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Episode 76: Matt Bishop, The Heart Of The Fighter (blog post)
Matt Bishop 0:00
She goes, Matt, pack your bags like, and you start chemo tomorrow? I’m five hours away.
Curt Carstensen 0:22
This is People I Know Show and I’m Curt Carstensen, Episode 76. Today, my guest is Matt Bishop.
Matt and I were on similar life paths, both getting into broadcasting and sports after leaving St. Cloud State University, although I was about four years ahead of him, as we’ll get into in the conversation around the time that I was leaving sports in 2012. That is when a long list of medical problems began to hit Matt. We’ll talk about him having cancer twice. And a bone marrow transplant. he’ll share about his coma that he went into less than a year ago. We didn’t even get to the fact that he’s on dialysis for 12 hours a day, every day, due to kidney failure. Matt used to stand it six feet seven inches tall, now six foot three, and he’s lost quite a bit of weight as well. We call this episode The heart of the fighter because that is the name of the book that Matt is writing. He has been through way more than most people might go through in a lifetime, medically. And he’s done it all in the last eight years. He’s still battling, he’s still fighting. And he wants to put his story out there in hopes of inspiring and motivating others. And I was very fortunate to be able to get this opportunity to have a conversation with him about that, and a few other topics. We recorded this during a live video podcast on Facebook on May 5, and you’ll hear me referring to some of the comments that People were leaving and I was putting on the screen during that webcast. If you want to watch that back links are in the show notes. Otherwise, it’s on the People I Know Show, Facebook and YouTube pages. I have at least one more live video podcast planned again on a Tuesday, May 12. At two at two on Tuesday, Central Time. Check out People I Know Show on Facebook and Instagram for more info on that as it gets closer. And if you miss it, you’ll get it right back here. For my next episode. Check the show notes to reach out to Matt and to follow his journey. Now to my conversation with Matt bishop. Episode 76 of People I Know Show Curt Carstensen, joined today by Matt Bishop. Bish it’s great to see you. How’s it going today?
Matt Bishop 3:01
Hey, today start up really tough to be honest of my cousin, who I consider brother, him and I really close. He went to hospital because he had a heart attack. And someone more needs to started off with my mom saying, I texted you because your cousin James was in the hospital because he thinks he had a heart attack and James and I are super close and thank the Lord. We’ve got some good results. James and I have been texting this morning. He’s in his hospital room. Right now he’s in angiogram but it’s not. Literally I woke up and my mom told me that I’m like, that’s early morning just bawling and tears. But as far as I know, he’s feeling better. He’s in his hospital room. And but then so I got that right off the bat. And then my, my back flared up this morning. So I’m trying to get through the emotions of my cousin, who’s 35 is about four years older than me. He’s, you know, he almost has a heart attack and or he did and then my back is about nine, eight or about an eight to 10 on the pain scale or no So,
Curt Carstensen 4:48
Matt it’s as we’re gonna get into your story but it sounds like the the positive and the negative your your up and down and your life and with your your family. With more more to deal with today, I hope good news only comes out of this but right endless scares, it seems like but i want i want to talk first about about us and how we even know each other. You’re on People I Know Show. And we haven’t seen each other in person in a long time, our time where we’d cross paths goes back to St. Cloud state. I was there right before you started. I think we determined I graduated ’06 you got there In 2007.
Matt Bishop 5:32
Yeah, he doesn’t. graduate. I graduated high school in 2006 in 2007. So 2007 2008 would have been my first year at St. Cloud state.
Curt Carstensen 5:46
Okay, and I was gone by then. But I would make some appearances and I had a lot of good friends there at the time. So we ended up becoming friends for a few years as we ran in some of the same circles. I’ve got my kvsc 88.1 FM sweatshirt, I was co sports director there assistant news director and I know you got involved with the sports play by play there. Then I was working for the Northwoods league and you ended up getting a couple play by play gigs in that league. You so you are we’re wanting our wanting was doing sports broadcasting and that’s what got gotten me into really St. Cloud state and all that. So our career paths were going to a similar place but then I got out of sports in 2012. And I guess you can fill in some dots there between 2007 and 2012. But then from then on, things start to change for you. So you take the story wherever you think is relevant based on what I just said.
Matt Bishop 6:44
Oh man well, so I was a camera as a tower camera operator at Canterbury park in the summer of 2008 and 2009 Right. So 2009 comes around, and I’m like, Well, I had been working at KVSC. Like your shirt says, I’d been working there. I just started as sports rectory there. And I wanted to get into sports play by play. And I talked to some people in they said, you know, the best route to go was through the Northwoods league. And so I reached out to you, because someone gave me your name, I reached out to you and I said, Can you help me get into this league? And you know, you gave me a couple of openings that you knew that Alexandria seemed to be the place to go. And we had a connection with that place. Because the Alexandria beetles at the time were, what were the team that you worked for. So got in touch with Shawn Reilly was the owner and GM and stuff and I got hired pretty quick and yeah, so I spent the entire year of 2009 leading up to the summer of 2010. Like preparing for that job as director of media relations and play by play for the Alexandria beetles.
