#16 A Visit With Herb Winches...

Summary

Bubba On the Lake: Episode #16 – A Visit With Herb Winches

Release Date: June 5, 2025
Host: Bill "Bubba" Bussey
Guest: Herb Winches

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Introduction

In Episode #16 of "Bubba On the Lake", host Bill "Bubba" Bussey welcomes broadcasting legend and entrepreneur Herb Winches. Joined by his wife, Betty Lou Bussey, the episode delves into Herb's illustrious career in sports broadcasting, his entrepreneurial ventures, and his perspectives on the evolving landscape of college athletics.

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Background and Early Life

Herb Winches begins by setting the stage for Bubba's journey, highlighting Bubba's roots in Louisville, Kentucky. Bubba shares his upbringing in an all-boys Catholic high school, St. Francis sales High School, where his passion for athletics was nurtured.

Bubba (01:56): "I grew up Catholic and had the pleasure of playing there for four years."

He received a scholarship to Jacksonville State University (JSU), a pivotal move orchestrated by coach Charlie Pell, which not only advanced his athletic career but also led him to meet his future wife, Betty Lou.

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Athletic Career at Jacksonville State University

Bubba reflects on his time at JSU, discussing the competitive atmosphere and the strong community spirit of the university, which is affectionately known as "the friendliest campus in the country." He fondly remembers rivalries with teams like Troy and North Alabama and speaks highly of the campus's scenic beauty, including landmarks like the Cheyenne Peak and the iconic 12-story library.

Bubba (05:07): “It was a perfect setting for me. It was a beautiful campus... I felt at home there.”

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Transition to Broadcasting

Herb Winches guides the conversation towards Bubba's entry into the broadcasting world. Bubba credits Charlie Pell for introducing him to his first broadcasting job at Channel 19 in Huntsville. Despite initial doubts about his broadcasting skills, Bubba successfully secured the position, which marked the beginning of his 35-year broadcasting career.

Bubba (11:07): “That's how I got into broadcasting. I went to Huntsville and Huntsville was, you know, getting it.”

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Broadcasting Career and Influence

Bubba recounts his experiences at Channel 19, where he wore multiple hats—from editing to on-camera interviews. His proactive approach and love for sports led him to Birmingham, where he launched WJOX, an all-sports radio station that became one of the top sports radio stations in the country.

Bubba (20:12): "And that's when ESPN was getting bigger... let's change."

Herb shares personal anecdotes, recalling how Bubba's enthusiasm and innovative ideas inspired future broadcasters, including himself.

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Entrepreneurial Ventures: Restaurant Ownership

Post his broadcasting career, Bubba ventured into the restaurant business on Lake Martin. Alongside Betty Lou, he overcame initial challenges, including a dramatic opening weekend marred by a chef's heat stroke, to establish a successful dining establishment. Celebrating a decade in the restaurant industry, Bubba attributes the success to his talented chefs and the supportive community.

Bubba (26:00): “But we're celebrating our 10th anniversary a week from this Saturday, June 14th.”

The restaurant, known for its exceptional food and vibrant atmosphere, employs over 55 staff members and continues to expand with additional locations like Harbor Point.

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Discussion on NCAA and College Sports

A significant portion of the conversation centers on the NCAA's evolving policies, particularly regarding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights for athletes. Bubba expresses concerns about the lack of regulation and the potential negative impacts on both athletes and institutions.

Bubba (41:15): “I'm not opposed to it. I'm only opposed to the fact that the NCAA, when they came out, they did not handle things right.”

He criticizes the NCAA's response to legal challenges and highlights the chaotic nature of current college sports, where financial incentives often overshadow athletic development and team loyalty.

Bubba (42:12): "I'm not against players being paid. Okay. I'm not against that at all. But it's got to, it's got to be controlled."

Herb adds to the discussion by emphasizing the need for structured reforms and the potential role of players' unions in regulating the newfound financial dynamics.

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Family and Personal Life

Throughout the episode, Bubba shares heartfelt insights into his family life. Celebrating his 52nd wedding anniversary with Betty Lou, Bubba highlights the importance of their partnership in both personal and professional endeavors. They have two grandsons, aged six and three, who keep them young and active.

Bubba (09:51): “I really don't. I'm hoping that's going to extend my life long. I'm selfish that way.”

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Anniversary Celebration and Future Plans

As the episode draws to a close, Bubba and Herb discuss the upcoming 10th-anniversary celebration of Bubba's restaurant. Plans include live music, fireworks, and special promotions to honor a decade of success. Bubba expresses gratitude towards his long-time friends and team members who have supported the venture.

Bubba (57:04): “We're going to have a big celebration one week from this next Saturday. That'll be June 14th.”

Herb extends congratulations and shares his admiration for Bubba's resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.

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Conclusion

Episode #16 of "Bubba On the Lake" offers listeners an engaging glimpse into Herb Winches' multifaceted career, Bubba Bussey's journey from athlete to broadcasting legend to successful restaurateur, and a critical examination of the current state of college athletics. With heartfelt anecdotes, insightful discussions, and a celebration of enduring partnerships, the episode encapsulates the essence of "Bubba On the Lake"—a blend of People, Places, and Perspectives where fun and meaningful conversations reign supreme.

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Notable Quotes:

• Bubba on his first broadcasting job:

  “I made $5,800 my first year as a sportscaster. But you, I learned so much back then.” (13:36)

• On the success of WJOX:

  “We need our own radio station to do nothing but sports. That's how that was born.” (20:55)

• On the challenges of the restaurant business:

  “It's a tough business. But we're celebrating our 10th anniversary...” (26:00)

• On NCAA reforms:

  “I'm not opposed to it. I'm only opposed to the fact that the NCAA, when they came out, they did not handle things right.” (41:15)

• On family support:

  “I got too much energy. I want to do something... I want to do a restaurant.” (24:02)

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Stay Connected

For more insights and stories, visit bubbaonthelake.com, subscribe to the podcast, and follow on social media. Join Bubba and Herb as they continue to explore the rich tapestry of life, sports, and entrepreneurship on "Bubba On the Lake."

Transcript

[Bubba]

This podcast is brought to you in.

[Herb Winches]

Part by Coke Am First, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank, Sunrise Docks, bankers Bounty, and Dr. Thomas Dudney. Now back to Bubba on the lake.

[Bubba]

Hey, it's Bubba. Hey, Bubba, Bubba on the lake. Bubba, Bubba, Bubba got it going on. Gotta come and check this. Talking people, talking places. From Bubba's perspective. This is Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake. Hey, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba on the lake. Let's go.

[Herb Winches]

We're back in the Melayella studio. I am joined by my better half, the lovely Betty Lou. Betty, how are you? I'm very well. I'm projecting my voice today. Yes, I know. I. I've caught a lot of heat in email about Betty's volume not being loud enough. This is the only time I know. I thought I was in training my whole life to be loud enough.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

I'm going to really make sure you're loud this time. And joining us today, he is a broadcasting legend. He is a entrepreneur. We'll cover all of that. Of course, it's the dog's bark. This is part of the wonders of podcasting here. Yeah, she's excited about that, Lovey. How about pop down? Just a minute, please. Thank you. Good dog. Good dog. Ladies and gentlemen, Herb Winches.

[Bubba]

Well, thank you much. And hello again, everybody.

[Herb Winches]

There you go. Legendary open. I love it.

