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>> Female announcer: This is a
production of WKNO, Memphis.
Production funding for "Sports
Files" is made possible in part
by..
>> Gaston: The Memphis Tigers
tip off the new college
basketball season here at FedEx
Forum with Memphis Madness.
My guests on "Sports Files" --
Adonis Thomas and Tarik Black.
>> (instrumental music)
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
>> Gaston: Hi everyone and
welcome to "Sports Files."
The Memphis Tigers do indeed
begin the new hoop season
tonight at FedExForum and I'm
actually there sitting courtside
for "Memphis Madness".
So how can I be in the WKNO
Studios at the same time?
It's the Magic of Television!
Last season the Tigers won
another Conference USA title.
But in the Big Dance, they made
an early exit, dropping their
opener to St Louis.
Fast forward to the present.
This season the Tigers will have
even loftier expectations.
From the fans, and themselves.
They lost leading scorer Will
Barton to the NBA but bring back
a talented, veteran, nucleus and
a number of highly regarded
newcomers.
Josh Pastner has yet to win an
NCAA tournament game as Tigers
head coach, but most feel it's
only a matter of time.
And with the move to the ultra
competitive Big East Conference
a season away, there's no better
time than the present.
But first let me get back in my
Delorean, and time travel to the
Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway, Hall
of Fame, for my interview with
Tarik Black and Adonis Thomas.
>> (instrumental music)
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
>> Gaston: Tarik, Adonis --
Thank you so much for being with
us.
We really appreciate it.
Good to see you guys again as we
get ready for another season.
Let me go back to last season
and the way it ended in the
tournament against St. Louis.
How long did it take you -- Let
me start with you, Tarik -- to
get over losing to St. Louis in
the first round?
>> Black: It took me a couple of
days -- a couple of days, like
two or three days to get over
it.
But I accept things very well.
I'm not an over-emotional guy --
like once it's over, it's over.
It's time to start preparing for
the next year and the next time
you step on the court.
So don't have too much time to
dwell on the past.
>> Gaston: Adonis, the same
thing with you or was it
something that you had to think
about a lot and, "Well, we did
something differently and maybe
we'd win and move on in the
tournament."
>> Thomas: It was probably more.
It was longer for me because of
my injury.
I felt as though I could have
contributed more if I was
healthy.
So it was more for me because we
lost and then I had an injury.
It was a lot of stuff going
through my mind at the time
because I mean, an injury that
took a toll on my whole, entire
season -- or half the season.
I mean, starting off with
conference playing until the
conference tournament and then
through the NCAA tournament, as
well.
>> Gaston: You were a freshman
last year.
Tarik was a sophomore and I know
there was the talk about
possibly being a one-and-done
and moving on to the NBA.
And then you had the injury.
How close were you to going to
the NBA?
Thomas: I mean, Coach Pastner
and I and my family did some
research.
I mean, we felt that -- We all
felt as though I could have been
drafted in this year's draft.
But as far as my draft stock and
me not being able to play an
entire season and for NBA scouts
to see me and evaluate me as a
player, it was minimum because
of the season that I had.
They didn't get a chance to
really evaluate me.
Coming back for another season
is going to do a great job for
me and also the team because NBA
scouts want to see winners.
>> Gaston: Tarik, when you look
in the Finch Center now, you see
the "One team, one goal" banner.
I know Coach Pastners trying to
emphasize that -- that it's no
individuals.
We play as a team.
We win as a team.
Talk about that -- just that
unity that you guys have.
>> Black: It's going to be --
Its going to play a big role in
us trying to win games.
Nobody's a superstar.
Nobody is bigger than the next
man that puts on that Memphis
jersey.
When you put on a Memphis
jersey, that's what we
represent.
>> Gaston: And on the same
token, while you may not have
the individuals and you want to
have the team oriented goals,
you still have to have leaders.
And you are certainly one of the
leaders of the team.
You lead by example on the
court.
You lead vocally.
Talk about having that position
and now as a junior, as an
upperclassman being one of the
leaders of this team.
>> Black: I actually feel like
this is going to be my first
year actually being a leader.
