(female announcer)
Production funding
for "Sports Files" is
made possible in part by..
(male narrator)
Infiniti of Memphis has
moved to Germantown road
just half mile north of
Wolfchase Galleria and is proud
to support W-K-N-O for its
quality broadcasting and service
to our community.
Quality and service --
No wonder Infiniti of Memphis
feels at
home on W-K-N-O.
My guest today on "Sports Files"
is Memphis Grizzlies guard
Nick Calathes.
[theme music]
The Memphis Grizzlies are one
of many N-B-A teams that rely
heavily on numbers
and data to make plenty
of their
basketball decisions.
It's actually
something they call analytics.
The data is used to determine
everything from matchup
advantages to who
should be drafted.
And speaking of numbers,
since the All-Star Break guard
Nick Calathes ranks third in the
N-B-A with 2.6 steals per game.
Calathes has accomplished this
despite playing only 14 and a
half minutes per game.
And of the top seven players
in steals per contest since the
All-Star Break, all besides
Calathes are playing at least 31
minutes per contest.
With that type of
defensive production,
Head Coach Dave Joerger is not
afraid to use his second year
point guard
in key situations.
And knowing he is firmly a
part of the team's rotation,
Calathes is playing
with added confidence.
Today the former Florida
standout joins me to talk about
his role with the Grizzlies and
the team's chances of going
all the way.
He also reflects back on his 20
game N-B-A suspension and how he
hopes to play the rest of
his pro career in the N-B-A,
despite overtures
to return to Greece,
where he holds
a dual citizenship
with the United States.
Nick Calathes is
next on "Sports Files."
[theme music]
Good to
see you again.
Thanks so
much for your time.
It's good to
see you, my man.
Thank you
for having me.
Let's talk about the start to
the post all-star game portion
of the schedule.
A little slow.
I know you've won some ballgames
but I know Coach Joerger's not
exactly pleased with the
way you guys have played.
Why the slow start out of the
gate to start the second half?
Um, I think, you know, obviously
coming back from such
a long break.
You know, we had six, seven days
off and it's tough to get back
in to a little rhythm.
And I think it's going to take a
couple of games to get back but,
um, I thought, uh, you
know, we're getting it back,
I think, the last
couple of two games.
And, uh,
we're getting better.
It's a daunting
second half schedule.
And again, I say second half
but the bulk of your games were
played before
the all-star game.
The post all-star game
portion, a lot of back to backs.
You opened up with, what? --
five games in seven nights
and all of them
in all different cities.
Just one in Memphis
on your home court.
So, that's tough, isn't it?
On an athlete to have to
travel that much and have to
play in
different arenas.
Oh, for sure.
It's definitely tough and
obviously a lot of traveling,
like you said.
And then, like before, you know,
coming back from an all-star
break where you
really didn't do much,
you know, to keep up
the rhythm that we had
before the
all-star break.
And, you know, we
got to get it back.
And I think the past couple of
practices have been really good.
And I feel like
we're catching up.
What do you think
overall about this team?
You had a
tremendous pre all-star game.
Of course in your schedule, you
guys certainly had one of the
better records in
all of the N-B-A.
Third best,
second best in the West.
With what you
see out there, Nick,
how good are you guys and how
good can you be when it comes to
the post season?
(Nick)
I think we could be great.
I think, you know,
obviously the sky is the limit.
I think we still
haven't shown what we can do,
all of us
when we're rolling.
And I feel like, if
we get to the point,
I feel like no team in
the N-B-A can beat us.
And, you know, we have a great
chemistry with one another on
and off the court.
Your game has
really risen a level,
especially late with the
way you're playing defense.
Have you always prided
yourself in playing the defense?
I think I started
when I went overseas.
I thought that's when I really
started to focus on defense and
I think it just
picked up from there.
I think in high school and
college I thought I could have
probably played better
defense and focused it more
on the defensive end.
But I feel like I started really
playing when I got to Europe.
(Greg)
It's a fine line between
playing really good defense and
gambling too much.
