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BringJoy
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BringJoy
Coach and Historian: Judd Wise is Preserving Key West's Athletic Legacy
Coach Judd Wise shares his journey through 40 years in Key West sports as a teacher, coach, athletic director, broadcaster, and now historian preserving the island's rich athletic legacy. His passion for documenting Key West's sporting achievements has uncovered remarkable statistics about local athletes who reached professional levels, including six Major League Baseball players, ten NFL players, and numerous state champions.
• Started coaching in early 1980s at Mary Immaculate High School before moving to Key West High School
• Has coached nearly every sport including football, volleyball, basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, and wrestling
• Pioneered the fast-pitch softball program at Key West High School when the state discontinued slow-pitch
• Maintains records of the 54 former Key West athletes currently competing at collegiate level across various sports
• Documents Key West's professional athletes including Heisman Trophy runner-up George Mira and MLB All-Star Boog Powell
• Broadcasts games as part of Conch Town Live radio team for 17 years, calling approximately 700 games
• Currently assists with football program and anticipates strong offensive line for upcoming season
• Proudest accomplishment is former athletes returning to thank him for emphasizing academics over athletics
Listen to Coach Wise and Rick Lopez call Conch football games on WAVK 97.7 FM, with nine home games scheduled for this season starting August 15th with the Rand Carthan preseason classic.
Thanks for tuning in to the Joy of Baseball podcast. It's all about baseball, from the sandlots to the big leagues and everything in between. I'll share my joy for the game with you, and whether you're a fan of baseball or good storytelling, you'll be entertained and each episode will bring a little joy to your day. So grab you some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, let's talk baseball. Welcome to the show, baseball fans. I'm excited to have guest Coach Judd Wise. We're going to talk baseball, softball and anything Kong sports that he wants to talk about. Welcome to the show, coach.
Judd Wise:Well, joy, I think it's great to be on here. This is my first ever podcast and I've been watching yours and I'm just excited to be on with the queen of podcasts.
Joy:Well, let's go, let's get right to it. Coach, I want to talk a little bit about you because in preparing for this interview, I realized you've been part of the sports community for 40 years, everything from teacher, coach, athletic director, sports broadcaster and recently added historian to the list. So take me back to the early 80s and how you started working in Key West.
Judd Wise:Well, you know, I used to come here to Lobster when I was a kid and I fell in love with this place and I said you know what, I'm moving to Key West as soon as I graduate college. No ifs, ands and buts about it. And you know, I turned down two really good jobs not to go back home and so I immediately moved here. There was an advertisement for a job at Glenn Archer Elementary School and at Mary Immaculate High School and, not knowing public school system versus private, the first thing I said was well, being an athletic director is more prestigious. Mrs Terry Axford, our school superintendent, was the principal at that time. I met with her, she interviewed me, she hired me right away and I was there for three years until they shut down the high school and had a great time at Mary Macklin. You know that class of 86 is probably one of still my favorite classes to ever that I ever was part of. I'm still very, very close with a lot of those kids from that class.
Judd Wise:Then I got a chance to move over to Key West high school. Tommy Roberts was the principal. He immediately hired me and said you know what? Here's, here's my plan, here's who's going to be the football coach, the baseball coach. I'm going to put you in a basketball and we're going to go from there. And then, unfortunately, you know, things changed immensely when Tommy passed. But we've had some great principals since then and you know it just all started wanting to be part of the programs and so I was coaching everything. You know I coach football, I've coached volleyball, I've coached basketball, softball, baseball, I've done a soccer match, I've done a wrestling match. So I've been, as I call it, a jack of all trades, but not good at any of them.
Joy:I was going to ask you what sports did you play when you were a kid.
Judd Wise:You know, I played a little golf and baseball, but then I got tired of it and I just wanted to fish. And you're still fishing, I'm still fishing. You know I'm loving it, but I've always been into sports. I love sports to death. Fishing became my true passion.
Joy:And I'm happy that I got you, because this week is mini lobster season, so we're like we got to get him early, before he gets on the boat.
Judd Wise:That's exactly right. It would be up there and you know that craziness and you know the number one concern is just safety, whether you get a lobster or not just be safe out there.
Joy:Absolutely so, Coach, you mentioned a lot of the sports that you've coached. What's your favorite sport that you've coached?
Judd Wise:You know that's an interesting question, joy. I don't know if I can truly answer that. You know I'm still coaching football with Coach Hughes. I was a longtime baseball coach and really long swimming coach with Coach Lori Bosco and you know I probably have to say as much as I classroom as well as in the pool made it very nice. You know, the only downfall to all that was Coach wanting to practice at 530 in the morning.
Joy:And then we had a state champion for swimming?
Judd Wise:We did, you know. Aj Smith was our very first swimming state champion, and hats off to Coach Lori Bosco on the job that she does.
Joy:I guess she had something going to get out there at 5 30 in the morning. It's hard to argue.
