00:00:00:15 - 00:00:07:13 Dr. Winn I'm Dr. Rob Winn and you're listening to Real Cancer Talk from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 00:00:07:15 - 00:00:30:16 Dr. Winn You know, welcome to another episode of Real Cancer Talk. And, I have someone that doesn't need, introduction at all. It's our coach, and I use that, our coach of our VCU Rams. By the way, I think recently, not only did we beat Dayton, but I think we're co champs of the A-10. And, we got a lot more things to do within that first year. 00:00:30:17 - 00:00:46:16 Dr. Winn So coach, thank you for being with us. And, I am just super happy to have you, being a part of this, talk around not only cancer, but today we're going to talk a little bit about leadership. Good to have you, sir. 00:00:46:18 - 00:01:01:22 Coach Martelli Doctor Winn it is an absolute honor to be on here with you. And I like to the words you use there. You know, our team, our program, that's what we use. And I would say too, and I have said this to everybody. You know, this is your program. This is not my program. I don't own this program. 00:01:01:23 - 00:01:16:03 Coach Martelli I'm just here taking care of it. You know, this is, VCU’s program. All the people here that the the students, the faculty, the staff, the community, the alums. This program belongs to all of them. And, you know, I'm fortunate to be here. 00:01:16:05 - 00:01:34:10 Dr. Winn You know what? I think you were saying. And by the way, coach, I see your little tag about coaches versus cancer. And we know that this is the the month and the awareness that every, year, right around this time, we are aware of our coaches and, their fight also with cancer against cancer. So can I start off with something real quick? 00:01:34:12 - 00:01:57:22 Dr. Winn So, listen, I remember in 2020, coming to VCU, with the goal of trying to get comprehensive status here. You know, I also am in the fight, in the context of every single day thinking about how do I beat cancer. So can I just ask, you know, as we get started, what attracted you to VCU? 00:01:57:24 - 00:02:19:02 Coach Martelli You know, the the the history, the tradition, the legacy that is here. The commitment to excellence, you know, not just commitment to winning. There's a lot of places that want you to win, but a commitment to excellence. And excellence to me, is all the way around. Yes, it's our excellence on the court. And you know, this year winning 15 league games and being coach co regular season champions. 00:02:19:04 - 00:02:35:10 Coach Martelli You know great stuff right. But the excellence off the court. You know how we carry ourselves how we represent the community. I mean the first time I stepped foot in Richmond years ago I look around and you just see VCU everywhere. And it's almost like the it's almost like the city should be named, you know, renamed VCU town or something. 00:02:35:11 - 00:02:35:22 Coach Martelli You know, like. 00:02:36:02 - 00:02:36:16 Dr. Winn Right. 00:02:36:18 - 00:02:57:14 Coach Martelli That, that logo, that name, those three letters around everything parking garages, buildings, billboards, streets, you know, it's just everywhere. And, and, you know, an opportunity to be part of that and be part of something where you're chasing greatness every day. That that gets me fueled every day for, you know, doing what we need to do and represent the right way. 00:02:57:16 - 00:03:23:16 Dr. Winn You know, what I really love is that you just talked about something that I absolutely believe in, and that is there's a difference between winning and a commitment to sort of excellence, because that's every single day. You know, I was thinking about this in, in the sense of that when we talk about beating cancer, getting papers and grants and, you know, having our academic rankings increase, while we certainly want to do that, it's about the other impact. 00:03:23:21 - 00:03:41:13 Dr. Winn So could you tell me in the context of, how since you've been here and believe me, it's your first year out, so we I mean, but the cool about this is that I'm like, you haven't even gotten out of first gear yet, so, you know, you know this. What's about to come, we're really super excited about. 00:03:41:16 - 00:04:02:04 Dr. Winn But as you're thinking about this commitment to excellence, how do you how do you go about fostering that? Because I think in a cancer center, we say one team with one fight, and that means that the only thing that we're trying to do is align to fight cancer. But in that context, as you're pushing excellence in that commitment to excellence, how are you fostering that? 00:04:02:04 - 00:04:04:10 Dr. Winn What are the things that you're doing? 