Curt Carstensen 8:27
That was my old title there.
Matt Bishop 8:30
Yeah. So yeah, I got my first I consider it my first real like, legit play by play broadcasting gig. Before that in high school in early college. I was doing just local public access TV, sports, as far as play by play goes. So doing that going to school and st cloud state Working at Canterbury in the summers, and then 2010 working through the Beatles work there but then I stayed in St. Cloud in the in the summer of 2011 to take a class and finish up some stuff there and work there. And then 2000 December 2011. I graduated college with my bachelor’s at St. Cloud state in Mass Comm. In mass communications with an emphasis from radio. And a minor in athletic coaching and see as 2011 2012 I was trying to find a broadcasting job, but I lived in a cloud so I just stay there. Good job at Applebee’s. Summer hits and The radio guy for the Rox, who were used to be the same old river bats, but then they got that owner kind of sold the team. And then they rebranded and rebranded into the St. Cloud Rox. And their radio guy that they hired, like six games into the season, got hired in the ushl. His name’s Zack fisch. He’s now in the AHL as the voice that Hershey bears. So he’s actually called a few Washington Capitals games.
Curt Carstensen 10:45
I didn’t realize he was another kvsc guy right at the time. But yeah, they’re so St. Cloud state producing the likes of us and, Zach fisch and many others.
Matt Bishop 10:53
Yeah. And now he’s a step away from the NFL. Oh, that’s awesome. Which is crazy. But the caps guy had to do Olympics, Aki. So Zack had to fill in a couple of games. So he’s done NHL games, and then preseason games. So cavia, CNC and collages, produced a lot of guys. The Northwoods League has produced a lot of guys, but the wrap it all around, they needed the Rox. They needed a guy quick. They needed a local, and I was just working at KFC, or no, I was working at Applebee’s, trying to find a job in sports, or sports broadcasting and the Rox called me and I work out with Applebee’s. And next thing I know I’m broadcasting on the radio for the St. Cloud Rox the summer 2012
Curt Carstensen 11:58
That was my final Summer with the Northwoods league. I left that gig. I probably saw you that summer. And I haven’t seen you since but I know your life has been down a different path for much of the last eight years. So when did that all start happening and what happened?
Matt Bishop 12:13
So I got diagnosed with cancer the first time and I got diagnosed with non Hodgkins lymphoma in late September, early October of 2012. And then I went through chemo at the universe, University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital from 2012 to 2014. Within that, I worked at Canterbury the summer of summer 13. And then I got a job with the Minnesota Lynx as a PR intern, PR associate for the 2014 season. So I was working in the WNBA, which is pretty sweet. And in 2014, but it’s still a cancer at the time. But I was just doing maintenance. I was in remission, but it’s still in maintenance. But I was able to work in the WNBA, which was crazy. They were just coming out for championship year favourites to win it again. But we lost I think to the mercury or something. In wnba Western Conference Finals, three didn’t make it back to the wnba finals. Think fever wanted that year. And, but then I was cancer free. Now I was like, trying to find a job. I was just doing some local public access TV bits and working as a bartender at a bowling alley. And then I got the call for Crookston, where I got hired by KROX radio in Crookston, Minnesota. moved up there in November of november of 2014. And worked there for about a year. Whereas cancer free, life is going good. met a girl who had just been finishing up her basketball Playing career. It was Katie Houdek. And we met at Rambis guys pizza one night because we’re at a mutual friend. And she was she had done been done with her basketball career at UMD, where she had a full ride there. She’s from a small town in North Dakota Corolla, Grafton. I was living in Crookston. So. We were having our part here. in Grand Forks, and in Crookston, we met one night, and I was cancer free. So things were good. But then we were dating for about four months before the cancer came back in that just just a routine MRI showed that the cancer manthan back, and it was confirmed by just a PET scan.
Curt Carstensen 15:24
In that time where you were cancer free and living life normal again. What was your level of concern or what the doctors tell you that like the risk of it coming back? Were you aware of high risk, low risk, what was it like?
Matt Bishop 15:40
Well, anytime you get cancer, man, it’s like, you’re pretty much walking on eggshells in the sense of, yes, cancer free. But with being cancer free, you’re still walking on eggshells because being a, you know a thing Can Happen or answer can come back there. They they didn’t give me a percentage of Matt years, you know, you’re cancer free but there’s a 50% chance of cancer coming back. They didn’t give me any numbers like that. So So I mean, I was in living sorry I have to I’ve really bad back pain right now. So I apologize to everybody watching. I have to, if I move a lot, it’s just get comfortable. But yeah, I mean, the in the back of your head, you know, it’s there, huh? But like, I was like, I mean, I was working I was playing city league basketball once a week was just guys with guys around town. I lived a normal social life. playing softball, umpiring that kind of thing, like, just normal. But then just one MRI man. And the doctors like, hey, I need you to come back.
