The Good Man Show
Dan Brewer and Josh Caceres of Bo Jackson Elite Sports talk weekly content within travel baseball and professional sports on every Monday night. They cover a variety of topics ranging from youth sports all the way up to pro sports in an informative yet casual way.
The Good Man Show
Like Father Like Son: The Milano Story
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The best coaches talk about people before they talk about pitches. We sit down with Nazareth Academy legend and IHSA Hall of Famer Lee Milano alongside his son Dom Milano, the head baseball coach at Harper College, for a wide ranging conversation on baseball leadership, player development, and the habits that actually last when the season gets hard.
Lee shares why opening day still brings real energy, and why coaching is inseparable from teaching. We dig into the hard moments coaches rarely admit out loud, cutting players, sending seniors off, and trying to guide teenagers through failure without breaking their confidence. Lee explains how his background in education and counseling shapes his approach to accountability, second chances, and treating players fair instead of treating everyone the same.
Dom breaks down what it’s like to become a junior college head coach at 23, how to use age as a strength when connecting with athletes, and why JUCO baseball is a powerful training ground when resources are limited and decisions come fast. We also get practical on building an offensive identity around controlling the strike zone, valuing walks, and demanding consistency. Along the way, we swap stories about umpires, reputation, and the reality that players and parents follow the head coach’s lead in tense moments.
If you care about high school baseball, college baseball, travel baseball, or youth baseball development, this one is packed with simple coaching principles you can apply immediately. Subscribe to The Good Man Podcast, share it with a coach who cares, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.
Welcome And Guest Introductions
SPEAKER_02Hello and welcome to another episode of the Good Man Podcast with Dan Brewer and Josh Casaris. We have another special treat for you today. Another IHSA Hall of Famer, Lee Milano of Nazareth Academy. And not just Lee, but his son as well, head coach of Harper College, Don Milano. Both of them have insightful commentary into the modern baseball world, whether it be high school, college, and even youth. Both have been coaches here at L Cangelosi Sparks North and Bo Jackson Lead Sports for several years since actually we opened. And both of them just have a smart but yet down-to-earth approach to the game. And as you listen to them talk, I hope you really appreciate the communication skills that they both possess and the humility while yet confidence that they bring to the table. We had some audio issues at the beginning, so we're gonna cut you right into possibly a quarter into the conversation which will carry into a very good in-depth conversation that will help you as a coach or a human being, or just a person that just loves the game. So I encourage you to whatever you're doing, just stop and listen to these two that just really know the game and understand how to get through to people. And I think the biggest takeaway I had coming from it is that it's not just about X's and O's. And especially talking to Lee, I really grasped the idea of it's just not you. It's everyone that surrounds you that makes you you. And they can bring out the best in you. So rather than just having this lone wolf mentality, surround yourself with people that are talented, smarter, and are looking out for your best interest. And that was one of the biggest takeaways I took from Coach Milano, a dad Coach Milano. And then you look at that son, and as you hear him talk, you see how he's nearly the spitting image in face and in idea to his dad. And I just found that very touching and inspiring. And as you listen to this conversation with Dan and I and these two men, I hope that you're encouraged and I hope we positively impact your day. I hope you enjoy. How do you get do you do you still get the same inspiration every opening day, every year?
SPEAKER_01I am as hungry as ever and as passionate as ever to start the year.
SPEAKER_02How do you keep that going? Or is it just organic?
SPEAKER_01I think that um I think as you get older you hopefully get wiser.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Right? And uh you really focus on the things that are important. And I think being in education for 35 years, I think um the field is an extension of the classroom. And I think it's our job as coaches to teach lifelong skills, and I think that's what we try to implement in our program. Um, and it kisses, you know, every year it the there's two things that I hate the most. One is cutting kids, and two is saying goodbye to the seniors. Those are the two hardest things I think a head coach has to face. Uh, but I'm as passionate as ever. I'm as excited as ever. And I think when that stops, it's time for me to turn, you know, to turn the keys in. But my guess is they'll probably spread my ashes on the I was gonna say about another 20 years. I'm not going anywhere.
SPEAKER_04And Dom Harper's been underway. You guys are how many games in now? 14 games in. 14 games in. Good for you guys getting 14. How's the season going?
SPEAKER_00It's going good so far. I think uh, you know, all the analytic people, they've even trickled that down to JUCO a little bit. I think some guy put together something. I think we've played like a top 15 schedule in the country so far. Uh so we've challenged ourselves early. We've we've had a little bit of adversity, um, but we've played in 14 games. I think 11 of them have been decided by three runs or less. Uh so we've played a lot of close games, we've had a lot of fun. Um, and I I really like our team. I feel good about where we're at and just trying to be good when it matters.
SPEAKER_04And how are how are the uh Sparks North alumni boys doing good?
SPEAKER_00They're doing good. They're doing well. Yeah, it's it's fun. We're lucky to, yeah. I mean, we're so lucky to be able to have the connection to you guys, and it helps me tremendously being able to coach here and and have those guys and be able to recruit those guys. It's it's a lot, it's a big reason why we're successful. I think one of the games we laid out Mango first, uh Cooper Nelson second, Coop, Dirtina third, Rocher fourth, and No Java from Sparks South fifth. So, I mean, we've we've started five to five Sparks guys almost every day. So it's it's been pretty fun to Yeah, and and uh we talk about it.
SPEAKER_04We've been fortunate that you are now right in our backyard and obviously coaching here and the experience you have, and and I think the young wisdom you are bringing to the game and knowledge you're bringing to these kids, I think it's fortunate for our players because they have a good opportunity to go play young for a guy who cares um for a program that I think is on the the up for sure. So I think it's stuff like it's just nice to have that. Um but I think you're I think you're doing a heck of a job over there, Dom. I I applaud you for playing a tough schedule. I know some guys may say, hey, play certain types of schedules, but like whatever, man. Like go go play some good competition, see where your boys are made of, but also, you know, I'm saying go stack up your wins and beat the people you're supposed to beat. So good for you.
Coaching Young At The JUCO Level
SPEAKER_00Appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02Dom, um, you're pretty young, and um not that it's a bad thing. We've we've both come in this pretty young. Um, what challenges have you faced? And uh in terms of the age differential between you and your players, if any challenges at all. And then also, what's probably the biggest challenge you've had just being a junior college head coach?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's a good question. I took over as uh interim head coach when I was uh 23 years old, uh, so I was really young. Um, but I really like I knew I wanted to coach. I I always loved the game. And since the I I went to my first NAS game when I was 10 days old, I spent every day in the dugout that I could growing up. And to this day, I still spend time in the dugout learning from my dad and and just being around the people here where I try to like soak in as much win wisdom as I can with the game. Um, but I honestly try to think of it as a positive way and realize to, hey, you know, I'm 23, 24, 25, not too far removed from Division I baseball, where it's like you guys want to get to that level. Not that I was, you know, a superstar or any good at that level, but I was able to see what the superstars in the LSUs and Tennessees and Indiana's and Notre Dame's were all about. And I try to use my age to connect to where they're going through. And you know, you and I both JUCO guys, like I try to use that to our advantage and use the age uh as an advantage and not a disadvantage.
