28:04.730 --> 00:28:09.170
think just relaxed, I think separating him from the pack
482
00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:17.059
immensely was his wit. You could not outwit him, no
483
00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:20.559
matter what the topic was. And the other thing is
484
00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:22.680
he could roll with it. You know, you guys, and
485
00:28:22.700 --> 00:28:24.660
I'm telling you, you guys could get on him pretty
486
00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:29.940
heavy on set. And he would just roll with it.
487
00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:36.359
He was such a likable person in general.
488
00:28:36.960 --> 00:28:41.490
And then I'll even say, like, his writing.
489
00:28:43.789 --> 00:28:47.450
Kind of almost reflected who he was and how he was,
490
00:28:48.049 --> 00:28:48.930
if that makes sense.
491
00:28:49.190 --> 00:28:49.910
Like, you could say, oh.
492
00:28:51.640 --> 00:28:54.779
That for sure is Frank. Frank wrote that, you know,
493
00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:56.660
like because he was just.
494
00:28:56.539 --> 00:29:00.160
That signature type of language and his sense of humor.
495
00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:01.099
Yeah, for sure.
496
00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:01.940
So.
497
00:29:02.339 --> 00:29:04.529
So go ahead. I'm sorry.
498
00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:06.920
You know, he would just find things, you know, we
499
00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.809
would be out. We're all focused on what we're doing.
500
00:29:08.829 --> 00:29:10.690
And he would just come up, like I said, his
501
00:29:10.750 --> 00:29:13.450
wit and come up with something about the concession stand.
502
00:29:13.509 --> 00:29:13.650
Yeah.
503
00:29:16.549 --> 00:29:19.809
And don't ever, I'll never forget the strawberry milkshake thing
504
00:29:19.849 --> 00:29:27.150
in use. Every time. We were doing a remote at Chick-fil-A,
505
00:29:27.569 --> 00:29:29.710
as we did at times. They were a sponsor. And
506
00:29:29.730 --> 00:29:31.950
so we were set up inside there. And, of course,
507
00:29:31.970 --> 00:29:34.069
they wanted to bring out things to have on set
508
00:29:34.109 --> 00:29:37.109
there for us to be eating and such. And ask
509
00:29:37.170 --> 00:29:41.859
if we wanted anything and call us. asked for a milkshake. Yeah,
510
00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.660
I believe it was.
511
00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:44.920
Strawberry, if I'm not mistaken.
512
00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:45.980
Strawberry, yes.
513
00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:50.789
Frank could not get over that. Frank was like, you've
514
00:29:50.829 --> 00:29:53.930
got to go with chocolate or vanilla. You just don't
515
00:29:54.029 --> 00:29:54.789
order strawberry.
516
00:29:54.809 --> 00:29:55.269
Right.
517
00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:58.539
And one of my favorite memories, Dana, you're talking about
518
00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.680
the concession stands when we were doing the RS and
519
00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:03.299
tailgate show. And we would go to all the different,
520
00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:05.960
you know, on location. We were in various counties of
521
00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:08.460
the state and he always had to compare the hot dogs.
522
00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:11.400
That was a big thing for Frank. He was on
523
00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:14.700
the search for the best high school hot dog in
524
00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:18.650
high school West Virginia football. And he would always have
525
00:30:18.670 --> 00:30:20.130
to get a hot dog from the concession stand, and
526
00:30:20.150 --> 00:30:21.609
he would compare it to other places.
527
00:30:21.690 --> 00:30:23.650
It was so funny.
528
00:30:24.250 --> 00:30:26.569
He was really, truly a blast in that.
529
00:30:26.710 --> 00:30:31.380
And, again, it speaks to his comfort level in doing
530
00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:34.119
it that he didn't even have to worry about it. Like,
531
00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:37.039
it was just– he could just turn it on at
532
00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:39.140
any given time, and you could count on that.
533
00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:42.359
Well, and, guys, you know, what amazed me, too, is
534
00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:47.369
when he came to work at RSN– He came with
535
00:30:47.410 --> 00:30:47.829
you guys.
536
00:30:47.849 --> 00:30:49.170
You guys all came with the package.
537
00:30:49.470 --> 00:30:50.890
It was a package deal for me, and I was
538
00:30:50.910 --> 00:30:56.460
glad to get it. But Frank had, I think, just
539
00:30:56.619 --> 00:30:58.279
right at the same time, maybe it was the year
540
00:30:58.299 --> 00:31:01.160
after he came on, right the year after, had the stroke.
541
00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:02.480
Yeah.
542
00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:06.079
And, you know, there were some other NTs that didn't
543
00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.880
pick him back up, you know, or he didn't fall
544
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:11.359
back in. I think I remember he was like, hey,
545
00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:13.039
you know, I'm not going to be on my A game.