I feel like I posses the
potential to be one earlier on
but it just felt weird -- like I
wasn't in the mental place to
accept the role.
I wasn't in the place to be too
vocal.
Certain situations where
everyone would be quiet and I
stay quiet myself, when really a
leader would speak up and speak
his mind and say what's right in
that situation.
And that's the role that I'm
willing to take this year.
That's something I wasn't
willing to do previously because
I felt like I wasn't ready for
it.
>> Gaston: Adonis, you played a
lot of four last year but I
think you're natural position is
three, which we expect you to go
back to this year.
Is that going to be the case?
Are we going to see more of you
at the three?
>> Thomas: Yeah -- Well, last
year Coach said he needed a lot
more production at the four spot
and we were having trouble with
playing against the teams that
we were playing against.
Coach put me in to the line up
and put me at the four spot.
So I played the majority of my
season in the four spot.
Me and Coach talked about it.
We got a great recruitment with
Shaq Goodwin.
That's going to be his spot as a
four spot player.
I'll get a chance to go back to
the win and play my natural
position.
>> Gaston: Alright, you brought
up Shaq Goodwin.
I want to bring up the new guys
-- Shaq and Damien Wilson and
Geron Johnson, the junior
college transfer.
How quickly have these guys got
acclimated with you and how is
the chemistry with these new
players with the veterans that
are back?
>> Black: They've been doing
very well.
They've come in and been
acceptive of what we're trying
to do.
They've been accepting their
role on our team.
A lot of freshman may come in,
especially if you have accolades
behind you, and say: "Well, I
want to be the star.
I want to be this.
I want to be that."
But they've come in, humbles
themselves and recognized that
we all play a role on this team.
And that everyone on this team
is just as talented as each
other.
We have a very talented roster
and they've accepted that.
>> Gaston: A lot of people have
heard about Geron Johnson.
He's had some issues away from
the court.
So far, I've heard all great
things about him, both on and
off the court here since his
arrival at the University of
Memphis.
What type of player is he?
>> Thomas: He's a work-hard
player -- a work horse.
He has a great work ethic.
He's also a great person to be
around.
I mean, we've been hanging out a
lot and he's been doing a great
job on the court, as well.
He listens.
He stays disciplined.
And he wants to work hard.
He wants to accept the role that
Coach has brought him in to do.
>> Gaston: Tarik, how deep is
this team?
>> Black: I say -- I always say
we have two starting fives --
like every scholarship player
can go somewhere else and I
really believe would star in
another program's basketball
team.
That's the way I think about our
team.
>> Gaston: Last year you were
ranked to start the season.
You go in to the NCAA
tournament.
You hook up with St. Louis.
You don't get the seed that many
thought you should get and you
lose to a team that was a
completely different style.
You're going to come in to this
season highly ranked, once
again.
You're more experienced.
You're a junior.
You're now a sophomore.
We just talked about these new
players.
How far can this team go and
what should the fans expect from
this team this upcoming season?
Lets start with you, Tarik.
>> Black: This team can go as
far as it wants to.
This team can go -- We're as
talented as any team in the
country and we have the team
chemistry to put it all
together.
And our expectations -- I
wouldn't even put a numerical
expectation on this team -- like
a number of games or anything
like that.
They should expect a fun season.
That's the way I put it.
Look at us to have fun and just
enjoy the accolades as they
come.
>> Gaston: Adonis?
>> Thomas: The way I see it, I
see it as one of those top four
teams to be in Atlanta.
I mean, we got a great team.
This is probably the most
athletic team that Coach
Pastners going to have since hes
been coaching here at Memphis.
We got a lot of great recruits.
We got a lot of great guys
that's more experience and
that's been playing the college
game for a while now.
We all have been matured.
We seen what it takes to get to
that next spot but it's all
about being more focused this
year and that "one team, one
goal and no ego."
>> Gaton: During media day, most
of the guys said those words --
"national championship."
It's easy to throw it out there
but you guys legitimately think,
for a team that hasn't won a
tournament game in the last
couple of years, with what
you've assembled, that it's a
realistic goal.
>> Thomas: Yeah -- I mean, we
got all the pieces here.
