So what happened to everyone from the 2007 and 2008 Coast Guard men’s basketball teams?

First, they got on a bus for one heck of a ride back to campus!

Then, they went on with their lives. In some cases, that meant Ring Dance and graduation. For others, that meant continuing their time as cadets.

In our final episode, we catch up with all the key people to find out where they are and what they’re doing.

And we answer the question: What is the lasting legacy of those Coast Guard basketball teams?

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team and the 2007-08 Academy women’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

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Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, and Yeven Lokhmatov.

There are so many great stories from these Coast Guard men’s basketball team that we couldn’t fit everything within the first 7 episodes.

This episode is for those stories we missed.

From Waide Howley and Justin Williams to the benchwarmers; From the sights, sounds, and smells to impersonations of Coach Barry & Bono. It’s all covered here.

Enjoy!

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team and the 2007-08 Academy women’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

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Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, and Yeven Lokhmatov.

The greatest team in Coast Guard men’s basketball history had the greatest run through the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2008.

It may not have ended with a championship, but it was incredibly memorable in so many ways.

We relive the Bears amazing upsets, the big baskets, and the defensive stands, as well as the final game of that season.

It was a wonderful ride. Tune in and savor the memories!

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team and the 2007-08 Academy women’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, and Yeven Lokhmatov.

The 2008 Coast Guard Academy men's basketball team had the greatest season in school history.

The Academy women's basketball team had a great season too.

We look back at them, the school's all-time winningest basketball team.

Two players - Natalie Moyer and Melissa Martinelli - and assistant coach Rick Gaines tell the story of great friendships and great success.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team and the 2007-08 Academy women’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

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Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, and Yeven Lokhmatov.

The 2007 Bears men’s basketball team improbably won the NEWMAC Championship. The 2008 Bears had greater expectations.

This episode recounts the Coast Guard’s pursuit of a repeat title. One player returns. A newcomer from far away makes a big impact. And with the Magnificent 7 recruiting class now all nearing the end of their journey, we look at what it’s like to be a senior (first-class) at the Coast Guard Academy.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

The worst possible season becomes the best possible season with an amazing, incredible, improbable run through the 2007 NEWMAC playoffs by the Coast Guard men’s basketball team.

To win in the playoffs, you need your star players to come up big. And to win in the playoffs, you need some unexpected help too.

We recount all the memorable moments, from Grant Johnson’s 3-point barrage to Steve Blum’s “forgotten” winning basket, to Eric Hudson’s free throws.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

The Coast Guard men’s basketball team had all the pieces in place to contend for a conference championship in 2006-07. This was going to be their year.

But their grand plans were disrupted by a star player’s departure.

Nonetheless, one player’s departure left an opportunistic opening for two players to fill. And the arrival of a new freshmen class, one with its own personality, also helped fill the void.

And then the season took some strange turns.

This episode looks back at the worst of times, an eventful regular season that set the stage for … who knows what?

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

The Coast Guard men’s basketball team had a great recruiting class in place. But now those cadets had to survive the rigors and challenges of the Academy.

And that’s not easy.

In this episode, we look at what the Coast Guard Academy is like – from the introductory phase of Swab Summer to heavy courseloads and military requirements (right down to having a perfectly-made bed).

And we look at the foundation that was set by the coaching staff over the next two basketball seasons.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please rate and review the podcast. And send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

It’s time to meet some of the main characters in the best March Madness story you didn’t know.

Behold “The Magnificent 7” recruiting class – a group incoming freshman who would change the Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball program forever.

We talk to Al Sowers, Jeff Prebeck, Grant Johnson, Craig Johnson, Steve Blum, Donatas Siaudinis and Zach Robertson about how their basketball origin stories – and how they all came to be cadets at the United States Coast Guard Academy. They came from different backgrounds but were united by their competitiveness and their basketball success.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com – don’t forget to rate and review the podcast too.

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

Podcast logo by Dave Ryner.

The best March Madness story you didn’t know begins with … Alexander Hamilton?

Our opening episode sets the scene with origin stories – the beginnings of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Academy. We explain how the Coast Guard differs from other military branches. These are the lifesavers and rescuers, often overlooked when put alongside the more prominent Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines.

We also trace the history of the school’s basketball program and look back at the 1979 NCAA team.

Then we get to the first of our key characters – coaches Pete Barry and Bob Bono and their vastly different paths to Coast Guard – and how the basketball program had to bottom out before it could reach its highest point.

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A Lasting Legacy is a multi-part audio documentary that remembers the amazing and improbable runs of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Coast Guard Academy men’s basketball team.

It’s based on 40 interviews with former players, coaches, rivals, and others.

The podcast is written, hosted, edited, and produced by Mark Simon.

Please send any thoughts/feedback to Mark at coastguardbears@gmail.com – don’t forget to rate and review the podcast too.

---

Music comes via MelodyLoops.com from the following artists:

ABC Studio, AG Music, Alexander Lisenkov, Andy Littlewood, Audiocalm, Azov Music, Colour Tunes, Ebunny, Eitan Epstein, Geoff Harvey, Infraction, Jeremy Kim, Jon Wright, Manuel Ochoa, Media Sushi, Michael Adels, Mike Nowa, Mister Mark, Mr. B Music Studio, Owen Mulcahy, Premium Trax, Raspberry Sounds, Serhii Volunchuk, Strat56, White Cat Music, Yeven Lokhmatov.

Podcast logo by Dave Ryner.

Coming March 9 ... the best March Madness story you didn't know!