546
00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:15.049
Do you still want me? I'm like, heck, yeah, I'll
547
00:31:15.089 --> 00:31:20.559
watch you. And we did. And, I mean, he just
548
00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:23.900
rolled still. I mean, and sure, there were some visible
549
00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:25.809
signs that he'd had the stroke, and he knew that.
550
00:31:25.890 --> 00:31:28.809
But it did not take away from his knowledge of
551
00:31:28.869 --> 00:31:32.190
the sport and his wit, his ability to be able
552
00:31:32.210 --> 00:31:35.869
to pivot. The only thing different I've seen, he used
553
00:31:35.910 --> 00:31:39.579
that cane, you know, to get to and from. But
554
00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:43.119
I just count it as a blessing to me and
555
00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:47.170
to ours and sports, my company, that– You know, I
556
00:31:47.190 --> 00:31:49.799
was still able to have him there and that he
557
00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.119
was interested in being a part of what we were doing.
558
00:31:52.940 --> 00:31:53.180
Yeah.
559
00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:53.579
Yeah.
560
00:31:53.619 --> 00:31:54.880
I think that was pretty special.
561
00:31:55.079 --> 00:31:57.519
Just like you said, you know, and it was kind
562
00:31:57.559 --> 00:32:02.619
of like you were in the startup place and he
563
00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:06.960
had no problem jumping in and, you know, making it great.
564
00:32:07.180 --> 00:32:09.470
Just taking it to the top. He was just that
565
00:32:09.529 --> 00:32:10.150
kind of person.
566
00:32:11.349 --> 00:32:19.299
Right. And they never got flustered. I've never once seen
567
00:32:19.339 --> 00:32:23.680
him upset at anything. And trust me, we gave him
568
00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:25.900
plenty to be upset about.
569
00:32:27.380 --> 00:32:28.170
That may be true.
570
00:32:28.210 --> 00:32:31.950
Maybe up at Hoover, you know, before that new stadium.
571
00:32:32.170 --> 00:32:35.230
And we had some students occasionally would work as interns.
572
00:32:35.309 --> 00:32:38.430
And the producer was up there. One of them knocked
573
00:32:38.450 --> 00:32:45.460
the camera over and He lit up and says some
574
00:32:45.539 --> 00:32:48.480
not so choice words. Frank just looked over like, what
575
00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.759
in the world?
576
00:32:52.059 --> 00:32:53.680
I remember that so clearly.
577
00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:58.940
But what that speaks of about him is his comfort level.
578
00:33:00.869 --> 00:33:02.250
And nothing is really.
579
00:33:02.049 --> 00:33:04.329
Going to bother, nothing's going to take him out of
580
00:33:04.390 --> 00:33:07.950
that comfort level. And we can laugh at this and
581
00:33:08.029 --> 00:33:09.950
keep on going. We don't even have to worry about it.
582
00:33:10.470 --> 00:33:14.690
And I think that's a special gift to have. And
583
00:33:14.730 --> 00:33:19.390
I think he used that probably a billion times everywhere
584
00:33:19.450 --> 00:33:21.630
he was because I don't know if I ever seen
585
00:33:21.690 --> 00:33:25.259
a time he was ever flustered or upset about something.
586
00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:27.440
I don't think I ever seen him in that situation.
587
00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:32.720
Because, like I said, you couldn't catch him off guard.
588
00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:35.079
We didn't give him any big, long script. We just
589
00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:37.220
had notes about what we were going to cover. Yeah,
590
00:33:37.240 --> 00:33:41.930
pretty much. And he would whip it right in. I
591
00:33:41.990 --> 00:33:45.250
always say this in any kind of broadcast, a lot
592
00:33:45.789 --> 00:33:47.930
of people can come on and do commentary and collar
593
00:33:47.970 --> 00:33:50.950
and things, but it takes a special person, and I
594
00:33:50.970 --> 00:33:53.569
call it a point guard or the quarterback, whatever, because
595
00:33:53.589 --> 00:33:58.670
they take you on and off the air constantly. between
596
00:33:58.710 --> 00:34:02.950
segments and things. Frank was just the ultimate professional at that.
597
00:34:03.309 --> 00:34:08.889
No matter what situation, he could handle it. I'll just
598
00:34:08.909 --> 00:34:12.769
roll back to his experience. I just think those kinds
599
00:34:12.809 --> 00:34:14.469
of things, and I've seen it over and over again
600
00:34:14.530 --> 00:34:17.150
in broadcasting and such, you either have it or you don't.
