On Guard For Three

Episode 8 of On Guard For Three marks a few firsts for us.

Our first female guest is Joyce Slipp, the starting point guard for Canada’s first ever basketball entrant at the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976.

She’s also our first Hall of Famer, an honoree of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame.

Before we get to Joyce, we discuss the impact of Covid-19 on our world and the basketball world, we rant about Rudy Gobert (5:15), read a statement from the province’s chief medical officer (8:15), and predict the future a little.

With the esteemed Mrs. Slipp, we begin as always with the Magic Question (11:30), learn how she grew up in the Moncton area playing golf, volleyball and field hockey too (14:00), the familiar names (to Monctonians for sure) that were her first coaching and teaching influences (17:00)

How different the environment was for student athletes when she arrived at UNB (18:30), the early rules of women’s basketball (20:00) and the sport she would have played if she’d been allowed (22:45).

Joyce talks about adjusting to the sport after the women’s rules were overhauled (24:00), the breakout game that got her a huge break (24:45), her early days with the national team and her positional change (25:30), and her first international trip with Team Canada (27:45).

Joyce talks about creating her own drills to advance her skills (29:00), how she broke out as a scorer (21:30), the dominant team of the early 70’s on the world stage (32:00) and paints us a picture of the opening ceremonies in Montreal (33:15).

Joyce also name drops (we asked her to) about her neighbours in the Olympic Village (36:45), transitioning to teaching and coaching after retiring from playing (40:15), leaving UNB….and then coming back (44:00), coaching while….literally….starting a family (46:00), working with the field hockey national team and the inventive ways she used as a mom to keep her kids around while she travelled North America with them (47:30),

We discuss basketball in her hometown of Fredericton. (49:00) and Joyce has some fascinating comments about the state of women’s basketball in this country and in general (50:30), as well, we discuss, with the growth of the game everywhere, why it is that events like the BioSteel All-Canadian teams and the national teams boast very few players from outside the greater Toronto area (56:00).

Brock posts up Joyce with his BIG THREE! (61:45), and he gets her talking of the dangers of the old Gunningsville Bridge, going into Halls of Fame with the likes of Randy Gregg and Jamie Russell, and the grandkids!

Finally, we make Joyce Commissioner for a Day (67:30).

Joe Salerno is the reigning National Basketball League of Canada Coach of the Month AND Year for the defending champion and first-place Moncton Magic.

Ahead of this Saturday’s match-up with the Windsor Express at the Avenir Centre in Moncton, he’s a guest on Episode 7 of On Guard For Three.

We start off with the newly-dubbed “Magic Question”, get Joe’s thoughts on being a multi-sport Dad (2:00), on golf being his favourite getaway, and I’m sure he starts ZERO fights over which of his regular playing partners hits it the longest (4:00).

We get into his days as an AAU player and some of the great northeast talent that crossed his path on the court (6:00), the high school glory days in the Barre Auditorium in Vermont (10:00), the injury that ended his playing days (12:00), “Slow Joe” and Joe Sr. (13:15), and he gives us the lowdown on his insane decision to give up a good job with benefits to become a basketball coach (14:45).

Joe discusses his “welcome to pro basketball” moment involving Michael Ray Richardson and his rough initial road trip as a pro coach (17:30), the support he got and gets from his wife Darci (20:30), the hard work he put in and the lessons he learned to become a good coach (25:00).

Next up, we introduce a new segment, Brock’s Big Three! (28:30) before bringing things up to present day and hitting on the Magic’s 8-game win streak (30:30) ALL the parts of the organization that go into making a winning program (33:00), and the good work of his coaching staff (35:45).

We get into the Windsor matchup (40:15), Jeremiah Mordi and coach’s love for big point guards (43:00), Brock’s favourite Magic player Wayne McCullough (45:30), and Dave asks a completely unfair question about his coaching future (50:15). Joe talks about the growth in Canadian basketball since his arrival almost a decade ago (54:15), the environment around youth sports and Joe offers some parental advice (57:15)

We explore being a hockey dad instead of a basketball one (61:00), and Joe subjects himself to the “commissioner of basketball” question and he gives the best answer we’ve had so far (62:00). We learn that coach has ZERO time for the NBA right now, but still has Celtics thoughts (65:30), and he agrees with Dave about who the best player in the NBA is (still)…(67:00).

We remind you about our Bracket Buster Challenge brought to you by the Chris Rock Tavern (71:30), and finish things off with all things college hoops (74:00).

Episode 6 of On Guard For Three is allllll Mount Allison Mounties!
Mounties men's coach Steve Chapman is our guest as he joins his former pupil in studio.