SPEAKER_02And then this current season, I obviously have been in the at the junior college level. Uh any challenges particular in junior college that you have faced and obviously played at the division one level that's different than let's say a four-year?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, like you and I both know it's it's uh it's definitely a grind. It's it's uh it's different. And uh once again, like no money, no resources, not a lot of you know support in terms of what you're gonna get at a four-year school. And to me, I love that because I think that's just gonna make it that much better down the road for our players and for myself as well. Because if we can win with nothing per se, then when you, you know, have higher ambitions or when you want to get to other places, whether it's a player or it's me, then you can say, hey, like we won with this. You know, I I talked to uh Coach Copeland from NIU a lot, and like he just spoke on the value of like being a head coach was so important for him when he was going to get into the Northern Illinois job because he's like, Hey, we won at Springfield with this, this, and that. Like, hey, I want to try to do it at Northern Illinois where I know I'm not gonna have the same resources as Vanderbolt or LSU per se.
How Lee Milano Started Coaching
SPEAKER_02So, Coach Milano, Father Milano, I just that was a great answer from the sun, and it's uh uh obviously representation of you. What got you into this? Because obviously he wouldn't be here if you didn't weren't here. So, what started you in this?
SPEAKER_01Really fortunate. My brother was a head coach at NAS in '96. His uh assistant resigned a couple weeks before the season, and he asked me, uh, hey, would you help me out for three months? And that three months has turned into uh, I don't know, 32 years. I mean, that's uh that's pretty much what got me into it. I I you know fell in love with it. Uh very fortunate to have two parents that showed uh us what work ethic is all about, blue-collar parents that showed us what work ethic was all about. And um, you know, once you you get a taste of it and you get that feeling of you're making a difference in in in hopefully people's lives, um, because baseball really is a microcosm of life, right? It's not if you face adversity, it's when you face adversity, and it's not how you react, it's how you respond, because you don't want to react, you want to have a thoughtful response, and that really can carry you throughout life, right? So um we know we're gonna face adversity throughout the season, we're we're prepared for it, we have a a plan for it, and that's kind of the same thing in life. You don't know what the the path's gonna be, but you have to be able to be resilient and be able to respond.
Culture Depends On Your People
SPEAKER_04That was a really good answer. Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing, just listening to the two of them. It's like, no wonder Dom has gotten into it because you hear him talking, even like the jump start into it. Like, I you know, as long as I've known you, Lee, I don't know if I've ever really known how you got into coaching because you and I have not really had that conversation. So it's interesting to hear like you started there and how long you've been at NAS now, and just watching you being a kid who grew up in the Grange, going to Lions Township, like watching what NAS has become in the baseball program that what it is, and having the respect for that game of the same mentality that, like, why I do this is for the joy of the inspiration you get to put on kids and the mentorship you have on kids and their their lives, and and it's not just the game. I believe baseball teaches so much about life and what you're going to have to go through because you are not going, I say it all the time, you you don't always get what you want. And this game is a game built on failure that you have to learn to deal with so much and still believe so much in yourself that watching what you've done at NAS and the program you've built and your dedication you have and the camps you run, and I have a brother who's coaching there, and kids who come to your camps, like it's first class, it it's there's a lot of care. We've had a ton of kids come into this program that have played there, like the respect they have for you, the families that have respect for you, like that just doesn't happen overnight. And and hearing you talk about it of why you've gotten into it and and your intent behind it, like it speaks volume for your character, and and I can just tell you from another individual who's younger who looks up to you that like that's that's truly inspirational, and I applaud you for what you do because this game is a beautiful thing, and for the people who really respect it, like there's a lot of love and respect for the ones who do it right.
SPEAKER_01I I appreciate those those kind words. I I I will say this, you know, you you might maybe you can question my baseball knowledge, but you can't question I know how to hire good people. And I say and part of having a program, having culture, and having success is the people you surround yourself with. And I've been really fortunate to have an administration that supports us. You know, we have a beautiful new turf field. Um, I have a I have the best staff in the country. I will argue that to my death. Um you know, up and down, just qu not just baseball people, but quality people. And then we have parents and families and players that uh understand what we're trying to do there.
SPEAKER_04They believe in what you are doing, and they they believe bringing their kid to you is the right thing for their child because they know he's in good hands or she's in good hands, whatever. Like they know that that that kid is going to be loved, respected, but also held accountable and taught how to grow up and mature. And if they make mistakes, like, yeah, sure, I'm sure you punish kids or or have to deal with things, but there's lines that like you are always one who gives second chances and willing to work with kids and understand that listen, man, kids make mistakes. We all made mistakes when we were kids. There's nobody sitting in this room who can't say that you didn't do something stupid when you were a kid, but how you respond to those is a product of who you have in your corner backing you, helping you, assisting you, all those things. And I think that's one of the greatest things I've seen you do there from the people I know and I talk to and just watching from afar. I think you've done such a great job, and that's why you have the buy-in that you have for your program.
SPEAKER_01Well, what I what I tell the families and and the kids is no one is gonna be treated equal, everyone's gonna be treated fair. Because what might be for player A might be fair, might not be fair for player B. And you have to be able to be adaptable and understand that because there are times when there are things that no one else knows what's going on in that kid's household or that kid's life, you know, and then when we're when we're trying to deal with the situation, like you have to tell take all that into account, you know. And I think I was a school counselor for for 32 years, and I think having that background um really benefits me as a coach.
SPEAKER_04Agreed. Really quick, okay. I'm gonna just throw this plug out there really quick because Don, I gotta get my you know, lovely Caliburn bat sponsor out. We appreciate Caliburn bat. Okay, I had a nice text exchange with Don. Don, thanks for coming on last week. But we're gonna get our first ever good man fungo made. Wow. I sent him some uh ideas. Okay, Caliburn bat. Love you, great sponsor, Downer's Grove. Go check out our guy, Don. Get yourself a new bat for the summer. I'm looking forward to it. I'm gonna get myself a new good man fungal. I think uh Caliburn Outfits Naz.
SPEAKER_01Hall of Fame. Yeah, Hall of Fame coach, but more importantly, a Hall of Fame guy. 100%. He's the best.
SPEAKER_04Don is Don is we were we've been so blessed, to be honest. I mean, for example, I was just talking to Terry Banya, who is who's in there practicing right now with St. Viter, head coach of St. Viter. I mean, another first-class guy, fantastic coach, does this for the right reason, son plays here, like the amount of Dan Callucci, Hall of Fame coach, Lake Park, another guy, son came through here, used to coach her, coach with Don. I mean, the the list of you guys in this area that I've gotten the pleasure of knowing, coaching your kids, working with your son. It there's a reason you guys have been in the game as long as you have, and as younger coaches, and I know I'm a little bit older than these two, but I'm still growing and learning, and I still have a long time in this game, hopefully. It's truly inspirational to watch guys who do it right, and then the the the respect you guys have for the younger generation of what you guys do and and how you teach us.
