HAPPY KENTUCKY DERBY WEEK! We sat down with former Long Beach State track and field legend Willie Alexander. He talked his unbelievable record-setting career and his new gig as the LBSU hype man (12:40-44:47). We broke Long Beach State men’s volleyball’s success up to this point and previewed its Final Four matchup with Ohio State (3:20-10:37). We brought back Shoot Yours Hot Topic to debate society’s hottest issues (49:18-57:19). As always we ended the show with the 908 Athlete of the Week. This week is former Lakewood football and new Philadelphia Eagles draft pick Matt Pryor (57:56-1:00:12).
Link to the Podcast:
Long Beach State Track & Field Legend Willie Alexander Q & A:
Q: How many John Grossi’s do you think you can jump over?
A: Probably two or three of you.
Q: How many Long Beach State records do you have?
A: Not many actually. I had one for a little while and it was recently broken I think last year or my senior year, I don’t remember. I had an indoor record, a long jump record and an outdoor long jump record for a little bit.
Q: How did you jump from athletics to being the MC?
A: So I had my last year of athletics and then I had an extra semester of classes and then after that I started an internship with the Long Beach State marketing department and athletics department. I met Kelli (Gill), I met her a couple times so I interned with her for a year then I came on as a marketing assistant the next year and then men’s basketball season was coming around and there was a vacant spot and it was actually one of my coworker’s ideas, her name is Whitney Edwards, she kind of threw my name out there and I was like “yeah I’ll do it.” So homecoming was kind of our testing and it went well from there and she approved me for the rest of the season.
Q: How is it going so far?
A: It’s going well, it’s a lot of fun.
Q: What is your favorite little gimmick?
A: We did like a dance cam. I think my little intro was listen to me MC Willie Lee we need a song for the dance cam and everybody can you say play a song band and then we get the whole crowd to say, band can you play a song and then they play a song.
Q: Are you the guy that picks out the people to shoot the Jet Blue shots?
A: I did that a lot when I was just interning. This past year I didn’t have too many hands in that but I have done it before.
Q: Do you feel bad that you set the bar so high at Long Beach State?
A: No I think Long Beach State should be synonymous with excellence. I feel like what my teammates and I were able to do in the four years we were there is something that we should be proud of and we should see more of.
Q: Tell us your drowning story?
A: It’s a weak point. It’s a day where you recover but at the same time you work out because you are working different muscles and you’re not pounding your feet on the ground, your knees and I’m not the strongest swimmer and there were a couple years where it was like is he going to make it?
Q: When you went to track and field meets did you feel bad for shot putters because they just had to stand around the whole time?
A: Yes, and no.
Q: What happened to dangerous Dave? Why is he gone?
A: I don’t know. I think it was like a retirement kind of thing.
Q: What was your favorite moment in college?
A: So my freshman year I took a public speaking class and I got a B. We went to our conference meet that year and before our conference meet we stayed at a hotel it was at CSUN and I gave a speech and I gave a speech using the things I learned in my public speaking class so my buddy had recorded it and I was like I’m going to send this to my teacher to show her I am actually using it. So I sent it to her and I got an A actually.
Q: What is the last book you read?
A: I read a lot of textbooks because I’m getting my Master’s right now.
Q: What is your least favorite beverage?
A: Coca Cola.
Q: What is your favorite TV show?
A: The Office.
Q: What is your favorite sports movie?
A: Glory Road.
Q: What is your favorite sport to cover or to be at?
A: Baseball.
Q: Who is your least favorite school in the Big West?
A: UC Irvine.
Q: Where do you buy your pants?
A: Zara.
Q: What is your hype song?
A: Return of the Mac.
Q: Do you like Owen Wilson?
A: Eh.
Q: Did you like the triple jump or the long jump better?
A: Long jump for sure.
Q: Least favorite month?
A: Probably August.
Q: If you were at 7-11 right now what would you buy?
A: Honey Bun.