Judd Wise:No, listen, nobody puts in more hours than that lady right there, every single day, and you've coached both boys and girls sports.
Joy:What's the difference between coaching a girls team and a boys team?
Judd Wise:You know it's changed, all right, but I would say in the early part of it, what I learned was, I think boys tend to understand the game a little bit better than girls. All right, you know that it's a real special athlete who understands the game when she's a female and understands everything that's been taught to her. Now I think that happens today. I think girls are more into playing and more understanding, especially because they're playing only basically one sport. That's where it's all changed.
Judd Wise:The odds of seeing a kid playing two and three sports in high school is slim and none. Now. They all want to play that one sport. And even you know, even my own daughter. One of the things that I probably cost her the chance to play division one softball, even though she did play at the next level, is because I told her we're not playing one sport. I want you to play as many things in high school as you can do. You know, and she did. You know she swam and she played ball, she played soccer and then she played softball as well and it was cool, and she got a chance to go play softball at the next level and you know she really understood what it was all about, which was nice. And in college, what was great for her was the fact that her college coach said I've never met a young lady like you who understands a game as much as you do, and that was a huge compliment, I think one of the surges with women's sport right now goes right back to what you said.
Joy:the game's more competitive. You know the athletes are better. Women are more athletic, smarter, with the game, been playing it longer. We have city league programs, so the availability of programs for girls to play and get better and hone those skills so that they can truly be competitive on the field makes it fun as a fan to watch.
Judd Wise:It really does Joy and you can see. You know the benefits of our high school programs. Who get that? From those girls that have been playing sports since they were five years old, getting into the high school.
Joy:I know you have some things to talk about, but let's go right into softball, since we're talking with that. You started the fast pitch. You were the first coach for fast pitch softball at Key West High School. Tell me how that started and let's talk about that softball program that's growing so successfully right now.
Judd Wise:Well, you know, the Faheys were the head coaches of the softball program when it was slow pitch and then the state decided to make that drop of slow pitch and make it all fast pitch, and so the Faheys didn't want to coach it anymore. The principal came to me and said would you be considered taking over this program? And I said, you know what, why not? Let's start it. So I got coach Russ Milliken and Coach Robert James to come on with me aboard. And, joy, you know, we coach baseball, but we had no clue about what the softball program was about the pitching aspect. And Tiffany Hughes, who was Tiffany Preston, was my very first pitcher we had to go to Miami, named Marinka Basiglia, who taught us how to throw fast pitch, and I gave that to Coach Milliken to be the fast pitching coach, so he understood what was going on, until he decided to move to West Palm Beach and then I took over. But what a game it was. Because back then, joy, it was a game that was all about bunting right and occasional slap hits, and then it became about bunting and slap hits. Today that aspect of the game is not so much, it's all about hitting for power and taking that uppercut swing. So back then, you know we would constantly work on bunting and we'd work on slap hitting. And you know we went to a conference one time and they go. You know how many times in hours did you waste on rundowns and we were thinking, man, we'd spend 20 minutes a day doing rundowns and they go. How many times did you lose a game because your girls couldn't make the basic throw or basic catch and then all of a sudden, bingo, you know it hit us. We're like now we're going to spend time playing catch, learn how to throw, learn how to catch and do the basics. And so we did that and the game really became great excuse me, you know playing it and stuff. And then I stepped away and other coaches stepped in and brought the game to a different level. And you know Coach Garcia has really brought it up to a different level and he's done such a fantastic job with those girls, getting them to two final fours and I think they will definitely go back.
Judd Wise:But where the game has changed Joy, truthfully, is in the pitching aspect. You know, back when I first started, if you had a girl that could throw 40, you were like in seventh heaven and that was from 40 feet back then. And then, you know, we faced our first girl, christy Picon, from St Brendan. She was the first girl with a crow hop, meaning that she could jump off the mound. She was the first girl to throw 60 miles an hour in the state. And we actually beat her in an extra inning, game two to one, which was outstanding.
Judd Wise:But back then you rode the horse, and what I mean by that is if you go on and you look at our fast pitch record and you see the number of innings pitched by some of our pitchers, you're like holy cow, this is going to be hard for somebody to catch. Why? Because we rode that girl game after game after game. Whether it was a double header or not, you're starting both games Because our philosophy that we were told, was if you can't throw two games in a day, don't become a pitcher and that that's interesting.
Joy:So I did um. A couple weeks ago I interviewed the castillo sisters. I'm a recent fan to softball, you know, huge baseball fan, and recently, because of the success of the lady conks, I've been going out there and trying to learn more about the game and one of the things that fascinates me is how our pitchers can go out there. Game after game, it's like how is their arm not falling off? And they explained to me it's a different emotion and more natural.
Judd Wise:Yes, the underarm throw is a natural motion versus the overarm throw. And you know what these girls? They can throw, pitch after pitch after pitch, you know. You go all the way back to Jenny Finch, when she was at Arizona, you know, and in an extra inning game she threw 230 pitches in a game. You know you're just not going to see that. And then came back the next day to throw again. So that's, you know where it's really changed.