Curt Carstensen 17:16
What happens in round two like that? How is it different than the first time
Matt Bishop 17:21
difference from the first time was round one. I was treated as a pediatric. So I was 23. When I was treated, when I found out I cancer the first time, so I was just kind of at that point where you’re young enough, and the type of cancer I have, where the University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital was the best plan of action. When cancer came back. Obviously it was a little older, and they couldn’t achieve me at the Children’s house. So I did go to the University of Missouri Medical Center hospital. And that’s where I started December of 2015. And I started my chemo again. And I had a PET scan that confirmed everything. And it was literally, I was at a hockey rink in Crookston. I was at practice watching girls hockey practice, getting ready to broadcast the game The next night. And this doctor, Dr. Veronika Bachanova, from the University of Minnesota call me. She goes Matt, pack your bags like we need to start chemo tomorrow. I’m five hours away. Right. So luckily, I, you know, being a born and bread Minnesotan and then live Being up in northwest Minnesota. I had a hockey bag full of hockey skates and gear and stuff. Hockey bags are pretty, you know, big bags. So dump that out. Just started throwing, throwing stuff in all these throwing shirts thrown underwear throwing pants throwing my Xbox. Throwing anything I could think of
Curt Carstensen 19:27
you probably shouldn’t throw your Xbox Matt, you should Gently place your Xbox in there.
Matt Bishop 19:31
Yeah. But it was in there. It was in there. But I had no idea what I was getting myself into. But sure enough, the next day. I was in the hospital at the U of M and I don’t know what room number it was, I know was in unit 70 at the University of Minnesota. That night, I didn’t do any chemo. I just kind of got settled. But the next day, man Four four things of chemotherapy for four days at a time, or you for chemo treatments a day, four days at a time, I go home back to my parents house in Blaine for two weeks. And that was one cycle. So that was one A, then it was time for one B. So there was four days of forking as a day. And then I was back home for a week or two weeks. And then I was one B. And then now we’re at to a right so is four or five days where I was in the hospital straight, getting chemo and radiation. And I hadn’t had radiation before. That was another difference. I’m sorry I didn’t mention second time around. Is when the radiation showed up. Before in 2012 to 14, I just had chemo no radiation, but then 14 because the cancer is more serious. They added radiation on. So 2A was four days of chemo and radiation four times a day. Yeah, four times a day. And then two weeks at home, then back for four times a day. So 16 Yeah. So it’s how was that was that was me up to a bone marrow transplant.
Curt Carstensen 21:47
And that was all involved in that the second time like you knew that. Once you got through all the treatments, then you would need the transplant.
Matt Bishop 21:56
Correct. Because if I didn’t do the transplant And just take chemo or whatever. There was like a 97% chance of the cancer coming back a third time. Okay, a third time and then comes back a third time and not not the best. Any chance of me staying alive was to bone marrow transplant.
Curt Carstensen 22:24
And what’s that like? I mean, I don’t know what any of this is like really but the the bone marrow transplant What? What’s that process like then
Matt Bishop 22:35
anti climactic, to be honest. I did cord blood. So you know some people have to wait for a donor or whatever. But I did cord blood. So it was just a little. It was like we are all prepping for this big event. But it turned out to be little pink. This little bag of pink fluid that had to be pretty much put into me through a tube that was connected to my chest. And it was took about 20-25 minutes. I laid in my hospital bed and the nurse administered it. I had my parents, my uncle and my sister in the room with me. My wife was five hours away, sadly, she was able to be in there with me via we school or something. She was doing her grad program, her master’s at UND so she was five hours away. And I didn’t feel any pain or anything like that. I just lay in bed and I felt like kind of a funny taste in my mouth and I did like those lifesavers, fruit chews or whatnot. Because otherwise my mouth with a face to like, like cooked carrots. So the nurses like, should take like loss hinges or fruit chews or something to kind of get that taste out of your mouth. And I’m trying to find the picture of it.
Curt Carstensen 24:39
If you find it, you can try to flash it up there as you’re doing that though, Matt. I’m wondering when, since that time, when and how long did it take for you to feel pretty good again, because it seemed like after the first time, life was normal, did life get normal after the second time?
Matt Bishop 24:59
That’s What the cells look like, Okay, that was day of transplant that was I’m coming up on my four year birthday tomorrow. So feel free to send me birthday cards everybody. I like I like gift certificates to underarmor or to Amazon. And you can dm or post in the comment section and I can send you my email. But I just love birthday cards because that essentially Curt was a birthday. I mean, I got to a point where my seriously comments or email me is in semi birthday cards so I love getting birthday cards. My email is [email protected] and then if you want to send me a $5 underarmor amazon gift card as a gift gifts as well. As I’m sorry, though,
Curt Carstensen 26:03
everybody likes gifts and I wouldn’t be surprised if you get a few. It seems like you deserve a so you get a few birthdays in a year with all that you’ve been through. And going back to my other question, did things get normal again?