[Bubba]

That served me well for about 35 years, Bubba.

[Herb Winches]

Herb, we want to talk about all that you've got going on in that, but let's go back to when it started, okay? Because I want to get the whole picture here.

[Bubba]

Okay.

[Herb Winches]

You grew up in Kentucky.

[Bubba]

Louisville, Kentucky.

[Herb Winches]

And were you always an athlete?

[Bubba]

I was. I went to an all boys Catholic high school. And back then, you know, in Louisville, it. A lot of parochial schools, a lot of Catholic schools. So I grew up Catholic and had the pleasure of playing there for four years at St. Francis sales high School. I was fortunate enough that I got a scholarship to a school called Jacksonville State University.

[Herb Winches]

Yes, yes, I remember that.

[Bubba]

That's. That's where Bubba hangs out, in case you don't know. But.

[Herb Winches]

But love is very excited about it.

[Bubba]

Her.

[Herb Winches]

Baby, you're gonna have to grab the dog. That's. There's too much yard work going on. They're having too much fun. This is the beauty of a home studio, Herb. You get all the. All the essence of the house. Yeah, it's.

[Bubba]

It's great. Obvious, I love it.

[Herb Winches]

But.

[Bubba]

But Bubba, as the story goes, Kentucky was recruiting me and Charlie Pell, the late Charlie Pell. Was the coach that came to DeSales and he was like a one year scholarship offer and see if I could make it there at Kentucky. And then all of a sudden that summer, one Charlie Pell got the head coaching job at Jacksonville State University. And he called me and he said, hey, Herb, if you'll come to jsu, he said, I will give you a full scholarship. And so I put now. Okay, that sounds good. I thought I was going to Jacksonville, Florida.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. I started saying, did you even know where Jacksonville State was?

[Bubba]

No. But boy, am I glad that I went there because had a wonderful relationship with him, had a wonderful career there. And of course that's where I met my lovely wife, Betty.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah, you got a Betty too?

[Bubba]

I got a Betty too. Betty. Playing winches. And we're about to celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary in July. 52nd, 52nd.

[Herb Winches]

Wow.

[Bubba]

Time flies when you're having fun.

[Herb Winches]

Oh, it does because we, we're headed to 36 this year and that's, you know, that's just almost unheard of. It is, and I'm very thankful for that. But those Betty's are good ones. They're getting a good one. They're good.

[Bubba]

Good one. She's our business manager too. Yeah, that makes her even better.

[Herb Winches]

We're trying to learn quickbooks and you know, few curves there, but we're getting there. Betty's never really been a big fan of the word budget her, but I can say this because she's out now taking care of the dog, but she thinks budget's a four letter word. She can't even say it. You remember how the Fonz couldn't say was wrong?

[Bubba]

Yeah. Budget.

[Herb Winches]

So at Jack State, did you. You had pretty good career. You were there right before I was old enough to really follow Jack State. Even though I grew up right there at the stadium.

[Bubba]

Well, it's, it was, you know, Paul Snow stadium at the time and now it's Snow Burgess Stadium. So that all changed in the 80s, but back then it was a Division 2 school.

[Herb Winches]

Right.

[Bubba]

And we had some great rivalries. You know, Troy, North Alabama. It was a perfect setting for me. It was a beautiful campus. For those who have never been there, it's still not only beautiful, but it calls itself the friendliest campus in the country. And it's a friendliest place that I'd ever been. I felt at home there and like I said, just had a great career, stayed an athletic dorm, met so many great people that I'm still in contact with former players and teammates to this very day. So I have nothing but the greatest respect for Jacksonville State University.

[Herb Winches]

I was at a baseball game not too long ago looking out over the campus and the Coliseum, the library, which is a 12 story building there, biggest building in town. I think that says a lot for us, being a library. I used to go and sit there a lot. I didn't check out a lot of books. And then you got the mountains behind it. Beautiful Chimney peak and all. And I was, as the sun was going down, looking at. I guess you take it for granted because I grew up there.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

But it was absolutely just beautiful.

[Bubba]

It's gorgeous.

[Herb Winches]

And I don't know if you've seen all the building going on.

[Bubba]

I have, I have.

[Herb Winches]

I mean, because you better not sit still because they'll. They'll put tar over you and keep going, you know.

[Bubba]

You know, as unfortunate it was with that horrible tornado, in a way it was a good thing because now it's all rebuilt. Yeah, it's gotten bigger and better. What's the enrollment, by the way?

[Herb Winches]

We are bumping right at 10,000. We're a few students short of that, but I think we'll pass that. I don't know if you've seen the new dorms they're building that overlook baseball and soccer.

[Bubba]

I haven't.

[Herb Winches]

715 new rooms.

[Bubba]

That's great.

[Herb Winches]

And a convention center going next to it that's going to have a 50 room hotel in it. Retail space, last I heard. Buffalo Wild Wings. And they'll have an observation deck so you can go up and see over everything to watch baseball game.

[Bubba]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Herb Winches]

I mean, in that a 50 room hotel is just perfect because, you know, the team's traveling in and all of that. So I think that'll be a really, really nice addition out there. But I've got to ask you, when you were playing, did y' all wear tearaway jerseys?

[Bubba]

We did.

[Herb Winches]

See, some people don't know what I'm talking about when I say tear away.

[Bubba]

And I got a little backstory there. I was number 30 and I did wear a tearaway. And then later in life, I learned the name of the gentleman that invented it. Do you know who he was with?

[Herb Winches]

No.

[Bubba]

Russell Athletics.

[Herb Winches]

Really?

[Bubba]

Yeah, The Russell family. And this gentleman, I'm just trying to get his name straight. But anyway, he recently passed, but he was like a chemical engineer and he came up with the tearaway jersey. That's what he was famous for. And it lasted I don't know how many years. But then, you know, it's like everything else it evolved into something else.

[Herb Winches]

Now it's skin tight.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

Just fix it so they can't get a hold of it.

[Bubba]

Keep it tight.

[Herb Winches]

Well, Herb, I was one of those little kids hanging over the rail. Like when you had your jersey partially torn off, you had to come off and get a new one before Bear Bryant invented let the tackles and guards carry them and put them on in the huddle. And boy, if you could just get a thread of a tear away and carry it home, would be sewn up and then you'd wear it to school, you know, I mean, and I had like all. You want to get as many numbers as you could. If you got in away jersey, that was. That was. That was for people with money, you know, that you could go to an away game. So. But we love. We love that. Those are great days. It really was a lot of fun.

[Bubba]

Well, you know, it's just. And as you fast forward, where you end up in life is always amazing how you get to where you are. And I. Betty and I have been very blessed. Got a wonderful family. Just, you know, I live in Nashville in the off season. We. We have two grandsons up there, six and three. And so we made that our home. And I didn't know how I was going to take to Nashville, but I love the blend. I'm here six months working at the landing, and then the next six months. It's a nice respite, especially at my age at 76 now. You know, we. We.

[Herb Winches]

I say you're aging pretty good. Oh, yeah. I cannot believe you're 76. I mean, when you're at your restaurant.

[Bubba]

You'Re out there wiping tables, and it's.

[Herb Winches]

100 degrees sometimes in the summer. I don't know how you do it.

