Professor Larry Carlson’s interview with Bill Schoening

CARLSON:  As for your time covering Longhorn sports, you came along for some of the worst of UT football, then the best turnaround ever, plus "the Runnin' Horns" of Coach Tom Penders, featuring "BMW"...Blanks, Mays & Wright.  How cool were those times, up close?

My first basketball season was the year of BMW.  It was so much fun to be around that team with the personalities of Penders and guard Lance Blanks.  Not many teams were playing at the fever pitch the Horns were, and the defense was spearheaded by the athletic Panama Myers.  Travis Mays was the steadiest player, but I loved Joey Wright, too.  I was in Deland, Florida the night Joey dropped 46 on Stetson.  The tournament run was electric, including Travis' 44 point game against Georgia, knocking off home state favorite Purdue before 38,000 at the Hoosier Dome, the Lance Blanks fueled comeback win over Xavier in Dallas, and the heartbreaking 88-85 loss to Arkansas in the regional final.  

CARLSON:  You had a great seat for a decade of Texas-OU football. Any special recollections of cool Peter Gardere?

SCHOENING:  I got to watch Peter Gardere go 4-0 against the Sooners.  A solid defense was mainly responsible, but his fourth quarter TD pass to Johnny Walker during his freshman year was outstanding.  He showed tremendous poise in that game.  

CARLSON:  What was it like working with John Mackovic?  You can be honest.  And how different was it then dealing with Mack Brown later?  Kinda like the old high school English tests...compare and contrast?

SCHOENING:  John Mackovic was completely different from David McWilliams.  David was Texas friendly and was always chewing an unlit cigar.  Mackovic was more polished...Chardonnay over Lone Star beer...but he actually had a sense of humor.  I hosted his radio show during his tenure and found him to be engaging, but I never sensed that he made a true connection to the Texas fans. When Mack Brown took Mackovic's place, it was another 180 degree turn.  On the evening of his first signing day, Mack joined Craig Way and me for a live remote broadcast of our show at UR Cook's Steakhouse.  The place was packed and Mack immediately shook hands and kissed babies.  It was much more relaxing to interview Mack in that sort of setting. 

CARLSON:  In baseball, you saw guys who are absolutely all-time Longhorns, especially the incomparable Brooks Kieschnick.  What sticks with you about Coach Cliff Gustafson and Kieschnick?

SCHOENING:  At Disch Falk during those early years, lots of special memories were being created because of the pitching of Kirk Dressendorfer, the speed of Calvin Murray and the versatility of the best college player I've ever seen; Brooks Kieschnick.  Brooks had tremendous power at the plate, and pitched with the mentality of a middle linebacker.  I'll never forget the CWS win over Oklahoma St. when he threw an incredible 172 pitches. At one point, Coach Gus came out to get him, and Brooks basically told him to get back in the dugout.  During the postgame press conference, Gus told the media Kieshnick would be the starter for the next game since he didn't throw that many pitches that day.  

CARLSON:  You spent a lot of time in the press box and broadcast booth with Craig Way and Keith Moreland.  How did Moreland's transition from MLB playing days to the microphone come about?

SCHOENING:  One of the best moves I made during my twelve years broadcasting the Horns was to bring Keith Moreland to the baseball booth.  At first, he was a bit nervous, but once I assured him it was just baseball – a sport in which he excelled -- he began to loosen up, show his personality, and truly embrace his role as an analyst.  I eventually gave him some play-by-play innings, and he steadily improved.  He remains a dear friend. 

CARLSON:  You got to witness a lot of clutch playmaking from Major Applewhite in your years at Texas Memories?

SCHOENING:  Major Applewhite was one of the most cerebral players I have ever covered.  He was a go-to guy for pregame and postgame interviews.  He had an excellent power of recall when it came to coverages, blitz packages, stunts, etc.  If you asked Major about a certain play and why it worked, the answer might very well include personnel alignment, audible checkdowns, and protection schemes.  It was a no-brainer when I predicted he would get into coaching after his playing career. Major's last game , the Holiday Bowl comeback win over Washington, saw Major pass for a school record in yardage.  His last game would also be my final game in the Longhorn booth.  In the postgame interview, Major said "I can see the headlines in the Statesman tomorrow, "Schoening and Applewhite ride off into the sunset together".    I corrected him..."it should be "Applewhite and Schoening.  You just broke a school record for passing yards.  All I did was describe it. You get top billing."

CARLSON:  Like coaches, most college players are taught to not say anything substantive.  Can you name a few Longhorns who showed their personalities and broke the mold?

SCHOENING:  Believe it or not, the offensive linemen were some of my favorite guys to interview.  Their answers tended to be sincere , straightforward, and honest.  My personal favorites were Dan Neil, Blake Brockermeyer, and Octavious Bishop.  During my twelve seasons, the Horns had lots of interesting personalities.  I especially enjoyed Wane McGarity, Ricky Williams, Aaron Humphrey and Kwame Cavil.  

CARLSON:  I agree on the O-linemen...often the best for thoughtful analysis and for wiseguy remarks.  How hard is it, Bill, not to be a total "homer" when you as a broadcaster get paid by a school or franchise?

SCHOENING:  I always tried to provide an energetic, enthusiastic broadcast without being a total homer.  Sure, I was pulling for the Horns, but I have never appreciated broadcasters who are so biased that they can't give the other team credit or are constantly second-guessing the officiating. Do refs and umpires miss an occasional call?  Of course, but it doesn't add favorably to the broadcast if one is hammering the refs all day.  

