Interviews

WHAT I KNOW: Frank Vogel

interview by Evan West — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:17:00 GMT

AGE: 39 GIG: Indiana Pacers head coach, former Letterman guest, backyard griller. POST MAN: Vogel has the Pacers playoffs-ready for the third straight time. And the best, he says, is yet to come.

Basketball is something you can play by yourself more than any other sport. Maybe that helped shape my love for the game—just shooting hoops in my driveway.

When I was a kid, I saw a man brush his teeth while spinning a basketball on the end of the toothbrush. So I learned to do it [and appeared on Late Night in 1986, at age 13].

I learned two major lessons from that: For one, nothing’s impossible, no matter how strange it may seem. The other lesson was, never be satisfied with an achievement. So you want to learn how to spin a basketball. Once you learn to do it on your finger, what’s next?

I’m pretty simple with what I cook out: burgers and dogs, maybe some barbecued chicken.

Gas or charcoal? Gas. I know charcoal gives a better taste, but it’s harder, too. I like the collection of friends more than the cooking.

Soda or beer? Beer.

The average age for an NBA coach has to be the late 40s or 50s. As long as I’m in the bottom half of that curve, I’ll still be considered a young coach. But all my focus is on winning.

If there was a coming-of-age moment, I guess it was when we played the Chicago Bulls in the playoffs, in 2011, and everybody had us slated as a double-digit blowout for four straight games. Instead, we had a chance to win each one. That was when I felt like I belonged.

We’re still under the radar, but we’re on the verge of an era that will be the best this franchise has ever seen.

SHOWTIME
Vogel is a noted movie buff. His faves: Hoosiers, The Shawshank Redemption, A Few Good Men, Wedding Crashers, and the Rocky and Star Wars franchises.

PACERS ALL-STARS GET FRANK

HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS
“Most things he’s told me are really just ‘be a professional’: Take care of your body, eat right, make sure everything gets set up family-wise. So when I do get on the court, there’s nothing I’m thinking about off the court.” —Paul George, forward/guard and 2013 All-Star

USE YOUR HEAD
“Vogel is more of a mental coach. He reminds you to keep to your routine and have faith in yourself. And he always preaches togetherness.” —Roy Hibbert, center and 2012 All-Star

KEEP IT LOOSE
“You can go through a lot of downs in the season, but he’s always positive. He likes to play clips from movies before games—like recently, it was Old School.” —Hibbert

Vogel photo via Getty Images; George and Hibbert photos courtesy Pacers.

This article appeared in the April 2013 issue.

Q&A: Bob Hammel, Co-Author with Bob Knight

interview by Michael Rubino — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:36:00 GMT

IM: How did this book come to be? What were its roots?

BH: This is the first book I’ve written where the title came first. And, at the beginning, it was kind of a joke. But when we got to fiddling with it and actually got serious, we realized that there was something basic and true about it.

IM: How so?

BH: This was exactly the way Bob coached. One of the first things he did was he got rid of the negatives. It was very conscious on his part, kind of a look-before-you-leap thing. Then the whole premise of the book stopped being a joke. We found it was advisable to look at something in its most negative light so you could see some of the things that could go wrong.

IM: And, in the process, you got to have a little fun with Bob Knight’s reputation. What is it about him that intrigue’s people?

BH: I don’t think people have ever fully understood Bob. But the reputation he got was, by and large, not false. He was certainly a demanding coach, but, by far, the majority of his players responded well to that and played basketball that was beautiful to watch. I don’t think it’s an accident that nobody’s matched what they did in 1975-1976 [undefeated] season. No one’s come close.

IM: Do you see any coaches today who remind you of Knight?

BH: The more I see of [Butler coach] Brad Stevens, the more I see their approaches are the same. He’s a terrific young coach. I’m impressed with what Brad has done with tough circumstances.

IM: What’s Bob Knight like as a writing partner?

BH: Bob’s an extraordinary editor. I’ve seen a lot of as-told-to books thrown together by people who don’t really know the guy; Charles Barkley once said he was misquoted in his own autobiography. That would never happen with Bob Knight. He considered every word. He wanted to make it sound like him. He had the last word on everything. In the end, I thought, hey, it’s his book—he should.

Book image courtesy Amazon Publishing

An abbreviated version of this article appeared in the March 2013 issue.

What I Know: Dexter Powell

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:50:00 GMT

AGE: “Mature” GIG: Butler at the Governor’s Residence, responsible for greeting guests, leading tours, and putting in storm windows. STATE TREASURE: Powell has now worked for seven first families, including the Pences.

