Longtime Radio Personality Marv Luten interviews guests, shares community updates, Local and National sports and more.
The Marv in the Morning Podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. For information on being a guest or sponsor, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com or marvinthemorning53@gmail.com.
— Automated Transcript —
### Intro
Marv: Welcome to The Marv In The Morning podcast. Now, here’s Marv. Welcome to another episode of The Marv In The Morning podcast on the Fort Not Lost In The Woods podcast site, brought to you by Paul’s Furniture Alley, Shelter Insurance Agent Dave Hallot of Richland, Saint Robert Auto Supply, See Your Toyota, the Pulaski County Health Center, STR Glass of Saint Robert, The VFW Post 3168 of Lake Way, TK’s Pizza, Bales Construction, and The Bank of Crocker.
### Current Events
Marv: As we drop this week’s episode, we’re halfway through the second month of 2026. So far, February, weather-wise, has been a complete turnaround from January, and many of us hope it continues. The warmer weather has changed the landscape in the Ozarks from days coupled with more days, the cold weather kept the landscape one solid color. White.
I was happy to see the grass, albeit tan and brown mixed with a little green. In other words, happy to see the snow melt. It left things a little sloppy, but hey, I’ll put up with a little slop compared to the crunch every time you take a step, wondering if your butt was going to end up on the ground. My wife’s not real happy about the mud because her husband and the dogs drag it into the house. And my wife cannot stand a dirty floor. And it keeps us busy with the broom, the mop and the vacuum cleaner.
Super Bowl is over. More on that coming up. Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, which marks the halfway part of February. But as this podcast hits cyberspace, it’s Friday the 13th. We’re going back to back with Friday the 13ths because as we look at the calendar, there’s exactly four weeks in February, which is 28 days, which means the days in February will mimic the same days in March. So we get another Friday the 13th next month. It took me about 20 years in radio, looking at the calendar every year and trying to figure this out. But finally, I did. Sometimes I’m a little slow.
The only time this does not work is in a leap year, and that will not happen until 2028, the next presidential election. And yes, there’s a reason I brought that up. The news gurus are reporting our current administration is trying to make the elections, if I understand this correctly, nationalized. I’m not sure what that all entails, but from what I’ve researched, it could strip the states of having any control. Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution gives states the power to set the times, places and manner of holding elections. So to get this done, they have to change the Constitution, which lawmakers apparently can do. But will Congress go along with it? The Biden administration also made this same suggestion, so it’s not new. We didn’t hear much about it with the last administration.
Trump is knowing for making over-the-top comments, but being the president, his statements, no matter how far out in left field or right field they seem to be, has to be taken seriously. Here’s how nuts this is. If one of the articles I saw said if you ask three different people what Trump meant by these comments, you’ll get five different answers. From one day to the next, the president changes his views, his mind, and his comments. In other words, there’s no definite answer. If it’s black and white you want with Trump, it’s usually gray.
### Interview with Butch O’Reilly
Marv: Today on the podcast, we are going to chat with a former Waynesville Tiger athlete, teacher, coach, athletic director, principal, all with the same school district, which is not a common scenario. Butch O’Reilly is next, and his journey through the educational system, and one of two boy’s basketball coaches to take his Tigers to the final four. Back with Butch, after this.
### Sponsor Break
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Marv: When you’ve been in business since 1939, and when you do the math, that’s 85 years, you’re doing something right. Bales Construction in Waynesville has been doing things right for a long time, and that continues today. Bales Construction has rapidly grown from being Pulaski and neighboring county’s top residential builder to one of Missouri’s largest commercial general contractors. Today, they specialize in construction of educational and healthcare facilities, but their excellence in building does not stop there, completing an extensive number of projects such as banking, retail, industrial, civil, multi-family, food service, hospitality, transportation, and municipal projects. Their offices in Waynesville and Springfield, Missouri, allows Bales Construction to cover a large portion of central and southwest Missouri. Explore their website and see what Bales can build for you.
