No Place I'd Rather Be …

45 years ago today, "Norma Rae" was just released and number one at the box office, Rod Stewart’s "Do Ya Think I’m Sexy" topped the charts of the Billboard Hot 100, and the St. John’s University basketball team was on its way to Mankato for what we have already established as one of the greatest contests in St. John's athletic history. Today we bring it to you as it was heard over the air waves all those years ago … unadulterated, straight from the mouth of the legendary Connie O … so sit back, relax, and enjoy the sounds of 1979 coming straight at ya … right now … on "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." 

This week, as the johnnies wrap up the regular season, we welcome Luke Budzyn and Griffin Rushin to the program to talk with the guys about the recruitment process, their approach off the bench, some housing plans for senior year, and Gary’s Pizza takes one from the top rope on our weekly late night food debate. ...And that was Luke Budzyn and Griffin Rushin. Thanks guys for taking the time. The Johnnies picked up a pair of wins against St. Olaf and at Gustavus to secure the regular season conference title and the top seed heading into the conference tournament. But first, the Johnnies host Bethel tonight in a valentines day duel at Sexton Arena, right here, in Collegeville. And speaking of hosting, the Johnnies begin their post season Thursday, Feb. 22 as they welcome one of the winners from Tuesday's two quarterfinal matchups, which is the same night coach Jim Smith will receive a very special honor. From the St. John's University newsroom: “Hall of Fame Coach Jim Smith to receive Saint John's University Presidential Medal. Please join us for a very special award presentation to Hall of Fame Coach Jim Smith during halftime of the Johnnies upcoming MIAC basketball playoff semi-final contest at Sexton Arena on Thursday evening, Feb. 22. Game time is 7 p.m. CSB+SJU President Brian Bruess will present Jim with the Saint John’s University Presidential Medal in recognition of his commitment to inspiring his players to achieve their highest potential as athletes, as students and as principled men educated in the Benedictine tradition over his extraordinary 51-year career. Congratulations Jim!”This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

We are very excited to bring you today's program as we close out season two with '94 grad Travis Weiss along with the last minute addition of our very special guest Bob Alpers, who aside from being athletic director and a hall of fame golf coach was an assistant basketball coach for 20 years and had a front row seat to just how humble and team-oriented Weiss was. They changed the offense because of his particular set of skills and Coach Smith had to implement rules to get him to shoot more. Can you imagine? But that was all with good reason as Weiss was selected to the all-conference team his junior and senior seasons and was conference mvp and first-team all-region his senior year. Which was the season he set the NCAA all-divisions record for field goal percentage in a season at 76.6 percent, a record that stood until the 2008-2009 season. ...And that's a wrap on season two of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." But don't fret ... your favorite podcast about Johnnie Basketball will be back next week with another brand new episode of "On the Court." And the Benchwarmers team has lots of great bonus content planned for the very near future.  We cannot give a big enough thank you to all of you out there listening for the tremendous support this season. We love what we and we are grateful for the opportunity. So to everyone who makes that possible, thank you. This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Travis Weiss for all the great stories and to Bob Alpers for making the time to join us on short notice. Thank you, as always, to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings, ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

This week senior manager Ethan Youso took a few minutes before Monday's game to talk to the guys about his plans after graduation, why he came to St. John's and his role with the team. ...Thanks Ethan for taking the time.The Johnnies put on a show Saturday for all those in attendance for alumni/senior day. with a record-setting performance from behind the arc in a win over St. Scholastica. with 21 threes made on 34 attempts. A staggering 11 of those threes came from Kooper Vaughn, who tied a school record set by Larry Bassett at Macalester in February 1992. Vaughn was 12 of 17 from the field and made all three of his free throws to finish with 38 points. He grabbed five boards and had one assist and one steal. Which I'm pretty sure all adds up to one of the all-time great performances in Johnnie basketball history. Accentuated only by the 101-62 final score. Which was followed up with a heartbreaking loss at home Monday night to Concordia by the thinnest of margins – 79-80. Conference play continues tonight as the Johnnies welcome St. Olaf for their penultimate home game of the regular season and then travel to Gustavis Saturday, with the regular season finale against Bethel set for one week from today at sexton arena. right here in Collegeville. Catch all the exciting live action right on their website at gojohnnies.com. This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

Today, we step off the court and welcome one of the staunchest and longest-tenured supporters of St. John's basketball, ‘58 grad Jim Bassett, who is the 2024 recipient of the Father Walter Reger Distinguished Alumnus Award, which recognizes outstanding service to the Saint John's community and is the highest honor given by the Alumni Association. And, as we’ll hear all about on today’s episode, the former alumni board president didn’t find much to enjoy during his initial encounters with the university. But all that changed. And six sons and two daughters have since graced the halls of St. John’s and St. Ben’s. Along the way, Bassett became a fixture of the Johnnie basketball program, fostering a friendship with the head coach that continues to this day. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Jim Bassett for all the great stories and years of support for Johnnie basketball. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings, ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

This week sophomore Kyle Johnson and junior Luke Healy were kind enough to take some time to talk with the guys about game prep, their approach as they come off the bench as well as how they got to St. John’s in the first place. And the late night food debate rages on as we elicit a spirited defense of Gary's Pizza. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

