1 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,529 NIL Intro: The following presentation is brought to you by The Pride of 2 00:00:06,529 --> 00:00:10,940 ODU, the official NIL collective of Old Dominion Athletics. 3 00:00:11,729 --> 00:00:12,500 Be a Monarchist. 4 00:00:13,159 --> 00:00:13,509 Join The 5 00:00:38,939 --> 00:00:39,269 Hello, 6 00:00:39,269 --> 00:00:42,969 Monarch fans, and welcome back to the Hudson homers podcast. 7 00:00:42,979 --> 00:00:48,669 Season two, episode one joined as always by CB Wilkins, but we have a special 8 00:00:48,669 --> 00:00:52,739 guest for the first episode of the second season head coach, Chris Finwood. 9 00:00:52,799 --> 00:00:53,909 Finny how are you doing? 10 00:00:54,460 --> 00:00:55,209 Coach Finwood: I'm doing great. 11 00:00:55,809 --> 00:00:57,729 I'm sampling dark chocolate. 12 00:00:59,329 --> 00:01:03,449 Did you guys know the difference in the percentage of cacao 13 00:01:03,449 --> 00:01:04,689 and dark chocolate of what? 14 00:01:05,139 --> 00:01:06,859 is too bitter. 15 00:01:07,579 --> 00:01:07,909 My wife. 16 00:01:08,799 --> 00:01:09,209 I can't. 17 00:01:09,409 --> 00:01:11,879 Coach Finwood: We always try to educate our our listeners on. 18 00:01:11,889 --> 00:01:12,429 We do. 19 00:01:13,209 --> 00:01:14,419 these episodes, right? 20 00:01:14,819 --> 00:01:18,399 So, 72 percent is nice and sweet. 21 00:01:18,939 --> 00:01:21,079 Eighty five is kind of in the middle. 22 00:01:21,389 --> 00:01:24,509 92 percent is like cooking chocolate. 23 00:01:24,509 --> 00:01:27,159 It's too bitter to really eat on. 24 00:01:27,159 --> 00:01:28,789 So, just remember that everyone 25 00:01:29,389 --> 00:01:30,029 CB: interesting. 26 00:01:30,269 --> 00:01:33,454 I think my my last girlfriend like the 92 percent episode. 27 00:01:36,314 --> 00:01:37,584 Gary: Is that, is that why she's an ex? 28 00:01:37,584 --> 00:01:38,704 She's a little too bitter for you? 29 00:01:38,784 --> 00:01:40,404 I mean, I'm bitter now. 30 00:01:40,454 --> 00:01:41,244 I don't know about her. 31 00:01:43,254 --> 00:01:44,764 Coach Finwood: Well, we're off to 32 00:01:45,149 --> 00:01:48,169 Gary: We are learning great things today, but CB, I know you and 33 00:01:48,169 --> 00:01:50,589 I talk pretty frequently, but how you been in the off season? 34 00:01:50,649 --> 00:01:51,709 CB: Hey man, I'm great. 35 00:01:51,719 --> 00:01:54,199 Been going to tons of ODU sports. 36 00:01:54,219 --> 00:01:58,919 Uh, I think since we, we last talked, I've, I've seen, uh, what have I seen? 37 00:01:58,919 --> 00:02:00,119 Men's and women's soccer. 38 00:02:00,459 --> 00:02:01,539 I've seen field hockey. 39 00:02:01,539 --> 00:02:04,719 I love field hockey, uh, volleyball, love volleyball. 40 00:02:04,779 --> 00:02:07,719 We got some, uh, men's and women's basketball. 41 00:02:07,719 --> 00:02:11,309 So I saw some men's and women's tennis the other night, football, obviously. 42 00:02:11,339 --> 00:02:13,219 So I'm getting, uh, getting my sports in. 43 00:02:13,589 --> 00:02:17,589 But obviously i'm excited because we're a few weeks away from getting 44 00:02:17,589 --> 00:02:20,639 to see some baseball What actually mattered valentine's day good to 45 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,579 go down to atlanta and spend it with my real love some baseball 46 00:02:24,239 --> 00:02:25,229 Coach Finwood: Are you coming down? 47 00:02:25,619 --> 00:02:26,359 CB: I'm coming down. 48 00:02:26,359 --> 00:02:26,779 Oh, yeah. 49 00:02:26,889 --> 00:02:27,889 Coach Finwood: Oh, that's awesome. 50 00:02:27,959 --> 00:02:28,389 Yeah, 51 00:02:28,389 --> 00:02:29,089 CB: i'm gonna be there 52 00:02:29,559 --> 00:02:35,009 Coach Finwood: You know, the last time we opened up on the road was 2014 53 00:02:35,819 --> 00:02:36,669 CB: was that georgia tech 54 00:02:37,049 --> 00:02:38,259 Coach Finwood: georgia tech for i was 55 00:02:38,259 --> 00:02:38,589 CB: there 56 00:02:39,224 --> 00:02:39,404 Coach Finwood: That's 57 00:02:39,404 --> 00:02:41,054 CB: what that, I didn't realize that was the last time. 58 00:02:41,054 --> 00:02:41,234 Wow. 59 00:02:41,234 --> 00:02:42,464 So I was there for that time too. 60 00:02:43,134 --> 00:02:43,974 Coach Finwood: 10 years ago. 61 00:02:44,444 --> 00:02:44,834 Yeah. 62 00:02:44,834 --> 00:02:48,674 CB: That was the first weekend for like, um, the Sinon Brothers, I think it was 63 00:02:48,674 --> 00:02:50,354 their first weekend playing Joey Benito. 64 00:02:50,354 --> 00:02:51,104 Few of those guys. 65 00:02:51,524 --> 00:02:52,064 BA bridge, 66 00:02:52,504 --> 00:02:53,254 Coach Finwood: it was gray. 67 00:02:53,254 --> 00:02:55,354 Uh, my son Grace's freshman year. 68 00:02:55,834 --> 00:02:57,064 Oh yeah, guys. 69 00:02:57,064 --> 00:02:59,934 And, um, they were shoveling snow off the. 70 00:03:00,439 --> 00:03:02,149 Field when we got down there. 71 00:03:02,179 --> 00:03:02,929 'cause it, it was 72 00:03:02,929 --> 00:03:03,379 CB: cold 73 00:03:03,819 --> 00:03:04,479 Coach Finwood: drove through. 74 00:03:04,829 --> 00:03:09,059 Yeah, I remember that because, uh, our bus driver, Robert, it was our first 75 00:03:09,059 --> 00:03:16,619 time using them and, uh, the defroster was on the blink and so I was up in 76 00:03:16,619 --> 00:03:18,839 the front of the bus with a towel. 77 00:03:19,079 --> 00:03:21,179 We're driving through the mountains in North Carolina. 78 00:03:21,869 --> 00:03:26,799 And I'm, I'm scraping the front of the inside of the window about 79 00:03:26,799 --> 00:03:28,779 every two minutes so he could see. 80 00:03:29,959 --> 00:03:32,519 I was like, yeah, this is college baseball, baby. 81 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,599 CB: They don't tell you about that when it comes to the coaching, uh, ins and outs. 82 00:03:37,089 --> 00:03:38,639 Coach Finwood: They don't put that on the resume. 83 00:03:38,780 --> 00:03:39,700 CB: Some 84 00:03:39,700 --> 00:03:45,389 Coach Finwood: of the accomplished bus windshield inside windshield. 85 00:03:47,799 --> 00:03:51,339 Gary: That might be the, uh, make or break for you, uh, going forward. 86 00:03:51,399 --> 00:03:54,319 But I know, I know I'm starting to get a little bit of baseball fever. 87 00:03:54,319 --> 00:03:58,209 It has not been baseball weather by any means the last couple of months, but. 88 00:03:58,599 --> 00:04:01,959 I'm hoping we get that nice random warm spell in February that that 89 00:04:01,959 --> 00:04:05,149 weekend when you're in Atlanta and just get some some good baseball 90 00:04:05,149 --> 00:04:06,419 going because I know I miss it. 91 00:04:06,419 --> 00:04:07,299 CB misses it. 92 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:08,749 And I'm sure coach you miss it too. 93 00:04:09,189 --> 00:04:09,569 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 94 00:04:09,569 --> 00:04:13,419 And this time of the year, we're kind of used to working through the ups and downs. 