Every July, Query & Schultz catch up with former prominent Indianapolis and/or Indiana athletes, coaches, and influential figures in their "Catching Up With" series! Hear those players, coaches, and other luminaries look back on their time in Indiana, share personal stories from inside and outside the locker room, and get you up-to-date on what they're doing now.
2017
When Kyle Taber walked-on to Indiana before the 2004 season, there's no way he knew what rollercoaster ride he was getting on. The forward who saw four head coaches (Mike Davis, Kelvin Sampson, Dan Dakich, and Tom Crean) in his time at Indiana, and who is involved in head coaching himself, looked back on five crazy years with the Hoosiers, and how he's stayed in the sport he loves.
You'll find his name all over the Pacers all-time leaderboard, but unlike Reggie Miller or Jermaine O'Neal, Herb Williams identifies more as a Knick. That said, Williams' most productive years came in Indiana (1981-89), even if those Pacers teams didn't enjoy a lot of success during his tenure. The former big man joined the show to look back on those 1980s days in Indianapolis, the early years with Reggie Miller, being on the opposite bench during the "Knicks vs. Hicks" heyday, and his long stint in NBA and WNBA coaching.
Unlike many of our other Catching Up With guests, most fans know what Gary Brackett is up to. The former defensive captain is now the owner of the Stacked Pickle franchise of restaurants in town, as well as upscale downtown steakhouse, CharBlue. However, with an in-studio visit, we figured we'd wrap in Gary with our month-long feature. We talked to Gary about a myriad of topics: adjusting to life after football, player finances, CTE concerns, the restaurant business, and this upcoming season for the Colts. Brackett's views specifically on CTE are absolutely worth a listen.
Curtis Painter was put in some really tough situations during his time in Indianapolis. The rookie became the focal point of a hugely unpopular decision by Bill Polian to rest starters late in the 2009 season, evaporating the Colts' chances at an undefeated season. Oh, and he also lost all eight of his starts following Peyton Manning's neck surgery in 2011, which was one of the worst seasons in franchise history. However, Painter, a Vincennes native and the second-leading passer in Purdue history, isn't bitter. In fact, he's remained in the Indy area to enjoy his post-football life. He looked back on what was a volatile three seasons in Indianapolis, the experience of backing up both Manning brothers, and his role in Pat McAfee's infamous Canal swimming incident.
Freddie Lewis was a multiple-time All-Star, a member of the ABA's vaunted All-Time Team, and a standout player on all three of the Pacers' championship teams. However, too often we forget about the dynamic point guards' contributions to this franchise's success. We caught up with Freddie, who discussed the hopes his jersey can someday be retired (even though he just passed his 74th birthday), and looked back on his memorable time with the ABA's greatest dynasty.
Buddy Rice is one of seventeen drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 from the pole, but was never able to duplicate the success he had that day or that season. It was the only time he finished the race better than eighth, and the only season he finished better than ninth in points. A lot of that was due to instability with sponsors and a 2005 practice crash that prevented him from defending his title. His last full-time season in IndyCar was 2008. The laid-back native Arizonan joined the show to look back on 2004 - hint: his life doesn't still revolve around that win - and give us an update on what he's up to now.
The 30+ year co-host of the Bob & Tom Show, Hall-of-Famer, and radio icon joined us for an entire hour in-studio, as we continued our Catching Up With feature. Sure, Bob himself isn't exactly a "sports" figure, but he's forged close relationships with guys like Johnny Bench and Peyton Manning. He spoke about those friendships, the origins of the Bob & Tom Show, his all-time favorite bits, and traveling the country as a retired man.
Lyndon Jones was a big part of one of Indiana's greatest all-time basketball dynasties at Marion (the Giants went 84-4 and won three-straight state championships from 1985-87), and formed one of Indiana's greatest all-time duos with Jay Edwards. We caught up with the 1987 co-Mr. Basketball to talk Purple Reign, Bob Knight, his time after hoops, and his lifelong friendship/link with Edwards.
Fred Jones's athleticism enticed Pacers head coach Isiah Thomas so much that Indiana decided to use the 14th overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft on the high-flier from Oregon. But, while he only spent four seasons with the Blue and Gold, Jones still calls Indianapolis home. The former guard, who played a total of seven NBA seasons, looked back on his Slam Dunk Contest championship in 2004, the fallout from The Brawl that next season, and how he's stayed involved in hoops right here in the Circle City.
