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production of WKNO-Memphis.

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My guest today on Sports Files
is the Head Coach of the Memphis

Grizzlies Lionel Hollins.

♪♪♪

The Grizzlies find themselves
down two games to none to the LA

Clippers in their best of seven
first round playoff series.

Game three is taking place
at FedExForum as we speak.

In game one the Grizz
were embarrassed by their

counterparts but came
back strong in game two,

only to lose on a last second
off balance bank shot by Clips

superstar guard Chris Paul.

To win this series and advance
the Grizz now have to win four

of the remaining five games.

A tall order to say the least.

But no matter what
happens the rest of the way,

the biggest question for the
team this off season is arguably

the fate of Head
Coach Lionel Hollins.

His contract runs
out at season's end,

and CEO Jason Levien has made no
indication on whether or not the

organization plans to
re-sign the veteran coach.

Levien became the CEO and
managing partner of the Grizz

just prior to the start of the
season and understandably wants

ample time to evaluate Hollins.

Now there's no telling
what Levien is looking for,

or whether or not The Grizz have
to advance in the playoffs for

Hollins to get a new deal.

If the decision was solely based
on the regular season then it's

a no-brainer.

The team set franchise records
for total wins in a season with

56.

In addition they set marks
for home and road victories.

Today I go one on one with
the coach of the Grizzlies.

A man who speaks his mind and
is not afraid to ruffle some

feathers.

It's Lionel
Hollins on the season,

the challenge of beating the
Clippers and his future next on

'Sports Files'.

♪♪♪

Well Lionel, thank you so much
for spenidng some time with me.

I appreciate it.

56 wins for everything that's
going down this season with off

the court, on the court,
player personnel changes.

You have to be very impressed
with what this team was able to

do.

Well, I'm happy with
what we've accomplished.

I told them that last night.

I said, "You know, we've
overcome a lot of adversity and

we were able to survive and keep
going and be in strong as it is

a testiment to your character,
to your mental toughness and

your will to want to win."

And it's been a hard season.

I mean, we started out with
double D's death on opening day

of training camp.

And then Kenny Williamson
passed away shortly after that.

And we had already dealt with
Gene Bartow's death last year.

Right.

And then there was
the ownership change.

And we had a couple of players
who had family members passed

away during the season.

And then, you know, all the
trade rumors swirling around,

the trades.

And then Mike Heisley having
a stroke and going in a coma.

And adding all the new
players that we added.

But I always said that when
you go through adversity,

it really shows
what you're made of.

And when you still
succeed, it is very gratifying.

And the other thing is
that everybody has a story.

And the people that succeed
are talking about what they

overcame.

And the people that fell are
talking about what kept them

from being success.

And you know, it's powerful to
go and tell what you overcame

and still became a success.

And I thought we had a
very successful season.

With all that said, all
the things you brought up,

is this the most gratifying
coaching season for you?

And was it the most
challenging as well?

They're all challenging and I
wouldn't say the most and most

gratifying.

Every year is gratifying
because every year is different.

Every year has it's own
challenges and you always have

adversity that you
have to deal with.

And you know, we've had
injuries in the past.

And we've had to
deal with those things.

And you know, they're
probably, I won't say the most.

We had a lot of stuff to go
off, a lot of different things.

And some of it, you know,
is out of your control.

And you know, you
just keep going.

But when somebody gets injured
and misses the whole season or

misses a big part of the season
like we had Zach get hurt last

year.

You know, that was
a lot to overcome.

And you know, we've been where
Rudy Gay gets hurt just before

the trade deadline.

And we overcome that.

So every year it's something
and it's all gratifying when you

overcome and succeed.

You build up this incredible
chemistry especially with the

core players.

And I remember
the old mid season,

the trade is made.

And there were a couple of tough
games right off the bat with the

new players coming in
which is to be expected.

But the chemsitry you found
very quickly with Tayshaun

coming in and Austin and Ed.

Why did it seem easy?

I know it probably
wasn't but to us watching,

it seemed like that chemistry
came together very quickly.

Well, I think that it's a
testiment to who they are.

Tayshaun, Ed and
Austin are all good kids.

And our players took to them
right away and embraced them and

tried to help them with
their learning curve.

And they were willing to allow
us to coach them and try to

help.

They didn't come in
with an ego and say,

"I need this", "I need that".

They just fit in
where ever they could.

And their roles have kept
expanding as we've gone along.

As I've gotten more
comfortable with them,

the players have gotten
more comfortable with them.

And we understand what they
bring to the party a little

more.

They've contributed more.

