Chasing Hardware

So many great stories from Kansas City Chief icon and NFL Hall of Famer Bobby Bell. An all-around athlete growing up in Shelby, NC, he went to the University of Minnesota, won a National Title, and finished third in the Heisman race despite being an interior lineman. In KC, he went to 9 Pro Bowls, never missed a game, won a Super Bowl, and redefined how the Outside Linebacker position is played. 

John Franco went to 4 All Star games, was the MLB saves leader 3x, and was Reliever of the Year 2x in his iconic 22-year career. A New Yorker to the core, he went to the same HS in Brooklyn as Sandy Kofax, played college ball at St John's with Frank Viola, and then Captained the Mets (a rarity for a pitcher). When he retired, he was 2nd all-time in saves (he is still 7th), and no lefty has saved more games. Great stories from a pitching legend. 

The definition of a Renaissance man, NFL Hall of Famer & Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page shares some great stories from an extraordinary life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So many great stories from Heavyweight prizefighter Gerry Cooney on the latest Chasing Hardware. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Fame QB Dan Fouts shares some great stories from his iconic career in San Diego. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

World Golf Hall of Famer and 3-time Major winner Nick Price shares some great stories from his legendary career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bob Golic shares some great stories from his days growing up in Cleveland in a true football-playing family, his iconic run at Notre Dame, and his All Pro career w/ the Patriots, Browns, and Raiders. You will be laughing all the way. Legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Mahovlich is an all-time great hockey player, as well as a legendary storyteller. He won four Cups with Montreal in the 70s and played key roles in the '72 Summit Series and the '76 Canada Cup. He shares some great anecdotes from a golden era of hockey; we cover his brother Frank, Gordie Howe, Ken Dryden, Scotty Bowman, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Vladislav Tretiak and many more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Famer Larry Little was the anchor of one of the greatest Offensive Lines of all time, which in turn blocked for one of the greatest backfields of all time. Great stories from one of the only residents of "Perfectville." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Great stories from Dwight Hicks who won 2 Super Bowls and went to 4 Pro Bowls as the leader of one of the most dynamic defensive backfields in NFL history. In the 105 years that pro football has been played, only his '84 49ers and the '76 Pittsburgh Steelers have sent all 4 DB's to the Pro Bowl. Legendary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hometown hero Kent Hrbek is the ultimate Minnesota guy. He could see the lights of the old Metropolitan Stadium from his bedroom window, and he spent his entire 14-year career with the Twins, winning two World Series titles. He even went duck hunting the morning of Game 7 in '87! Great stories from an icon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hockey icon Brad Park tells some great stories from his Hall of Fame career in New York, Boston, and Detroit, as well as sharing really interesting insights from the 72 Summit Series classic between Canada the Soviet Union. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Famer Andre Dawson went to 8 All Star games, won 8 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers, and a National League MVP. Great stories about Gary Carter, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, Spaceman Lee, Ryne Sandberg, Popeye Zimmer, Mitch Williams, Roger Clemens, Larry Doby, Duke Snider, Greg Maddux, and Bruce Sutter...the toughest pitcher he ever faced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will Perdue won 4 NBA titles; 3 in Chicago with the Michael Jordan-led Bulls and then another in San Antonio, helping give Gregg Popovich his first championship. Terrific stories from the former SEC Athlete of the Year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No player scored more points in the 1980's than Alex English. The Hall of Famer went to 8 All-Star games in an era defined by amazing talent at the small forward position. Give a listen for some terrific stories on the NBA of the 70s and 80s as the league went from finals being played on tape delay to being the global phenomenon it is today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From junior college ball in Napa to the Rose Bowl with UCLA and ultimately a Super Bowl title with the Rams, HOF coach Dick Vermeil tells some great stories about the legends he coached, as well as the legends he coached for, with, and against. Terrific memories from an icon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baseball Hall of Famer Pat Gillick is one of only 3 General Managers in history to win World Series titles with multiple franchises (Toronto in 92 & 93, Philadelphia in 08). He is also one of only 5 GM's enshrined in the HOF. In all, he led 4 different franchises to League Championship series (Baltimore and Seattle also). Fascinating to hear his stories as he discusses each of those unique situations (from expansion slow-builds to 'win-now' mentalities), and what it took to build winners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Cooper forged a Hall of Fame career w/ Los Angeles because he embraced his role. Jerry West told him as a rookie, "there are not enough balls to go around to shoot...I need you as a defender." And as Coop said, "I put the suit on, and it fit extremely well." It sure did. 8X he was NBA All Defensive team, and he won 5 rings playing for the Showtime Lakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Broncos legend Rick Upchurch was such a dominant returns specialist for so long that he was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for both the 70's and the 80's, one of only 29 men so honored in 100+ years of pro football. Great stories about his record-setting career in Denver, as well as emulating Gale Sayers as a kid and his terrific collegiate years in Minnesota. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At Maggie Walker HS in Richmond, VA, Bob Dandridge followed in the footsteps of Arthur Ashe and Willie Lanier. Amazingly, all 3 would end up in their respective sports' Halls of Fame. In the NBA he paired w/ Kareem Abdul Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) and Oscar Robertson to win an improbable title for the third year Bucks, and then he returned to the East Coast to win a title with Washington, completing a daunting front line of himself, Elvin Hayes, and Wes Unseld. Terrific stories from the man they called the Greyhound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Famer Paul Krause has more interceptions than anyone in NFL history, and it is a record that will not broken in the foreseeable future. Iconic coach Bud Grant said Krause personified the term 'free safety', and former teammate Sam Huff said Paul was football's Willie Mays. Listen for some great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony Perez grew up playing baseball on a club team sponsored by a sugar mill in central Cuba. In a few short years he was starring on Cincinnati's iconic Big Red Machine World Series champs of the 70's. Listen for some great stories about Sparky Anderson, Pete Rose, Wade Boggs, blooper pitches and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cardinals QB Jim Hart tells some great stories about his friendship with Walt Frazier at Southern Illinois and then the St Louis years with the likes of Don Coryell, Dan Dierdorf, Conrad Dobler, Terry Metcalf and OJ Anderson. And don't miss the great anecdotes from his final year in Washington with the Hogs and John Riggins and Joe Gibbs...beers in the shed....too funny. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Frank White won 8 Gold Gloves, went to 5 All-Star games, and helped lead the Royals to the '85 World Series title over the course of his 18 year career. He and George Brett formed one of the most enduring partnerships in MLB history. He is also the most thoroughly 'Kansas City-guy' you will ever come across. He was raised there, went to HS there, played exclusively for the Royals for 2 decades before working for the team in a number of capacities, and then has been in local politics for the last decade as County Executive and a member of the legislature. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After growing up in Harlem and playing at legendary courts like Rucker, Charlie Scott was a 2x All America at UNC, a 2x All ABA with Virginia, and a 3x All Star with Phoenix. In 1976 his Celtics team beat the Suns in 6 games for the NBA title, and in the deciding game he led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds. We cover Earl 'the Goat' Manigault, Larry Brown, Dean Smith, Red Auerbach, JoJo White, Paul Silas, Dr J, George McGinnis, and many more. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Cliff Harris did not start in high school until his senior year, his only college scholarship was from Ouachita Baptist, and in his first training camp he was one of 120 free agents. But he persevered, became the starting Free Safety his rookie year and played in five Super Bowls in his 10 year career, winning two. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nancy Lieberman was in the Hall of Fame BEFORE she played in the inaugural season of the WNBA at age 39 and then coached in 4 leagues, 3 of them men's. There are so many great stories in this interview it's impossible to know where to start, but how about this one: she was Pat Riley's first starting Point Guard for the Lakers. Legend. Pioneer. Great stuff from 'Lady Magic'. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Saints HOF LB Rickey Jackson used the 'muck' in FL to help build his speed. He then went on to play for some loaded teams at Pitt before joining New Orleans and being part of the greatest LB corps in NFL history. And as a final act? Two productive years in San Francisco where he won a Super Bowl. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Lou Lamoriello came on board in New Jersey, he needed a player with toughness, grit, and skill to build around. He found that player in Ken Daneyko. What followed was a 20 year career with the Devils, where Ken became a critical part of one of the best defensive units ever assembled as he helped them win 3 Stanley Cups. Great stories from a Devils legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ken Anderson was an all-around athlete in Batavia, IL whose friend and neighbor was NBA Hall of Famer Dan Issel. After four years at Augustana College he became Bill Walsh's protege in his new passing scheme called the West Coast offense. 4 passing titles and an MVP award later, it's pretty clear that #14 was up to the task. Great lessons from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gene Tenace could have played football for Woody Hayes at Ohio State but opted instead to play in the Majors as a Catcher and First Baseman. He won 3 World Series with the Oakland A's, earning MVP honors in 1972. He won another title as a key backup for the '82 Cardinals. Even today, he ranks 3rd all time for catchers in OPS, and 4th in On Base Percentage. Listen for some great stories from those Charley Finley-era Swingin' A's. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Steve Bartkowski was an All American in both baseball and football at Cal. He would be the #1 overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft, and despite some early injuries, he would lead Atlanta to its first three playoff appearances. The Falcons were an exciting team which seemed to always be pulling out a last-minute win, with many of the heroics orchestrated by #10. He is still one of only 10 men in league history to throw 30 TD's in consecutive seasons. Listen in for some great stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From high school through to the pros Lester Hayes played virtually every position but QB. His All Pro career at Cornerback was greatly influenced by his time as a Linebacker at Texas A&M ("I'm a linebacker mentally...playing cornerback.") A lot of the receivers he played the bump and run against would agree. Great stories from a legend. The Judge holds court once again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen as Randy Cross tells some great stories about growing up in LA in the 60's, playing at UCLA and winning the Rose Bowl in the 70s, and then being an anchor on the offensive line in San Francisco for the 80's as the Bill Walsh dynasty won 3 Super Bowls. Fun stuff about actor/QB Mark Harmon, Dick Vermeil, Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, and so on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lance Parrish had to decide between a football scholarship at UCLA or a career as a Catcher in the majors. Detroit Tigers fans are happy he chose the latter as he was an 8x All Star, he won 3 Gold Gloves and 6 Silver Sluggers, and he hit the deciding home run in the final game of the '84 World Series to clinch the title. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Legendary basketball coach Digger Phelps led Fordham to the Sweet 16 before embarking on a 20 year run at Notre Dame that included a Final Four, 2 Elite 8's, 7 Sweet 16's and 6 Top 10 finishes. He learned about the media from none other than Howard Cosell and used that knowledge to enjoy a 20 year career in broadcasting when his coaching days ended. Great stories from the Undertaker's son. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Stastny grew up in what was then Czechoslovakia, helping that country win 2 World Championships in the 70's. He then fled to North America in a cloak and dagger escape that is the stuff of movies, and embarked on a Hall of Fame career in Quebec with the Nordiques. For an encore? As GM he led his native Slovakia to a World Championship of its own in 2002, and then served a decade in the European Parliament representing his country. Truly amazing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joe Washington talks about his legendary high school career in Texas, his years at Oklahoma on some of the great NCAA teams of all time, and then an NFL career that included Pro Bowls, Super Bowls, and playing for and with Joe Gibbs, Mercury Morris, Bert Jones, Joe Theismann, and John Riggins. He also tells the story behind those iconic silver cleats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Buck Williams tells some great stories about growing up in rural North Carolina, playing in the cauldron that is ACC basketball at Maryland, and then an NBA career that included long stays in New Jersey and Portland playing with, for, and against, some real legends. Fun stories from one of the greatest rebounders of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Famer Paul Molitor is considered one of the greatest post-season players of all time. The '93 World Series MVP is also one of only 5 men in MLB history to bat .300, get 3,000 hits and steal 500 bases. Listen for some great stories as he talks about playing with Gorman Thomas, Rollie Fingers, Robin Yount, Dave Parker, Joe Carter, Kirby Puckett and many others. None other than Ted Williams said 'I see Joe DiMaggio' when he watched Molly bat. Doesn't get any better than that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hall of Famer Rick Barry made the All Star team each of his first 12 years in the NBA and ABA. He played for championship squads in both leagues, and was named to the 50th and 75th Anniversary teams. He is the only man to have won scoring titles at the NCAA, ABA, and NBA levels. And in addition to being a 2-time all state basketball player in HS, he was also 2-time all state in baseball. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Shutt tells some great stories about his career in Montreal. It was once said of him that "when you say the name Steve Shutt, you think of two things: goals and Stanley Cups." Hard to imagine a bigger compliment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nolan Cromwell was one of the greatest athletes of his era. All-State in football, basketball, and track in high school, he then went to Kansas where he was an All Big 8 defensive back early on, and then an Honorable Mention All American QB. He also competed in the decathlon against Bruce Jenner (he lost) and qualified for the '76 Olympics as a hurdler. And then all he did was play 11 years in the NFL as an All Pro Safety for the Rams, 4x being named Defensive Back of the Year for the League. Great stories from a legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After his playing career at Alabama ended, Danny Ford would become the youngest Head Coach in history to win a National Championship when his 1981 Clemson Tigers knocked off Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. Through his career his teams beat squad's coached by the likes of Joe Paterno, Woody Hayes, Vince Dooley, Barry Switzer, Bobby Bowden, and Tom Osborne. Ever humble, he makes clear that his kids won those games, not him. Listen for some great stories from a fun era in college football.