You're obviously
very effective in steals
and turning teams over.
And again,
it's a team.
With Tony Allen and
Mike Conley, yourself,
others that like to gamble
but gamble when it's a high
percentage for you
guys to get the steal.
Talk about that,
the philosophy of trying to turn
the other team over.
Like you said,
gambling without a purpose,
you can't do that.
Because you're putting your
teammates in a bad situation to
have your back.
And I think, you know,
if you go for a steal,
I feel like, you know, you
dang near should have it.
But I feel like if you're
pushing the tempo and you're
making teams, you know, take bad
shots and really pressure in to
teams, I think then you can
really put the up tempo on their
part and then
turn them over.
And I feel like that's
what we're good at.
I feel like, you know,
obviously Mike Conley and Tony,
they can make guys, you know, I
guess over-react and push them
to a point where they
don't want to be pushed.
(Greg)
Have you learned
a lot from those guys?
(Nick)
Yeah, watching them
for the last year and a half,
I think I really learned a lot.
You know,
how they use their angles,
how they use their length.
Well, obviously not
Mike but Mike's speed
and how
he uses speed.
It really
frustrates their opponent.
You're in the
rotation now.
You're getting your minutes.
Earlier in the season,
obviously you weren't.
We'll talk about
that more in a second.
But knowing that you're going
to get minutes seemingly every
game, a lot different feeling
than when you weren't sure when
you were going to
come in to the game.
Right?
It's a lot different knowing
that you're going to be on the
court and you know
you're going to get time.
I feel like it's
not so inconsistent.
You know, being out and not
knowing when you're going to
play, it's, you
know, a roller coaster.
You don't know.
You don't know when
you're going to be out there.
And you don't know.
It's tough to
catch a rhythm.
And I feel like now that I've
been playing and hopefully
I keep playing.
I feel like I've gotten a
rhythm and I'm more consistent.
What has Coach Joerger said
to you about how he's trying
to utilize you?
Just, you know, bring energy.
Make the teammates
better around you.
You know,
things like that.
For the second unit, I feel like
that we've really come in and
bring up a defensive presence
that not many second units
can handle.
And I think that's what's
the best part about us.
How tough was it for
you to start the season
on the suspended list?
Obviously you had the summer
to think about everything
that went down.
And then to just get back in
to a rhythm with this team.
It's obviously
tough sitting out a lot,
watching these guys play.
Obviously they did
very well without me.
But just being at practices and
locker room making sure they see
me there, making sure they know
that I'm all about the team.
And then just, you know, getting
to a rhythm like I said before.
It's obviously tough, you know,
sitting out in the first 13
games and not playing.
And then not playing
for the first 30 games.
It was difficult.
But I always
made myself ready.
Worked out in the gym
hard and when my time came,
I wanted to take the
opportunity and get it.
There's no question that talent
wins a lot of championships.
But that talent has to
be all on the same page.
This is a team that has a
lot of talented players,
maybe doesn't get the accolades
that some of the other teams do
around the league.
But the chemistry is incredible.
Is it as good as what we
think it is behind closed doors.
Are you guys
all that close?
Yeah, for sure.
You know, we all go out
to eat after the games.
We'll go out to eat on
the road when we land.
I feel like, you know, this team
has probably been the closest
team I've been around.
You know, we can tell
each other stuff that,
you know, what we
think will get them better.
And they'll listen.
And then obviously,
you know, joking around
and stuff like that.
It's a lot of fun.
It really is.
(Greg)
Things we can't talk
about probably on the air.
For sure.
But when it's time to get
serious and when it's time to
have each other's
backs, you know,
we'll be ther
for each other.
(Greg)
And you have
that veteran leadership.
The guys have been together
for a long time with Z-Bo,
with Marc,
with Tony and with Mike.
You have that core unit
that leads this team.
(Nick)
Yes, we've had those four guys,
uh, have been through it.
They've been through a lot.
