Mark Adams, host of “Flyer Feedback” on NewsTalk 1290-WHIO, spoke with DFE recently about the upcoming season of Flyer basketball, coaching, and his radio show. Adams, a former Div-I skipper himself at Cenn. Conn. State, anchors the popular radiocast after Dayton mens’ basketball games and has quickly developed into one of the better-known airwave personalities in the Miami Valley.

The following contains the interview in its entirety. Adams’ opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WHIO, the Univ. of Dayton, DFE, or any other entity other than his own. DFE thanks Adams for his time and professionalism and wishes his show the best in 1998-99.

DFE: What do you expect from the Flyers this year?

MA: “I expect the Flyers to challenge for the A-10 West championship and flirt with an NCAA bid. A lot of fans think the NCAA Tourney is a lock after last season’s victories over Top-25 competition, but I am very concerned about the loss of Ryan Perryman. [emphasis] Perryman brought an attitude to last year’s team and was their obvious leader. It also concerns me when you lose the nation’s leading rebounder because I know firsthand what it means to lose that much experience and rebounding ability all in one person.

“I felt Dayton was a better-than-average defensive team last year. The reason they were better than average was because they often limited opponents to one shot each possession. Think back to why the Flyers played Xavier so tough at UD: it was all about rebounds and one-shot opportunities for the Muskies. The same was true vs. Rhode Island, GW, and Temple. Without Perryman, how many offensive rebounds do we surrender last season? Likewise, how many offensive rebounds did Perryman produce last year? An offensive rebound is like creating a defensive turnover: it creates a wide open scoring opportunity. Perryman was a stud on the glass and we may never see another rebounder like him, especially at his size. The big question is who can fill that void?”

DFE: With Perryman’s departure, who will be the go-to guy this season?

MA: “The go-to guy on offense is either Coby or Tony. You may remember Coby carrying this team during spurts last season. Coby hit the big ‘Fade’ vs. X last season. He also showed a knack for snatching an offensive board or two at crucial times. He will be the man! Tony was a great freshman who hopefully learned from his late-game miscues last season. Tony was put into situations with the game on the line several times last season with mixed results: a hero vs. Temple and a goat vs. Cleveland State and Penn State. If he matures and does not fall into the sophomore jinx he should be a second late-game threat. However, a sophomore is defined as a ‘wise idiot’ and I have seen some of those over the years. Sophomores who play a lot as a freshman sometimes think they know it all and [thus] performance suffers. I think Tony is a good enough kid to reject that temptation but you never know until they tip it off.”

DFE: What kind of experience has ‘Flyer Feedback’ been for you?

MA: “Flyer Feedback has been an absolute blast! [emphasis] I love doing the show. It keeps me involved in a sport that I love, in a city I love, and with the greatest fans in college basketball. It is my adrenaline fix. I really get pumped every night because I know my show is important to the [emphasis] ‘Flyer Fanatics!’ I have gained many wonderful friends through the show and hope more people will join in this season.

“After I left college coaching in 1996 I knew I still needed an outlet to perform and communicate. This has given me that opportunity and I hope the fans will want me to stay with it either on radio or TV. I look so forward to every game. I prepare as if I were coaching. I go to practices, talk to coaches, and scout other teams. I am a hoops junky surrounded by UD hoops junkies. I am jacked for this season to start. I am so thankful to have this chance to celebrate the game and team that I love with such knowledgeable fans.”

DFE: What can fans expect from ‘Flyer Feedback’ this season?

MA: “This year I sent tapes to friends at ESPN and to several friends in the broadcast business to evaluate my show and help me improve my ‘game’. From that feedback I plan to do more hoops and less hype, although I will not curtail my enthusiasm for the game. I hope more fans call to talk UD basketball and do a little less cheerleading. Most of all I want people to have fun! This is great game and we are fortunate to have such a fine team. We should celebrate this fine university, coaches, and players. What better way to do it than on Flyer Feedback.

“We will also be broadcasting live from Flanagan’s for each Flyer home game. And unlike last year we plan to do the show following every game all season long, [including] post season. Everyone is invited to call in and join me.”

DFE: What is the single biggest struggle facing a Division-I basketball coach and his student-athletes?

MA: “The biggest struggle for coaches is to run a clean program. Until the NCAA and universities address this issue there will always be cheating. My solution is simple: a lifetime ban for any coach who breaks the rules! [emphasis] Coaches cheat to save their jobs and feed their children. The punishment must be more severe than the temptation to win at all costs.

“The biggest struggle for players is to stay focused on the important things in life and not be selfish. Too many players today are ‘me’-oriented. That is why I enjoyed last year’s Flyer team so much. Ryan made sure that no one became a selfish member of the UD family. Now that is leadership!”

DFE: If you could make three rules changes to the game, what would they be?

MA: “Jump balls should always go to the defense, no time outs while falling out of bounds, and you cannot call a time out before you cross the 10-second line. Many teams call time out when they face a 10-second call and get another ‘10 count’ after the time out.”

DFE: What are your impressions of the Flyer fans, administration, and staff’s commitment to UD basketball?

MA: “Flyer fans are the greatest and most knowledgeable fans in America. Period! [emphasis] I know as I have coached all over the country and been in a lot of great basketball havens. UD is the best environment for college hoops. Ted Kissel is a great guy. He is a personal friend of mine and I would take his word to the bank. The coaching staff is first class. Oliver is a wonderful role model for his players and all of us. He is the real deal. I really like him personally and professionally. Maybe at a later date we can talk more about these guys.”