>> female announcer: This is a

production of WKNO, Memphis.

Production funding for "Sports

Files" is made possible in part

by..

>> Gaston: My guest today on

"Sports Files" is former Memphis

Tigers All-American and NBA All-

Star Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway.

>> (instrumental music)

♪♪♪

>> Gaston: Happy New Year

everyone.

The city of Memphis, and the

surrounding metro area, has been

known for many years as a haven

for some of the best round ball

players in the country.

In sports terms, when asked for

a Memphian to describe their

home, the usual response is

"It's a basketball town".

The list of star basketball

players that have called the

area home is both extensive and

impressive.

But the three names that will

stand the test of time are

Larry, Keith and Penny.

As in Finch, Lee and Hardaway.

Today, the legendary Penny

Hardaway joins me to talk about

his impact on the University of

Memphis then and now.

His commitment to the community

and his financial stake in the

Memphis Grizzlies.

And later Penny and I will be

joined by Travis Haddock, the

creator of one of the top high

school basketball tournaments in

the country, which just so

happens to bare the name of

Penny.

It's a full out, full court

press with Anfernee "Penny

Hardaway" next on "Sports

Files."

>> (instrumental music)

♪♪♪

>> Gaston: Penny, happy New

Year.

Thanks so much for being with

us.

>> Hardaway: Thanks.

>> Gaston: I know you're always

up to a lot of different things

but right now you're coaching

this Lester Middle School.

And it's become a big story

nationally.

Tell us about coaching and how

much you enjoy going back to the

roots.

>> Hardaway: Well it started

last year.

I joined a team.

We had such a successful season

that CNN got interested, came in

and did an article on the team.

The article got so many hits on

the website.

So we're writing a book right

now.

And then the movie will be

coming out in the near future,

"Behind the Lester Middle Team."

So I'm very excited about that.

>> Gaston: So it will be more

like a documentary?

>> Hardaway: A documentary and a

movie.

>> Gaston: Wow!

>> Hardaway: Yes.

>> Gaston: You going to play

yourself?

>> Hardaway: Yes I am.

No, really-both are going to

happen.

>> Gaston: How about that?

Now is this something?-the

coaching aspect.

Because you didn't jump in to it

once you retired from the NBA.

Do you see yourself coaching

down the line?-maybe in college

or high school or anywhere.

Or do you just like what you're

doing?

>> Hardaway: I'm not sure.

I really like what I'm doing

right now because I really went

back to my community and the

Binghampton community to try to

give back to the school and to

the community and it ended up

having a great team.

And a lot of people came in

nationally and recognized that.

And I really haven't thought

further than that.

But I really like what I'm doing

right now with Lester Middle.

>> Gaston: Well as I said

earlier, I don't know when you

sleep because you're always

doing things.

And now you've made a financial

commitment to the Memphis

Grizzlies.

What do you think about being a

part owner of an NBA team?

>> Hardaway: It's a dream come

true.

I mean, to be able to play

basketball for a living was

great but to be able to be paid

and play basketball was even

better.

But to be able to buy in to the

team is unbelievable to even

fathom because I never thought

that I would be an owner.

You know, my dream was to play.

And after I played, I never

thought that this opportunity.

>> Gaston: Once Robert Pera took

over, they brought in a lot of

owners for this minority group-

Justin Timberlake, a fellow

Memphian, and other.

They're in entertainment and

some are in business but you're

a former player and a star

player at that.

And your friend Elliot Perry,

another former Tiger great and

NBA player.

So do they look at you in a

different light

>> Hardaway: Well what happened

initially, they wanted me to

come and be involved just from

the community standpoint of

trying to bridge the gap between

the fans, the community and the

Grizzlies.

And while I was doing so, the

opportunity came about to be in

the minority ownership.

But yeah, definitely.

I'm going to bring hopefully my

basketball knowledge to the

situation.

But being able to just loan some

things to the player and to the

coaching staff and to the

organization from my knowledge.

>> Gaston: So you're coaching

Lester.

You're obviously keeping an eye

on what the Grizzlies are doing

as a part owner of the team.

And of course, your beloved

Memphis Tigers.

You're at many games.

What do you think about this

Tiger team that again, was

nationally ranked, dropped out

very quickly after they

sputtered in the Bahamas, and

now trying to get their legs

back.

What do you think of this team

this season?

>> Hardaway: Well it's been

interesting because a lot of

guys haven't really stepped up.