SPEAKER_01Well, you know, you know, being part of the IHSBCA and being the president, and you're you know, you're a liaison on that board. Our our goal is to work together high school baseball and travel programs, right? Because we're the the bottom line is we want to do what's best for the kids, right? And the more we can work together and promote kids, the better off we are. It is, it's been advantageous for me and an honor to be part of working with you guys because I know when my players come on March 2nd or wherever that first day is, that one thing I know for sure is when they come out of this dome, they are ready to go. You can you guys do a great job of getting the high school players ready to go and ready for the season. So I, you know, it it will it it's hand in hand for me as a high school coach to be, you know, and I'm I'm back coaching with my son Joe here, and and um I you know I love coaching, you know, and I coach with Dom, but I don't care what level we're I'm coaching, I I am so passionate.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, you just enjoy the game and you love being around it, and and we're excited, at least I can say this. I'm excited that you're gonna be back coaching this summer. Um and to your point about the IHSA BCA stuff, like I think what you guys are doing there is great being a liaison now for a little over a year and watching some of this, like I think it's awesome. I it's something that I'd never really thought about because you're never a part of until you're actually a part of it. And like seeing all the coaches who come out for that and the I don't know, just the the care you guys have for the game. Like it's great to see in Illinois. I have a lot of respect for Illinois baseball. Uh I I thought during my whole playing days that Midwest kids are some of the tougher kids that play if you make it to another level. But you also look at baseball, it's like you leave spring training, and if you aren't down south and you gotta go up east or out west, like you gotta deal with some cold or even come to Midwest. And then if you do make it to the World Series and you gotta play in November and you happen to play for one of those teams, like it's not like you get a dome, so you're playing in some cold weather. So these guys who grow up playing in some of the stuff, I believe, have edges over that, but I think you guys have provided a lot. The the convention you guys run, uh, especially this past year, I thought was top-notch. I thought it was the speakers you guys brought in were fantastic. The college guys who come out to it, the pro guys that come out to it. I just think it's like you said, you guys are trying to work cohesively with the travel, and I think for a while that wasn't like that, and now to see it like that, it's it's not a battle. It's like we're all trying to do this all for the right reason. I believe there's some guys out there who don't do it for the right reason, but I'm sure there's guys who coach in high school baseball who we might have that same opinion about.
SPEAKER_01But let's both end up.
SPEAKER_04It's both ends, but I also you can't sit here and stand like on a pedestal and be like, we're better than people because of this. Everybody's got their opinions, everybody's got their ways of doing things. I think as long as you are open-minded and willing to learn and you're always trying to grow in this game, that is what's about. If you think you know everything, you're you're lost already.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think that you know, you talk about like being in the game a long time, right? Like, I think you have to continue to evolve as a coach. You have to do professional development. You know, I know when Dom was playing, you know, and I would come here and he was hitting with Bobby Lasante, like, sure, I was like listening to what it was going on for him, but I was picking his brain as we're doing that. It's just like, you know, when I'm working with you in the infield in the winter time, you know, in previous years, like I'm learning from you. You know, like it to, you know, thank you for paying me to learn from you. So, like, I, you know, like to me, like if when you stop learning, then just stop coaching. Like, you have to continue to evolve as a coach in order to stay current with the times and be able to, the kids know more now than ever. Right? I tell my my coaches on my staff from freshman to university, you better know what the heck you're doing because these kids know more than ever. So you have to keep learning and growing.
SPEAKER_02I felt the same way when I was coaching the tigers with Lee. Tiger Ball. Tiger Ball.
SPEAKER_01It was that there was the the uh the young years of the dome when we were doing Sunday night tiger ball.
SPEAKER_03Hey, you know what, but I was trying to think what you were saying. When she said Sunday night, I was like, oh.
SPEAKER_01Those kids wanted to learn like they wanted to learn. They were coming on Sunday night, right? And like talent-wise, whatever it is, what it is, they're we're giving them a service to try to get them better, right?
SPEAKER_04I and I think that is one of the true things that make you who you are, Lee, is that's how you always approach it. It's like you don't care the level, like you said earlier, you don't care what team you coach, it's the opportunity to teach this game and grow this game. And if a kid's willing to learn, like I think that's why this dome is built. It's it's opportunity for kids who want to get better. And if they're 10 years old and they can't catch a baseball yet, that doesn't mean by the time the kid's 17, 18 years old, he's gonna be that bad. Like if they try, every kid develops at different paces, and and you watch kids who are mid tier high school players. Go on to be really good collegians. Some end up playing professional baseball. Like that's how crazy this game is. And it's it's just if you view it that way and coach it that way, I think it is truly special.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'll tell you a couple things. First of all, I hate I I I try never to cut a freshman because they're in that age, like you're you don't know where they're at yet, right? So we try to keep freshmen around. When you talk about kids that, you know, maybe are average somewhat in high school and then kind of you know explode, it comes down to between motivation and discipline. And um discipline is way more important than motivation because you could be motivated to get better, but you're not gonna be motivated every day. If you're disciplined, you're gonna work every day to get better. Right? And the last thing I will say, I had our parent meeting, I had the parents and I asked them, how many of you think your kids work hard at this craft at this game? Every parent raised their hand. I asked the players, how many of you kids work hard? Every kid raised their hand. And then I said, Don't ever tell me you work hard. I don't want to hear you work hard, because if you're in this program, you better work hard. So that's a non-factor, right? If you want to get better, you better put the time in. And you will see results.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I was just gonna ask you, uh, how because you you coach at a private school, and you know the private school rep sometimes is that those kids don't have as hard a work ethic as the public school kids. But I was just about to ask you, how do you keep the blue-collar identity there? And uh you just answer that question.
SPEAKER_01I mean, that's the way I was raised, right? Yeah, I was raised, um, never look to see how hard someone else is working, right? Yeah, but always work at your hardest. Right? And I think working at my hardest will will uh funnel down to the players, and I think that's our that's our motto, like outwork everybody. Put the time in to get better, keep your head down, be where your feet are, and work hard every day.