Mark Patrick did it all. He got his start in radio, with his first big break coming when he was added to the Bob & Tom cast of characters in 1987, and was a host on WNDE for two different stints. But, Patrick is also well-remembered for his near decade-long run at WISH-8 and his many years as host of the beloved Hoosier Millionaire program. Mark looked back on those days in Indy, talked about retired life out East, and his son's latest stint in Cincinnati.
The Colts have had some big personalities in their 33-year Indianapolis history, but perhaps none bigger than Ray Buchanan. The brash cornerback may be best-remembered for his time helping lead the Falcons to their first ever Super Bowl appearance - and his memorable feud with then-Broncos TE Shannon Sharpe - but he developed his "Big Play Ray" brand as a Colt (1993-96). "Big Play Ray" joined us to talked about his time in Indianapolis, including the unforgettable Cardiac Colts run to the AFC Championship Game in 1995, his sons carrying on his legacy, and how he's stayed active with football.
Like Troy Lewis, Glenn Robinson, and Robbie Hummel, Willie Deane was a multiple-time All-Big Ten selection during his time at Purdue. However, unlike those three guys, his tenure at Purdue was a losing one - the Boilermakers went just 21-27 in conference play from 2000-03. The dynamic guard is still lighting up the scoreboard overseas at 37 years old, and Deane talked with us about his world travels, ending up at Purdue from upstate New York, and his family life.
The former Connersville star was a three-time All-Horizon League First Team performer at Butler, and one of the major pieces of their run to national prominence in 2010 and 2011. He took a break from his vacation today to look back on his time as a Bulldog, talk about his relationships with Stevens and Hayward, and what he's up to today.
John Andretti's long racing career included over 400+ starts in IndyCar and NASCAR, and despite being a Pennsylvania native, he still calls Indianapolis "home". The former driver, who has done so much for Riley Children's Hospital with his work on the upcoming annual Race 4 Riley, joined us to discuss his time behind the wheel, next week's race, and the biggest fight of his life: his battle with colon cancer.
When thinking of the great Hoosiers of the early 1990s, may fans talk about Calbert Cheaney, Damon Bailey, or Alan Henderson. But, what about Greg Graham? The former Warren Central star was a key figure on Indiana's 1992 Final Four and 1993 outright Big Ten championship teams, and was selected 17th overall in the NBA Draft. Though his pro career never got off the ground, Graham has stayed active in basketball, and his latest coaching stop has taken him to Rhode Island.
The Lawrence Central standout turned Boilermaker walk-on made perhaps the biggest play in Purdue history - a 64-yard touchdown catch in the final seconds vs. Ohio State in 2000 (aka the "Holy Toledo!" play) - which paved the road to the Boilermakers first Rose Bowl since 1967. Morales, who still lives and works in his hometown of Indianapolis, looks back on that epic play and a special season in West Lafayette.
Peyton Manning's first professional head coach's tenure ended abruptly after a strong start. Mora talks about how/why he lost his job with the the Colts (1998-01), his icy relationship with Bill Polian, his own infamous "Playoffs?!" rant, and why he won't be back for Peyton Manning's statute unveiling this Fall... despite an invite from Manning himself.
2016
The 1995 Colts still reserve a special place for Colts fans as the most beloved team of the non-Peyton Manning era, and Roosevelt Potts was a key part of that squad. The bruising fullback's deceptive speed made for a solid 1-2 punch with a young Marshall Faulk, but drugs and alcohol cost him the 1996 season and his football career never recovered. Potts opened up to us about his substance issues in a long edition of Catching Up With... He also spoke about his son, R.J., who is a star recruit at Fishers High School, and how he's staying active with the Colts' franchise today.
Chad Austin isn't always mentioned among Gene Keady's best players, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a Boilermaker who hit as many big shots as he did. Austin, who was an All-Big Ten First Team selection in 1997 and 1998, joined our Catching Up With... series to re-live some of those heroics. Now living in Brooklyn, we talked buzzer beaters, Rucker Park, and if he was better than his brother, Woody.
At six-feet and around 150 pounds, he wasn't exactly a towering figure on the basketball court, but A.J. Graves was one of the best scorers in Butler history. The former standout guard joined us for our Catching Up With... feature, and surprisingly told us that he's almost completely stopped playing hoops. Graves looked back on Brad Stevens' first season as a collegiate head coach, Butler's terrific 2007 and 2008 teams (went 59-11 combined in those seasons), and what he's up to now.
