On a recent installment of The Mike Heller Show on iHeart Radio, Heller got the chance to speak with former Badger Brian Butch and Matt Lepay. The group spoke about Howard Moore and the Wisconsin Badgers fundraising event that was conducted in honor of Moore this past weekend.
The Mike Heller Show Honors Badgers Coach Howard Moore
During this recent edition of The Mike Heller Show on iHeart Radio, Mike spoke with Brian Butch for the first half of the program before inviting on Matt Lepay. On April 15th, former and current coaches and players from the Badgers program gathered to honor Moore and promote their fundraising initiative. All proceeds will go towards the recovery of Moore and his family after their tragic accident.
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Howard Moore is a former member of the Wisconsin basketball team from 1990-95 as a player. Moore appeared in 47 games and averaged 2.1 points before assisting the Taft High School basketball staff to start his coaching career. Moore did not get his first real coaching job until 1998 when he joined the University of Chicago as an assistant.
After bouncing around between assistant coaching jobs, Moore joined the Wisconsin Badgers staff in 2005 under former head coach Bo Ryan. Ryan coached the Wisconsin basketball team from 2001-2015, before handing the position off to Greg Gard. Moore stayed on the Wisconsin staff from 2005-2010 when he took the University of Illinois-Chicago head coaching job.
The head coaching stint lasted five years for Moore, but after recording a 49-111 record during that time, the school decided to move on. Moore re-joined the Wisconsin Badgers staff as an assistant once again in 2015, until one unfortunate accident changed the trajectory of his life.
On May 25th, 2019, Moore and his family were struck by a drunk driver who swerved into the wrong lane. Moore and his son survived the crash with varying degrees of injuries, but unfortunately his wife and daughter tragically passed. Moore has taken a leave of absence since the incident as he recovers from the injuries he sustained. His son, Jerrell, also suffered injuries but made an appearance as the honorary team mascot in 2020.
Mike Heller: Howard Moore Ceremony Both Invigorating, Emotionally Challenging
Mike Heller got the chance to speak to Brian Butch and Matt Lepay, who both had the opportunity to attend the recent event. Butch noted that the event meant quite a lot to everyone who remembers the events that occurred surrounding Moore. Butch also recalls the conversations he had with Heller after the accident, which is nearly four years old now.
…I remember that first time I met him, and this huge smile everyone talks about was there. But it was that…I am a Badgers, I am here because we are going to win and this is what it is at Wisconsin…there was not a guy more proud to be a Wisconsin Badger than Howard Moore. – Brian Butch on coach Howard Moore via The Mike Heller Show
Upon recalling the events and his emotions towards Moore, Butch stated “Howard represents what Wisconsin is…” when referring to the coach. The former Wisconsin Badgers basketball player went on to say that the emotion in the room during the event was one of support. Butch and the other attendees felt they needed to do something because Moore is “…one of ours” as both a player and coach.
As the group continued to discuss the importance of the event, Butch and Lepay also wanted to stress how there is more to come. Not only is Moore still fighting, but his fighting spirit and love for the Wisconsin Badgers was passed down to everyone who was coached by him. Former players coached by Moore expressed how committed and proud the assistant coach is, and also how incredible of a human being Moore is.
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