The Unforgotten – “Remembering Slick with David and Mat Jr.”

Podcast: The Unforgotten
Producers: Free Range Productions
Episode: Bonus Episode: Remembering Slick with David and Mat Jr.
Date: October 13, 2025
Season Context: Season 3, “Finding Dolores Wulff”: Investigating a 41-year-old missing-person case in California.
Guests: Matt Rocha Jr. and David Rocha (sons of Matthew "Slick" Rocha)
Hosts: Adam Rittenberg & Kyle Bonagura

Episode Overview

This bonus episode is dedicated to the memory of Matthew “Slick” Rocha—a prominent figure in the Woodland community, Vietnam veteran, and central personality in the unfolding story of the Wulff family. Hosted by Adam Rittenberg and Kyle Bonagura, the episode features an intimate conversation with Slick’s sons, Matt Jr. and David, who share stories about their father’s extraordinary life, his community legacy, and the impact he left on his family and town. Listeners are treated to personal anecdotes that reveal an athlete, mentor, prankster, and a man of deep integrity wrestling with a difficult past.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Community Reaction to the Podcast (05:21–07:29)

• Matt Rocha Jr. describes the outpouring of messages from people who knew Slick, many expressing surprise at his military history and marveling at his renowned physical and mental toughness.
  • "A lot of people were just sending me text messages that just said, like, wow." (05:21)
• David Rocha notes that while many only knew his father’s reputation in local sports, the podcast revealed a more complete and often stunning portrait.
  • "A lot of my kids' friends, they're just like, this is unbelievable that was your father." (06:06)

2. The Pride of Being Slick’s Sons (03:05–03:59, 07:29–08:58)

• The brothers voice pride in sharing their father’s story and the opportunity to show the world more than just the “headline” stories.
  • "Any time spent discussing Slick is time well spent, no doubt." – Kyle Bonagura (03:59)
• Matt Rocha Jr. underscores how podcasting allowed their father’s life to be celebrated in detail.
  • Describes sharing stories not previously known, like the nuances of Slick’s feelings about his military service. (07:45)

3. Slick’s Military Service and His Emotional Burden (07:53–08:14, 14:01–15:34, 23:32–26:22)

• The sons reflect on their father's complex feelings about his time in Vietnam, including regrets and empathy towards young Vietnamese soldiers, and his struggles processing those experiences.
  • "He told me he felt terrible because the Vietnamese people were small and… a lot of them were teenagers." – Matt Rocha Jr. (07:56, 08:06)
• Both brothers learned much about this part of his life only as young adults; Matt Jr. was so incredulous that he double-checked Slick’s stories with a military historian.
  • "I thought this… doesn’t seem real. But then after several years... he would tell me all these stories. I didn't tell anybody." – Matt Rocha Jr. (24:01)
• The act of sharing his combat experiences late in life allowed their father to feel a measure of relief from his emotional burden.
  • "I think it took a lot of weight off his shoulders. I think being able to share that… he didn't feel probably the way he did when it was happening." – David Rocha (26:50)

4. Slick the Athlete: Legendary Local Status (06:06–12:02)

• Slick’s athletic prowess, especially in softball, is legendary—hitting long home runs, winning world titles, and pitching in high-level games even in his 60s.
  • "My dad was just pure slow pitch at 65, but he was still hitting 300-footers at 80 over the fence... He stopped in his 81 or 82 and he quit. He says, 'I'm not playing anymore. I can't hit it out.'" – Matt Rocha Jr. (11:18)
• Anecdotes showcase his competitiveness and his humor, such as refusing to continue playing when he could no longer hit home runs.