Like I said, this is probably
going to be one of the best
teams that Coach Pastner have,
as far as being a coach.
I mean, with so much talent on
this team, you need to expect a
lot from these guys because of
the work ethic and how hard
people come in to practice and
work and want to listen and
learn.
So it's a lot that's going to be
expected out of us, but as well
as a team.
We expect a lot from each other.
>> Gaston: Tarik, Jimmy Williams
came in later in the season last
year.
How helpful was he to you and
how helpful is he to you as a
big man?
>> Black: It's obvious how
helpful he was to me.
I mean, you can see the way the
season went.
When he came in he started
putting in work with me and my
season turned around.
My season started ascending.
You know, it got better and
better.
Coach Williams is just -- He
stuck with me.
He's worked with me.
I can be sometimes stubborn as a
player, as we all can, but he's
a great coach.
And he knows what he's talking
about.
He has many years in the game.
Hes coached many great players
and he just knows the
fundamentals to teach a player
in order for him to fulfill his
own potential.
>> Gaston: How much better do
you think you are now than when
you came in from Ridgeway?
>> Black: Oh, man -- much
better, much better.
And it's not necessarily even a
physical.
It's mentally.
Understanding the game predicts
how good you're going to be.
And I understand the game much
better through his coaching and
guidance -- through Coach
Pastner and his coaching and
guidance and through playing
under guys that have been in
this program for a while such as
Will Coleman, Wes and, you know,
people like that.
They've taught me a lot.
So I just understand the game
much better.
>> Gaton: Adonis, if there's a
deficiency on this team, if
there's an area where you really
need to get better, what are
would that be?
>> Thomas: For this team, I
would just say a lot more work
ethic on this team.
It just takes -- To separate
yourself is more time in the
gym.
It's extra things that you do by
yourself.
So as far as what we need to get
better at is probably the work
ethic.
A lot of guys got to take this
thing serious on and off the
court.
I mean, it's about coming back
in to the gym, putting in work,
late nights or early mornings,
and just always being
disciplined and focused on the
big picture.
>> Gaston: You had a heck of a
player in Will Barton last year,
who's now with the Portland
Trailblazers.
Was there almost too much
dependency on him offensively?
Although he was your big scorer,
was there a lot of that?
Will's going to get us the
points here.
We're depending on -- especially
when you went out with the
injury.
Tarik, anything to that?
>> Black: I would say we have
weapons.
We have an arsenal of weapons.
Every position is a weapon to
score.
Our main thing is defense
anyway.
We stick defense.
We play defense.
We get out on a run once we get
a steal or we rebound.
So but as far as, like in the
half-court setting -- Like I
just said, we have weapons.
And last year we did depend on
him heavily for points but we
haven't lost anything because
we've recruited other players
in.
At the same time, we still have
the same weapons we previously
had.
We just have to use them in a
different way.
>> Gaston: You talk about
defense on court and it is.
We know that Adonis comes in to
the college game as a very good
defensive player.
You are obviously a very good
defensive player.
You mentioned earlier Shaq
Goodwin.
The acquisition bringing in this
talented freshman from the
Atlanta area.
His size, his ability to rebound
-- How important will it be for
the frontline?
>> Black: It will be very
important.
It's a lot of help.
A lot of people like to say I
did not have any help this far
in my college career.
I actually think I have.
I haven't grabbed every rebound
and scored every point myself.
I couldn't do it alone.
But the same time, coming in
with him, I guess its for team
morale.
I guess if you hear people say:
"You're going to have more help.
You guys are going to do better
now."
Its this, that -- Then you, I
guess for team morale, you start
believing it.
>> Gaston: I know there's no
thought of the Big East.
There is from the fans.
There is from a lot of other
people but you guys are worried
about this season.
Who knows what happens after
next season for both you guys as
far as your careers are
concerned.
So right now you're in your
final year of Conference USA.
Last year, you won the
Conference USA tournament.
As talented as you guys are --
and I know it's very tough to
say you should win every single
game but you're going to be
favored at every single game.
What's it like to get up all the
time for some of the
competition?
And I won't name names.
I won't put anybody down.
