Tully Bevilaqua Unscripted
Tully Bevilaqua: Most definitely. I mean going back home and having everyone want to see the medal and just seeing the excitement in their eyes that they were touching a medal kind of brought home how important, how special it actually was, so I think that’s when it really, truly hit me.
Messenger:Did it hit you with any greater impact to have people checking out your medal when you were back home in Australia, and it was their medal, a little more so than when you were here in the United States still?
Bevilaqua: I mean for sure. I mean obviously coming back here I’m amongst my teammates and going back home I’m with my family and friends and obviously being amongst the Aussies it definitely felt you know, it was a bit more precious I guess in those moments being amongst my own family and friends.
Messenger:Awesome, talk to us about your winter months here. This is the first time that you haven’t played in the WNBL in Australia. How’s that been?
Bevilaqua:Yeah, you know Kevin, I really enjoyed not playing over the last four months, so if you look at the schedule I had last year it was just crazy the amount of travel I did during or just prior to the WNBA season starting then obviously during the season going back to Australia mid-way through the WNBA season to do a mini training camp with the Australian team prior, obviously, to going to China and then straight back to the States to finish the season off and then fly home. I racked up quite a few frequent flyer points let me tell ya. I was so drained afterwards, I didn’t even want to pick up a basketball for a good couple of months and I didn’t. I picked up golf clubs instead, but you know it was probably the best thing I ever did. It just refreshed the body, refreshed my mind, and I’ve got my passion back, ready to go again for the 2009 season.
Messenger:Alright, well you’ve talked aobut things that you’ve picked up in that time. You picked up golf clubs. You didn’t pick up a basketball, but the other thing you picked up was a microphone. You did a little broadcasting during the pro season over there. Talk a little about that experience.
Bevilaqua:Well, I mean looking toward the future obviously you know I’ve got a couple years left in the body, but I’m trying to get a little bit of media experience now ‘cuz you know obviously when I do retire that’s one of the avenues I would like to go down so during the Australian basketball season I was running the sidelines. Color commentary I guess. I don’t know about expert commentary but color commentary. I had a lot of fun, and I hope to do it again obviously next year as well but I can see myself maybe you know heading into that direction after I finish playing.
Messenger:Alright, now lets get back to talking about playing. You’ve come over to the States early in this instance, alright, so you’ve been here since about February and getting ready to get your game on for the summer but this is an awful long time for you without playing a game and training in the United States. So, tell us about your time. You’ve been able to travel a little bit. Tell us a little about your experience over the last couple of months.
Bevilaqua:Well, basically what I have done is, I mean like I said, is chilling back in Australia, playing golf and you know it came that time where you know I had to get back into the basketball mode of things and the timing was right to come back over here and to get into a bit of a pattern of you know just get my schedule where I was training like at least five days of the week so basically Monday to Friday I’ve been in the gym with our strength coach, Brandon. Brandon, I love you, not. So he’s been working both Tan White and myself out Monday to Fridays. We have a great time. We go into St. Vincent’s and I swear we spend half the time laughing ‘cuz it’s a great environment and you know I’m just trying to give St. Vincent’s a plug there because it’s you know…it’s all about the sponsorship. So we do that, and we basically come into the courts and work out with our assistant coach, Gary Kloppenburg, and you know I’m just really enjoying going back to the basics. I mean haven’t been a gym junkie like this for a little while and I really love it. But at the same time I obviously need to focus on getting myself ready for the start of the season and training my body for running up and down the court again. But you know I’m having a great time like I said, that rest in between seasons has fueled my passion again so you kow.
Messenger:Very good, now the Fever need to take that passion and advance where they’ve been the last couple of years, four straight playoff years, twice to the conference finals. How do we get over the hump and get to the WNBA finals?
Bevilaqua:You know when I think about the teams that you know have been successful over the years and obviously our nemesis, Detroit. We’re always falling one short you know due to them but I think it’s attitude. We need to really come into this season with a lot, you know, with a real attitude. Now I’m not talking cockiness or you know just has to be a definite attitude there when we step on the court. People can sense that or they can fear us to a certain extent, and they can sense that when we step on the court that they’ve got some problems coming their way. I think the addition of Yolanda Griffith will definitely help that. She’s a veteran player, and I think she’ll just bring that mental toughness and that bit of attitude which will hopefully filter around to everybody and you know, I know that some of us aren’t necessarily. It’s not a natural thing to have that attitude, but we have to try and get it, including myself. So, you know, I’ll be doing a little extra work you know with the sports psychologist to get a little attitude into the Aussie and yeah, just really start to dictate to our opponents.
Messenger:Okay, you are going to, you are about to finish this interview and step back out onto the court, get you game on, get your workout in…
Bevilaqua: Tie the hair back, yes.
Messenger:But before you do, you have any last final message to our fans?
Bevilaqua: Well, I just want to say to the fans that you’re in for another exciting year with the Indiana Fever. You know, it’s great to have your support and we’re looking to build on that as well. It’s the 10th season of the Fever so hopefully we’re going to make it a special year and bring the championship home, and I’m also talking to the people back home in Australia as well because there’s a lot of people tuning into the WNBA and checking out what happening and I just want to say good day to everyone back home and I hope, yeah, check the Fever out.
Messenger: Alright, thank you Tully Bevilaqua.
Bevilaqua:You’re welcome, Mr. Messenger.