5. Slick as a Coach and Mentor (15:34–23:32, 19:33–21:56)

• Both sons inherited his love of community coaching. Slick’s coaching style was defined by levity, encouragement, extreme fairness, and above all, a lack of ego.
  • "He would say, you can kiss more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Basically saying complimenting kids is better than brightening their ass." – Matt Rocha Jr. (19:54)
  • "He was never a hard coach at all. And I think that's what made a lot of kids want to play for him." – David Rocha (20:26)
• Slick often gave players unique nicknames, sometimes forgetting their real names but never the nickname—a personal touch that stuck with kids and families for years.
  • “Even at the end when he was living here... when my son would walk out, he would say, ‘Bumper, you’re the only one I can trust.’” – David Rocha (18:49)

6. Reputation for Integrity and Generosity (23:03–24:50, 36:29–39:09)

• The sons both recount how Slick taught them and others by example, stressing ethics (like returning over-given change).
  • “He was super ethical, and that was something he taught to us at a young age.” – Matt Rocha Jr. (23:03)
• Generosity defined Slick, especially in his later years, supporting relatives, paying bills, and quietly helping others.
  • “He’d given you 99 cents of his dollar if you needed it.” – Matt Rocha Jr. (36:34)
  • “I found years and years of old checkbooks... so much money. He was paying for people’s bills within the family, supporting them, basically.” – David Rocha (36:39)

7. Character and Humor: Memorable Anecdotes (16:56–18:41, 28:19–30:29, 33:35–35:49)

• Slick’s playful personality ran deep: from naming kids after family pigs (“Jethro and Homer”) to wild pig-wrangling feats (literally lifting and throwing a 200lb pig) and stories of superhuman strength (ripping a store door off its hinges to free a trapped child).
  • “Your dad is Popeye, dude. He just threw this pig over like a three foot fence.” – Matt Rocha Jr. (29:29)
• He had little patience for ceremony or materialism, delighted in practical jokes, and was often oblivious to the cost of things or birthdays—including forgetting his own son’s 40th birthday mid-celebration (33:35–35:49).

8. Processing Family Trauma: Dolores and Healing (39:20–41:36)

• The identification of Dolores’s remains brought an emotional shift for Slick, allowing him to focus on good memories with his sister after decades of grief and secrecy.
  • “After that, you know, he really started focusing on everything that was good that happened during their life.” – David Rocha (39:45)
  • “She took care of him. She was a big sister that probably fed him and made sure he took a shower, took care of himself...” – Matt Rocha Jr. (41:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "A lot of people were just sending me text messages that just said, like, wow." – Matt Rocha Jr. (05:21)
• "My dad was just pure slow pitch at 65, but he was still hitting 300-footers at 80 over the fence." – Matt Rocha Jr. (11:18)
• "He would say, you can kiss more flies with honey than you can with vinegar." – Matt Rocha Jr. (19:54)
• "He'd given you 99 cents of his dollar if you needed it." – Matt Rocha Jr. (36:34)
• "Your dad is Popeye, dude. He just threw this pig over like a three foot fence." – Matt Rocha Jr. (29:29)
• "She was a big sister that probably fed him and made sure he took a shower, took care of himself..." – Matt Rocha Jr. (41:00)
• "After that, you know, he really started focusing on everything that was good that happened during their life." – David Rocha (39:45)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Community reflections & initial reactions: 05:21–07:29
• Softball legend stories & athletic feats: 08:58–12:02
• Ethics, generosity, and life lessons: 23:03–24:50, 36:29–39:09
• Military revelations and emotional impact: 14:01–15:34, 23:32–26:22
• Coaching style, mentorship, and nicknaming: 15:34–21:56
• Processing loss and closing family wounds: 39:20–41:36

Tone & Storytelling Style

The tone is conversational, reverent, often humorous, and open-hearted. The Rocha brothers candidly celebrate their father's quirks and resilience, passing on lessons about integrity, community leadership, and how to endure and overcome hardships.

Key Takeaways

• Slick was a larger-than-life figure whose legacy in Woodland as a mentor, athlete, and Vietnam vet transformed the lives of those who knew him—even as he wrestled with family secrets and trauma.
• Through colorful stories and heartfelt memories, Matt and David Rocha offer a humanizing portrait, blending the mythic and the mundane, and affirming the episode’s subtitle: Slick is truly “unforgotten.”