601
00:34:17.230 --> 00:34:17.809
Frank had it.
602
00:34:18.670 --> 00:34:24.389
Yeah. He possessed everything that you needed.
603
00:34:25.590 --> 00:34:29.739
In being in that role by he knew all the
604
00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:33.360
facts and he could make those facts into fun.
605
00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:37.480
He could make it fun, you know, because sometimes when you.
606
00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:40.610
Have that person who's a factual person, it's kind of,
607
00:34:40.690 --> 00:34:43.789
it's kind of stale because it's just, they're, you know,
608
00:34:43.829 --> 00:34:46.510
they're ratting off all these stats and they're impressing you
609
00:34:46.610 --> 00:34:49.929
all kinds of, in all kinds of ways. But Frank
610
00:34:49.969 --> 00:34:51.679
would be able to do that and come up with
611
00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:57.050
something funny in it to, to, to make it fun
612
00:34:58.210 --> 00:35:01.750
compared to just the boring stat that you looked up or,
613
00:35:01.949 --> 00:35:07.469
or found somewhere. He was so good at that, that
614
00:35:07.510 --> 00:35:10.090
I think, I don't know if you can find anybody
615
00:35:10.409 --> 00:35:11.179
that was able to.
616
00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:11.840
Do it that way.
617
00:35:12.659 --> 00:35:15.440
Well, what I loved about, you know, having you three
618
00:35:15.699 --> 00:35:18.940
on set was, you know, obviously Carl, you had so
619
00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:24.480
much on the field experience and, and, especially with football
620
00:35:24.500 --> 00:35:29.380
when we're covering that. And then Lisa, you know, she was,
621
00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:31.719
when it comes to stats and numbers, I mean, she's
622
00:35:31.760 --> 00:35:34.320
the ultimate study of that.
623
00:35:34.739 --> 00:35:35.690
She's still that.
624
00:35:35.710 --> 00:35:38.349
I almost said I resemble that remark that he just
625
00:35:38.449 --> 00:35:40.469
made a minute ago, Dana, but I'll let it go.
626
00:35:40.510 --> 00:35:46.670
You could not out-research Lisa. Carl didn't have to do
627
00:35:46.690 --> 00:35:49.429
any research because he'd been there, done that, I think,
628
00:35:49.469 --> 00:35:54.429
with everything. But Frank... He came as the ultimate fan.
629
00:35:54.699 --> 00:35:57.079
You know, he was just, like I said, he didn't
630
00:35:57.099 --> 00:35:59.300
play the sports. He was just a fan of the
631
00:35:59.360 --> 00:36:03.480
games and what was going on. And so I remember
632
00:36:03.500 --> 00:36:05.159
a lot of the exchanges you guys would try to
633
00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:07.579
get on him about, you know, that. And he would
634
00:36:07.599 --> 00:36:10.030
just laugh and just pivot and just go right on.
635
00:36:10.110 --> 00:36:12.690
And you could not catch him.
636
00:36:13.349 --> 00:36:15.809
No, he was not the kind of person that you
637
00:36:15.909 --> 00:36:21.130
could try to– say something smart to him or anything
638
00:36:21.170 --> 00:36:26.409
like he he he was in such control of himself
639
00:36:27.170 --> 00:36:31.679
and loved the idea of having fun with around the
640
00:36:31.719 --> 00:36:34.579
mic like he was gonna say he could say something
641
00:36:34.760 --> 00:36:38.360
silly and just just mess up the whole thing the
642
00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:41.179
whole thing would be set on its ear.
643
00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.849
And, you know, we during the tailgate shows interviewed a
644
00:36:45.889 --> 00:36:51.829
lot of people, from sponsors to coaches, especially ADs and such. But,
645
00:36:52.110 --> 00:36:54.590
you know, inevitably you had a group of cheerleaders or
646
00:36:54.630 --> 00:36:56.389
things that would show up and you just, you know
647
00:36:56.429 --> 00:36:57.309
what they were going to say.
648
00:36:59.150 --> 00:36:59.849
Yeah.
649
00:36:59.869 --> 00:37:00.510
I remember that, too.
650
00:37:02.320 --> 00:37:03.969
And sometimes you didn't know what segment they were going
651
00:37:03.989 --> 00:37:06.079
to do. They would just all of a sudden show up.
652
00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:09.619
And Frank is like, okay, how's he going to handle this?
653
00:37:11.460 --> 00:37:12.559
But he always did.
654
00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:17.780
Always did. And made sure that those young people felt important.