Marv: Step back in time and support a great cause at the Fort Wood Community Spouse’s Club 2026 Roaring Hearts Speakeasy and Basket Auction on Saturday, February 28th at 6 PM. The doors swing open at the Nutter Fieldhouse on Fort Leonard Wood for a night of glamour, giving and excitement. Enjoy live and silent auctions, thrilling games of opportunity, a wine and whiskey pull, and so much more, all wrapped in a roaring 20s speakeasy atmosphere. Tickets are on sale now, and they start at $40, or $50 at the door. And every dollar raised goes directly toward community grants and scholarships through the Fort Wood Community Spouse’s Club. Dress to impress. Bring your friends and be a part of an unforgettable night that gives back. Get your tickets now. Email basketauctionfwcc@gmail.com. That’s basketauction, F as in Frank, W C as in Cat, S as in Sam, C as in Cat, @gmail.com.
### Interview with Butch O’Reilly, Cont.
Marv: On our podcast today, we have a new guest, but certainly, um, someone who is very familiar to the people in the Waynesville, Saint Robert, Fort Leonard Wood area. Butch O’Reilly joins us, an educator who has done it all for the same school district. Butch, thanks a lot for coming in and uh, sharing some of these stories with us.
Butch: Well, thank you, Marv.
Marv: Let’s talk a little bit about your background. How did you get here in Waynesville? Because nobody is hardly born in Waynesville. Everybody comes in because we are such a transit community, because of Fort Leonard Wood.
Butch: Well, that was our case too. My dad drove a bus from Missouri Transit Lines and, um, we moved here in, uh, the summer of ’63. He got stationed here, and his he had a bus route that ran north all the way to Mobily, Missouri and come back. And he did that five days a week, and that’s how we uh, got moved here. We were originally from Iowa. Uh, born in Iowa, and uh, Southwest Iowa and, uh, farm kid, raised on a farm for a while and, um, then we got transferred down here. Well, we didn’t get transferred really. My dad had an accident, he had two two, uh, hog trucks. Big trucks, and he fell out of one of those one day one day, and he hurt his back real bad. And he couldn’t stand the cold weather, so we ended up coming south. So once that’s how we ended up here.
Marv: And how old were you when that happened?
Butch: Um, I was a seventh a seventh or eighth grader. We we didn’t come to Waynesville originally. We went to Seymour, Missouri. And, um, we moved there and and my dad was running a route. And then he transferred into the, uh, Missouri Transit Line and that’s how we come to Waynesville.
Marv: And at that time, the bus station was in downtown Waynesville, was it?
Butch: It was downtown Waynesville. The theater was across the street. It’s not there anymore, but it was across the street. The bus station was really busy. Buses, Greyhounds, Missouri Transit Lines all come into there and and soldiers leaving and going to Saint Louis or wherever they were departing to, would come right downtown Waynesville. And sit at that bus station and go out by bus to the wherever they were going.
Marv: So he was a busy man.
Butch: Yes, he was. Before he got his regular route, um, he went to the World’s Fair, um, in New York City and he traveled on on what they call charters. A group of people would charter a bus and they would go wherever he would go wherever they wanted to go. And so he had a couple times he went to New York City and the World’s Fair and stuff like that. So it’s pretty interesting.
Marv: Sounds like it. You played, um, several sports in Waynesville, didn’t you?
Butch: Yeah, I I I played football, uh, basketball and baseball. Basically were the three sports that I played. Um, I played basketball all three years. Baseball all three years. I only played football a couple years. And so, um, you know, it was it it was good to me. Coach Bob Slaughter was a great guy. Coach Bud Chandler was my baseball coach. Coach Coach Gerald Hespeth was the basketball coach. So, um, I just looked out. I was here at the right time, got to play a lot.
Marv: Okay, here’s a stupid question. What was your favorite sport?
Butch: Probably, uh, basketball was my favorite sport. Probably was a better baseball player than it was basketball player, but I liked basketball.