Matt Bishop 26:18
Well, I had to be quarantine. So all my blood counts red zero. So I was cancer free on May 5, right. So as a second time I beat cancer. And then may 6, I have my transplant and then either be quarantined where I couldn’t leave my room at on unit five C, which is like a second home to me. I always joke I joke, it’s my secondary address. Because since May, or since April of 2016. I spent over two and a half to three years in the hospital. I mean, just drink that in. Right?
Curt Carstensen 27:05
It’s not where you want to be hanging out that much, but you were
Matt Bishop 27:09
summer of 2016 summer of 2017. I spent the entire summers at the hospital straight sets. You think you know, you go in the hospital for something for a couple days. And then you leave, right? Yeah. I was in the hospital for two and a half months straight in the same room, same floor. didn’t go anywhere. And the biggest thing I could do is go down and lobby or go outside in a wheelchair you know mask I had oxygen in my nose. I had people having to push me but after transplant It was two weeks straight where I was quarantine in my room. So we think about the quarantine we are in right now. Yeah with Coronavirus, man. I’ve been living that for four years. So I have a very during the Coronavirus have a very different outlook and mentality that a lot of people do. And people will get upset about me, Curt. They’re like, Why is he so why do you have the attitude you have? Why do you have the attitude that you have while while going through while going through all this? And I said because I’ve been living it for four years. This isn’t anything new to me having to be quarantined or whatever. It’s not new to me. And I mean, that’s why I have the mentality that I have. I’m very laissez faire. Right now, and some people are like, Oh, we get it. Like my, one of my doctors said, she put said, you have a totally different perspective than someone else. Because they’re just during since the coronavirus hit, and they’ve had to be quarantined or self distancing or whatever. It’s just been a couple of weeks for them. It’s been four years for me.
Curt Carstensen 29:30
Does anything scare you right now then because obviously a lot of people are in a different mindset when it comes to fear because what has been going on? Does are What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of anything at this point with what you’ve been through?
Matt Bishop 29:43
I’m afraid of getting sick again. Because that means I have to go in the hospital again. But I don’t let it run my life. So when you say what am I scared of? Still roller coasters? Don’t get me here. Why? To those man
Curt Carstensen 30:00
I got over my fear of rollercoasters, so maybe it’s possible for you.
Matt Bishop 30:05
How’d you do it?
Curt Carstensen 30:06
Oh, I think the biggest thing was realizing that I’m not going to die. So if I’m not going to die, maybe it’s actually fun. But normally I would go through it and just be afraid that something awful would happen. Now I just think oh, I’ll probably be okay. And it’ll be fun. And that’s why little kids I think, have fun mostly on those and a lot of other people. I’m gonna throw some comments on the screen at the bottom. I’m asking for comments or questions for you. So throw, throw them up there quickly, just so you you see who’s out there watching saying Hi, Joan earlier on.
Matt Bishop 30:43
That’s my wife’s aunt. She’s a sweetheart she lives up in Fargo.
Curt Carstensen 30:48
And we got a mutual friend Bryan. Previous guests of the podcast twice one of the rare they Oh, he’s doing his thing.
Matt Bishop 30:56
I’ll tell you what man. fun story about Bryan Piatt is my freshman year hockey season Husky productions. Brian was the color commentator, robot, Rob Hudson was play by play. And here I am this scrawny freshman is their stats guy. And Bryan, if you’re out there, I want to say if it wasn’t for me. You wanted to found it so good. Because this dude stats like BMC axiom stat. And we would sit we get togethers with our friends with our utvs friends, whoever’s house was we would sit and talk about that weekend series or whatnot that the Huskies were playing. And yeah, we’d say just, I’d be like a little sponge with my weekly notes from Tom Nelson and SCSU athletics and it’s a What stat should i put in what? Should I talk about this, about that. So hi Bryan. miss you, buddy.
Curt Carstensen 32:12
A couple more here and then we’ll get back to the conversation. Maybe drop a few more in later. I don’t know Scott,
Matt Bishop 32:18
all ej, ej big Scott. He worked at KVSC. When I worked there, we took some of the same classes. So what’s up Scotty?
Curt Carstensen 32:30
He says great to see you’re telling your story, Matt, you continue to be an inspiration to my mom. And I do want to get into what you’re working towards inspirationally here. I would like you though, to kind of finish up the there’s been so much more that you’ve dealt with in the last few years. kind of wrap up the story that brings us to now and then what you’re looking to do with all that you’ve been through.