655
00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:19.940
And that was Frank. And, you know, I'll go back
656
00:37:19.960 --> 00:37:23.059
to that, too. Frank never said it that I can
657
00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:27.400
recall openly. But you knew Frank was a Christian, a
658
00:37:27.420 --> 00:37:30.860
man of faith, just by his walk. He didn't have
659
00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:33.619
to say it. You could just see it in how
660
00:37:33.659 --> 00:37:34.639
he represented himself.
661
00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:41.900
And to that point, I think that is really what
662
00:37:42.940 --> 00:37:47.909
made him able to be fun, able to be smart,
663
00:37:50.289 --> 00:37:55.409
and be able to fit any situation that we would be.
664
00:37:55.010 --> 00:37:56.710
In behind the mics.
665
00:37:57.389 --> 00:38:03.070
Because he just knew... where his life was, who he was,
666
00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:08.489
who he worked for. And I think really he truly
667
00:38:09.889 --> 00:38:16.389
represented his faith in doing sports and being able to
668
00:38:16.449 --> 00:38:18.789
do it as good as anybody.
669
00:38:20.250 --> 00:38:20.550
Right.
670
00:38:20.610 --> 00:38:25.139
And, guys, you know, Frank, we know he's got a
671
00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:32.250
history and a resume that just– incomparable to anybody else
672
00:38:32.809 --> 00:38:34.570
out there. I think that's why I said I felt
673
00:38:34.610 --> 00:38:36.619
so blessed that we got him when we did to
674
00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:38.559
be able to do the tailgate shows with you guys.
675
00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:42.679
And much credit to you guys because I definitely remember
676
00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:44.199
we developed such a friendship.
677
00:38:44.699 --> 00:38:46.380
It was camaraderie.
678
00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:48.239
It was more than just a job. It was camaraderie.
679
00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:51.280
And he would get to the point sometimes not feeling
680
00:38:51.320 --> 00:38:54.440
well and his mobility was getting more and more compromised.
681
00:38:54.820 --> 00:38:57.630
And I can recall you guys go to pick him up.
682
00:38:58.230 --> 00:38:59.030
Yeah, we did.
683
00:38:59.070 --> 00:39:01.440
A lot of times you rode I know he would
684
00:39:01.480 --> 00:39:03.260
ride with you guys sometimes, and it was a road
685
00:39:03.300 --> 00:39:09.360
trip thing. And so that's the kind of experience and
686
00:39:09.380 --> 00:39:11.639
the memories that I have, you know, the guy like that.
687
00:39:11.699 --> 00:39:14.869
You know, he wanted to be there, but he would really,
688
00:39:14.929 --> 00:39:16.750
I can remember, call you, call him up, Frank, you know,
689
00:39:16.769 --> 00:39:19.030
are you going to be able to make it? You know, well,
690
00:39:19.050 --> 00:39:21.170
do you got, you know, I'm not sure I can
691
00:39:21.230 --> 00:39:27.050
do this. I've been down whatever, and almost apologetic. And
692
00:39:27.070 --> 00:39:28.550
do you still want me kind of thing? I'm like,
693
00:39:28.849 --> 00:39:29.809
heck yeah, I want you to.
694
00:39:30.260 --> 00:39:30.719
Yeah.
695
00:39:31.039 --> 00:39:31.300
Yeah.
696
00:39:31.880 --> 00:39:37.739
I do think, I do think he, he was struggling
697
00:39:37.780 --> 00:39:40.159
there toward the end of, of.
698
00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:42.199
Our shows.
699
00:39:42.760 --> 00:39:46.019
And, and to the, to the degree of what you
700
00:39:46.059 --> 00:39:49.409
just said, like, I don't even know if I'm bringing
701
00:39:49.469 --> 00:39:53.590
anything to the show. What he didn't really realize is
702
00:39:54.030 --> 00:40:00.010
being there and being able to say Frank Gardenia is here,
703
00:40:00.429 --> 00:40:01.340
that was enough.
704
00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:05.360
Oh, yeah, because you certainly didn't want Dana Farrow trying
705
00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:07.980
to lead up to those. I'm letting her out behind
706
00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:10.869
the camera. And then it makes me think, you know,
707
00:40:10.889 --> 00:40:12.989
we went through when he couldn't be there. There was
708
00:40:13.030 --> 00:40:16.139
times that Doug Scapp stepped in, you know, in that spot.
709
00:40:16.199 --> 00:40:19.780
And ultimately we lost him last summer. And, you know,
710
00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:22.659
and just I go back and look, rewind three or
711
00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:25.260
five years ago where we are now today. And it's
712
00:40:25.300 --> 00:40:27.880
just I think when you said what today to me,
713
00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:34.139
it's just so profound how fragile life is. And, you know,
714
00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:36.300
we just can't take moments like that for granted.