Joy:And we've had some really great pitchers. We have one now in Brianna Brenner and recent years where we've had so much success. I think that that's been the key right who we've been able to put on the mound.
Judd Wise:And attribute that to our little leagues, you know, because now they're able to teach those girls how to pitch, you know, and then when they get up there to the high school level, they're being refined by the Castillo sisters, you know, who are doing a great job teaching the pitching and breaking it down a little bit more. But yes, we've had some great pitchers in the past and I think Amini Edwards and Brianna Kite, who were outstanding, sophia Ratcliffe, which was great. We've just had so many great pitchers and tradition's going to continue, there's no doubt about it, with Ms Brenner who's throwing right now. She's going to be something else in her next two years.
Joy:So you have an interesting perspective with softball. You started the program, you're now calling in the games. You're sitting right back there behind home plate. Do you see the movement on some of her pitches?
Judd Wise:Well, there's no question about it. You know, sometimes the catcher will put the glove on one spot and it moves to a different spot. But yeah, you know these girls now they know how to twist their wrist just a little bit and that's what makes the ball spin and move. It's so crazy.
Joy:So you mentioned Sophia Radcliffe and Breonna Kite. Who has a record right now? I think I saw Radcliffe had 40 wins. Is Rihanna Kite the strikeout leader now?
Judd Wise:You know she is probably close to being there. I think she's got the most innings pitched. Like you said, sophia's got the most wins and Sophia, I believe, has the most no-hitters as well. You know, and it's just amazing the things that these girls accomplished back then. But, like I said, we rode the horse.
Judd Wise:They had to pitch every game, you know, because number one was very good and number two was good, but not exceptional to where number one was, you know. So you might even, you know, take number one out and start number two, but you might end up closing back again with number one because of the reentry level. So you know it's been real cool and you know when those records get posted, you know you go back and look at them and you'll see some of that stuff. And it took me, you know, approximately about 40 days, because all those records got lost when they tore down the old school and so I had to go back to the library and I tried to research every single article I could to come up with the best records we can for that program.
Joy:And you've done a heck of a job. I appreciate you sharing those documents with me. And of all the things that you've done for our sports community, I think taking on this task as historian may be the most important that you're keeping the records and the storylines of our great programs. How did that start? How did you become that guy?
Judd Wise:Well, you know, it's interesting. I don't know how I became that guy. You know, Mr Glenn Archer Jr, who was the one who was the conch historian up until he passed in 97, I believe 96, 97. That's when it all stopped.
Judd Wise:Sometime in the 2000s I said, you know, we need to start something about where are our athletes playing, what are they doing? And people need to know this. So I started asking different coaches. Hey, you know, do you have coaches that are kids, got kids now that are up and playing somewhere? And they give me the list. And so, you know, I started just keeping it and I called it. Where are they now?
Judd Wise:And you know, just to give you an example, we have 54 athletes right now who are playing at the next level 19 in baseball, 11 in football. We got five who are swimming, two playing volleyball, two playing men's soccer, one playing basketball, one wrestling, five playing fast pitch softball, two women's lacrosse and six away playing track. You know, I thought, well, that's really cool, you know. And then I said, well, there's got to be other things to start adding, you know. So then I started thinking about, well, who's made it to the pro level? We've had six who made it to major league baseball. And when I say the pro level, we've had six who made it to Major League Baseball. And when I say the pro level, I'm not talking about AA and AAA, I'm talking about they made the roster for Major League Baseball. We have six who did that. We've had 10 who made NFL rosters. We had one who was a pro beach, a women's volleyball player, one who was a pro golfer on the PGA Tour and we've had two who were drafted into the NBA. So for a small island like this to have that many great athletes unbelievable. And we had one who was a major league umpire as well, you know which is fantastic. And then, when you think about it, we had an athlete who won the Golden Spikes Award, which is the highest award you can win in college baseball. We had one who finished up runner-up in the Heisman Trophy. That's all coming from our island. That's four miles long and two miles wide. What a great opportunity. We've had 13 state national champions won by different athletes. We've had two who have won World Series. We had an umpire who umpired in the World Series and All-Star Games, you know. We've had one who has a Super Bowl ring, you know. Think about those things. Not many cities can say that the history in this town is rich.
Judd Wise:So I started just composing things and then I said you know how? About coaches? And you think about it Lori Bosco is going into her 29th year, dave Perkins is going into his 28th year, scott Paul and Ralph Enriquez are going into their 22nd years, az Jimenez into his 17th year. We also have Johnny Hughes is going into his 14th year, along with Kim Butler and Shantae McLeod, who's going into her 12th year. I mean, that's a long time to continue coaching sports, you know. So they've been there and it's just been outstanding.