Dom Milano Learns On The Fly
SPEAKER_04That's good. Tom, after hearing all this, I'm gonna ask you what made you get into coaching. I kind of understand a little bit now growing up and uh playing for him and and and watching him and working with him, like I I have a pretty good guess of why you got into coaching. Um I also know that you are a passionate individual about this game, but um just kind of talk a little bit about like your coaching experience so far and like what you're trying to get out of this, what your future aspirations are, like where you're going. Like you're young, I think you got a lot of good going. I think you're building a good name for yourself, but like just kind of tell us kind of what you're up to.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I mean, I I definitely uh started coaching. A lot of the reason was because of my dad. Um, but a lot of the reason too was like because of the coaches I had in college, and and I was able to play for uh Coach Craig, who has over 900 wins at the division one level, and I still talk to him weekly uh about my team and everything like that. And it's just it's amazing to just be around so many great people that I have in my life that I'm able to use as mentors into coaching. And like my dad said, like, and he's he stole the words right out my mouth like you guys are paying me to come help you guys, but when I'm there doing infield, I'm listening to everything you're saying. I'm listening to everything that Duck's saying, I'm listening to everything Jake is saying because I uh like my dad, I might not have the greatest baseball knowledge in the world. And I tell my kids all the time, like, I'm gonna lose those games because I don't have the experience that some guys have that have been doing this for 30 years. But I'll tell you what, like, no one is gonna care as much as I do about you guys as people and as players. And no one wants to win as bad as I do, and and I'm I'm confident about that. Um, but yeah, it's just I'm really lucky to have such great people, and you know, that extends to obviously Coach Tome, Coach Bania on Sunday mornings. Like I learned I've learned so much from him from a like a strategy standpoint and things like that that maybe I just didn't think of before. Um, but yeah, I'm just trying to grow into this thing and I I try to take it every single day. Um I love the junior college route because I think it's a different perspective and a different route that college baseball coaches are getting hired more out of now. Uh you look at Rob Fournier from uh Western Kentucky, Iowa Western's head coach. Um, those guys spent a lot of time in Iowa Western, Wabash Valley, and then are now like coaching at Western Kentucky. Uh, you look at the guy from Scotoroto from Murray State, Juco guy, Baylor's head coach, Juco guy, and I know there's more and more. Um I want to spend as much time as junior college as I can uh before I take that next step. And and like I mentioned earlier about Coach Copeland, like I think there's such value in being in charge. And I'm not saying that from a narcissistic standpoint, but I'm saying that from I have to learn on the fly. I have to figure things out with a lot of help around me, but I have to ultimately figure it out for myself. And I don't have someone next to me in the dugout that's been doing it for 40 years. I have to figure that out on the fly. If there's an administrative issue and I can't call my dad or I can't do this, I have to figure it out on the fly. Like, and that's what I love. I love being able to fail and try to use that failure as growth. And ultimately, like I've had other opportunities to coach Division I baseball. And to me, it's just like right now, I just love the value of learning on the fly and having to learn to make decisions on my own versus kind of seeing how other people do it. And there's that's not a right way, it's not a wrong way, but that's just kind of the way that I really want to take right now.
SPEAKER_02Do problems arise more on the administration side or on the field side?
SPEAKER_00I think it's just like it's a little bit of both, right? So like if I if I'm doing something for the first time on the administrative, on the administration side, whether it's booking a hotel or paying for meals or hey, you know, this kid didn't go to study hall, right? Whatever it may be, right? Like that's all stuff that I'm able to use the people around me to help me with. And and the on the field stuff, you know, I love when that stuff comes up because whether I'm 25 or whether I'm 55, like there's gonna be stuff that comes up that you've probably never seen before. And I love being able to like use those things to learn from those things.
SPEAKER_01I think one thing to remember is success is never final, right? Uh success is is um something that you measure, right? But it's it's never the final result. You always have to keep working to get better. We won our first aid title, literally, we got home and I'm spent. And these knuckleheads are saying we have to do this again. Like, okay, we gotta enjoy it, right? But success is never final, failure, right, is never fatal. You have to learn from both, you have to keep growing from both.
Building Your Own Coaching Style
SPEAKER_04I feel uh enlightened. Yes, thank you, Josh. I I did, I felt enlightened after hearing that. Uh Don, I gotta ask you this. And Josh, you kind of wrote this up, and I thought this was an interesting question, but obviously your dad has influenced you a lot in coaching, and I know there's other coaches you have, but um like my father coached me in baseball, and my mom always jokes with me when she comes and watch me coach, she's always like, You are literally your father coaching, which when I sit down and analyze what I do and then hear myself and do it, I I have a lot of mannerisms that my father had. So obviously he he has taught you a lot, but how would you say you've infused your own style into your coaching?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's funny because like my mom has said the same thing, my uh fiance has said the same thing. Oh, yeah, congratulations. Oh, congratulations bringing up the stuff. We don't even get to congratulate.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Congratulations.
SPEAKER_01Congratulations. We were waiting until the end. He dropped that dime. You wanted to hear that.
SPEAKER_00I didn't know what they said. I couldn't say girlfriend. I'd be I'd get yelled at if I said girlfriend.
SPEAKER_04You well, come on now. I mean, we make mistakes, but congratulations from everybody here, and and you know, we wish the best. So happy it's exciting, so happy.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you know our gosh has a lot of great things to say.
SPEAKER_04Yes, Josh, yes, great girl. You went to Fogo, right? Went to Fogo together.
SPEAKER_02If you've got the Fogo with Josh, it's not it was in Atlanta, yeah, and um we talked that was like a two-hour lunch or dinner this time around, and you know, yeah, but she said she laughed at one of my jokes.
SPEAKER_04I knew that she was a good guy.
SPEAKER_01She was nice and respectful. She didn't want to insult a guy. He might have been a bad joke, but she didn't want to insult him.
SPEAKER_04See, now I like her even more because of you gotta play the game, right?
SPEAKER_01No, she's great.
SPEAKER_00Okay, go on, dog. But I uh seriously, like I try to take something from everyone that I've had around me, and I know I said that already earlier. Um, but I love the game too, and and I'm super passionate about the about the game. I think if you rewind 30 years from my dad, we're we were probably doing a lot of the same stuff on the field. I mean, he he uh gives me a hard time a little bit sometimes. I get pretty Like what? I get pretty fired up out there. I I'm I coach with a lot of passion, I coach with a a lot of excitement. Who doesn't?
SPEAKER_02Well thing is, I've heard conflicting reports. I heard one is more fiery in their old age than the younger man in their young age.
SPEAKER_01I'm way more calm than I used to be. And he's he's way more level-headed than I than when I was his age. He's got a way better disposition on the bench, and he's a lot more patient than I was when I was his age. Now I think I've learned a lot. Um, but I I think I still get after it once. I mean, he's got him on the bench. Last year he was telling me to calm down for about something. I can't remember what you were on the bench for.
SPEAKER_04And when he was telling you to calm down, you were looking at him like, hey, get away.
SPEAKER_01Can I swear on this or no? Uh it's up to you. He said, get your butt out of the dugout and don't tell me what to do. Marco did, and we had to you know change the room. I wouldn't swear.
SPEAKER_00It's uh it's fun, like ultimately one day, and I will probably get in trouble for saying this. My goal is to coach Division I baseball with my dad, and I hope it's within the next 10 to 15 years. Um I was not gonna get you in trouble. You didn't have to drag this man over to Jay Steel. He's never gonna leave NAS.
SPEAKER_01He's trying to make me not get the brewer to come to NAS and he's gone.
SPEAKER_00I'm I'm um all the third graders and fourth graders that are listening to the listen less are gonna be in trouble.
SPEAKER_04So poor Ethan was wearing his NAS hat today. I said you better cut that out.
SPEAKER_02I heard, I heard he's wearing the shirt today, too. He was wearing his shirt today.
SPEAKER_00But there's nothing that like makes me happier when our season ends. You know, I get to I go to every NA game after that, and and you scout for me. Scout for him, but like I'm right behind him in the dugout, and I learned a lot from him, but it it means a lot to me when he asks me, like, hey, what do you think about this? And he takes my advice because I will give him a lot of credit to his point, like he does a great job of the the culture and making sure guys are bought in and and all of those things. Um, but he like to his own, like he knows like there's some things that, and it's not not trying to sound arrogant saying this, but there's just some things that I've gotten to experience as a player, right? You guys experience playing Pro Bowl. Like there's just different things that it's a different lens, it's a different lens, you know, it's just cool.
