The Doctor is In

Elliott & David talk playoffs with Basketball Hall of Famer & ESPN Analyst Dr. Jack Ramsay. Then – media consultant & former news anchor Joan Esposito tells us about the state of braodcast news.

Episode Segments:

Sports & Torts: Dr. Jack Ramsay We go inside the NBA playoffs with Dr. Jack, who shares his insight on the Bulls, Tom Thibodeau, the Pacers, the Celtics & more. Plus – why Jack didn’t pick Derrick Rose as MVP.
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Sports & Torts: Joan Espositio Joan talks about the changing landscape of television news, and broadcasting in general, making the transition from the anchor desk to media coach. Also, stories about some of her favorite stories she covered & sharing the anchor desk with Fahey Flynn
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Joan Esposito For two decades Joan was one of Chicago¹s most popular and highly rated television news anchors. She made her mark in the Windy City first at WGN-TV, then ABC/WLS where Joan spent ten years reporting and anchoring the 5pm newscast. She then moved to NBC/WMAQ where she anchored various shows and handled all of the stations Medical reporting. During her years at NBC, she was also called to New York and NBC'S Today Show, to both guest host, and anchor the news segments. Joan’s television work has won numerous broadcasting awards, including the Emmy, Peter Lisagor, and Associated Press “Best Reporter for the State of Illinois”. In addition to her impressive television news credentials, Joan also has extensive radio (news and talk) experience. Documentary production rounds out her impressive list of broadcast credentials. In the movie world, Joan has been called on to play herself in feature film’s like Backdraft and Cheaters. J2SC Strategic Communications

Jack Ramsay After coaching in the high school and minor-league ranks for the early postwar years, he became head coach at his alma mater, Saint Joseph's College, in 1955. In his first season, Ramsay would lead the Hawks to their first Big 5 crown and their first-ever postseason berth (in the NIT). Ramsay would remain there through 1966, leading the Hawks to six more Big 5 crowns and ten postseason appearances (including a Final Four) in all. Immediately after leaving Saint Joseph's, he was hired as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, who won an NBA title in his first season in the front office. In 1968, he left the front office to take over as head coach of the Sixers. In his four seasons as coach, he led the team to three playoff appearances. However, he traded away future Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Chet Walker. While these trades may have made sense on paper, Ramsay got very little in return. While the Sixers continued to contend during his tenure on the bench, it was obvious that they were nowhere near the powerhouse they had once been. The collapse came in 1971-72, when the Sixers tumbled to a 30-52 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in their history (dating all the way back to 1946, when they were still the Syracuse Nationals). After the season, Ramsay took the head coaching job with the Buffalo Braves. His tenure was almost a mirror image of his time with the Sixers—four seasons, three playoff berths; however, he did not leave Buffalo in the sort of wreckage that had occurred in Philadelphia. His next coaching stop in the NBA was his most famous, with the Portland Trail Blazers. When he arrived in 1976, the Blazers had not made the playoffs or compiled a winning record in their six-year history. However, he arrived just as a young team, led by Bill Walton, started to gel, and also benefited from the ABA dispersal draft in the 1976 off-season, in which the Blazers picked up hard-nosed power forward Maurice Lucas. In his first season in Portland (1977), Ramsay led the Blazers to their first and only NBA title to date. In his second season, the Blazers were 50-10 after 60 games and favored to repeat as champions before the always-fragile Walton, in the midst of a season in which he would be named the league MVP, broke his foot, the first of numerous major injuries to his legs and ankles that radically shortened his career (though he managed to stay in the league until 1987). Ramsay continued to coach the Blazers until 1986 with general success, although he was never able to approach the level of his first seasons there. During his last nine seasons in Portland, the Blazers only won two playoff series. He also coached the Western Conference side in the 1978 All-Star Game. Ramsay took over as coach of the Indiana Pacers for the 1986-87 season, leading them to only their second non-losing record as an NBA team. However, he was never able to duplicate that success, and was fired midway through the 1988-89 season. At that time, he was second on the all-time wins list for NBA coaches, trailing Red Auerbach. Ramsay later spent nine years as a television color commentator for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat, and continues to do NBA game commentary for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio. Dr. Jack worked for the Miami Heat from 1992 until 2002. The games were broadcast from South Florida's Sunshine Network (now Sun Sports), Fox Sports Florida, and sometimes local Miami station WBFS (then a UPN affiliate). Ramsay worked alongside announcer Eric Reid, who still works Miami Heat games. In addition to his TV and radio work, Ramsay has also authored several books, including The Coach's Art and Dr. Jack's Leadership Lessons Learned From a Lifetime in Basketbal. Ramsay was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach on May 11, 1992. He was named one of the ten greatest coaches of all time in 1996. Dr. Jack's NBA & ABA Coaching Record