Today we get to the conclusion of our conversation with ‘87 grad Phil Johnson and ‘84 grad John Wiehoff. Both of whom played key roles in making the ‘80s one of the most successful decades in Johnnie basketball history. With a couple more timely interjections from one of our hosts, Tom Connell, ‘84, whose no slouch himself. But that’s for another time. And this being part two, as always, part one is highly recommended. I mean, nothing hits quite like nostalgia and that just so happens to be what we do best here at Benchwarmers Media. Sort of pushing the sand back up through the hourglass. And again, thanks to the hosts for doing such a good job of keeping it on the rails during this conversation so we could just let it roll from start to finish....This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Phil Johnson and John Wiehoff for sharing their time and stories. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings, ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

This week we circle back with head basketball coach Pat McKenzie as he joins the guys from the road for a mid-season check-in. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

On today’s episode we are lucky enough to have Phil Johnson and John Wiehoff. Two seminal figures in SJU basketball history during what was one of the most sustained stretches of on-court success seen in Collegeville. From 1976 to 1988 the Johnnies appeared in the national tournament 10 of those 12 years. Wiehoff and Johnson were right in the middle of that run through the ‘80s. Johnson was All-MIAC and All-Region (both first team) in ‘85-’86 and ‘86-’87, with an MVP-caliber year in ‘85-’86, which is not hyperbole since he was voted MIAC Most Valuable Player for that year. Wiehoff also was twice an All-MIAC selection in ‘82-’83 and ‘83-’84 and earned Academic All-American honors in 1983. So … it became clear pretty quickly that what was originally going to be one episode needed to be two. Not only that, but the conversation flowed so smoothly that we’re trying something new by presenting this conversation to you as it went down. Start to finish. Beginning to middle today. Middle to end next week. All with a few touches of color along the way from a major player in the majority of what follows – our very own Tom Connell. So here they are – Phil Johnson, John Wiehoff and Coach Smith with hosts Tom Connell and John Russett....This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Phil Johnson and John Wiehoff for being so gracious and willing to share their stories. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

This week juniors Zach Longueville and Kooper Vaughn sit down with the guys to talk about the team, what makes them such a tight group and a little about their own paths to collegeville. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

Today, we venture into new territory as we welcome Steve Fritz … yes, that Steve Fritz … the one who played at St. Thomas University from 1967-71 … joined the coaching staff under Tom Feely … took over the program in 1980 … won an NCAA Division III championship in his final season as head coach in 2011 after 40 seasons on the bench … 31 of those as head coach … during that tenure he had a decorated playing career and his 1,944 career points … a school record at the time and remains second in school history. His 915 career rebounds is still third all-time in school history. Between his playing and coaching career he was a part of Tommie basketball for 1,199 consecutive games. His teams reached the NCAA tourney 12 times and Fritz was named MIAC coach of the year 14 times … as well as ending his career with more than two decades as athletic director. And if you’re still with us after all that effusive praise for an individual at least partially responsible for much consternation on the part of Johnnie fans over four and a half decades I know you’re going to love this episode. A conversation between two good friends who happen to be two of the most successful coaches in the history of Minnesota basketball. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Steve Fritz, for his willingness to entrust us with his stories. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

We are back and excited to bring you the conclusion of our time with Bill Sexton and his son Jim. If you haven’t listened to the first part of our conversation you should know how this works by now. What are you waiting for? Do it now … go ahead. For the rest of you, today we hear more from the man who has left an indelible mark in Collegeville from the time he first graced the campus in the the early 50s all the way to present day. A kid from the lumberyards of Jasper, Minnesota who was instrumental in bringing the national basketball association back to the twin cities. Here’s Bill sexton, '55, and Jim Sexton, '81 … with hosts Tom Connell and John Russett. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Bill and Jim Sexton for carving out some of their busy schedule to share some stories. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to see what it's all about. Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com.  

Happy Holidays! We’re off this week, but wanted to take the time to say we hope you all are getting exactly what you need from this holiday season. We’ll be back next week to bring to you the conclusion of our two-part episode with Bill Sexton, which leaves you plenty of time to get all caught up before then. All episodes of No Place I'd Rather Be ...  are available on your favorite podcast app or at benchwarmersmedia.com. Speaking of websites with lots of cool stuff to check out are you a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association? You should be! Sign up right now to join the Johnnie Basketball Nation and connect with old teammates and friends, flip through old photos, even listen to episodes of the podcast. Founded and managed by SJU basketball alumni and friends, the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association exists to foster the already formidable Johnnie Basketball Nation. Go to johnniebasketballalumni.org to sign up today. We truly appreciate each and every one of you out there who listens to our show. We hope you all had a merry Christmas and are looking forward to an exciting new year.Become a member of the Johnnie Basketball Alumni Association today! https://www.johnniebasketballalumni.org/