Each first lady totally changes the house around. One first lady loved antiques. Another liked everything new, so we had everything just about new, from the basement to the attic.

Contrary to popular belief, there are many butlers here. It’s just kept quiet, and they go under different titles.

There have been other butlers, about 15 before me. But I’ve held the position the longest, about 22 years.

I’ve learned to stay out of the spotlight. You last much longer.

You only have two reasons for missing church: working or dead. And so I apply the same principle on the job. You only have two reasons for missing: dead or sick.

Even the blizzard of ’78, when they shut down the city, I went to work. And they looked at me and said, “What are you doing here? There’s a blizzard out there, Dexter.” I said, “I’m scheduled to work today. That’s why I’m here.”

I’ve had three Sagamores of the Wabash, and Governor Daniels presented me a Distinguished Hoosier Award. That was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Daniels could be the best president and get a balanced budget and all. He was one of the number-one contenders. But he put his family first.

I love entertaining our guests. I love to see the glow in their eyes and the smile on their face and hear the roar of their laughter. That tells me right there, “Dexter, you’ve done a good job.”

How much longer? Hopefully at least eight more years.

—as told to Keith Roach

TOUR THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE AND ...

Tickle the ivories of the instrument made and donated by Walter Piano Company in Elkhart.

Handle with care the collection of 1896 Tiffany & Co. silverware used on the USS Indianapolis.

Go nuts posing with the giant squirrel in the yard, carved from an oak stump with a chainsaw.

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the March 2013 issue.

What I Know: Rachel Bogle

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:26:00 GMT

AGE: 25 GIG: Co-host of Kyle & Rachel in the Morning on RadioNOW THE LOVE LINES ARE OPEN: Bogle, a former Miss Indiana contestant, always has advice for her fellow singletons—and her quarterback crush. CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT: In 2011, the radio host won Playboy's International Girl of Golf contest, an honor that included a trip to the Mansion. She declined a photo shoot.

I was in a club, and this woman recognized me and pulled me aside. She had just gone through a divorce and wanted my thoughts on this monumental event in her life. I was overwhelmed but also sort of flattered that she had connected with me so much.

Half the show is me talking about my failed dating life.

A guy took me go-kart racing once. That was one of my favorite dates, actually. I like that out-of-the-box kind of stuff.

It doesn’t have to be something out of The Bachelor. We don’t need a helicopter on top of a mountain. Just something that says you put thought into it.

Don’t take a girl to a bar or a club. That just screams “I want to get multiple drinks in your system to up my chances of taking you home.” And that’s not a good guy.

I’ve been alone on Valentine’s Day for the past few years. You can’t sweat it. If the most important people in your life on Valentine’s Day are your girlfriends, then go out with your girlfriends. Dress super-hot, have some wine, listen to Taylor Swift.

I’m from Gnawbone, in Brown County. We had several acres of wooded land, hills, creeks, and all that. I was that dirty little kid climbing trees.

Honey Boo Boo has nothing on me.

I ran into Tim Tebow at the Super Bowl last year. He wasn’t as tall as I thought. He’s very sweet, and you know his mother taught him right.

I wrote him a love letter and read it over the air. I really hope someone lets him know that his wife lives in Indianapolis, and he just hasn’t met me yet.

—as told to Julia Spalding

RACHEL'S DREAM DATES

“Go ice-skating at Pan Am Plaza. You don’t have to be a pro to have fun. In fact, the worse you are, the more entertaining it will be. One time, me and my guy went to a rink, plugged an iPod into the sound system, and jammed out to ridiculous music like Justin Bieber.”

“Brown County is one of the most romantic mini-getaways in the region. Some of the best stores are in what look like hidden alleyways. You must go to the tasting room for Brown County Winery. Finish the night with dinner and drinks at Big Woods Brewing Company.”

“Do something that’s not typical. One of my most memorable dates included a trip to Fastimes Indoor Karting, where we battled it out while wearing race suits, helmets, and the whole get-up. It was a great icebreaker, and he was a good sport when I left him in my dust.”

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

Mitch Daniels: My Ride

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:13:00 GMT

Editor's Note: Indiana governor Mitch Daniels rides into the sunset this month, trading his gubernatorial duties for presidential powers (to a degree) as Purdue University's leader. Here, Evan West's June 2005 conversation with the biker-in-chief.

Here in Indiana, we like things that go fast. I'm no different. The first motorcycle I ever rode belonged to a friend, and I dumped it. I did a massive wheelie and was lucky not to smash into a wall. But I was undeterred.