I mean, especially on the

defensive end.

I think everything that's been

in the history of Memphis

basketball has restarted with

defense first and then offense

second.

And I think this year's team has

to buy in to that effect.

And I'm sure Josh is screaming

and telling them that but it has

to transfer over in to the games

because you have to win games.

>> Gaston: Penny, you were one

of the guys who lived in

Memphis, played for your

hometown team and had a lot of

success.

There have been others that have

struggled.

How hard is it for the Memphian

to stay at home and play for the

University of Memphis?

>> Hardaway: It's very hard

because a lot of kids can't

handle that pressure.

If you do decide to stay at home

and you're a superstar player,

there's going to be a lot.

You carry the entire weight of

the city on your back and that's

something that I welcome because

I felt like I could handle it.

But it's not for everybody.

It's just once the pressure

starts to build when you're not

playing well, you have to be

able to handle that and channel

it towards working harder and

>> Gaston: A lot of the blame

when the team struggles-and

there's a number of Memphians on

the team-but it happens to fall

on the shoulders of Joe Jackson.

Joe Jackson's playing terrific

basketball right now.

He seems to have weathered the

storm.

What do you think about this

young man and the pressure he's

had, the King of Memphis.

They don't expect you to be an

all-American.

So there's been a lot of heavy

weight that he's had to carry.

>> Hardaway: Well, the city

expects a lot out of Joe.

It's not something that, you

know, that it's a surprise to

him because he expects a lot out

of himself.

Like you said, he's weathered

the storm.

They were very hard on him.

I mean, some of them was

rightfully so.

But a lot of it was unfair.

But that's the title that you

get when you stay at home and

you're a hometown hero.

And they expect for you to come

in and win.

And I'm so happy to see him

playing well right now.

>> Gaston: You are a terrific

alum of the University of

Memphis not only with your

support, being at games.

Everybody knows the million

dollars you gave to the hall of

fame which is now in your name,

the Anfernee Penny Hardaway

Athletic Hall of Fame.

How cool is it to drive by that

street and see your name up

there knowing-Hey, that's me!

>> Hardaway: It's unbelievable

man.

I tell my friends these type of

things don't happen to people

until they pass away.

You know you get the greatest

things when you pass away which

is the saddest thing.

But to be able to drive by and

see my name on the building and

be able to enjoy it and go

inside of there and see some of

the things that we've done-the

athletes have done-over the

history of the University of

Memphis makes me feel great

because it's right behind the

dorm room that I stayed in my

freshman year.

I mean, it's great.

It just took back the memories

back.

>> Gaston: if you could change

one thing from your playing days

at the University of Memphis-one

moment, one game-what would it

be?

You could change one thing.

>> Hardaway: When I played?

>> Gaston: Mhmm.

>> Hardaway: That Cincinnati

game that we lost in the Elite

Eight.

I wish that I could have just

changed that just to get to the

Final Four.

I wanted to win a championship

that year.

I mean, it was all Memphis guys

on the team.

That was something that was

unheard of-everybody being from

the same city on one team.

And we went so far.

If I could change that, I would.

>> Gaston: How tough was that?-

knowing you were that close.

>> Hardaway: Well when we got

the draw, you know, when

Cincinnati-I think they beat

UTEP.

UTEP almost beat them that game.

I was hoping for UTEP because I

understood the dominance that

Cincinnati had against us but

when we got Cincinnati it was

like-Hey, we know what we have.

They used to us.

We used to them.

Let's go out and play the game.

And they were just-they were

just better.

We just didn't get over the hump

but I wish I could get that game

over.

>> Gaston: Do you have any

regrets from your playing days?

Is there anything that you would

change?

>> Hardaway: At University of

Memphis?

>> Gaston: Mhmm.

>> Hardaway: No, not at all.

I mean, I think I left school in

a timely fashion and when I had

to because I was going to be a

top three pick.

Academically I had achieved

things that I wanted to achieve

because I was on the Dean's

list.

There really wasn't anything

left but my family being in the

situation that we were in.

But I really don't have any

regrets at the University of

Memphis.

It was one of the best times of

my life being there because I

was able to be home.

I was very successful there.

And we were winning.

What more could ask for?

>> Gaston: You move on to the

NBA.

Success right there from the

get-go, all all-star.

And then obviously you had the

injuries later in your career.

I would guess if I ask you the

question about regrets for the

professional career, it would be

having to cut the career a

little bit short, right?

