April 15, 2025 • 19 mins
In this special edition of Voice of the Nets, host Chris Carrino sits down with longtime YES Network producer Frank DiGraci, who recently wrapped up his final game after an incredible 26-season run. Joined by Nets radio commentator Tim Capstraw, the trio takes a heartfelt trip down memory lane, reflecting on Frank’s remarkable career, behind-the-scenes stories, and lasting impact on Nets broadcasts.
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Speaker 1 (00:10):
Hey, what's going on. It's Chris Carino. This is the
voice of the Nets checking back in with you. We
have a post game recording here recently on WFA and
it was the third to last game of the season,
the second to last home game, and it was a
special segment we did to say goodbye and to celebrate
(00:31):
one of our good friends. And if you've been watching
NETS games on TV for the past two decades, you
may know his name. You probably have never heard his voice,
but you certainly have benefited from the energy, the enthusiasm,
the passion that Frank de Grace brought to his job
(00:53):
the Yes producer of the Nets on Yes for twenty
two seasons, twenty six overall, going back.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
To his days at MSG.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
A fifteen time New York Emmy winner for his work
as a producer on the Yes Network, de Grace spelled
Capital Di Capital Graci. He came up to visit the
booth after the game with me and the kap R.
Here's a conversation with the legendary Frank de Grace. We
(01:25):
are joined by a special guest. Right, this is big.
You know, if you listen to the postgame show, it's
it became I mean, listen. It is rooted in our
affection for him that we mentioned him all the time,
and he's always given us good nuggets and reasons to
mention him. But it became a bit now, how can
we get his name into every broadcast? And right now
(01:46):
we actually have. It's easy tonight because he's sitting next
to us right now, and it is the Yes Network
producer for the last twenty two years, right who is
producing his last handful of games right now, couple of
games before he moves on to be the lead producer
coordinating producer at NBC's NBA coverage. And it's Frank DeGrace.
(02:07):
Great to see it, Thank you, Thank you. I'm not
in the car, I'm actually next to This is real.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Twenty two seasons with the Yes Network, twenty six overall.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Sure I met you going back to your days at
MSG Kapper the first day I ever started Yeah, in
nineteen ninety eight, I go into the offices and they
play me a tape of a rendering of all the
arena that's going to be in Newark, and it's the
voice of Chris Corino and he says, welcome.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's ninety eight, now, welcome, to the two thousand and
two NBA Finals from Newark, New Jersey as a New
Jersey Nets host the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, and guess
what happened in O two? Not the arena, not the arena,
but not toast it.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And then that's in the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And we had to shit there and we had to
come up with that. And I remember doing the draft
of what we were going to say. We were throwing
our like, what are we gonna do? I guess what
do you say? Nets Lakers Finals?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Sure, And that's what we did. We did and I
remember we did it is Carrie Kettle's, Keith van Horn
and the New Jersey Nets host Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant,
the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Awesome and then it came came to fruition.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
So Frank, you have you have seen you know you
you're you're in the truck and people know your name,
but don't hear your voice all the time. But you
were as have been as much a part of the
last two decades of Nets basketball and what the fans see,
you know, they hear our voices, they hear ien and
and and you're great cast of broadcasters. But you're you're
(03:38):
the guy behind the curtain in the truck, and we
know this. You know you're always with us. You're as
much of a historian and responsible for bringing the games
to the people in your two decades. What are the
things that stand out to you the most?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Always? The first game that I say is the greatest game,
and that's history, is Game five in two thousand and
two against the Pacers in double over time, because not
only is it so dramatic for the Nets franchise, and
the fact that if there wasn't really a one eight
matchup even though it was because it was before the
play in Indiana, right had a bunch of injuries that Yearly,
(04:19):
if the Nets don't win that game, do they go
on that great run with those teams? And it changed
the rules because Reggie Miller shot was late. And so
then the next year Steve Helmuth from the NBA came
out to the Medlands. We did a test, the clock
was off. He invented the led lights going around the basket,
so right off a bad that's the first one. The
second one is the Steve Nash Jason Kidd two thousand
(04:42):
and six, another double overtime it was forty two forty
in the fourth and there was a night where kid
said I'm running, We're running with the Suns.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Right and.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Final one sixty one, one fifty seven. It was the
final score in dub over time show. How great a
game that was?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Like?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That was a regular that was like December.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
December game, regular season game.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
I got called member ESPN your Stuart Show on ESPN two,
I think called cold Pizza.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, remember, yeah, they.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Called me and I was in the studio to do
cold Pizza the next morning to talk about that game.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Right, and I was eating That's kind of how our
career goes.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well. You know, people at home, Frank, they may they
may not know you, but they know your work because
your your stamp, your signature is all over this net
broadcast for the last twenty years, with the fans consumed.