[Bubba]

I really don't. I'm hoping that's going to extend my life long. I'm selfish that way.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

I said, you know, if I do this, maybe. Maybe I can last a little longer. But. But we have really taken. It's our third year to live there in Nashville and be close to our grandsons. And I've just fallen in love with city because, you know, I'm. I love sports.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

So I became a Titans fan.

[Herb Winches]

Yep.

[Bubba]

And got tickets. And then I became a Preds fan. And it's just great to have professional sports that close.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. And we live something we've missed in Birmingham.

[Bubba]

No question that we've missed the boat there. But I had wonderful career in Birmingham, you know, 35 plus.

[Herb Winches]

Well, I was going to ask you.

[Bubba]

You.

[Herb Winches]

You went in. You had a legendary broadcasting career. Did you ever want to do that, or did it just grow out of your love of sports?

[Bubba]

Well, my love of sports, but do you know who got me my first job?

[Herb Winches]

No.

[Bubba]

Charlie Bell.

[Herb Winches]

Did he really?

[Bubba]

That's why he was such a special man to me. Called me to his office as I was getting ready to get out of Jacksonville State, and he said, hey, I got this letter. And this letter says they want to have somebody that's played sports that wants to be trained to be a sportscaster. And he said, it's in Huntsville at channel 19. I'd never heard of Huntsville. Never. Never heard it.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

He said, I want you to go audition for the job. I said, coach, I think I'm probably to maybe go back to Kentucky. And he said, race horses.

[Herb Winches]

You know what everybody does.

[Bubba]

Well, you know, I love thoroughbreds, too, being from Louisville. But anyway, long story short, I did it. And I showed up on a Saturday. Now this. How can I ever forget this? I. I showed up on a Saturday. I go in the studio, and just so happens that they'd sent this letter all over the Southeast.

[Herb Winches]

So you wasn't the only one.

[Bubba]

You got it. There's about 30 of us in. In this room for the audition. I'd never been in on TV or nothing. And they handed me a script. I went in the studio and I read the script they gave me, and then they said, well, put the script down and just talk a bit about what you'd like in your future and everything. I went through all of that. True story. Two weeks later went by. I said, I know I wasn't going to get that. These are guys coming from Tennessee and they all got journalism classes. I never had one. So I. Anyway, so two weeks go by. My roommate left Doc Let who play quarterback.

[Herb Winches]

Okay. Yeah, I remember when Doc.

[Bubba]

Doc play was quarterback.

[Herb Winches]

I've met his daughter since then.

[Bubba]

Yes, he's got grown daughters and. Yeah, grandkids as well. And so he left. He was going to Houston for something, and he said, hey, if you. Back in those days, it was South Central, belt, whatever it was, South Central Bell. He said, have the phone cut off the apartment before you leave. And I ain't kidding. Two weeks go by and I'd called him and the guy is pulling up in our driveway, and my phone rings and the guy says, on this end, is this Herb Wenches? I said, yes. He said, this is Tom Purser. I'm the general manager of Channel 19. Sorry it took so long, but congratulations, you got the job. That's how I got into broadcasting. I go to Huntsville and Huntsville was, you know, getting it. It's not where it is today. Oh, my. It was a little behind. But Channel 19 was a great experience. And how can you ever forget that? My first job, I made $98 a week. True. I made.

[Herb Winches]

Those were the days.

[Bubba]

I made $5,800 my first year as a sportscaster. But you, I learned so much back then. You, I learned how to edit, to do it all. Had to do it all. It was a one man show. I had to take a camera out on my, a big heavy camera, set it up on a tripod and do interviews. And it was great training. I was there 15 months, met Betty there again and we got married four months later. And so we head off to Birmingham and I got a call from Channel 6 and I'd stayed in Huntsville 15 months, then went to Birmingham, had been there for. We spent almost 40 years there.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. Well, let's take a quick break. We'll come back and we want to pick up with you in Birmingham. And that's when I first got to see you in action and all that.

[Bubba]

And me you too.

[Herb Winches]

We'll be right back with her winches in just a minute.

[Bubba]

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[Herb Winches]

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[Bubba]

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[Herb Winches]

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[Bubba]

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[Bubba]

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[Herb Winches]

We're back in the Melayella studio with Herb Inches. And, Herb, thank you for joining us on Bubba on the Lake.

[Bubba]

Bubba. I wouldn't. I wouldn't have missed this opportunity for anything. It made it easy for me. I just got in my boat and just. I just parked it. I just pulled it over, parked it. Betty met me and. Hey, it's that easy.

[Herb Winches]

You know that. It is a different life when you go to do media interviews in your boat.

[Bubba]

That's right.

[Herb Winches]

It's just. We never had that in Birmingham.

[Bubba]

No, we don't.

[Herb Winches]

Well, we. We talked a little bit about you growing up in Kentucky and your time at Jack State, which we have a tie in there. And you got a job in Huntsville. And then. How did the Birmingham job come about?

[Bubba]

I just got a call one day.

[Herb Winches]

Somebody scouted you out?

[Bubba]

I guess so. And, you know, I had a reputation even then for being active and getting involved.

[Herb Winches]

Right.

[Bubba]

And that's what I carried over to Birmingham, because nobody, when I got there was doing any of that. And, you know, I did so many craz. Crazy things from being in the circus. I brought the elephant in, and then I did a trapeze. I played every year against the Harlem Globetrotters for the Washington Generals. I played goal for the Birmingham Bulls against Team Finland in an exhibition. I mean, I wrote a bull in the rodeo.

[Herb Winches]

You got to be careful with that.

[Bubba]

I know.

[Herb Winches]

Real careful.

[Bubba]

Time I got on that bull and I did, I said, what am I. He doesn't know this is a stunt. But anyway, just. And I. You know, I still hold a record around Talladega Speedway on roller skates. 12.6, six miles an hour. You know why I still have the record? Because after that first year, they said, hey, we're going to get sued by nobody else. It was it.

[Herb Winches]

You don't have to hit but one gravel and you're in trouble on roller skates.

[Bubba]

And guess what? They. They quit all that trying to break records.

[Herb Winches]

So was it 6 or 13 first? Which one did 6? 6 first.

[Bubba]

And then 1980, Joe and I, the late Joe Langston and I went across the street to 13.

[Herb Winches]

It's the nature of the business.

[Bubba]

And I will tell you, and only thing I can say about it, it was hard for people to accept us because we were the competition. But the one thing it did, it broke the market open for pay.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

For everybody.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

And so we went there for two years, and then next thing you know, Channel 6 hired us back. It's crazy.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. It was nil.

[Bubba]

It was. There you go.

[Herb Winches]

For broadcast.

[Bubba]

And we're going to get into that a little bit, too. But anyway, for all of that. And then, of course, I had this brainstorm that we needed an all sports radio station. This was long before any of this was coming about. And so I. I went to the management at Dick Broadcasting and I said, I got an idea. They said, what? I said, you know, Birmingham's a great sports town, but we can make it better. We need our own radio station to do nothing but sports. And that's when ESPN was getting bigger. And he said, what do you mean? I said, why don't we take WVOK? I said, because let's start 6:90am, 50,000 watt blowtorch. 100,000. 100,000. Then it would drop down to 5.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah, because they were grandfathered in.

[Bubba]

Grandfather.

[Herb Winches]

They were running power before they regulated. But they could run.