Judd Wise:And then you start thinking about well, all right, what about? You know, wins and things like that. And I started putting it together and then I said well, here we go. Ralph Enriquez has the most regular season and playoff wins with 393 wins. Dave Fedor, who was a longtime basketball coach, two Pedro Fraga 274. Scott Paul 66. Chaz Jimenez with 246. And Lori Bosco with 237. Those are just the coaches with over 200 wins. We also have coaches who have 100 wins.
Judd Wise:So I started putting all this together, you know, and then I came up with this thing called did you know? And so get that and start seeing all these different things that Key West people have done. It's become unbelievably crazy. You know, to see. You know who's won state champions like Sam Bill. You know he's won three state championships in baseball and you know 56, I think 58 and 59. That's not going to be repeated again. Three state championships. A kid who was on that many teams you know. So, excuse me, it was just outstanding. And then I started how about conks on TV? And then I had this whole list of conks who have been on TV and you know kids who had their own shows, rush Maltz, steve Rogers, who had their own fishing shows, you know. So you look on this. You know where are they now. And did you know thing? It became crazy.
Judd Wise:And then I started thinking about, you know, whatever happened to the rich tradition of our history. Where are the baseball records, the football records, the basketball records? Well, basketball, you know, for a long time, joey, if you remember, the old school was always on that giant record board and the thing was, I don't think anybody ever took a picture of it. Well, as I was going through my files, I actually had taken a picture of that record board before they tore down the school and I found it in my files and I said, well, let me start going back and putting together basketball history. And then I said, wait, there's got to be a rich ton of baseball history for people to read.
Judd Wise:And so I started going through Mr Archer's files. I would bring them home, starting with basketball, and I would go and I would do my best to try to reach each and every article and start writing down things. And I did the same for football and I did the same for baseball. And then, you know, unfortunately Mr Archer passed and it got shut down and so now I had to start going back to the library and I spent more time in the library, joy, doing this history, than I ever did in school, and Dr Corey Malcolm was great in helping me get all these records.
Judd Wise:So I've tried to compile and we have records, hopefully now for football, basketball, baseball, softball and swimming that I've been able to compose and work with the coaches.
Judd Wise:And you know, can I say they're the official record.
Judd Wise:They're Judd Wise's official records, you know. But you can treat them as official, unofficial, and, as I always say, if you can find something or I'm wrong on something, just show it to me, I'll be happy to change it and so you know all that came about probably starting 10 years ago and it's just been something I've been keeping up with because the tradition of sports here is rich. You know, when you're a one horse town like we are in Key West High, people want to know about our rich tradition and what goes on. Look at our facilities they're second to none when you go around and play at other teams' fields and things like that. So you know getting this and Miss Palomino's been trying to put it up on the Key West High website for you to read. Rick Lopez is trying to put it up on the 97.7 Zone Fishing Show, and you know that, and their website for you to be able to read. It's just been, it's been great and it's been something that's given me a joy to do.
Joy:Well, I certainly appreciate it and I admire you because you know, when I first retired, I said, oh, I'm going to write a book and I'm going to. You know, we need to tell this story about our rich history, like you're talking about. So I went to the library for about five days and I was. I was overwhelmed, Didn't know where to start, where to stop. You mentioned Corey. He was a big help sharing articles, but talk about go down a rabbit hole and you have to have a huge amount of patience. So not anybody can do it. Even if you have the interest, not everyone can do it. So I'm certainly grateful that you're keeping the records.
Judd Wise:Yeah, we're trying, and it's so hard because there were actually teams in the 40s and so Ben Harrison Sr.
Judd Wise:he and I are trying to find all those records from baseball back in the 40s to see what we come up with, because some of it we're missing and to try to read the newspapers from back then has been very difficult to do and trying to locate those papers, you know, for that kind of history and stuff, and you know people don't understand it.
Judd Wise:You know, key West High started sports back in 1927, right, that's when we had the very first basketball team, all the way back in 27, you know, and it went through and then we stopped some sports in the 50s and then it came back and basically everything started back in 1951. Excuse me, so you know we've been able to try and keep that rich history going and you know I'm going to keep up with it as long as I possibly can and then I hope there's somebody in the waiting that wants to take it over when I finish, you know, because, like I said, it is something that is dear to my heart, dear to your heart, and the people who have grown up here they love seeing that history and going back and, you know, I think it gives them memories.
Joy:Absolutely on this podcast and to try to be able to share the stories and have another platform for us to tell the stories so that they can be appreciated for years to come. Because one of the things that I recognize also is we have multiple, you know, second generation, third generation athletes. You mentioned Sam Holland Sr, who has three state champions. Of course his grandson was playing for the Conks and I was pulling so hard for us to get that championship so we could have that tie-in. There's so much of that where the dads and uncles and grandfathers played. We're starting to see that with the girls' game, softball with some of our lady conks, where we have Bella and her mom played. You mentioned Tiffany. Preston was our first Monroe County player of the year, the first fast pitch, and her son is Andrew, our athletic director now you know.