I rode motorcycles all through my 20s. Then came a move, marriage, and children, and I had to go without one—no time, no money, and no permission. But I always had it in my mind that I would own a Harley-Davidson someday. I liked the way they looked, and I liked the noise. Now I own two of them. One is a Dyna Low Rider I bought shortly after I was elected, which is now painted up with the state flag of Indiana. Later, I was at a Harley store picking up a part, and there sat a Fat Boy—the baddest, blackest bike I'd ever seen. I only engage in frivolous impulse purchases about once every 10 years. That was one of them.

On a motorcycle, I get to meet a host of people I might not have met otherwise. A few years ago, I was on the Miracle Ride, a benefit for Riley Hospital, and up came these guys in leather jackets with lots of chains and studs. They were the Outlaws motorcycle gang. Everyone had a nickname like "Jersey Joe" or "Blackjack." While I was talking to them, this big guy wearing a leather vest and no shirt walked up. I asked him if he was an Outlaw, too. "No," he said, "I'm an anesthesiologist." So I said, "Okay, Doc, meet Jersey Joe and Blackjack." Riding brings people of every description together.

People who like this hobby talk about the sense of freedom they get from it. That's especially true for me. It's hard to be preoccupied with problems of state when you're watching other vehicles on the road and enjoying the scenery. It's the one time when I'm more or less a free man."

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the June 2010 issue.

What I Know: Chuck Lofton

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:26:00 GMT

AGE: 55 GIG: Morning meteorologist on WTHR Channel 13 SNOW BUSINESS: Lofton wakes up at 1:40 a.m. to arrive at the office for Eyewitness News Sunrise an hour later.

The only way to have longevity is to be real.

People can tell if you want to be here or if you’re just using this as a stepping stone to go someplace else.

When the job at Channel 13 came up in 1985, I had three of my most trusted friends in the business tell me not to take it. They said, “Go to Channel 6.” I tried; they didn’t hire me.

If they had said, “You’re going to go on at 4:30,” I would not have taken the job. When Sunrise first started, we were on at 6:30.

Nothing in my career has ever taken off like Flat Chuck.

The thing’s been to the Taj Mahal. It’s been in Tiananmen Square. It’s been fishing with people. On kids’ fall breaks and spring breaks. It’s awesome.

I don’t know if global warming is real. Is there climate change? Sure.

Every week or two, a woman will come up to me and say, “I watched you when I was a little girl. And now my daughter, or my son, watches you when they’re getting ready for school.” People at the station say, “Doesn’t that make you feel old?” Not at all. How nice that that’s a legacy.

I hope to work ’til I’m 70. With Angela [Buchman] there and people like Nicole Misencik, that bodes well for the future.

My father was a World War II vet. Purple Heart, Silver Star, Bronze Star, wounded at Anzio, liberated Dachau. He led a difficult life. He wanted me to do what I enjoyed.

I’m a Purpose-Driven Life person; I love that Rick Warren book. I really feel this is my purpose.

—as told to Marc D. Allan

FLAT CHUCK'S BIG YEAR

Paper Boy: The Flat Chuck phenomenon was inspired by the storybook Flat Stanley.

I went to the Olympics!
Thanks to Anne Marie Tiernon, I tried on David Boudia’s medal, and Kerri Walsh Jennings kissed me on TV.

I’m always on vacation!
WTHR viewers have taken me to 40 countries, including India, Egypt, and China.

I’m homework!
Mrs. Pachut’s sixth-grade science class at Holy Spirit School studies my nervous system.

Photo by Tony Valainis; Flat Chuck photos courtesy WTHR.

This article appeared in the January 2013 issue.

What I Know: Myra Borshoff Cook

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:26:00 GMT

AGE: 65 GIG: Founding principal of Borshoff, one of Indiana’s largest public relations and advertising firms. NEW SPIN: Cook is scaling back to crisis projects and a few clients as she enters her “renaissance period.”

The first six years after I graduated college, I had five different jobs: newspaper reporter, teacher, computer programmer … I committed to every one. Even in the most challenging situation, if you have the right attitude, you can learn something.

I fear the art of conversation may be dying. When you see people out to dinner and they both have their smartphones out, reading or texting instead of talking, it seems like a lost opportunity.

The best advice I ever got came from my dad. When I was a teenager, he said in a loving way that I talk a lot and am too quick to react. He said, “Make sure your brain is engaged before you put your mouth in gear.”

Reputation is everything. With public figures, it stretches beyond who you are and reaches out to others who hold you as an accomplished person.

When something blows up, you wonder if that person didn’t have someone close who didn’t say, “Don’t do that. There are consequences. Look at what could happen.”