Matt Bishop 32:53
Yeah, so, I’ve been through a lot, especially even the past year. what’s what’s today we got may 5, so on May 28 2019, I was just feeling off, and I ended up having to have my wife drive me down to the hospital to the ER, and I slipped into a coma. And I was in a coma for five days. So I don’t remember anything from May 28 of 2019 to June 3 of 2019. So it’s five days. And in that five days I don’t remember it, but my uncle was there and he took pictures. Why does able to open my eyes because June 2 of 2019 was my wife saying eyes first wedding anniversary it’s really to celebrate our first wedding anniversary with me in a coma. I woke up enough where we have a picture of it on maybe try to find that and flash it to everybody watching. But I woke up to a picture of Katie and I was laying in my hospital bed, and I opened up my eyes just enough to take a picture on our first wedding anniversary. I don’t remember that all i stuff to talk about it, honestly. Because it’s, you know, five days I don’t remember I’ll never get back and go
Curt Carstensen 35:10
from there. I know it did not look promising either. Once you finally leave the hospital
Matt Bishop 35:18
no my ah, excuse me. This is I’m sorry. It’s hard to remember. And But no, I don’t remember. I don’t remember that time and got me through everything. And it was it was crazy and but I got through it and here it is. Try to get it to where the viewers at home can see it.
Curt Carstensen 36:05
And for the audio version later, I’ll get these photos from you, Matt and put those up. Wow.
Matt Bishop 36:11
Yeah. That was June 2 of 2019. That was my wife and I’s first wedding anniversary. And if you go That was my little. He’s five now. My nephew is there with me. I don’t remember that at all. But he was four at the time. He’s my little buddy. He’s my second favorite person. Along with my wife, cm.
Curt Carstensen 36:48
I see a lot of your Facebook posts is
Matt Bishop 36:52
his name is Landon. He’s my sister’s son. And he was there with me. This was I don’t remember this picture at all. This is my parents. My dad, Mike, right here. And then my mom Kathy, over here. That was on June 2. I don’t remember that at all. I woke up completely The next day, on June 3, which was my brother’s birthday. My brother just like, he dislikes hospitals with a passion. But he spent his entire birthday man. He brought my parents food. And he sat it was him and my parents alongside my bed, and I was there with a intubator in my mouth and that was keeping me alive. And then just day after day, so I kept getting better. But now, I’m healthy and I’m writing a book. I started writing the book in fall of Last year, and I’m getting to a point where hopefully will be published and released sometime in the next couple of years.
Curt Carstensen 38:10
As you’re writing a book for the first time, something I’ve never done and I know is probably quite the project. What are some of the main points that you’re trying to bring out and tell the story of as you’re piecing this thing together and writing it?
Matt Bishop 38:27
Well, I truly am wants to inspire and encourage people in any walk of life. I want to inspire you and encourage you. I want you to read my story. I want you to hear my story and be able to relate to it in some way. The big quote and takeaway take from it is from like the rocky movies where he says, It’s not how hard you can get hit and get knocked down. And how many times you get knocked down. But how many times you get back up and continue fighting? The book is called the heart of a fighter of the fighter. Because all people consider me to be quite the fighter. Like when they talk to me and I talked to them, they’re like, man, Matt, you’ve really fought through a lot. You’re a fighter, aren’t you? And I took that and went along with my manager and some feedback from other people. We’ve kind of spun into the title being the heart of the fighter. And Paul Allen of people who know k fan. They know the Vikings in our Canterbury Park and know Paul Allen, Paul and I have been friends for over 10 years and he agreed To write the foreword, which is pretty huge.
Curt Carstensen 40:03
Oh, that’s awesome.
Matt Bishop 40:05
And Vikings fans will know who Paul Allen is anybody who listens to KFAN
Curt Carstensen 40:10
I think there’s my body hashtag means #bishbox #bishvox which is it?
Matt Bishop 40:17
Bishvox is my nickname, nickname. Justin Adamski. You’re my main man. Justin. I’ve been best friends. for 13 years. Justin has been with me through thick and thin. We became best friends in high school go Bengals at, Blaine he would be with me at St. Cloud state coming up to visit me. He knows plenty UTVS people but man Justin you tune in? That’s awesome. Even up in the press box a Canterbury been the tower his nickname at Canterbury is tower Tommy But if there’s one person other than my parents, my wife, my siblings, they are considered brother. Justin Adamski is my guy. him and his girlfriend actually, he’s a he works through the Blaine police department and him and his girlfriend route me because I can’t go to grocery stores because I’m immunosuppressed. But his wife or his girlfriend works at Cub And they brought me a well, I’m kind of addicted to Mountain Dew. So
Curt Carstensen 41:39
kinda or you are?
Matt Bishop 41:42
I am baja blast. Cold red is my jam. So that’s another endorsement I’m trying to get for my book. So Mountain Dew. Anybody who knows anybody with PepsiCo or Mountain Dew and you want a story about Someone you want to endorse your brand. I’ll go anywhere, almost any video, I’ll take any picture with a mountain dew diet, Mountain Dew, Code Red, Baja Blast, anything like that? I’m your guy.
