RUDY KALIS - 30 POINTS!

BY DAN MILLER
(posted August 26, 2004)

Another sign that time is flying.
And it almost slipped by me.
My old pal Rudy Kalis has been with Channel 4 for 30 years, as of August 15th.

In 1974, some of us “jocks” here at Channel 4 had organized a station basketball team, and we were trying to win a few games.
We called our team the “Holy Smokers”, named after a phrase sportscaster Paul Eells used a lot during his play by play of Vanderbilt football and basketball games.

But our team needed a spark.
Enter Rudy Kalis.
Now, that’s really not the reason Rudy was hired here, but, what a ‘bonus’ for our team!
As a former high school All American in Wisconsin, he provided an immediate spark in our scoring and strategy.
Rudy clearly knew his way around a basketball court.

And now, 30 years later, most of us mere mortals have long since bowed to aching feet and legs, and stamina, and traded the basketball sneakers for arch supports.

But not Rudy... he’s still on the court several times a week, putting younger players to shame, and showing them how to finesse the long, outside jump shot.

I actually saw Rudy hit 23 straight shots in one game.

In this town, the name Rudy Kalis has become synonymous with sports.
And he’s never been like the rest of the sports anchors.
Low key, conversational, the ‘everyman’ of sports reporting.

Rudy’s a true friend to the athletes he covers.
He doesn’t like to come down too hard on players who get in trouble, or create problems for themselves.
He’s likely to pull them aside, off camera, and tell there’s a better way to do it.

But if you want to know what’s really the essence of Rudy, listen to him talk to a bunch of youngsters.
Listen to a man who can talk about character, and honesty, and spirituality, and morality... and back up everything he says with his life and behavior.

Rudy and I have shared many secrets of our souls and our lives over the years. That’s been important to me.
If you want to know a good, decent man.... get to know Rudy Kalis.
And after three decades in town, he can still hit from outside.

Happy “30 in Nashville” Rudy.

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