Marv: Yeah, we spent a couple of years, uh, playing softball in, uh, some of the slow-pitch softball leagues around the area. When you graduated, where’d you go to college?
Butch: I graduated in 1965 and, um, my first year college, I went to Maryville, Northwest Missouri State, because my older brother was there. And, uh, I really didn’t, like typical high school senior, didn’t know what I was going to do, what what, uh, what I should do or anything like that. And so I went up there for a year, and I came home that that summer and Bud Chandler was my old baseball coach. And, uh, Bud said, I’ve got a college, I’m going to coach college baseball at a junior college and I want you to go with me. And so he recruited some of us, some of the players around here. Uh, Tim Hardesty, Ben Lord, uh, some to name a few that he recruited. And we went and played baseball for two years at the Poto Junior College. Carl Albert Junior College now. So,
Marv: And those are some names that, uh, are synonymous with history of Pulaski County. Tim Hardesty, just, you know, the late Tim, just a great, great human being. Um, outstanding coach, has a baseball team or baseball field named after him now. Over in Crocker, and Ben Lord, um, we played ball with Ben, and Ben was also a coach of the Waynesville football team. And Ben was a quiet guy, wasn’t he?
Butch: He’s real quiet. Ben was real quiet. Didn’t say too much. Let his, he kind of felt like his actions and behavior spoke for him, and he didn’t have a lot to say. Um, him and Tim could just hit the fire out of the baseball. We played baseball together and they just, uh, they were great teammates, great players.
Marv: When you got out of college, did you come back here first?
Butch: Yes, I did. I had Bud, Bud Chandler, I’ve kind of followed him around. Uh, played ball for Bud for two years. And went to, uh, Duran, Oklahoma, Southeastern State and finished up my degree. And during that time, I didn’t, I mean, Bud went back, came back to Waynesville. And when I got ready to graduate, Bud gave me a call and said, hey, we’re going to have a job opening, want to come back here? And I said, heck yeah, I’d like to come back here. So I I came back here and that fall that that that fall and then started my teaching career, coaching career.
Marv: And you have done it all in the Waynesville School District. I mean, you have been a coach, a teacher, a coach, administrator, board member, uh, member of the Amish Board of Directors. Of all your your teaching, coaching, and administrative jobs, which one did you like the best?
Butch: You know, Marv, um, administrative work is is is really good. You have a chance to help kids, help parents, um, but really coaching was where my heart was all along. Um, same thing applies in coaching, you help kids, um, get them ready for ready for life in general. And I was very I’m very lucky. I I I come here and started out as an assistant baseball coach, and, uh, assistant basketball coach and worked a couple years as that and then, uh, got promoted to head baseball coach. Ralph Loughlin was the baseball coach, head coach, and he moved into administration and I took over the baseball team. And, um, you know, we had some little success there. And we actually won a district. We actually won a district and was no hit. We were no hit in the game, but we won. Uh, and we got a couple runners on, and he walked, and passed ball, got in the home. And that was kind of an oddity, but we won, and we didn’t win after that. We got beaten in the sub-regional, but it was really neat. And then, you know, basketball was when, um, that job came open, I applied and got hired.
Marv: And we’re going to we’re going to talk about that team, uh, the ’85 team that went to the final four, because that was a team that they call them these days dogs. You know, uh, oh, that you’re a dog. That means you’re a good player, you’re a gritty player. You had a bunch of kids on that team that were flat dogs, because they were good players.
Butch: Yeah, they all, you know, really they I didn’t have anybody that was really outstanding. Um, we got better as the year went along. Um, and, uh, it just they just blended well, played well together. Um, we weren’t big. We didn’t have any big guys like a lot a lot of teams did. Um, and so they got along well. Kids got along well. They worked hard. They got they just improved as the year went along, which you like to see. And as luck would have it, we got into the district and and won that, and moved right along. And one beat Ozark in a one point win, and, um, went to the final four.
Marv: And some of the kids on that team, I remember, I remember Keenan Studstill, and Tony Bibbs, and you had, was it Steve Lynch and Mike French. Who were some of the other kids on that team that my memory is gone by by here?