We talk about the end of the team’s regular season and the playoffs this weekend in Halifax (2:00), ask him when he fell in love with the game of basketball (4:45), find out he was better at……hockey….than hoops? (6:00)

His decision to pass up the local program in Wolfville for Mount Allison for ALL the wrong reasons (8:45), the return of Mounties basketball in 1992 and his first run as men’s coach (10:30)

How a local university can impact development of basketball in a community (13:00), Mount Allison playing in the CCAA versus USports (15:30), the quality of the coaches in the ACAA and the fact that the brand new USport Coach of the Year is a former Mount Saint Vincent coach (18:30)

We discuss the complications of recruiting to Mount A and how coach focuses on NB talent (19:45), recruiting in an age of position-less basketball (21:50), whether or not Mount A’s recent first appearance at Nationals was a game-changer for the program (23:45), the Game On program that coach, Norval McConnell and other alumni put together to raise funds for student athletes and it’s roaring early success (26:00)

The players to watch from his squad this weekend in Halifax, including NB’ers Aram Currie, Noah McCarthy and James French (30:00), how prepared this weekend’s champ will be to compete at the CCAA championships (34:00) his confidence that the program can continue to improve and compete consistently nationally (36:00)

The importance of defending to succeed at that level (38:30), the great atmosphere that playing at “The Mount” will provide this weekend and the knowledgeable crowd’s in Halifax (40:00).

We continue our…..controversial?....discussion on the state of basketball in NB and how effective BNB and the club environment are at producing top shelf talent together (43:45), and the joys that keep him coming back to the game (52:30).

We break to announce our new Bracket Challenge sponsored by the Chris Rock Tavern (56:00) before returning to coach and getting his thoughts on the NCAA tournament and his TERRIBLE answer to our “If you were commissioner of basketball for a day” question.

Luckily, he makes up with it by being nice to his wife Carol and his kids (65:00).

We’re all partial around here, but GO MOUNTIES!

Fred Connors is the fifth guest joining "On Guard For Three".

Fred coaches the St. Thomas Tommies, the seventh-ranked team in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association.

The national Coach of the Year in 2013 joins us fresh off clinching the 1st seed in the upcoming Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association playoffs.

We ask Fred when he fell in love with the game, (3:00) and he discusses his love for Cape Breton Capers basketball (6:00).

We hear about his first connection with St. Thomas (9:30), and why he’s stayed connected through 22 years as a player and coach.

We ask him about the challenges of recruiting at the small college level (16:30) and the unique nature and popularity of basketball in the provincial capital (19:30).

Fred shares how he feels he let down the program a little in the aftermath of four straight national tournaments (28:00) and later on, (50:30) the change he made to ensure it didn’t happen again.

We get into the impressive year for the ACAA as a whole this season (31:00) and the mathematical gymnastics that goes into picking teams for the CCAA national championships (32:30).

Fred recounts those four trips to Nationals in perfect detail and speaks to the lessons learned (36:00) and talks about adapting to new teams year after year (40:00).

He talks about what makes this years squad special (42:30) and looks forward to next year by talking to us about Moncton product Celine Sterkel (48:00).

We get into how in the name of time a defensive pylon of a player like him became such a lights-out defensive coach (51:30) and why it’s necessary for ACAA teams to become juggernauts on that end (54:00).

He sets up this Saturday’s grad games at STU against Mount Allison (57:00) and talks about remaining close to his players after they leave the school.

Fred gets into the evolution of coaching his daughter Emma (60:30) and brilliantly brings up how wonderful his wife is before I can even get there (62:30).

We continue our ongoing discussion on BNB basketball and the state of the sport in the province (64:00) and Fred unveils his unnatural hatred (and not for the last time) toward the sport of volleyball (69:30).

We have a frank discussion about the state of basketball officiating (76:00), how we could better support them (79:30) and Brock humble-brags his way through a story about working opposing coaches and officials (82:30).

We get Fred's thoughts on Celtics and Jayson Tatum (84:00) and the status of his Raptors fandom (76:00).

Finally, we make Freddie commissioner of basketball for a day (77:30) and I quell Brock’s feelings about the Raps loss to the Bucks.

Coach Conners on twitter: @STUWBB and on Instagram fred.connors.

Check out @acaa_aasc on twitter and www.acaa.ca for info on the small college men’s and women’s teams and where to live stream this weekends games AND the upcoming playoffs.

Teah Bailey is the 4th guest on On Guard For Three. (Links to One8tea listed below)

Teah is a former women’s coach at Crandall University, former assistant coach with the Moncton Miracles and, as One8Tea, is a current East Coast Music Award nominee for Inspirational Recording of the Year.

Teah talks about when he fell in love with the game of basketball (2:00) and answers Serge Langis’ dismissal of Magic Johnson (5:30).