Curt Carstensen 42:16
Well, I actually do know some people that work with burning Pepsi in the St. Cloud area. So I’ll at least make that step in that direction for you and see if anything can come from it.
Matt Bishop 42:26
Hey, it’s man, you know, you got me the job of the Beatles. In our industry. It’s all about, you know, who you know. And, you know, and it’s a network man. It’s all about you know, and I mean, you know, my character. I think that’s the biggest thing with people and with your show, is you want people of high character, not just some guy. Like, you know me, not just as Matt Bishop but you know me behind the scenes, you know me as a person
Curt Carstensen 43:05
I recall you your energy level is was I know you’re maybe have more limitations to fight through now. But back in the day your energy level around everything you involved you’re involved with was so incredibly high it’s like I didn’t have that I wish I did I want to learn from you and and that’s what I do when I bring people on the show there’s something or many things I’ve learned from someone that I feel like other people need to meet this person. So here I am introducing you to my audience and I’m sure some of your audience is getting introduced to me through this as well.
Matt Bishop 43:41
Curt’s a good guy? He has been I was paid for everything and with you guys like Bryan Piatt guys like Ryan soul, and rest in peace. Cuz like Tyler Bieber We miss him terribly, but you took him under my wing and right? Yeah, you took me under your wing. And I was literally guy. I mean, I was taller than all of you that you really took me under your wing as a freshman. You were juniors or sophomores and you saw how much I loved what I was doing how much I love sports, and radio and TV. And wait, what was Soule’s comment
Curt Carstensen 44:33
his question Ryan Soule you just mentioned ask Bish which model of car he used to hide he used to hide after a utvs party got disbanded. I don’t know anything about that. I remember parties back in the day but your parties might have happened after my parties.
Matt Bishop 44:46
I hid under Tyler Bieber’s Honda in his garage.
I was 18 at the time
Curt Carstensen 44:56
causing some trouble were you Bish?
Matt Bishop 44:59
part part party’s breaking up Matt Bish, you gotta hide. So I hidden under Tyler Bieber’s Honda like civic or something in his garage. They forgot about me for an hour. And then Tyler Sanford comes in the garage, as Are you still hungry? They’re like, Yeah, can I get out now? He goes, Oh, you gotta go now like half an hour ago. Tyler Bieber’s house. I hid in a behind the couch in the basement. And I heard the cops come down and then finally they’re like, are you still down there? You can come down. Now cops are gone. So never never went to jail, though.
Curt Carstensen 45:48
Good. Well, congratulations. Don’t ever go to jail. This you don’t need to.
Matt Bishop 45:53
But I’ve grown. People hear that and a lot of people may be like, Wait, what? and for those people I know there’s a lot of you on Facebook, whatever, watching. I’ve grown up a lot. I’m I’m married a great young woman and I’m a God fearing man. And oh, there’s my wife. She tuned in.
Curt Carstensen 46:17
Katie left a message hi Matty B proud of you it because one of the reasons I know you told me that you’re writing this book, and you call it the heart of the fighter is Yeah, fighters need to fight a lot of fights, but there’s always people in their corner and obviously you have several people that without them. I don’t know what would be going on with you right now. But it’s it seems like you’ve needed people at times and they’ve been there for you.
Matt Bishop 46:41
So picture a picture of boxing ring. And I’m in the ring, you know, throwing punches. But there’s the you know, those people in the corner that when that round is over. I’ve had like 13 rounds I think my book is going to be about 13-14 chapters. Like you go to the corner and you need someone to, you know, get you cleaned up, you know, or speak those words of encouragement to you to keep fighting. And then then so you’ve got those initial people in your corner and then you’ve got those people in the front row as VIPs you know that you can you know, you’re you’re in the ring during the fight. You can either corner your eye, you can see them that front row. And I have plenty of those people like my beautiful wife, my loving parents, my in laws Pete and Mary my siblings, Andrea and and Steven and my brother in law, Andrea’s husband, Brian and my little nephew who you guys got to see Landon. He, if you follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, whatever You’ll see more pictures of Landon and my wife than anybody else. Katie always jokes that lane is her favorite person in the world adapter. Real reminder that obviously my wife’s my favorite person, but as be honest Landon’s a close second. Justin’s probably, you know, in there in the top five my parents taught by my friend Nick Sutton, who you’ll read about a lot in the book. Isn’t the top five top 10 without him He is one of my groomsmen. Without him I wouldn’t be where I am. But it’s a lot of people man. My medical team at U of M. I a lot of nurses and Facebook friends with so shout out 5C I’m horrible with this camera. 5C. You’re like family us I’m friends with a lot of nurses who will hopefully see this. they’ve kept me alive man. My my in home nurse Brittany through Fairview. She’s kept me alive My in home physical therapist, Laurie. And now Trisha, they’ve kept me alive. It’s those people man.
