#20 A Visit With Lori Manak, and "The Voice" Mike Paris

Summary

Bubba On the Lake – Episode #20: A Visit With Lori Manak, and "The Voice" Mike Paris

Release Date: July 3, 2025

In Episode #20 of Bubba On the Lake, host Bill Bubba Bussey delves into nostalgic and insightful conversations with two esteemed guests: Lori Manak, a longtime friend from their college radio days, and Mike Paris, the legendary "Voice of the Gamecocks." This episode, titled "A Visit With Lori Manak, and 'The Voice' Mike Paris," seamlessly blends personal anecdotes, professional insights, and heartfelt reflections, offering listeners a rich tapestry of experiences from the worlds of broadcasting and sports.

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Reconnecting with Lori Manak

Timestamp: [10:37]

The episode opens with Bill warmly welcoming Lori Manak, highlighting her diverse broadcasting background under various names, including Shannon Stevens during her tenure at Magic 96 in Birmingham. Their longstanding friendship traces back to their college radio days, where Lori was one of the first people Bill met, setting the stage for a deep and engaging conversation.

Notable Quote:

"We were all very dedicated to what we did. Like you said, we didn't, you know, we'd stay on the air 12 hours if that meant keeping that station on the air." — Lori Manak [11:34]

Lori fondly reminisces about their time at the college radio station, recounting humorous and memorable moments such as experimenting with backmasking Beatles songs and dealing with quirky coworkers like Terry Jo Spradlin, who once attempted to amuse the team by placing his bare bottom on a window to crack Lori up.

Notable Quote:

"We just kept on going and went out of the parking lot. It was wonderful... if we could have had cell phones and taken pictures, well, there'd been some good memes out of that." — Bill Bubba Bussey [64:58]

Their discussions also touch upon the evolution of radio technology, highlighting the shift from manual reel-to-reel editing to today's digital conveniences. Lori emphasizes the camaraderie and genuine fun they shared, underscoring the station's role in launching numerous successful careers.

Notable Quote:

"We just were just ourselves and just had so much fun, you know, living life to its fullest." — Lori Manak [12:36]

The conversation takes a personal turn as Lori shares a surprising discovery about her family – finding a triplet sister through a DNA test, adding depth to her life's narrative and illustrating the unexpected paths life can take.

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Honoring Mike Paris – The Voice of the Gamecocks

Timestamp: [37:24]

Transitioning from nostalgia to sports broadcasting, Bill introduces Mike Paris, a revered figure in Jacksonville State University's athletic community. With an impressive tenure spanning over four decades, Mike has become synonymous with Gamecocks sports, bringing passion and expertise to every broadcast.

Notable Quote:

"And the fact you get to go and do ball games, that has to be kind of cool." — Bill Bubba Bussey [38:29]

Mike reflects on his memorable moments, including the unforgettable 1985 basketball championship where Melvin Allen hit a critical half-court shot, a moment Bill vividly recalls witnessing. Their shared memories underscore the emotional highs of sports broadcasting, capturing the essence of live sports excitement.

Notable Quote:

"We had melon Allen hits a shot just over the half court line to win the game. And I remember riding where I was at the time. You were putting me there. The excitement, that was a great memory for me." — Bill Bubba Bussey [46:44]

The duo delves into significant games, such as the 1989 national championship snow game against James Madison, where unexpected weather conditions played a pivotal role. Mike elaborates on the challenges and strategic adjustments made during that frosty showdown, highlighting the unpredictability of live sports.

Notable Quote:

"They thought they were going to win, oh, we were going to win a national championship today. And we end up losing three to nothing." — Paul Paris [41:05]

Mike also shares insights into the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, from the early days of extensive manual preparations to modern-day digital conveniences. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability, especially with the introduction of the transfer portal, which has transformed team dynamics and player rosters.

Notable Quote:

"Cause with our team from year to year, all the guys coming back and there wasn't a whole lot of turnover except for the seniors. And now sometimes, at least the last few years, it seems like it's a whole new team every year." — Mike Paris [60:41]

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Behind the Mic: Preparing for the Game

Timestamp: [57:44]

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Mike Paris's meticulous preparation for game broadcasts. He outlines his comprehensive approach, which involves scrutinizing game notes, analyzing opponent statistics, and staying updated with the latest sports information provided by the Jacksonville State sports information team.

Notable Quote:

"I'll usually start most of the time, game play out on Saturday, I'll start Sunday afternoon doing some stuff, you know, on us, so to speak, Jack State and looking at the opponent and then, you know, cranking into full gear." — Mike Paris [60:41]

Mike discusses the challenges posed by the modern transfer portal, which has increased player movement and introduced new variables to his preparation routine. Despite these changes, his dedication remains unwavering, ensuring that every broadcast is both informative and engaging for listeners.

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Final Thoughts and Reflections

Timestamp: [67:10]

As the episode draws to a close, Bill expresses his gratitude towards both Lori and Mike for their time and invaluable contributions. He reflects on the enduring nature of their friendships and professional relationships, underscoring the importance of community and shared experiences in both broadcasting and sports.

Notable Quote:

"We're very honored to have you at Jacksonville State University. We'll be back in just a minute." — Bill Bubba Bussey [67:10]

The episode concludes with warm sentiments, leaving listeners with a sense of camaraderie and appreciation for the rich histories and personal stories shared by Lori Manak and Mike Paris.

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Conclusion

Episode #20 of Bubba On the Lake masterfully intertwines personal memoirs with professional narratives, offering a captivating listen for both longtime fans and newcomers. Through heartfelt conversations with Lori Manak and Mike Paris, Bill Bubba Bussey not only honors the past but also celebrates the enduring spirit of community, friendship, and dedication that defines both the broadcasting and sports worlds.

---

Notable Quotes Recap:

1. "We were all very dedicated to what we did... staying on air for 12 hours." — Lori Manak [11:34]
2. "We just were just ourselves and just had so much fun." — Lori Manak [12:36]
3. "We just kept on going and went out of the parking lot..." — Bill Bubba Bussey [64:58]
4. "We had melon Allen hits a shot just over the half court..." — Bill Bubba Bussey [46:44]
5. "They thought they were going to win... we end up losing three to nothing." — Paul Paris [41:05]
6. "Cause with our team from year to year, all the guys coming back..." — Mike Paris [60:41]

This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of Episode #20, providing a comprehensive overview while highlighting the key moments and memorable quotes that define the episode's rich narrative.

Transcript

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

This podcast is brought to you in part by Coke, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank, Sunrise docks, bankers Bounty, Dr. Thomas Dudney and the Green Monster Fishing Light. Now back to Bubba on the lake. Hey, it's Bubba.

[Paul]

Hey, Bubba. Bubba on the lake. It's Bubba. Hey, Bubba. Bubba. He's got it going on. Gotta come and check this. Talking people, talking places from Bubba's perspective.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

This is Bubba, Bubba on the lake. Hey, Bubba, Bubba, Bubba.

[Paul]

Bubba on the lake. Let's go. Hey, Bubba.

[Lori Manik]

Love the show. Quick question. Is there any way that we could get Betty's View on you with all of your snake mishaps? I just feel like that would be radio Gold. Love the show. Keep up the good work.

[Paul]

Hey, Bubba. This is Paul from Fulton Dell. Really enjoyed the podcast.

[Lori Manik]

I noticed when you introduce yourself, you.

[Paul]

Say mostly washed up. I know you're making fun of yourself.

[Lori Manik]

But I think you should add one more word in there and say re energized as well.