>> Hardaway: Well I think the

biggest regret I have was that I

didn't get my self well after my

first surgery.

I kept playing--trying to be

tough, trying to play through

the pain.

And it ended up haunting me.

Like now, I see guys sit out for

long periods of time.

Like Derrick Rose is out and the

Bulls are saying don't come back

until you're ready.

>> Gaston: Yeah, it wouldn't

happen today.

>> Hardaway: No, back when I

played, they kind of was like

-"Hey, we need you on the floor.

"At 50 percent, you're better

than what we would have out

there."

So you were kind of, you know,

pushed in a direction of going

back out on the floor.

And I hate that I did that.

>> Gaston: Best player you

played with, best player you

played against in the NBA.

>> Hardaway: Best player I

played with was Shaq.

>> Gaston: Sure.

>> Hardaway: And the best player

I played against was Michael

Jordan.

>> Gaston: That's some pretty

good choices.

Alright, let's take Shaq and MJ

out of it.

Who would be second then?

>> Hardaway: I would say Jason

Kidd was the second best player

I played with-unbelievably

awesome.

And the second best player that

I played against would have been

-

Gary Payton.

>> Gaston: Gary Payton-Glove.

>> Hardaway: Gary was very tough

defensively and offensively.

>> Gaston: Penny, how did Little

Penny come about?

>> Hardaway: Little Penny came

about because of my shyness.

I wasn't really like outspoken

and there was an advertisement

agency called Wieden and Kennedy

that worked for Nike.

Came up with the idea that-Hey,

we should get an alter ego,

someone that's going to talk

smack because you won't.

And your game-I just let me game

talk for itself.

So they were like-We'll let

somebody talk your game for you.

And I was like-You know what?

That sounds pretty good because

I thought I love comedy and I

knew it would be funny.

And it just ended up just being

a great idea.

>> Gaston: Do you have a Little

Penny puppet in your house?

>> Hardaway: I do have one.

I do have a Little Penny puppet.

>> Gaston: Do you have any idea

how many were made?-how many

were manufactured.

>> Hardaway: I think they made

them way too late because we

didn't really jump on it when we

needed to.

But I don't know how many were

made.

>> Gaston: Do you remember any

funny outtake from the

commercials or anything you were

involved with with Little Penny?

Of course the voice, Chris Rock-

that was something that would

never air because it was an

outtake.

Anything that you an bring up?

>> Hardaway: No, not really

because I never filmed on set

with Chris.

He did his part, his voiceover,

and I heard the voiceover as I

was talking.

And that was my first time

hearing it as well as everyone

else.

And I laughed every take because

I was laughing at what Little

Penny was saying because I

hadn't heard it until the point

and when I got in to the

commercial.

So the outtakes were me probably

laughing at what Chris was

saying.

(laughter)

>> Gaston: How different is the

game today?

I mean, we talked about

injuries.

Obviously if you got hurt in

this day and age, you would not

have played through it.

They would have taken care of it

medically before you were back

in the game.

But other than that, what

different do you see in the game

today in 2012 than when you

played?

>> Hardaway: I think it's our

game was a lot tougher.

You could hand check.

You could play more physical.

It took a lot more to get a

foul.

Nowadays Commissioner Stern

wants the points to be up and

not down, you know, for

entertainment.

So every little touch foul now

is a foul.

And that makes the game, to me

and the old school guys, a lot

worse but it helps the fan

understand that it's about

offense.

They want it to be more

offensive in the NBA versus when

I played.

>> Gaston: We're going to go

back to the University of

Memphis and again, you're not

only involved with financial

commitment but I'm sure there

are a lot of times when they

confer in you, they ask you

about things.

What is your take on this Big

East situation?

>> Hardaway: You know, it's

really hurtful seeing what's

happening, you know, right now.

>> Gaston: Once you got in,

right?

>> Hardaway: Yeah, once you got

in.

I love the move because the move

is needed.

You know we needed to get to a

bigger conference and we did so.

And then all of a sudden, the

teams that we were going to play

against are leaving.

But there's nothing we can do

about it.

I mean, I love making that

change though.

It gives us recruiting in that

area, you know, in the east

where we really couldn't recruit

the New York kids and the DC

kids.

Now we can recruit those kids.

And the Big East is still better

than where we are right now.

Not to dog our conference but

it's still going to be better

teams.

>> Gaston: There's always the

question whether or not a player

plays, goes to the school for

the school or for the coach.