The Clippers first round, the
team you played last year in the

first round and lost a tough
seven-game series to them.

What makes them such
a difficult opponent?

They're talented.

They have one of the best power
forwards in the game and they

have one of the best
point guards in the game.

I mean, they have a lot of role
players that are pretty good.

I mean, Jamal Crawford has
been six man of the year before.

Right.

And he's a very talented kid.

You know, Deandre Jordan is an
up and coming center who is long

and blocks shots and atheltic,
runs the court very well.

They added Lamar Odum.

They added Grant Hill.

They have Chauncy Billups
who's won championships.

When you start going down
the list of players they have,

they have a lot of players
that have had very good resumes.

And so, talent makes them tough
and they're competitive will

makes them tough.

And what's interesting is just
the year seperating the last

time you played
them in the play-offs,

a lot of the cast of characters
have changed for them.

Some of the role players that
were instrumental in helping

them beat you
last year are gone.

So the personnel has
changed a bit for them.

Well, that happens every year.

That's why I said
people talk about,

"Well, you had a losing streak
against this team for the last."

Well, everybody's not here.

You know, the guys that are here
don't know about that and really

don't care about it.

It just it is.

And it's the same
now because, you know,

every year, things change.

We have a lot of personnel turn
over from last year as well.

I think they went
a little quicker.

They had Martin and they had
Reggie Evans who are two banged

and really were
physical with us last year.

Both of those guys are gone but
they brought in Lamar Odum who

can play and shoot threes on the
ball and transition and become a

more of another play maker for
their team as they have enough

already.

But they add another guy.

So, you know, they have the
improvement of the players that

are remaining.

Deandre Jordan has made
significant improvment.

So has Blake Griffin.

And so they become better
just from within and with the

additions that they made.

We talked earlier about some of
the changes that you guys have

made.

This is not a change but a big
difference from going in to the

play-offs last year
and this year is a..

It seems like a 100 percent
healthy Zach Randolph as opposed

to the situation he
was in last year.

Well, of course.

I mean, Zach had just come back.

I think we had like six or seven
games before the season ended

and he was coming off the
bench until the last season.

And he really wasn't ready
strength wise and conditioning

wise to be what he wanted to be.

So you know, that was a little
bit of a glitch in our game

plan.

But you know, we had a good
year and it was a tough play-off

series and they
are going to win.

You know, people talk, "Well,
you blew a 27 if you hadn't done

that.' Well, we did.

That's all part of it.

And you know, we went to
LA and beat them in LA.

And then we came home and we
couldn't win in the seventh game

at home.

We didn't play
particularly well.

And they earned the
right to move on.

And you know, here
we are at it again.

Contrasting styles for the most
part but I would think you look

at the series as a pretty
evenly matched up series.

Oh, it's been evenly matched up.

You know, even
during the season.

You know, they've beaten us
three our of four times but the

games are often
relatively close.

And you know, they..

As they said the last
game they had here,

they had been talking
about it for a week.

And they wanted that game.

And they almost gave it back
playing Sacramento last game of

the season.

But they overcame and they
got home court advantage.

You guys, and I'm sure
you're probably not in to this.

But does the team look
at LA as their rival,

their main rival?

Is it Oklahoma City?

Do they even care about
something like that or is that

something for the fans?

I don't know who
the main rival is.

I thought, you know, a couple of
years ago it was supposed to be

Oklahoma City.

You know, now it's
the Clippers, You know,

when you play
somebody in the play-offs,

it becomes a
rivalry for a while.

But this one's going to grow
because we're going to play them

two straight years
in the play-offs.

So it could develop in to one.

Lionel, the development of
Mike Conley is incredible.

We know what he
can do on the court.

He's become now, seems
like more of a scorer.

Once the trade
was made with Rudy,

he's taken big shots down
the stretch in close games.

But his leadership also.

We're seeing the
leadership of Mike Conley.

Can you talk about
his development?

Well, it's all
growth and maturity.

I mean, when he
came in the league,

he was a
19-year-old kid, you know,

weighed about 165 pounds and
wasn't really ready for the NBA.

And you know, he's matured.

He's worked on his shooting
to become a fabulous shooter.

He worked on defense.

He worked on his body.

And as he's been around and you
get comfortable with the people

you're around and they start
allowing you to be yourself and

allowing you to lead.

And he's stepped up
in that area as well.

How can you look back at a
season after you put together

the season you did
winning 56 games,

setting records
for home victory,

setting records for
wins on the road.

But if you lose this
series, is it a disappointment?

Is it still successful season?

How do you look back at it?

Well, losing the series would be
disappointing but they still had

a successful season.