715
00:40:38.010 --> 00:40:42.420
And it's crazy to think, you know, us sitting here
716
00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:46.380
talking about like all the different shows, this situation, that
717
00:40:46.420 --> 00:40:50.440
situation at that show. And then when the pause comes
718
00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:56.159
in and you have to think the reality of he's gone,
719
00:40:56.179 --> 00:41:05.139
it's challenging and gut-wrenching to me because again, We all
720
00:41:05.219 --> 00:41:08.739
knew who he was and how he was and everybody
721
00:41:08.780 --> 00:41:12.000
has a certain way of how he treated Lisa, how
722
00:41:12.059 --> 00:41:16.139
he treated you, how he treated me. And every one
723
00:41:16.179 --> 00:41:18.800
of us would be saying it was great. Like we
724
00:41:19.090 --> 00:41:22.530
wouldn't wanted it any other way. You know, like he
725
00:41:22.550 --> 00:41:24.530
would talk smack to me all the time.
726
00:41:24.630 --> 00:41:28.130
Oh, my goodness. And I wouldn't want anything else.
727
00:41:28.250 --> 00:41:29.929
Well, I mean, and that's what I was just going
728
00:41:29.949 --> 00:41:32.150
to throw my story in there with Frank. You know,
729
00:41:32.230 --> 00:41:35.420
I had zero radio and broadcasting experience.
730
00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:36.179
I was a teacher.
731
00:41:36.940 --> 00:41:39.599
And Frank discovered me on Facebook. We were friends and he,
732
00:41:40.239 --> 00:41:42.099
you know, he sent me a private message, said, hey,
733
00:41:42.119 --> 00:41:42.780
can I give you a call?
734
00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:43.239
And he did.
735
00:41:43.320 --> 00:41:45.269
And, you know, he explained who he was and we,
736
00:41:45.389 --> 00:41:47.210
you know, found out we both went to DuPont from,
737
00:41:47.250 --> 00:41:49.289
you know, the eastern end of the valley. And he
738
00:41:49.309 --> 00:41:52.389
was like, you know, Carl Lee and I do a
739
00:41:52.849 --> 00:41:55.420
radio show on WCHS. Why don't you join us? And
740
00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:58.139
I was like, I'm telling you, I have zero experience.
741
00:41:58.159 --> 00:42:00.110
He goes, oh, you're the football queen.
742
00:42:00.119 --> 00:42:00.639
You'll be fine.
743
00:42:00.659 --> 00:42:03.989
And that's where the nickname started. So, you know, so
744
00:42:04.010 --> 00:42:06.389
then I came in and he was like, I was nervous,
745
00:42:06.429 --> 00:42:09.550
of course. And he was like, Lisa, oh, football queen,
746
00:42:09.590 --> 00:42:11.329
I won't let you leave you hanging.
747
00:42:11.369 --> 00:42:13.820
You know that. And every show he would always tell
748
00:42:13.840 --> 00:42:14.199
me that.
749
00:42:14.320 --> 00:42:17.179
So, but yeah, he's basically the person who got me
750
00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:19.219
started in all this. So I don't know how I
751
00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:22.599
can ever, you know, pay back what he did for me.
752
00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:23.380
I could never do it.
753
00:42:24.030 --> 00:42:25.789
Well, I think the fact you're here now, you know,
754
00:42:25.829 --> 00:42:29.730
you're a living legacy to Frank Gardena. Every time you
755
00:42:30.010 --> 00:42:32.010
are able to go on air or go on a
756
00:42:32.030 --> 00:42:36.449
show and those things, you know, you wouldn't be there
757
00:42:36.469 --> 00:42:40.230
without Frank Gardena, I think. And, you know, I think
758
00:42:40.949 --> 00:42:44.769
that's pretty much standard for Frank, you know, throughout his life.
759
00:42:44.789 --> 00:42:46.949
Like I said, his resume is so long. I just
760
00:42:46.969 --> 00:42:50.239
can't imagine the amount of people that he helped along
761
00:42:50.260 --> 00:42:52.920
the way, and he left the impression on, and they're
762
00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:55.380
still out there, so his legacy lives on.
763
00:42:55.400 --> 00:42:59.880
And I think it will always, it's just one of those,
764
00:43:02.860 --> 00:43:08.380
he's just one of those people that you cannot forget.
765
00:43:08.900 --> 00:43:13.719
But again, I'll say this out loud, there should be
766
00:43:13.820 --> 00:43:20.820
no way that there is not something somewhere with his
767
00:43:20.900 --> 00:43:21.780
name on.
768
00:43:23.619 --> 00:43:28.909
It in this city, in this state, some kind of way.