What are you most proud of about the way you
have presented the nets to the fans over the last
(05:41):
two decades.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
A couple of things. The first is obviously the talent.
We're nothing about the talent, and for us, we've always
been so proud so iron Eagle, Ryan Ruco, now it's
no eagle. You go through the years we had Marv
Albert and then on the analyst side, right Mark Jackson
and and right through Jimmy Spinarkle and Mike Fritello. And
I mean these are all one hundred Hall of Fame,
(06:05):
top notch national talent that have always come to the
YES Network and the NETS games. And to be honest,
you guys twenty three years amazing. I was trying to
do the math today. Is there another duo as long
as you guys in New York sports? I can't find it.
I think definitely in NETS broadcasting history. And you're my
(06:27):
fourth string, right right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Right?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Can you come on to help us out on the
TV side ever here or there?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I'm the sixth man on a team called the Iron Five.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
But yes, and and the other part is that you
know the team is not winning all these years, right,
you still have to go try to inform and entertain
the audience. And we would do that with various bits
and Capper, the number one bit that still comes out
is when you were giving your little speech in the
locker room, but nobody knew who it was to, and
(07:02):
then all of a sudden it was sliding. All the
mascots or Richard Jefferson or you guys at Cafe Dumont,
you guys, right.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Yeah, they were good.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We were co producers with me and then we'd come
up with ideas.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Capper with his feet up the one time, well, you
know I was thinking about this today is I was
getting ready to come here today.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Go.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
I don't know if during the season, right like during
the six months of the year, there's nobody in the world,
maybe maybe my wife that I have gone out to
dinner with more than you two guys, like we're on
the road, and then a lot of that is where
we're sitting. That's where we're coming up with those ideas. Absolutely,
(07:44):
and you know we're we're lucky.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And I don't take it for granted because you know,
this has been a job that we love. But we
haven't worked today in our life and I know that
you know so. And I can't say enough about Ein Eagle.
He's he's not just a Hall of Fame announcer. He's
a Hall of Fame person. He's there for me and you.
He's there for all of us if you need something,
and he's been the leader of this as much as anything.
(08:08):
I'm just there to try to hope make it.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Isn't it nice to see him getting the national attention
as well the you know, clearly and maybe the top
broadcast during the country.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Absolutely again the national championship the last two years and
it's football and everything. And he's still gonna be a
national voice on the NBA next season.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
So tell us how this came about that you are
now the NBC producer and how this evolved this year.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'll say something before you, Sally, because I think what
also people know is that the nets are considered one
of the gold standards in the NBA, and they're local
broadcast absolutely, And when Paul Benedict at the NBA or
all the people, the executives at the NBA, Frank is
a confident out of theirs. They run things by him.
Frank's on their committee. They got a lot of ideas here.
And so when it came to NBC coming along first
(08:56):
time back tipping their toes in the NBA waters, when
they go to the NBA and say, hey, who's your
guy you go to it was Frank de Grace, So
am I on there?
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Am I am I in.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
The It's Paul Benedict, his vice president broadcasting at the
NBA and Greg Winnick, who has also been an NBA
entertainment forever, and that's pretty much exactly what happened. And
you know who has the best show? The Nets are
the best show. Who's the producer? Frank de Grace, Okay,
let's interview him. And then I ed with Sam Flood,
(09:27):
the executive producer, and two minutes later he's like, so
what do you think about this guy in the booth?
And I'm like, I haven't been well.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I guess you've been doing a network quality broadcast with
the Nets for two decades and now.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah you And it doesn't hurt that no eagle. So
I an eagle on one side, no eagle on the
other side. No eagle is going to be our number two,
but it's really a one. A Mike Turrico as well,
and then Reggie Miller Jamal Crawford have been out there.
And it's going to be Sunday Night Basketball is gonna
follow Sunday Night. It's gonna look the same, feel the same.