Every team that goes in is going
to lose a play-off series at

some point.

Except for one, right?

Except for one.

And people have expectations
because of your record.

And you know, a few years
ago, San Antonio won 61 games.

They lost to us in
the first round.

It happens.

You got to go out and win and it
doesn't matter what your record

is.

It doesn't matter
what your seeding is.

It doesn't matter about
home court advantage.

It means you know, you start out
and you get the first two games

at home and you have the seventh
game home if it goes seven

games.

But it's not a
guarantee of winning anything.

And too often, people go, "Oh,
they got the number one seed."

"They're going to
win the championship."

Doesn't mean that Oklahoma City
is going to win the championship

for having the number one seed.

They've got to go through the
process just like every body

else.

Exactly.

How do people around the country
whether it be in the media or

just fans in general are
starting to catch on to this

Grizzlies team,
this Grit and Grind,

this physical team that goes
out there and brings their lunch

pail to basketball games?

And you may not care Lionel, but
do you feel you get the credit

that you deserve as a team,
as a very formidable team?

Well, Obviously
media in general,

especially the national media,
they don't know every team and

what they have.

They know the
star-studded teams,

you know, Oklahoma City
with Durant and Westbrook,

Miami.

Paul with the Clippers.

Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant with
the Lakers and Howard and Nash.

I mean, those guys are going to
the championship in LA when the

trades were made.

But you know, it's..

you've got to go play.

And it doesn't matter
what people think of you.

It's what you think of yourself
and what your opponents think of

you after they've played you.

That's really important.

You go out there and you make
them come and pat you on the

butt, win or lose, and let them
know that they've been in a dog

fight and that you're going to
be there every night and they're

going to have to bring
their best to beat you.

And that's what's important.

Right, this interview is
airing during game three.

And game four coming up
this Saturday at FedEx Forum,

the home court with the fans
euphoria in Memphis about this

team.

How imporant is it that you play
the gamed the game a long time

to have that in the back ground,
to hear the cheers for you?

Well, you derive energy
from it when you come in.

As soon as you come in and the
crowd is all in white and the

towels are swirling
and the crowd is loud.

And everything you
do is, you know,

honored.

Right.

You know, when
you go on the road,

it's a totally different story.

But it's nice to
go on the road and,

you know, make
the crowd be quiet.

So you know, it's a
little bit of both.

Exactly.

I think, you know, certain
players play better when the

crowd roars every time
they do something well.

Bad call, everybody boos.

You know, good
call, everybody cheers.

Somebody get in the third
fire, everybody cheers.

But the reality is you got to
still go out there and play and

earn those wins at
home or on the road.

And the good teams do that.

And that's why, you know,
looking at our team and this

year, we won 24
games on the road.

And we won 32 games at home.

We earn those wins.

And when we lost, we earned
those losses whether we play

well or didn't come out ready
or whatever may be the case,

we earn those losses
and we earn those wins.

And when you get
to the play-offs,

it's the same thing.

Let me take a step back from
the match-up and talk about you

personally.

You've been in this community
a long time and you've done an

awful lot for the community.

Lionel Hollins charities
is very important to you.

Can you talk a
little bit about that?

Well, it's just something that
being here from the beginning,

wanting to get
involved with the community.

I didn't know the
community very well.

They didn't know me.

I was just an assistant coach
and I started a bowling event.

And it has taken off and
it's spawned other events.

My role models dinner.

We also have a big gala the
night before the bowling event.

I started giving away
bikes at Christmas time for,

you know, under served kids.

And we're just trying
to grow, partner with..

FedEx, I mean Saint Jude's..

Saint Jude.

I have to get that right.

Yes, exactly.

And you know, when I
was out of basketball,

I did some stuff for Saint Jude.

And now that I'm the
head coach, you know,

I try to do as much as I can
whenever I can for them and help

raise money.

They're important in our
community and also nationally

and internationally in helping
the fight against cancer and

especially childhood cancer.

But so, its just trying to
do what you feel is right.

And it doesn't
have to be, you know,

have 5000 people attend.

It's just going in the
community and doing something.

And I tell people all the time,
you can give back without any

money.

It's time and passion.

You can see older people needing
somebody to mow their lawn.

Go mow their lawn.

You can see older people
that can't get to the store.

You can go shopping for them.

You can help
somebody cross the street.

I mean, there's all kinds
of ways of giving back.

You can organize cleaning vacant
lots that's full of glass and

trash.

You know, all types of
things that you can do and it's

important that we help our
community stay strong by giving

back.

I know, um, that you could
coach anywhere in the league.