[Bubba]

That's right. But at the end of the day, he said, well, what do you want to do? I said, let's change. Because a lot of people were under the impression that VOK stood for Voice of the Klan. I'm serious. I said, first thing we gotta do is we gotta get rid of the call letters. He said, well, what are we gonna do? I said, I got a great name. And he said, what would you call it? I said, jocks. I said, every guy wants to be a jock. I said, let's do wjox. That's how that was born. And to this very day, it's one of the top radio sports stations in the country.

[Herb Winches]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Now it's called the Call Letters alone.

[Bubba]

Yes.

[Herb Winches]

I mean, nobody could. And I'd always heard that you came up with that. So I'm glad you confirmed that. That. That was a great brainstorm.

[Bubba]

It was.

[Herb Winches]

Well, and you may not remember, but I actually gave you credit for this. As we were winding up our radio show, for letting me, as a college kid come over and watch you and Ben Cook do your show. You were over in the Irondale studio.

[Bubba]

That's right.

[Herb Winches]

And you let me come over there a couple of times and watch y' all do the show. And just like we had people that came and watched us do, like, I was just talking to him today, Brad Law, that's at Auburn now, he used to come over and watch us, but you let me do that and you actually let me call in, do some reports for Jack State when they were in the playoffs. I remember the Portland game because it was real hard to get information in because we didn't have the Internet like we do now.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And I always appreciated that. Thank you very much. You were very kind to me and you didn't have to be.

[Bubba]

Well, Bubba, listen.

[Herb Winches]

Hey, look at what you did. You motivated me. See?

[Bubba]

I motivated. Look at the success you've had. Look at all the great success.

[Herb Winches]

We've had a lot of fun over.

[Bubba]

The years, and you're back at our alma mater. I will tell you something, and I know, Jack State, you love doing that, and you still are being active within the media a little bit. So that's all good, man. And life is good.

[Herb Winches]

We. We're enjoying what we're doing. It's. It's interesting because at my office, we have sports, we have business, and we have technology all coming together. And I try to get the guys who do the work what they need and get out of the way, you know, and that's.

[Bubba]

You're being modest.

[Herb Winches]

Well, that's. That's what I try to keep them on the air. And for the most part, we have been. We've had to put a few people on jets late at night to get them there. Will backup equipment, but we got them on the air most of the time.

[Bubba]

And do you like what you're doing?

[Herb Winches]

Yes. Oh, yeah. I enjoyed it.

[Bubba]

You go up there, what, a couple days.

[Herb Winches]

I'm usually on campus two to three days a week. I'm on the road a day, and then usually just working in the office a day. But it's. It's a lot of fun, and I hope we're planting some seeds that will. Will see the full benefit of that, even maybe after I'm gone years from now. So it's, you know, you grow. And we've. We were talking about it earlier, before we started this, how Jack State has grown. You know, you have growing pains. It doesn't just naturally happen. I mean, you know, from a plant to a kid, you know, as you grow, you have problems and you have to. To grow with it. And I think President Killingsworth and AD Greg Sykes has done a great job with it, and we're just glad to be on the team.

[Bubba]

I'm big fans. I had a long time, great relationship with Dr. Killingsworth, and he's done a great job.

[Herb Winches]

Well, you did a great job with the radio show. You brought all of that in, kind of ushered in sports talk right into Birmingham. And then that. That station, they even moved it over to FM because it was so popular. And. And then now you have moved to a whole new genre of your life. And this is a strange transition. Broadcaster to restaurant owner.

[Bubba]

Okay, I'LL tell you how that came about. Betty and I have had the good fortune of being on this lake for 22 years. We bought back in 03 or something like that. And I give Terry Henley, the former great Auburn running back. I give him credit because we spent a weekend with he and his wife Lisa. Next thing I know, he's got us in a boat, and he. He's taking me over, and he said, see that house over there? I know the guy that's going to sell it, and he doesn't want to use a real estate agent. And why don't you and Betty do that? Because we fell in love with the lake. Right.

[Herb Winches]

We were going easy to do and.

[Bubba]

Easy to do, and just so happens we did it. And then one day after I finally retired from broadcasting In Birmingham at 67, I'm on the porch and I'm looking at this beautiful piece of property across from us, right? Couple hundred yards away, nothing but trees. I said, betty, you know, I got too much energy. I said, I want to do something. She said, what do you want to do? I said, you know, we got to get in a boat. We got to go the other way, right. To try to get something to eat. I'd like to do a restaurant. She said, have you lost your mind?

[Herb Winches]

Because that's not, you know, that restaurant business in general, I would say, is one of the more risky businesses, especially if you're a solo guy.

[Bubba]

Yeah. You know, and it was. And it was a risk, but, yeah, I've always kind of. I'm a risk taker. And I told her it's something I wanted to do. And that's the great thing about your Betty and my Betty. They support us. And she said, I'll support you. Okay. So one thing led to another. We. And I'm happy to say we've survived a lot of. It's. It's a tough business.

[Herb Winches]

Yes.

[Bubba]

But we're. We're celebrating our 10th anniversary a week from this Saturday, June 14th. We opened it back in 2015. It's hard for me to believe it's been.

[Herb Winches]

I can't believe because we were. Betty and I were talking about it. She told me it was your 10th year anniversary. I said, betty, you got that wrong. Herb ain't been there. I said, maybe five. Maybe you've got the number wrong or something, because I can't believe it. Because I remember opening weekend and we had talked about this earlier. It ended up being a little overwhelming, but we were all, I mean, you're cheering for something coming to the Lake, you want it to succeed? I mean, we were invested here, and we heard there was going to be another restaurant. And we're like, yes, great, Herb. You know, we know do a great job and you open. But opening weekend, you had to shut down. We were headed that way, and somebody called and said, hey, they had to close.

[Bubba]

One of the chefs got. He had heat stroke. Had to take him to Russell Medical.

[Herb Winches]

Herb, what did you think you'd done? All this planning, and it ain't. It ain't easy to open that thing to begin with. You got all the inspections, you got all the equipment.

[Bubba]

You.

[Herb Winches]

You had your. Your kitchen in a container. Yeah, shipping container.

[Bubba]

Shipping container. We converted that and the bar and do it. Did shipping containers. I thought that was a cool idea. Had them had a. Made specially made over in Atlanta. And they drop them in, Drop them in, and here we go. But anyway, look, that. That's. That's. I can't believe, you know, that we've come this far. And now, what a start.

[Herb Winches]

I mean, you could have easily gone, you know, maybe. Maybe the universe is telling us our gig, you know.

[Bubba]

And then all of a sudden, I get the bright idea. I get a call about, you want to open one on the other side of the lake.

[Herb Winches]

Well, it was successful, so you just decided to duplicate it.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

So. And, you know, we're in a wonderful spot here on Lake Martin. We can go to either one. Yeah, you're kind of almost in the middle.

[Bubba]

Yeah, y' all right. In the.

[Herb Winches]

Whichever way the wind's blowing, we can go. Keep the sun out of our eyes and go, you got it, Herb. I'm going to tell you, you're so successful. We. We tried to get. Tried to get in. That's the key this past weekend. But, you know, for, I guess, two or three years before we had the tornado here, we were your first customer every Saturday. You remember?

[Bubba]

Yes.

[Herb Winches]

I made a Betty.

[Bubba]

It was.

[Herb Winches]

I would come sliding in. Betty, get off the boat.

[Bubba]

Get off the boat. She wanted that number one.

[Herb Winches]

You had to be in line.

[Bubba]

Yes.

