Latest / Ask The Experts / A Conversation with Karl Winter, Sports Director at WKOW-TV

Transcript

A Conversation with Karl Winter, Sports Director at WKOW-TV · Ask The Experts

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Eight thirty three, thirteen ten WIBA Madison in the morning,
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: Sean Praible with you joined in studio by WKW Channel
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: twenty sevens sports director Carl Winter. Carl, how you doing.
• 0:12
  Speaker 2: I'm doing great, Sean. It's great to join you this morning.
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: Great to be here.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: It's great to have you here in studio and I
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: get a chance to talk with you. And for folks
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: that don't know, you came to Madison in August, so
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: just in time for falling winter. But you're not You
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: are not a newbie to Wisconsin. You were up in
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: Green Bay previously, weren't you.
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, And I got here for me as a
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: sports guy just in time for football season. My first
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: week of work was the first of high school football.
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: But yeah, coming from Green Bay, I got to experience
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: the Packers season for the last two years up there,
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: and now getting to do Badgers and everything that comes
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: along with it. So it's a great time to be here.
• 0:50
  Speaker 1: You get to Madison and Danny says, hey, welcome to Madison.
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: We're gonna send you up to Green Bay.
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, I'm sure I'll be up there at some point soon,
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: but at least I know the lay of the land
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: up there.
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: You're a well traveled guy.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: You are.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: Originally we played California Dream and correct me if I'm wrong.
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: Here California, New York, California, Wisconsin.
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: There was no extra stop in California. I moved on
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: straight here from New York. But I did go born
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: and raised in California, so West Coaster at heart, but
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: then then to the East Coast for graduate school and
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: now here I am in the Midwest, but I do
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: have family ties here. My grandparents here live about ninety
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: minutes from here, so really it's nice, nice to be
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: close to them and love living in Wisconsin.
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: Did you come to Wisconsin at all summer vacations or
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: anythink growing up to visit the grandparents?
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: Briefly They live kind of in northern Illinois, but I
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: remember coming up to Wisconsin in the winters and for
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: Christmas and things like that. So it was great to
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: come back here and get to be near them.
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: So you were in Green Bay for the for the draft,
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: weren't you?
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: I was, man, it was incredible, and we were building
• 1:55
  Speaker 2: up to it for two years, playing it up, and
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: it exceeded my expectations. After or after all of the
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: hype and Wisconsin showed up and then some I had
• 2:04
  Speaker 2: never could have imagined how many people were there in
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: what was effectively the parking lots of Lambeau over those
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: three days.
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: How cool is that? Talking this morning with Carl Winter
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: WKW Channel twenty seven's sports director, and we were talking
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: before we came on the air this morning just about
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: you know, some of the Madison things to do and
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: it's kind of what type of city is. We're going
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: to be talking with Vern Stemmen of the Madison Mallards
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: a little bit later this morning. You got here. You
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: just missed the Mallard season, but I know you and
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: I were talking off the air. That is something you're
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: definitely looking forward to for this coming summer, isn't it?
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: Absolutely? The north Woods League is fun baseball and having
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: the mostly college kids in town and they're they're with
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: host families and that level of baseball, these guys that
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: are striving to be the next big thing and the
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: sport is great. I got to see it in Green Bay.
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: The team up there as the Rockers. I think they
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: actually won the north Woods League this past year, so
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: a little bit of a rivalry there, but excited to
• 3:02
  Speaker 2: check out the mallards and everything they have to offer,
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: and it's another great time of year. Yeah.
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: And speaking of a great time of year, it's a Friday,
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: and of course any Friday night here in Wisconsin or
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: across the country thinking high school football. And one of
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: the cool things you guys are doing at WKOW is
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: you're getting a chance to get out and see some
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: of the games. And let's talk a little bit about
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: how you're covering high school football here in Wisconsin.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, today's a big one and I get to go
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: out to a couple of games myself. It's one of
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: my favorite times of the week, just to be out
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: there and see all the different stadiums and the fans
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: and the student sections and the traditions. Thankfully, we have
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: great weather for it tonight as well. So now we're
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: in week six of high school football now, so some
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: big games, some rivalry games tonight, and I'm excited to
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: get out there.