CARLSON:  You paint the picture for radio listeners...you're their eyes.  What are a couple of stadiums or arenas  that had a vibe and left an impression on you?

SCHOENING:  There were several venues I especially enjoyed back in the day.  I actually loved it when the Horns played ANY sport in College Station.  Baseball games at Olsen Field were fun because of the student section.  I remember when they gave up mocking Kieschnick because he just wore out A&M.  The students actually raised their arms in mock worship when he came to the plate.  Even though the Aggies didn't have many great basketball teams, I loved the atmosphere at old G. Rollie White Coliseum.  It was small, loud, and slightly uncomfortable.  Football games at Tech were always high-scoring, and basketball at Barnhill was an adventure because the Arkansas fans HATED anything burnt orange.  I was thrilled when Texas joined the Big Xll because I got to call games at Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas), Gallagher-Iba (Okla. St.), and Lloyd Noble (OU).  The best road win in my tenure was the 20-16 football win at Nebraska in '98 that snapped the Huskers' 47 game home winning streak.  

CARLSON:  And now, it's on to the SEC and all those cool venues.  Let me shift gears and get you to riff on your music background.  I know you've done a lot of writing, singing and picking that has provided plenty of fun for your friends and followers.  How would you describe your music and who are some influences?

SCHOENING:  Shortly after moving to Austin in 1989, I started taking advantage of  the plethora of musical talent here.  I'd venture out to venues like LaZona Rosa, The Chicago House, and Cactus Cafe to hear artists like Robert Earl Keen, Bruce Robison, Jimmy LaFave, and Van Wilks. After taking some guitar lessons from Wilks, I started banging out some chords and wrote lyrics to go with them.   One day on the air I mentioned that I had actually been able to write a handful of tunes, Austin-based producer Joe Gracey sent me an email and encouraged me to record them at his home studio. The result was an eight-song release called "Life in the Minors".  I have now written or co-written 30 songs, and have independently released four CD's.  Although strictly a hobby, i'm hopeful that another artist may like one of my tunes and record one.  Whenever I hang up the headphones, I may dive into the music  a little deeper.  I still sing  in the praise and worship band at Bethany UMC, so music will always be an important part of my life.  My favorite songwriter right now is Pat Byrne, who moved to Austin from Ireland a few years back and is a regular at my favorite Austin music venue, the Saxon Pub.  

CARLSON:  Another of your big passions is travel.  You've covered many miles with the Spurs and I know that you and your wife love the national parks on your own time.  Teddy Roosevelt would be proud.

SCHOENING:  Through the years, folks have asked why I would ever leave a great gig like the play-by-play voice of the Longhorns. The Spurs approached me in 2001, and basically made me an offer I couldn't refuse.  The deciding factor was vacation.  I had worked my way up to nearly three weeks off in the summer with The Zone, but the Spurs' pitch included the entire offseason with no duties.  Since my wife Gerry and I have a deep passion for travel, that was one of the deciding factors.  Thanks to these extended vacations, Gerry and I have hiked in 33 National  Parks, and we have visited all 50 states. We are hoping to hit all ten provinces in Canada, and we are halfway there. Glacier (Montana) is our fave so far, but Yellowstone, Acadia, Rocky Mountain, and North Cascades are also breathtaking.    

CARLSON:  Who are some of the coolest former Longhorns you've been around in the NBA, and just how impressed are you with young Victor Wembanyama?

SCHOENING:  Having spent that time at UT, it helped break the ice when Horns got to the NBA.  I've conducted many pregame interviews with Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge, TJ Ford, Royal Ivey, and Jarrett Allen.  Royal has been an assistant for several teams, and I believe will one day be a head coach in the NBA.  

The Spurs' future is bright with the emergence of 20 year old Frenchman Victor Wembanyama.  Yes, he was deserving of Rookie of the Year honors, but i'm even more impressed by his intelligence, maturity, and passion.  He truly is a generational talent.  

CARLSON:  Bill, I can't close out without asking about cheesesteaks or a recommendation for Longhorn fans who might visit the City of Brotherly Love, known for, shall we say, very, very enthusiastic pro sports fans.

SCHOENING:  My hometown of Philadelphia is an acquired taste for some. The passion for sports there is simply off the charts, and yes, my hometown brothers and sisters are sometimes a bit over the top in their fandom, but if you like history, food, and sports, it's a fun place. For dining I'd recommend a visit to the Reading Terminal Market for a sensory overload.  Every food imaginable is available there, from Pan Asian to Cajun.  

CARLSON:  Okay, before we hit with a buzzer-beater...what is one thing that most people don't know about Bill Schoening?

SCHOENING:  I guess the thing that some folks might not know about me is how much I love to write.  My memoir "Stories, Sports, and Songs" ended up featuring over 100 stories and is 300 pages long.   During the season, I'm constantly writing multiple daily reports for the Spurs flagship station, WOAI.  I also write the intros for our pregame segments and postgame wrap ups. As I've mentioned, I've written or co-written 30 songs, and have three more waiting to be recorded, when my producer can find time to fit me in. 

CARLSON:  Thanks a million, Bill.  And you know how much I appreciate you working with my sports students at Texas State. I understand that you appreciate a glass of wine, so I think I owe you one after you speak to my sports class next month.  

SCHOENING:  I might just take you up on that, Larry.   

                                         TLSN     TLSN     TLSN     TLSN     TLSN