00:04:04:12 - 00:04:25:15 Coach Martelli Well, it's it's being locked in every day to whatever it is, right? Every little detail matters. Every little thing, you know, the way that we, show up every day, the way that we operate, the way, you know, with the staff, like, hey, how does our film session look? Is the film is the film, right? You know, like, we can't expect them to be right and then go in there and have our film be choppy, right. 00:04:25:16 - 00:04:45:24 Coach Martelli Like, every little thing needs to be to be locked in and everything matters, right? Every piece matters. Everything's important. You know, the wall out here, where our assistant coaches offices and our GA’s and everything, one of the things we put up on the wall there, it says, you know, for the staff is: Never underestimate your impact, right? 00:04:46:00 - 00:05:04:06 Coach Martelli Like, no matter what your role is, no matter who you are in the program, you can have an impact. And then one of the things we just talked about with, with the guys as we head into the postseason is, focus and unity, you know, and those two things like every day, like having that focus of what do I need to do today? 00:05:04:06 - 00:05:28:23 Coach Martelli Every decision you make, right. Like we're trying to go get number one on Friday to to in our first A-10 tournament game. So we're just focused on number one. We're trying to get number one. And every decision we make from here until then is going to determine, do we get number one or not. So that, you know, whether it's hey go in there and get an extra treatment in there in the training room, you know, and in the ice baths or whatever, or go back and play video games. 00:05:28:24 - 00:05:44:19 Coach Martelli One of those things is going to lead us to getting number one, and one of us might not, you know, one of those things might not. So the focus to that and then the unity of everybody's role, everybody's, you know, whatever they're doing is important. The guy that's playing 30 minutes a game and leading us in scoring, yeah, he's important. 00:05:45:00 - 00:06:04:02 Coach Martelli But so is that 13th guy who maybe is the scouting point guard who doesn't get any any attention. But you know what? Like we know every day he's getting us ready to go guard, you know the the other team on the best...you know the other player the other team's best player. So you know when you have those kind of motives, it leads to success. 00:06:04:04 - 00:06:21:01 Dr. Winn You know what? That's real. You know, those are certainly words to live by. You know, what I really want to focus in on that last piece because many times you and I both know as leaders, this stuff is not the easiest thing to do. But the reality is we are part of a team that serves that team. 00:06:21:03 - 00:06:40:17 Dr. Winn And so as we talk about my docs and my nurses and my scientists, there's also that other piece of the staff for us, you know, the people who are taking care of the facilities that are allowing things to work, you know, I mean, like, it really does feel like a team. As you're thinking about that, how do you, and what are some of the insights that you can give us into... 00:06:40:19 - 00:07:04:05 Dr. Winn How do you, work with your senior leadership team? I mean, how do you build that bond there? Because we know that you have the players on the court. But I also know in addition to our scientists that are curing, coming up the next cures of cancers, it's the senior leaders that allow for the structure. So how do you work with and how do you build that winning system within your senior leadership squad? 00:07:04:07 - 00:07:21:13 Coach Martelli Well, I think a big piece, in my role and I'm just part of this team, right. Like, I have a, I have a title, but I’m just a part of this team. It's why I love what I do, because I just love being part of a team. I was never the best player on any team. I was around a lot of winning, but never the best player on most of the teams I played on. 00:07:21:15 - 00:07:42:22 Coach Martelli But I was always, you know, would strive to be the best teammate. And again, in this role, yes, it says head coach, but I'm part of a team and I'm just a teammate in that. So it's me showing that, right? It's showing up every day. It's showing up consistently every day, right? Like if we have a great win, I can't come in here and celebrate like we just won the world championship and then let everything slip. 00:07:42:24 - 00:08:00:24 Coach Martelli And I can't have it, you know, if we have to take a tough loss, I can't show up like the world is ending and everything's doom and gloom. It's got to be, hey, we got to keep moving forward. I said to them at one point in time, you know, we've won a few games in a row and people will reach out and just say, hey, stay the course, but stay the course doesn't mean put it on cruise control. 