We prove you can have a balanced discussion about the legacy of Kobe Bryant (7:30) and Teah weaves in the importance of the ampersand in his life and all of ours….trust me, it’s a beautiful thing (11:45).

Teah also shares the parts of his life leading up to his “180” (18:45), the role of his faith in his life (24:00), and the Teen Challenge program that helped him and started his second act as an artist (27:00).

He gives a quick church service to the atheist in the room (33:00), shares the genesis of One8Tea and talks all about his music (38:00) and his upcoming concert event (43:30), and Brock discusses his love of Organized Rhyme (45:30).

We get back to basketball and Teah's high school days (46:30), his start in coaching (48:00), and his admiration for Wade Smith (49:15).

Teah talks about his Edify Program through One8Tea Ministries (52:00), and we somehow transition to “WOOOO!” (53:15).

“Uncle” Teah talks about how much he loves watching the younger kids play the game and his admiration for the coaches (55:30) and Luka Doncic and Lebron (57:00).

We get his pick for the dunk contest (59:00), and grant him one wish as commissioner of basketball (60:45).

Finally….of COURSE we get a Shamrocks update (63:00) and lay out the schedule for this weekend’s NBIAA Basketball Championships (64:40)

One8tea on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3bdW5ELUpldSG2y6nYIItB

One8tea - https://g.co/kgs/9Rg9Gn

Jared Budd joins us for Episode 3 of On Guard For Three.

Jared is a former NBIAA All-Star at Riverview High School, 2nd team All-Star at the U-17 National Championship, Defensive Player of the Year at both Acadia and UPEI, & an MVP at St. Thomas as a senior

Jared has coached Junior Varsity & Senior boys, as well as Basketball New Brunswick’s U-16 team, and he is currently the Senior Girls coach at Harrison Trimble High School, as well as a coach with Sweat Academy off season development camp.

We make the odd decision to plug OTHER podcasts and basketball writers we enjoy (3:00),
how immersing ourselves in the game the way we do affects coaching (10:00),
my favourite Jared Budd move (18:00), the “win by seven” games he played with his older brother (21:00), the quality of basketball in Nova Scotia versus NB (22:30),

Jared and Brock have some issues with new rules governing local leagues (29:30), coaching girls versus boys (36:30) and bringing out toughness in players in general.

The funniest coach Jared ever had (41:00), when Jared fell in love with the game (48:00), the sad…SAD state of his Knicks-fandom (51:00)

We address the Masai to Knicks rumours, (58:00), the NBA trade deadline (67:00), and, given the fact that the deadline is now passed, feel free to laugh at our bold deadline predictions (83:00)

"I'm the wealthiest guy I know because I've got everything I could have ever dreamed to ask for."

David Magley is our guest on episode 2 of "On Guard For Three".

He’s the 1978 Indiana Mr. Basketball, member of the 1982 All-Big 8 team at Kansas, Cleveland Cavaliers draft pick, former Commissioner of the NBLC and current TBL commissioner.

We talk about his high school days in Indiana and his Hall of Fame La Salle coach (3:30) he shares the stories of why he went to Kansas (he met a pretty special girl) and why he did NOT go to Indiana (MIGHT have something to do with Coach Knight) (23:30)

His pro career (31:30), his relationship with his Kansas coach Ted Owens (39:00), shares his thoughts on the KU, Kansas State brawl and the college/AAU relationship, (42:30)

His thoughts on the benefits of the European basketball system versus North America (48:30), his best Phil Jackson story (52:00), the status of the NBLC nowadays and how it and the CEBL impacts his league (57:30)

As well, his excitement about the upcoming TBL season (71:00).

Finally, Dave and Brock continue their ongoing Raptors fight (76:00), including Brock’s unnatural hatred for Kyle Lowry (79:00), and we get an update on Dave’s men’s league team (yawn) and Brock’s Shamrock’s team and their best loss of the year (95:00) #teamlandonwest!!

In our last couple of minutes, we bring you what’s coming up on On Guard For Three (97:00).

Welcome to "On Guard For Three"

For our inaugural episode, we welcome in Serge Langis, former coach of the KW Titans and Moncton Miracles of the NBCL and current Co-Owner and President of Sweat Academy.

We delve into his history with the game, the ins and outs of Sweat Academy (22:00), basketball in French Language communities in the province of New Brunswick (31:30), and being a basketball parent (35:30)

I make Serge feel bad about the Utah Jazz being his favourite team (54:30) but somehow he turns that into a discussion of how Magic Johnson ruined the game (55:30)

Brock offers up a great reason why the Jazz didn’t drop the nickname when they moved to Utah (60:30)

It’s Brock vs. Dave on how the Raptors should handle the rest of their season (62:15)

Canada Basketball and Olympic qualifying (73:00) And we finish with a little NBLC/CEBL talk (79:00)