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: That should be absolutely fantastic. And I know WKW you
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: guys have always that continues really put a high priority
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: on high school sports and of course football as well,
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: So definitely want to tune in and watch the ten
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: o'clock and get updates on all those games you were
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: and it's great to have you in studio for this too.
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: I've got a son who is way into track and
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: cross country. I am, as you tell by looking at me,
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: I am not a cross country or track athlete by
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: any means. I get exhausted by watching them. What drives
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: cross country or track runners?
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: What?
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: What?
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: What possesses you to.
• 4:19
  Speaker 1: Say, I'm gonna run too, I'm gonna run three miles
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: up and down hills on a on a on a
• 4:24
  Speaker 1: grassy turf. What is exactly going on there? Well?
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: First of all, Sean, you could be a thrower. We
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: do need those on the track team out. You know,
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: some some great football players also throw the shot, litter
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: the disc, and and you need those on a track
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: team as well. But no, I it's a great sport,
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: and I got into it in high school certainly, And
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: it's a great social and community sport as well. And
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: you need that team behind you for motivation and for
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: accountability and things like that. So it's also a lifelong activity, right,
• 4:53
  Speaker 2: So I. You know, it's not like football, as fun
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: as football, is it. That's part of the reason it's
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: so fun in high school or college. If you have
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: a chance to play, because you don't really get to
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: do it after that. There are a lot of adult
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: tackle footnot leagues, maybe flag football, but running it's a
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: lifelong thing and I really enjoy it. But it did
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: take a while for me to get into it. At first,
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: I just liked the competition and winning, and now I
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: really just enjoy it as an activity.
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: Get a chance to run here in Madison. I know
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: we've got some fantastic trails, and I'm guessing when you
• 5:24
  Speaker 1: saw the opportunity to move on into Madison, Green Bay
• 5:27
  Speaker 1: is a great city, don't get me wrong, but when
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: you saw the opportunity to come to Madison, I've got
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: to guess some of those great trails and some of
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: those great areas really enticing to.
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: You, without a doubt. I love the culture here running
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: and cycling and having all of those available a great
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: pedestrian infrastructure, you could say, and I'm excited to be
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: a part of that scene as well. I'll run the
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: Madison Marathon well half probably coming up in November, but
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: I'm excited to jump into the road racing culture here
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: as well.
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: Talking this morning with Carl Winter WKW Channel twenty seven
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: sports director of course, came on air here in Madison,
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: not back in August. I just kind of getting a
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: feel for what's all going on at WKW, and there
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: are always a lot of stuff going on, and you
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: were speaking of stuff going on. You're a busy guy.
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: You also played basketball and baseball, if I'm great, which
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: one do you as far as as a spectator, basketball
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: or baseball? What's a bigger.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: Ooh, that's a good one. I've always been a baseball
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: guy growing up, and I know that that some people
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: think it's boring to go in person, but I think
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: it's you know, it's a great part of American culture
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: and I like it at all levels. So I would
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: lean baseball. But playing basketball is so much fun, especially
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: even at my age now, like I can still go
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: out and play pickup and there's not a lot of
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: pickup baseball going on there. There's some softball, but I
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: would say I like to play basketball more. But going
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: to a baseball game nothing beats that. Excited for Major
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: League Baseball playoffs coming up, I should be over in
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: Milwaukee for a couple of Brewers games, so that will
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: be very exciting.
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: And how cool is that you mentioned the Brewers. I
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: mean we you have. I think for a lot of folks,
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: they would they dream of I would love to work
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: in sports and television. I'd love to be the sports director,
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: which is cool enough. But then you've got the Packers
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: doing so far, so good, although well write last week
• 7:11
  Speaker 1: off as a fluid right, and then the Brewers, Oh my,
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: like you talk about baseball. I remember when I was
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: a kid just just hoping for a chance to make
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: the playoffs, which never happened. And now it's like, not
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: only are we going to the playoffs, we're winning divisions
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: where we've got high hopes for bigger things. I don't
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: want to jinx anything, but what an exciting time for
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: that that part of your job.
