Bleav in Touching Greatness with Ted Sobel

Touching Greatness chats with NFL offensive lineman Ted Karras who’s just into Free Agency after his first four pro seasons with the New England Patriots where he played center this past season and snapping the ball to Tom Brady in 16 of their games including the playoffs. It’s a very prideful week for the Karras … Continued

Former Chicago Bears safety Doug Plank again joins Touching Greatness to preview this weekend’s four NFL Divisonal playoff games and Monday night’s College Football Playoff title game between LSU and Clemson. It’s insight that only an ex-player can bring to the discussion so enjoy his passion for the sport along with his expertise as a … Continued

Touching Greatness speaks with legendary Chicago Bears safety and my Sports USA Radio colleague Doug Plank about his playing days under Coach Buddy Ryan (who named his famous ’46 Defense’ for Plank’s number) and what to expect from the NFL Wild Card weekend. After listening to Doug’s passion for the game, you may just want … Continued

Touching Greatness covered the Christmas night game between the Lakers and Clippers and spoke with each team’s play by play voices John Ireland of ESPN-LA Radio and Prime Ticket’s Brian Sieman along with longtime Lakers Public Address announcer Lawrence Tanter. If you’re into either or both teams, you’ll get the inside scoop on the state … Continued

Rose Bowl HOF Coach and my longtime Sports USA Radio colleague John Robinson joins Touching Greatness to talk about being the consultant to LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron on their way to the nation’s top ranking and #1 seed in the upcoming College Football Playoffs. Coach Robinson led USC to a National Championship in … Continued

Touching Greatness previews Breeders Cup weekend with Kentucky Derby and Preakness winning trainer Doug O’Neill (who even gives out a few tips) and Breeders Cup President and CEO Craig Fravel who discuss the importance of a safe and sound two big days of racing at Santa Anita amidst the very controversial past year at Santa … Continued

Touching Greatness speaks with three time NFL Champion and two time Pro Bowl center Bill Curry about his career as a player in Green Bay, Baltimore and the Rams and national coach of the year at Alabama. Bill snapped balls to Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, and Joe Namath while playing under legendary coaches Vince Lombardi, … Continued

The NFL is finally back and one of the league’s most recognized officials in history joins Touching Greatness as Dr. Jim Tunney recalls his years as a referee and talks about the evolution of the game from the great George Halas to today.

Legendary Hall of Fame sportscaster and essayist Jack Whitaker passed away this week at the age of 95 and I recorded our last chat the day after his most recent birthday in May, when he wanted to join me for a podcast to reminisce. Some of his cellphone quality was not perfect but it’s about … Continued

Brooklyn Dodgers brothers since 1950, legendary broadcaster Vin Scully and righthander Carl Erskine speak for the first time in more than a decade and reminisce about their special bonding during the Boys of Summer era.

Touching Greatness speaks with the new President of the Baseball Hall of Fame Tim Mead before his 2019 class got inducted. Tim spent the past 40 years in the Angels front office and is pumped about his new gig and I got to chat with the Angels television team of Victor Rojas, Mark Gubicza, and … Continued

One day after attending the Anthony Davis newser in El Segundo, we talk Lakers and Clippers summer acquisitions and their prospects for the new season with longtime South Bay Daily Breeze columnist Mike Waldner who’s covered the NBA (among all sports) locally since the mid 1960’s and added some fun stories about the old days … Continued

Touching Greatness talks tennis and the impact of 15 year old American sensation Coco Gauff at Wimbledon with longtime L.A. Open tournament director Bob Kramer, the son of legendary Hall of Famer Jack Kramer. We cover everything from this week’s matchups at the All England Club to the history of tennis in Southern California.

The second half of my two-part series celebrating the greatest draft class in MLB history and the recent passing of their teammate Bill Buckner. This week Touching Greatness speaks with the top pick of that 1968 Dodgers class Bobby Valentine and his close friend and minor league manager Tom Lasorda and walk up guest (former … Continued

Touching Greatness celebrates the 1968 Dodgers greatest MLB draft class in history with a two part series that includes stories about their late teammate Bill Buckner. Part 1 includes chats with three of the four longest tenured together L.A. infield of Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, and Bill Russell along with Buckner’s platoon-mate Manny Mota and … Continued

Touching Greatness talks with USGA bosses Mike Davis and John Bodenhamer about the 119th U.S. Open course set up at Pebble Beach and what the best golfers in the world will expect to face in this year’s 2nd major.

After the recent passing of legendary Green Bay Packers HOF quarterback Bart Starr, Touching Greatness brings back my special one on one interview with Starr from 2014 as we reminisce about his coach Vince Lombardi and playing in two of my favorite NFL games ever, Super Bowl I and the Ice Bowl. Also included is … Continued

Special edition of Touching Greatness gives you insight in the hiring of new Lakers head coach Frank Vogel along with some of his introductory newsconference in El Segundo and a one on one with ESPN NBA reporter Dave McMenamin who’s back on the L.A. beat after covering the last several Kobe years and since has … Continued

Touching Greatness focuses on PGA Championship week and Tiger going for back to back majors with Golf Magazine Top 100 teachers in America member Brady Riggs, who’s now the Pro at Hansen Dam in Southern California and has taught many special talents including the early development of LPGA major champion Danielle Kang and currently working … Continued

Touching Greatness covers every aspect of the controversial decision to disqualify the winner of the 145th Kentucky Derby with Secretariat’s Hall of Fame jockey Ron Turcotte, track announcer Michael Wrona, and TVG racing analyst Kurt Hoover.

After 40 years Ralph Lawler has called his final Clippers game and Touching Greatness spoke with Mr. ME-OH-MY himself along with Clips’ radio voice Brian Sieman, former players and now broadcasters Ryan Hollins and Mark Jackson, Golden State Warriors TV color commentator Jim Barnett, NBA analyst Chris Broussard, and even comments from Lawler’s favorite broadcast … Continued

We touch greatness for a second straight year at the LPGA’s L.A. Open speaking with tour commissioner Michael Whan; three top American golfers with a total of three major championships and 19 tour wins Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome, and USC’s Lisette Salas; hockey great Wayne Gretzky; six time MLB all-star Bobby Grich; and historic Wilshire … Continued

The L.A. hockey Kings introduced new head coach Todd McLellan this week and he gives us an in-depth look at how he sees coming to So-Cal as an old rival from San Jose and Edmonton. I also chatted with club General Manager Rob Blake and longtime radio voices Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans about this … Continued

Chatting it up with seven Masters champions including Hall of Famers Gary Player and Ben Crenshaw and TV’s Scott Van Pelt and Verne Lundquist from the hallowed grounds of Augusta National. YES SIR!!!

Veteran L.A. Times sports editor/columinist and racing aficionado Bill Dwyer discusses the 23 recent horse deaths at Santa Anita racetrack and his ideas on what management should do while trying to resolve this unfortunate mess.

In depth and candid chat with Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens breaking down all angles on why the recent deaths of 23 thoroughbreds at Santa Anita race track and where to go from here.

We speak with veteran Public Address announcers Paul Olden of Yankee Stadium and Todd Leitz of Dodger Stadium on their careers and the start of the new baseball season.