From time to time certain names carry certain reputations which tend to to precede their owner. There are fewer names, however, which are so ubiquitous it’s hard to imagine them being attached to an actual human being. The subject of the next two episodes of our show happens to be among the latter. When it comes to St. John’s University, the Sexton name can be found all over campus, from the Sexton Commons to Sexton Arena ... and we'll just leave it at that for now. But the first place Bill Sexton’s name was etched into the history of Collegeville was on the basketball court, where he set the single-game record for total points with 49. A scoring outburst that has remained untouched by any Johnnie since he set the mark March 1, 1954 in a season-ending victory over Macalester.  A performance that secured him the conference scoring crown his junior season … 1,480 career points set him atop the school's scoring ledger and remains fifth today. He was the first Johnnie to earn two All-MIAC selections as well as the first to be named an All-American when he was selected to the All-NAIA third team in 1954. But as we’ll learn over the next two episodes, the caring spirit that has graced Collegeville for more than 70 years has left in his wake a trail of genuine generosity that continues to be on full display wherever Bill Sexton can be found....This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Bill and Jim Sexton for carving out some of their busy schedule to share some stories. And thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Thank you as always to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

Senior team managers Ryan Engel and Tommy Ornburg take some time during their trip to Florida to talk to the guys about their journey to Collegeville, the responsibilities and challenges of the manager role, what makes it all worth it as well as some plans for after graduation.  ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com.

Last week we heard all about what set the class of '79 apart from the rest. If you haven’t, go back and listen to last week’s episode first. Because today, as the conversation shifts to their senior season, we get a glimpse at just how special that group was, as we relive one of the greatest games during one of the greatest seasons in the history of basketball in Minnesota. And there’s a good chance even that is selling it short.Same lineup as last time. Let’s get back at it as Coach Smith, Ted Nowak, Paul Wotta,  Dan Smith, and Frank Wachlarowicz join hosts Tom Connell and John Russett. ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Frank Wachlarowicz, Dan Smith, Ted Nowak and Paul Wotta for hanging out and telling some stories. Special thank you to alum Joe Hoesly '77 for making the Wayzata Country Club boardroom available to help make this roundtable discussion possible.  And, of course, thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities.Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

St. John's University seniors Brandon Adelman, J.T. Gaffney and Connor Schwob sit down with the guys this week to talk continue with the theme of new offense and scoring a bunch as well what to do over the holiday break and plans for after graduation.  ...This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com.

Frank Wachlarowicz … John Patterson … Dan Smith … Ted Nowak … Pat McKenzie … Paul Wotta … and John Harvey … never before or since has a single class contributed to more on-court success than that of the class of '79. It’s the stuff of legends. Running the table in the conference all the way to 27-straight wins. Frank breaking the all-time scoring record during what has been hailed by those in attendance as one of the greatest college basketball games ever played … an overtime win over Mankato State to send the victorious Johnnies to the national tournament in Kansas City back-to-back years. And we’ll get there. Just not today, because what makes the story so compelling about the seven players from the class of '79 who touched greatness goes well beyond what they achieved their final season together. So first, we get at a little of the origin story of one the most dominant teams in Minnesota basketball history as Dan Smith, Paul Wotta, Ted Nowak and Frank Wachlarowicz join Coach Smith alongside hosts Tom Connell and John Russett. ... This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Frank Wachlarowicz, Dan Smith, Ted Nowak and Paul Wotta for hanging out and telling some stories. Special thank you to alum Joe Hoesly '77 for making the Wayzata Country Club boardroom available to help make this roundtable discussion possible.  And, of course, thank you to Johnnie alum Steve Cummings ‘83, at Nova Consulting, for the use of their beautiful facilities. Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com. 

Today, we break new ground as we welcome two current players to the show. Ryan Thissen and Blake Berg take some time to talk to the guys about the team's new offensive approach, their own telepathic defense and what got them to Collegeville in the first place.  ... This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible.Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today.Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com.

Frank Wachlarowicz's accomplishments on the court set him in a class all by himself. His 2,357 career points remained the pinnacle of Minnesota collegiate basketball for roughly four decades and is still atop the MIAC and SJU record books. His 1,093 career rebounds and 162 free throws in a season also remain as school and conference records. And his 640-point season and 565 career free throws are still more than anyone else in school history. Put all that together and you get back-to-back MIAC MVP honors his junior and senior seasons, the only two-time basketball All-American selection from SJU and a tryout with the Boston Celtics. But, as we continue our conversation with Mr. Frank on today's episode, it was always about something slightly more elusive than a full stat sheet even if that was often the result.  ... This season of "No Place I'd Rather Be ..." is sponsored by the Sexton Family Foundation, helping usher in the next generation of leaders. And Sixth Man Enterprises, creating a state of readiness. Thank you for making this project possible. Thank you to Coach Jim Smith, whose new book with former player '69 grad Paul Bernabei chronicling the history of 123 seasons of basketball in Collegeville is available for purchase through the Saint John’s University Bookstore. Proceeds from the book are donated to the Jim Smith Endowment Basketball Leadership Program Fund to enhance and strengthen the SJU basketball experience. Get yourself a copy today. Take a look through the record books, learn more about the success-filled history of Johnnie basketball, watch live games and stay up-to-date on all Johnnies sports action at gojohnnies.com.