95 00:04:13,419 --> 00:04:16,409 It's been a chilly stretch here, not just here, but everywhere. 96 00:04:16,409 --> 00:04:20,069 I was talking to Carl and I'll make her down at Auburn this morning and 97 00:04:20,109 --> 00:04:22,469 uh, the high was 31 there today. 98 00:04:23,804 --> 00:04:27,604 On he's coming up and then it looks so by the end of the week through 99 00:04:27,604 --> 00:04:31,234 the weekend and the next week, we got a little bit of a warm up. 100 00:04:31,234 --> 00:04:32,784 So we'll look forward to that. 101 00:04:32,784 --> 00:04:36,534 Our 1st scrimmage date is Friday. 102 00:04:37,284 --> 00:04:42,484 So, um, that we're allowed to scrimmage, so we're working in into that and it looks 103 00:04:42,484 --> 00:04:45,424 like we got a little bit better, better weather hopefully coming up for that. 104 00:04:46,994 --> 00:04:49,924 Gary: Yeah, now, where is that scrimmage going to be? 105 00:04:49,924 --> 00:04:51,164 And that leads me into the question. 106 00:04:51,274 --> 00:04:52,904 I think it's on everyone's mind is. 107 00:04:53,239 --> 00:04:56,429 What's going on with the stadium and the new fence that's around your ballpark. 108 00:04:56,489 --> 00:04:57,109 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 109 00:04:57,109 --> 00:04:59,699 The fence that was running right through the middle of the bullpen 110 00:04:59,699 --> 00:05:05,219 this morning, uh, which we got moved, but, um, so yeah, the original plan 111 00:05:05,219 --> 00:05:10,119 was they were already going to have be, um, started with, um, knocking 112 00:05:10,119 --> 00:05:14,119 everything down and, uh, I think that's gotten moved back just a little bit. 113 00:05:14,129 --> 00:05:16,139 So we're going to scrimmage at the bud. 114 00:05:17,564 --> 00:05:21,324 this Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and then the following weekend, 115 00:05:21,334 --> 00:05:22,344 we still don't know yet. 116 00:05:22,344 --> 00:05:26,614 It's all really the thing that's up in the air is when they start demolition. 117 00:05:26,654 --> 00:05:29,674 Um, when that backstop net has to come down. 118 00:05:30,234 --> 00:05:32,354 And so then we can't, you know, play there anymore. 119 00:05:32,354 --> 00:05:36,369 Obviously live, we can still practice there every day, which we're doing now. 120 00:05:36,764 --> 00:05:38,854 And the field actually is in great shape. 121 00:05:38,854 --> 00:05:39,884 It looks really funny. 122 00:05:40,074 --> 00:05:42,744 I don't know if you guys have been out there because we didn't oversee this 123 00:05:42,744 --> 00:05:45,074 year because we weren't playing there. 124 00:05:45,409 --> 00:05:50,259 And it's actually great for the Bermuda grass if you have an opportunity not 125 00:05:50,269 --> 00:05:52,729 to oversee because it doesn't eat. 126 00:05:52,749 --> 00:05:57,829 We're not going to get an agronomics on this episode, but not this episode. 127 00:05:58,469 --> 00:06:02,789 And so the whole field's yellow brown, because the Bermuda has gone dormant 128 00:06:03,549 --> 00:06:07,819 and it looks strange because I've never seen a baseball field, you know, 129 00:06:07,829 --> 00:06:11,269 this color this time of the year, but I'll tell you this, it plays great. 130 00:06:11,774 --> 00:06:16,094 Um, with no rye, you know, that ryegrass sticks up and the Bermuda lays down. 131 00:06:16,094 --> 00:06:18,724 So, uh, you keep it cut pretty short. 132 00:06:18,724 --> 00:06:20,514 So it plays great. 133 00:06:20,564 --> 00:06:21,694 It just looks strange. 134 00:06:22,214 --> 00:06:24,694 Uh, to be out there and not see any green. 135 00:06:25,724 --> 00:06:28,474 CB: So where would you be scrimmaging? 136 00:06:28,494 --> 00:06:32,334 Do you know, like if you all of a sudden can't use the body for the scrimmages? 137 00:06:32,354 --> 00:06:34,734 Coach Finwood: We're, we're planning on scrimmaging at War Memorial. 138 00:06:35,144 --> 00:06:35,524 CB: Okay. 139 00:06:35,724 --> 00:06:40,394 Coach Finwood: We have that for, for those, uh, three weekends and. 140 00:06:40,674 --> 00:06:44,074 Um, we're not going to need to go over there this weekend, but we would just take 141 00:06:44,074 --> 00:06:51,034 vans over there and probably take batting practice at our place pictures over and 142 00:06:51,034 --> 00:06:55,654 then after we hit, we'll send the hitters over and we'll play as long as we have 143 00:06:55,654 --> 00:06:57,464 to play and then and then come on back. 144 00:06:57,464 --> 00:07:02,794 So, it's nice actually, to not have to do that for this weekend, 145 00:07:03,524 --> 00:07:05,364 but it also part of me wants to. 146 00:07:05,734 --> 00:07:09,014 Play over there some because we're going to be playing some games over there and 147 00:07:09,024 --> 00:07:13,944 we need to get used to, you know, the dimensions, the backdrop, the, the visual 148 00:07:13,944 --> 00:07:16,194 aspects of it as well as the actual field. 149 00:07:16,844 --> 00:07:19,764 CB: Yeah, you only have a couple of guys who've actually played live games. 150 00:07:19,764 --> 00:07:22,974 They're like Kyle Edwards and I can't think of the else 151 00:07:23,004 --> 00:07:24,054 Coach Finwood: probably only a couple. 152 00:07:24,054 --> 00:07:26,744 I don't know if there's many, many more than that at all. 153 00:07:28,604 --> 00:07:31,794 Gary: It's a different ballpark, but it has a really cool old school baseball 154 00:07:31,794 --> 00:07:35,304 field to it with like the wooden stands and the advertisements on the outer wall. 155 00:07:35,304 --> 00:07:36,864 That's reminds me of where I played in high school at 156 00:07:36,864 --> 00:07:39,444 Deltaville ballpark games there. 157 00:07:39,444 --> 00:07:43,754 But I think the 2nd question is probably on fans mind is. 158 00:07:44,249 --> 00:07:48,269 We've got 15 home games that we know of within the Sunbelt Conference. 159 00:07:48,669 --> 00:07:52,019 Is it available to the public yet of which series is going to 160 00:07:52,019 --> 00:07:53,349 be where do you even know yet? 161 00:07:54,479 --> 00:07:54,939 Coach Finwood: Yes. 162 00:07:55,089 --> 00:07:59,489 So, um, 15 conference games and then one. 163 00:08:00,094 --> 00:08:02,804 Non conference game against VCU, which will be at War 164 00:08:02,804 --> 00:08:05,374 Memorial and sometime in April. 165 00:08:05,374 --> 00:08:11,554 I can't recall exactly when, but we were going to play our 1st conference 166 00:08:11,554 --> 00:08:16,044 series against George home conference series against Georgia State was 167 00:08:16,044 --> 00:08:20,534 supposed to be at Harbor Park, but they're under construction with new 168 00:08:20,564 --> 00:08:26,604 seats and they're not going to be done yet when we have that serious. 