Curt Carstensen 49:25
I’m gonna put a few more comments up here and we have one or a couple more topics I want to get to before we finish today but a lot of comments coming in and Josiah has sent a few of them he says Matt needs to know that he may have a lot of people there for him. But every update he posts on social media is a source of encouragement he puts out to others. So many days, I read his updates and I’m blown away by his drive, and I’m left encouraged. So you’ve had caring bridge posts for a long time, I’ve seen those for a long time. And before we go, we’ll make sure you’re all of your social All accounts that we get those out.
Matt Bishop 50:02
You won’t hear a crazy number.
Curt Carstensen 50:03
I do.
Matt Bishop 50:04
I started I started my caring bridge in 2012 when I got cancer. I still write post a couple times a week and my carrying bridges has been visited over 430 some thousand times. Whoa. Yeah.
Curt Carstensen 50:26
It’s does that mean you’re hearing from people all over the world people who’ve never met is that is it connecting to all these people?
Matt Bishop 50:33
my old boss is mom who goes out in California. Never met her. Never talk to her. Mrs. Hogan. She’s out there in California. She’s following me and Caring bridge from day one. People who my parents have gone to high school with never met them. They’ve got they follow me and Caring bridge. Families I know. I know No, I’ve never met before. They’ve commented on my posts. Like people are seeing my story and I’ve never met them in my life.
Curt Carstensen 51:15
If we have time for a few more comments here, I’m gonna put one more on the screen then I want to get to our next topic. This one is from Derek. He says you’re an amazing inspiration to so many Matt. I’m glad I had the chance to call a few Husky games and do a few interviews with you. What was your favorite Husky baseball moment?
Matt Bishop 51:34
Oh, man. There’s a lot of them. I think watching practices in the Husky dome. You know when they be offseason? And then watching games, both Joe Faber field I can’t remember what the other field’s called
Curt Carstensen 51:56
Dick Putz field.
Matt Bishop 51:58
Putz I broadcasted games Both places, so I can’t think of one specific game. But one player I can think of is JORDAN SMITH. Who played there at St. Cloud state,
Curt Carstensen 52:16
He also played with Wilmar stingers in the Northwoods league and I think he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds organization maybe. And he played pro ball for a while. But yeah, there’s
Matt Bishop 52:26
Indians.
Curt Carstensen 52:27
Okay. There you go wrong. Right state wrong team with red colors.
Matt Bishop 52:32
He was an all star in 2010 with the Stingers. And one of the best baseball players I’ve ever seen. And willner paper actually wrote an article about him a couple weeks ago.
Curt Carstensen 52:47
Well, let’s have a talk a little more about sports because sports had been a big part of our lives. I guess. Now I’m less into sports overall that I have been at this point in my life, but I’m still really into some sports but right now There’s no sports. And I’d imagine over the years, sports has been one of the things that you’ve turned to for some entertainment and some joy even when joy was maybe harder to find with some of your challenges so what’s what’s your life like right now without sports to watch and what do you wait to come back?
Matt Bishop 53:21
Thank goodness for the last dance on ESPN. I’ll look forward to that every week. I love watching. I’ve ESPN plus. So I love watching old 30 for 30s some my favorite 30 for 30s are the Celtics Lakers rivalry. The Bad Boys, a requiem for the Big East as far as college basketball is concerned Yeah, that’s kind of how I get my fill. I listened to Kfan, nine to noon almost every day. So, my boy PA, shout out to you. He’s been one of my mentors. Jon Krawczynski with the athletic, him and I talk a lot and Jim Peterson. He was an assistant coach with Lynx when I was there in 2014. Him and I have formed a really good relationship, although we talk his way out a lot with timberwolves games, and we talk about wolves and Lynx and basketball and things like that. So I just try to watch as much sports content as I can on TV. On any type of things, yeah, that’s kind of where I get my fill.
Curt Carstensen 55:09
And when it comes back, whenever it comes back, it’s gonna be so different kind of fascinatingly. So, but only for a while maybe when these teams are playing in front of mostly or completely empty stadiums. It’ll be kind of weird, neat to see because we’ll be seeing something new, but then they’ll be like, Oh, boy, I don’t know if this is even what I wanted to be doing. I don’t. I’m curious. I’m anxious for to get going and to see it and let as many things get back to normal safely when that time is upon us. I guess in the meantime, we’ll, we’ll keep watching some old stuff and I’ll keep listening to a bunch of podcasts. That’s my thing.
Matt Bishop 55:46
Yeah. I like watching. Like, mid 90s basketball like Garnet era 97-03 Cuz that’s when I kind of got into sports. I was like eight, nine years old. And I knew I wanted to be a sports broadcaster when I heard Kevin Harlan broadcasting Timberwolves games I, that’s when I wanted to get into sports broadcasting. I was like 10 years old or something. It’s very rare where someone knows what they want to do at such an early age. But man, I was always watching the last dance. Memories lead back. I always cheered for the Pacers in the East, like ours wanted the Pacers to be the Bulls. And the west always cheered for obviously the Timberwolves and then the jazz and the Timberwolves kings rivalries. were always Super fun.