And, you know, they
obviously help guys like me,
guys like, you
know, Jordan Adams,
things that guys
haven't been there,
and, you know,
can teach us a lot.
Nick, we know how good
this team is defensively.
And we've seen you
improve over the last couple
of years offensively.
But I'll just ask
you straight out.
You know what's
out there in the west.
This is going to be a battle in
the post season from round one
all the way through.
Do the Grizzlies have
enough shooting to win it all?
I believe so.
I believe
we really do.
You know, guys
like Courtney Lee,
guys like, you know, Jeff Green,
Mike Conley, Vince Carter.
I think if you take
Mike off the ball,
I think it brings a
whole 'nother game for us,
you know, having
another shooter out there.
And I think we can.
Obviously, you know, you've got
to take shots in the play-offs,
you know, and it's a
more slowed down game,
which I think it benefits us.
It benefits our style.
And I think
obviously like you said,
it's going to be a lot
of battles every round,
every game.
And I think we're
looking forward to it.
Alright, let's talk about the
other part of your career and
that was, of
course, playing overseas,
playing in Greece,
playing a year in Russia,
being a part of the
Greek National Team.
You decided
right out of Florida.
You're one of the most heralded
players coming out of college
that year that you were
going to go play overseas.
Give me the reasons
why even though you were
a second round pick.
No guarantees but
you were drafted.
So, what was
your thought process?
You know, my brother
played over there for two years
before I did in Greece.
And, you know,
I talked to him a lot.
I played on the national
team the two years
before I left Florida.
And, you know, they
made a very big offer.
And it was
tough to turn down.
It was tough to, you know.
They didn't know if I
was going to be late first
or early second round.
And, you know, I didn't have any
guaranteed money on the table.
And I thought, you
know, I thought the team in
Panathinaikos,
which is in Greece,
they just won the early title
and they're the best team
over there.
So, I thought I
could really learn a lot
if I played over there.
And, you know,
so, I went.
I took that chance and I thought
I don't regret it at all.
I thought it made
me a better player.
I thought I got to experience
things that not many basketball
players experience, the
traveling to different
countries, seeing the world.
And, you know,
I'm back here.
And hopefully I can
make the best of it here.
And that's
how it went.
Well, you have dual
citizenship in Greece.
You not only played there
but were very successful.
So, you're right.
You bettered your game.
You certainly made
a name for yourself.
But I think it's probably every
basketball player's dream to one
day play in
the Association.
So, you get the chance.
Obviously the Grizzlies
got your rights from Dallas.
You play.
But then there was talk off
season last this past summer
that you
wanted to go back.
And I'm sure the
money is more lucrative.
The Grizzlies said
they want to keep you.
So, was there
any animosity there?
Once they said,
"Listen, we're keeping you,"
was it, "Okay, I'm good.
"I'm set,
I'm ready to go.
Let's move forward
with the Grizzlies."?
Yeah, I was
100% on board.
Once they said
that they want me,
that they see a role
for me to play here,
I was 100% in to being
here, playing for this team
and helping them.
And obviously I know what their
goals are and I know obviously
we're a very good team.
And I'm glad that obviously
I got the chance to do this.
And hopefully I can do
it for many more years.
I love playing
for these guys.
(Greg)
Were you not sure if
your role was defined at first?
And that's why you didn't
know if you had the future.
That's why
you hesitated?
You know,
it was a lot of things.
The suspension obviously.
You know, I didn't
know what they thought.
You know, it was a
whole bunch of things.
And I think it was just
to be honest with you,
a big misunderstanding.
And obviously once we
worked it out and once,
you know, I really talked
to the people upstairs,
I think everything
was put to its place.
And we moved on
from right there.
Was there much negative
feedback from fans or anybody,
fellow basketball players?
Did they send you
a text or e-mails?
No, it was never
any negative feedback.
Obviously I think everyone
was supportive obviously.
There was a very dumb
situation, what happened
with the suspension.
You know, I can't really
talk about it but, you know.
Yeah, it's behind me.