169 00:08:26,614 --> 00:08:29,064 So that 1st 1, which is the middle of March. 170 00:08:29,624 --> 00:08:35,074 Will be against Georgia State will be at war memorial the next 3 home series. 171 00:08:35,094 --> 00:08:39,934 I think it's Troy Marshall and Louisiana Monroe. 172 00:08:39,964 --> 00:08:41,524 No, no, they're on the road. 173 00:08:41,524 --> 00:08:41,944 Who is it? 174 00:08:42,024 --> 00:08:45,054 It's a Troy Marshall. 175 00:08:45,644 --> 00:08:50,184 Somebody Louisiana Louisiana. 176 00:08:50,184 --> 00:08:50,634 Not Monroe. 177 00:08:50,634 --> 00:08:50,854 Yeah. 178 00:08:51,044 --> 00:08:51,594 Lafayette. 179 00:08:51,934 --> 00:08:52,194 All right. 180 00:08:52,194 --> 00:08:56,624 So those 3 will be at Harbor Park and then the last 1 against coastal. 181 00:08:57,154 --> 00:08:59,994 Carolina will be at War Memorial in May. 182 00:09:00,004 --> 00:09:01,814 So right before the tournament. 183 00:09:02,314 --> 00:09:06,954 Um, so that's, that's the, that's the schedule as we know it right now. 184 00:09:07,414 --> 00:09:09,954 And, um, hopefully we'll be able to stick to that. 185 00:09:09,954 --> 00:09:11,794 And it'll be neat. 186 00:09:11,794 --> 00:09:16,574 You know, it's some of our fans on, you know, the peninsula side can get out to 187 00:09:16,624 --> 00:09:18,794 War Memorial much easier and see us and. 188 00:09:19,224 --> 00:09:20,254 Hopefully they will. 189 00:09:20,254 --> 00:09:24,784 I know when we used to play VCU over here for that key dog classic game, 190 00:09:24,784 --> 00:09:28,644 we'd have we'd have a good crowd of folks over here and the pilots will, 191 00:09:28,924 --> 00:09:33,284 you know, help us, uh, you know, put that word out and advertise it. 192 00:09:33,694 --> 00:09:39,354 And then, you know, we'll have 12, we'll have 9 games at Harbor Park. 193 00:09:39,354 --> 00:09:42,774 So 3 series there, which is always a cool thing. 194 00:09:42,774 --> 00:09:44,824 And we played pretty well there through the year. 195 00:09:44,824 --> 00:09:45,974 So hopefully we keep that up. 196 00:09:46,584 --> 00:09:47,354 CB: Yeah, it's pretty great. 197 00:09:47,354 --> 00:09:50,794 I mean, War Memorial, the pilots, that's just a fantastic place to play. 198 00:09:50,794 --> 00:09:53,764 They do such a good job over there and then get to play at 199 00:09:53,814 --> 00:09:55,234 the Triple A Park in Norfolk. 200 00:09:55,234 --> 00:09:58,394 I mean, like I said, if you can't play home games, it's not bad. 201 00:09:59,314 --> 00:10:00,184 Yeah, yeah. 202 00:10:00,244 --> 00:10:03,214 Coach Finwood: And it's it's it's nice for the guys that are seniors, 203 00:10:03,214 --> 00:10:08,589 you know, So, um, we're playing such a cool schedule on the road this 204 00:10:08,589 --> 00:10:11,329 year, just fantastic places to play. 205 00:10:11,819 --> 00:10:14,589 And then you come home and like you said, you know, we're having 206 00:10:14,589 --> 00:10:15,639 to work through a lot of stuff. 207 00:10:15,639 --> 00:10:20,679 I mean, just every day right now, you know, our offices, our locker room, 208 00:10:20,999 --> 00:10:23,529 we're completely out of the stadium. 209 00:10:23,529 --> 00:10:28,709 We're over there in the old wrestling area and that locker room and offices. 210 00:10:28,709 --> 00:10:30,439 And, um, so. 211 00:10:30,759 --> 00:10:34,069 You know, we just walk over to practice and then, and then leave. 212 00:10:34,069 --> 00:10:34,829 And so it's. 213 00:10:35,209 --> 00:10:39,399 It's, it's, it's a different vibe and the guys have been fantastic so far. 214 00:10:39,399 --> 00:10:42,069 I mean, they're, you know, we've been prepping them for this and 215 00:10:42,069 --> 00:10:43,509 they, they didn't miss a beat, man. 216 00:10:43,519 --> 00:10:46,929 We got out of there, we got everything cleaned up and moved out. 217 00:10:46,929 --> 00:10:54,379 And, um, it's amazing how much junk you throw away when you move out of a space. 218 00:10:54,409 --> 00:10:55,819 Uh, I found 219 00:10:55,819 --> 00:10:59,309 CB: out when I bought my condo and it's a lot of stuff that you 220 00:10:59,309 --> 00:11:00,399 just like, I don't need that. 221 00:11:00,599 --> 00:11:00,909 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 222 00:11:00,909 --> 00:11:01,129 Yeah. 223 00:11:01,129 --> 00:11:02,399 Why did I say that again? 224 00:11:03,049 --> 00:11:04,809 Seemed like a good idea at the time, but. 225 00:11:05,084 --> 00:11:10,214 Um, we've also found some things we didn't know we had, uh, uh, box 226 00:11:10,214 --> 00:11:14,824 of rosin bags just mysteriously showed up, uh, equipment room. 227 00:11:14,824 --> 00:11:16,774 So Uh, yeah, things like that. 228 00:11:16,774 --> 00:11:20,594 And, you know, so logistically, it's a little different, but, 229 00:11:20,644 --> 00:11:21,634 uh, we're making it work. 230 00:11:22,634 --> 00:11:25,174 CB: Yeah, every guy I talked to in the fall seemed really 231 00:11:25,174 --> 00:11:27,344 excited about this, uh, schedule. 232 00:11:27,344 --> 00:11:28,824 They, they didn't hear one guy. 233 00:11:28,824 --> 00:11:30,144 It's like, oh, man, I'm gonna go on the road. 234 00:11:30,174 --> 00:11:34,834 Like, you, again, you, you do a really good job of recruiting. 235 00:11:35,179 --> 00:11:39,239 People who want to be here and people who want to play and have that kind 236 00:11:39,239 --> 00:11:43,659 of Odu baseball mentality and that was very clear with every guy I 237 00:11:43,659 --> 00:11:44,619 talked to like, yeah, I'm excited. 238 00:11:44,649 --> 00:11:45,019 Let's go. 239 00:11:45,019 --> 00:11:45,859 We're ready for the road 240 00:11:46,459 --> 00:11:48,039 Coach Finwood: Yeah, yeah, I appreciate that. 241 00:11:48,069 --> 00:11:52,609 We try We we've got some fantastic kids and again, it showed up in the 242 00:11:52,609 --> 00:11:57,604 classroom, you know, we've got We set another record for, uh, GP team, GPA 243 00:11:57,624 --> 00:12:01,264 this, this semester, um, with the, I don't know, a three, four or something. 244 00:12:01,824 --> 00:12:06,044 And, you know, the guys just did a bang up job and hats off to 245 00:12:06,044 --> 00:12:09,464 Amy Lynch, our academic advisor for spearheading all of that. 246 00:12:09,474 --> 00:12:12,024 She's a superstar in every way. 247 00:12:12,024 --> 00:12:13,934 And, and, you know, we, we love her too. 248 00:12:14,454 --> 00:12:14,784 Yeah. 249 00:12:14,784 --> 00:12:15,084 Yeah. 250 00:12:15,204 --> 00:12:15,814 She's great. 