Judd Wise:No, it's really cool, and I said you know that's the thing on. Did you know, when you look back, like you know, coach Robert James, not only did he win two national championships at Florida A&M as their starting quarterback, but he was a teacher and coach at Key West High. Well, his daughter became back and she became the coach of the fast pitch program, along with his wife who was the coach. But then, you know, you look at the Spotswoods and Mr Bill Spotswood, who won a state championship in baseball. Well, his two sons each won a state championship in baseball as well. You know Jonathan Gates, his dad, his granddad, who was a fireman you know, won a state championship in the 50s. Well, he won a state championship. So when you look at that, did you know all this little bit of history that comes out, it's just outstanding when you start seeing about, as you said, generations that have played here.
Joy:Kids. Right now they don't see that they're making history and they're part of history. Ten years from now, when they get a little bit older and go to that first high school reunion, then they'll start wanting to see all these records. You mentioned the Super Bowl, george Myra I got my George Myra hat on. And Richie Garcia he's on my list of people. He's the umpire that you mentioned, major League umpire. He's on my long list of people that I hope to interview. You mentioned a golfer that we have someone on the PGA. I don't know I missed that one. Can we go back?
Judd Wise:Well, no, that's way back, way back when. Yeah, yeah, I believe his name was George Lopez and he was on the PGA tour back in the early 30s, I believe. Okay, and you know we also had a young lady who was a state champion golfer back in the 60s, which was really cool. So, you know, when you look back at all these things that I was able to find, you know, and then you know what was really interesting, joy, when I look at all these state championships you know, 11 in baseball and one in basketball. We have one in academic challenge and people don't know about our academic challenge team. Well, that was something that Jim Fant and I started in the, I want to say, early nineties. All right, and we you know we started this had no idea what this was about, but this was the Brainiacs Bowl that they met in Orlando and you went up against other teams, schools from around the state, for a state championship. Well, kerry McLean actually took them up there and won a state championship with them. So you know, academic challenge, there you go, the Brain Bowl, we win, along with our athletics. It was just absolutely fantastic.
Judd Wise:You know, going back and you say you know George Myra, you know the Matadors we used to call them and you know, runner up in the Heisman, won a Super Bowl with the Dolphins, also won a World Football League championship with the I think the Birmingham Stallions as well, you know. And then of course, there's Boog Powell, who's got a couple of World Series, and I believe Carl Taylor may also have one as well. So you know, think about that, that. You know you've got a World Series ring, you know, or Boog being part of the All-Star team. And then also the, you know, most valuable player in major league baseball. So you know a lot. So much rich tradition in history.
Judd Wise:Bill Butler winning a national championship in college, All right, and getting drafted into the NBA, probably the greatest basketball player we've ever seen. And if you go into the gym, into the Bob, and you look at that one picture where he's out jumping a seven-footer on a tip-off, you know he was just spectacular. His brother Julian. The same way, you look at those records that we have for basketball, it's unbelievable. You know how they did that without the three-point shot back then Everything was the two-point shot. It's just spectacular.
Judd Wise:And then Coach Lori Bosco, she and I sat down and we did all the swimming records, which was really cool to come up with. So every year we have to wait for the state championships to finish to see if anything's changed on those and what are our school records. And we were able to get a record board up at the pool and thank goodness for her and all the time and effort she puts in to get that. Coach Jason Garcia was instrumental and going over to know with the fast pitch records for me, as I said, you know, to get the baseball. The football records were spectacular to go through and you know when you look at right now the football and the baseball, I mean they're like books, joy they're.
Joy:They're almost 40 plus pages long now from the stuff that I've added let me go back, because you just took me to my childhood, when you were talking about Bill Butler being the great basketball player that he was. Do you know if this is true? And maybe I don't need to know it's true, but when I was a kid the legend was that he could snatch a quarter off the top of the backboard. Do you know if that's true?
Judd Wise:Miss Joy, to be honest with you, that is a true statement. They got a ladder one time. They put it on top of the backboard and he took a couple of steps and jumped up and they tell me, and he snatched that quarter off the top. He had unbelievable jumping ability for a guy who was only like 6'2" maybe. And you know, bill was he. I said you just look at that picture that's in the bob and that'll show you he had no problems getting up in the air.
Joy:And when you talk about Boog Powell, I attribute my love for baseball to him because, again, I'm a little kid six, seven years old when he's finishing his career. Talk about the talk of the town that you know. This is a true hero, a really big Major League Baseball player and Key West guy, and still when I see him to this day I get all starry-eyed and happy to see him. You talk about the success with our athletes. What do you think the magic?
Judd Wise:is. I think it's the heart and desire the kids have, the ones that truly want to go to that next level, understand what it takes to get to that next level, and through hard work, dedication and coaching, and not only just on the athletic field but they're having to do it in the classroom as well, so that they get that chance to play at the next level. I think that you know, the kids that want to go to that next level will. If you want to play at the next level, there's a place for you to play and that's the biggest thing. Not every kid is going to be a D1 athlete. I can tell you that right now, if you want to play, there's a place for you to play.