(10:02):
It's gonna start in February and then you're gonna have
Monday night primetime doubleheaders on Peacock and Tuesday night doubleheaders
on Big NBC.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Also guys, you know, you talked about it before and
and Frank is a guy that should get a lot
of credit for this, But people like Sarah Kustak. Mike
was one of the people that went through that process
to find Sarah, bring her here to Brooklyn when it started,
and then she becomes on the Frank's tutelage, the first,
you know, full time NBA female analyst. And then you've
(10:35):
got you know, people like Michael Grady is going on
with the Minnesota Timberwolves and now he's on a national
level at ESPN. He was a guy that worked under
you Mark Jackson, who for years, you know, became a
national voice of the NBA, and that was something that
you know, he was at ESPN and and they kind
of never worked with him, and he was gone, and
then he came to you and suddenly he's back at
ESPN and ABC.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
This is myself, no doubt, Tim, no doubt knows the industry.
Hell to everybody. Uh, the late great Adam Geller, our
stage manager, ye was so smart, so witty. UH had
so much information to uh to pass on to these guys.
But for me, it's about entertaining, informing, but not afraid
(11:17):
to talk to them either talent our people. I think
a lot of people in our industry get intimidated. I
started with Marv Albert. If you can do a Marv
Albert game, you can do anyone's game. And he taught myself,
he taught Ian. What we tried to bring along is
every game is a big game, doesn't matter what the
team's record. Somebody knew could be watching, but something could
(11:37):
happen on that floor that you've never seen before, and
you better be ready. And and that's kind of been
our mantra for all these years. Uh, you have anything else,
keep him around. I think we should keep them around.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
I tell you what, I'm glad he didn't come up
here earlier. I wouldn't be work the What's up?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Forget Richard Jefferson will be doing the NBA Finals and
in the in the coaching and it's my fault.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
It's my fault. Sorry about me?
Speaker 5 (12:01):
Yeah, well, well it goes this show. You know, guys
come in and they're good, but you know how to
take people to another level. And it's it's really been
been a lot of guys.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Just do it in the truck. You coach the guys
so it's really cool.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Thank you, thank you, and and anything we could look
like you're gonna get more cameras. You canna have a
lot more bells and whistles right at NBC.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
It's a network level. Yeah, it's a network level show. Yeah,
so that it comes with more cameras, more tape machines. Uh,
you know more. This star of the game is our goal.
The game is the star, and and to focus on
that and and really get Uh. I don't think on
a national level there's been enough storytelling. And that's an
(12:42):
NBC staple with the Olympics, and I've been using the
example of Keon Johnson had his jersey retired this year
at his high school in Tennessee. That's something we showed
right as a natural as being a hometown broadcaster. Why
can't that be brought to a national level. Every team
has stories like that. They have background, they have depth,
they have how did they get here on their journey?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
And that's great.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
We're not going to talk about Jimmy Butler trade rumors
in the middle of a Chicago versus Atlanta game. Yeah, right, Nona,
We're gonna talk about those people on the floor. Uh,
that's that's our goal for our coverage next season on NBC.
And honestly, it's something we've been doing here, yes, yeah,
for for all these years. So it's not gonna be
any different.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Yeah, you don't have to change the thing, right, just
go do your job like you've been doing right.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And I think you guys noticed too. What I like
to do on our net shows is especially with if
there's any kind of stats that has any kind of
historical reference to Buck Williams, to Drasan Petrovitch and any
Jason Kidd obviously through the years, and we always loved
the first time since you know, armand Gilliam had rebounds
(13:49):
like anything like that, to keep the history of this
team live and what's amazing matter And again we're talking
to Frank the Grace, producer of the S Network who's
going on to NBC next year.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
So many times if you're watching home, you see these
great rollouts, Like I mean, there was a situation I
think the other day where there was like a fake
out where the official was gonna have to stop a
free throw and you immediately go back and show the.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Role of Courtney Kirkley going up blocking Chris Humphreys.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Because you've been it, You've been doing it with You've
been with this team for two decades. All you know
it off the top of your head. Hey, I got
something and we roll you know, tell Riley to roll
it back.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, it's a good news bad news Kapper. It's say
it's the first time since Stefan marbur in two thousand
and one. I was like, I worked that game.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Yeah right right right, Yeah. That Courtney Kirkland the other
night really blew me away. That was a great example.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
You like the this year when Ja Moran dunked it
off his head and it came out of the rim
and you found Albert King do Albert King our old friend?