Butch: We had, you know, we had Steve Lynch, who’s a 5-7 point guard. Anthony Walker was the other guards. Um, Mike French was a 5-9 forward shooter. Uh, Keenan Stutsell was our rebounder. Vincent Wyatt, Enrico Smith, uh, Jeff, uh, not Jeff, but um, I can’t think of the names of the kids, but they were that was the main stay. Anthony Walker was really a a fire plug. Uh, Tony Bibbs was our rebounder and defender. And, um, they just all accepted their roles and and that kind of blended together.
Marv: We always called Tony the Garbage Man, because Tony would grab some of the most outlandish, he kind of reminded me of Charles Barkley. You know, he would get under there. Barkley was big enough to be a rebounder, but Tony was really not. Not in a class four school like Waynesville was, because like you said, you played kids that were, you know, six, seven inches taller than him, but Tony Bibbs knew how to block out and that is the key.
Butch: Yeah, Tony did a real good job. He just a fierce competitor, strong rebounder. Uh, didn’t score a lot, a lot of garbage baskets and stuff like that. And just not, just a real quiet kid, just went about his business and got the job done and and, uh, really performed well for us at that time.
Marv: You had a kid, and I don’t know how common this is in school districts. Probably not in any other school district, except maybe a military school district where you got kids that come in and they want to play, they come in from overseas, but they’re too old to play at the high school level. You had one of those kids on that team who was 19 years old. Do you remember his name?
Butch: Well, I’m sorry, Marv, I don’t remember him, but I remember the kid. I just like yesterday, I can see him coming in and coming to our first practice and first thing we, uh, he did is just grab the ball and dunked it. And I thought, this is this is going to be good. And then he wasn’t eligible to play and he was too old.
Marv: And I think Coach Vernon had one of those on, uh, the football team too. And it, I don’t know if it was the ’07 season when the Tigers won the state championship in football, it might have been sooner than that. Uh, but the kid came in from, I think, Nuremberg, Germany, from what the story I got. Uh, had long blonde hair, had the body of a God, and they they said, Coach Vernon, please come to the office. You know, if we got a diamond for you here, buddy. But then again, 19 years old, and couldn’t play. And those are those are the rules, uh, that the Missouri State High School Activities Association set down.
Butch: Yeah. Well, the eligibility rules and, uh, come into play and some of those kids come from overseas. They were eligible to play over there, but come back here, it’s a little different story. And so it’s we see that, it happened a lot while I was there at Waynesville High School where we had kids come over.
Marv: And it doesn’t happen in, uh, many other school districts because you don’t have the transfers coming in from the military. Is there one game from that ’85 season that you really remember that really sticks out in your mind?
Butch: I think the, uh, the game that I keep thinking about was the Ozark game we played to get to the Final Four. And it was a good basketball game all the way through the whole, um, whole game. And, uh, it came down to about 10 seconds left in the in the game, and we were able to get a timeout called. And, uh, and we talked about what we needed to do and how we’re going to score a basket, and so on and so forth. And as coaches do, you know, you think of all these great things we’re going to do. You never know what’s going to happen then when the ball goes into play. And we broke our huddle and, uh, kids were going back out on the floor and I grabbed Steve, I got hold of Steve Lynch, my little 5’9, 5’8 point guard. And I said, when you get the ball, when it’s thrown to you, you’re going to act like you’re going to the point and set something up, and then you’re going to drive right to the basket and score a layup. He said, me? I’m going to do that? I said, you’re going to do that, Steve. And sure enough, he he got the ball in bounds to him. And, uh, he took about three dribbles like he was going back to the point position. And then he just cut switched over and drove right to the basket. And they let him go all the way, they didn’t want to foul him. And he laid it in and and that was the and it was about six seconds left in the game and they didn’t they got a shot off, but it was from half court. And that was the that was the game, but it was the that was really, really a good basketball game. Uh, we played in the old McDonald’s arena. Um, and, um, you know, it it just really sweet.