251 00:12:15,874 --> 00:12:19,744 And we try to recruit good students, um, and you know, they 252 00:12:19,744 --> 00:12:23,539 get, you know, Very, very good support while they're here as well. 253 00:12:23,539 --> 00:12:26,729 And so, you know, the other thing about this year, there's so many 254 00:12:26,749 --> 00:12:30,759 things that your average person isn't going to Consider or think 255 00:12:30,769 --> 00:12:32,819 about, you know, being on the road. 256 00:12:33,129 --> 00:12:39,499 I guess COVID maybe helped us With preparing for this there's so many 257 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:44,429 more classes now available online than there ever were and so most of our 258 00:12:44,429 --> 00:12:47,809 guys Classes are online this semester. 259 00:12:48,239 --> 00:12:52,639 Um, because we were going to miss so much, it would have been, you 260 00:12:52,639 --> 00:12:56,939 know, untenable for some of these guys to do well in their classes. 261 00:12:56,939 --> 00:13:00,389 So we got most of them might have 1 class 1 in person class. 262 00:13:00,389 --> 00:13:01,709 It's on like a Monday. 263 00:13:02,019 --> 00:13:04,999 When we're, when we're always home or something of that nature. 264 00:13:05,249 --> 00:13:08,309 Uh, but most of the rest of them are, are online classes. 265 00:13:08,309 --> 00:13:11,289 And so they're able to, you know, take them whenever and still get their 266 00:13:11,289 --> 00:13:15,499 work done and, uh, hopefully that'll lead to another successful, you know, 267 00:13:15,499 --> 00:13:20,489 academic semester for the guys, a by product of that, that we're taking 268 00:13:20,489 --> 00:13:25,469 advantage, uh, since they're not in class, we can start practice earlier. 269 00:13:25,859 --> 00:13:29,339 And so we've been able to use a better part of the day this time of the year. 270 00:13:29,339 --> 00:13:29,819 Like we're. 271 00:13:30,109 --> 00:13:35,189 Normally can't start till, you know, 2, 2 33 o'clock because classes and we're 272 00:13:35,189 --> 00:13:39,069 able to get out there and stretch at noon right now and get in the, you know, 273 00:13:39,069 --> 00:13:43,249 the warmest part of the day, um, and get, get our practice and our work in. 274 00:13:43,249 --> 00:13:44,849 And that, that's been very helpful. 275 00:13:45,714 --> 00:13:47,244 Already this, this winter, 276 00:13:48,794 --> 00:13:51,854 Gary: you're gonna be maxing out those wifi enabled buses as 277 00:13:51,854 --> 00:13:54,914 you're cruising around Alabama and Mississippi and all that. 278 00:13:54,974 --> 00:13:55,364 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 279 00:13:55,364 --> 00:13:58,004 And they're gonna have more study halls on the road 'cause of all the 280 00:13:58,004 --> 00:13:59,684 online stuff and things like that. 281 00:13:59,684 --> 00:14:02,774 So we're already working on, on that type of schedule. 282 00:14:02,774 --> 00:14:05,384 But, you know, we'll, we'll just make it work man. 283 00:14:05,414 --> 00:14:09,584 It's gonna be a year where you're just gonna have to, uh, adjust and 284 00:14:09,584 --> 00:14:14,414 improvise and overcome some obstacles in the way and, and figure it out. 285 00:14:14,414 --> 00:14:14,415 And. 286 00:14:14,969 --> 00:14:20,489 sometimes when you're on the road for extended periods of time, which is our 287 00:14:20,489 --> 00:14:26,519 whole season this year, uh, the guys, the guys have a tendency to bond through that. 288 00:14:26,549 --> 00:14:29,589 You know, you're in hotels and you're eating together and 289 00:14:29,939 --> 00:14:31,809 spent a lot more time together. 290 00:14:31,809 --> 00:14:35,859 And I think sometimes that can lead to actually getting closer. 291 00:14:37,574 --> 00:14:40,964 CB: I remember the guys in, uh, 21 when they won the tournament down there, 292 00:14:40,964 --> 00:14:45,194 I think, I think you guys played in Louisiana at Louisiana Tech, and then just 293 00:14:45,194 --> 00:14:46,564 kind of stayed there for the tournament. 294 00:14:46,584 --> 00:14:49,564 And I know they were saying that, like, just all that time together, 295 00:14:49,714 --> 00:14:51,014 especially being there in the same place. 296 00:14:51,014 --> 00:14:54,144 They're like, we own this place, like, this isn't their home field anymore. 297 00:14:54,144 --> 00:14:56,824 I mean, that was a, and it showed up and how they played. 298 00:14:57,114 --> 00:15:00,484 Coach Finwood: Yeah, yeah, that was neat that worked out good for us. 299 00:15:00,484 --> 00:15:02,914 Um, uh, and being able to do that. 300 00:15:02,964 --> 00:15:06,564 And, uh, it was like a perfect storm almost that year. 301 00:15:08,004 --> 00:15:08,234 Gary: Yeah. 302 00:15:08,234 --> 00:15:11,404 Well, switching gears a little bit, I know you've got scrimmages this weekend, 303 00:15:11,404 --> 00:15:14,724 but you also have a big event on Friday night, the step up to the plate 304 00:15:14,724 --> 00:15:19,864 fundraiser at six o'clock, uh, for fans out there, they're still interested. 305 00:15:19,864 --> 00:15:20,784 They hear this in time. 306 00:15:20,784 --> 00:15:22,364 You can go to odusports. 307 00:15:22,384 --> 00:15:22,684 com. 308 00:15:22,684 --> 00:15:25,284 You can go to the ODAF website and find information there to 309 00:15:25,294 --> 00:15:27,884 get yourself a ticket, donated ticket, all those things, but. 310 00:15:28,364 --> 00:15:30,714 Tell us a little bit about what's going to be going on and 311 00:15:30,714 --> 00:15:32,074 step up to the plate on Friday. 312 00:15:32,994 --> 00:15:36,084 Coach Finwood: Well, we're giving the Bud Metheny Award out this year 313 00:15:36,104 --> 00:15:43,724 to Coach Wright, Roland Wright, the head coach, Ro Ro and well deserved. 314 00:15:43,724 --> 00:15:46,974 I mean, he's a legend and in my book and most people's 315 00:15:46,974 --> 00:15:48,424 book in terms of high school. 316 00:15:48,734 --> 00:15:50,724 baseball coaches in the state of Virginia. 317 00:15:50,724 --> 00:15:54,794 He's won a number of state championships, regional championships. 318 00:15:54,794 --> 00:15:59,354 We've had a bunch of his players here through the years and you know, maybe Zach 319 00:15:59,354 --> 00:16:01,754 Rutherford was was the best one we've had. 320 00:16:01,774 --> 00:16:05,614 Um, you know, it was an all conference and all american shortstop for us 321 00:16:05,615 --> 00:16:09,394 in the fifth round draft picked by the rays and rose just a great 322 00:16:09,964 --> 00:16:12,104 Great ambassador for baseball. 323 00:16:12,114 --> 00:16:13,024 He works hard. 324 00:16:13,404 --> 00:16:18,074 Um, in addition to his, you know, duties with Western branch, he, 325 00:16:18,114 --> 00:16:21,694 he helps my Kodair with that Thunderbirds group in the summer. 326 00:16:22,164 --> 00:16:28,234 Um, he helps with the all state games, uh, the Commonwealth games. 