SPEAKER_01It's a different lens that you have because you played division one baseball, it's a different lens that Jim Tomey has, a different lens that Michael Bowden has, because they played at different levels, right? But there's also a different lens that I have because I've been doing this for so long. And you put all that stuff together, it's a recipe for stuff.
SPEAKER_04Well, like you said earlier, I mean, we talk about this all the time. I mean, your staff is the best.
SPEAKER_01The world's like DJ Callant.
SPEAKER_04You have Tommy's still there with Landon playing, and obviously, his name is and his the respect that man has in this game and the knowledge he has. Like, that's what I was gonna say. You want to talk about a person who you can sit down and have a baseball talk with that never treats you like he knows more than you or disrespectful, and he will listen to you talk about the game and he is still learning and he's asking questions and he's asking questions.
SPEAKER_01But it's the first ballot Hall of Famer. It's it's fantastic to talk to him. I mean, today we were at a facility hitting, and and a grown man came up to him and pulled out a Tomey uh shirt and asked him, When would you sign it? And and Jim, without hesitation, always anything anybody says, Hey, I heard he's the nicest guy. And I I always say, You're right, he's the nicest guy you ever want to meet.
SPEAKER_04He is, he is a respectful man who remembers where he came from and he's never lost that. And I think when you play this game long enough, you're running the people who do, and having the honor and privilege of talking to him is fantastic. It's something I never thought I would do, but we are fortunate individuals. I think just he's become a friend to us all now, and he treats us the same way as we treat him. And I think that's just what this game does. But even go to Bowdoin, Bowdoin pitched in the big leagues. I was the same graduation year and first round pick. Calm, very, very mindful of things, like stays in his lane, but gives his input when needed, sticks to his strengths, like just a good mind, understands the game, but doesn't come across as like arrogant about it. I mean, my brother Jake, who in my opinion is the number one mentor I had begun the game. He's he's a Swiss Army knife man, he does everything, but he if you watched him play this game, he played every position, he understands every position. He's really good at connecting with kids and teaching kids and coaching kids hard when they need to be coached hard and being friends with them when they need like he just and motivational motivational, he can do like you said, like he can go out and do a mound visit and and and you never miss a beat with him.
SPEAKER_01Like never have to worry if there's something that's not going right in practice, like Jake's the first one to jump in, no matter what it is. I mean and and that's a pot I'm talking, that's a positive thing. Like my staff, you know, and and then you know, Rudy Luna's been with me for a long time. Um John Cerracino has played for me, he's been with me for 22 years. Um, and then Joe's my son Joseph's with volunteering. Like, I haven't my staff's is phenomenal. It's it's what our staff is unbelievable.
SPEAKER_00Well, I tell you all the time, like Anthony and I, my younger brother Anthony, like I think Jake Brewer getting hired was the great single greatest thing he's done in the last five years. Like, I think we won two state titles, I know what's this guy talking about? Like, I just you know, I just think Jake is awesome.
SPEAKER_04Like, I couldn't believe you got Jake in that Naz uniform. Oh, I love it.
SPEAKER_01I I know the I mean the brewers were just cringing.
SPEAKER_04Stunning. Listen in our household, like, and we'll get to this a little bit, but in our household, like the LT Naz thing, like it was never even in question. And there was one of us who spoke worse about Naz than any of us all, and I'll tell you, it wasn't me and it wasn't my two middle brothers, so take the guess of which one it was. And when he when you hired him, I'll never freak calling him like I can't believe you're gonna throw that jersey on. Like, if you would have told me that 17-year-old Jake Brewer was gonna throw a Nas jersey on, like World War 12 would have been hitting in our house. And but I think here, like we've known each other a long time, and the the uh respect and involvement of our our friendship and just coaching together and all that has has grown and changed, and I think that's what's great about this game.
SPEAKER_01Like, even my mother laughs about it now, uh, when I talk about you, because like she grew up listening to us, so there was dislike there, and then now it's just like she thinks you're great because you are polite and respectful to her boys, and as a mama bear, she she has the best interest for us, and so it's it's just it's fun to see it's playful banter that me and you always have had Lee and well you here's the thing like you see, like obviously we know I and I knew you were in your in high school, and we're not gonna talk about any high school stories, but it's it it's the thing about when you're coaching now that you're an adult and the in the you know I've it's been great to see you mature from where you were at to now coach and and really understand as you know like what these kids are going through and to be able to use your experiences as you know a player and now coach and put those on the you know on the young kids is is is to me it's rewarding to see.
SPEAKER_03I appreciate that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, Jake, one last thing, Jake called me today randomly. Uh I was getting out of Montini. He calls me and I was like, Jake, what's up? He goes, Well, I haven't talked, you know, I just wanted to call you. And I was uh that warmed my heart so so much. And then also I have my Lee's story too. We were in Iowa together, um staying away from a pit bull across the street. But no, we uh Lee uh took me out to dinner at Red Lobster, and uh we had a no I'm serious, we'd had an hour and a half conversation. I still remember things from that conversation that still helped me today. So just talk that this is why these these two are great, and this is why he's done the thing that they've been able to do. And uh Lee, you're you're not a coach, you're a you're a manager, and a manager at and this the uh you're a producer that brings all these people in and makes this great song. That's what you are. I appreciate that. And um, yeah, so that's all I think.
SPEAKER_01When you guys get older, all right, then it's your job to pass it down to the younger coaches, right? And and and mentor them. And I think that's part of like what you know you hopefully you guys learn if you learn anything from me, I hopefully you learn that.
Church League Basketball And Old Stories
SPEAKER_04Well, and I think I'm starting to have that opportunity in all honesty. Lee, like now that we've had kids graduate on go and play, like we have kids coming back and coaching for us in the summer, and having the opportunity to let these kids coach and see if they want to get into it or not, but just kids that you trust that you had as players that now get to come coach, like that's the give back that you get to do. Like you said, you have a guy on staff who played for you that now is there. Like you coached him and now he's come back, and now your relationship and friendship with is completely different. But the respect you guys have for each other is is off the charts. So I think with all that said, it's a perfect time for a cup of brew.
SPEAKER_02Couple brew is brought to you by Newman's Corner Pub in the western and the far west suburbs. It's in Hampshire. Um, go hit up our guy, Jeff Naraki, for all your food, drinking, dating, and gambling needs. Go to Newman's Corner Pub. Love you, Jeff. Love you, appreciate what you do.
SPEAKER_04Love you so much. So we're gonna talk a little church league hoops.
SPEAKER_01Oh god.
SPEAKER_04I mean, at that time, this is another for those who don't know. Okay, there's high school basketball, and then there's you know, in some areas they have what was called church league basketball and the in a church that yes, you would play in in you know, most of it was the Catholic school, so back around us is St. John's, St. Francis, St. Cletus. Um, I know I'm missing one, but basically uh St. John's. So you would play like teams, and they'd have teams at every age. And I had a bunch of buddies who went to St. Cletus. You're allowed one kid who didn't go to the church to be part of the team. So I did not play basketball in high school. I wrestled, so I would go play church league basketball hoops in in the winter time. And part of the reason I did not play basketball in high school was one, I was very average, I was really good defensively, I was awful on offense. Um we'll get there. Um I had probably the worst temper in any sport I played in basketball. Like my frustration in basketball would would go zero to a hundred in in milliseconds, and I would not be able to control myself. Did that stem from your lack of ability? Yeah, I think so. It was more my frustration that kids were better than me.