Marv: I do remember that game, and I wasn’t calling the game. I think Gary and probably Nelson Morgan were probably calling the game. But or maybe Rick McMillan and Nelson. Uh, I was up in the stands watching the game. And I was, I was uh, down by on the one end of the court. And you can see all the plays developing as, you know, they come down or they go the other way. And that that those are some pretty neat seats when you get down. They say the best place is, you know, at the 50-yard line or mid-court and stuff like that. But I like down on the end where you can actually see the plays developing. And one thing about the Waynesville Tigers, they were they were able to spread out quite well. And you didn’t play four corners, but you kept that ball moving all the time.
Butch: Well, you know, we had, uh, our philosophy that year with my assistant with Joe Walker and, and, uh, we had to use our quickness to our advantage. We weren’t very big as as as you know. And, and so we had to use quickness. And had to get our position was opposite their defensive position, and we had to move the ball around a lot. And, um, you know, we didn’t have a really true shooter on that team. I I would venture to say most of our points were scored 15 feet or closer to the basket. And most of them were offensive rebounds. And that kid, we we used to press a lot. They were our kids were really quick. And so we we developed two presses and they really pressed a lot. So that’s
Marv: I I forgot. Who did you end up playing in the Final Four?
Butch: Malden.
Marv: The Green Wave.
Butch: The Green Wave.
Marv: Yeah, I remember the Malden Green Wave. Yes. Uh, we’re going to take a break with Butch O’Reilly, here from some of our fine sponsors. And we’re coming right back after this.
### Sponsor Break
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### Interview with Butch O’Reilly, Cont.
Marv: We’re back with Butch O’Reilly, a long time educator in the Waynesville R6 school district, a teacher, a coach, an administrator, uh, member of the Board of Education. He was also, uh, the ’85 coach from the Final Four team. And I do remember one game that year, it was in Jeff City. It was the Jeff City Tournament. And Vashon, out of St. Louis, was the number one team in the state. And they came walking in, and when they came in, they were all back to back by the size. I mean, they looked like a stair step. Couple of ’em went, uh, into the NBA. Uh, but it was amazing. You played Vashon one heck of a game.
Butch: Yeah, we did. They, uh, our kids really, uh, as they say, rose to the occasion. They were challenged, uh, and, um, you know, you play teams like Vashon only once in a lifetime. And just go out and do the very best you can. Uh, Buck Cannon was the kid I had at that team on, uh, that time on our team, and he was really about 5’10, pretty stocky kid. And he we put we assigned him to the guard that 6’4 kid that went to playing the NBA. And he was Buck was so quick. He he pretty well held him, held him in check. And, um, you know, it was a great experience for the kids, great experience for the school, and it was a kind of a morale booster.
Marv: It was the second time that a Waynesville team had went to the Final Four. I think back in, what did you tell me, ’51, ’52?
Butch: ’51, ’52, ’53 in that era. Um, some of the players are still alive. Kenny Foster, Dwayne Hansley. Um, I see them quite often in our community. And, uh, I’m just proud to be a part of what they started back in the 50s. Um, we’ve had a real good tradition of basketball here in Waynesville. And, um, and I’m just proud to be a part of it.
Marv: What has happened to athletics? Of and not only Waynesville, but this is around the board. I’m sure this little thing I’m holding in my hand, which is a smartphone, uh, has a lot to do with it, that and this these laptops.
Butch: You know, Marv, that’s a good question. It’s I think, uh, this AAU business. A lot of the a lot of the kids that are really good, they, uh, decide to play AAU basketball where they can just play, play, play all the time. Um, there’s not as much emphasis on building a team or, you know, um, there there is, um, an, uh, I see a need, or not a need, but I see kids wanting to to they feel like they have to play AAU or something like that to really get recognized. And college coaches, college scouts will tell you that they don’t come and watch high school players play anymore. I say that tongue-in-cheek, but some people will if you got a real good player, there’ll be a somebody representing the school will be there. Um, we had some good players here during the years. And they would be at games, different games throughout the year. But, um, AAU is really kind of put a damper on a lot of high school sports, I think.