Speaker 5 (14:44):
And that's yeah, guys, well it always blows me away,
you know that, the preparation of the knowledge and uh,
it just doesn't happen, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
But I will tell you something else though, and I
know you guys felt it. Brooklyn Israel and there was
a segment that we did called where Brooklyn At And
I would always email the fans to try to get
a little background on their picture, and the question was
when did you become a Nets fan? And it was
either I was ten years old when they went to
the NBA Finals JA or since they moved to Brooklyn,
(15:17):
and you guys can see it this year, these crowds
are real. Sunday, they're going to go over seven hundred
thousand fans once again. They only did that one time
ever in New Jersey. And it's an event to come
to a game at Barclay.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Center, well even tonight when there was nothing on the line.
I mean, it's a sellout crowd. Yeah, and seventeen twenty
six and some people look at the total number with
the league and it's not as high because they don't
have the capacity, correct, But no, it's definitely been an
incredible ride in the journey here. And Frank, I think
we should also give a little shout out to who'll
be replacing you, joshsh Isaac.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yes, Network, he's in a producer wherever. He has done
NET games in the past when I need to take
off here and there, and he's one of the lifers
there and that's great. And hopefully I'm teaching them the
ropes as as I walk out the door, and they're
gonna keep it going.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Big party for your Sunday after the game, Sunday little
postgame you're coming after of course, yeah, of course, that's
that's why we had to get you on tonight. That's right,
because you're not gonna be available on Sunday and I'm
not in my car because we're going to Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So yes, well we got to get out to the bus.
So to get to the bus, Frank. Uh.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
It was a great segment. Great to talk to you
here finally on air. Only took twenty two years. And
although you did come up, you come up like we've
been on the we've been on the road where uh
there's a network broadcast in the middle right, and you've
sat in.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
With I said, and I did stats for you. Yeah, yeah, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
First time we get you on here on this when
we call the Frank the Gray segment of the postgame show.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Listen. It started with the storylines and then you use
a storyline, and then I had to call Capri. He
had a draft draft capital mistake, and the next thing,
you know, became the Frank.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I love it, I love it, Frank.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
It all began because of a mistake.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
What a shocker.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
But you guys are awesome. You're a great team, You're
a great listen you guys right up right up our alley,
as far as funny and interjecting humor. But also and
you had to do, I had to try to get
your dude on the air, Wilson on the air this
year on the television side. Right, Well, I appreciate it,
but absolutely, you guys are the best, and I've been
(17:27):
really lucky just to be friends with you guys all
this year.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
One of my great moments. There are a couple of
things I should note that the night I met my
wife in a bar in New York City, you were there,
and not even we didn't go together. You just happen
to be in the bar that night. Remember I saw you.
I didn't really know you.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
That well, but you were there the night I met Laura. Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
And also I'll never forget coming back from Game six
to the Finals in San Antonio after the Nets had
just lost to the Spurs. You were there with MSG working,
you know, doing some segments, and we had no way
of get back. We jumped in a rental car with
you and Wrath and try to get back to the hotel,
(18:06):
and we had to abandon the rental car at some point.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Because we just couldn't get anywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You remember that walk back to the Yeah, we just
it was a rental car.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, we had to.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
We had to bribe our way verbally to get down
the ramp because it's downtown had closed. We went down
the wrong way of a highway ramp and then I said,
we're just bailing here. I just left it here.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, that's the kind of stuff we went through together
over the last two decades.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
So Frank, all the best of it.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
And then, don't forget three helped us swing an Emmy
award we had TV.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Yeah, yeah, that's great. He did the open for your Emmy.
You know he did. Yes, maybe remember remember uncle Frank
next time.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Man, he's getting out of the workforce pretty soon as
a broadcaster, so let's go there. You go, Frank, great man,
Thank you, yes, thank you so much. Love man, Frank
the Grace, Yes, network producer for over two decades. All right,
all the best to Frank de Grace as he moves
on to NBC and their NBA coverage national coverage. Nets
(19:07):
have a big off season and if things go.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Their way, well maybe they'll have a.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Bunch of games on NBC that Frank de Grace can
once again be producing. We look forward to that. It
is going to be a monumental off season for Brooklyn.
They'll have their first lottery pick in the Brooklyn era,
a lot of cap space, a lot of other first
round picks. We will check back with you here on
(19:33):
the Voice of the Nets podcast throughout the course of
the off season, and I hope you can tune in subscribe.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
We'll talk to you again next time. I'm Chris Carrino.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
This is the Voice of the Nets.