SPEAKER_01So I didn't like that. Let's back up. You didn't control yourself before the game started. Well, we're gonna get there, Lee.
SPEAKER_04Okay, you haven't let me finish my story about where I was. So, some of those of you don't know, this gentleman to my left, Lee Milano, used to uh be a referee during the winter. And uh every once in a while, when I'd show up to a game, I'd walk in and you know, Lee would be ref in the game. And it's like the refs would ref all three games that night. So if you'd walk in and you'd see him, it's like great, got to deal with this guy for a full basketball game. And you know, I have to say, there may or may not have been times that my mouth was already running before my game already started at at the referees, and maybe Lee was refing. And the funny thing is, one of his ex players who I actually played professional baseball against was also one of his guys that would ref with him. And by my fourth year playing in church league, if I showed up. To a basketball game and he was roughing the game. It was almost a I don't know, some would say it was probably close to 90%, if not higher, a guarantee of me getting a technical foul. Before the game started, sometimes during warm-ups. You know, sometimes we'd start possible. Sometimes we'd start the game and the other team would be at the free throw line. My coach would be like, Well, what's going on? Like, I got teed up before the game even started because this guy's terrible. And he doesn't like me talking trash about NAS baseball. And apparently I said something that was disrespectful and probably cussed at him a little bit too much. And yes, I know to your point, yes, this all took place in a church. And to my point earlier, people all make mistakes. And what I'm trying to say here is while Lee and I used to have a different relationship, and our church league one is probably one of the funnier ones that I always look back at. Uh it's funny watching the cycle turn. And I wish I I wish I knew Lee. I would say this. I wish I knew Lee the way I know him now, back then. But I also think that that dynamic of our long-lasting relations, like what has happened, has now created our friendship that we have now and our respect we have for like because, like you said, I was a young kid, he saw me do stupid things, he's watching me mature. I've gotten to watch Lee and and kind of I don't know, learn who he is as a different person than what I always perceived him as. And I think that respect that you now have for each other is different. Um but I have to say this like even looking back at it now, I don't regret a single thing I probably ever said to him at a basketball court.
SPEAKER_01And I actually think he used to call foul seventh grade. I gave him a technical foul in seventh grade. How did that happen? Because the guy's story.
SPEAKER_02I didn't foul the call on him. Yeah. Don't say it. You can't say it on the case.
SPEAKER_01And I'm like, are you kidding me? And then he obviously his coach pulled him out of the game.
SPEAKER_02It wasn't a foul. Was it that bad what he said?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_04I mean, it had four letters.
SPEAKER_01Wow. Yes. In seventh grade. And maybe it may not have been. It just continued in high school. And I I actually asked, like, hey, can you not send me where the brewery kid is? Because you don't understand this. I had four little kids at home. Now when I got to when I got to the Church League games, that was my seventh and eighth, my seventh, eighth, and ninth game of the day every Saturday. So the last thing the last thing I wanted to hear was this guy chirping before the game even started.
SPEAKER_04So I would actually, this is my favorite time to chirp at him was during free throws when I wasn't shooting. If he was the guy throwing the ball in, I would purposely, on the first free throw, position myself underneath on the block, and I would just wear him out the whole time he was holding the ball. And he'd just keep looking at me. I'd just keep going and going. And then the free throw would go and I'd walk to the top of the key.
SPEAKER_01I don't know if you know you ever heard of Pinocchio. Yeah, I have heard of Pinocchio. You know, there's a story that the story keeps growing as he gets older. And there's more two in. I think kind of that's where we're at right now.
SPEAKER_04So no, that's one thing I really do remember because I remember doing it in St. Cletus one time in the barn, because the barn was it might have also been the game that I got double teed up by you, and I was letting it eat inside the church, and one of the moms actually grabbed me of my buddy, and she told me that I need to get out of the church now because I was being too I I had crossed the line that that the pastor was actually in the building, and she said they're going to kick you out of this like forever. Like you need to go now.
SPEAKER_01If I knew that, I would encourage them to kick you out, to be honest. I made a mistake.
SPEAKER_03All right. So I wasn't wrong.
SPEAKER_02The kid, I didn't follow the kid. Dan's mentioned, Dan's mention uh when his perception changed of you. When did your perception change of Dan? Nothing.
SPEAKER_03It hasn't changed. What do you mean? Exactly. Yeah, in India.
SPEAKER_01No, in India when we coached in India, I'll tell you. No, it was what we were a little backwards then. Okay. We were we were in Lockport. Yeah, we used to hit next to you. And this guy was throwing, and I'm like, Dom, I you have no idea who this kid is. Yeah. Now, I will tell you two things happened. One, Dom had a line drive off the L screen, and it came back and almost hit me in the head. And this guy's like, hey, you're alright? I'm like, this guy doesn't know who I am right now. But when when they hired me here, Bobby Lasante, it was COVID, it was the fall of COVID. Yes. And Bobby's like, hey, do you want to come and coach? We're starting a team. And like, I mean, that team was so much fun. That was phenomenal. We had so much fun. That team was fun. So so we we came here before the dome, the dome was up, but the inside wasn't done. We were showing a player around in uh in in well he said to Bob, Bob, you sure that uh you sure does he know who I that I work here? Like, you sure it's okay? When I came here, like that we're walking around, and he's like, I just want to let you know I I'm matured since high school. And that kind of broke that kind of broke the ice.
SPEAKER_04I did because it's funny, when Bob had the same conversation with me, he's like, listen, I've I'm talking a lot to Lee. I knew he hit with Dom. He's like, I really want to get Lee out here, I think it'd be really great for us. And I looked at him, I said, Listen, Bob, I've known you a long time. I've known Bob since I was 16 years old, and I'm like, I gotta be honest, like I'm not opposed to that because I think it'd be good for us to find relationships with all the Catholic schools, but I I can't tell you that Lee Milano is gonna want to work with me. I was not the friendliest to him when I was a kid. Like, I there's one coach I've probably talked the most trash to in my life, it's hands down, he's he's in the top two. Like, and I I feel bad saying that, but that was just honest, and I was honest with Bob about it. And then we had that conversation. I think since then, like it's all been water under the bridge, it's more banter, probably me still doing more of the banter than anything, but well, I can't give you a T now. I might give you a timeout, but don't put me in timeout, man. I don't like getting put I got put in timeout on a basketball court the other day. That didn't go so well either. I still get teased. I got teed up in my daughter's third grade championship camp. Unbelievable. For what? For what? Man, it was the end of half, and I stood up and I was through the they put the ball underneath on the wrong side. We were supposed to have it on the right side of the hoop, they put on the left. So when my girls lined up to run our press break, they were lined up opposite. I stood up and I was yelling, they gotta get out, like you gotta change, you gotta flip, flip where you need to be, and then they didn't flip it, and then in our league, the girls have to our guard a player, they can't just stand in open space, and they had some random girl stand at the three-point line, and the play dictated that our girl was gonna throw it to half court and we were gonna run it down and go get it. And then they threw it right to the girl. I yelled that you have to guard players, and I'd pass history with this ref from baseball. Yeah, I know, Lee. I get it. Me and refs don't get along. And he came over to our bench chewing at our head coach, and he's like, assistant coaches can't stand up, they can't yell directions, they can't coach, they have to sit on the bench and sit there. And it was directed directly at me. And as he walked by, I you know, mumbled what I thought something under my breath that was quiet, that apparently the whole bench, along with the two dads sitting at the table, heard, and I got teed up. No swearing. You know, we talked about Well no, I that's why I got teed up.