327 00:16:28,534 --> 00:16:32,414 He, he's got his hands in a lot of different pots of baseball at the 328 00:16:32,414 --> 00:16:36,634 youth level and, uh, high school level and even younger than that. 329 00:16:36,704 --> 00:16:42,629 Um, so he's, um, you know, Keeping with the theme of trying to give that 330 00:16:42,629 --> 00:16:48,169 award to people that, you know, really support and help baseball in the area. 331 00:16:48,189 --> 00:16:50,899 He's certainly deserving and, um, we're happy. 332 00:16:50,899 --> 00:16:53,149 He's going to be there to accept it. 333 00:16:53,489 --> 00:16:57,919 Um, in addition, we'll introduce this year's team, talk a little bit 334 00:16:57,919 --> 00:17:03,129 about the stadium project and, um, just have some good fellowship, man. 335 00:17:03,129 --> 00:17:04,889 It's become a pretty cool little. 336 00:17:05,304 --> 00:17:11,684 Grassroots almost hot stovish feeling night, um, which is shifting gears from. 337 00:17:12,034 --> 00:17:15,424 You know, the more formal, uh, banquets that, that we've had in 338 00:17:15,424 --> 00:17:17,504 the past, but I really like it. 339 00:17:17,504 --> 00:17:21,124 It's, um, you know, other than having to yell at people to be quiet when 340 00:17:21,124 --> 00:17:24,434 the speakers are talking, uh, it's a, it's a lot of fun, which I don't 341 00:17:24,434 --> 00:17:28,974 mind, you know, uh, you get a, you get an open bar and hors d'oeuvres 342 00:17:28,974 --> 00:17:30,994 and bunch of baseball guys yapping. 343 00:17:31,004 --> 00:17:36,314 It's hard to shut them up sometimes, but that's, that's the extent of our problems. 344 00:17:36,314 --> 00:17:37,154 We're in pretty good shape. 345 00:17:38,134 --> 00:17:39,524 CB: It really is a great event. 346 00:17:39,524 --> 00:17:42,654 It's, you know, like you said, back when it was more like a big formal 347 00:17:42,654 --> 00:17:45,194 kind of dinner thing, it was nice. 348 00:17:45,224 --> 00:17:48,964 But when you made that move where y'all have it there at the, uh, the football, 349 00:17:48,964 --> 00:17:51,744 it was the priority club, I believe it's called at the football stadium. 350 00:17:52,134 --> 00:17:54,834 And, uh, it's, it's more like a, you know, you're standing around talking and 351 00:17:54,834 --> 00:17:58,314 you have, you know, you have plates of food, but it's, it's just the ability 352 00:17:58,314 --> 00:18:02,874 to interact, the ability for everyone to talk and move around and interact, 353 00:18:02,894 --> 00:18:05,404 the players, you know, walking around, talking, interacting and people meet, 354 00:18:05,424 --> 00:18:07,264 you know, my every year, my mom will sit. 355 00:18:07,484 --> 00:18:10,094 Then dad will sit and talk with some player for like 15, 20 minutes. 356 00:18:10,094 --> 00:18:11,524 And that's their guy for the whole year. 357 00:18:11,804 --> 00:18:13,764 Uh, like Trent Buchanan was their guy last year. 358 00:18:13,764 --> 00:18:16,454 You know, I mean, obviously they, you know, they love Vincent Bashara. 359 00:18:16,454 --> 00:18:18,364 I've known him forever, but now Trent's the new guy. 360 00:18:19,004 --> 00:18:19,514 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 361 00:18:19,514 --> 00:18:19,824 Yeah. 362 00:18:19,824 --> 00:18:20,734 It's really cool. 363 00:18:20,784 --> 00:18:25,994 And I tell our guys, you know, it's a good opportunity for them to mingle and, 364 00:18:26,324 --> 00:18:28,064 and learn how to network a little bit. 365 00:18:28,064 --> 00:18:30,524 I said, man, there's a lot of business owners in here. 366 00:18:30,819 --> 00:18:34,149 Like, there's, there's guys that might want to give you a job if they like you. 367 00:18:34,169 --> 00:18:36,739 So get it, get out and introduce yourself to some of them. 368 00:18:37,249 --> 00:18:41,349 Uh, and, and yeah, you know, a lot of the, the, you know, our, 369 00:18:41,419 --> 00:18:45,109 our longtime supporters and, you know, this year it'll be much more 370 00:18:45,109 --> 00:18:47,479 difficult to, to see us in person. 371 00:18:47,869 --> 00:18:51,359 Um, you know, because we're not playing at home very much, but that's 372 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,119 another thing that I think is neat. 373 00:18:53,209 --> 00:18:59,749 Um, in today's environment with, uh, the popularity and the, and the advent of 374 00:18:59,899 --> 00:19:03,209 ESPN plus, you'll still be a, you know, our fans will still be able to watch us 375 00:19:03,209 --> 00:19:05,199 if they want to see us and just be on TV. 376 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:09,669 Gary: And sometimes that actually works out better for me, because I'll be at 377 00:19:09,669 --> 00:19:12,959 work and just have it up on my phone on the side of the desk or, you know, 378 00:19:12,959 --> 00:19:15,889 working here at home, something like that, a little bit more convenient. 379 00:19:16,519 --> 00:19:16,879 I would 380 00:19:16,889 --> 00:19:21,399 CB: never do that in case my boss ever sees this, but that's an idea 381 00:19:21,529 --> 00:19:25,099 that somebody, if somebody were so inclined at a game at 3 o'clock when 382 00:19:25,099 --> 00:19:28,709 you're still at work, they certainly could do that, put it on there. 383 00:19:28,709 --> 00:19:30,589 They're one of their two monitors they have at work. 384 00:19:30,879 --> 00:19:31,109 Coach Finwood: We would. 385 00:19:34,194 --> 00:19:35,854 CB: So Finny I wanted to bring some up. 386 00:19:35,854 --> 00:19:38,094 I really wanted to bring this up, especially while we're still 387 00:19:38,104 --> 00:19:39,334 further away from the season. 388 00:19:39,644 --> 00:19:42,424 So then, cause I'm sure it's the kind of thing you probably don't necessarily 389 00:19:42,424 --> 00:19:44,294 want to focus on as the season comes up. 390 00:19:44,824 --> 00:19:47,684 Uh, you have 391 wins at ODU. 391 00:19:48,604 --> 00:19:51,524 So you're about nine away from 400. 392 00:19:52,824 --> 00:19:56,824 Coach Finwood: Yeah, not too many away from 700 overall, which is cool. 393 00:19:57,424 --> 00:19:59,034 I've got most of those here, right? 394 00:19:59,854 --> 00:20:04,144 CB: You have and so to, to further that, uh, I don't know if you, do 395 00:20:04,144 --> 00:20:07,734 you know how many wins Bud Matheny had, uh, all time at old dominion? 396 00:20:08,054 --> 00:20:08,754 Coach Finwood: I do not. 397 00:20:09,204 --> 00:20:11,284 CB: So you're pretty close for 23. 