• 7:33
  Speaker 2: As well, without a doubt. And now, yeah, the Brewers,
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: at this point, the fan base can almost expect a
• 7:38
  Speaker 2: playoff appearance. But I also think there is that that
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: skepticism or the I guess the demons of years past
• 7:43
  Speaker 2: that it's like, well, we'll believe it when we see
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: it as far as getting to the NLCS or to
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: the World Series. But what an exciting second half it's been.
• 7:52
  Speaker 2: And they still have pretty solid momentum going in to
• 7:55
  Speaker 2: the playoffs, although there's been some bumpy spots here in September,
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: so excited for that. Everyone has high expectations for the Packers.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: I think that last weekend was a reality check for
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: them as far as all this super Bowl chatter here
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: in the season. But they've got a big one Sunday
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: night as well.
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: One of the things I found interesting those first two
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: games for the Packers, I mean literally looked and they're
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: playing great teams, but they looked unstoppable. And there's never
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: a good win.
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: I'm not a sports guy, but my understanding is there's
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: no such thing as a good win, but or a
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: good loss. Excuse me. It does feel like sometimes though
• 8:29
  Speaker 1: a little bit of a reality check can help a team,
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: especially when they're so loaded with talent, kind of realize
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: that even though you're super talented, you've got a great team,
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: got great coaching, you still have to take this all seriously.
• 8:41
  Speaker 1: And sometimes this stuff serves as a nice wake up
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: call to a team to be like, we've got to
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: be serious.
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a good breakdown. And it was a classic
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: trap team, right, you win two big games and riding
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: this high, and then you're facing a Cleveland team that
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: maybe people were overlooking and for the Packers. What's encouraging
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: to me though has been the defense. It's just Ben
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: Steller throughout those three games, hooting the Cleveland loss, So
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: I think really that will continue as long as they
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: stay healthy. And then the question is just how far
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: can Jordan Love to take this team?
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: What's just I think the statistic I saw was the
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: Packers have not trailed once during regulation, which is insane.
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: They are not undefeated, but that is it is a
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: wild statistic. The game winning field goal in Cleveland as yeah,
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: the only time they've trailed this season. But again it
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: services motivation because Dallas has not been playing well and
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: that's who the Packers have Sunday. But they can't overlook
• 9:31
  Speaker 2: them either. It's still a road game in the NFL.
• 9:33
  Speaker 2: Those are not never easy to win.
• 9:34
  Speaker 1: The Old any given Sunday, And of course going to
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: hear that Packer Cowboy game right here on thirteen ten Wiba, Carl.
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: Before I let you let you out this morning, we
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: talked obviously about what you do and a little bit
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: about your history Dallas. You're in Madison. What are you
• 9:48
  Speaker 1: looking most forward to getting a chance to experience?
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: Oh so much? I think hockey season for me is
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: going to be big as a sports director. Of course
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: basketball is huge as well, but coming from the West Coast,
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: I have not exp hockey as much as is popular
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: here at both the high school level and the college levels,
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: so I think that's the biggest thing that comes to mind.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: But man, it's gonna be an exciting fall and exciting winter.
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: Lots to look forward to. I don't mind the cold weather,
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: so I'm excited for it.
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: We'll check back in with you later. All right, I'm
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: acting like, oh, you've never obviously been in Green Bay,
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: which ooh they get some bitter.
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: It was chilly. Yeah.
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: Speaking of hockey tonight, of course women of the defending
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: national champion they start their season tonight. So a lot
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: of stuff to be checking out. Carl, thank you so
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: much for joining us, and I know you're going to
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: be give you back a couple more times as well,
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: and we're looking forward to Thank you so much for
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: joining us this morning. Thanks for having me on, Carl
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: Winter WKW Channel twenty seven. Sports Director Vern Stedman and
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: the Madison Mallards comes your way next year on thirteen
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: ten wib I