Mark Boyle, the Pacers' radio voice,  has referred to Chris Denari, the Pacers' television voice, as "Ward Cleaver." You know, the father on Leave it to Beaver who always seemed to say and do the right thing. It's not a bad analogy, as Denari truly does have a great attitude and work ethic. He says yes to all requests for his time, treats everyone well, and never seems to step out of bounds.

Well, maybe once. I dug up some dirt on this Cleaver clone in the latest edition of One on One, exposing his Eddie Haskell moment for all to hear. I also learned his job didn't come about as easily as people assume, that he did indeed earn his broadcasting stripes through years of hard labor and hard luck. It's a good lesson for anyone hoping to succeed in broadcasting, or any other field for that matter.

The heart and soul of the Indianapolis 500 has never been found within the big-money teams that produced multiple champions. It resided with the grassroots guys who sacrificed everything they had just to make the show.

Bob Harkey was one of those guys. His success in dirt and midget cars indicated he had the talent to win the 500. He beat a lot of the drivers who went on to become legends at the Speedway. He never got the right ride, though, and has just six Indy races on his resume. He finished eighth twice and 10th another time, when he was pulled from the car during the race for owner Salt Walther to take over. He chased his dream in Indy for 20 years, finally letting it go after a serious accident in 1983.

He had a life outside of racing, too. He boxed. He had a couple of professional fights, and ...