[Herb Winches]

At 10:30.

[Bubba]

Yeah, for me.

[Herb Winches]

I never got the flag.

[Bubba]

I'll make one for you. You get you one.

[Herb Winches]

You had to be in line at 10:30 to be the first customer at 11 because it was line, all right. And like this weekend, we messed around, didn't get there to about 11:30, and we're, you know, six boats deep out there trying to park, and we ended up just riding around, coming back at 2, which is tough on guys that eat 11 usually.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

But it was, well, Worth the wait.

[Bubba]

The beauty of what we got now, if you. If you know a little bit about Lake Martin, we got the original OG landing on the west side of the lake, which is a Birmingham side.

[Herb Winches]

Parker Creek.

[Bubba]

Parker Creek. And then we got the landing at Harbor Point, which is the north side.

[Herb Winches]

Still water at.

[Bubba]

Still water behind the gates.

[Herb Winches]

Right.

[Bubba]

And it's lesson when I got a call from a company that they bought the marina and they're out of New York City, of all places.

[Herb Winches]

New York City.

[Bubba]

New York City. It's called Grove Point Marina. That's where their home office is. And a guy asked me, he said, hey, we. We love having restaurants that are marinas and would you be interested? So now here we are.

[Herb Winches]

We just saw locations just so everybody understands you. You did one so well, you opened a second.

[Bubba]

That's right. And then this one just celebrated the new one. Harbor Point. Last Saturday was her first year anniversary.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

So we're good.

[Herb Winches]

And we have some friends that live at north river. Screaming, hey, Herb, what about us? They'd love to see you up there, too.

[Bubba]

Oh, north river ye.

[Herb Winches]

Oh, yeah. Well, there's an idea. That's when. 280 traffic. Yeah. Game traffic.

[Bubba]

Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's. Well, you know.

[Herb Winches]

Never.

[Bubba]

Never.

[Herb Winches]

That's right. That's right. We've learned that.

[Bubba]

Yes.

[Herb Winches]

We never do that.

[Bubba]

You know, you just take it as it comes.

[Herb Winches]

We're talking to Herb, which is broadcast legend, entrepreneur, restaurateur, now.

[Bubba]

Oh, yeah.

[Herb Winches]

All of the above. We'll be right back. And we're going to talk a little college football. Stay with us.

[Bubba]

You're listening to Bubba, Bubba on the Lake. You know one thing I love about Buffalo Wild Wings? You can get wings with any of their 26 sauces and dry rubs for takeout and delivery. That's like bringing an entire B dubs home with you, which you can't do. I tried. I've knocked down so many walls only to then be told to halt construction because I'm not zoned to be a sports bar. Kind of just looks like a big pergola or something. Because of the lack of walls, at least these 26 sauces and dry rubs are available to go. Buffalo Wild Wings, let's go. Sports Bar.

[Herb Winches]

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[Bubba]

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[Herb Winches]

Well, I'm just gonna let you welcome us back, Herb. Go ahead, hit it.

[Bubba]

Hello again, everybody. Herb Wench is live with Bubba and his beautiful wife Betty. We now continue the show.

[Herb Winches]

Say we need Herb needs to be our voice.

[Bubba]

Yeah. You know, you know what I've done to. I'm just going to tell you. And I did one last week and I went to Atlanta. I have done six weddings as the officiant.

[Herb Winches]

Really?

[Bubba]

Huh.

[Herb Winches]

You mean you married them?

[Bubba]

I married them.

[Herb Winches]

Really?

[Bubba]

I did. Last I was in Atlanta last week.

[Herb Winches]

Well, I didn't know you did weddings.

[Bubba]

Yes. Really? Yeah. And I don't charge anything.

[Herb Winches]

Wow. If our kids ever start dating, we'll get them.

[Bubba]

You got.

[Herb Winches]

Now did you have to go through training to get that or. I mean, you used to have to have a license, but you don't anymore?

[Bubba]

Not anymore. It's, you know, get ordained dot com.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

Now. And I did it for a couple of our great customers. Daughter was getting married, got married at beautiful place East Lake Country Club, where they host the Players Championship Bobby Jones. So I enjoyed that. It was a great weekend. Just this last Saturday.

[Herb Winches]

Now, do you put on your broadcasting voice when you your officiate? Do you welcome everybody the same way?

[Bubba]

Yeah, I do. Well, no, I just hello everybody. Yeah, no, I don't do that.

[Herb Winches]

But that was you, though. See, I remember that from growing up that Open, you know, that was. That's why I always get you to do.

[Bubba]

And remember, every Friday night, no matter what you do, hit them straight as for all the golfers out there. But anyway, I've enjoyed that. I married my own daughter in New Orleans.

[Herb Winches]

And you know, so was that emotional to do that.

[Bubba]

My daughter, Yes. I cried like a baby and now she's got two. That's the two grand boys. And then my other Daughter lives in Birmingham, Andrea. And you see her a lot there. And I have a 16 year old granddaughter. She just turned 16. What do you think she needed?

[Herb Winches]

Car.

[Bubba]

You got that deals done.

[Herb Winches]

They call pop off for that. What do they call you? What's your name?

[Bubba]

Pop.

[Herb Winches]

Pop.

[Bubba]

I'm Pop.

[Herb Winches]

I told Betty, I said I think I like the name old Poppy. If we ever get any grand old Poppy seed.

[Bubba]

Oh yeah.

[Herb Winches]

Our daughter has already decided I'm BB.

[Bubba]

And he is old Poppy. Oh, now that's.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

Betty is B.B. oh, is she? I'll pop Betty's baby. B E B E. Yeah. Yeah. That's what she loves.

[Herb Winches]

I don't think we're any threat though. Our ours don't go out on dates. You know, it's gonna be a while. I'm gonna be on wheelchair.com before I get together. I'm headed that way quickly.

[Bubba]

How does Hunter now he.

[Herb Winches]

Is he. What are you? 26, 27? 27. 26, 27.

[Bubba]

Well, it'll happen. Give it time.

[Herb Winches]

He's by the way, he's a huge fan of your restaurant and he told me to tell you something and I probably. Well, thank you Betty, for just going ahead and saying it, you know, being good. But he said your bushwhackers would start an old school bus.

[Bubba]

They're pretty strong.

[Herb Winches]

You got it.

[Bubba]

We're known there's.

[Herb Winches]

There's a good. I'd ask the preacher to have one.

[Bubba]

You know, and I will. I want to give you a little history here. Do you know we a weekend. We're open Thursday through Sunday, Thursday afternoon at four and then Sunday we close it for. So that's three and a half days.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

Do you know how many of those we average selling a weekend?

[Herb Winches]

I have no idea.

[Bubba]

1100.

[Herb Winches]

Wow. I was going to guess in the.

[Bubba]

Hundreds, but not that many.

[Herb Winches]

What does that translate to in volume? Like how many gallons are you. What does that come out to?

[Bubba]

I couldn't even begin to tell you. All I know is I don't see.

[Herb Winches]

How you keep up with all that. Well, that's part of the rest.

[Bubba]

You know, technology does it for you, right. We're with a wonderful POS system called Toast. And y' all wouldn't believe what I can. I can do. I can be anywhere and see how business is going. See how what. What items been sold with the revenue centers are the bar versus food. It just. With technology an idiot like me can figure it out.

[Herb Winches]

I'm gonna say the bar outperforms food.