398 00:20:11,684 --> 00:20:12,054 Coach Finwood: Okay. 399 00:20:12,104 --> 00:20:14,214 CB: So you're 32 away from him. 400 00:20:14,224 --> 00:20:17,834 So there's a very real chance by the end of this year, you could be 401 00:20:17,834 --> 00:20:19,674 the all time, or at least tied with. 402 00:20:20,439 --> 00:20:22,469 And certainly, I would say, if not this year, we're certainly 403 00:20:22,469 --> 00:20:23,179 getting there next year. 404 00:20:23,179 --> 00:20:26,809 You know, we are, so you're on the edge of being the odds being having more 405 00:20:26,809 --> 00:20:29,889 wins than the guy the stadium's named after, which I think is pretty deep. 406 00:20:30,099 --> 00:20:32,589 Coach Finwood: Well, that's humbling to hear that. 407 00:20:32,659 --> 00:20:37,729 And, um, you know, my, my response to those things are always just, it's, 408 00:20:37,749 --> 00:20:43,029 it's, it's, It's just a product of being around a lot of good players and having 409 00:20:43,029 --> 00:20:48,169 a lot of good coaches with you and, uh, administration that, that helps out and, 410 00:20:48,629 --> 00:20:52,609 and, you know, being able to hang on in this thing long enough to be get older. 411 00:20:54,669 --> 00:20:57,569 And college athletics has changed so much. 412 00:20:58,389 --> 00:21:01,929 I mean, unprecedented changes, unprecedented changes 413 00:21:01,929 --> 00:21:03,009 in the last five years. 414 00:21:03,009 --> 00:21:03,589 Certainly. 415 00:21:03,969 --> 00:21:05,539 Um, you know, you see the last five 416 00:21:05,549 --> 00:21:06,279 CB: minutes, maybe. 417 00:21:06,499 --> 00:21:06,899 Yeah. 418 00:21:06,899 --> 00:21:07,019 Yeah. 419 00:21:07,859 --> 00:21:12,539 Coach Finwood: You know, a lot of the guys, um, you know, like the Tony 420 00:21:12,559 --> 00:21:17,089 Bennett's of the world and guys like that up and down, um, which is, which 421 00:21:17,089 --> 00:21:20,329 is a little bit of a shame, but the world keeps spinning and, you know, you 422 00:21:20,329 --> 00:21:24,789 got to find ways to adjust and we're certainly trying to Do that as well. 423 00:21:24,889 --> 00:21:28,359 Um, and you know, it's just, you got to figure out a way to 424 00:21:28,709 --> 00:21:30,039 make it work in the environment. 425 00:21:30,049 --> 00:21:30,479 You're in. 426 00:21:31,399 --> 00:21:33,179 CB: Well, to tell you how different things are. 427 00:21:33,219 --> 00:21:34,589 Uh, this is 1 record. 428 00:21:34,589 --> 00:21:38,379 I think you won't catch, but I may have this number incorrect. 429 00:21:38,379 --> 00:21:39,249 I think I got it right. 430 00:21:39,389 --> 00:21:44,169 He also has 198 wins as the basketball coach, which Jeff 431 00:21:44,169 --> 00:21:46,099 Jones only broke a few years ago. 432 00:21:46,629 --> 00:21:48,159 Coach Finwood: Yeah, that's amazing, isn't it? 433 00:21:48,229 --> 00:21:49,449 CB: That's pretty crazy. 434 00:21:51,599 --> 00:21:56,369 Coach Finwood: So, uh, he wore a lot of hats back then, and of course, college 435 00:21:56,369 --> 00:22:00,899 athletics, we're talking about a different world, but it's kind of amazing, and 436 00:22:00,909 --> 00:22:07,214 you know, we want to make sure that We keep that legacy alive, you know, as we 437 00:22:07,364 --> 00:22:11,134 rename the stadium and things like that. 438 00:22:11,134 --> 00:22:14,044 And certainly his name will be a part of the new, you know, 439 00:22:14,044 --> 00:22:15,684 stadium in some capacity. 440 00:22:15,684 --> 00:22:18,014 I'm not exactly sure what yet. 441 00:22:18,024 --> 00:22:21,724 But, um, you know, there's lots of, um, there's lots of 442 00:22:21,734 --> 00:22:23,424 inventory in a baseball stadium. 443 00:22:23,424 --> 00:22:24,534 When I was at Auburn. 444 00:22:24,894 --> 00:22:30,224 I think it was, uh, this guy's name at Playsman Park at this stadium. 445 00:22:30,524 --> 00:22:32,614 Uh, you know, it was like four different names. 446 00:22:32,694 --> 00:22:33,054 Yeah. 447 00:22:33,284 --> 00:22:35,514 Uh, that, that's how they, that's how they make it work. 448 00:22:35,514 --> 00:22:38,344 So, uh, we'll, we'll do something similar to that. 449 00:22:38,884 --> 00:22:41,834 CB: Having a bunch of great people to honor is not a bad, uh, plan. 450 00:22:41,844 --> 00:22:43,334 Not a, not a bad problem to have. 451 00:22:43,564 --> 00:22:44,824 Coach Finwood: No, never, never. 452 00:22:44,964 --> 00:22:45,164 Right. 453 00:22:45,204 --> 00:22:49,264 And, um, you know, he's a part of our history and, and certainly a 454 00:22:49,264 --> 00:22:51,784 big part of ODU's athletic history. 455 00:22:51,784 --> 00:22:53,044 And like you mentioned. 456 00:22:53,389 --> 00:22:56,719 You know, athletic director, basketball coach, baseball coach, 457 00:22:56,759 --> 00:22:58,329 uh, played in the big leagues. 458 00:22:58,329 --> 00:23:04,209 And, um, I had a, uh, Brandon Pond, one of our, our, uh, graduate assistants 459 00:23:04,209 --> 00:23:08,029 was up in New York over the Christmas holidays and sent us a picture. 460 00:23:08,029 --> 00:23:09,129 He was in the Yankee. 461 00:23:09,439 --> 00:23:14,939 Um, the New York Yankees Museum and it had a, it had a signed 462 00:23:14,939 --> 00:23:16,809 ball from Bud Metheny in there. 463 00:23:17,319 --> 00:23:19,959 And, uh, he sent a picture that was really cool, I thought. 464 00:23:20,669 --> 00:23:21,439 That's very cool. 465 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:25,339 Signed ball from like everybody that's ever played for the 466 00:23:25,339 --> 00:23:26,919 Yankees in there, which is neat. 467 00:23:27,819 --> 00:23:29,349 Gary: Wow, that is that's pretty awesome. 468 00:23:29,349 --> 00:23:30,969 Well, we won't hold you up too much longer. 469 00:23:30,989 --> 00:23:33,639 Just have one more question You have a birthday dinner to get 470 00:23:33,639 --> 00:23:36,839 to so happy birthday, of course 29 years old looking great 471 00:23:38,129 --> 00:23:38,589 Coach Finwood: I'll take it 472 00:23:39,379 --> 00:23:40,979 Gary: Yes, I gotta be honest. 473 00:23:41,039 --> 00:23:41,799 If you were 29, 474 00:23:41,809 --> 00:23:44,399 CB: you look terrible like that's that's not playing. 475 00:23:44,449 --> 00:23:47,029 Let's be real You look great for your age. 476 00:23:47,029 --> 00:23:48,359 You look terrible for that age 477 00:23:49,529 --> 00:23:51,509 Coach Finwood: I I uh, i'll take all of that man. 478 00:23:51,519 --> 00:23:55,049 My daddy's say Another year on the right side of the grass 479 00:23:57,214 --> 00:23:58,244 All of it's good, man. 480 00:23:58,244 --> 00:24:00,664 As long as I keep having them, then I'm okay with it. 481 00:24:01,844 --> 00:24:02,104 Gary: Yeah. 482 00:24:02,104 --> 00:24:04,854 Well, you mentioned Brandon Pond is back this year as a G. 483 00:24:04,854 --> 00:24:05,224 A. 484 00:24:05,304 --> 00:24:07,724 Uh, I think you have some other additions to the coaching staff. 485 00:24:07,724 --> 00:24:10,394 I know we'll go in more of the roster in a future episode, but we'd love 486 00:24:10,394 --> 00:24:12,874 to hear a little bit about some of the newcomers to the staff this year. 487 00:24:13,969 --> 00:24:14,239 Yeah. 488 00:24:14,279 --> 00:24:19,029 Coach Finwood: So, so Paul Panic, um, is our new full time assistant. 