And I'm glad I can
help this team right now.
Do you see one
day down the road,
maybe many years from now,
that you play again in Greece
or play in Europe?
To be honest,
I hope I stay here.
My goal is to finish
my career in N-B-A.
Obviously the N-B-A is
the best league there is.
First class, you know,
playing for these fans.
Playing for, you know, I guess
the toughest competition
in the world.
And I'm glad I'm here.
My focus right
now is to play here.
I know they're
glad to have you.
What part of the game do you
need to improve upon the most?
I think right
now my shooting.
I think my shooting
is the big thing.
Make sure I can
knock down a three.
Obviously in Europe,
it's a different line,
the three point line.
So, you know,
I had to get used to it.
But I feel like I'm
working really hard at it
and I'll get it.
I mean, once I, you know,
start knocking them down,
I'll be fine.
In high school, you
played with Chandler Parsons,
who you would go on and
play with at Florida, right?
(Nick)
Florida, yes sir.
And you guys were 31
and 3 at Lake Howell,
won a state
championship.
How good
was that team?
Unbelievable.
We had me, Chandler.
We had a kid named Joey
Rodriguez who was the starting
point guard for V-C-U when
they went to the Final Four.
So, we had a
very strong team.
And, you know, we went to the
state championship three years
before that
and never won it.
So, our senior year,
we made sure we won it.
And, you know, we won
by I think 47 points.
It was a
make sure we..
We didn't want to be the Buffalo
Bills or that kind of thing.
So, we made sure
that we took it.
You took that success in
high school to college.
And it seemed like a
natural for Florida.
And it was
for Billy Donavan.
What was it like to
play for Billy the Kid?
The won two national
championships not while you were
there but in recent years.
What was it like at
Florida under Billy Donavan?
It was great.
He's, you know, I feel
like a player's coach.
He knows the game,
has played professionally,
played in the N-B-A, has one of
the toughest work ethics that
I've seen as a coach.
He's always in the gym and
it was great playing for him.
And I'm glad I stayed
home and played for him.
And it was a great
opportunity for me.
Do you stay
in touch with him?
I do.
I talk to him, you
know, as much as I..
Not as much as I
want to but, you know,
I talk to him
as much as I can.
After he got the
500th win this past week,
I texted him and told
him congratulations
and things like that.
When you talk to a
former coach, is it more
about how
they're doing?
They ask how you're
doing away from the game.
Or is there something
technical you'll ask
about the game itself?
I think it's more
of, "How you doing, Coach?
How's the team lookin'?"
Things like that.
I think, you know, he's focused
on his season and I'm focused
on my season.
Obviously probably can't watch
many Memphis Grizzlies games the
same as I can't watch
as many Florida games.
So, it's how you doing and
obviously I hope everything is
going well with family
and things like that.
How fluent are you
in speaking Greek?
I feel like I can understand
it if people talk to me.
Me talking back, it's difficult.
I've still got to
learn a little bit more.
But if people are
speaking to me,
I can get a sense of
what they're talking about.
So, if I ask you and put
you on the spot to say,
"The Memphis Grizzlies
have a great shot
to take it all the way,"
can you say it in Greek?
No, that's why I have to go talk
to Kosta Koufos and tell him
to translate it.
Kosta is fluent.
You're in a league
championship in 2011.
What was that like?
I mean, I know you
haven't been a part
of an N-B-A
champion team.
Hopefully that'll happen.
But was it as crazy
as you would imagine
the N-B-A
championship is like?
It was wild.
It was definitely..
I think it's up there.
Obviously it's probably
not the most prestigious
as the N-B-A is.
But, you know,
over there in Europe,
it's the biggest
accomplishment.
And, you know, you got a
sell-out crowd of 17,000,
18,000 people going crazy.
And it was definitely one of the
best moments of my basketball
career probably
so far, you know,
to hold the
trophy up and, to me,
to be a big part of it.
And I'm glad that
obviously we could win it.
Nick, you're off the hot
seat but we're not done
with the interview yet.