A key part of Indiana's 1987 title team as a sophomore, the future looked bright for Rick Calloway in Bloomington. However, after being pushed to a new position and seeing his playing time cut by Bob Knight, Calloway bolted for Kansas. After a brief stint in the NBA, he spent the rest of the 1990s playing overseas. Calloway talked about what led him to transfer from Indiana, and gave us an update on everything that's happening in his life today.
He was only 5'9, but the Purdue speedster was Drew Brees' favorite target and a huge part of the Boilers' 2000 Rose Bowl team. In our Catching Up With... conversation, we look back at Sutherland's terrific Purdue tenure, the alcohol issues that disrupted his short NFL career, and learn what he has going on right now in Florida.
The bulky power forward was one of the enforcers on the memorable 1990s Pacers and a starter on the franchise's only NBA Finals team (2000). We talked to the fan favorite about his relationship with his old Pacer teammates, the trade that sent him to Portland (and the one that sent Antonio Davis to Toronto), and Query asked him about his body fat percentage because he has a strange fascination with it.
An Indiana Mr. Basketball and National Player of the Year in 1984, Michigan City's Delray Brooks decided to head to IU to play for Bob Knight. But, after being benched his sophomore year, Brooks bolted to the northeast where he became a key contributor - along with future coaching star Billy Donovan - on Providence's surprising 1987 Final Four team. A couple of coaching stops after that did (Kentucky) and didn't (Texas-Pan Am) work out for him, and we talked to Delray about his return to his home state.
From stalling in the pits while leading to a parade lap accident as the pole-setter in 1992, Roberto Guerrero did not have good luck in Indianapolis. However, he did find good fortune after fully recovering from an horrific tire test accident that nearly cost him his life, and has since stayed active in racing. The Colombian driver talked about his near-misses in Indy, his long road back from a 17-day coma, and his loose connection to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar.
From 1988-93, there weren't a lot of reasons to watch the Colts. The team never finished better than third in the AFC East, and bottomed out with an awful 1-15 mark in 1991. However, a dynamic return man named Clarence Verdin made it an adventure every time he touched a ball. The former specialist/receiver told stories of the late Bob Irsay at the Colts' Christmas party, Eric Dickerson's "Hollywood" attitude, and shared a great bit about a young Peyton Manning coming to one of his camps in New Orleans.
When talking of the greatest Pacers, names like Reggie Miller, Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and George McGinnis always come up, but what about Billy Knight? The former NBA/ABA All-Star and Indiana's third all-time leading scorer joined us for our Catching Up With... feature. Knight's timing as a Pacer may have been poor as it coincided with the ABA's demise and their early NBA futility, but he talked glowingly of his days in Indy and gave us an update on what he's doing now.
The lanky big man may not have looked very intimidating, but Kirk Haston became one of the best players in the Big Ten in his three seasons at Indiana. His pinnacle moment as a Hoosier came in the second half of his final season (2001), when his buzzer-beater helped Indiana end defending champion Michigan State's 23-game winning streak. The former first round NBA Draft pick joined us for our Catching Up With... feature and opened up about his recruitment, the tragic loss of his mom while at IU, and his current relationship with Bob Knight.
The former Purdue sharpshooter recently ended his hoops career overseas, and has since come back to his hometown of Indianapolis. We caught up with David Teague to end our series for the year, and looked back on his days at Pike and Purdue, as well as a final clarification of what his relation is (if any) to new Pacer Jeff Teague.
2015
Chandler Thompson
The former Ball State standout's career was highlighted by this dunk against eventual National Champion UNLV in the 1990 Sweet 16 (UNLV only won by two, and then beat Duke by 30 in the title game). It is perhaps the most memorable moment of the most memorable game in Cardinals' hoops history. Chandler Thompson looked back on "the dunk" and his successful pro career overseas.
Bill Mallory
It's no secret that Indiana football does not have a winning tradition. However, there was a brief time in the late 1980s/early 1990s when IU was competing near the top of the Big Ten. We caught up with the head coach that led them to six of their nine all-time Bowl appearances, including a near Rose Bowl berth in 1987.
He was perhaps the best high school football player that the state of Indiana had ever seen, leading Ben Davis to a 42-2 record and two state championships en route to becoming the 2001 Indiana Mr. Football. It was with SEC power Tennessee, though, that his once promising career came unhinged. On Catching Up With..., James Banks talks about his rise and fall... and everything in-between.
Bill Brooks
This relative unknown from the heart of New England Patriots' country became one of the most beloved figures of the 'Before Peyton era' in Indianapolis. Still with the organization today, the Colts Ring of Honor inductee discussed the past and present franchise.
