One-on-One with Marcus Landry
July 29, 2008 | Men's Basketball
For the reigning Big Ten Tournament MVP, the training never stops. Senior Marcus Landry is busy lifting weights and working on his game at the Kohl Center all summer long, but he stopped to chat with uwbadgers.com.
UWBADGERS.COM: What kind of reaction do you get from the freshmen when they find out you're married and have children '
MARCUS LANDRY: 'They call me Old Man, but that's about it. Everybody calls me Old Man. That's probably the worst I get though.'
UW: What's your favorite thing to do with your kids'
ML: 'Just take them out and show them a good time. I try to do things with them that I got to do when I was a kid. Being very blessed as a young kid growing up, I want my kids to be the same way. So I try to do things with them that my mom and dad did with me. '
UW: What do your kids like to do most '
ML: 'My son and I like to go fishing. He really likes to fish even though he 's only three years old. My daughter pretty much does anything.'
UW: Does your son like to touch the fish and everything'
ML: 'Oh yeah, he'll touch them. He wants to keep the ones we catch more than anything. He's at the age where he likes to observe everything and he 's into a lot of things.'
UW: Are they into sports yet'
ML: 'He is. He watches basketball and he'll watch me play.'
UW: Your older brother is in the NBA on the Houston Rockets, how often do you and he get to talk'
ML: 'Not that often because he's really busy. But we did get some time when we were on break to talk. He and I were both back home together. We probably hung out for about three weeks. Since then though we've talked off-and-on.'
UW: Have you ever gotten a chance to see one of his games, maybe after the college season is over'
ML: 'No not all. Even though our season ends in March and the NBA season is still going, I just haven't had time to book flights and get down there. I try to watch on TV whenever possible though.'
UW: Alando Tucker is another NBA friend of yours. Do you keep in touch with him'
ML: 'Yeah, I keep in touch with him. He calls me every now and then and we talk off and on. More text messaging than anything. He's really doing well. '
UW: What do you hope basketball holds for you after your senior year'
ML: 'Like my brother and best friend Alando, I'm hoping I can make it to that NBA level. I would love to be on a level where my family and I don't have to want for anything and can just live life and enjoy it. More than anything I'm doing this for my family. Hopefully I can make it to the next level, but if not I have my college education to fall back on.'
UW: I understand you have some musical talent as well. Where did that get started'
ML: 'That started in church. I played instruments my whole life growing up in church. The instrument that I'm probabaly the best at and that I really play regularly is the bass guitar. I play for a church here in Madison and I play for my church back home. But I also play the drums, the piano and a lot of different instruments. Growing up around music, I just picked it up.'
UW: Have you ever taken lessons, or are you entirely self-taught'
ML: 'No lessons really. Sitting in church and watching my uncle play the bass, I guess if you want to consider those lessons. But nothing formal that anyone paid for. '
UW: Do you have a favorite Bo Ryan story '
ML: 'He has too many. After awhile they just start blurring together. He has so many stories. I think he makes up most of them. He says, `No, I don't make up stories.' But that's just his personality, always telling stories. '
UW: What was your favorite moment from last year 's championship team'
ML: 'There were a lot of moments. Winning the conference championship after it looked like we were going to tie or take second place. Winning the Big Ten Tournament too. I just felt like I was in the zone for that. Coming out with the MVP of the tournament was incredible. I didn't even know they gave out that award. But then when they started saying, `the MVP of the tournament is'' I'm patting Brian (Butch) on the back thinking that he's going to get it. I was just shocked when they said my name. My wife and kids were there, so were my mom and dad. Just having everybody there made it just a great moment.'
UW: What can the team do as an encore from last year 's 31-5 season'
ML: 'You always want to do more than you did the previous year. So we'll try to make it out of the Sweet 16 round and go further. It being my last year and all, I really want to make it to that point.'
UW: Finally, what was your reaction when you picked up your Big Ten Championship ring'
ML: 'I always have this thing about doing better than my brother. So whatever he does, I try to do it better. In high school he had two state championships and I had my chance to get two, but my team ended up losing in the finals both times. So to have this, I get to gloat about something. He never won a Big Ten championship or anything. So now when we talk I can say, `You won that, but I won this.' Now we're even. '