00:08:00:24 - 00:08:17:20 Coach Martelli Stay the course means keep that foot on the gas and keep moving forward and keep finding ways to get better. And, that's a big piece of it. I think the consistency piece, showing up every day the same. People knowing what they're going to get from you. And that doesn't mean showing up and putting your arm around. Some days it means you got to pat somebody on the back. 00:08:17:20 - 00:08:32:15 Coach Martelli Sometimes it means you got to give them a hug. Sometimes they need to kick in the butt, you know? But you got to show up that in that consistent way, you know, that they know, like, hey, I'm not going to let anything slip. And I expect that you won't let anything slip. And then the other piece is, you know, the communication piece. Right? 00:08:32:15 - 00:08:46:01 Coach Martelli Like we have to have a dialogue. This is not me standing up in front giving a monologue every day saying, this is what I think, this is what it has to be. No, what what do you guys see and feel? Right? So staff wise, hey, what do you think? What are you seeing? You're watching this film. What is it? 00:08:46:01 - 00:09:00:12 Coach Martelli So after every game, the staff sends me notes. I get emails all through the night, you know, and it's their game notes. And some guys see it differently. But you know what? You start to see some crossover or you start to see little pieces. Like, you know what? Like this guy sees this this way. And that's pretty interesting. 00:09:00:12 - 00:09:18:07 Coach Martelli And he's right. This guy sees it a completely different way. But there is a common ground that you know what their, their eye looks at it different, but they're finding the same thing. And yeah, that's something we got to correct or something we got to emphasize. And then same with the players. You know I say that to them all the time like you're the ones out there I can call play. 00:09:18:07 - 00:09:34:11 Coach Martelli And you know I can pull tap shoulder. And if you don't like that play, but I don't know that I need to know. Or you may say, hey, you know what? Like it's not tap shoulder right now it's tap head. If we want tap head we're going to get this. Okay, great. You know, like at the end of the day we have to have a collective mission to get where we're trying to get. 00:09:34:11 - 00:09:43:12 Coach Martelli It can't be, this is just my vision and my mission. And and I'm trying to get there, but I'm leaving others behind. No, we got to bring everybody along for the ride together. 00:09:43:14 - 00:10:03:09 Dr. Winn Woo! That's fire man. By the way, you know, I'm so glad that you you also pointed out and, as you similarly always sort of say, I may not be the best scientist, but I'm good at it. I may not be the best of the best of the best physicians, but I'm pretty doggone good. But what I do is being able to lead. 00:10:03:09 - 00:10:42:11 Dr. Winn And I was thinking when you said that that Kerr is a hell of a player, but was certainly, I mean, a masterful coach and not taking anything away from the Byrd or Jordan. You know, Michael J. Look, Michael Jordan and Byrd. Listen, they're amazing. But as coaches, maybe not so much. And so what I love about what you just said is that part of being the leader is having the experience and the awareness, but also having the humility of understanding that your job is to have and shine light on those people on your coaching staff and those players that are on the floors, but also allowing people to sort of share, you know, as a community. 00:10:42:11 - 00:11:01:02 Dr. Winn So could you tell me a little bit about, this issue about your role or what your team has done and what you think, in addition to as having watching on TV, which we love. But you know, coming to, I mean, honestly, better than TV is when we're there. You can feel the energy. Oh my God, you can feel the energy and, you know. 00:11:01:02 - 00:11:11:05 Dr. Winn And by the way, I have to say that, you know, Coach Martelli, one of the things I really like about your coaching style is we can feel your energy too. It's awesome man. 00:11:11:05 - 00:11:25:21 Coach Martelli Oh I feel, I feel the Siegel Center energy, for sure, like I am. I love that place. Like, I we don't get enough games in there. We could, if they increase to an 82 game like the NBA, I would be all for it because to be in there 41 times would be awesome. 00:11:26:00 - 00:11:47:12 Dr. Winn That’d be awesome man. So how do you how do you engage the community? So as you're thinking about, you know, certainly your job of locking in and the focus and putting up the W's and the commitment to excellence, part of that excellence is also engaging communities. How do you and your staff and your team, how have you thought about engaging the community at large? 