489 00:24:19,079 --> 00:24:21,929 Uh, he took, uh, Ryan Fineman's place. 490 00:24:21,929 --> 00:24:28,509 Ryan went to Troy, um, University and Paul was at William and Mary most recently. 491 00:24:28,889 --> 00:24:31,769 Um, Paul was the head coach at Iona. 492 00:24:32,229 --> 00:24:37,939 Um, his brother, Joe, uh, Panic, uh, I think it's Joe. 493 00:24:37,939 --> 00:24:38,439 Is that right? 494 00:24:38,499 --> 00:24:38,849 Played in the. 495 00:24:38,850 --> 00:24:40,809 Yeah. 496 00:24:40,809 --> 00:24:43,269 Coach Finwood: And so he comes from a baseball family. 497 00:24:43,744 --> 00:24:45,444 He's a fantastic guy. 498 00:24:45,734 --> 00:24:49,809 He uh, he reminds me a lot of Coach Guzzo. 499 00:24:50,169 --> 00:24:52,639 Uh, he's like a young coach goes, man. 500 00:24:52,639 --> 00:24:56,759 He's got great personality, great energies, catching guy, 501 00:24:56,769 --> 00:24:59,499 hitting guy, recruiting guy. 502 00:25:00,179 --> 00:25:02,899 Um, he's just doing a bang up job. 503 00:25:02,899 --> 00:25:05,339 Just a really solid dude. 504 00:25:05,749 --> 00:25:08,769 And, uh, we're so happy to add him to our coaching staff. 505 00:25:09,199 --> 00:25:13,179 And, um, then we got, uh, we mentioned Brandon Pond, who pitched 506 00:25:13,179 --> 00:25:16,719 for us last year, uh, transfer here from Lynchburg College. 507 00:25:16,719 --> 00:25:18,069 He's helping out with the pitching. 508 00:25:18,419 --> 00:25:24,669 Uh, Ryan Moore, who was an All Conference USA pitcher for us here, um, retired from 509 00:25:24,669 --> 00:25:26,479 ProBall, and he's back helping us out. 510 00:25:26,819 --> 00:25:28,319 Uh, with the pitching as well. 511 00:25:28,619 --> 00:25:32,299 Um, John Keane is our, our Director of Baseball Ops. 512 00:25:32,609 --> 00:25:37,659 And, um, so yeah, so there's a few more, um, kind of player development, 513 00:25:37,699 --> 00:25:41,609 uh, pitching guys to add to the staff and it's, they've been great. 514 00:25:41,619 --> 00:25:44,354 They're, you know, these young guys are so talented. 515 00:25:45,394 --> 00:25:48,294 Proficient at the analytics part of it. 516 00:25:48,664 --> 00:25:54,134 Um, and that's been really, really cool to see their input and how 517 00:25:54,134 --> 00:25:55,354 much they're putting into that. 518 00:25:55,354 --> 00:25:58,464 And I think it's been really helpful for our pitchers for sure. 519 00:25:59,194 --> 00:26:02,674 CB: So did I hear you guys have a data Analyst team now? 520 00:26:03,354 --> 00:26:03,644 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 521 00:26:03,644 --> 00:26:09,664 So they, Mike was able to work with our, um, gosh, it's somebody in the math 522 00:26:09,664 --> 00:26:15,384 department, I guess, but, uh, they, they have a group, they have a actual class. 523 00:26:15,709 --> 00:26:16,989 Baseball analytics. 524 00:26:17,299 --> 00:26:22,109 Uh, undergrad or grad students, but yeah, they've been out to practice a few times, 525 00:26:22,319 --> 00:26:25,529 you know, they're, they're, they're in the, you know, I walk in and I see them 526 00:26:25,529 --> 00:26:31,949 all around the table and I call them the propeller heads, the nerd, the nerd 527 00:26:31,979 --> 00:26:38,469 meeting, you know, they start talking to my eyes go cross cause I'm an English 528 00:26:38,469 --> 00:26:44,914 major, like numbers, uh, they, they, they, they got it all, but they've got the You 529 00:26:44,914 --> 00:26:46,914 know, the algorithms and all this stuff. 530 00:26:46,914 --> 00:26:49,054 So they're taking stuff off the track, man. 531 00:26:49,064 --> 00:26:51,954 And this stat file thing, I couldn't tell. 532 00:26:51,964 --> 00:26:54,094 I'll have to get Mike on here to explain it sometime. 533 00:26:54,094 --> 00:26:54,284 But 534 00:26:54,424 --> 00:26:57,674 CB: yeah, because I'm definitely curious to see how that influences things. 535 00:26:57,774 --> 00:27:01,064 Coach Finwood: They're running a whole class on this, which I think is awesome. 536 00:27:01,084 --> 00:27:05,494 Cause some of these people are actually interested in that side of baseball. 537 00:27:06,109 --> 00:27:06,469 Yeah. 538 00:27:06,709 --> 00:27:09,629 Coach Finwood: And so they're getting, you know, which baseballs, you know, 539 00:27:09,739 --> 00:27:13,379 every year goes more and more to the analytics side and, and so they're 540 00:27:13,379 --> 00:27:18,149 getting, uh, you know, some real hands on experience at this, um, through 541 00:27:18,149 --> 00:27:19,759 our, our program, which is neat. 542 00:27:20,669 --> 00:27:23,529 CB: Well, I know one of your former players, uh, Joe Homaker, who's 543 00:27:23,529 --> 00:27:24,889 the pitching coach at Princeton. 544 00:27:25,029 --> 00:27:28,119 He teaches that class at Princeton, which we always like to joke 545 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:29,879 that, uh, you can go promote you. 546 00:27:29,879 --> 00:27:30,949 You can go teach at Princeton. 547 00:27:31,369 --> 00:27:31,969 Coach Finwood: There you go. 548 00:27:32,979 --> 00:27:33,229 Yeah. 549 00:27:33,389 --> 00:27:33,859 You can do anything. 550 00:27:35,064 --> 00:27:36,864 So, yeah, that's cool, that's cool. 551 00:27:36,864 --> 00:27:38,744 I'm bummed we're not playing Princeton this year. 552 00:27:38,744 --> 00:27:39,164 I know. 553 00:27:39,394 --> 00:27:42,704 No home game, so we're gonna try to get it back on the schedule when we get there. 554 00:27:43,134 --> 00:27:47,954 When we get the, uh, the stadium back and, you know, I miss, uh, Coach Bradley 555 00:27:47,954 --> 00:27:51,404 and, you know, especially when he brings Bruce Hornsby in the dugout for us. 556 00:27:52,174 --> 00:27:53,104 That's super cool. 557 00:27:53,444 --> 00:27:54,364 CB: Never a bad time. 558 00:27:54,594 --> 00:27:56,764 Um, well, I know we said we're gonna let you go, but you 559 00:27:56,764 --> 00:27:57,684 did bring it up a minute ago. 560 00:27:57,694 --> 00:28:00,464 I want to make sure, you know, we, this is the first time we've had the podcast 561 00:28:00,474 --> 00:28:03,524 since, uh, since we lost, uh, Coach Guzzo. 562 00:28:04,004 --> 00:28:06,924 Um, and so just want to take a minute, you know, I mean, I know 563 00:28:06,924 --> 00:28:08,724 for me, he was such a special guy. 564 00:28:08,814 --> 00:28:10,894 He's just one of the first day I ever met him. 565 00:28:11,304 --> 00:28:14,364 It was like, I mean, I, I went to games when he was coaching 566 00:28:14,364 --> 00:28:15,844 back in high school and went out. 567 00:28:15,844 --> 00:28:17,064 I really never met him then. 568 00:28:17,394 --> 00:28:21,194 And then when you brought him back to help coach you, um, the 1st day I met him, 569 00:28:21,194 --> 00:28:22,764 it's like, I had known him for 30 years. 