And most of the time, our answer

is the coach.

But would you have come?

Would you have stayed at home

and played for Memphis no matter

who the coach was?

>> Hardaway: Yes, I would have

stayed home because I was just a

home guy.

I love the University of

Memphis.

The teams with Andre Turner and

Keith Lee and those guys really

sold me on the University of

Memphis.

And I bled blue and grey.

So I wasn't going to go

anywhere-even today.

>> Gaston: So you were an easy

sell?

>> Hardaway: Yes.

>> Gaston: I could have

recruited you.

>> Hardaway: Yes, it was easy.

>> Gaston: Alright, you have a

passion for golf now.

And I know you still play pick-

up basketball and you love the

game of basketball.

But you really have fallen in

love with the game of golf.

Why?-What's the connection?

>> Hardaway: It's so competitive

and a lot of people don't

understand you can't beat the

game.

You can go out one day and shoot

a low score.

And the next day, it's a high

score.

And that drives me crazy because

basketball comes so easy to me.

And golf is so difficult.

And I think it drives me to be

perfect in an imperfect game.

So that's why I love golf so

much.

>> Gaston: Do you have your own

instructor?

>> Hardaway: I do.

>> Gaston: So you work hard on

it.

You just don't go out there and

play and have fun.

You want to be good and you want

to be the best you can be when

you go out there on the links,

right?

>> Hardaway: Absolutely.

Like I said in sports,

everything has come to me very

easily.

And then to get in to golf and

everything be a struggle, I had

to get instruction and try to

get myself to a scratch level or

a plus handicap level so I can

enjoy the game.

>> Gaston: Well it's a fantastic

career that you've had.

Obviously it's a great life that

you have and we're real happy

that you've done so much for

this community and helped out

everybody here, Penny.

It's been an absolute pleasure.

We like to end our interviews.

And of course you'll be here

when Travis joins us to talk

about Penny Hardaway's Hoop

Fest, another thing certainly

you're involved in.

But we end our interviews with

five for the road.

So five questions from me.

Real quick answers.

Whatever comes to mind first.

Favorite professional team as a

kid growing up?

>> Hardaway: Dallas Cowboys.

>> Gaston: Dallas Cowboys!

Still a Cowboys fan?

>> Hardaway: Yes, yes.

>> Gaston: Tough one.

>> Hardaway: Yeah.

>> Gaston: Fan of Tony Romo?

>> Hardaway: I am, I am.

(laughter)

>> Hardaway: But I've been a

Cowboys fan for a very long

time.

>> Gaston: Favorite professional

athlete-any sport.

>> Hardaway: Deion Sanders.

>> Gaston: Primetime!

Favorite musician or singer or

group or band?

>> Hardaway: That's tough.

Favorite musician of all time?

>> Gaston: Yes.

Are you more old school music or

new school?

>> Hardaway: I'm old school.

I could say someone like -

You can't go wrong with Marvin

Gaye.

>> Gaston: Marvin Gaye-Alright.

Final two.

Favorite television show of all

time.

>> Hardaway: Man, I'm a TV Land

guy!

I love TV.

That's hard to do.

Favorite TV show of all time.

>> Gaston: Tough one.

>> Hardaway: Yeah.

I would say-

>> Gaston: You said you have a

sense of humor.

Is there a comedy you like?

>> Hardaway: Yeah, it's going to

be,

I love, like, "Red Fox"-like

"Sanford and Son" and those

shows.

>> Gaston: I watched that with

my father when I was a kid.

>> Hardaway: I would say

"Sanford and Son."

>> Gaston: It was back to back.

You're too young.

You watch the replay.

You watched the reruns.

I watched the first run with my

father when it was "Sanford and

Son" and "Chico and the Man"

when it was back to back.

Alright, favorite movie of all

time?

It has to be-does it not?

Blue Chips?

>> Hardaway: Blue Chips is one

of them.

There might be one.

One could be A Soldier's Story.

>> Gaston: A Soldier's Story-

great movie!

What was that like, by the way?-

real quick.

We're running out of time.

But playing in a movie-Blue

Chips.

Nick Nolte, of course.

>> Hardaway: Nick Nolte was

great.

It was fun.

It was a lot of hurry up and

wait.

But I really enjoyed being in LA

for the summer filming that

movie.

>> Gaston: Have you, by the way,

had a chance to go and play pick

up with Jason Levien and the

guys over at the Grizzlies?