Hey, what's going on. It's Chris Carino. This is the
voice of the Nets checking back in with you. We
have a post game recording here recently on WFA and
it was the third to last game of the season,
the second to last home game, and it was a
special segment we did to say goodbye and to celebrate
(00:31):
one of our good friends. And if you've been watching
NETS games on TV for the past two decades, you
may know his name. You probably have never heard his voice,
but you certainly have benefited from the energy, the enthusiasm,
the passion that Frank de Grace brought to his job
(00:53):
the Yes producer of the Nets on Yes for twenty
two seasons, twenty six overall, going back.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
To his days at MSG.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
A fifteen time New York Emmy winner for his work
as a producer on the Yes Network, de Grace spelled
Capital Di Capital Graci. He came up to visit the
booth after the game with me and the kap R.
Here's a conversation with the legendary Frank de Grace. We
(01:25):
are joined by a special guest. Right, this is big.
You know, if you listen to the postgame show, it's
it became I mean, listen. It is rooted in our
affection for him that we mentioned him all the time,
and he's always given us good nuggets and reasons to
mention him. But it became a bit now, how can
we get his name into every broadcast? And right now
(01:46):
we actually have. It's easy tonight because he's sitting next
to us right now, and it is the Yes Network
producer for the last twenty two years, right who is
producing his last handful of games right now, couple of
games before he moves on to be the lead producer
coordinating producer at NBC's NBA coverage. And it's Frank DeGrace.
(02:07):
Great to see it, Thank you, Thank you. I'm not
in the car, I'm actually next to This is real.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Twenty two seasons with the Yes Network, twenty six overall.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Sure I met you going back to your days at
MSG Kapper the first day I ever started Yeah, in
nineteen ninety eight, I go into the offices and they
play me a tape of a rendering of all the
arena that's going to be in Newark, and it's the
voice of Chris Corino and he says, welcome.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
It's ninety eight, now, welcome, to the two thousand and
two NBA Finals from Newark, New Jersey as a New
Jersey Nets host the Los Angeles Lakers. Yes, and guess
what happened in O two? Not the arena, not the arena,
but not toast it.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And then that's in the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And we had to shit there and we had to
come up with that. And I remember doing the draft
of what we were going to say. We were throwing
our like, what are we gonna do? I guess what
do you say? Nets Lakers Finals?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Sure, And that's what we did. We did and I
remember we did it is Carrie Kettle's, Keith van Horn
and the New Jersey Nets host Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant,
the Los Angeles Lakers.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Awesome and then it came came to fruition.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
So Frank, you have you have seen you know you
you're you're in the truck and people know your name,
but don't hear your voice all the time. But you
were as have been as much a part of the
last two decades of Nets basketball and what the fans see,
you know, they hear our voices, they hear ien and
and and you're great cast of broadcasters. But you're you're
(03:38):
the guy behind the curtain in the truck, and we
know this. You know you're always with us. You're as
much of a historian and responsible for bringing the games
to the people in your two decades. What are the
things that stand out to you the most?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Always? The first game that I say is the greatest game,
and that's history, is Game five in two thousand and
two against the Pacers in double over time, because not
only is it so dramatic for the Nets franchise, and
the fact that if there wasn't really a one eight
matchup even though it was because it was before the
play in Indiana, right had a bunch of injuries that Yearly,
(04:19):
if the Nets don't win that game, do they go
on that great run with those teams? And it changed
the rules because Reggie Miller shot was late. And so
then the next year Steve Helmuth from the NBA came
out to the Medlands. We did a test, the clock
was off. He invented the led lights going around the basket,
so right off a bad that's the first one. The
second one is the Steve Nash Jason Kidd two thousand
(04:42):
and six, another double overtime it was forty two forty
in the fourth and there was a night where kid
said I'm running, We're running with the Suns.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Right and.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Final one sixty one, one fifty seven. It was the
final score in dub over time show. How great a
game that was?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Like?
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That was a regular that was like December.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
December game, regular season game.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
I got called member ESPN your Stuart Show on ESPN two,
I think called cold Pizza.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Yeah, remember, yeah, they.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Called me and I was in the studio to do
cold Pizza the next morning to talk about that game.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
Right, and I was eating That's kind of how our
career goes.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Well. You know, people at home, Frank, they may they
may not know you, but they know your work because
your your stamp, your signature is all over this net
broadcast for the last twenty years, with the fans consumed.