769
00:43:28.929 --> 00:43:30.630
Some kind of memorial.
770
00:43:30.670 --> 00:43:36.150
Some kind of memorial needs to happen because as a
771
00:43:36.190 --> 00:43:45.269
former athlete and knowing him, I don't know anybody else truthfully,
772
00:43:45.650 --> 00:43:49.300
that I could say was any better than him when
773
00:43:49.340 --> 00:43:51.900
it came to interviewing.
774
00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:54.079
Because when he interviewed you, it was like you were
775
00:43:54.119 --> 00:43:55.480
talking to a friend.
776
00:43:55.500 --> 00:43:55.860
You know?
777
00:43:56.059 --> 00:43:57.800
I mean, he just.
778
00:43:57.699 --> 00:44:01.590
Had a natural way to get information out of you.
779
00:44:02.250 --> 00:44:05.190
And he did so many things in and around sports.
780
00:44:05.510 --> 00:44:07.650
And to me, he was probably one of the biggest
781
00:44:07.710 --> 00:44:15.449
names in sports. Mm-hmm. I don't think that we can
782
00:44:15.530 --> 00:44:20.590
let this pass and not celebrate him in a way
783
00:44:21.250 --> 00:44:24.250
that everybody will know who he is. They may not
784
00:44:24.309 --> 00:44:29.190
know him, but who he was. And his accomplishments. Yes,
785
00:44:29.530 --> 00:44:32.489
and his accomplishments. I think that is needed.
786
00:44:32.510 --> 00:44:35.110
Well, we have two legislators sitting, you know, and one
787
00:44:35.159 --> 00:44:36.579
on the phone and one sitting here.
788
00:44:36.599 --> 00:44:37.480
You're so famous, Hollis.
789
00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:42.519
So I'm giving y'all a task already. You know, I
790
00:44:43.119 --> 00:44:51.119
think you can't find anybody any more notable than him
791
00:44:52.260 --> 00:44:58.460
that has been through sports. And now he's gone. And
792
00:44:59.239 --> 00:45:01.280
there are people who need to know who he was.
793
00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:02.019
And to me.
794
00:45:04.599 --> 00:45:08.440
Somebody's, wherever we put it, somebody's going to be, they're
795
00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:09.019
going to walk.
796
00:45:08.900 --> 00:45:11.840
Up to it and say, oh, oh, he did that. Oh,
797
00:45:11.860 --> 00:45:14.429
that's cool. I agree. You know, I think that just
798
00:45:14.449 --> 00:45:15.869
has to happen.
799
00:45:15.949 --> 00:45:22.369
We can't let that particular person pass away and give him,
800
00:45:22.769 --> 00:45:25.409
and not give him everything possible.
801
00:45:25.210 --> 00:45:25.949
That he's due.
802
00:45:27.460 --> 00:45:28.079
I agree.
803
00:45:28.239 --> 00:45:37.590
Because he, covering sports, covering individuals in sports, interviewing individuals
804
00:45:37.949 --> 00:45:42.949
that played sports. I mean, he made sure that he
805
00:45:42.989 --> 00:45:44.320
could get your story out there.
806
00:45:45.880 --> 00:45:46.860
Oh, absolutely.
807
00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:49.199
Yes, he made a ton of stories, and I just
808
00:45:49.280 --> 00:45:52.659
don't think it could be right that we do not
809
00:45:52.739 --> 00:45:57.400
celebrate it and make sure that it is etched in
810
00:45:57.420 --> 00:46:00.900
stone somewhere who he is and what he's done.
811
00:46:02.420 --> 00:46:04.320
He certainly don't have any disagreement for me, and I
812
00:46:04.360 --> 00:46:09.110
know you said Hollis is there. I'm sure that that's
813
00:46:09.130 --> 00:46:11.869
something we can work on and help the communities. I
814
00:46:11.909 --> 00:46:14.829
know he very much loved his home community. Lisa, you
815
00:46:14.849 --> 00:46:18.809
mentioned about you both were from DuPont. He mentioned it
816
00:46:18.929 --> 00:46:21.690
often and loved his home community and his home school,
817
00:46:22.449 --> 00:46:24.730
and I admired that about him. I think anybody.
818
00:46:26.829 --> 00:46:31.809
I remember him talking about the Saturday nights and just,
819
00:46:31.829 --> 00:46:35.739
you know, a small town and the porch lights and,
820
00:46:35.760 --> 00:46:40.500
you know, just walking home. It's just, you know, very
821
00:46:40.860 --> 00:46:45.039
representative of small town West Virginia. And then he goes on.
822
00:46:45.119 --> 00:46:49.199
And at one point, I know, was SID at Penn State, right?