00:11:47:14 - 00:12:14:19 Coach Martelli Yeah, I mean, we we try to be as visible as possible. You know, get to touch as many lives, touch as many groups as we can. You know, we we probably don't get to do it enough because of how busy the schedule is. But, you know, we did a Christmas charity over, you know, right before Christmas where we, you know, we had some families come and meet us at Target, and we, you know, the guys were able to go around and shop. And again, it's one thing to invest your money and things like that. 00:12:14:19 - 00:12:35:22 Coach Martelli And that's important, right? Donate your money and all that. But donating your time and your energy, you know specifically to somebody one on one to somebody or in a group setting like, that's where it's it's really special. And you know, sometimes it's hard, right? Sometimes it's hey, we just had a tough practice and now we got to go do this community service event and guys will drag in there. 00:12:35:24 - 00:12:54:24 Coach Martelli And what I've always found is, hey, we're supposed to be here an hour. We're supposed to be here an hour and a half. And when you hit that time, you're like, alright guys like, it's time to go, guys. Like, come on. Like now. We've been here for two hours. Like it's time to go. I mean, like, end up having we end up having more fun, you know, than even the people that we're, you know, quote unquote impacting. 00:12:54:24 - 00:13:05:20 Coach Martelli They they really are the ones that impact us. You know, we've done some stuff at the children's hospital, which is is really important. And, you know, going down there and spending time with people just it gives you that perspective. 00:13:05:20 - 00:13:34:21 Coach Martelli We are incredibly, incredibly blessed to be on the platform we are. I mean, to be playing college basketball, I mean, I get to show up and work every day in, you know, sweatpants and sneakers, like, come on. Like, you know, I mean, like, I'm not I'm not out there curing cancer. I'm not out there fighting that fight that that, you know, those really important fights that people are. But we're given a platform because people love it, and it does build a camaraderie and build a, a, an energy, you know, around the university and around the community. 00:13:34:23 - 00:13:53:07 Coach Martelli And in turn, we have to make sure that we give that back to people. And I think engaging people, spending time with people, you know, and for me, like, it's kind of easy because that's like, I'm not used to and don't really love, like the spotlight of it. Like, I just want to be, like part of the. 00:13:53:13 - 00:13:54:02 Dr. Winn Yes, sir. 00:13:54:06 - 00:13:57:01 Coach Martelli But again, like, not just part of this team, men’s basketball... 00:13:57:02 - 00:13:57:13 Dr. Winn Yes sir. 00:13:57:17 - 00:14:12:11 Coach Martelli But part of the university team, part of the community team. Like I'm just a, I'm just a role player in that, you know what I mean? Like I'm just a role player. Our program is just a role player in that. Like we all have our spots where we can help and it's just uplifting somebody, right? 00:14:12:11 - 00:14:31:07 Coach Martelli Like, you never know. You know, you're walking in the street and just just smiling and saying hi to somebody. You know, everybody's on their phones now and looking down. Like you just walk by and say hello to somebody. Like that might change somebody's day, you know. And I think really again, back to that never underestimate your impact. Like that's true in the community too. 00:14:31:08 - 00:14:40:09 Coach Martelli Like you just never know. You know who's life, you know whose life you're going to touch. And in turn, you know, selfishly, like how much you're going to get back from that. 00:14:40:11 - 00:15:02:14 Dr. Winn Oh, man. You know, I, man, that just sent chills because, you know, you said a couple really important things. And I would argue that as much as my folks are trying to have an impact and curing cancer and screening for cancer and bringing people awareness, what you just talked about is that it's not just about the high tech stuff we do, but it's about the high touch. 00:15:02:16 - 00:15:21:17 Dr. Winn When I really love about what you just said is this thing of we, you and I. And, and again, we have great people around us. In fact, we have even great senior leaders. You know, I was thinking about Ed, and we go out and and, you know, his ability to think, you know, as the whole AD of, you know, athletics about the pieces that he has to put together. 00:15:21:22 - 00:15:56:10 Dr. Winn It's about us in the context of understanding that our senior level staff and our teams and things. But it's also that whole thing you just talked about, about giving people inspiration sometimes through the hard times. I, I love the fact that you've gone to Children's Hospital and you work with some of our cancer patients, because there's some times where, you know, you talk about fourth quarter gassers...these folks are getting chemotherapy and other things, and we have no idea what, what fortitude it takes that says, you know, what I feel like crap, but I know I need to get through another one of these treatments. 