What are you most proud of about the way you
have presented the nets to the fans over the last
(05:41):
two decades.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
A couple of things. The first is obviously the talent.
We're nothing about the talent, and for us, we've always
been so proud so iron Eagle, Ryan Ruco, now it's
no eagle. You go through the years we had Marv
Albert and then on the analyst side, right Mark Jackson
and and right through Jimmy Spinarkle and Mike Fritello. And
I mean these are all one hundred Hall of Fame,
(06:05):
top notch national talent that have always come to the
YES Network and the NETS games. And to be honest,
you guys twenty three years amazing. I was trying to
do the math today. Is there another duo as long
as you guys in New York sports? I can't find it.
I think definitely in NETS broadcasting history. And you're my
(06:27):
fourth string, right right? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Right?
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Can you come on to help us out on the
TV side ever here or there?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
I'm the sixth man on a team called the Iron Five.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
But yes, and and the other part is that you
know the team is not winning all these years, right,
you still have to go try to inform and entertain
the audience. And we would do that with various bits
and Capper, the number one bit that still comes out
is when you were giving your little speech in the
locker room, but nobody knew who it was to, and
(07:02):
then all of a sudden it was sliding. All the
mascots or Richard Jefferson or you guys at Cafe Dumont,
you guys, right.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Yeah, they were good.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
We were co producers with me and then we'd come
up with ideas.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Capper with his feet up the one time, well, you
know I was thinking about this today is I was
getting ready to come here today.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Go.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
I don't know if during the season, right like during
the six months of the year, there's nobody in the world,
maybe maybe my wife that I have gone out to
dinner with more than you two guys, like we're on
the road, and then a lot of that is where
we're sitting. That's where we're coming up with those ideas. Absolutely,
(07:44):
and you know we're we're lucky.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And I don't take it for granted because you know,
this has been a job that we love. But we
haven't worked today in our life and I know that
you know so. And I can't say enough about Ein Eagle.
He's he's not just a Hall of Fame announcer. He's
a Hall of Fame person. He's there for me and you.
He's there for all of us if you need something,
and he's been the leader of this as much as anything.
(08:08):
I'm just there to try to hope make it.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Isn't it nice to see him getting the national attention
as well the you know, clearly and maybe the top
broadcast during the country.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Absolutely again the national championship the last two years and
it's football and everything. And he's still gonna be a
national voice on the NBA next season.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
So tell us how this came about that you are
now the NBC producer and how this evolved this year.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
I'll say something before you, Sally, because I think what
also people know is that the nets are considered one
of the gold standards in the NBA, and they're local
broadcast absolutely, And when Paul Benedict at the NBA or
all the people, the executives at the NBA, Frank is
a confident out of theirs. They run things by him.
Frank's on their committee. They got a lot of ideas here.
And so when it came to NBC coming along first
(08:56):
time back tipping their toes in the NBA waters, when
they go to the NBA and say, hey, who's your
guy you go to it was Frank de Grace, So
am I on there?
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Am I am I in.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
The It's Paul Benedict, his vice president broadcasting at the
NBA and Greg Winnick, who has also been an NBA
entertainment forever, and that's pretty much exactly what happened. And
you know who has the best show? The Nets are
the best show. Who's the producer? Frank de Grace, Okay,
let's interview him. And then I ed with Sam Flood,
(09:27):
the executive producer, and two minutes later he's like, so
what do you think about this guy in the booth?
And I'm like, I haven't been well.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I guess you've been doing a network quality broadcast with
the Nets for two decades and now.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah you And it doesn't hurt that no eagle. So
I an eagle on one side, no eagle on the
other side. No eagle is going to be our number two,
but it's really a one. A Mike Turrico as well,
and then Reggie Miller Jamal Crawford have been out there.
And it's going to be Sunday Night Basketball is gonna
follow Sunday Night. It's gonna look the same, feel the same.