Judd Wise:And you know and I use my daughter as a perfect example you know, as I said, I probably cost Trish the chance to go to D1 because I made her play other sports and not concentrate just on one sport.
Judd Wise:But she got the opportunity to go play college softball, you know, and she truly enjoyed it. And you know, when she finished, you know, and the coach asked her you know, we can now get you to a D1 school if you want to go play she said no, coach, I've had a great time playing junior college ball, but I'm going to concentrate and get my degree right now because that's what I want to do for my dad and that was good. She understood she was done playing and it was fantastic. Like I said, we spent summers going to Texas, going to the University of Texas summer camps for her to play softball and stuff and just to watch that level of play at D1 is unbelievable. And if you watch the College World Series that's tuned in, college sports are where it's at the excitement of watching college sports whether it's football, basketball, baseball, softball, swimming, the track and field, the excitement is there. Pros you watch for the perfection. College you watch for the excitement.
Joy:I love that description, and the older I get, the less I enjoy professional sports and the more I enjoy college. Even college baseball is the same thing. It's almost like every game has so much riding on it. It's just their love and their passion for the game. What are your thoughts about the transfer portal and NIL, since we're talking about college sports?
Judd Wise:Very interesting. Truthfully, I understand why the transfer portal became into effect simply because coaches could up and leave their contracts to go to a new school. I don't have a problem with the transfer portal. I think it should only be allowed one time, though, unless you are a graduate student. If you graduated and got your degree, hey, more power to you. If you got eligibility, you want to transfer to another school, go for it. But I think underclassmen should only be allowed to transfer one time.
Judd Wise:As far as NIL goes, I think that is going to ruin college sports because they're not college amateur athletes now, they're professional athletes getting paid big bucks.
Judd Wise:I could understand it if they would have come in and set a cap and said no player can get more than $30,000.
Judd Wise:I think that would have been easy to say a kid in college should be able to live off $30,000 easy.
Judd Wise:I think where the NCAA really hurt themselves was never allowing these kids to go out and get a job, and that's where the illegal payments came from back in the day up to now. But the you know the money that you're seeing being paid out for some of these athletes now upwards of $10 million. Wow, what kind of pressure are you putting on the coach, the kid who's receiving that money and the rest of the team in that school to become a national champion. No, I just think this money is going to get out of control and to me it already is out of control what they're paying these athletes, because it's not going to be the same thing for every athlete. And the kids who do the minor sports, the golf, the swimming, you know, the track and field, that are surfing, playing beach volleyball they're not going to get the money that that star in baseball or football or basketball is going to get. So I really think the NCAA has dug a deep hole here that they can't get out of.
Joy:I agree. I'm afraid that they've let the horse out of the barn, so to speak, and now they're chasing after it. We'll see how it impacts. And we talk about the college game being so exciting. You wonder how long the integrity, the innocence of that game mattering when you have an athlete that's making two or three million dollars, is he going to pitch, you know? Is he going to be on a pitch count now? Is he going to want to play that Tuesday game, that midweek game, kind of thing? So you wonder, you wonder when you'll start to see it affect their performance on the field.
Judd Wise:You're absolutely correct whether or not they're going to dictate to the coach, because you may have a kid who's making just as much money as the coach, and I think that's why you're seeing some of these old-time coaches up and leave, because they don't want to deal with that NIL anymore. They're tired of the transfer portal, because not only are you having to recruit now and keep your own kids, but you've got so many that are leaving, that are going to the transfer portal, and so every year you have a completely new roster and the kid who's suffering through all this joy is the high school kid, because unless you're a legit D1 starter.
Judd Wise:You're not going to be on a D1 program. You're going to have to go to D2 or D3.
Joy:Maybe there's some good to that anyhow, because right now we have everybody wants to go D1. That's the big thing. And then they get there and they're not playing. So maybe that's a saving grace to go to D3, D2, even junior college for a year or two and then work your way up. So we'll see how it all plays out. I asked the Castillo sisters the other day if they think that we'll see a day when Lady Conk will get drafted into professional softball, and without hesitation they said soon. What are your thoughts there?
Judd Wise:You know I would think it was great. You watch it Athletes Unlimited Softball League and they're playing the championships now. You know, you look at those great athletes that are there, you know, but it's going to be one of our athletes who gets to a major D1 school and has something you know that can prove that you know they're worthy. But yeah, oh no, there's no question it could happen and it would be spectacular to see.
Joy:That would be great. Let me look at my questions here. What else do you have on that?
Judd Wise:Well, you know, I said just you know, you get a chance to peruse it and just look at some of the things that people have done from our community.