Marv: We you can’t do all the development in the form of or in the time you’re allotted for a season, like in basketball, in baseball. You have to do this in the off season in the summertime. And that’s where the AAU or the traveling teams in baseball and softball and soccer all come into play.
Butch: Yeah, they do. It it’s just got worse and worse, I think. Um, my grandson’s playing basketball over here at Richland. And he’s playing basketball with a couple of kids, sophomore kids that play baseball. They play baseball year round. They don’t play during the basketball season, but during the summertime and toward like the middle of February on, they’re playing baseball. And, um, there are kids playing basketball and doing stuff like that. We have these facilities for courts in Springfield and the big athletic facility. And parents are just taking their kids and playing. And, uh, you know, I wonder if the kids are not going to get burned out, honestly.
Marv: And I have seen that. And I’m sure you have too in the course of your years. I want to move on, uh, to the administration part. Um, of your life. Um, you were the principal at the Waynesville School District. You were also the athletic director. You had some pretty good secretaries, uh, as an athletic director, because I used to work hand in hand, uh, with your secretaries. What is, um, what was the most challenging thing, uh, that you had as a principal at Waynesville High School?
Butch: You know, Marv, probably the most challenging aspect of principal or being a principal or principalship is is taking those kids that are struggling academically, that are struggling with home lives. And helping them get through high school and staying long enough to get a diploma. Um, you know, if we were lucky enough to get them through that four years, I’ve had so many kids, uh, unfortunately, I was in not unfortunately, but I was in St. Louis last week with my wife, she’s dealing with cancer. And I was in a, uh, uh, 7-Eleven, I guess what kind of kind of like a 7-Eleven. And a student, a a young lady walked in, grabbed her baskets, she’s buying to get a get her basket to put her goods in and she just stepped up and walked by me. She said, Mr. O’Reilly, is that you? And so, um, you know, we had a good visit and just just being able to help kids be successful. I was one of those kids that struggled through school. Rather be doing something else. And I had a soft spot in my heart for those kids. Um, we we knew that academically the kids that were going to excel were on one end, but we had this big group of kids in the middle that we had to really look after and take care of and make sure that they had some success and were able to graduate.
Marv: Were you on the school board when the decision was made to build the new high school? Or were you still were you still a principal?
Butch: No, I was still the principal. We I was in the old building, and, uh, they decided to build the new high school. And I got to be moved into the new high school. We moved over Christmas, and everybody thought we was crazy. But I had to some ROTC officers. Uh, they were instructors in the school, and I got a hold of them and I said, guys, you’re ex-military guys. You’re really good about mobilizing people and getting things done. Let’s sit down and get get a plan worked out to where we can move everything that we need to move and do it all here in a couple days. And they kind of looked at me and said, what the heck are you talking about? And I said, no, we’re going to move over Christmas break. And we’re going to be in that new building when we open in January. So, that’s how we did it.
Marv: And what was what were the kids like? Well, going into some new digs, were they just ecstatic?
Butch: Well, yeah, they were very excited. And they were just in awe. The building was really, really nice. And, uh, the kids just just, you know, just really loved it. They fell in love with the building and how easy it was to get around. Um, and it was it was just really nice.
Marv: Oh, yeah, it’s a gorgeous school. Butch, it has been a pleasure to have you with us today.
Butch: Well, Marv, thanks very much. It’s just been nice to, um, reminisce about that ’85 team and the kids that played on it. If you would look at our team picture at the beginning of the of the season and say they’re going to be in the final four, they’d laugh me out of the building. But it just fell in place, um, they were really good kids. Learned how to play well together. They suffered through the year before as juniors. And, uh, you know, it’s just really good experience. And I I really for me, it was a personal experience, because I had Kenny Foster as a teacher, as a driver’s ed teacher. And I worked for Dwight. And so it was really neat to get that experience and along with those two gentlemen.