(10:02):
It's gonna start in February and then you're gonna have
Monday night primetime doubleheaders on Peacock and Tuesday night doubleheaders
on Big NBC.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Also guys, you know, you talked about it before and
and Frank is a guy that should get a lot
of credit for this, But people like Sarah Kustak. Mike
was one of the people that went through that process
to find Sarah, bring her here to Brooklyn when it started,
and then she becomes on the Frank's tutelage, the first,
you know, full time NBA female analyst. And then you've
(10:35):
got you know, people like Michael Grady is going on
with the Minnesota Timberwolves and now he's on a national
level at ESPN. He was a guy that worked under
you Mark Jackson, who for years, you know, became a
national voice of the NBA, and that was something that
you know, he was at ESPN and and they kind
of never worked with him, and he was gone, and
then he came to you and suddenly he's back at
ESPN and ABC.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
This is myself, no doubt, Tim, no doubt knows the industry.
Hell to everybody. Uh, the late great Adam Geller, our
stage manager, ye was so smart, so witty. UH had
so much information to uh to pass on to these guys.
But for me, it's about entertaining, informing, but not afraid
(11:17):
to talk to them either talent our people. I think
a lot of people in our industry get intimidated. I
started with Marv Albert. If you can do a Marv
Albert game, you can do anyone's game. And he taught myself,
he taught Ian. What we tried to bring along is
every game is a big game, doesn't matter what the
team's record. Somebody knew could be watching, but something could
(11:37):
happen on that floor that you've never seen before, and
you better be ready. And and that's kind of been
our mantra for all these years. Uh, you have anything else,
keep him around. I think we should keep them around.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
I tell you what, I'm glad he didn't come up
here earlier. I wouldn't be work the What's up?
Speaker 5 (11:54):
Forget Richard Jefferson will be doing the NBA Finals and
in the in the coaching and it's my fault.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
It's my fault. Sorry about me?
Speaker 5 (12:01):
Yeah, well, well it goes this show. You know, guys
come in and they're good, but you know how to
take people to another level. And it's it's really been
been a lot of guys.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Just do it in the truck. You coach the guys
so it's really cool.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Thank you, thank you, and and anything we could look
like you're gonna get more cameras. You canna have a
lot more bells and whistles right at NBC.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
It's a network level. Yeah, it's a network level show. Yeah,
so that it comes with more cameras, more tape machines. Uh,
you know more. This star of the game is our goal.
The game is the star, and and to focus on
that and and really get Uh. I don't think on
a national level there's been enough storytelling. And that's an
(12:42):
NBC staple with the Olympics, and I've been using the
example of Keon Johnson had his jersey retired this year
at his high school in Tennessee. That's something we showed
right as a natural as being a hometown broadcaster. Why
can't that be brought to a national level. Every team
has stories like that. They have background, they have depth,
they have how did they get here on their journey?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
And that's great.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
We're not going to talk about Jimmy Butler trade rumors
in the middle of a Chicago versus Atlanta game. Yeah, right, Nona,
We're gonna talk about those people on the floor. Uh,
that's that's our goal for our coverage next season on NBC.
And honestly, it's something we've been doing here, yes, yeah,
for for all these years. So it's not gonna be
any different.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Yeah, you don't have to change the thing, right, just
go do your job like you've been doing right.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And I think you guys noticed too. What I like
to do on our net shows is especially with if
there's any kind of stats that has any kind of
historical reference to Buck Williams, to Drasan Petrovitch and any
Jason Kidd obviously through the years, and we always loved
the first time since you know, armand Gilliam had rebounds
(13:49):
like anything like that, to keep the history of this
team live and what's amazing matter And again we're talking
to Frank the Grace, producer of the S Network who's
going on to NBC next year.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
So many times if you're watching home, you see these
great rollouts, Like I mean, there was a situation I
think the other day where there was like a fake
out where the official was gonna have to stop a
free throw and you immediately go back and show the.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Role of Courtney Kirkley going up blocking Chris Humphreys.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Because you've been it, You've been doing it with You've
been with this team for two decades. All you know
it off the top of your head. Hey, I got
something and we roll you know, tell Riley to roll
it back.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yeah, it's a good news bad news Kapper. It's say
it's the first time since Stefan marbur in two thousand
and one. I was like, I worked that game.
Speaker 5 (14:30):
Yeah right right right, Yeah. That Courtney Kirkland the other
night really blew me away. That was a great example.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
You like the this year when Ja Moran dunked it
off his head and it came out of the rim
and you found Albert King do Albert King our old friend?