Judd Wise:You know where are they now and did you know? And looking at the people who have been on television, it's just, you know, just looking at that list, and if you, if somebody, has anything that they can add to that list, all they got to do is they can call you or call me or email me, you know, at JewfishJay, at gmailcom and, and I'll try to, you know, verify it and look it up and I'll be happy to add it to the list. It's just so cool, joy, when you see all that stuff and just the people in this community, what they've accomplished or what they've gotten done, become police chief or the fire chief or the mayor of the town. It's just outstanding and we've even had some who've been on Congress and the judge magistrates as well, what they've accomplished in their lives, to think that, you know, we have somebody who started Panama Jacks. You know, I mean, that's one of the largest suntan lotion companies in the world. So it's just outstanding.
Joy:And the Home Shopping Network. Right, and the Home Shopping Network as well. E-commerce is where it's at right now, and to know that someone from Key West was part of that early adopter, that's huge.
Judd Wise:You know it really is Joy. So you know, when you look at some of these things, it's just, it's outstanding and some of the accomplishments you know we have a young lady who's got a building named after her up, I think, in Yale, all right, and she graduated with my older daughter. So you know I mean to think about that. You have a building named after you at an Ivy League school. That's unheard of.
Joy:Yeah, I don't think I'm getting a building named after me.
Judd Wise:Coach Me either, Joy, but you know what we got? Got each other more power too.
Joy:That's. That's really cool. Um, we were talking about players making it big. Antonio knows he's in double a with the dodgers and man, it's just a matter of time before they call him up. Coach, I don't know if you've been following, but he's. He's doing it up with tul.
Judd Wise:Yeah, he's having a great year so far and you know the Dodgers pitching staff is a little bit on the injury side right now. So you know, a lot of times they tend to call up players from AA versus AAA because AAA they're back for rehab or they've already been up and you know, they know what they want. But they want that young kid from AA that can make a difference. So, yeah, there's a good possibility that he could get called up there as well.
Joy:That might be the next name that we hear.
Judd Wise:And the next number, we retire.
Joy:That sounds good to me. A lot of people know you from your radio. You and Rick Lopez call the games, call a lot of games for baseball, football. How long have you been doing the radio shows?
Judd Wise:Well, you know, really, rick and Todd started Conk Town Live back in 2001. Todd started broadcasting games in 1984, and then he brought in Rick in 1997. I came in full time about 17 years ago when Todd had his accident and he stepped away from the mic. But you know, it's just been great to be part of that, to be able to call baseball and football. We've called some basketball, we've called some softball games as well. You know, it's a really neat thing, especially when you go away and people go. You guys really call games for high school and we go, yeah, we call every game home and away, for baseball and football for sure, you know. So it's been outstanding. I love it.
Judd Wise:Working with Rick has been a joy. Todd has been outstanding. You know what they teach me, you know, because Rick, rick, listen, rick could have been calling games in the major leagues if he would have stuck with it. I truly believe that, you know. And for him to come back home and he graduated to Conk, as he likes to say, and you know, to be able to bring me on and, you know, allow me to be part of Conk Town Live with him and then call those games. And then he gave me the opportunity to start a fishing show which will be 10 years old as of next month. I just love and I love being part of the radio and calling the games for the people back here who can listen to it on the radio.
Joy:And do you have any idea how many games you've called between baseball and football?
Judd Wise:Oh joy, you think about that. You say 10 games a year in football for 17 years is over 170 and baseball would be at least 25 games a year, you know. So when you think about that, so probably around six 600 games, I would guess you know you call and throw in some basketball and some softball, you know, maybe it's upwards around 700, but it's a. It's a true joy. I truly love it.
Joy:What are some of the moments that you'll always remember?
Judd Wise:Well, I can tell you I think we were playing Miami Edison and this is back when Tommy Roberts was the old stadium and we had a massive rainstorm come through Monsoon. Everybody has left the stands. The game is being played. Rick is trying to hold the wires together. I'm trying to announce the game and you know we're getting all that squared away. It was. I mean, he's getting shocked. We're calling the game in this monsoon. It was just just crazy, you know.
Judd Wise:But to be there and go and to watch state championship baseball games have been spectacular as well. Basketball playoffs you know, when you get to that playoff level that's a different call. You know, regular season is one thing, but when you get a chance to call in the playoffs, it's been spectacular. To call the softball games, you know, at the backyard games at the backyard, when that place is packed with people and people who can't make the game are home listening to it on the radio. To call that no-hitter up at American Heritage a couple of years ago was just unbelievable. That we beat them 1-0 and allowed the girls to go back to the Final Four. You know there are so many memories I can't remember them all. But you know, just to watch Stanley Payne make a catch in the end zone to win a game on the final play was outstanding as well back in the day. So you know, all those memories are there and just you know it's just something that's been great.
Joy:That's good stuff you're. You're such a big part of the sports community in Key West. I think about the sports, I think about you. I'm grateful to know you and call you my friend. I'm a big fan coach.