>> Hardaway: Not yet.

We will do that this year for

sure.

>> Gaston: Absolutely.

Thank you, Penny.

>> Hardaway: Thank you for

having me.

>> Gaston: Hang in there.

We're going to get Travis

Haddock.

We'll talk about Penny

Hardaway's Hoopfest in just a

moment.

We'll take a quick break.

When we come back, time for

Overtime.

Memphis entrepreneur Travis

Haddock came to Penny two years

ago to be a part of what Travis

was hoping would become one of

the nation's top prep basketball

tournaments.

The result? -- the Penny

Hardaway National Hoopfest.

This year's second annual event

will take place next week,

January 10th through the 12th,

Travis, last year was

sensational-your first year

around.

Second year-You're getting ready

for bigger and better things.

You've changed around a little

bit.

>> Haddock: We changed a little

bit.

We decided to regional.

We already knew it was

recognized nationally very well

but we wanted to also

regionalize the event to

include-add-another day so we

can get some more Memphis teams.

You know, and we like the way

this is turning out.

>> Gaston: So Dyer County for

the first two days.

The White Station High School.

>> Haddock: That's correct.

>> Gaston: You've also added an

event in Las Vegas.

>> Haddock: the Penny Hardaway

in Las Vegas National Hoopfest.

Superbowl weekend we're going to

have.

>> Gaston: And why add that?

Why add the one in Las Vegas?

>> Haddock: It's more like why

not Las Vegas because, you know,

we had talked when we first

start getting towards expand out

and to brand the event.

And we really-The most important

thing is to do something that

nobody else has done.

You know, and that's when you

take the best teams in America,

having good relationships with

those teams and you take them to

Therefore it develops an

emotional attachment to the

event that you wouldn't

typically see.

They're not just other games.

These games really mean

something to the teams.

And it becomes very community-

oriented because the fans in

those cities don't want their

local teams to lose.

>> Gaston: Alright, let's talk

about some of those big boys

that will be coming to Dyer

County and White Station High

School for this year's event.

>> Haddock: Well you know

obviously Chicago's sending in

Derrick Rose's former high

school that featured Jabari

Parker on the third high school

player in history to be featured

in Sports Illustrated.

They're going to be re-matching

number eight ranked Southwind.

So you've got two top ten teams

playing that first game.

Then you're going to have number

one ranked Finley Prep playing

right behind that at 7:00

against Memphis Melrose.

And you've got Whitney Young

who's ranked number four in the

nation playing number 11 ranked

White Station.

That's just the last three games

on the last day.

You know, we've got nine ranked

teams playing, six in the top

ten, six state championships,

six state champions from last

year.

And that's just off the top of

my brain.

>> Gaston: Alright, so how do

you get this gentleman involved?

What do you when you come up and

approach Penny Hardaway to ask

him to be a part of it?

>> Haddock: Well we have a

mutual friend.

And last year I had already kind

of signed on and then we've

really kind of been building

this thing over the past few

years.

And again a mutual friend of us

said-"Hey, you two really should

sit down and talk."

And I said okay.

So we ended up having lunch at

Houstons one day and here we are

ever since.

>> Gaston: Penny, a lot of

people probably approach you to

have your name to something.

Why this?

>> Hardaway: Well first of all,

we have a mutual friend.

And Travis had such an

unbelievable idea because

basketball is Memphis.

And to bring these nationally

ranked teams in to play against

our teams-our local teams-I

wanted that for our kids.

And he wanted it for our kids.

And that's why, you know, we

partnered up.

I loaned my name to this

tournament.

>> Gaston: Travis, there are

some, as you know, high school

basketball tournaments around

this country.

Some have succeeded.

Some have failed.

Why did you feel so confident

that this was going to be big

and in just a short time has

become one of the best

tournaments in the entire

country?

>> Haddock: Because I don't quit

and I usually don't take no for

an answer.

You know, but really it took

three of four years of just

strictly networking out,

developing relationships around

the country with these teams and

coaches because everybody wants

them to play in their event.

You know, and once you've

established those friendships,

then, you know, you can open the

door to having a big event like

this and then moving on to other

cities, too, and taking these

teams kind of with you.

>> Gaston: Alright, folks who

want to see these games-What do

they need to do?

>> Haddock: Well January 10 and

11 at Dyer County, the game

start at 4:00.

It will be $12 for adults, $10

for students at the door.