Speaker 5 (14:44):
And that's yeah, guys, well it always blows me away,
you know that, the preparation of the knowledge and uh,
it just doesn't happen, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
But I will tell you something else though, and I
know you guys felt it. Brooklyn Israel and there was
a segment that we did called where Brooklyn At And
I would always email the fans to try to get
a little background on their picture, and the question was
when did you become a Nets fan? And it was
either I was ten years old when they went to
the NBA Finals JA or since they moved to Brooklyn,
(15:17):
and you guys can see it this year, these crowds
are real. Sunday, they're going to go over seven hundred
thousand fans once again. They only did that one time
ever in New Jersey. And it's an event to come
to a game at Barclay.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
Center, well even tonight when there was nothing on the line.
I mean, it's a sellout crowd. Yeah, and seventeen twenty
six and some people look at the total number with
the league and it's not as high because they don't
have the capacity, correct, But no, it's definitely been an
incredible ride in the journey here. And Frank, I think
we should also give a little shout out to who'll
be replacing you, joshsh Isaac.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yes, Network, he's in a producer wherever. He has done
NET games in the past when I need to take
off here and there, and he's one of the lifers
there and that's great. And hopefully I'm teaching them the
ropes as as I walk out the door, and they're
gonna keep it going.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
Big party for your Sunday after the game, Sunday little
postgame you're coming after of course, yeah, of course, that's
that's why we had to get you on tonight. That's right,
because you're not gonna be available on Sunday and I'm
not in my car because we're going to Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
So yes, well we got to get out to the bus.
So to get to the bus, Frank. Uh.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
It was a great segment. Great to talk to you
here finally on air. Only took twenty two years. And
although you did come up, you come up like we've
been on the we've been on the road where uh
there's a network broadcast in the middle right, and you've
sat in.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
With I said, and I did stats for you. Yeah, yeah, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
First time we get you on here on this when
we call the Frank the Gray segment of the postgame show.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Listen. It started with the storylines and then you use
a storyline, and then I had to call Capri. He
had a draft draft capital mistake, and the next thing,
you know, became the Frank.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
I love it, I love it, Frank.
Speaker 4 (17:02):
It all began because of a mistake.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
What a shocker.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
But you guys are awesome. You're a great team, You're
a great listen you guys right up right up our alley,
as far as funny and interjecting humor. But also and
you had to do, I had to try to get
your dude on the air, Wilson on the air this
year on the television side. Right, Well, I appreciate it,
but absolutely, you guys are the best, and I've been
(17:27):
really lucky just to be friends with you guys all
this year.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
One of my great moments. There are a couple of
things I should note that the night I met my
wife in a bar in New York City, you were there,
and not even we didn't go together. You just happen
to be in the bar that night. Remember I saw you.
I didn't really know you.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
That well, but you were there the night I met Laura. Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
And also I'll never forget coming back from Game six
to the Finals in San Antonio after the Nets had
just lost to the Spurs. You were there with MSG working,
you know, doing some segments, and we had no way
of get back. We jumped in a rental car with
you and Wrath and try to get back to the hotel,
(18:06):
and we had to abandon the rental car at some point.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Because we just couldn't get anywhere.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You remember that walk back to the Yeah, we just
it was a rental car.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Yeah, we had to.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
We had to bribe our way verbally to get down
the ramp because it's downtown had closed. We went down
the wrong way of a highway ramp and then I said,
we're just bailing here. I just left it here.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Yeah, that's the kind of stuff we went through together
over the last two decades.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
So Frank, all the best of it.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
And then, don't forget three helped us swing an Emmy
award we had TV.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Yeah, yeah, that's great. He did the open for your Emmy.
You know he did. Yes, maybe remember remember uncle Frank
next time.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Man, he's getting out of the workforce pretty soon as
a broadcaster, so let's go there. You go, Frank, great man,
Thank you, yes, thank you so much. Love man, Frank
the Grace, Yes, network producer for over two decades. All right,
all the best to Frank de Grace as he moves
on to NBC and their NBA coverage national coverage. Nets
(19:07):
have a big off season and if things go.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Their way, well maybe they'll have a.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Bunch of games on NBC that Frank de Grace can
once again be producing. We look forward to that. It
is going to be a monumental off season for Brooklyn.
They'll have their first lottery pick in the Brooklyn era,
a lot of cap space, a lot of other first
round picks. We will check back with you here on
(19:33):
the Voice of the Nets podcast throughout the course of
the off season, and I hope you can tune in subscribe.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
We'll talk to you again next time. I'm Chris Carrino.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
This is the Voice of the Nets.
Host
Chris Carrino
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