You have proven it.

It's not even a
question anymore.

How much do you want to
be back here next season?

Well, I just told
somebody last night,

"You know, when you lay a
foundation and you take it from

the beginning stages
and you build it up,

you want to see it
to the fruition."

The fruition is
winning a championship.

Can we do it this year?

I don't know.

But we're shooting for it.

And will we be
back there next year?

Possibly.

And why would I want to leave
and go and start on the bottom

because that's
usually what happens.

And start over again
when I don't have to.

I mean, if it came to
that, it came to that.

But that's not my goal.

That's not my intent.

My intent and thought process is
being here in Memphis and with

the group that we have and
building on what we started and

ultimately, you know,
dancing on Beale Street.

Absolutely.

Alright, Lionel, we're going to
end the interview with 'Five for

the Road'.

Quick questions, quick answers.

First thing that comes to mind.

Your favorite, and you
can't say the Grizzlies.

Your favorite
professional franchise,

any sport.

New England Patriots.

Wow, okay!

Thought you'd go
basketball somewhere,

maybe Portland.

Maybe Philadelphia where
I remember you playing.

How about your favorite
professional athlete?

Bill Russel.

Bill Russel who dissed me for
an autograph in 1969 but I won't

hold that against him.

Well, I have his autograph on a
pair of sneakers that he wore.

Gosh!

Favorite music,
musician, genre of music?

I like jazz.

I like rhythm and blues.

Do I have a favorite musician?

I mean, I like a lot of people.

But I'll say, you know, Earth
Wind and Fire off the top of my

head.

Very good!

I like all types of artists.

Favorite movie of all time?

Hmm, there's been a ton of them.

I just saw, um..

Gosh, what was the
movie that I just saw?

Have you seen 42?

I saw Argo.

Oh, Django!

Oh, I haven't seen that yet.

The most favorite movie for me
is always the next one but I had

to go back to Breakfast at
Tiffany's and those types of

movies.

I love old movies, black and
white that are turning in to

color.

But you got to see 42 though.

It is fantastic story
of Jackie Robinson,

of course.

And your favorite
TV show of all time?

I don't really watch TV
and even when I was younger,

I had to go back maybe shows
like Leave it to Beaver and..

You're old school!

I mean, you know, I
don't watch much TV.

I hate getting in to TV and you
can't watch it because we play

different nights
of the week so..

TiVo!

I don't do that
too often either.

Hey Lionel, thank you so much.

Really appreciate it.

Good to see you.

Alright.

♪♪♪

The Memphis Tigers baseball team
is getting ready for the stretch

run of the season.

They have put together a very
impressive year to date but

their fate will be determined
over the course of the next

month.

Last year the Tigers made an
impressive run in the Conference

tournament, falling in the
championship game to UAB.

This time around they're hopeful
they can take it one step

further, and if not, still have
won enough games to receive an

at large bid into
the NCAA tournament.

The key to the Tiger's
success thus far has been the

consistency of their
starting pitching.

St. Benedict product Sam Moll is
the Tiger's number one hurler,

and not surprisingly, is
pitching to rave reviews.

But it's fellow area pitching
product Eric Schoenrock who has

been the team's most
pleasant surprise.

The former Collierville High
School pitcher was a middle

reliever last season and has
dealt with some back issues,

but Schoenrock, who just so
happens to be the head coach's

son, is 100 percent healthy and
has put together a sensational

season.

He's five and three with an era
of 2.87 and has given up only 48

hits and 22 earned runs
in 69 innings pitched.

Schoenrock will be a key for
the tigers the rest of the way.

And I recently had a chance to
chat with the sophomore lefty.

Eric, the obvious question,
what's it like playing for your

dad?

It's awesome.

I mean, coming in to college,
I didn't really know what to

expect.

Just being around him everyday.

but it's been awesome so far.

And he treats me like everybody
else so it's been awesome.

You have had an
outstanding season to date.

Last year, you had, you we're
coming off of a back injury.

So you didn't pitch as much.

But then you went to
the Cape Cod league.

Right.

And that was very influential
in getting you ready for this

season.

Talk about what that meant to
you pitching up at Cape Cod.

I didn't pitch as
much as I wanted to.

Last year,
obviously the back injury.

So going up to the Cape, I was
around great players every day.

And I just want to work
hard so I get ready to,

you know, help our team this
year which I did this past

summer.

But just being around those
great guys every day this summer

and seeing what they do to
get themselves ready to pitch

everyday, it was good.

What are your strengths?

Um, I say this year it's
been a big strike thrower.

I can get a
strike-out when I need it.