00:15:56:12 - 00:16:20:21 Dr. Winn Or, hey, I'm going to actually be on a clinical trial because I hope it, my hope is that it does something for me, but if it doesn't do something for me, the selflessness, it may do something for others. But that's. But that starts, man with what you just said about inspiring, pushing people, allowing people to be part of the joy and understanding, you know what you guys are doing. 00:16:20:21 - 00:16:22:09 Dr. Winn So quick question. 00:16:22:11 - 00:16:39:11 Coach Martelli Doctor Winn, can I just stopped you real quick. So I got to tell you this story because of what you just said. When, my daughter is 13, I have a 16 year old son, a 13 year old daughter, and my, youngest guy, he just turned eight yesterday. So my daughter was 13, she was about or she's 13 now, when she was like two, two and a half. 00:16:39:13 - 00:17:00:10 Coach Martelli She was going through some like, gastrointestinal, like, reflux stuff. And, you know, they were struggling with figuring it out. So we had to go. We were living in the Philadelphia area at the time. We got to go to Children's Hospital Philadelphia. And it was an overnight. And you know, as a parent, it's you're petrified. They're trying to figure out they gotta run this overnight test to figure out, trying to get some stuff figured out. 00:17:00:15 - 00:17:18:16 Coach Martelli But in the grand scheme very minor. She was still very healthy. No, no life threatening, anything like that. As we were checking in that that day, there was a woman checking in next to us, and I swear she was put there at that moment in time, or I was put there at that moment in time to hear her say this. 00:17:18:18 - 00:17:39:13 Coach Martelli And she looked like she had been in there for God only knows how long. And obviously she was dealing with a sick child, you know, her own sick child that was in there. And you could just you could just feel that it was something like really serious that they're dealing with. And the receptionist behind the table said something to her along those lines like, back again, 00:17:39:15 - 00:17:48:15 Coach Martelli You know, and it was kind of like a almost like a desperation type deal. And this woman looked at her and said, you know, you never know how strong you are until you have to be. 00:17:48:17 - 00:17:49:00 Dr. Winn Come on. 00:17:49:03 - 00:17:57:07 Coach Martelli That smacked me. Like it was like I was watching a television show and I was supposed to be, hear that and see that. 00:17:57:08 - 00:18:15:12 Coach Martelli And I think of that every time I'm in that children's hospital. Really any hospital right. And you see certain people and you go like, again, we sit here and have a bad day because we lost a game or we missed a shot or we turned the ball over. Right? And trying to get through that. And then you see these people and you go like they're fighting this fight every single day. 00:18:15:12 - 00:18:35:02 Coach Martelli They're they're facing, you know, the hardest opponents they could face. And for that woman to stand there and have that perspective and to say that and for that to go right, I mean, that went right through my ears and struck me in the heart. And I I've carried that every day since for the last, you know, whatever it is, 11 years or so. 00:18:35:04 - 00:18:52:06 Coach Martelli And what you're saying is exactly right, that fortitude that people have that, that, that ability to just stand up and say, all right, another round, another round, another round, that is inspiring. That way more inspiring than anything we can do in sports. That that right there is the inspiration. 00:18:52:08 - 00:19:09:07 Dr. Winn You know, I'm gonna share with you real quick. Someone once told me who was, a patient that they got their inspiration from you guys. When you were down in the third or fourth quarter and looked like. And now we won't name the games because, you know, the good news is we put up the W, so that was good. 00:19:09:07 - 00:19:10:20 Coach Martelli That's it. 00:19:10:22 - 00:19:28:24 Dr. Winn But but but that that we're learning from one another that they how to dig deep, how to keep composure, how to keep moving ahead. And I want to just give a shout out to you and your team this year for actually not only inspiring young people, but some of our cancer patients, that when you're down in the third or fourth quarter, to never give up. 00:19:29:01 - 00:19:29:23 Coach Martelli No doubt. 00:19:30:00 - 00:19:40:18 Dr. Winn And in fact that I, I love...so we're we're about ready to end this. I got only two last questions for you okay. And that this one I'm gonna throw the softball to you first. 00:19:40:22 - 00:19:41:03 Coach Martelli All right. 