Nov. 9, 2010
MALIBU, Calif. – If you’re a cable news junkie, you should already know Will Cain’s whereabouts. There he is Tuesday night offering opinion on Fox News. Thursday, there he is being interviewed on CNN. Oh, and he’s also a regular contributor to the NationalReview.com as host of ‘Off The Page.’
Although the record book shows that Cain played one season for the Waves (1996) and scored one goal (vs. UC Santa Barbara), he in fact, spent all four years of his undergraduate career devoted to his teams both on the deck and in the water. His perseverance and loyalty have served him well in his career since leaving Malibu in the spring of 1997.
From Pepperdine, Cain attended the University of Texas School of Law and rather than practice law, instead became a self-made media entrepreneur who’s owned and operated several various (and successful) newspapers, magazines and web sites.
In between healthy exchanges of political ideas, Cain spends most of his day reading and interviewing other newsmakers as the midterm elections draw closer. So we were fortunate to receive several minutes out of his hectic schedule to discuss his time at Pepperdine as a member of the Waves’ water polo program.
What all have you accomplished since graduating from Pepperdine in the late 1990’s?
“I attended law school at the University of Texas right after graduating from Pepperdine but didn’t have a passion for practicing law. So after leaving UT in 2000, I moved to a ranch in Montana where I wrote a book that never went anywhere, but I enjoyed living as a ranch hand alongside some great people in a great state.
“Halfway through 2001 my dad died and I moved back to Texas to help take care of my younger brother, and it was while I was there I developed more of an entrepreneurial spirit and purchased two of the local community newspapers (outside Dallas, Texas) on my own. I’ve always loved media and newspapers and thought this was a great opportunity that couldn’t be passed up. This entire venture ended up being a complete success as I started several more papers before selling off the whole group to Stevens Media (publisher of the Las Vegas Review Journal).
“I then started a Hispanic media company called Quince Media. The 15th birthday, or quinceanera, for a Hispanic girl and their families is a very big deal; it’s almost a big as a wedding in this country, and there is a lot of money poured into these events. So, my group and I published a magazine and web site to go along with several expos, and we received a lot of publicity from the national media and developed a strong following. It was a great idea, but after the recession of 2009 hit, we knew we just couldn’t make it.
“Around this time, I also realized that I was spending a lot of time around something I wasn’t truly passionate about. It’s easy to overlook how you are spending your time if you are making money. But when you fail, you have a chance to look back at how you spent the last three years of life and can’t color that experience with how much money you made. For me, I had spent three years developing a business for 15-year-old Hispanic girls; something I’m not particularly passionate about. So I knew I had to care about whatever I did next, regardless of whether or not I made money.
“I had always been interested in debate, conversation and exchange of ideas so I produced a pilot similar to the format of Bravo’s Party of Five, but instead of having movie types discussing their craft, I would moderate a panel of two conservatives and two liberals addressing political issues at a deeper level. This program helped me gain exposure to National Review, Fox News and CNN, where I’m now making regular appearances on the new Parker/Spitzer show. I can appreciate this show because it wants to expand the debate on both sides of an issue, and even though he (Eliot) and I disagree on almost every issue, Eliot is a charismatic host who is genuinely curious about the issues and wants to continue the debate after the cameras stopped rolling."
How do you think the Pepperdine water polo program helped you get you where you are today?
“Playing water polo at Pepperdine taught me humility and while I was never the star athlete there, I never suffered from a lack of ego – you know, I still remember my one career goal against UC Santa Barbara. I was also a pretty good swimmer at the regional and state level in high school, but that was a much smaller world, and then one day I’m a Division I athlete going up against 250-pound hole men who were incredibly fast. Now, I went in knowing that I wasn’t going to be as good as my teammates, but at the same time I dedicated myself to never quitting and never doing things for a specific reward. I just loved being around the guys on the team and accepting the physical and mental challenges that came with playing water polo. Being humbled taught me perseverance.
“Again I was a guy who didn’t contribute much in the water, but one of my most vivid memories was when we were at the NorCal Tournament at Berkeley and I warming up, swimming my laps, and I feel a pat on my head at the turn – and it’s (head coach) Terry (Schroeder).
"Now Terry is a unique individual in that he is capable of being kind and approachable while also appearing as a mythical and intimidating force. And here he was now standing over me and all he said was, ‘thank you,’ and I’m like, ‘no, thank you,’ and our short and simple exchange was one that I remember clearly to do this day. I’m certain the thank you wasn’t for warming up, but rather just for coming out every day and supporting the team.
“Pepperdine water polo was extremely accommodating in its development of a walk-on such as me, and that’s something positively unique about this program. I almost went to USC, and I’m sure that if I did have a water polo career there it would have been much shorter.”
As a former player and current entrepreneur, when you notice that teams or individuals are struggling to get headed in the right direction, what’s your advice to them?
“I’d follow the advice of Alabama head coach Nick Saban. I’m a huge sports fan, but wasn’t a fan of his until this past year even though he beat my Texas Longhorns in the national championship game. During a press conference he was asked if it had always been a goal of his to get Alabama to the national title game and win the championship, and he responded that he was more of a ‘process’ person than a ‘goal’ person.
“He said they didn’t spend much time talking about what their goals were, but rather on the details of perfecting football. He said they concentrated on the process of blocking, of practicing, and of preparing. If they did that, he said, the goals should come.
“I think my career – both in water polo and post-Pepperdine – illustrate that. When I have done something because I was dedicated to it and passionate about doing it well, then I have succeeded. When I have been too focused on the goals, the rewards, it didn’t turn out like I wanted.
“Also, (Head coach) Jack (Kocur) is one of my best friends and an awesome head coach but I say this with a total sense of objectivity, because I’ve seen it first hand. He was a physically gifted player when we competed together, but he also knew exactly where the ball was going to go three steps ahead of time; even on a counter attack. The guy is a genius and he’ll get this team turned around soon enough because of what he has between his ears.”