But how tough is it when it's
not the teams that it's going to
be on the schedule for Memphis
in the Big East when you're
applying the teams in Conference
USA on a weekly basis?
>> Black: It's not tough at all.
To be honest with you, what you
just said is what we believe.
We expect to wake up every
morning and win every game.
With our team -- With the talent
that we have put together and
the way that we're going to play
together with the chemistry that
we have, we're going to win
games.
And if we step out on the court
and take care of business the
way we need to, I don't think
there's a team that can beat us.
That's my personal opinion.
People might disagree -- So be
it.
If you come out every game and
you favor yourself to win and
that is your mind set.
You're the one who has to go out
there and predict the future.
You're the one who has to go out
there and play, then that's not
pressure on your self.
That's an expectation of
yourself.
>> Gaston: Adonis, what is Josh
Pastner like because there's
myths about Josh.
He's not a guy who cusses but he
gets in to it?
Doesn't he? -- with you guys.
I mean, he's very verbal.
So what's the real truth about
Josh as a coach, as opposed to
the myths about him as a coach?
>> Thomas: As far as towards me,
I say he's a loyal guy.
He's been nothing but loyal ever
since the recruitment process.
And everything that he said has
been true.
Ever since I got there, he told
me I have to work for everything
and that's what I've been doing.
So he's a lot about respect and
he's a great mentor, as far as
on and off the court.
He wants you to be a young man.
He wants you to be a gentleman.
He wants you to be respectful
and obedient.
And he wants you to follow
directions.
I mean, so he's been more of a
teacher, as well as a coach and
as also a father figure for some
of the guys on the team.
So I mean, he's been more than a
coach.
He's done outside things that's
helped this team, as well.
>> Gaston: He's very, very
loyal, as you said.
But he is demanding.
Tarik, is he not?
>> Black: Yeah -- Coach Pastner
is very demanding.
He has his mind made up on the
roles that you have to play
within his program and you have
to play those roles.
>> Gaston: I know you guys are
doing very well in school, as
individuals, as a team.
And there's standards now with
the NCAA.
If you don't go to the classes
and you don't put up the grades,
you're not going to play.
Connecticut's going through this
upcoming season.
How important is it to you guys
to do well in school?
Let me start with you, Adonis.
>> Thomas: It's always been
about school ever since you
started playing basketball.
I mean, for myself, I couldn't
play basketball without having
good grades.
And then in coming in to high
school, you can't go to the
school you want to go to unless
you make the certain grades on
the ACT or in class.
It's all about being a student
athlete.
That's why you're here in school
because you're in school, in
books.
And then it's also the
scholarship that takes place
that allows you to play
basketball.
I mean, Coach Pastner wants us
to be young men.
Like I said, it's all about
having a job and a career after
basketball is done.
>> Gaston: You can't help but be
impressed by you two and other
players on this Memphis Tigers
team.
And Tarik, I've known you since
high school.
And obviously Adonis, the same
deal.
But I know it's very important
to you.
You're very articulate.
You care about going to class
and getting good grades -- more
power to you.
Tell us about the same situation
and the same question I asked
Adonis about the importance of
academics.
>> Black: Well, it's very
important.
It's even more important than
the NCAA makes it.
Basketball is only a certain
extent of our life.
It's only a certain extent of
our career and what we're going
to pursue.
We have bigger, and better, and
broader minds within our heads
that have big dreams that are
bigger than playing on the NBA
floor.
And so when that's done and if
you're even blessed enough to
make it to the NBA -- When all
that is said and done, you have
to have something.
A lot of people say you have to
have something to fall back on.
It's not to fall back on.
It's something to further
pursue.
And that's the way I think about
it.
So yeah, education is very
powerful.
And plus, knowledge never ends.
Knowledge you always use.
You continue to learn 'til the
day that you die.
So I'm always going to want to
become more knowledgeable and be
more educated.
>> Gaston: Final moments -- a
couple of quick things for ya.
Who is the funniest guy on the
team?
>> Thomas: Tarik -- you're
already laughing.
(laughter)
>> Black: Because that's a funny
question.
>> Gaston: Who is it?
Who cracks you guys up the most?
>> Black: This guy right here is
a classic
I say he's classic because
everything that comes out of his
mouth is like a classic phrase
or line.