00:19:41:04 - 00:19:55:17 Dr. Winn The softball is coming here, softballs coming here. Are there...you know, as you're thinking about your role as, you know, certainly, you know, one of the premier basketball coaches in the United States, but also, again, the coaches versus cancer. 00:19:55:21 - 00:20:03:23 Dr. Winn Why are you interested in actually being able to, also give visibility as a coach to cancer? 00:20:04:00 - 00:20:36:21 Coach Martelli Well, you know, obviously cancer is just a terrible disease and it's touched everybody, right? Like, you can't go anywhere and and not know somebody that's been touched by it. And, I think that inspiration, you know, for me, firsthand, comes from my father. He's been heavily involved, you know, a long time coach, was heavily involved, helped get the the coaches versus cancer chapter started in Philadelphia, and they raised millions, I mean, millions and millions and millions when they were, they weren't doing anything. 00:20:36:21 - 00:20:55:06 Coach Martelli No one was doing anything there. And, him and Fran Dunphy, who was the coach at Penn and Temple, joined, you know, team, to to really start that. And the real credit goes to my mom, Judy, and, Coach Dunphy’s wife, Ree, who really did the they really did the groundwork. My dad and Dunphy kind of got it started and were the face of it. 00:20:55:06 - 00:21:14:00 Coach Martelli But, you know, my mom and Ree really, they really did the the you know, the groundwork and got it going. So to see that and see that inspiration. But again, like, we've all been touched by cancer. Right? And and I'll steal my dad's line like we're on this mission, not to beat it, not to cure it, but we're out there to crush it, right? 00:21:14:00 - 00:21:31:09 Coach Martelli Like we got to crush it. We need to wake up one day and and and see, you know, like cancer is gone. Right? Like, on to the next thing, like, you know, the Massey center, like, we don't we don't need it anymore. Right? Like, the goal is to make sure we don't need it anymore. Like, let's get rid of this thing. 00:21:31:12 - 00:21:49:13 Coach Martelli Get rid of this disease. You know, and again, it cancer doesn't care if you're white, black, rich, poor. It doesn't care if you live in the city, doesn't care if you live out in the country, doesn't care if you're from the United States, from a different country. It doesn't care. Cancer doesn't care. Right? And, you know, so we need everybody in that fight. 00:21:49:17 - 00:22:07:09 Coach Martelli And, you know, I'm really proud of that being part of coaches versus cancer. I have my the pin that we wear on the sidelines. I have my this bracelet here. It's probably hard to see. It says coaches versus cancer. These bracelets instead of a gift at our at our wedding, my wife Megan and I, instead of like the party gift, the... 00:22:07:10 - 00:22:26:20 Coach Martelli You know, that people would get walking out the door, we we made a donation. We took that money, made a donation to coaches versus cancer, in name of some family members. And we gave out these bracelets that had. It's worn away now because I've been wearing it for, for, like, 18 years, but it had, the date of the wedding, you know, printed on the inside. 00:22:26:22 - 00:22:46:12 Coach Martelli And I haven't taken this, you know, this off, you know, since that day, it's been, you know, almost 18 years and, you know, wearing this bracelet every day to again signify, like, hey, we're in this fight, this coach versus cancer fight. And, again, we still got work to get work to do. You know, certainly, you know, advancements have been made, you know, and a lot of great stuff. 00:22:46:12 - 00:23:10:00 Coach Martelli We just dealt with it with my, my sister in law in the last year, my wife's sister, she, you know, was diagnosed early with breast cancer, fought it and is doing great. And, you know, again, it's going to, It's it's it hits everybody, you know, so we all have to be in that fight together. And again, one of these days we got to be sitting here and it's got to be you know, Real Cancer Talk and people going what's cancer? 00:23:10:00 - 00:23:13:02 Coach Martelli I don't even know what that is, you know, because we've obliterated it. 00:23:13:04 - 00:23:32:10 Dr. Winn I know that's right. You know, I was thinking about what you just said, 36% fewer Americans are dying from cancer today, as they were at the 1991, 44% less women are dying from breast cancer, 50% less men, believe it or not, are dying from prostate cancer. And as you just said, the the battle is not over. We just made the big C smaller. 