Curt Carstensen 56:59
You mentioned Kevin Harlan and that was you said as the inspiration for you to become a sports broadcaster. I’m pretty sure he was the inspiration for my brother to be a sports broadcaster. And then my brother Chuck got into it. And I kind of tagged along. I never really wanted to and then eventually I did anyhow. And eventually I wanted to but it was it was Chuck liking Kevin Harlan first. So yeah, I guess that is where it all ties back together for you and I and for us to get into broadcasting. Matt, let’s go to my final segment. Let’s do my personal growth segment. I know so much of this conversation is about your growth and getting through a lot of challenges. But if you can tie it up into one big bow, and however you want to describe it, and explain your personal growth story in the message that you’d want someone to know from you right now.
Matt Bishop 57:48
Right now, I just want people to know that you know, no matter how hard things may seem Man, if you don’t have, if you have that support system, if you have that fighter mentality, you’ll be able to get through it. You’re gonna get knocked down. But it’s all about not getting knocked down. But getting back up and keep fighting, continue to fight, whether it’s health, whether it’s your job, or anything, just keep fighting and focus on just growing as a person. Allow yourself to be humble. I’ve had to learn a lot of humility. Because I’ve had to rely on other people. I’ve been very helpless at times where I couldn’t do anything myself, simply because I physically couldn’t do it. I’ve had to rely on other people and thankfully, you know, God puts people In our lives where we need to rely on others, but at the same time, man, if my story can encourage one person, one, I can encourage one person, whether it’s through this podcast, whether it’s through my book coming up, hopefully to be released within the next couple years. Then it will be worth it. You know,
Curt Carstensen 59:27
I think it’s helping more than one person already. But one’s always a good baseline just to make it worthwhile to know that what we’re doing what each of us as an individual is valuable to someone else that that’s exciting for me. I want to do anything that can help someone else. And I am glad that that’s a perspective you share and your story is one that deserves to be told and as you keep getting healthier and stronger, and reaching more people, I think the impact of your story is going to keep on growing And for people that are catching this right now I want to make sure that they can find you on all the social platforms Facebook I think anyone watching this right now mostly is already probably on Facebook although I will release this on YouTube later in the podcast as well. Matt Bishop, pretty easy to find on Facebook at the moment you’re wearing a superman shirt now Where else can people find you?
Matt Bishop 1:00:24
Yeah, rockin my rockin my Under Armour shirt. Under Armour t shirt that can find me on Twitter is at Mattbishop2 so @MattBishop2 on Twitter, Instagram as I think it’s at mgBishop2. So @mgBishop2 that’s on Instagram, and then search on YouTube. Search mashup or I think it’s BishSCSU on YouTube. I’m searching to try to get back into the YouTube game. And then at the end of the summer else are podcasting, just as a hobby, just for fun? And I’ll have more info. That because everyone needs a hobby, right, Correct,
Curt Carstensen 1:01:18
yeah, for sure. This is I’m not I’ve been working for a while. So working on this podcast and trying to do things differently and better is been important for me to constructively use my time knowing that I have more time than usual. And if not, at this moment, I think we all find those times in our lives where we can probably find a hobby, work on something get better at something. And I’m excited whenever someone has something going on. They want to tell me about it.
Matt Bishop 1:01:46
And then my email is [email protected] [email protected]. I’m an extrovert, man, I love just talking to people. I love hearing from people and having just conversations, you know, and those are raised to get a hold of me. The book is gonna be called the heart of the fighter by Matt Bishop foreward by Paul Allen Vikings. radio play by play. Kfan radio host Canterbury Park Announcer He’ll be writing the foreword, and I’ll hopefully the release time will be within the next year or two
Curt Carstensen 1:02:37
I look forward to it, man, I can’t wait to see you get that to completion and reaching more people than you ever have before. Anyone that’s seeing the end of this conversation now we’re listening to it. Please share either the live video that we’re working on right now or the podcast share.
Matt Bishop 1:02:54
Share retweet. Whatever. Yeah, email me.
Curt Carstensen 1:02:57
Great for Matt. Great for me. Spread the word. And as you know, we’re all working on something, hopefully. And if we’re not, we will someday. And I just I like to encourage everybody to find something that they think is important. And I, knowing that you’re writing this book was an extra reason to ask you on my podcast, and I’m really looking forward to just knowing that you’ve got this thing you’re working on. That’s important. And when it’s out, that’ll be a really great thing, man.
Matt Bishop 1:03:24
Hey, good luck with the podcast, man. It’s been great to watch it so far and can’t wait to see what you do with it.
Curt Carstensen 1:03:31
Appreciate it, Matt. Thanks for joining me today and thanks everyone for the comments.
Matt Bishop 1:03:36
Thank You guys.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai