Coach John Jones, along with his wife Molly, owns Shipley's Tavern in Madison, IN. Shipley's is the second oldest bar in the state of Indiana. Coach Jones is also a successful women's college basketball coach at Hanover College.

In this episode we talk

• our experience with barrel selection process at both Woodford Reserve and Cascade Hollow Distillery (George Dickel)
• How Coach Jones used his barrel selection to also raise money for the town of Madison
• We talk about the most recent women's final four and coach Jones talks about watching Iowa's Caitlin Clark's shooting workout, prior to the NCAA Final 4
• What Jones looks for in a recruit
• His starting 5 of bourbons
• much more

In this recent episode we talk to Nashville Recording Artist Clayton Anderson. Anderson has a new single out called "Indiana" A song about growing up in the state of Indiana! Anderson performed his new song before the IHSAA girls and boys state finals games this past season.

In the podcast we discuss

• his love for basketball
• his boyhood idol, Damon Bailey
• Advise that Coach Bob Knight gave him his freshman year at IU
• His favorite bourbon and the bourbon he will take a sip of before he hits the stage!
• Working with Country singer Thomas Rhett
• Lessons learned from playing HS basketball in Indiana
• Funny story about sneaking into a Floyd Central dance after a road game
• much much more

Episode 19 we talk to bourbon and basketball enthusiast Brian Haara. Brian is a Louisville, Kentucky attorney who found a way to combine his passions for law, bourbon, and history. After stumbling upon the Pepper v. Labrot case from 1881 and then learning the real truth about Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr., Brian knew that he had to tell the true story about bourbon and its connections with the development of American commercial law and the growth of the nation.

Brian and I talk about Kentucky basketball and how he fell in love with the Wildcat team. He talks about the 1996 Kentucky team and has a story about the team party after the championship. Brian also tells us about his passion for bourbon as well as his starting 5 of bourbons!

In Episode 18 of Basketball and Bourbon Podcast we talk to Billy Powell. Billy is a basketball historian and hosts a weekly podcast called Keeping the Nostalgia Alive. Billy and I get into a great rabbit hole of 6 degrees of separation basketball style! Billy and I discuss IU’s Coach Mike Woodson, and the impact he has had on Billy and many other in the Indianapolis area. Billy and I also talk a little Sycamore basketball and Billy opens up about his sobriety. Of course many more Indiana basketball stories here.

Episode 17, we talk to the host of Indiana Sports Beat Jim Coyle.

Jim and I discuss our passion for basketball and bourbon.

• Jim talks transfer portal and NIL
• Growing up in Southern Indiana
• Whiskey Row in Louisville
• His Grandparents working at the distillery
• IU Men's and Women's teams
• The Movie Stripes being filmed at the Jim Beam Distillery
• His most exciting day calling a game
• much much more

On episode 16 of the Basketball and Bourbon Podcast Matt Kusek returns to match a bourbon with each player on the 1996 Chicago Bulls roster! We also discuss

• Whiskey Advocates Whiskey of the Year Jack Daniels Bonded.
• What is the difference between Tennessee Whiskey and Bourbon. You might be surprised they really aren't all that different.
• The Last Dance
• and much more

Episode 15 is the 2nd part of our Interview with Former ISU players Greg Thomas and Rob Vickers. In Episode 2 we talk:

• more stories about some of their teammates
• Try bourbon Old Grand Dad 114
• About the time Coach Tates Locke kicked them out of their locker room and made them dress in the women's locker room.
• the lasting impact a coach can have on their players
• Earning something vs being given something

In Episode 14, I talk to college friends, and former Indiana State Sycamore Men's Basketball Players; Greg Thomas and Rob Vickers. Vickers played for the Sycamores from 1987-1990, during that time Vickers played in 79 games and was a dead eye from 3-point range shooting 40% for his career. Thomas played at Indiana State from 1989-1993. Thomas scored over 1,000 career points in high school and college. In 1993 Thomas was named to the 2nd Team Academic All-American Team! During that season, Thomas led the Missouri Valley Conference in FT% at 86.7%.

In part 1 we discuss

• Rob & Greg talk about growing up playing on the black top courts
• Rob tells us about the time former Maryland Coach Lefty Driesell
• Greg talks about the two things his dad gave him before he dropped him off for college.
• Both give us their toughest match-ups in college, a little hint they all come from the Big 10
• Greg gives us his bourbon starting 5
• We do some taste testing of bourbons
• many more great stories!