[Paul]

Also, I love the interviews with your family. I'd love to hear some of your tips and the tips from them on how you all grow from each other during hardships. Thanks again, Bubba.

[Lori Manik]

Hey, Bubba called a while ago. You know that audio you can play? If you want to play this audio, you can, but. So I listen to you on my YouTube music app that I pay a subscription for every month. Podcasts are free. There's no, like, subscribing or whatever.

[Paul]

What do I need to do? Do I need to go on another.

[Lori Manik]

Platform to subscribe and do whatever I need to do to bump you up?

[Paul]

Because I want to see you succeed.

[Lori Manik]

But whatever I need to do to boost you up.

[Paul]

Hi Bob, I'm really loving your podcast.

[Lori Manik]

This is Alan from Asheville.

[Paul]

I listened to your David Nassar and that was really, really informative. Really enjoyed it. Hope you keep them coming. I was just wondering if you ever stayed in touch with any of the guys from the Rick and Bubba show. And if you talk to any of them recently, Spatty or Greg or anyone, have a good one.

[Lori Manik]

Keep them coming.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, hello again everybody and welcome. I am your semi retired, mostly washed up host, formerly the Rick and Bubba show, and I want to welcome you to Bubba on the Lake. I am Bill Bubba Bussi and we are broadcasting from the Melayella Studio. Of course, our website is bubbaonthelake.com you can email me directly there bubbaubaonthelake.com or as you just heard, those little pearls of wisdom, I call them. You are welcome to call Our message line 308 Big Lake. 308 Big Lake. Leave your comment. Limited amount of time. Gotta get it all in there and it may end up on the program as those did. Don't forget to like subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss anything from the show. And of course, we have the full variety of social media now. I did want to address a couple of those calls right quick. Boy, we got a busy show. We got some really cool folks that I'm anxious for you to hear on, hear from today. Far as snake stories, I do not like snakes. I don't like any snakes. I think they are evil. Our God, who is a just and wonderful and perfect God, took their legs away. Took their legs away. So I do not feel bad taking their head off. I feel like that it's almost following the example. Hate snakes. Wish they wasn't around. I don't like the way they move. I don't like the way they look. They give me the creeps. And of course they can be dangerous. I have killed many, many over the years being an outdoorsman and a hunter. And if I got to cut a little groove in my gun every time I killed one, I would have a quite the markings on there. I think I would have made ace by now. So we will, we'll talk more about those later. I just, I don't like them. I don't even like talking about them. Kind of gives me the heaves right now. You heard some other comments there about growing the show. The comments about David Nassar, which I've got a lot of great feedback. David is a wonderful guy. Enjoyed interviewing him last time and he has some real insight being that he was in Iran. Now he is a Christian evangelist outside of Iran. And you know, really. And I think we have to remember this as Christians to pray for those people. They have some leaders that are very evil and we need to support them however we can. And I'm glad that President Trump took away their ability at least immediately to have a nuclear weapon.

[Paul]

So.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Let'S see, bumping us up. We had the gentleman mention bumping up the show. This world of podcasting, and we're still learning and trying to weave through this. Podcasting's not new, been around 20 years, but it is new to me at the level that I'm doing it and the way that I'm doing it. And the most important thing is for you to listen to the podcast and subscribe to it and then go to social media, subscribe to Facebook, subscribe to X, subscribe to Instagram. All of that plays into the algorithms that a lot of these podcasts are rated by, especially those of you that watch on YouTube or listen on YouTube. We don't have the video component to that yet, but. But it's very important because those numbers are what we get compared to. So, you know, I run into people all the time and I'm shocked because they asked me how it's going, and they're, you know, encouraging me, and I ask them if they have subscribed to the podcast. And they said, no, I don't even know how to get a podcast. And I'm like, well, let me show you. This is pretty simple, especially if you've got an iPhone here. You pull it down, you go to the podcast app, you pop it up, hit the search button, type in Bubba on the Lake. I use all capital letters, and it'll pop right up. You hit it, bring it up, you're going to see the logo come up, and then hit the subscribe button. And then it also counts how long you listen to each episode. So all of that figures into it. I mean, I wish it was just pure entertainment. We could have fun, but the business side of it is required, and that really helps us out. Also, speaking of helping us out, we have some great sponsors on this show, and I appreciate them very much. They've come alongside us and they want to support what we're doing, and it means a lot to us. We have a brand new one this week. You're going to hear the Green Monster Light. It's a friend of mine. They do a good product, too, but they're joining our other sponsors, and that's another component that's important. You're going to hear them listed, and we need you to support them whenever you can. And even if you can't support them, drop them an email and tell them that you appreciate them being a sponsor of Bubba on the Lake. That does matter. They do. Look at that stuff. They do. You know, when they go into their advertising meetings and they're trying to get good return on their investment, and that's what we're trying to offer them. All of that stuff matters. So it's a truly, truly team effort. We have got a great podcast. I'm gonna talk to two very good friends of mine. I think you're gonna enjoy it. And we will start all of that in just a minute. Speaking of those sponsors, you're gonna hear from them right now, and we'll be right back in just a minute. It's Bubba on the Lake Bubba on the Lake. A lot of life can happen between sips of Dasani. You know the life moments big and small that are worth getting thirsty for. Like organizing a family movie night under the stars. Or hearing an old favorite song and.

[Lori Manik]

Having an impromptu dance party.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Or finding a new dinner recipe that.

[Lori Manik]

The whole family loves.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

The crisp, clean taste of Dasani was made for all of life's thirst worthy moments. Dasani because life happens between sips. Another staff meeting, another push for cross selling. Another awkward silence. Then Banker Bounty happened.

[Paul]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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[Paul]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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[Lori Manik]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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[Paul]

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[Lori Manik]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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[Lori Manik]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

At Southern Immediate Care, your health is our top priority.

[Lori Manik]

Visit southern immediatecare.com or call 205-409-2794.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

It's Bubba on the Lake broadcasting to.

[Paul]

You.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

From the mellow yellow studio.

[Paul]

It's Bubba on the Lake covering the.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Latest news, sports, politics. We're back and we have on the celebrity hotline a very, very good friend and special friend from the past, Lori Manik. Lori, how are you doing?

[Lori Manik]

Well, hello. I'm doing fantastic. Yes, I know where all the bodies are hidden.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I have known Lori Manik, who used to be Lori Jones, who professionally was known as Shannon Stevens in her broadcasting career at Magic 96 in Birmingham. And we have been friends since college. As a matter of fact, Laurie, you were probably one of the very first people I met at the college radio station.

[Lori Manik]

Probably so. I mean, we used to have a lot of fun. Anything that involved not going to class, I was a part of. And working together at that radio station was a lot of fun. We got into, we didn't get into too much trouble, but just lots and lots of fun.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, that's the thing we all, I was telling somebody this week, we kind of, we kind of took care of that thing. Like, you know, somebody's life support depended on it. You know, we didn't, we didn't go to lunch. If it was off the air, we'd be stringing wires together, driving somewhere to find something. We really probably was a little too into it if I look back.

[Lori Manik]

Well, I remember the. The girls bathroom was way, way, way, way, way far away. And I think I wore the pins a time or two because you just knew that and you just prayed to put on maybe Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven or Bohemian Rhapsody have time to go to the bathroom. Yeah, you didn't leave that pot, that post at all.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Lori, you were one of the very first people I met. Greg Warren had invited me up and I saw the place and of course he recently passed away. We're very sorry to hear about that. But you were one of the first people I met. You were very nice to me. You were outgoing. I liked outgoing people. And that kind of, that kind of sums you up.