But just pitching deep in games
and saving our bull pen so far.

Three complete games which is
kind of rare for Memphis Tigers

baseball.

We see a lot of times going in
to the pen but you've been able

to go the distance three times.

Right, um, I think what's really
helped that is I've devloped a

change up.

And it's helped me, you know,
get more ground balls and keep

my pitch count down.

It allowed me to
pitch deeper in games.

But just overall, just throwing
strikes and just hitters

basically.

This is one of the better staffs
we have seen in a long time here

in Memphis.

Talk about this starting staff
for oyu guys and kind of leaning

on also the number one
guy in the rotation,

Sam Moll.

Right, Sam Moll, I watch
him pitch every Friday.

I keep a chart so I kind of
get an advantage to see how he

attacks the hitters on Friday.

And I can kind of do the
same thing on Saturday.

And I know Sunday we're going to
get a good start on Alex Gunn.

And then our
starter Micheal Wills.

He's beat Ole Miss twice.

And I don't know.

If it gets to our bull pen,
I'm pretty confident with him,

too.

We've got a really deep staff.

So it's been good so far.

You've played your prep
ball at Collierville.

Did you have Hopkins, Hoppy
the former Memphis Tigers head

coach.

What was that like?

And I know, again, you had
a back issue as a junior.

So you came back strong from
that in your senior year to get

ready for colllege.

Yeah, Coach Hop helped me a
lot develop over my four years

there.

I missed my junior
year like you said.

But you know, I just worked real
hard and tried to come back for

a strong senior year and
had a pretty good year.

So it was good.

Do you think the back
issues are behind you?

Right, I think they are.

In the past, I've just kind of
hoped they woldn't come back.

But now I do, you know, physical
therapy every two or three days

just to make sure my back
stays strong and ready to go.

As you're making
your college decision,

obviosuly here's Memphis.

And here's your dad as the
coach but there were other

opportunities.

Did you discuss with him?

How did it go?

He's obviously recruiting you
as a coach but you're looking at

Middle Tennessee and Vanderbilt
and other opportunities.

Talk about that whole procedure.

Right, he kind of left it all
up to the assistant coaches.

He took his hand out of it and
told me the only rule he had for

me was I couldn't go
anywhere else in Conference USA.

But I'm glad I made the decision
to come here because once I took

a visit here, I loved it
and loved all the people.

So I'm happy with my decision.

What about this
beautiful field you play on?

It's unbelievable.

I mean, I've seen over..

what?

Nine years now since my families
been here the change this place

has been through.

And I mean, it's awesome
to see where it is now.

Alright, you're a left hander.

So are you quirky?

Are you weird?

I'm a little different.

Not too weird like some of
the other lefties out there.

But I guess I'm a
little different.

Do you have superstitions?

Uh, not really.

I like to chew gum when I pitch.

I guess that's
something superstituous.

But I don't have too many.

Just try to stick to a routine
and that's kind of what I base

myself off of.

So nothing about
jumping over the chalk?

It's alright to
step on the line.

Nah, I try not to do that.

But I'm not real
superstituous about it.

I think chewing gums
probably the thing.

I have to chew gum when I pitch.

If you continue to pitch the way
you are and hopefully you will,

after this season there may be a
decsion to be made because more

than likely, you're going to be
a pretty decently high drafted

player.

What will that be like talking
with your pop about possibly

going pro or staying
for a senior season?

Right, he supports my
decision 100 percent.

He knows that my whole life
I've wanted to play major league

baseball But if that
opportunity was to come around,

he'd be behind me 100 percent.

How far do you think
this team can go this year?

With our pitching and
defense, and I mean,

the way we're
playing offense this year,

we can go a long way.

We just got to, you know, take
it one game at a time like we

have been and you know, keep
doing things we've been doing.

You've had great competition in
Conference USA and it continues

this year.

Next year though, it's a
move to the American Athletic

Conference.

Some of the teams will be the
same but there will be some new

teams as well.

So new challenges.

Right, it will be interesting.

A lot more travel.

That might be a little tougher
on us but looking forward for if

I'm back next year to, you know,
see the different cities we're

going to be going to and
the different teams we'll be

playing.

Eric, thank you so much.

Continue success and we look
forward to watching you pitch.

Thank you very much.

One last thing, congrats to
Grizzlies center Marc Gasol who

just yesterday was named the
NBA's Defensive player of the

year.

And that will do it
for this week's program.

Remember you can see any of our
previous shows by heading to our

website, WKNO-dot-org and
clicking on KNO Tonite.

Have a great week, and
we'll see you next time.

♪♪♪