570 00:28:22,764 --> 00:28:24,054 Like, it's just who he was. 571 00:28:24,124 --> 00:28:28,764 Uh, just, I, I was very fortunate that last year, uh, some point 572 00:28:28,794 --> 00:28:32,274 point around June or so, I got to spend about 2, 3 hours at his condo 573 00:28:32,274 --> 00:28:35,144 with him, just hanging out, talking and just, just being around goes. 574 00:28:35,144 --> 00:28:38,114 And so I was, I was glad I had that kind of last, uh, last 575 00:28:38,114 --> 00:28:38,954 time to hang out with him. 576 00:28:38,955 --> 00:28:39,024 Yeah. 577 00:28:39,644 --> 00:28:40,744 Coach Finwood: Wow, that's cool. 578 00:28:40,744 --> 00:28:46,144 And if you've been in his condo, like, no sportsman has anything on his place 579 00:28:46,144 --> 00:28:48,484 as far as memorabilia goes, right? 580 00:28:49,049 --> 00:28:50,089 CB: That it was great. 581 00:28:50,089 --> 00:28:52,749 I like I was as I was walking up the steps I saw he had a couple like 582 00:28:52,749 --> 00:28:55,469 couple verlander things and I was like, oh, that's amazing And then you 583 00:28:55,469 --> 00:28:58,949 turn the corner and it's just like it's like, uh, yeah It's like any 584 00:28:58,949 --> 00:29:00,479 member beauty shop would be shamed. 585 00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:01,899 It's it's amazing 586 00:29:02,729 --> 00:29:04,919 Coach Finwood: I mean, I used to tell him man if you want to sell 587 00:29:04,919 --> 00:29:07,739 all this stuff on ebay, you can make a million dollars probably 588 00:29:08,649 --> 00:29:09,099 easy 589 00:29:09,639 --> 00:29:13,779 Coach Finwood: he had like whole sets of figurines of of like, you 590 00:29:13,779 --> 00:29:16,779 know, the 1928 yankees or something. 591 00:29:16,779 --> 00:29:18,864 Yeah It was incredible. 592 00:29:20,264 --> 00:29:21,534 Yeah, unbelievable. 593 00:29:21,534 --> 00:29:21,944 Well, I'm 594 00:29:22,414 --> 00:29:22,484 CB: bringing 595 00:29:23,249 --> 00:29:28,904 Coach Finwood: him up CP like what a guy, you know, uh, just larger than life 596 00:29:29,604 --> 00:29:33,944 legend of a guy that, um, I saw they, they inducted him into the Virginia 597 00:29:33,944 --> 00:29:36,574 baseball coaches hall of fame in December. 598 00:29:36,574 --> 00:29:37,714 And that was neat. 599 00:29:37,714 --> 00:29:41,594 He certainly deserving of that, but he, you know, he'll, we're 600 00:29:41,594 --> 00:29:47,224 wearing, uh, stickers on our helmets this year, say guz GUZ, uh, just 601 00:29:47,234 --> 00:29:48,744 to honor him for this season. 602 00:29:49,394 --> 00:29:53,824 And we'll find a, we'll find a space in that ballpark to, to keep that alive. 603 00:29:53,824 --> 00:29:57,164 I know there's pictures out there on the outfield wall and, uh, Maybe 604 00:29:57,194 --> 00:29:58,704 CB: put it next to the concession stand. 605 00:29:58,994 --> 00:30:00,484 Coach Finwood: Hey, that'd be perfect. 606 00:30:01,674 --> 00:30:03,624 We need to name maybe the hot dog after that. 607 00:30:03,624 --> 00:30:04,224 The hot dogs, 608 00:30:04,914 --> 00:30:06,614 CB: the Tony Guzzo hot dog stand. 609 00:30:08,084 --> 00:30:10,964 Coach Finwood: I'll never forget, you know, him sitting in the dugout. 610 00:30:12,359 --> 00:30:15,299 And it'd be one of those days where the guys down there cooking 611 00:30:15,299 --> 00:30:18,649 the burgers and, you know, it's 15 minutes before game time. 612 00:30:18,649 --> 00:30:20,879 We're all in there and he's sitting on his chair in there 613 00:30:20,879 --> 00:30:22,879 and the wind just shifts over. 614 00:30:22,879 --> 00:30:26,819 And so the, the, the smoke from the burgers kind of blows into the 615 00:30:26,819 --> 00:30:35,069 dugout and he, and he, He goes, Ooh, cheeseburgers, and he sent one of the, 616 00:30:35,069 --> 00:30:42,604 he sent one of the managers with a 20. 617 00:30:42,604 --> 00:30:45,254 And you'd peak down, he'd have them somewhere hidden. 618 00:30:45,464 --> 00:30:49,254 In the dugout and you peek down there about the sixth inning and he's kind of 619 00:30:49,254 --> 00:30:52,944 hunched over to his house in that thing. 620 00:30:52,945 --> 00:30:57,364 It's the most Guzz moment ever. 621 00:30:59,674 --> 00:31:03,954 We can have a whole episode on, on Guz's eating habits too, by the way. 622 00:31:04,234 --> 00:31:06,644 Uh, that, that's a story for, uh, You can do 623 00:31:06,644 --> 00:31:08,664 CB: a podcast series, never mind an episode. 624 00:31:09,174 --> 00:31:10,644 Coach Finwood: You absolutely could. 625 00:31:10,684 --> 00:31:16,134 So, you've never seen a guy go through a, a giant, uh, Sam's Club 626 00:31:16,504 --> 00:31:19,324 jar of mustard like Coach Guz could. 627 00:31:19,944 --> 00:31:20,454 So, 628 00:31:20,455 --> 00:31:20,989 I 629 00:31:21,624 --> 00:31:23,014 Coach Finwood: appreciate you bringing him up, man. 630 00:31:23,084 --> 00:31:23,484 Yeah. 631 00:31:23,729 --> 00:31:25,699 Big loss for all of us, obviously. 632 00:31:25,699 --> 00:31:30,359 And, uh, it was a really wonderful tribute we were able to have at the bud that day. 633 00:31:30,359 --> 00:31:31,669 And, you know, yeah, that 634 00:31:31,669 --> 00:31:32,789 CB: was, that was outstanding. 635 00:31:32,789 --> 00:31:35,249 I was so glad you guys were able to, it was, it was nice that everyone got 636 00:31:35,269 --> 00:31:38,649 to have that because, because that's the thing is it was a loss, but at 637 00:31:38,659 --> 00:31:42,139 the same time, all you can do is think about how wonderful he was and how lucky 638 00:31:42,139 --> 00:31:43,409 we all were that we got to have him. 639 00:31:43,849 --> 00:31:45,709 Coach Finwood: That's, that's the best way to put it. 640 00:31:45,949 --> 00:31:50,069 My dad used to say, we all end up just being stories, man, make sure 641 00:31:50,069 --> 00:31:51,759 they tell some good ones about you. 642 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:51,829 And. 643 00:31:52,019 --> 00:31:54,669 He certainly, uh, checked that box. 644 00:31:57,399 --> 00:31:59,599 Gary: Well, coach, we're going to let you get onto dinner. 645 00:31:59,599 --> 00:32:01,019 Thanks so much for hopping on. 646 00:32:01,089 --> 00:32:04,119 We look forward to having you on some more episodes here in the future, 647 00:32:04,119 --> 00:32:05,389 but uh, really appreciate you. 648 00:32:06,139 --> 00:32:06,359 Coach Finwood: Yeah. 649 00:32:06,359 --> 00:32:07,499 Let's do it again next week. 650 00:32:07,509 --> 00:32:08,129 That was fun. 651 00:32:11,449 --> 00:32:11,549 Thank 652 00:32:11,559 --> 00:32:11,779 Coach Finwood: you. 653 00:32:11,779 --> 00:32:14,489 And, uh, have a good, uh, have a good evening, everybody. 654 00:32:14,499 --> 00:32:15,279 Go monarchs.