Judd Wise:Well, I let's enjoy. We've gone back a long time, you know, ever since Clay was in school, and I truly enjoy talking to you, watching your podcasts and everything, and I'm just a freshwater conch that moved down here and enjoying life. This is a place I'll never leave. I don't plan to leave and my family, my wife Penny and I, plan to be here till the day we die. And the kids come back now and they truly appreciate all the time that they spent growing up in Key West and you know actually how much they truly miss it. But I know their lives are in different places around the country and you know to hear from the kids and that's the neat thing when I get texts or emails from kids, you know. Or, as Frankie Ratcliffe did, one of the greatest he put up on his softball door because he's the equipment manager for the girls' fast pitch team Looking good, feeling good, all right, from Coach Wise and I just you know that just brings joys to my eyes right there.
Joy:You're a legend, Coach. You're a legend and you're not done yet You're still going. I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying. I got to get you. I got it. Football season's coming up. You say you're still part of the coaching staff. Give me a little insider information. What should we expect out of this football?
Judd Wise:season. I think we're going to see an offensive line like we haven't seen since the early 2000s. All right, with that offensive line coming back, it is going to open some major holes for Walson Morin. You know Walson's got a chance to be the first kid to get into the 3000 yard club this year if he has a really good, successful season as a senior. But I think, with Roman Van Leeuwen calling the shots back there at quarterback Walson Morin running, leo Baptista blocking for him, I think we're going to see, offensively, a spectacular show this year. Defensively, with Noah Mercer and Josh Johnson anchoring that defensive line wow, watch out. So I'm expecting big things out of this team this year and the best part is Joy nine home games.
Judd Wise:I was about to say we're starting out August 15th Exactly the Rand Cartham preseason classic coming up. But you're right, as I said, nine home games. You get a chance to watch those clocks and if you can't watch them, you can listen to us on the Zone WAVK 97.7 FM.
Joy:Perfect, good lead. All right. So I always like to end the episode with a little segment that I call for the cycle. All right, I'm going to ask you four questions and, just as completing the cycle, they get a little harder as they go. All right, you ready for it?
Judd Wise:Yes, ma'am.
Joy:All right, the first question what would your?
Judd Wise:walk-up song be Dream On by Aerosmith.
Joy:Nice, nice. I love it. Favorite baseball movie.
Judd Wise:That is a great, great question. You know you got to love the Sandlot, but I also like A League of their Own.
Joy:Very good Coach. Good one, yes, yes, I love it. The sandlot seems to be one of the the most popular ones when I ask that question, but league of their own is definitely on my list also. All right, they're gonna get a little bit harder now. All right, should pete rose be in the hall of fame?
Judd Wise:yes good, that's not a hard one no, you know, I understand what he did was wrong, all right, but what that man accomplished in his career is unbelievable. You know, unfortunately for him, uh, he, he, his social life is what killed him yeah, he was a little rough around the edges.
Joy:Even as he was trying to work his way back in, he couldn't get out of his own way sometimes, which is a good lesson to learn, especially now for our athletes, who are always under the camera.
Judd Wise:There's the big difference. You know, everything is videotaped, everything.
Joy:Our demands as fans to be connected to our athletes adds another level of pressure that's probably unfair. So here's the last one to wrap it up for the cycle. What is one of your proudest accomplishments in sports here in Key West?
Judd Wise:You know what, having kids come back to me and say, coach, I truly understand what you taught me, not only in the classroom but on the athletic field and the fact that you kept stressing that we're academic first and athletes second I was able to go get my degree and I think it really comes back to I'll be honest with you, one of my kickers, jair Torres, who when he went away to college and said you know, you realize you're going to be the little fish in a big pond now. All right, and he goes. All right, and he goes well, what do you mean? I go well, you're probably not going to get to play much. You're probably not going to, definitely not going to start. You're going to have to work your tail off. I said, but if you do everything that coach asked you to do, you're going to walk out and you're going to get your degree.
Judd Wise:And so one of the things you know, when kids got it, I got a chance to get a kid to go away kicking or swimming. You know, with Luke Knight, I always said you know, I'm going to go up and see you play. And so I went up for Jair's last game and and as a senior, and he said you know, coach, he goes because of COVID. The coach offered me the chance to come back for one more year. I told him no, because I'm getting my degree. And that was the biggest thing that you told me is, if I do everything I asked and I finally became a starter this year and I could be the starter next year, he goes. But I'm getting my degree, I'm going to graduate and I'm coming home. So you know just those kind of comments that come back from kids. That's what really makes it worthwhile.
Joy:Thank you, coach. Thanks for everything you do for our kids and for the sports community here in Key West. Thanks for being on the show. Your first podcast video podcast but it won't be your last.
Judd Wise:Hey, let's do it again. Thank you, joy, I'm going to have you back for sure.
Joy:Have a good day, Coach. All right, Bye-bye, let's go Conks. I'm Joy Nulish and I appreciate you tuning into my podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, drop a review, share and subscribe, because there's a lot of good stuff on tap. You can find more joyful content on YouTube, the socials or check my website at joynulishcom. Now go surround yourself with the things that bring joy to.