[Bubba]

Not in a restaurant. Normally it would A typical restaurant anywhere is supposed to be 55 food, 45 with liquor and beer and stuff like that. We run a little better than that. A little better. Some. Some days it's 50, 50, but, you know, never much more than that. But we the bar does extremely well.

[Herb Winches]

I think one of the successes has been your food. It's, you know, when you're on the lake and you're outside, you know, you don't expect five star food. But you guys, the taste of your food is great.

[Bubba]

Well.

[Herb Winches]

And I don't know what's in it. I don't know if it's MSG or gluten or whatever, but I'm rooting for gluten because it's awful good.

[Bubba]

Well, Bubba, the truth of the matter is I tell people always brag on our food. And I said, look, I can't boil an egg, but I knew how to hire the right people. After you've gone through a couple of bad situations, you learn from it. And I'm proud to say I've got, honestly, two five star chefs. And one is Chef Tori hall, who came to us. We call him the Flying Hawaiian. He came to us from San Diego, California, and he is now in his eighth year with me. And you've had his special seeds. It could play anywhere. And then my new guy over here on the other side, Zach Channing, got him from BlackBerry Farms in North Carolina.

[Herb Winches]

Really?

[Bubba]

That's where he came from. Up, like, cashiers area. And the reason we got him is he wanted to get back to Alabama, close to family. He has a daughter in Florence.

[Herb Winches]

He's very popular, too. I see him, you know, talking to.

[Bubba]

He comes out. He's, he's an extrovert. He gets likes to get out, and everybody tastes his food. But having those two guys has been a godsend, and they're both very talented. And, you know, it's been. It's been incredible.

[Herb Winches]

The restaurant business is just so tough. To be able to do it and do it at the level you've done it, I think is amazing.

[Bubba]

Well, we got. We got 55 employees now.

[Herb Winches]

That is crazy.

[Bubba]

And I never thought I'd see that day. But we do. We do now. I want. We got to talk some men. I l here now because I have a strong opinion on that stuff.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. And I actually promoted that, and I got back on food again. Silly me to do that, but yeah. You being in the sports business long as you did, you've seen quite a transition. I mean, you remember when $100 handshakes could get a school on probation at Jackson State.

[Bubba]

It might have been a little less than that. Okay.

[Herb Winches]

Oh, the $20. Yeah, there you go. But wow. Wow. I mean, we just had a story a couple of weeks ago. The point guard from Memphis was shopping. He was looking at Auburn, also looking at Kansas.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And he, he wanted 4 million. That was the going rate for a great point guard in college. That's just incredible. I don't see. Where is all that money coming from?

[Bubba]

Well, it comes from boosters, obviously. And, you know, that's why I'm saying there's not a need anymore for the ncaa. Anything goes. And I'm not opposed to it. I'm only opposed to the fact that the NCAA, when, when they came out, it was June of 21 when the Supreme Court ruled nine. Oh, that hey, nil can take place. Right. They did not warm up to it and they, they just didn't handle things right. And so now as we fast forward here in these last five years, the NCAA is, is rendered useless.

[Herb Winches]

Toothless. You're not scared of them?

[Bubba]

No. Nobody? No. Where's it going to go? Charles Breaker, I don't know what he's hanging around for their new commissioner. He can't, they can't do anything. And it's their fault for letting it get to this point. But, but let me say this, that the one guy that I truly respect now that stood up to all this is Josh Hypo at Tennessee. When Nico Eliama wanted, his dad was representing him. He wasn't happy with 2.5. He wanted 4 million. Do you see what Josh had held out? Josh went, take care of yourself. Good luck to you.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah, have a good day.

[Bubba]

More coaches are going to have to do that.

[Herb Winches]

Right.

[Bubba]

We've got to get this under control. I'm not against players being paid. Okay. I'm not against that at all. But it's got to, it's got to be controlled. And right now it's the wild, wild West.

[Herb Winches]

Yes. And something you make more in college than pro some situations now.

[Bubba]

Yeah. Shador Sanders.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. He signed a pay cut.

[Bubba]

He had to take a cut and pay from Colorado. Go figure.

[Herb Winches]

So, Herb, the NCAA is not a magic organization. It's actually put together by the colleges to self regulate their athletics. But they were arrogant, Right. Instead of meeting and changing with the times.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

They drew a line in the sand. And once you go to court with anything, you know, anything can happen.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And that's what happened. It took a little time, but it was the worst case scenario. The Supreme Court Just declawed them completely. And then even when they went back and tried to put some limits, they said, well, wait a minute, you guys are offering money. The idea was you go to school, you go where you want to go, and then we're going to let you make money on the side with your name, image and likeness.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

But it turned into, what will you pay me to come there? And they even tried to choke that off the second round. Supreme Court blew him out of the water again. I mean, they've been. They've been hit like. I mean, like a dive bomber, you know, wearing out a battleship.

[Bubba]

As the old saying goes, the horse has left the barn.

[Herb Winches]

Yes.

[Bubba]

And he ain't coming back or the ship has sailed. So now how do you get your arms around it and get this thing under control? That's where the schools have to be responsible and the commissioners. And let's take the SEC because we're also close to the sec. I know, and I said this. I spoke somewhere to Selma Quarterback Club last season at the end of season, and I said, folks, I worry about the future of college football because this thing is just so far out of control, I don't think we can get it back. And it's turned out to be true because I read this morning, just this morning, Kirby Smart saying we are now having to pay for commitments to hold their commitment to play for the University of Georgia. A high school kid, they're paying him 20,000amonth and they don't know if he's.

[Herb Winches]

Going to be on the field.

[Bubba]

Exactly. They don't know how good he's going to be.

[Herb Winches]

They're never played a college down.

[Bubba]

You got it. And that's where it's drifted down now to high school. And that's where I put my foot down now. Now we've gone too far. We've gone too far. But something has to be done. Now you look at Tommy Tuberville, who is now going to run for governor. That takes him out of the picture. He was the lone advocate that as a coach, he knew about all of this. And Tommy was an advocate to try to change the. The law, the rules, get some kind.

[Herb Winches]

Of check and balance involved. Exactly.

[Bubba]

Just something. And now, you know, he's running for governor. So they lose. They lose him.

[Herb Winches]

Who are the winners and losers in this? Obviously, the student athletes are getting a lot more money than they used to. We're where. Who's losing that? If the boosters are paying the nils, the collectives, who are they not paying? The university that used to Just be donations that would go to the university.

[Bubba]

Yeah. And universities now have to depend on the Under Armours, the Nikes. You saw where Auburn just dropped Under Armour. They're going with Nike. That's where the university is going to be able. And let's be honest, the 12 team playoff. I said this last year too. I said folks, it's going to be successful.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

And when it is, it won't take them long to they'll say okay, let's go to 16.

[Herb Winches]

They saw them checks rolling in.

[Bubba]

It's a money grab. And guess what? They've just announced in 2026 they're going to 16.

[Herb Winches]

Oh yeah. And that's only the beginning.

[Bubba]

You got it. And then eventually I'm, I'm thinking there's going to be super conferences. You know, look at the Big Ten. 18. Look at us in the SEC with 60. We could go to 20. ACC. We don't know where they're going to go. I'm telling you, this whole thing is so screwed up. I don't think they can ever, ever figure this thing out to where it's going to be beneficial for everybody. The school, the players. It's just a mess right now.