And you're going to remember it.
You're going to be like, "You
remember when Adonis said this?
-- Adonis said that."
But I don't know.
Adonis could be.
We have a couple of contenders
though because everybody -- We
have a lot of funny guys on the
team.
>> Gaston: Alright, who's the
most intense, Adonis?
>> Thomas: I probably would have
to say Joe Jackson.
It seems like it's always a war
with Joe.
It's a battle -- like it's
always him against the world.
In some situations, he always
makes it.
Joe Jackson -- He's got to
overcome something.
>> Gaston: Does anybody have the
good voice?
Is there the best singer on the
team that's rap or is anybody
really talented as far as music
is concerned?
>> Black: Well, I was one that
was in band for eight years.
>> Gaston: Oh, really?
I won't put you on the spot here
or anything like that.
>> Black: Oh, no -- I don't
mind.
I actually have it tattooed on
me.
It was my first love.
>> Gaston: I had no idea about
that.
Real quick -- It's only one year
for you and a couple of years
for you.
Who's the best player in college
you've gone up against?
And you can't use a teammate
here.
>> Thomas: Well so far for me --
Who was a great guy?
>> Gaston: Anybody stand out?
I didn't meant to put you on the
spot.
Tarik, is there somebody?
>> Black: It's a name that
people won't even expect me to
say.
It's not even a big name person
but Gary Flowers that went to
Southern Miss.
I say that because a lot of
people -- He didn't have the
accolades or politics behind him
but dude, that guy was very
efficient.
Like, Gary Flowers was scary.
Every time he put up a shot, it
was destined to go in.
On defense, he played good
defense.
And he could score in many
different ways.
He was a post up guy, a pop out
guy.
It was very scary playing Gary.
>> Gaston: You know, I bet your
name pops up for other teams if
somebody asks them the question.
Who's the scariest?
It's Tarik Black.
Tarik, thank you so much.
>> Black: The pleasure's all
mine.
>> Gaston: Absolutely appreciate
you doing with me.
Adonis, as well.
Thank you so much.
We'll take a break.
Overtime is coming up next.
>> (instrumental music)
♪♪♪
♪♪♪
>> Gaston: In 2002, the old
Pyramid Arena played host to
arguably the biggest sporting
event to ever grace the bluff
city....the Lennox Lewis-Mike
Tyson world heavyweight
championship fight.
This year marks the 10th
anniversary of that battle.
At the time, it was the highest
grossing event in pay per view
history at just under 107
million.
It also drew over 15 thousand
people including stars from
stage and screen and from all
over the sports world.
And while the production was a
joint venture between HBO and
Showtime, a relatively unknown
company named Prize Fight Boxing
was instrumental in securing the
deal for Memphis.
Recently I spent some time with
Brian Young, the president of
Prize Fight Boxing and MMA, to
reflect on that special time in
Memphis Sports history.
>> Gaston: So Brian, how were
you able to get this fight to
Memphis?
>> Young: Well, it was an
interesting journey.
I was in Nashville and I was
promoting fights.
I was working at a fitness
center and had two full-time
jobs doing those two.
And I realize it came to me -- I
think it was a blessing from God
actually that I had a vision
that I could do the fight in
Tennessee.
I had deep contacts with the
Tennessee Athletic Commission.
I had done a number of fights
already in Tennessee and I felt
like I could raise the money --
the 12 and a half million to do
it.
And through a lot of hard work
and preparation, behind the
scenes work with the Tennessee
Athletic Commission, Director
Tommy Patick.
And I, over about two weeks
along with my brother, Russ --
We came up with a plan.
We were able with Mike Lampley,
our funding partner out of
Nashville, to bring the fight to
Nashville.
And we were all set to do it
there, Greg.
And Bud Adams, who had brought
the Titans -- the owner of the
Titans had brought him to
Nashville.
And was kind of the favorite son
of the city for bringing the
Titans there.
It was really all up to him --
if he would let us do it.
If he would let us do it at the
Titans' stadium or if we could
do it -- at that time, it was
the GEC, the ***
Entertainment Center.