SPEAKER_00Did you guys go on like a 12-0 run after that, though?
SPEAKER_04Or we won.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so we we we talk about in our dugout, we have a chart, and there's a circle of things you can control and you can't control, and the officials are outside of that circle, just so you can't.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, 100%. I've known that, but they still all stink and I hate them. Lee, do you ever cross over the circle with any rap umpires?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I've never been kicked out of the circle.
SPEAKER_02Never been kicked out, but he crossed over the circle.
SPEAKER_04He's talked to Smack more recently than Lee Lee approaches it in a calmer demeanor and he gets away with more. Me, I don't approach it with a calm demeanor.
SPEAKER_01Well, I I I think after 30 something years, you build uh kind of a reputation, right? Agree. And you I think again you're s you're wiser as you get older, right? And you kind of pick your spots. And when, you know, let's face it, officials um are a dying breed. There's a there's an there's an older group of officials, and I'm you know, and I love those guys, but they're in their 60s and 70s, and anybody who's young is an official goes to college. So, like, we have to treat our officials with respect because we're not gonna have them. True. You know, so like that that's kind of where I come from, and they have a job to do, and they're trying to make trying to make some money, and I don't think, just like I I tell the parents, your kid, no one I've ever coached made an error on purpose. Right? I don't think, I hope, well, there's my but maybe a couple plays, but I don't think officials make mistakes on purpose either.
SPEAKER_04No, I don't.
SPEAKER_01I but I I do think But I did, I did when I ref when Egan when you were. See? Oh. Do you see? I went to get him going, so he called fouls on me because he knew it would get me riled up. Well, because when I walked in the gym, you would start saying, This guy's here again.
SPEAKER_04I would walk in and be like, not this guy, are you kidding me? And my buddies all be like, oh no, dude. Like, just not just don't get teed up too early. Dom, how about you and numbs?
SPEAKER_00I will say he might not like my answer, but I I think the college, and you know you probably experience it here at Roosevelt, like it's a little bit different. Our whole offense is built around commanding the zone, right? So it's like command the zone at a high level. So when guys are calling balls ball like strikes, I I get frustrated with it. And I think the biggest thing is like I agree with my dad 100%, you're gonna make mistakes on uh safes and outs and whatever, right? Like, I've never argued one of those before. I have I argued like the rule interpretation stuff for sure, but I am a little bit of a stickler about balls and about balls and strikes because to me, the most important stat is do you have more walks than strikeouts? And we never talk about walking or striking out, like but walking more than striking out is just a byproduct of me of swinging at the right pitches and not you know swinging at balls.
SPEAKER_01The most important stat is walks plus hit by batters has to be higher than strikeouts. Correct. Our my best offensive teams when I put those together, that that come.
SPEAKER_02You're in the plus category.
SPEAKER_00I think we were we were fifth in the country last year in that ratio, and that was to me like blew everything else away. I was so ecstatic with with that statistic.
SPEAKER_01And it's more about umpires being consistent, right? Right. They might call a high, they make maybe they call a high zone, maybe they call an inch or so off the plate. That's fine, but just be consistent. Right? I tell our hitters, it's you you call the strikes until you got two strikes. You dictate if it's a strike or not, not the umpire. Right? Now, when you got two strikes, now he's calling strike three. Don't let him call strike three. But you can dictate if you want that piss to be a strike or not. If you take it and it's a strike, who cares? Right? It it doesn't hurt you. But strike three, don't let him dictate strike three.
SPEAKER_04Because he doesn't care. He doesn't care if he gets six. They get paid for the call out.
SPEAKER_01They don't get paid by the hour. I I say it all the time.
SPEAKER_04The guy behind you does not care what you do, so don't put it in his hands.
SPEAKER_01They don't get paid by the hour.
SPEAKER_04And if you put it in his hands and you disagree, then you know, make your choices. You can either walk away from it or deal with it. I talk to my players all the time, and I know they're younger, but even our high school kids, when I'm out at games, I'm like, none of you kids will talk to umpires. If I'm here, I'll handle it. And I tell all of our coaches, it is your guys to handle umpires if you hand it up. Now, have I had players in the past who have said things to umpires? Like, sure. Like I was a player myself, and at some point I think they all hit a point where, like, man, they're they're gonna say something, and it's a matter of what they say and how they handle it, and then teaching them off of that. Like, have you ever had a player of yours get ejected from a baseball game?
SPEAKER_01Um sure, res reacting to a situation, correct? Right? Like, not even with an umpire, like with another player years ago that you're reacting instead of just responding to it. Sure. But like the thing is with the uh, you know, what you know, I tell our kids, do not show up an umpire. I tell our coaches, no one talks to the umpire except me. Because they only they don't want to hear from moments, for sure. And they they respect that more, right? Um, but I will tell you this that umpires officials they they gossip, right? 100%. They talk, you know, and Dan Brewer was in seventh grade. Like the officials knew who Dan Brewer was. I found out about it.
SPEAKER_03Because I was a baller.
SPEAKER_01Right? I found out about it. But I was like, hey man, this brewer kid at Gary. This dude drops 30 games. This brewer kid at Guri, just be be careful. He's got he's kind of hot-headed.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, because we won three games all year. Come on, give us a break.
SPEAKER_01Help us out. I'm just saying that officials talk, right?
SPEAKER_04Well, it's funny you say that because in 2010, when I was in double A with uh with Trenton, right? We were in the middle of the rain delay, and uh the umps were it was at our place, so all the umps were in our dugout, and I was talking about the umps in the dugout, and he looks at me, he goes, You have no idea how long I've known you, do you? And I was like, No. He's like, I used to ump you in high school, and I looked at him and I go, Oh man, you've been that since then. And our coach looked at me and goes, Are you kidding? I go, What? He's not good now, and now it makes more sense. And he goes, and he looked me done in his face, he goes, You know, this is why every umpire in this league hates you, right? And I go, It's not my fault you guys can't call balls and strikes the right way. And I'm not kidding, Lee. The next home series we had, and we had that guy see you. I got ran. My coach was like, 'Are you kidding me?' He's like, How do you let that happen? I was like, 'Cause he got personal with me. He goes, You got personal with him in the dog out. I said, You're right. But yeah, that was I no joke. Like, I I remember that. And then I tried, you know, tried to make amends with people and and mature. But listen, I I you've coached with me in baseball games and you've heard me yell things at umpires. Like, I I don't know what it is, but I have I have when my eyes go red.