[Herb Winches]

Well, everybody. Human nature is. You want to be in control.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

And I think point one, you want to be in control of yourself. And then we by nature want to control other people.

[Bubba]

Why is that, Bubba?

[Herb Winches]

I think it's just a fault of manhood. You know, it came apart in the Garden of Eden and we never got back.

[Bubba]

Oh yeah.

[Herb Winches]

But is the universities have lost money. They want control of it again. They do want control. The collectives, they don't like the fact they can't be over them. The collectives obviously are making money. They want to keep it free. The wild wild west is good for them. The athletes and their agents want it wild wild west. I'm not, you know, I think unions have a place in our free system. Sometimes they can be too much, sometimes not enough. But it has been suggested the players unionize. That may be the only way you ever get it under control. Because they would have to go by their own agreement at that point, whatever it is. And the, you know, weather here at the lake, you never know. The, that would be the only way you would have any teeth in federal law to regulate that. But I don't know. Well, no, if I was a five star, I wouldn't want anything to do with it.

[Bubba]

They're going to have to figure it out. And the people to do that to me will be leaders Like Greg Sankey. I mean, you start with the sec, they talk about the Big Ten. I know Ohio State, one of that. And you win now by having the most money. Yeah, that's how Ohio State had 20 million.

[Herb Winches]

Did you see their payroll for this year?

[Bubba]

Well, wait a minute. Here's one better. You know who, you know who's got double that right now for this coming season? University of Texas has got 40 million.

[Herb Winches]

Okay, 40 million in their starting lineup.

[Bubba]

And they're so. Well, they got Arch. Let's start with Arch, man.

[Herb Winches]

Right.

[Bubba]

And in along those lines, let's say this. I respect players like Arch Manning, who played behind yours for a couple of years. I respect.

[Herb Winches]

I was shocked, really.

[Bubba]

And I got one for you. Closer to home at Alabama, Jalen Milroe. I respect Ty Simpson. He waited his turn. Whatever happened to that? What we're into today is if I don't play, I don't stay. So I'm gonna give NIL money to, say, a good running back. And then all of a sudden, he either gets hurt or he. He's not happy and he transfers out.

[Herb Winches]

What's a high possibility?

[Bubba]

Who gets the money? How are we going to get our money back?

[Herb Winches]

Yeah, but I don't know. How does that work?

[Bubba]

It doesn't.

[Herb Winches]

Right now, they like the kid that signed at Ohio State and then he transferred. Was it yours? Wasn't one. Yours at another school? And before he went to Texas, they had that.

[Bubba]

Yeah, Everybody.

[Herb Winches]

I don't know how. Or is the contracts of NIL going to be where this settles down? Are they going to say, look, for you to get your money, we're going to pay you this, but you got to be here or four years there.

[Bubba]

To me, that. That makes sense, that all of these conferences and their commissioners need to get together. Forget the ncaa. There, There has been.

[Herb Winches]

Well, they can enforce whatever they come up with.

[Bubba]

Well, whatever they come up with, they're going to have to depend on. On these conferences to do something. And it's just. You just wonder how. How's it all going to turn out? And I worry. I worry there's nothing better than college athletics. I mean, I love the NFL. I told you, I go to the Titans game. But we're no different. Now. Think about it.

[Herb Winches]

Have you seen the ticket prices?

[Bubba]

Yes, I have.

[Herb Winches]

At what point will that choke off people going to the game?

[Bubba]

That's a good point.

[Herb Winches]

And Herb, here's an example of that. I thought at one time NASCAR was too big to fail, but they had. They had pushback at some point. When the ticket prices got so high.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And they've taken out bleachers. Does that happen to college football?

[Bubba]

I, I think that's way down the road. I think that's a ways off. But I know NASCAR is struggling because it's an older audience and they haven't found a younger demographic. And I say that about a sport that I truly love because I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. It's the same thing with horse racing. People like me. I can still read a form like you can read a bible. I grew up with it, it. But I'm old. And now young people aren't embracing thoroughbred racing and they're not embracing nascar. Now when are people going to stop embracing what's going on? Because when you think about in college football, it's no different than NFL. We use the portal now as a draft. Yeah, that's a mini draft. Let's be honest. It's a draft.

[Herb Winches]

You're just not taking turns that, that it's an auction.

[Bubba]

It's. It is an auction. Yeah. So, so, so now you've got that and then you got the portal. And here's who I think really it hurts. If you're not a five star, at least a four star, you're not going to get a scholarship. Because it's easier for me to look at this kid on film. Oh, I got all these films on this kid. This kid's good.

[Herb Winches]

He got the numbers right size, all right.

[Bubba]

Everything we want. Okay. Now sudden a high school senior, he hoping to go to an Auburn, Alabama or Georgia.

[Herb Winches]

They're not going to take a chance.

[Bubba]

They ain't going. They don't have to take a chance. They got, they got this guy they need right here. That's who it's going to impact. Unless you're a five star and. Or a four star, three star walk ons hit probably history. There always be a few walk ons but they're never going to play. It's just.

[Herb Winches]

At what point will it hurt the big schools? I'm talking to the Ohio states, Alabama's Auburns, where they have paid all this money for the same scenario you laid out a minute ago. You got a star running back.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

Let's just say the next Bo Jackson comes along. Oh, they're going to empty the bank on the guy.

[Bubba]

Yeah.

[Herb Winches]

He gets hurt who comes in to play for him because there is no payroll for number two and three or.

[Bubba]

If it is, it's going to be.

[Herb Winches]

A big drop off.

[Bubba]

It's a big diminishing and situation.

[Herb Winches]

Then that's going to hurt your team because you've put so much into these few athletes.

[Bubba]

Bubba and Betty, I will tell you, poor coaches. You see, you just took. We think too much. I wouldn't be a head football coach if you said we're going to pay you $5 million. You know why?

[Herb Winches]

You better get it for one year and enjoy it.

[Bubba]

Right. Because the reason why is because of nil. They can't do any. They're recruiting 24, 7, 365.

[Herb Winches]

Never quit.

[Bubba]

You know, every week. Bruce came to the restaurant last Friday or two Friday nights ago. And I have a chance to sit down and talk to him and I will tell you it's all they got on their mind right now is we've got to find a way to keep this one to hide. Pettiford came back.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

And all these. He's got nine new players. Bruce Pearl does it just a whole new travel ball.

[Herb Winches]

You don't develop a team anymore. You get what you can get. This year we're going to do. And you hope the team jails.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And at the end of the year you've got something that's worth going into the playoffs with. But you don't know.

[Bubba]

In the meantime, they expect all of us to be loyal. Be loyal to the university. Wait a minute. If the. If the players are leaving because they got another opportunity for money, why do I need to be loyal?

[Herb Winches]

Right. And the scheduling. Like I know we at Jack State had a situation. The dates they open these portals and all make no sense to me.

[Bubba]

None.

[Herb Winches]

We are headed to a bowl game our second ever. Right. In Orlando.

[Bubba]

Right.

[Herb Winches]

And we have. And the. The transfer window opens like the week before and part of the team's not there anymore.

[Bubba]

In same way with basketball.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah.

[Bubba]

They're doing it when we're into the playoffs, you know, going to the Final Four.

[Herb Winches]

Who. Who makes these decisions? Because that is just asinine. Okay. I just don't do that is. There's no other word for it.