Marv: You bet. Butch, thanks much.
Butch: All right. Thank you, Marv.
Marv: We’ll be right back.
### Sponsor Break
Marv: Some things never go out of style, like good pizza and a place that feels like home. For over 45 years, TK’s Pizza has been serving the Pulaski County community with fresh dough, classic recipes, and plenty of heart. From pizza and calzones to toasted subs, fresh salads, pasta, and more. It’s the flavor generations keep coming back for. Call 573-336-FAST, order online at 336fast.com, or just come see us at 743 Missouri Avenue in Saint Robert, the same little spot we’ve been throwing dough for decades. TK’s Pizza, taste the TK’s tradition.
Marv: In these days of texting and emails, words, phrases, and names are shortened to letters. It doesn’t change anything, it just makes things easier. That’s the case of STR Glass, a Saint Robert establishment since the 60s. Still the same great service when it comes to auto glass, windows, shower doors, and anything to do with glass. And when it comes to fixing chips in your windshield to prevent cracking, there’s none better. They’re still in the same location on VFW Memorial Drive, and still have the same phone number, 336-4122. They’ve just shortened their name from Saint Robert Glass to STR Glass, but will never shorten their services to you, the customer.
Marv: As women, we are often the caregivers to others, but tend to neglect care for ourselves. Mark this year, your year for good health with the Show Me Healthy Women program at the Pulaski County Health Center in Waynesville. If you are between the ages of 21 and 64 years old, have no insurance with a fixed household income, you can qualify. There’s no time like the present to take care of you. For more information or to make an appointment, call 573-774-3820 or stop by the Pulaski County Health Center at 104 Ashley Maine Lane in Waynesville.
### Sports Recap
Marv: On to sports, and football is done. Super Bowl 60 is in the books, and there’s a repeat champion, which was going to happen no matter who won because both the Pats and Seahawks have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in the past. The game was a field goal contest for the most part, won by Seattle. The word was defense wins championships, and the Seahawks had a good defense. Or did the Patriots have a bad day offensively? The Pats did not adjust to the Seahawks’ defense, and let’s face it, Seattle didn’t light up the scoreboard with their offense either. It was somewhat of a boring game, unless you were a Seattle fan. The halftime show with Bad Bunny left me wondering what the hell they were singing. The beat of the music was good, but the only word I understood that came out of Bad Bunny’s mouth was God bless America. He did have Lady Gaga on stage with him, and I did understand some of the stuff she was singing, at least in the short time she performed.
If you rate the commercials, my money goes to the Budweiser Clydesdale and with the eagle flying off the back of the horse at the end, which looked like the winged horse, Pegasus. With the background music, Freebird by Leonard Skynyrd, classic commercial. I give that number one in the Super Bowl commercial ratings. Budweiser has always had great ads in the Super Bowl. My favorite prior to this one was when the horses lined up on kind of the line of scrimmage, and they kicked a field goal through the telephone poles, and one of the cowboys on the side said, do they always do that? The other one said, no, normally they go for two. That was one of my favorite, still is one of my favorite Budweiser commercials, but this one with the eagle flying off the back of the horse was outstanding.
Hey, another Super Sunday is coming up this week. NASCAR presents what’s known as their Super Bowl, their first race of a long season, and it’s the Daytona 500. Despite all the races to follow, there’s no doubt this is their biggest and usually their best race of the year. Pitchers and catchers are starting to report to their spring training headquarters in both Florida and Arizona as the grapefruit and cactus leagues head to an early March start up with the Major League Baseball season gearing up for a late March and early April start. St. Louis Cardinals are in a rebuilding year as they have sent many of their older veterans to other teams for some young and hungry players. Well, hopefully hungry players. Sunny Gray and Wilson Contreras are Boston Red Sox, Brendon Donovan is now a Seattle Mariner, and Nolan Arenado begins another chapter of what could be a Hall of Fame career in Arizona.