[Lori Manik]

Outgoing doesn't really does, you know, kind of what you see is what you get. Kind of like you. You know, we are who we are and there's no faking. No, you know, oh, I'm just a beautiful voice. You know, we just were just, just ourselves and just had so much fun, you know, living life to its fullest. For sure. That's for sure.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, Lori, I remember you helping me learn the board and learn what was going on and you know, we had to. We're talking about this too because our college radio station is celebrating its 50th anniversary coming up and we're going to have some get to get back get together with folks and all of that. But you know, that place just meant a lot to a lot of people and it really did what college was supposed to do. It launched people into jobs and careers.

[Lori Manik]

Didn't really did. You know, my mom always said, when are you going to get a real job? When are you going to go to class and get your degree? And. And we just liked being on the air. It was a lot of fun. You got to be yourself, you got to play great music and you know, you go on to your career and just have just tons of fun and meet really cool people and sometimes stars and all that. And I never knew that would come all with it, but it was a whole lot of fun.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, you went on to a great career in Birmingham and still was helping me out. I would call you and asked for advice as we were trying to get our act together and you always took care of us and I certainly appreciate it.

[Lori Manik]

Well, you're welcome. And I remember when you called me and said, y' all Were going to have to sign a contract or something. And it's very scary at first because usually those things are slanted to make sure to protect the radio station. And, you know, you as a person on the air, when you bring so much to the place and they make so much money off of you, sometimes you want to make sure that you're protected and that you get, you know, some of it. And it's just kind of. It's a fun business, but it's very. Can be very tricky. And my gosh, you talk about a great run and you continue to have a great run just being a great entertainer, a great guy, and just so lovable.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, Laurie, you're being too kind now. Now we're just officially goofing off.

[Lori Manik]

Yeah, we are, we are. But you know what? We kind of reached that age. I hate to say it, but I hate to say the words, but we're getting a little bit older. But that doesn't mean you have to mature. I will never grow up. And that's just kind of the way it is now. We just don't care anymore. And now we just are just ourselves and gonna do what we're gonna do and just living life, having a good time is what I like to do.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yeah, Betty always tells me, she says, you're 60, but you have the mentality of a 15 year old. And hope I'm able to keep that for a long time. Of course, you know, we're in the world of knee replacements and heart stints and all that now. So, you know, it's not, it's not as much carefree as it used to be.

[Lori Manik]

I know. Now instead of, you know, talking about, oh, what car do you drive? It's maybe talking about grandchildren, those that are blessed to have them. I don't have any yet, but, you know, it's like, are you on this medicine? What about. What kind of blood pressure medicine do you take? Yeah, me too.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

What's your cholesterol medicine? How much you taking?

[Lori Manik]

You know, we're just glad to be alive, man, because it seems like people our age sometimes and they're starting to drop like flies and it's really scary. So we're just blessed to be here and just, you know, keep, keep on keeping on as long as, Lord willing, you know.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Lori, tell me, how did you get involved with the station? You. You were a big part of how I got involved. But how did you get involved and who got you on there? How did all that start?

[Lori Manik]

Well, I always wanted to be a DJ when I was 12, I always used to lock myself in the room and do the KCK, some top 40 countdown every single week. And so when I went. When I was in high school, about to graduate, I worked a little bit at kicks 106, which was a big station in Birmingham at the time. But I was an intern. And when I went to Jacksonville State, because I had a little bit experience, I knew a little bit about the business, I didn't have to wait to go on the air. They let me go on right off the bat. And it was a guy named John Selman, who I'm still friends with today, who, you know, that trained me and helped me go on the air. And I was scared to death. And matter of fact, Randy Owen from the group Alabama is the first person I ever interviewed. I was horrified, but. And I just loved it. And then it just. It's in you. You can't get out of your system. It's like a sickness once you get into radio, but it's a fun sickness, but it's a crazy business. But I just enjoyed it. The people were nice and we just had a lot of fun. And that's what I'm about, is a lot of fun.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Do you have a favorite memory of your time at 92J?

[Lori Manik]

I've got a funny one and a great memory. Great memories. Were you and I in the production room? Because you are engineer, right? And you and I. I don't know if you remember this, but you and I were in the production room. And back then, you know, of course we played records, or they call it vinyl now. And we were messing around in there and there was a Beatles song and I'm trying to think which one it was. But anyway, we were back doing what they call back masking. And supposedly it said a bunch of weird stuff as you played the song backwards. Do you remember that at all?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yes, I do, Laurie. I do.

[Lori Manik]

Yeah. And I remember what it said, but it didn't matter. We thought we were cool because we did it.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, I thought, if I'm not mistaken, didn't it say, Satan wants a biscuit?

[Paul]

I don't know if it was a.

[Lori Manik]

Biscuit, but, boy, that sounds good. I'll tell you the funniest thing that I remember is I was having to do news at the time and there was a window right in front of where the board was. We were on the air and a guy named Terry Jo Spradlin. Do you remember Terry? Joe Spradlin?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, I saw Terry not too long ago, believe it or not. At a truck stop in Coleman.

[Lori Manik]

You've got a big head.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

No, he comes to our reunion. He walked right up to me and grabbed me on the shoulder and I, and I turned around, I said, hey, it's the fat man in the morning. Terry Jo Spradlin. By the way, he's still very dry and very funny.

[Lori Manik]

Good, I love it. But I'll tell you what, I was doing news and he got up on a chair in the window right in front of me and placed his bottom, bare bottom on the window, trying to crack me up. And I just. You talk about trying to keep a straight face. I don't know that I did, but that was one of my funniest memories, you know. Cause it was, it was a loose cannon. But we had a great time and we were all very dedicated to what we did. Like you said, we didn't, you know, we'd stay on the air 12 hours if that meant keeping that station on the air. And a lot of people went on to long time careers, you know.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

And you know, it was a big deal back then if we could go out and broadcast a sporting event. That was in the very early days. You had to have phone lines run everywhere. You know, it wasn't convenient like it is now. And how about editing? You had these big reel to reels and you had to cut it with a razor blade and cut, tape it back together. You talking about a changed industry because of technology. Wow.

[Lori Manik]

I know. You know, back when I first did some of my first commercial radio, it was a station called I95. It was W A P I FM.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

And yeah, we remember that one, Lori. That was kind of a big deal. Okay. I remember hearing you on there going, she has made it. She is in the promised land.

[Lori Manik]

You're too sweet. But I remember in the production room doing the splice edit and I just thought, I'm never going to be able to do this. I'm never going to be able to do this. And thank God good technology came back around not too, too long after that. But I remember that splice and that these kids nowadays don't have a clue what that is. They just press a button on the computer and it's edited for them. It's nice.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, Laurie, I remember me and Steve Camp always inquiring your help with some of your sorority sisters.

[Lori Manik]

I think y' all just want to flirt with the girls. That's the help y' all wanted. Oh my gosh, what a great time. And it was so great. I think I stayed there. I keep Saying maybe seven years. I don't think I ever grad. I know I didn't graduate, but. And I still would have left if they didn't start calling me yes. Didn't say yes, man to me. Some of the others did. It was time for me to go.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

When the freshman start saying ma' am, it's time to move on, isn't it?

[Lori Manik]

You got that right there. Oh, my gosh.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I actually went for 12 years. People don't believe that I changed it to 10 and called it the decade of learning because nobody believed 12. But, you know, I did eventually get out. But, Laurie, let me ask you this. Do you remember? Because just talking to you stirred up this memory. I remember you doing a presentation in one of Major Turner's class. And he was the guy kind of running everything. I love Mage. He gave me a lot of opportunity I couldn't get anywhere else. But you did a presentation on Elton John. You were a big Elton John fan. I remember it very well. And we had some other people in our class, and we had one guy, and I won't call his name here, but he had a very unusual laugh. Do you remember him getting tickled in class to the point we had to dismiss?

[Paul]

No.

[Lori Manik]

Why aren't you gonna tell the name? Nobody can see you right now, nor can they find you.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

His first name may have been Jerry.

[Lori Manik]

Jerry. I don't know.

[Paul]

Jerry.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I'll have to remind you when I see you.

[Lori Manik]

Okay.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

But he had a laugh, and it's like he couldn't suck in enough air when he was laughing. And it was very unusual, but it was funny in itself. So if you ever got him tickled, I mean, we were all done. I remember. And, you know, Major Turner was not very emotional. He didn't show a lot of emotion. I remember him laughing so much, he had tears rolling down his face going, jerry, we just can't take anymore.

[Lori Manik]

So is the guy laughing at my project?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

No, no, not that. It was just in that class. And you may have been out that day, but of course I was.

[Lori Manik]

I only went when I had a project to do.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Right.

[Lori Manik]

I just couldn't be bothered by going to class. I had too much socializing to do.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

So tell me, after you got out, you started at several stations. Tell us about your. Your magic 96. Because that. That was a big deal. And when you got that gig, that was. That was pretty impressive.

[Paul]

Well, and it's weird.

[Lori Manik]

What happened was I had gotten fired from i95. That's kind of what happens in the business. Lots of Wait a minute, you got fired, Lori?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Are you kidding me?

[Lori Manik]

You don't trust anyone in the business? Hadn't been fired at least twice. I was fired twice. And I was working at i95 and I was making fun of, I was doing news and the guy I was sending some being a red shirted freshman. And the morning host said, they're not the crimson tie. They're called the crimson tie. They're not the red shirts. I said, but I know he's a red shirt of freshman. And I got fired because I called him out, made him look like a fool on the air. So, so that was the day before Thanksgiving. I get a, get a call from a guy named John Jenkins and he called me from magic 96 and he said, hey, I've got a job for you. And I said, yeah, whatever. At that point, I didn't trust any program directors because you just got screwed over. So I went there and he said, I have got some big plans for you. I said, yep, I've heard that one before. What? And he said, well, you just be a jock force for a little bit, you know, dj, and I have a partner that I have in mind for you. I want you to do morning radio. And I thought, what? Because that's not what I knew I was ever going to do. I'd done news that I wasn't going to do before and I was a dj, but I'd never thought about being a morning host. And the guy they put me with, you know, we just hit it off right off the bat. And we were together 18 years, so it was a nice long run for sure.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You did a wonderful job. You know, we, we ended up in the market too. And I used to try to keep up with you, but, you know, you couldn't, you couldn't listen across town while you were on the air, obviously. And we didn't have all the podcasts and replays that we have now. But yeah, you're funny, you mentioned John. We knew him. And isn't it funny though, for on air talent, program directors was like the.

[Paul]

East empire, they really were.

[Lori Manik]

But John ended up being a very, very good friend. What was really bad is if you had a program director that really never done morning radio trying to tell you how to do morning radio, right? And it's like, you know, those that can't do teach sometimes. And that was my, that was the case many, many times. But John was a really good guy and he had the, he just had the vision to put me and my partner together, you know, and I would never have done it had he not just kind of thrown me into it. So I was really kind of lucky to do that. But I tell you, you. When you came to Birmingham, I mean, you. Y' all became. Y' all became the big dogs, like, quite quickly. And a lot of other radio people were super jealous. And I'm like, hey, these guys have found their niche. You need to just, you know, step up your game or, you know, clap your hands. I said, I'm very, very happy for y' all. Of course we wanted to beat you because that meant we'd make more money. But. But it was a friendly competition. And I was always very, very happy for you. I really was. And like you said, you can't listen to each other when you're on at the same time, so. And we were very music intent, so we didn't, you know, get to. Well, and it's really weird because you think it's harder to talk when you have to just fill all that spot like y' all did, because it was no music. But, you know, also when you're a music station, you have so little time to talk, you've got to really edit things and, you know, to get the best stuff out that you're going to say during this quick break. Does that make sense?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. You have to edit yourself. And we never were really good at editing ourselves, so that's one reason. We just wonder if we didn't play any music.

[Lori Manik]

You didn't need to, dude. Y' all were so good and funny and just.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Oh, you're too kind.

[Lori Manik]

Yeah.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, seriously, this interview is about you, Laurie.

[Lori Manik]

Well, no, I don't want it to be about me. But the thing is, is that, you know what? Y' all are some of the first people. You're one of the first people that I knew that could just sit there and totally be yourself and fill that airtime without having to use music to fill it. And you were just yourself. And that was the niche. It really was. Because, you know, you weren't. Y' all weren't all coming on there.

[Paul]

Hi. Guess what? We are the.

[Lori Manik]

You know, which it was back, like, in the 60s and 70s. Y' all just got on there and told stories and were funny. You're so funny about it. And you were just Bill Bussy. You're just Bill Bubba Bussy. I mean, you were just you. And I'm not saying to toot your horn, but that's the truth. It's the truth. And you were always very, very.

[Paul]

Good.

[Lori Manik]

And nice no matter how successful that you were, you never forgot who you were. And I do appreciate that. Well, you'll talk to me.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You're too kind. Yeah. I will say this. I have enjoyed getting to spend time with you now more than ever, because we had. I feel like we just picked up from our college days. But, you know, Lori, it's funny. I never knew you had a twin sister. And a lot of this started when I was out at a cheap Mexican place that I like to eat in Pelham. And I saw you, and I kept waving and you were looking back and kind of odd and wasn't giving me a lot. I thought, man, she don't know who I am. Or, you know, she's mad at me because of something. We sit on the air or whatever, but. And then she finally came to my table and she said, I know you think I'm Laurie. I'm her twin sister. And that one, I like to choke on my chippy chimichanga at that point, you know.

[Lori Manik]

You know, we're not. We're not twins, though.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

But you look. You look old.

[Lori Manik]

Everybody thinks, yeah, we had T shirts in college. My sister. My mom made my shirt, said, no, I'm not Mary Margaret. And her said, no, I'm not Lori. Because we look so. The older we are now. We look so much alike. Everyone thinks we're twins everywhere we go.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Did y' all.

[Lori Manik]

We're four years apart.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Did y' all ever steal each other's boyfriend growing up?

[Lori Manik]

We played jokes on them before. Like, one guy came to the door to. Or I came to the door when a guy came to get her, and he didn't know the difference. And I thought, dude, you need to drop him, Mary Margaret, because he doesn't even know that I'm not you. And another time, remind me to tell you about. Now we have a triplet sister. We found out we had a sister we didn't know we had.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

What?

[Lori Manik]

And she looks just like us, too. Oh, yeah. Scary Laurie.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Now, that's a whole nother segment.

[Lori Manik]

It sounds like it really is. It really is. It's a DNA test.

[Paul]

Yep.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Wait a minute. You found a sister out there in the public you didn't know you had?

[Lori Manik]

That's correct. That's correct.

[Paul]

Wow.

[Lori Manik]

The story is unbelievable.

[Paul]

It really is.

[Lori Manik]

It's like, wow. Whoa.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

So these are. That's, like, one of those 23andMe stories.

[Lori Manik]

It really is. It truly is. And one of my TV friends said, hey, we need to do a segment on you. And I said, okay, but for some Reason it never came about, but it's very. It's a really cool story. It's every emotion you can think of story. It's a. You know, you got to be careful when you do your DNA. You don't know who's going to be underneath that rock pile.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, you don't know. It's a mess out there and.

[Lori Manik]

Yeah, no kidding. Oh, my gosh.

[Paul]

Yeah.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know what? Believe it or not, you're not the first person to tell me that story. I've had several tell me, and that's one reason I ain't going anywhere close to that test. I don't want to know.

[Lori Manik]

You mean for your family, not you yourself?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Oh, I don't want to know.

[Lori Manik]

I mean, Betty doesn't need to worry.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I don't want to know. Lori, let me jump back to college radio days. Tell me, who was some of the people you worked with there at the time? Who was the station manager and program director and all that when you were there? Who all did you work under?

[Lori Manik]

There was John Selman. There was Chris Huebauer. That went on to be Chris James. There was Leo Davis, who ended up being the program director at Q104 in Gaston, where you ended up. Steve Malcolm. Yeah, he's still a dear friend.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Enjoyed getting to talk to him.

[Lori Manik]

Yes. There was a girl named Emily Tierney.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yeah.

[Lori Manik]

That went on to do news at cnn.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Cnn, Yeah, I remember that.

[Lori Manik]

I never talked to her after that, so I don't know what happened to her. But Rich Daniel. Yeah, he was a little bit younger than me. I think you're a year or two younger than me, but, yeah, he came.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Along during the time I was there.

[Lori Manik]

Okay. And he ended up working at CNN and just retired a couple of years.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Ago from Dallas, Georgia.

[Lori Manik]

That's right. He's still there, too, which is really cool.

[Paul]

Yeah.

[Lori Manik]

So those are the ones I remember. You know, I was there, like I said, for probably off and on, seven years. So I got to know a whole lot of people throughout the years, and I never wanted to leave. I mean, truly was so much fun. I'm talking about. I'm not talking about going to class. I'm talking about the radio station and just the people on the campus and the friends you make that you're there and you make lifelong friends, especially if you're in the same career.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

It reminds you a lot of wkrp, the TV show, doesn't it?

[Lori Manik]

Yeah, it does. And definitely, probably twice the humor, you know, you know, the egos, especially when you go in professionally and you know, you work with all these egos and you know, some of them, it's like you and me were like, get over yourself. I mean, you put your pants on just like I do. You need to make more money than me. But, but still, we're all the same, you know. And yeah, it's, it's, it's a fun, crazy business. And you know, people move. You know, this is one thing I thought, you know, a lot of people move from market to market. Like for Birmingham, they go to Atlanta, then go to LA. Because I was at I95 right after Mark and Brian and. But I just like to stay in the south. So I was in Birmingham. I just switched from station to station. Back then you could do that because, you know, now station Zone four five and you get fired from this group and you have very few choices to go after that. But that campus radio station was gold, in my opinion. And we just all loved it so much.

[Paul]

Really did.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yeah. I came in when Allen Rhodes was the station manager. Troy Hayes was the program director, and I was in and out several times. Sheila Hiers was, was the manager at one time, and then that's when I was program director. I mean, not program promotions director. And you know, over 12 years on and off, you'll, you'll meet a lot of folks, you know. Oh.

[Lori Manik]

What happened?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I don't know. Somebody's getting a call, I guess. I don't know what it is, Lori.

[Lori Manik]

Not me. I don't know. I think it's aliens.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yeah, maybe. Well, you know the podcast world, you're, you're liable to get something like that in a minute. Somebody may be. I guess that's what call waiting sounds like on the celebrity hotline.

[Lori Manik]

He got somebody way bigger than me coming next, I'm sure.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Oh, me. Well, Lori, thank you so much for taking time to talk to us. It's been so much fun getting to reconnect and relive some of these memories. And we've got a 50 year anniversary of the station coming up this fall. I know you're going to be involved in that and I'm back at Jack State working. So, you know, we've kind of come full circle in a lot of ways, but I certainly hope to have you and your hubby down to the lake sometime so we can sit around and reminisce a little bit more.

[Lori Manik]

Okay. Y' all heard him say that now because I'm holding you to it, because I've been waiting for an invite ever since Bubba on the lake came around.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, guess What? You are going to be one of the stars of episode 20.

[Lori Manik]

Good, good. Looking forward to it.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Lori Jones, Lori Manik or Shannon Stevens. She's known by many names and loved by many. Lori, thank you for taking time and we will be in touch. And thank you for being on our podcast today.

[Lori Manik]

Thank you, buddy. Love you. Take care of yourself. One, two, three. We'll be right back.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know one thing I love about Buffalo Wild Wings, you can get wings with any of their 26 sauces and.

[Paul]

Dry rubs for takeout and delivery. That's like bringing an entire B dubs.

[Lori Manik]

Home with you, which you can't do.

[Paul]

I tried.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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.

[Paul]

Because of the lack of walls, at.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Least these 26 sauces and dry rubs are available to go. Buffalo Wild Wings. Let's go Sports bar.

[Paul]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

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[Paul]

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[Bill Bubba Bussi]

No dock.

[Paul]

No problem with our 24 inch portable.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Green monster fishing light. Start landing trophy fish tonight. Visit the greenmonsterfishinglight.com well, we're on the celebrity hotline. We have a historic figure. He is known as the voice of the gamecocks for over 40 years. Mike Paris. Mike, how are you doing?

[Paul]

I'm good. Does that mean I'm old? Throw it out there like that.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, you've been doing this a long time. Very few people do a job for 40 years. But we're certainly glad at Jacksonville State University that you're still on the mic.

[Paul]

Well, I'm glad to still be doing it. I'm very blessed as a buddy of mine tells me quite frequently. How can life be? They go to ball Games.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yeah. I know a lot of people that are showing up at jobs they hate every day. And the fact you get to go and do ball games, that has to be kind of cool.

[Paul]

It is fun. You know, I get asked most of the time when I'm doing something, which you like best, Football, basketball, or baseball? And quite honestly, I don't know that I really have a favorite. As long as we're winning, that's all that matters, is the fact that we're winning, and that makes it a whole lot easier, so. But I enjoy it.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Mike, I've known you a long time. When I was back at Jack state in the 80s, when you first started, we were starting the very beginnings of the network, and then people like Mike Hethcock came along, and you got more involved, and it grew, grew, grew over the years. I'm glad to be back. I'm honored to be back working with you again now.

[Paul]

Well, I'm glad that you're back because you're taking some stuff off of me that I don't have to worry about anymore.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

And, you know, I'm so glad. One of the first things I got to do when I got to Jack State, it was get you some new headphones.

[Paul]

And they were so wonderful last year. Now, if we just get a new equipment case, everything will be great. You know, obviously, it's amazing, you know, the headsets these days compared to when I first started doing this years ago. Oh, you don't wear. It doesn't feel like you're wearing lead on top of your head anymore now. I'll put it that way.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Well, Mike, you. You have been there, and you have been calling games for. How many years is it now, exactly?

[Paul]

Starting this fall will be 43 years there and 46 years, 47 years total in broadcast.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Wow, that's impressive. That kind of means you're old, doesn't it?

[Paul]

Yes, it does. My hair was a different color when I started.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Hey, Mike. All of our hair was a different color when you started. So, Mike, you have had the pleasure of being at Jacksonville State. You've seen a lot of changes over the years. You seen a lot of coaches. You are a member of the Sports hall of Fame there. Rightly so. And you have covered, I guess it was five different national championship games that the Gamecocks were involved in.

[Paul]

Right. Let's see. Well, we played in three football and won one of those, and then we won both baseballs and then basketball. So those were obviously very good days at that point in time. So we lost a championship game in the snow.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

I remember that one very well for a while.

[Paul]

Yeah, 1989, your backside's probably still cold from that day. Sitting out here in Florence, Alabama.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

It was a little chilly even in the press box.

[Paul]

Oh, I remember it very well.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

And the reason Mike says that the way he does is because we were running the wishbone offense at the time. Coach Burgess was there, Rick's dad, and we, we had beaten this team on their home field earlier in the year, but when we got up and it snowed, snow is not friendly to a wishbone option offense. It is probably what we would call the worst case scenario.

[Paul]

I'll never forget as long as I live. Rick and I, we were rooming together. We knew that snow was coming in on Friday night. We wake up Saturday morning, I look out the window and I said, you're not going to believe this. And he jumps up, throws the curtain back and looks out. Coach Burgess nickname from his playing days at Auburn was Bullet. He said, this is God's way of telling the Bullet that we're not going to win a national championship today. And we end up losing three to nothing. So. But it was. That's one of those days I'll remember forever. You know, we block a field goal any other day. Eric Davis, who's now back and working in the football program, would have run it back for a touchdown, but he has got no traction taking off and got a few yards with a block field goal, trying to run it back. But they were able to get to him and tackle him to keep him from running it back for a touchdown for us. But it was, you know, obviously not prepared in the south or something like that. Surprise snowstorm like that. And they took the aluminum bleachers or seating that was on the sidelines and tried to go across the field from sideline to sideline to scrape the field. And all they did was pack it down even tighter and make it even icier, I think, on the playing field at that time. So it was just a different day than any other from that standpoint, to play for a championship.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, I think if we had been on the field and on a dry field that day, it would have been a totally different outcome.

[Paul]

Oh, as you mentioned, you know, we had beaten them soundly at their place, beat them 23 to 3, and it really wasn't that close. In fact, at that time, you know, weren't as many teams in the playoffs in Division 2 as there are these days, they had already started packing up equipment. They did not think they were going to the playoffs. And they got a call on that Sunday that they were in at large bid and I guess one of the last teams to get in the 16 team field that year into the playoffs. And then it went in the national championship.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Mike, you've had so many memories and so many great moments. Is there any others that stick out that just you go, I will never ever forget that second and the way I felt.

[Paul]

Well, you know, the first title that we won in 85 basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, and this was before the three point shot, we were down seven with two minutes to go in the game and came back and won it. And you know, that will forever. That bunch. That was only my second year. And I thought, boy, this is pretty cool. This is nice winning a national championship like this. And those guys, I was the same age as all those guys and it was, you know, to be a part of that obviously was special. The first one, Coach Abbott had come close a couple of times and winning titles and then win it back to back In Montgomery in 90 and 91, you know, those games and people say, well, it's division two, it doesn't matter. And I'll never forget, Coach Jones, when the team pulled in from Florence after the championship game in football in 92 and winning it up there and beating a team that you'd lost to in the championship game the year before. Our guys are climbing off the bus and just, you know, happy and some fans there at the field house and everything. And Coach Stone said, you know, these guys don't know right now what level they want. They know they want a national championship. That's all that matters. And that's, you know, if you're at the pinnacle, at the peak of what you can do where you are, that's all you can do. So, you know, that's special at that standpoint. And then since we moved to Division 1, you know, some of the things that stand out, obviously, especially going FBS football, went in the bowl game in New Orleans in 23, went in the Conference USA title this year. And you know, we got to the NIT in basketball this year for the first time ever. We beat Georgia Tech at their place, handed them, you know, beat them handily at their place in the opening round. That's fresh on my mind. And some other our two trips, the NCAA tournament, basketball since we moved to Division I in 2017 and then again in 22, you know, both of those stick out. And you know, baseball, Jim Case had some great runs. We got to the regional final at ole miss in 2019. That's a, you know, that's a big memory for me. And I go back to 2014. That team lost the first game of the tournament, 16 tournament at that time in the Ohio Valley Conference. And we came back through the tournament, eliminated every other team there. We won six straight games Thursday through Saturday or Thursday through Sunday to win the title. Get to an NCAA regional that year. And if you follow baseball and know something about baseball, what those guys did to win six in a row like that, pretty special. And that's a memory that'll stay with me forever.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Also, we're talking with Mike Parish, the voice of the Gamecocks, of course, Jack State University. Mike, one of my favorite memories, and I remember where I was. You were talking about the 85 basketball team. To get to go to the championship, they had to win a game at Southeast Missouri. I believe it was Southeast Missouri. Melvin Allen hits a shot just over the half court line to win the game. And I remember that call. I remember riding where I was at the time. And I tell you, you put me there. The excitement, that was a great memory for me. Now, there's been a lot of them, but I remember that one especially well.

[Paul]

I remember that one, too. Very small gym, Halk Field house, where they used to play at that time. It now serves as home, or it did for their gymnastics program. And I think now with what they've done with football and expanding their facilities, I think it's out now. Part of the fall stuff anyway. We were actually sitting right above the scores table. I mean, this is like an old high school gym in the old days. Sitting right above the scores table, a row or two up. Mike Galloway, then the sports information director, is sitting next to me. Melvin, henceforth the 30 footer and scoops, as he's known to most everybody at Jacksonville State, reaches around and is grabbing me and squeezing me by the neck and yelling, we're going to the Final Four. We're going to the Final Four. And I'm trying to describe and talk about what's going on without all this going on in the midst of all that, too. So it was a memory that also sticks out. And again, that was before three point shot. I teased Bret Jones was on that team and they had a guy that missed two free throws. He hadn't missed a free throw since Christmas or something, I think that year, I don't know. But he was a veteran, experienced guy. Misses two free throws, second miss, we get the rebound and get the pass out to Brett Jones. And it was like a hot Potato. I told him it's the most famous pass ever made in actual state basketball history because he got it to Melvin for the game winning shot. So and another quick item to that, by the way, the following, I think it was Monday after, after we beaten Seymour at their place and getting ready to go to Springfield, Massachusetts. The Anderson Star local newspaper was sort of reenacting, recreating it and doing another story about it. Melvin walks out there, they throw the ball to him and he hits a shot again, nothing but net. At Pete Matthews Coliseum on a few days after he had done it for real, you know, so. But it was, that was a special group and a special bunch. Obviously lost the first game of the season, won 31 in a row and then actually won the first six. I think the next year we had a 37 game winning streak going where we lost our first game the following year.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Mike, what about going to Oxford, Mississippi and beating Ole Miss in football and beating Florida State down there at their place? Those were huge wins for our program.

[Paul]

No doubt about it. Put us on the map, I think, you know, with Division 1 athletics. The game at Ole Miss, it's, you know, we're down what, 31, 13, I think was what it was going to the fourth quarter and scored on the first play of the fourth quarter and got back in the game and, and come from behind to win it. And a lot of their folks thought they had it won, you know, and left. They had Jeremiah Mazzoli had transferred from Washington and they needed a quarterback and they thought he was going to guy, was going to be the guy that would, you know, help him that season. And as it turned out, it wasn't a very good year for them overall, but we shocked them that day. And then you mentioned Florida State in going down there and winning and you know, again in the fall of 21 to win that game. We had almost beaten them a couple of times down there. We played very good the times we've been at Tallahassee. Led him to the final minute of the game back in 2009, which was the year before we won at Ole Miss and they came back and beat us. Ended up being a 19 to 9 final. And then we played them in the fall of 20 during the pandemic and led the game in the third quarter before they came back and won it. And then at 21, got the hail Mary at the end and Johnson, you know, with a catch and got to the end zone. And Ahmad Edwards, who had a pretty good career, solid career as a wide receiver, probably as good a block as you'll ever have from a wide receiver that helped get him to the end zone. And pandemonium at that point in time as well. Even Ray Hammond.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Say that one more time. Even Ray what?

[Paul]

Even. Even Ray Hammett got excited a little bit with that one.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

That night you get to work with probably one of the nicest guys on the planet. That has to be a lot of fun.

[Paul]

He is a prince of a guy. If you don't like Ray Hammett, then there's something wrong with you. I'll just put it that way. It goes back to his coaching days in his high school career as a coach and when I first met him. And we've had a friendship for 40 plus years now. And he does a terrific job in the broadcast as the color analyst and we've had a lot of fun and I greatly enjoy working with him and have all these years.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Mike, I thank you for taking time to talk with us. You're actually on the road, right? You're coming back from vacation?

[Paul]

Coming back from vacation, yeah, getting back. It is almost time to crank it up and get it going for another year here, but got a few more days. But in the next few days to get kick everything for the upcoming season.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You've been around the program a long time. I grew up in Jacksonville, so you know, I remember the 1970s team, Boyce Callahan. I remember when Ralph Brock, later Dieter Brock, played. Can you believe the changes you've seen over that period of time?

[Paul]

You know, when I first came in 1983, Jim Ford was the head coach for that year in 83. And then he left and went back home to Tuscaloosa to become an assistant with Ray Perkins when he replaced Bear Bryant. And we had a coach for one season, 84 left. And then Coach Burgess came in at 85 and had all those great years that we had with him. And then the change, you know, we made the change to go to Division 1. And I'll be honest with you, what we have now, facility wise with the stadium and now with the new football operations center and in our baseball stadium, I just, you know, at that point in time, I go back to August, September 1983. No, I didn't, I didn't think anything like that at Jacksonville State. And I was just thinking the other day, it's hard to believe 2015, we went to the FCS championship game out in Frisco, Texas and we had three home playoff games that year in the NCAA FCS playoffs. Probably the three greatest, three best environments we've ever had, in my opinion, for playoff games at home. It was full for all three games. We had Chattanooga the first game, and then Charleston Southern, a Friday night quarterfinal round game. And then, excuse me, Sam Houston State comes in, semifinal game. We owe them one. They knocked us out of the playoffs previously, beat us at home, and we thumped them pretty good that day. And three of the greatest, most energetic, emotional crowds and hard to believe that's been 10 years. But to me, those are probably as far as football goes, probably the three greatest crowds we've had during my time doing this.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

We're talking with Mike Parish, the voice of the Jack State Gamecocks. Mike, not only have you done a great job, you've had an incredible record of showing up to all the games. I mean, things happen. People get sick. Family members get sick over that period until this past season. Do I understand? Do I have this right? You had not missed a broadcast.

[Paul]

I had not missed a football broadcast. Okay. During that time. And I got. I was with basketball early in the season. We were at the Air Force Academy. They had a freak snowstorm before Thanksgiving and Colorado Springs, even the locals got caught off guard. They actually closed school and shut down roads and things around there. How about that?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

That doesn't have much.

[Paul]

No. And you know, we get to the airport and just as we pull up at the airport, our flight out of there gets canceled. And it was going to be the next day before we could get out. I was going to rent a car and drive, unfortunately, but I couldn't get. I could have got to Denver, but I'd have been in trouble after that because interstates were closed there and from Colorado down into New Mexico. So I couldn't drive to get to Dallas or Ruston, Louisiana, for the game, Louisiana Tech. So that the ball game at Louisiana Tech this past season is the first one I've ever missed in football and I missed one. And I've missed some games in basketball through the years because the overlap of the seasons and I miss baseball games. Well, you couldn't help. You couldn't help schedule, but I missed one in basketball, of all things. This was in. I think it would have been 90. I believe it was February of 93.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

That's a long time ago.

[Paul]

30. I came down with a chicken pox. How about that? It was our final game, final road game of the year. That year we were playing. We were in transition between Division 2 and Division 1. So we were playing a regular season schedule and no conference games whatsoever. It was talk about different. That Was a different year that year, but I missed that game because I came down with a chickenpox right before they took off on the road trip. That's the only game that a sickness wise that I've missed any sport throughout my career. I've been. Now, there've been times I sounded like Mickey Mouse doing games, trying to fight through laryngitis coming on or something, but other than that, that was it.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

There's a lot of irony being the voice of the Gamecocks and having chickenpox.

[Paul]

Unbelievable. I didn't know. Worst headache I've ever had in my life. What started all of it, Mike. I knew something was wrong in.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Let me ask you this because I get asked this a lot. Talk to me and tell everybody about how you prepare for a game. You have a lot of notes, you have a lot of information. Tell us how you prepare and how do you remember all these things?

[Paul]

Well, first off, as you mentioned, the game notes and you know, we've been. I've been blessed. We've been blessed at Jacksonville State with some great sports information. People scoop Mike Galloway, Greg Seitz, Josh Underwood, from a football standpoint, now, Donnie Smith and you know, other guys through the years. Daniel Porter's still there now in a different role, but him and other guys through the years, Tony Schmidt still there at this point in time, but they've been great. You know, you get the game notes from them, you get the opponents game notes. You go through that, you get stuff from the, you know, the conference, the league that you're in, they'll send out some stuff throughout the week as well. So you've got all that to go through. And my dad used to say and would tell people that I learned to read by picking up the sports page in the newspaper. And at one time when I was younger, you know, I could remember names and numbers and I knew everybody in Major League Baseball who they played for, what their number was and all that. Baseball, basketball, football, quite honestly, NFL, Major League Baseball and the NBA. As I've gotten older, you know, I don't worry about all that anymore with all the teams and everything. But it started at a young age like that. And, you know, preparing for football is a little different because obviously the rosters are much larger than they are in the other sports. But there's really, with football and with basketball, most of the time there's more information with those to. Than there is with baseball. It's gotten a lot better in baseball through the years. At one time, really, you didn't get a Whole lot of information in baseball because they're just, you know, at one time there probably wasn't a whole lot of emphasis, as much as there is now put on baseball. So. But that's been, you know, you've got all that to go through. And I'll usually start most of the time, game play out on Saturday, I'll start Sunday afternoon doing some stuff, you know, on us, so to speak, Jack State and looking at the opponent and then, you know, cranking into full gear, doing the depth chart and notes on the guys on the depth chart there, and trying to get names and numbers associated that way. And it's different now in that regard with the transfer portal. Cause especially with, you know, with our team from year to year, you know, all the guys coming back and there wasn't a whole lot of turnover except for the seniors. And, you know, now sometimes, at least the last few years, it seems like it's a whole new team every year, no matter the sport. And same way with your opponents, the leagues, you know, the league that you're in. You knew the guys would be returning and coming back and had an idea and already, you know, knew some things about them before the season started. But again, with a. With a transfer portal and guys and gals in and out and everything, it's. It's a whole new world now as far as preparation goes, Mike, to some.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Of the young folks who may be listening to this thinking, and we deal with a lot of those at Jack State, you know, coming through the communications program. But talk a little bit about how you got started. Where did you actually get your start, and how should somebody go about that today that's really interested in that?

[Paul]

Well, I was a wannabe athlete that didn't have a whole lot of athletic ability. I wanted to get involved in sports in some way. And I actually went to broadcasting school straight out of high school is what I did. I went to broadcasting school in Atlanta. And that led. There was a guy I'd been through, there was the program director, AM FM combo in Carrollton, Georgia. So that's where I got my start in 1979 in Carrollton, Georgia. I worked there. I walked in and after talking to the general manager, he knew I had an interest in sports. So basically he told me, he said, you come up with something, if we can sell it, we'll do it. And he turned me loose and basically let me go as far as broadcast goes. So my first football broadcast was a region championship game back in 1979. And I got to do a few Years at Carrollton High School. Charlie Grisham, one of the most successful coaches in Georgia high school football history. Jacksonville State graduate, He's in the Jacksonville State hall of Fame. So that was, you know, one of my first introductions to Jacksonville State was through him, quite honestly. But I started in Carrollton doing football and basketball and worked there from 1979 until right before football season started in 83. And you will remember this and people from the local area, Calhoun county, remember channel 40 was in Anniston one time and I had a connection from the Carrollton area with Phil Cox and someone made a call to Phil Cox for me and actually I went to Anderson and did an audition for television to do something TV wise but. And he thought, and you remember Mike Scrub?

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Oh very well, love Mike.

[Paul]

And I, I think the rumor was that Mike was had a job or was close to getting a job and might be leaving or whatnot. Then as it turned out he did not leave. And so they didn't have an opening. And Phil Cox told me, he said, look, if you want to do news, I'll put you to work right now. You start right now if you want to do news. And I had no interest whatsoever in doing news. And so he said, well, I'll tell you what he said, I'll take your stuff and I will pass it downstairs to Malcolm Street. So that's, you know, they were the old radio building downtown Anniston. So yeah, that's TV40 was on the fourth floor and WHMA AM and FM on the second floor of the radio building. And so he sent my stuff to Malcolm and it went from there. And he was, he was getting near the end of his career and was ready to step down, step aside. I think he wanted to do some traveling and things like that. So that opened the door and I actually came to work the week high school football season started in August of 83.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, Mike Scruggs is such a funny guy. You brought him up. I used to switch newscast upstairs, you may remember, I used to come down to run the EBS test. But Mike was so funny because he would take his hand like he was talking in a microphone every time I saw him in the hall and he would come up and he'd lean on me and he'd go. Bussy was recruited as a fleet footed wide receiver but was quickly moved to guard.

[Paul]

That sounds like him. Oh, he was, I gotta tell this story. So we're in transition from Division 2 to Division 1 in 1993. We go to, we're on Our way to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to play at James Madison. And it's a haul from. From Anniston, Jacksonville to Harrisonburg, Virginia. You go up to Knoxville, hit I81 and go up that way. So we've been traveling and, you know, Mr. Scruggs was. Was a smoker.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Yes.

[Paul]

Yeah, he wanted. He wanted to ride with us. Hitchhik, no problem. But you just can't smoke in the vehicle. He said, okay, no problem. So we're going to stop and eat in Abington, Virginia, somewhere like that on the way up, you know, and we're all hungry and ready to eat, ready to stop and get out of the van. So we pull into the parking lot. Joe Whitmore, who was working on the crew at that time, doing sidelines and whatnot. Joe. We pull into a Cracker Barrel. Joe jumps out, runs in because it was covered up, put our name on the list, as he did at that time, and came back, said, it's, let's keep going. But Scruggs is sitting right at the door, the side door of the van, with his cigarette package out, already got a cigarette in his hand and the lighter ready to light it up as soon as we open the door for him to get out. And he looked like a kid that didn't get his puppy he wanted for Christmas or something. When I pulled the van around, it just kept on going and went out of the parking lot. It was wonderful. If we could have had, you know, if we'd had cell phones and taken pictures, well, there'd been some good memes out of that, I tell you.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

You know, I think we're all glad there was no recording devices back then, but some great memories, some great characters. Mike, I could talk to you for two hours about some of these things, but I know you're driving back and you've been very generous with your time and you. And tell your wife thank you for letting me borrow you for a few minutes, but we're very honored to have you. And I speak as a fan at Jacksonville State, and I'm also very honored to be working with you, and we have such a great lineup of talent there, and it's just, you know, we've accomplished a lot of great things, and I think we have even more to go, and we're glad to be on the team. Will you, brother?

[Paul]

Well, listen, I enjoy it. I'm looking forward to this season. Looking forward to working with Charles Kelly. I knew him from his days gone by when he was on Coach Burgess staff, and then with Mike Williams as well. So I'm looking forward to it. Glad you're part of it. Glad you're in charge and you get to make all those decisions now, too.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Listen, I just serve the talent. I just serve the talent. I'm like the waiter going from table to table taking orders. I just hope y' all tell. Yeah, I hope y' all tip good when the bill comes. You know Mike Paris, the voice of the Jack State Gamecocks. Mike, thanks for being with us. Drive safe and we will talk to you again soon.

[Paul]

Thank you, Bubba.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Thank you. Mike is does a wonderful job. We're very lucky to have him. I mean, honestly, he could have left several times and he decided to stay. And we're very excited to have him at Jacksonville State University. We'll be back in just a minute. Thank you for being with us.

[Lori Manik]

You're listening to Bubba, Bubba on the Lake.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

At Central State bank, we believe community banking is more than just transactions. It's about relationships. For over 100 years, we've been helping neighbors grow, businesses thrive and dreams become reality. Because when you bank local, you invest in 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 Dr. Thomas Dudney has been my family's dentist for over 20 years. And about that same time, 20 years ago, he gave me a new smile with veneers. And let me tell you, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had no idea how people interacted with you so differently, personally and professionally. If you had a nice smile and you could smile at them. Right now is a great time to check with Dr. Dudney about the possibilities of upgrading your smile. 205-663-6545 or visit thomasdudney.com folks, thank you so much for tuning into the podcast. We're running a little bit long, but wanted to get those interviews in. Thank you very much for hanging with us. It is the fourth of July weekend when we're recording this. I want everybody to have fun, but be safe out there. We'd rather talk to you than read about you. Thank you for being a part of Bubba on the Lake and we will talk to you again soon. And remember, being on the lake is more about a state of mind than a location. Take care.

[Paul]

You're listening to Bubba on the Lake. Hit me Bad.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

A production of intergalactic pants and tees.

[Lori Manik]

All rights reserved.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

A lot of life can happen between sips of Dasani. You know, the life moments big and small that are worth getting thirsty for. Like organizing a family movie night under the stars, or hearing an old favorite.

[Lori Manik]

Song and having an impromptu dance.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

Or finding a new dinner recipe that.

[Lori Manik]

The whole family loves.

[Bill Bubba Bussi]

The crisp, clean taste of Dasani was made for all of life's thirst worthy moments. Dasani because life happens between sips, this podcast is brought to you in part by Coke, Buffalo Wild Wings, Southern Immediate Care Guaranteed Labels, Central State Bank, Sunrise Docks, Bankers Bounty Dr. Thomas Dudney and the Green Monster Fishing Light.