[Bubba]

I'd say it's the NCAA is supposed to. But guess what? I don't think they're doing it. I think. I think so many things, but it's just crazy.

[Herb Winches]

I could solve it. You could solve it. I don't know who's making the decisions, but I think we could figure out some of this.

[Bubba]

Well, let's get together on that, see if we can present something. In charge. Yeah, you're in charge.

[Herb Winches]

You just about have to be a dictator to pull it off, so.

[Bubba]

Oh, well, don't go there.

[Herb Winches]

Yeah. Don't want that.

[Bubba]

No.

[Herb Winches]

Herb, we've enjoyed talking to you. It's been great. Listen, I hope you'll come back and be on the show with us again. You know, we hope to do this for a few years.

[Bubba]

Well, I think you're off to a great start. You got a lovely wife, like I do, that supports you, and that's all you need. O.B. that's B.B. b.B. B.B, 2.

[Herb Winches]

B.B. 1.

[Bubba]

B.B. about a county. She's really good at that. She'll be happy to help you. But, bub, I'm so proud of, number one, being involved with my alma mater. And Coach Kelly's coming to the restaurant next Thursday. Our new coach. I'm excited to meet him.

[Herb Winches]

He has been such a pleasure to get to know. I'm enjoying working with. He's a little different. He's much more personable than a lot of the head coaches I've known.

[Bubba]

Well, and I would say more personal. Rich Rod. I had nothing against him, but I didn't think he. He just didn't seem to enjoy that. And I'm hearing good things about Charles Kelly and. And. And Jeff Berger's working.

[Herb Winches]

He's helping us fundraise.

[Bubba]

Fundraise. And we're going to sit down and talk about some things.

[Herb Winches]

Get that checkbook out. Herb. The Gamecocks need you.

[Bubba]

No, you mean Betty, baby. Get that check.

[Herb Winches]

Before we go, tell us about your anniversary coming up with the restaurant. What else going on?

[Bubba]

Well, we're going to have a big celebration one week from this next Saturday. That'll be June 14th. And. And we've hired a band. I don't do much music, but I said we got to blow it out, got to celebrate it. We're going to have fireworks. We're going to have music, we're going to have specials, drink specials, and we're just going to make it a fun day because I think it's a milestone. You make 10 years in restaurant business.

[Herb Winches]

Incredible.

[Bubba]

It's. It's a good.

[Herb Winches]

And you. You're going to have the next round. My favorite podcast out there.

[Bubba]

All those guys are still my very dear friends. Lance Taylor, Jim Dunaway, and Ryan Brown. Ryan Brown was my. My first ever producer, really, when we started Jocks Radio. That's how far we go back. They're all doing a great job, and they're coming down on the 13th to help us get it kicked off for the weekend. So it's going to be fun. I hope you and BB Will stop by.

[Herb Winches]

We'll get there early. We learned our lesson I don't want to have to swim in anchor and swim.

[Bubba]

Love you both.

[Herb Winches]

Hey, thank you. Our guest has been Herb Winches. And thank you for being a part of Bubba on the Lake.

[Bubba]

You're listening to Bubba on the Lake. Hit me bad. A production of intergalactic pants and teas. All rights reserved. At Central State bank, we believe community banking is more than just transactions.

[Herb Winches]

It's about relationships.

[Bubba]

For over 100 years, you've been helping neighbors grow, businesses thrive and dreams become reality. Because when you bank local, you invest in your community. Central State Bank. Large enough to serve you, small enough to know you. Visit us today or learn [e-mail] Member FDIC this is Coke Zero Sugar.

[Herb Winches]

Could I be the best Coke ever? Try and taste with your ears.

[Bubba]

Hear those bubbles. Imagine them tingling on your top. Fizzy deliciousness. Listen to that cascading liquid.

[Herb Winches]

A mouth watering waterfall.

[Bubba]

Irresistibly tasty. Zero sugar. Crisp, refreshing and ice cold.

[Herb Winches]

Is Coke Zero Sugar the best Coke ever? Try and decide.

[Bubba]

Another staff meeting, another push for cross selling. Another awkward silence. Then Banker Bounty happened. The first referral platform made just for banks. One app that empowers every employee, not just your top producers, to bring in business. No more spreadsheets, no more silos. Just clarity, culture and actual growth in real time. Banker Bounty fixes more than your referral program. It fixes your momentum. Go to bankerbounty.com, watch the video, book your free demo. Anchor Bounty. Create, manage and track referrals in real time. Every word he spits.

[Herb Winches]

Welcome back everybody. I'm your semi retired, mostly washed up host, formerly of the Rick and Bubba show, now your host of Bubba on the Lake. We are in the Melayella studio and we appreciate you being along for this podcast. Our guest was Herb Winches. We appreciate Herb coming by. He's done a tremendous job with his restaurants and very popular here at Lake Martin and we wanted to talk to him about his 10 year anniversary. When you you think about the restaurant business and how hard that is, to have a 10 year anniversary is quite an accomplishment. So congratulations to him and we hope that he has a very big blowout for his 10 year anniversary and that he's on the lake serving delicious food for years to come. We want to remind you hit the website bubbaonthelake.com to get the latest information on the show. Send those emails to bubbaaonthelake.com and don't forget our comment line 308-Big-Lake 308 Big Lake and we'll be highlighting some more of those calls on a podcast coming up soon. Don't forget to, like, subscribe. Follow all that stuff that you need to do with our social media. That makes a big difference, and we really do appreciate it. And we appreciate you being a part of this podcast. And until we sail into port again, we'll leave it with you. God bless.

[Bubba]

This podcast is brought to you in.

[Herb Winches]

Part by Coke AM First, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank, Sunrise Docks, Banker's Bounty, and Dr. Thomas Dudney.

[Bubba]

Where's Baba? I'll tell you where. He's on the lake. What is the Bubba on the Lake podcast? It's about defying peer pressure.

[Herb Winches]

I mean, let's face it, everybody's doing a podcast. They are. I mean, if you ain't doing one, you're the oddball out. I mean, it's like not having a tattoo now, you know, I don't have a tattoo or a podcast. I mean, I'm just left out in.

[Bubba]

The dark and overcoming adversity.

[Herb Winches]

I don't know.

[Bubba]

My mom is pretty funny. She's not.

[Herb Winches]

Oh, she's funny. She can cut stand up for us at family events and she can't stand up. That's what's even funny. She can, but it's with a walk. She does a semi stand up. Yeah. You ever seen a comedian with a walker? And I mean, really need it. It's not a prop.

[Bubba]

Download episodes [e-mail] Bubba on the Lake let's go. Bubba on the lake Speaks through the air Voices rippling waters the world stops to stare News and the scores Tech spins on his wheel national renown the truth he reveals from the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echoes through the nation where legends are found the lake holds the power Ripples don't lie Bubba on the airwaves Riding waves that won't die Late night static stars hanging low Every turn of his voice the world seems to glow Microphone crackles like fire on stone Bubba carves the stories makes the air his throne from the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echoes through the A nation where legends are found the lake holds the power Ripples don't lie Bubba on the airways Riding waves that won't die Sports it flies fast Tech churns the tide News shakes the edge Bubba reads it wide listeners they gather like moths to his flame One man's voice rising ever the same from the mellow yellow studio he sends the sound echoes through the nation where legends are found the lake holds for power Ripples don't lie Bubble on the airways Riding waves that won't die.