823
00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:50.239
Yeah, he was.
824
00:46:50.469 --> 00:46:50.679
Yeah.
825
00:46:52.170 --> 00:46:55.449
And, like I said, just... took on so many various
826
00:46:55.489 --> 00:46:59.150
roles in journalism and broadcast journalism. It's just to the unequaled.
827
00:46:59.829 --> 00:47:02.269
And so, yeah, as we say, you know, there'll be
828
00:47:02.289 --> 00:47:04.719
a lot of other people I'm sure come along and
829
00:47:04.739 --> 00:47:06.900
are good ones, but there'll never be another Frank Gardena.
830
00:47:08.340 --> 00:47:09.820
I'm a hundred percent with you on that.
831
00:47:10.159 --> 00:47:10.920
It won't be missed.
832
00:47:12.300 --> 00:47:12.570
All right.
833
00:47:12.699 --> 00:47:17.170
Well, we appreciate you coming on and, uh, Hopefully we can,
834
00:47:17.590 --> 00:47:19.989
if you need any help from somebody who wants to
835
00:47:20.369 --> 00:47:23.880
try to make that happen, call me because I'll be
836
00:47:23.920 --> 00:47:24.900
willing to fight for it.
837
00:47:26.119 --> 00:47:27.639
Sounds like an offer for sure.
838
00:47:29.639 --> 00:47:31.329
All righty. We appreciate you being on.
839
00:47:32.130 --> 00:47:33.530
Okay, guys. I appreciate being here.
840
00:47:33.570 --> 00:47:34.050
Thanks, Dana.
841
00:47:34.070 --> 00:47:34.469
Thanks, Dana.
842
00:47:36.550 --> 00:47:41.630
Well, I apologize that this was something that you didn't.
843
00:47:41.369 --> 00:47:43.349
Actually have a chance to. No, no, that's fine.
844
00:47:43.489 --> 00:47:46.090
It's good, though, because, like, when he mentioned, like, Frank
845
00:47:46.110 --> 00:47:50.579
Gardena's legacy, you know, bringing you on and obviously bringing
846
00:47:50.619 --> 00:47:52.659
you on, you brought me on. So, like, I'm a
847
00:47:52.699 --> 00:47:56.239
part of that lineage. Yeah. That, you know, at least
848
00:47:56.300 --> 00:47:58.960
on that end of things. And you mentioned being, like,
849
00:47:59.019 --> 00:48:01.989
a sports information director. those are such vital roles at
850
00:48:02.030 --> 00:48:04.889
the university. I think it's Sean McAntham's estate and just
851
00:48:04.909 --> 00:48:07.389
the various, you know, sports information. Cause they kind of
852
00:48:07.710 --> 00:48:11.530
keep those historical documents in order and, you know, build
853
00:48:11.610 --> 00:48:13.909
a legacy on that end. So, you know, it was
854
00:48:13.949 --> 00:48:17.190
great to just, you know, learn about the, learn about
855
00:48:17.230 --> 00:48:19.070
him as a person, as a man, as a, as
856
00:48:19.110 --> 00:48:23.340
a professional. And I just love just the diversity that happens, right.
857
00:48:23.360 --> 00:48:25.900
Cause you talk about, you know, being a sports information director,
858
00:48:25.940 --> 00:48:29.420
being an executive producer, calling games, being a writer, uh,
859
00:48:29.730 --> 00:48:33.449
And this path can just take you down so many avenues.
860
00:48:33.630 --> 00:48:36.730
And I think that's part of the reason why when
861
00:48:36.769 --> 00:48:42.070
he would write, if he was writing, he knew all
862
00:48:42.139 --> 00:48:43.260
the aspects.
863
00:48:44.199 --> 00:48:46.659
Of the game.
864
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:47.760
Almost every game.
865
00:48:47.840 --> 00:48:48.119
Yes.
866
00:48:48.179 --> 00:48:52.679
I mean, not just football. He called Cincinnati baseball. Cincinnati
867
00:48:52.699 --> 00:48:53.800
read baseball for a while.
868
00:48:53.820 --> 00:48:56.159
That's awesome. And again, he was just so good.
869
00:48:58.349 --> 00:49:02.730
Had the perfect voice, had the perfect, I'll say, mannerisms
870
00:49:03.230 --> 00:49:08.179
to make it fun. And if it's serious, he could
871
00:49:08.219 --> 00:49:12.340
get you serious. But man, gosh, he was so much fun. Like,
872
00:49:12.900 --> 00:49:16.250
he was just so much fun. And when we were
873
00:49:16.250 --> 00:49:19.179
doing RSN, I mean, we we enjoyed it. We were
874
00:49:19.199 --> 00:49:22.599
going everywhere all over the place and just, yeah.