We like to end all our
interviews with something
we call
"Five for the Road."
So, it's five questions,
first thing that comes to mind.
Alright.
Favorite
professional team, sports team?
You can't
say the Grizzlies.
Denver Broncos.
(Greg)
Why?
Peyton Manning.
Favorite pro-athlete?
Would it be
Peyton Manning?
(Nick)
Peyton Manning.
How about if it
was an N-B-A player,
all-time
N-B-A player?
Jason Williams.
White chocolate,
Jason Williams.
Grizzlies Jason Williams.
Okay.
Favorite music,
musician, group, genre of music?
What do you
like to listen to?
I'm both.
I'm kind of like a
country-rap kind of guy.
So, you know, let's say
Blake Shelton maybe for country.
And then let's go..
For rap,
let's go Lil Wayne.
Okay.
So, you're country and rap.
Not a new genre
called country-rap.
Maybe you
can start that.
You like to
listen before a game?
You don't?
I'm not really that big of
a music guy to be honest.
So, you know,
I'll turn on the radio.
But I won't.
You know, I don't
have my ear phones in.
It seems like athletes
are always doing that.
Favorite movie of all-time?
Favorite movie of all-time?
Wow.
Uh, man, funniest.
I really like
"The Wedding Crashers."
Yep.
I like
"Braveheart."
I like..
There's a lot
of good ones.
It's tough to pick.
And we'll end it with
your favorite T-V show.
What are
you watching now?
"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
You still go reruns of
"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?"
That's my favorite
T-V show of all-time.
I guess right now,
I watch "Scandal."
I'm a big
fan of "Scandal."
Well, Nick, thanks
again for all your time.
I appreciate it.
I know you
guys are really busy.
Thanks for carving out
some time to be with us.
Thank you
for having me.
Thanks so much.
That's Nick Calathes.
We'll take a quick break and
"Overtime" is coming up next.
[theme music]
Undoubtedly you have
heard the expression.
"A long time in the
making," as well as,
"Good things come
to those who wait."
Well there's no question each of
these expressions is apropos
when describing the
Bass Pro Shop Pyramid.
Yes, years after the idea
first surfaced and through many
construction delays, the
enormous Bass Pro Shop Pyramid
is set to open in
Memphis on May 1st.
The Former Tomb of Doom was
built in 1991 and was home to
the Memphis Tigers
and Memphis Grizzlies
until the opening
of FedExForum.
The Memphis Pyramid ranks
as the sixth largest pyramid
in the world.
Besides the economic boost that
the arrival of the Bass Pro Shop
will mean for the
city of Memphis,
it will also give
residents and visitors alike
another great
entertainment option.
There is absolutely
something for everyone!
Legendary fisherman and
former "Sports Files" guest,
Bill Dance, takes us on
a tour of the facility.
(off-screen female)
Stand by for picture.
(off-screen male)
Roll sound.
(off-screen female)
Rolling.
(off-screen male)
Action.
Hello, everybody.
Welcome to
the Memphis Pyramid.
You're not going to
believe everything.
Come on.
I've got so many
things to show you.
You're just not going to believe
everything going on here.
When you first
enter the Pyramid,
you're going to absolutely
amazed at just how big it is.
When finished, it'll be one
of the largest retail stores
in the entire world.
Larger at its base
than a full city block.
Here we are in the swamp where
we'll have 600,000 gallons of
water, with 1,800 fish,
with 36 different species.
And I'm so
proud of this store.
I am so proud, especially
because it's here
in my hometown.
It's one of the world's
largest retail stores.
Look at the size of some
of these Cypress trees.
And this area
is full of them!
Okay, in this part
of the aquarium,
we've got
something really unique.
We're going to have
boats floating right here.
I would be
totally underwater.
Isn't that unique?
You bet it is.
Alright, let's go up
to the next level.
Did you
do all that?
I did.
It's gorgeous.
Well, thank you.
I got to go.
See ya!
Hey, we got another
great feature right here.