And when Bud Adams turned
against the fight, where he took
about two or three days to
decide and played it out in the
media, whether he was going to
allow us to do the fight there
in Nashville.
And then he decided against it
in the famous "no way, Jose"
quote that he said.
He said not only will the fight
never happen in Tennessee, it
won't happen anywhere.
And so, it was a depressing day
-- probably the most challenging
day of my entire life to have
put all that work in.
And then I think for him to have
played it into his favor and
used it as a publicity stunt for
him to look, you know, like he
was doing the city of Nashville
a favor, it was kind of split.
It was half of the city was for
Bud and I think understood his
position and the other half was
for me and didn't understand why
Bud, who didn't have a dollar in
the stadium -- it was publically
funded but privately ran where
he received all the revenue from
the events that came in.
Whether it be a concert, whether
it be a football game, Titan's
game -- He received all that
money.
His management company did.
And so when he turned it down, I
looked to Memphis.
And Joe Towns, the state
representative from Memphis, had
called me and said that Mayor
Willie Herenton had wanted us to
bring the fight.
And Alan had called me, my
friend that ran the pyramid --
said: " Hey, can you come down
tonight?
We want you to come on down and
do the fight."
And of course, I called you.
And I said," Greg, I think we're
close to landing this thing in
Memphis."
And by God's grace, we were able
to land the fight here in
Memphis and bring it.
But it was kind of about a two
and a half, three week journey
of getting the money together,
making sure that Mike was able
to be licensed in Tennessee.
The only state that would
license Mike in the United
States was Tennessee.
>> Gaston: And that's why in
this book by Scoop Malinoski
about the fight between Tyson
and Lewis, they say "Memphis or
Bust" is one of the chapters.
So it was either going to happen
in Memphis or this fight wasn't
going to happen.
>> Young: Yeah, that's true.
Once we got the fight to Memphis
and once the story broke that I
was going to bring the fight
here to Memphis. Don King
started working behind the
scenes because if you remember
at that time, he was in a
lawsuit with Tyson where Tyson
has sued him for like $112
million dollars in back pay that
Tyson felt like he got shorted.
So Don didn't want Mike to make
the $25 million dollars he was
going to make against Lennox
Lewis.
So he worked behind the scenes
to make sure that the fight
didn't happen -- calling the
Tennessee Athletic Commission,
calling the governor, Governor
Sundquist, who is a Memphis
native, as you know.
And Sundquist wouldn't hear
about it.
Governor Sundquist wanted the
fight to happen here in Memphis
-- was determined that it was
going to happen and helped me
and helped our cause.
And we were able to land it in
Memphis.
But Don -- Don King and the
former President of First
Tennessee Bank worked up until
the eleventh hour to make sure
that that fight didn't happen
here in Memphis.
And the President of First
Tennessee Bank, at the eleventh
hour, at 3:55 -- five minutes
before the bank closed, before
all of the First Tennessee
branches closed on the Friday
afternoon, denied my letter of
credit.
And it was already in cash --
the 12 and a half million.
And he said it was because of
quote-unquote morality issue
that he had with the fight,
which was as we know was just a
lie.
And him and Don King were
friends back when Don did the
Kennedy McKinney fights here in
Memphis.
He got to be friends with that
particular individual at First
Tennessee Bank.
And so I had people throwing
knives at me all the way up
until we were able to do it.
So USA Today broke the story
that they didn't come off --
that Brian Young wasn't able to
come up with the 12 and a half
million and the fight was in
jeopardy in Memphis.
So at any rate, I worked through
the weekend, worked through that
Monday.
We were able to secure a bank
that would take our cash, would
take the letter of credit.
And let the bell ring -- The
fight was on.
>> Gaston: Well, certainly a lot
of hoops you had to jump through
and everybody in Memphis to get
this event.
Though argued that it's the
biggest ever to come to Memphis,
I think its certainly the
biggest sporting event that ever
came to the Bluff City.
Brian, always a pleasure.
>> Young: Thanks, Greg, for
having me.
>> Gaston: And that will do it
for this week.
Remember that you can watch any
of our previous shows, by going
to the website and clicking on
KNO tonight.
See you next time.
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