I once heard Jim Irsay say he would trade some of his most valuable guitars if he could have one Robert Johnson guitar. [Later,] I was at a meeting where an architect doing a slideshow had a picture of Robert Johnson’s tombstone. I asked him for a copy, got a nice frame, and gave it to Jim. He turned around and put it on the credenza behind his desk.

When people are very wealthy, you think you need something that costs a lot to show how much you treasure them. This was a simple gift, but it communicated I had listened to him.

When I see Jim’s tweets, I chuckle because they’re not much different than if he sat down to write a note. He loves puzzles and things that cause the reader to have to figure it out. So Twitter is a perfect vehicle for him.

I have always been a feminist. When I worked in an environment where all the top executives were men, I would say, “I know you weren’t trying to offend me, but some women would be offended by that comment, so I’m putting you on notice.”

Retirement no longer describes what people do. I see it as a period of freedom and discovery. I very much believe in the concept of lifelong learning.

—as told to Mary Milz

Photo by Stephen Simonetto

This article appeared in the December 2012 issue.

Exclusive Q&A: Dr. Larry Einhorn on Lance Armstrong

interview by Adam Wren — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:02:00 GMT

On October 22, cycling’s governing body formally stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles due to alleged involvement in a doping scandal, and on November 1, the International Olympic Committee opened an investigation into the cyclist’s bronze-medal-winning performance in 2000.

Many fans of the inspirational athlete and philanthropist have mourned his downfall. But one fan, Indianapolis physician Lawrence Einhorn, has more at stake. A world-renowned oncologist at the IU School of Medicine, Einhorn was Armstrong’s doctor beginning in 1996, treating—and curing him of—his testicular cancer, before Armstrong went on to win the Tour de France every year from 1999 to 2005. Even Einhorn’s title—Lance Armstrong Foundation Professor of Oncology—links him to the fallen cyclist.

In an exclusive interview, Einhorn explains why he still supports the work of his friend and former patient.

Having invested so much in Lance Armstrong’s career, what do you think about the news?

I took care of him as an oncologist 15 years ago, so it probably isn’t correct to say I invested in his career. I invested in his health and his getting well, and allowed him to return to the sport that he loved, and to compete at a world-class level.

I think the most important thing he did—and I always told him this over the years—is that his legacy was not going to be as a professional athlete. His legacy was going to be what he’s done through the Lance Armstrong Foundation. He’s still a hero to millions of cancer patients who have benefited so much by his generosity of time, money, and effort. The foundation is his true legacy. I really can’t comment on whether the allegations are true. Certainly, with all the things that are in the newspaper—I don’t know any more about this than you do—but just reading the newspaper, it seems pretty damning. But again, I sort of think that misses the point as to who he is and what he’s been able to accomplish.

Do you hold out hope that the reports are false?

I have no way of knowing.

But personally, do you hope that the allegations are not true?

Well, I think that most people involved with the cancer community—either as physician or patient—hope that they are not true, and even more so, hope that this doesn’t affect donations that go to the foundation, which does so much good. But it’s been awhile since he was a professional cyclist. It’s a matter of saving someone’s sports reputation who will continue to live and continue to be revered by many members of the cancer community.

Have you spoken with Lance recently?

No, I have not. I think the last time I saw him was when he had his 40th birthday party [in September 2011].

Will you continue your work with the Lance Armstrong Foundation?

I am what is called a Lance Armstrong Professor of Medicine, and they support my research. I used to be on the Lance Armstrong Foundation board during the first couple years of its inception, but to tell you the truth, I’ve just been too busy to continue that. It’s probably been about seven years since I was a member of the board.

Do you expect to keep your title?

Absolutely. And I’m proud to be a professor from the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

So you don’t have any mixed feelings about having his name attached to your title?

None whatsoever. Living in Indianapolis—to be honest, I’m not a cycling fan—I have season tickets for the Colts and season tickets to IU football and basketball. I know very little about cycling. But you look at sports figures in Indianapolis, and you have had some wonderful people with the Colts, with Gary Brackett, Jeff Saturday, Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne. And then you have some of the troublemakers we have had with the Indiana Pacers. You look at who does more for the community as a whole and the world at large—someone who beats up their wife, or is out clubbing at 3 o’clock in the morning, gets into fights, and never spends a dollar for any type of charitable organization, or someone like Lance, who has devoted his post-athletic career to helping cancer patients worldwide.

>> MORE: Dr. Larry Einhorn was No. XLII in the February 2012 issue's XLVI Super Reasons to Love Indy.

Photo by Tony Valainis

Front & Center: Q&A with Charles Venable

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

On October 8, Charles Venable begins his job as the IMA’s director and CEO. We decided to get to know him first.

Does anyone call you Charlie? Only my mother. And no one calls me Chuck.

You’re from Texas, but your last few jobs have been around here—Cleveland, Louisville, now Indy. Are you still a Southerner? Well, my twang remains a little Southern. I worked in Dallas, and most people don’t realize how Midwestern it is. Sure, there are some ladies with big hair and diamond jewelry, but people are pretty earnest, and when it comes to museums, they want you to balance your budget. I think of it as the southernmost Midwestern city.

As a former curator of decorative arts and design, it must be dangerous when you go antiques-shopping. When I was in Indy for an interview, I bought a piece of late-19th-century Japanese-style English porcelain from Midland. So, yes, I do well at antiques shops. Antiques Roadshow has asked me to be on, but I’ve never had time.

Do you have a favorite piece of art at home? We have a lot of contemporary photography and design, and I like Modernist ceramics.

Did you ever worry about your daughter, Alexandra, knocking over pieces when she was growing up? Oh, my two cats, Atlas and Zeus, are more dangerous than she ever was. They’re giant Maine Coons.

How did you meet your IMA predecessor, Max Anderson? I got to know Max when I was at the Cleveland Museum of Art. He was at the Whitney and very involved with getting collections online. So I had breakfast with him in New York, talking about artists’ rights associated with that. I remember him being very much the Max of today—well-dressed and very smart, a native New Yorker.

How would you describe your own style? I’m a little more casual than Max. I’ve been known to wear jeans to work. That said, I have a collection of ties and fancy shoes.

You’re the author of Silver in America, among other books. Why fine flatware? I got interested in it not so much for the aesthetics, but the techniques that were developed to change this boring gray metal into something beautiful. That’s actually how I got into art.

What’s on your personal agenda as a way to learn the city? I want to meet all of my colleagues in the city who run other not-for-profits. [My husband] Martin would jump all over tickets to the Colts and Pacers. He’s the sports fan in the family, and in Louisville, we didn’t have any professional teams. But I do enjoy the Derby. Trading horses for horsepower at the Speedway might be fun.

>> EXTRA: Trading Places

We asked new IMA director Charles Venable where he hung out in Louisville and suggested some replacements:

Restaurants Goodbye: Le Relais and Rye. Hello: Petite Chou and Black Market.

Bar Goodbye: Proof on Main at 21C Museum Hotel. Hello: Plat 99 at The Alexander hotel, opening in January.

Gallery Goodbye: Paul Paletti Gallery, known for photography. Hello: Pictura Gallery, Bloomington.

Family night Goodbye: Slugger Field. Hello: Victory Field.

Atmosphere Goodbye: “Southern hospitality with Midwestern efficiency.” Hello: Hoosier hospitality with big-city energy.

Celebrity-Studded May Spectacle Goodbye: Kentucky Derby. Hello: Indianapolis 500.

Photo by Dale Bernstein

This article appeared in the October 2012 issue.

What I Know: Delia Ephron

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

AGE: 68 GIG: Bestselling author & screenwriter INDY BOUND: On Oct. 24, Ephron opens the Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts with a talk on her latest novel, The Lion Is In.

My parents were both screenwriters. At the dinner table, we would play word games. If I said something funny, my dad would say, “That’s a great line; write it down.” The unspoken message was that we would all be writers.

The unspoken messages are as powerful as any.

Ideas come in from all over the place. The really strange thing about The Lion Is In is that I dreamt it.

It took place in North Carolina, in my dream. I had never been. There’s a moment [in the book] when Rita wants the lion to have a tree. So she is riding down this country road and she sees this tree that looks like it’s been struck by lightning, in the middle of a field. [When I went to N.C.], I put “Take Backroads” into the GPS and picked a random destination. I’m driving down a road, and there is the tree, sitting in the field, exactly as I dreamed it.

It can only be described as magic.

I get very happy when I write. But that’s not the way it was when I began. Then, I neither had craft nor work habits, which are just critical.

If you ask women about their clothes, they tell you about their lives. I never do anything important without wearing silver earrings.

You know what I hate the most? “Having it all.” I think it’s so stupid. “Having it all” is when what you want and what you have is the same. And that happens at different times of your life.

Part of figuring out who we are is figuring out what it is that makes us happy.

I only have one enormous regret: that I didn’t have dogs my whole life. I got my first dog when I was a stepmother. Every stepmother should have a dog, because it’s really important to have someone in the house who loves you.

—as told to Amanda Heckert

Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

This article appeared in the October 2012 issue.