Forty-five hundred square feet
designated for Ducks Unlimited.
This is the home of Ducks
Unlimited right here in Memphis.
Everything that comes down the
Mississippi flyaway is going to
be found right here.
The Bass Pro Pyramid will also
house the new big Cypress Lodge,
an amazing collection of
over 100 unique accommodations,
including duck lodges, tree
house suites and rooms complete
with screened in
porches and incredible views.
Hey, and check this out.
Got a 2,600 square foot
governor's suite and wait 'til
you see the view.
How about that?
Hey, this is a
fish bowl restaurant.
Nineteen-hundred square feet.
Hey, right here they're going
to have a gigantic aquarium with
freshwater fish in it.
Hey, I even put one of
my big catfish in there.
Hey, this is just one of
the big catfish I caught
out of the
Mississippi River.
They're going to put it on the
wall here along with a lot of
these other big catfish.
All these
trophies I caught.
Hey, I got a lot of
things to show you.
Come on.
Phew,
I'm out of breath.
So much
going on here.
Wow!
Come on,
keep up.
Let's go.
I feel like I'm
swimming under water.
This is a back drop
of a bowling alley.
Look at all these
underwater mounts.
Hey, the Uncle Buck's Fish Bowl
will feature 13 lanes of bowling
in an underwater setting.
Hey, you got to
see it to believe it.
When finished, each lane will
be complete with special ball
returns like this one.
Will this dry in
time for the opening?
This will be
dry just in time.
Yes sir.
Oh, it will?
Mhm.
Look on my finger!
I tell ya what.
This place is going to
be absolutely amazing.
Let me show you something
else that's quite remarkable.
We've got the world's largest
free standing elevator that's 25
stories tall, open
on all four sides.
It's over 323 feet tall.
You sit and look.
You can really appreciate
just how big this Pyramid is.
Well, welcome to
the top of the Pyramid.
You can see, you've got an
observation deck here facing due
west and we've got one
here facing due south.
But what we've got right here,
this whole area where this steel
construction is,
that's going to be glass.
So, when you walk out on it,
you're looking straight down.
Scary?
Nah.
Hey, we got live
artillery range.
We got a
live pistol range.
Hey, we got a
clothing department.
Hey, we've got so
much stuff to show ya.
Hey, we've got a
fishing department.
We've got a
hunting department.
We've got 26,410,000 cubic
feet of enclosed volume.
Phew!
Are you comin'?
Come on!
We've got a
boating department.
Oh, the marine department!
I haven't even told you
about the marine department.
Hey, something else.
We're going to have the
largest water fowl department
in the world.
It's custom made.
Thanks a lot, Bill!
And I can't wait to see
the finished product.
The Memphis Tigers hoop squad
will play their final regular
season game
Sunday in Cincinnati.
Then they're going to head to
Connecticut next week for the
American conference
tournament in Hartford.
They will not have the
services of Austin Nichols.
The Tigers football team has
opened up spring football camp.
One of the major stories going
into next season is how Head
Coach Justin Fuente will replace
eight defensive starters.
The annual spring game is
scheduled for April 10th.
And congratulations to former
Tigers linebacker Charles Harris
who earlier this week was
named the 2014 American Athletic
Conference football
scholar-athlete of the year.
Harris started all 13
games for the Tigers
and finished
second in tackles.
In the classroom, he
compiled a 3.64 G-P-A.
And that will
do it for now.
Once again, "Sports Files"
will come your way next week on
Friday at 7:30 p-m.
Until then, have a great week
and we'll see you next time.
[theme music]
(female announcer)
Production funding
for "Sports Files" is
made possible in part by..
(male narrator)
Infiniti of Memphis has
moved to Germantown road
just half mile north of
Wolfchase Galleria and is proud
to support W-K-N-O for its
quality broadcasting and service
to our community.
Quality and service --
No wonder Infiniti of Memphis
feels at
home on W-K-N-O.
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BY W-K-N-O, MEMPHIS.