Purdue's "Three Amigos" (Troy Lewis, Everette Stephens, Todd Mitchell)
Glenn Robinson and the 1994 Purdue team get a lot of the praise and attention, but Gene Keady's best squad may have been a group of three all-conference players affectionately referred to as the "Three Amigos". In 1988, the senior trio of Stephens, Lewis, and Mitchell led the Boilers to 29 wins, an outright Big Ten title, a #2 national ranking, and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. We talked to all three of them at the same time about their memorable tenure in West Lafayette.
The 1998 Indiana Mr. Basketball and heart of Indiana's memorable run to the 2002 National Championship Game joined us to look back on that run, the ankle injury heard 'round the world, the current state of IU basketball, and what he's up to now.
The man who led Purdue to ten of their seventeen all-time Bowl appearances, including the 2001 Rose Bowl, talked to us about retired life in Wyoming. He also opened up about his current relationship with the program, and shared some not-so-rosy feelings towards Athletic Director Morgan Burke.
To this day, the 1983 Big 8 Player of the Year is the highest-drafted player in Pacers history (Wayman Tisdale and Rik Smits were also taken #2). Stipo had five productive seasons in Indianapolis, but knee injuries ended up torpedoing the 7-footer's career. Over a quarter-century since his retirement, Stipanovich looks back on playing in "Nap Town" and life after basketball.
Besides Peyton Manning and Reggie Miller, there may not be another pro athlete that was as beloved in Indianapolis as the great Razor Shines. The Double-A manager, who spent nine seasons as an Indianapolis Indian in the 1980s, joined the show to share Bush Stadium and "RRRRRRRAZOR" memories.
Raheem Brock
The 2000s Colts were star-studded with names like Manning, Harrison, and Wayne, but their core was also solidified by pieces like Raheem Brock. The former defensive lineman re-lived his eight seasons in Indianapolis and who he feels should be part of the Ring of Honor.
Senator Richard Lugar
Fifty years ago, Indianapolis' downtown was a wasteland. There was no Pacers, no Colts, and certainly no Final Fours or Super Bowls. The vision of former mayor and longtime senator Dick Lugar helped create and cultivate the vibrant downtown and sports scene that Hoosiers now enjoy in the Capitol city.
Rylan Hainje
In Butler lore, fans routinely talk about Gordon Hayward, Shelvin Mack, A.J. Graves, and Billy Shepherd, but what about Rylan Hainje? The Bulldogs' standout was the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2002 and Indianapolis City Player of the Year as a prep star at Cathedral. He looked back on his career with us.
He was the Indiana Mr. Basketball at George Washington High School, set the single-season scoring record at IU (still stands), and won an MVP and two championships with the Pacers. Oh, and he's also the only player in pro basketball history to average 20 points and 11 rebounds per game who isn't in the Hall of Fame, at least not yet. The great George McGinnis talks Springfield and looks back on the crazy days of the ABA.
Jeff Foster
Spanning thirteen NBA seasons, Jeff Foster's career began with the team's lone NBA Finals appearance, was shaken up by The Brawl, and ended with their memorable 2012 playoff run. He joined the show to rehash what was a quite a roller-coaster tenure with the Pacers.
Jeff Saturday
Saturday will be enshrined in the Colts' Ring of Honor this fall, and one of the team's most beloved players talks with us about that honor as well as what to expect from the 2015 team.
Chris Kramer
He was the only player in Big Ten history to ever make the All-Defensive Team in all four of his seasons - he once even held Steph Curry to 5-for-26 shooting! We caught up with the Purdue fan-favorite, Chris Kramer, who has since continued his basketball career in Germany.
Of all the players on this list, Marco Killingsworth spent the least amount of time in Indiana. He only had one season as a Hoosier, but the 2005-06 campaign was a total soap opera in Bloomington. The big man shares his unbridled and raw thoughts on Mike Davis, and his brief tenure at IU.
Dean Garrett
He may not have hit as memorable a shot as his transfer-mate Keith Smart, but Dean Garrett had just as big of an impact in his two year stay at Indiana. We talk to one of the heroes of the Hoosiers' 1987 title team, who oddly enough, had the most successful pro career of any of his teammates.
Jeff George
In our last installment of Catching Up With... for 2015, we're joined by a former Indiana prep star and #1 overall pick of the NFL Draft - he's also a guy who is terribly misunderstood. Jeff George looks back with us at his time on the field and looks ahead in the state he still calls home.