00:23:32:14 - 00:23:50:07 Dr. Winn Yes. And I did want to make sure that I gave gave your mom and your dad props and that whole Philadelphia crew. You guys talk about crushing it in the context of the American Cancer Society, what you did in the coaches versus cancer and bringing awareness and the annual. This is not just a one time and done. It's been going on. 00:23:50:12 - 00:24:16:18 Dr. Winn And I just wanted to make sure that I gave you and your family a shout out for understanding that as a member of the American Cancer Society, also, being able to participate in some of the coaches versus cancer things, how grateful I am to you all. Last question. And because I know you got a lot of other planning to do. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, the legacy of what you're building, what do you want that to be? 00:24:16:20 - 00:24:39:21 Coach Martelli Well, I wanted to continue, you know, I want to build on what's been built here before. Right? And again, like we talked about that excellence that, that VCU stands for, you know, that the whole entire VCU community stands for. You know, and really, I want it to to kind of resemble that. Right? That grit, that toughness, that show up every day, you know, no matter what the situation. 00:24:39:23 - 00:24:56:18 Coach Martelli And, you know, go to work. You know, certainly we want to win. We want to win championships. That's what we strive for on the court every day. But I think that, and helping to change lives, helping to change lives within the program, you know. And have these guys come to school, get their degree, go on to do great things. 00:24:56:18 - 00:25:33:09 Coach Martelli And we have alums doing, you know, obviously alums everywhere, but basketball alums doing, you know, extraordinary things, you know, throughout the world. You know, helping to continue that and build on that. You know, and then change lives in the community. You know, again, like you said, if if coming in watching a game or watching a game on TV and something that happens brings an inspiration to a doctor, a patient, you know, a little kid, you know, out there somewhere, if it if it brings that inspiration. If just, you know, showing that fight every day and putting on that black and gold and having that pride every day of like, we represent something truly special. 00:25:33:11 - 00:25:49:03 Coach Martelli There's only so many places where, you know, you can see that logo anywhere in the world, and people know what it stands for. And VCU was one of those. When they see VCU, I see it. I see it when I go out and about and I'm wearing that logo. I see people's heads turn. Like, VCU is here, and it means something. 00:25:49:04 - 00:26:03:15 Coach Martelli And, that is not something we take lightly. We work every day in here. You know, we're working really hard, and it's with, you know, that in mind that we're trying to make everybody, everybody that's part of this incredible community. We're trying to make them proud. 00:26:03:17 - 00:26:22:03 Dr. Winn Coach Martelli, you know, I gotta say, that was something that comes to mind is like, turn it down for what? Man you bringing the heat man. So listen, I just want to say thank you. I know you're really busy. Thank you for taking time out of your day to spend a little time with us just reflecting about, you know, again, this whole concept of impact and excellence. 00:26:22:03 - 00:26:42:01 Dr. Winn And I just really want to say again, from the bottom of my heart, we thank you for being the leader we needed on this campus. I also want to tell you, thank you so much for being in the fight against cancer. And, I just can't say enough about you. But listen, I hope at some point I'll be able to have an opportunity to have you back. 00:26:42:03 - 00:26:53:05 Dr. Winn I'm so right now you can't see it, but my toes, my fingers are crossed. I would do my eyes, but everything is crossed. And best wishes and best energy, so you finish out for the strongest season possible. 00:26:53:07 - 00:27:17:00 Coach Martelli I appreciate you. And thank you for the work you're doing. Again. It's it is truly inspirational that you and your team and the doctors and, you know, the scientists, researchers, everybody, what they are doing, it really is inspirational. And, you know, to all those patients out there, just keep fighting. Just keep fighting, keep fighting, keep fighting. Just show up that next day, you know, and and keep throwing those punches, you know, and one day we're all going to sit here and have that. 00:27:17:02 - 00:27:26:17 Coach Martelli It's going to be a giant celebration down Broad Street when we say cancer is gone, we got it. We beat it, we crushed it, it's gone. And we're going to be celebrating up and down Broad Street together. 00:27:26:19 - 00:27:43:05 Dr. Winn Come on man, appreciate you. Now listen this has been another episode of Real Talk. And, this is the way to close it out. Man, I am so pumped for going into the rest of this day. You have no idea. And, coach, thank you for everything. 00:27:43:07 - 00:27:43:20 Coach Martelli Thanks, doc.