>> Gaston: Now prices for the

entire session?

>> Haddock: The Saturday event

because, you know, because we do

have six top ten teams is the

most expensive day.

You know it's going to be 15 for

adults and 10 for students.

>> Gaston: Okay, is there a

website they can go to?

>> Haddock: It's Haddocksports-

dot-com.

>> Gaston: Haddocksports-dot-

com.

Alright, talk about the reaction

when you were dealing with local

teams and some of these terrific

teams that we have, some of

these terrific coaches that you

bringing this tournament.

And we go back to last year when

it was inaugural tournament.

What was the reaction when you

said we're going to bring in

these national powers.

We're going to match them up

with you.

It's going to be a tournament

where they-"Sure, let's see it

when it happens."

Right?

What was the reaction like?

>> Haddock: Well you know, they

were like at first, when you

first tell them about it,

everybody's like-"Yeah, I'll

play.

"I'll play."

And then when it's really going

to happen, some people are like

-"You know, remember when I told

you I'd do it?"

(laughter)

>> Gaston: They probably didn't

think you were able to

accomplish it.

>> Haddock: Well you know, I

don't know but your best coaches

in this area will play anybody

because the biggest focus is to

win state championships.

You know, look at Chicago Simeon

up there.

They've won the last three

state.

They could care less what their

national ranking is.

They're so good but they're main

focus is to win state.

And it's really the same concept

here.

So to get your self better, you

really have to go out and play

these national games when the

opportunity arises because, you

know, that's what gets you

better.

And you've noticed the teams

that win state tournaments

usually come out of Memphis and

it's usually the teams that went

out there and played games and

maybe dropped some.

>> Gaston: I would imagine as a

young basketball player in this

community, you're already

playing great teams going

against each other.

But to have a chance to play

some of the best national teams,

you've got to fire up these

young men.

>> Hardaway: Absolutely.

I mean, you want to measure your

talent against the rest of the

country.

And win you're playing the top

teams, what defines the top

teams from the Memphis teams?

How did they get ranked?

So when they come to town, these

kids are like they're going to

prove to us that they're really

number one or they're a top ten

team.

And the talent here thinks that

we can play with anybody in the

country.

So we're like-Okay, bring them

to town.

And we're ready to play.

So the kids are very fired up.

>> Gaston: I said that the young

men but also you've had young

women involved with the women's

tournament as well.

Is that part of this year's

Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest or is

that just the Bragging Rights

tournament when you had the

girls teams?

>> Haddock: Well we do have a

girls game at Dyer County the

first day to kick off the event,

especially for that area.

They really want it.

And we said that's fine.

Knowing that we were doing such

a big broad day in Memphis, we

couldn't do.

We did eight games the last day

last year and it was really

tiring for everybody, including

the teams.

And everybody kind of hung in

there and was a trooper.

But we figure six games was a

great amount.

And we've got such high

nationally ranked teams.

Let's just go with what we see,

you know, there and we thought

that would probably be the best

idea.

>> Gaston: Alright, so Thursday

January 10.

Friday, January 11.

Dyer County High School.

Tip off time for the first game

is when?

>> Haddock: 4:00.

>> Gaston: 4:00

And then it culminates on

Saturday, January 12 at White

Station High School.

Action begins when?

>> Haddock: 1:00

>> Gaston: 1:00 on Saturday the

12.

And again, one more time and our

final moment.

I know you want to thank some of

your sponsors because without

that, there probably would not

be Penny Hardaway's Hoopfest.

>> Haddock: Obviously Dave

Slight and Jamie Robinson with

American Residential Services

and John Conway and Greg Siskin.

You know there's a mile of

people and also Penny as well.

You know we have a good core

group around us and we're very

thankful for it.

>> Gaston: Well we are looking

forward to it.

I know it's going to be

sensational.

It was last year.

It was a great way to start off

this new national high school

tournament.

I know it's going to be even

bigger and better this year.

And then of course heading out

to Vegas for the first time.

Nothing but the best.

You've done a fantastic job

bringing some of the best high

school basketball in the

country.

Travis, thank you so much-

pleasure!

Penny, I can't reach you here.

I wish I had your reach but

thank you so much.

Absolute pleasure as well.

Thank you both for being with us

on today's program.

And that will do it for this

week's show.

Remember you can see any of our

past shows by simply going to

our website, WKNO-dot-org, and

clicking on KNO Tonite.

And we'll see you next time.