District basketball at the high school level will be seated either this week or next as teams prepare for the end of the season run. In the Frisco League, Class 1, the Stoutland Tigers are at Wappalo. The Stoutland girls will join Newburg at St. Elizabeth. Class 2, the Crocker, Newburg, and Plato boys will be at Richland along with the Crocker, Iberia, and Plato girls joining the Bears and Lady Bears. In Class 3, Lake Way is hosting a boys tournament with Dixon and Iberia joining the Hornets. Licking will be in Kahoka for Class 3 boys action. Class 3 girls, Dixon and Lake Way will be in Steelville. Licking will head to Houston. And for the Waynesville Tigers, they head to St. Louis at Marquette for Class 6 action. The Lady Tigers are at Republic. We should have the seedings coming up next time. Classes 1, 2, and 3 districts will begin the week of the 22nd through the 28th of this month.
### Outro
Marv: Speaking of next time, we’ll be back with the wrap after this.
Marv: Hey, let’s meet at the V. VFW Post 3168 in Lake Way. They have some big events coming up. A Valentine’s Day dinner is something you won’t want to miss. Dinner for two for just $65, which of course will include their great steaks. Get a 20-oz ribeye cooked the way you want it. And that 20-oz is plenty for two. It also includes two baked potatoes or choice of fries, two orders of Brussels sprouts, two rolls, and a choice of either red velvet cake or German chocolate cake. All for a price you’ll find hard to beat anywhere in or out of town. That’s Saturday, February 14th, Valentine’s Day. A day that special person in your life will remember. Then, February 15th, join the VFW Post for a 1:00 PM Chili Cook-Off. Bring your best recipe, get in on the fun, and you might take home a prize. Check their Facebook page for more info. Don’t miss a special February at VFW Post 3168, Exit 150 off I-44 on the South Outer Road, where they are smoke-free in the canteen and main dining room, but they do offer a smokers’ room. See you at the V.
Marv: Winter weather driving can take a toll on your vehicle and your wallet. Take the necessary steps to make it as pain-free as possible with a trip to your NAPA Auto Parts store, Saint Robert Auto Supply, just off Missouri Avenue. Your NAPA Auto Parts Center has everything you’ll need from their line of NAPA Legend batteries to the best there is in windshield wipers from Bosch, Trico, and the NAPA brand of quality wipers. You’ll find about every brand of antifreeze on the market. And of course, jumper cables, which should be in every vehicle in the winter months. But the best thing I’ve found at Saint Robert Auto Supply is the knowledge the staff at Saint Robert Auto Supply has to help their customers with any problem that comes your way. Need a part they don’t have? They’ll have it the next day, making downtime minimal. That’s why I recommend Saint Robert Auto Supply to anyone who asks. Besides the great NAPA brand of auto parts, it’s the customer service you get in a time when customer service is a thing of the past. Not at your NAPA Auto Parts store, Saint Robert Auto Supply, just off Missouri Avenue, and you’ll get the good stuff seven days a week.
Marv: Thanks for joining us for this episode of The Marv In The Morning podcast, brought to you by Paul’s Furniture, Shelter Insurance Agent Dave Hallot of Richland, Saint Robert Auto Supply, Seeger Toyota, the Pulaski County Health Center, STR Glass of Saint Robert, VFW Post 3168 of Lake Way, TK’s Pizza, Bales Construction, and The Bank of Crocker. Thanks to those sponsors and to my producer Tracy, and thanks to you, my podcast listeners, for letting me be a part of your day. If you’re enjoying The Marv In The Morning podcast, we invite you to leave a review on whatever app you’re listening on. We would also love for you to share the episode with family and friends on your social media accounts. Be sure to follow our podcast on Facebook on The Marv In The Morning podcast page. You’re also invited to join us on Facebook on the Fort Not Lost In The Woods podcast group. This podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. Join us next time when we go trout fishing at Bennett Springs State Park. Enjoy the weather. Hopefully the groundhog was all talk and we can look forward to an early spring. I realize I’m being optimistic or maybe just hopeful. Later.