Cody attended 2 National Championship games in 36 years as a TV sportscaster, the last in 2009 when Colt McCoy’s injury on this first-half hit doomed Texas vs. Alabama. Also, he was in the media Gaggle that recorded Vince Young when he crossed the goal line for the game-winner in 2005. National Championship games are memory makers!

Dave Cody, the sports director at KTBC-TV from 1985 to 2013, shares memories of DKR and his golf buddies.

 I have often wondered “why me” ? Why was I granted access to Darrell K Royal ? Was it because we belonged to the same Barton Creek Golf Club? Although I have shared the pic of our celebrity foursome that included DKR, Willie, and George Strait who teamed with Chi Chi Rodriguez in the 1990 Legends pro-am( writer Mark Rosner referred to me as a ” minor ” celebrity in the Austin American Statesman) DKR was known as a fast golfer who played as many holes as possible before dark often whizzing by in his golf cart alone while the slow one, me, played with my regular groups no matter how long it took. Was it because I worked at KTBC-TV which aired his coaches show and had exclusive behind the scenes footage of the 1969 ” Game of the Century ” win over Arkansas? I asked to interview him on just about every anniversary of that game , yearly, every five and 10 years because I had the footage . I always wanted to ask “what were you thinking calling a veer pass on 4th down with the game on the line”? DKR called the plays and rarely threw the ball. Or was it because my co-worker at KTBC-TV April Molina married his grandson David Kazen and therefore I attended a pre wedding party that Darrell and Edith , his wife, attended? No, I truly think it was because I asked him to sign a copy of a book he wrote to my dad. I think we bonded after that .

DKR and Edith lived on the 16th hole at Barton Creek Fazio in a home one lived in by Grammy award winning singer Larry Gatlin and I noticed it regularly . I actually drove DKR and his long time friend Cactus Pryor who hosted his TV show on our station , to a PGA seniors golf tournament in Lakeway outside Austin so they could see old friends Ben Crenshaw and Tom Kite who were playing when I noticed DKR looking out the backseat window with a blank stare on his face. I asked Cactus if Darrell was OK and he shared ” we both have it, we have the same doctor” I came to learn he meant both had alzheimers that took Cactus in 2011 and eventually Darrell in 2012. I suspected death was near when Ben visited Darrell a few days earlier and I received a text at 7am that he had passed. Sensing something was up I asked my boss if I could take the sportscast off the night before to prepare an obit largley based on the exclusive footage so it was ready and aired in Austin and Dallas and elsewhere by 8am. In the footage the Longhorn Band spelled out DKR during his final game at UT in 1976. I already knew he was revered but he always made time for me and I have often wondered “why?”

Because of that genuine bond I have sent several burnt orange flower arrangements to Miss Edith since his passing and helped with publicity for an auction of all thier memorabilia. My life with the Royals is better for it and I am grateful.

Dave Cody introduces Coach Jody Conradt’s oral History podcast located at https://www.texaslsn.org/19762007-jody-conradt-copy

Introduction of Jody Conradt’s oral history podcast by Dave Cody (Heat up the Grill)

• A two-point loss in the NCAA women’s basketball  Tournament that denied UT an appearance in its own Regional would have been deflating for most, but when I turned on my Hyatt Regency  TV during my job interview at KTBC-TV in late March 1985, I saw a well-spoken, well-coiffed woman putting a positive spin on the outcome and as tough as that was,  it left me with a great first impression of Texas Womens Basketball.  I had worked as a TV sportscaster in Memphis, where basketball meant something, and I knew Austin was the place for me. It would be the beginning of a 35-year friendship with the woman most simply called “Jody “

• I will share a funny story; we had Jody mic’d for a game at the drum in the 80s “s I think? Whataburger used to give free burgers when UT scored 100 points. Late in the game, Jody leaned over to her assistant coach Colleen Matsuhara  And said ” heat up the grill”

• 34 and 0. KTBC-TV cameraman Jaime Ortiz and I accompanied the team to the women’s final 4 in Lexington, KY, taking a day trip to meet the great “Secretariat” at nearby Claiborne Farm, so the week was already a win. Then came the Women’s Coaches Coaches Convention ” Derby Party ” with hot tubs under the big tents. Jody and the UT coaches did not take part in The championship game vs. Cheryl Miller, and USC was the next day. UT won with UT freshman Clarissa Davis breaking out a stellar UT career. The Lady Longhorns their politically correct brand in 1986) returned to a raucous reception at the Drum, their home arena.

• The Pass. It may have been a midweek game or a showcased tournament game, I don’t recall. But starting point guard Kamie Etheridgs made a wraparound pass to a fast-breaking Clarissa Davis on the wing, and ” Clo” took it to the hole for the basket.

• Jody made sure to interact with UT fans, renaming her post-game meetings for coaches and players with fans in the Burnt Orange Room,” the Fast break ” room.

• Jody used to wear a long green coat during games at Baylor, her alma mater. When asked about it she said ” HOT Coliseum is am old Rodeo barn; it’s cold”

• She allowed us to ride the team charter bus to TCU one year, I can still see that bus going up i-35 to the sound of Aretha’s Freeway of Love I used in the piece