875
00:49:22.659 --> 00:49:26.800
And just having fun. And, and man, he, he, he
876
00:49:26.840 --> 00:49:28.980
was a huge part of that. Yeah.
877
00:49:29.039 --> 00:49:30.639
He will, he will be missed deeply.
878
00:49:30.840 --> 00:49:31.219
Yes.
879
00:49:31.460 --> 00:49:31.719
Yes.
880
00:49:32.980 --> 00:49:36.969
Well, anybody got anything else? Um, That's it.
881
00:49:37.010 --> 00:49:38.119
That's it for tonight.
882
00:49:38.159 --> 00:49:40.480
All right, ladies and gentlemen, hope you enjoyed the show
883
00:49:40.980 --> 00:49:42.960
and we will be back again next week.
884
00:49:43.480 --> 00:50:34.510
We're out of here. You gotta work.
885
00:50:38.820 --> 00:50:42.460
You gotta work Grind, shine, it's mine Gotta show.
886
00:50:42.300 --> 00:50:44.179
Everybody it's my time Getting it.
887
00:50:44.199 --> 00:50:48.219
You gotta work Grind, shine, never mind who talking down
888
00:50:48.260 --> 00:50:52.750
Cause they lying, don't talk, you gotta work You gotta
889
00:50:52.829 --> 00:50:58.449
work You gotta work You gotta work.
890
00:50:58.510 --> 00:50:58.849
Yeah.
891
00:50:59.030 --> 00:50:59.789
You gotta work.
892
00:50:59.869 --> 00:51:00.210
Yeah.
893
00:51:00.389 --> 00:51:01.070
You gotta work.
894
00:51:01.090 --> 00:51:03.329
I'm going hard like Kobe inside the gym.
895
00:51:03.969 --> 00:51:05.050
I'm a diamond in dirt.
896
00:51:05.250 --> 00:51:06.030
I hit in gym.
897
00:51:06.969 --> 00:51:09.659
Going for greatness. I gotta win by any means. Cause
898
00:51:09.679 --> 00:51:11.360
I don't know when I'll be back again.
899
00:51:11.380 --> 00:51:12.039
Going hard.
900
00:51:12.079 --> 00:51:13.039
I gotta get it, man.
901
00:51:13.099 --> 00:51:13.940
I can't even lie.
902
00:51:14.260 --> 00:51:16.659
I put in so much sweat. My body running dry.
903
00:51:16.960 --> 00:51:19.420
I shed so many tears. Now I don't wanna cry.
904
00:51:19.440 --> 00:51:20.780
Now it's coming easy to me.
905
00:51:20.880 --> 00:51:21.159
I'm like.
906
00:51:21.260 --> 00:51:23.699
To do is try I had to work push myself
907
00:51:23.780 --> 00:51:25.989
through it even though I knew it hurt long as
908
00:51:26.030 --> 00:51:27.690
you do it right it don't matter who.
909
00:51:27.550 --> 00:51:28.849
Do it first never say.
910
00:51:28.730 --> 00:51:31.510
Yourself short know your worth I knew I wasn't one
911
00:51:31.550 --> 00:51:35.590
since birth I had to work grind shine it's mine
912
00:51:35.639 --> 00:51:38.340
gotta show everybody it's my time get in here you
913
00:51:38.360 --> 00:51:42.340
gotta work grind shine never mind who talking down cause
914
00:51:42.380 --> 00:51:47.019
they lying don't talk you gotta work you gotta work
915
00:51:48.929 --> 00:51:53.320
you gotta work You got to work, yeah. You got
916
00:51:53.340 --> 00:51:55.239
to work, yeah. You got to work. I knew I'd
917
00:51:55.260 --> 00:51:57.920
be a legend if I put in the time. Never quit,
918
00:51:57.940 --> 00:52:00.920
never give up if you falling behind. Anything you work
919
00:52:00.960 --> 00:52:03.800
for comes to you by design. Obstacles will never stop
920
00:52:03.820 --> 00:52:05.940
you because it's all in your mind. If you fall,
921
00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:07.179
dust it off and get back up.
922
00:52:07.219 --> 00:52:07.619
On your feet.
923
00:52:08.059 --> 00:52:10.340
Anything could be a win, yup, even defeat.
924
00:52:10.659 --> 00:52:13.039
They say sugar bath for you, wise, victory sweet.
925
00:52:13.380 --> 00:52:15.400
Couldn't play with big kids, I had to sit in
926
00:52:15.440 --> 00:52:18.079
the street and watch from a distance. But over time
927
00:52:18.159 --> 00:52:18.420
I grew.