SPEAKER_01My first time in indie. But I didn't get ejected. I don't know how not, but Jay Tat Jay Tat and I couldn't get to the other side of the dugout because I did not want to be associated with that. Like I will I will give him this. Yeah, he was bad. No, no, no. He's not saying he went. You wore one bad in the ankle in BP. Oh, yeah. So, like, I know you were hurting. Brady Chambers smoked me. Smoked him right under the L screen.
SPEAKER_04Smoked me. And I always check L screens before I threw, and I didn't check it. And Brady hit a missile right through the hole in the bottom. It hit me right in the top of the foot. And Lee just hears me mumbling things as I'm hopping out of the cage. And I went and sat under a bush, under a tree, in some shade, and I just sat there by myself. And then I had to watch this guy on this game from the bases, and it was it was one of the funnier things I've ever said to an umpire.
SPEAKER_01I'll tell you that. I could tell you this. I had a I could tell you who it was too. Lucas Smith came to that game and he was in eighth grade. Who and it was plays at UIC now, who's a two-time state champion with us, and he and his father were there. And when you started, I could not get to the other side of the dugout fast enough to make sure no they knew it wasn't.
SPEAKER_04He was like, it's not me. It's not me, it's him. You know when I've coached with Jake sometimes, like based on what tournament we are. I've I'll go up to Jake and be like, hey, listen, I gotta go do a visit. Like I gotta go do the coach, like I gotta do the coaches meeting. He's like, oh for sure. He's like, you need a way longer leash than I do. Because like we've done, we've done most of the places we go now, like if I'm with Jake, like because he'll be on certain complexes or certain locations, like most of the umpires know us and kind of joke with us because they think you they they know we're brothers and they know that I'm I run the organization, but Jake's coaching the team. But if we go somewhere, like especially if we go to Georgia, like I remember going down with our 24s all the time, and I had to do the first game I didn't do the visit, and it was a tight game against building champions, and I was getting into like it was getting heated a little bit, and I was John, and they looked over me, and Jake actually looked, he's like, Hey, listen, I know I did the meeting, but he's technically the head coach. Like, and he's like, Oh, he's like, he's got he he's good, he he can do it, like he's good. Like Jake was like deflecting because he's like, dude, if you don't shut up, they're gonna run you out of here. So, like, now we've come to an agreement that like I just have to go do the visit.
Leading By Example Beyond The Lines
SPEAKER_01Well, I think it's always important to remember, too, like the way the head coach acts, everybody follows, right? Your players are gonna follow. Your parents are gonna follow, and I've seen it at the high school level, I've seen it at the travel level. Like, and I feel responsible in the in the most, you know, hectic situations, that I have to act the right way because again, we go back to adversity, and how are you gonna respond to adversity and not react? So I feel it's important that they see you in that situation of adversity and how you how you respond to it.
SPEAKER_04Agree. And I I would say this, even with my young guys that I coach, and even the high school kids, when things have happened where I feel like okay, maybe I didn't set the right example or cross the line, like I will be the first one to go apologize or say, listen, like not saying this is right, wrong, and coach coach was wrong in this situation, and I think that's just the learning we all have. Um but I I would say this the one thing nobody can ever take away from me, and I you do you all you guys probably do this when you end up coaching a game and win, loss, whatever, you reflect on everything, right? Nobody can ever take my passion away for it, and I think that's why a lot of it comes out is I am a passionate individual. I I I don't like to lose, it it's been embedded in my soul. So, like, I will play games, it doesn't matter if it's with my little 11-year-old team or our best 17-year-old team. Like, if I go out to a baseball game or or our third, whatever team, like I don't care what team you're out there with, like your goal is you have a game, there's going to be a winner and loser. Is is there class to winning and losing 100%? Is is there respect to it all 100%? Do people make mistakes for sure? And I think if you're willing to own up to when you make a mistake, I think that speaks volume about your character. But I can just say this, like, and I think you guys all know me well enough. My passion I have for what I do in my coaching and how I played, I would never have made it to where I made it if I didn't have that in like that fire inside of me. Like, I was not the biggest guy, I was not the strongest guy. I played this game with an edge, and it's just in me. And when I'm between two white lines, like I don't have any other way to do it, and I don't know how any other way to do it. Off the field, I am a polite, quiet individual who who definitely is a different person. I have a switch that I I I flick on, and I tell our kids all the time if you want to be great at this game, when you are between the two white lines, you better be able to flip a switch that changes who you are. And some of my favorite pitchers we have, and we talk about some of them all the time, are the dudes who get on the mound, and it's like this you this is nothing like you are off the field, and and you have a different mentality, you compete, you you you you have an edge to you, you have an it to you. Like I think that's what makes athletes just great when they're able to do that.
SPEAKER_01But I think you also understand, especially coaching your your son's group, that those guys, those kids are looking up to you for sure, right? As a role model, and how you act in situations, they're gonna emulate that, right? So as a role model, you you know, m admitting if you're making a mistake's really important to them for their own growth, too.
SPEAKER_04Oh, absolutely. I mean, if you come to one of my little 11-year-old practice, the respect we have like tomorrow, we have practice from six to eight tomorrow. We're gonna practice from six to seven, and then the world baseball classic uh championships on at seven. I'm actually getting them pizza. One of the kids' birthdays on Friday, so the mom, one of the moms bringing some cupcakes, like we're gonna have a hangout and just watch some baseball. Those kids are my guys. I mean, I love them, they love me, like they listen and and grab every word I say. So to that point, like I know that. So I I'm obviously I've probably done some things that like, hey, you know, some could say that's pushing it a little bit, but like I even think when I was 11 years old, the guy who coached me, uh Sam Sorcy, like things I saw him do, I'm like, no different, and and not saying that's right or wrong, but that's just how. People are and Sam Mr. Sorcy was always one who when he did something wrong, he would always admit it to us and he would apologize, but he always cared and he wanted the best for us and he he coached us hard, he coached us right, he taught us the game. Like I think that's what I try to do for all these kids in here. I think that's what's great about our program is I could hold a showcase for all of our players. I don't need to put a number on you kids. I know every kid's name.
SPEAKER_00No doubt.
SPEAKER_04Right? Like I think that's important for us as coaches inside this place to know our players and be able to handle all that.
SPEAKER_01No, I agree. And I think you mentioned about um having pizza and all that stuff. Like, I think that's one of the greatest things that we do is very culture wise. Like it's it's it's stuff outside of the lines, right?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, the team dinners you guys do, I think is awesome.
SPEAKER_01Team dinners on Friday nights, every Friday nights. Um, the service projects we we do, the the guys knowing what our culture is, our four cornerstones of our culture, um, all those things, like knowing what the philosophy is, all those things are are really important in in piece of the puzzle that are recipes to help you optimize your chances for success.
SPEAKER_04Absolutely. So I know we're running out of time. So listen, we just want to say thank you to you both for coming on. We appreciate you guys. You both are good men, and and we would love to have you back on at some point. We wish you both the best of luck this year. Uh, keep doing what you guys are doing. Thank you for all you do inside this organization. Um, but it was an honor having you guys on here. Thank you, guys. Thank you, Lee. Thank you, Dom. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, guys.
SPEAKER_04Thank you. Bruce, Lord Puck. Out. Lee and Dom. Good night.
SPEAKER_01Good night. Bye, Sash.
SPEAKER_04Bye bye, Dom.