The NFL Network ranked John Hannah as the greatest Guard in NFL history. Bear Bryant called him the greatest offensive linemen he ever saw. Grab a seat and listen to John "Hog" Hannah talk about his days growing up in Alabama, playing for the Bear, and then his 13 years in New England and the NFL..

Whether leading the Houston Oilers to consecutive AFC Championship games, whipping a football 87 yards downfield (true story), or winning drag races vs 'Big Daddy' Don Garlits, Dan Pastorini has always been a 'must-see' athlete. On the latest Chasing Hardware, Dan and I talk about being drafted by the Mets, his Santa Clara years, and being part of the first 'Year of the Quarterback' draft class along with Jim Plunkett and Archie Manning. Great stories from the leader of the 'Luv Ya Blue' Oilers.

Cowboys legend Charlie Waters discusses his career in Dallas where he played in 5 Super Bowls, winning 2. He is still tied for the most postseason interceptions all time, and along with Cliff Harris formed one of the greatest safety tandems ever. Fun stories from a mainstay of the Doomsday Defenses of the 70's.

Larry Robinson's name appears on the Stanley Cup an astounding 10 times; 6 as a Hall of Fame Defenseman for Montreal, 2 as an assistant coach with New Jersey, 1 as the head coach for New Jersey, and 1 as an executive with St Louis. Also, he is the NHL's all time leader in +/- at +722, over 25% ahead of the next closest, Bobby Orr. Listen as Larry tells some great stories about legendary players and teams.

Rob McClanahan was one of the leading scorers on the most iconic team in US sports history, the 1980 Miracle squad at Lake Placid. He was on the ice for the last crazed minutes of the seminal Russia game, and two days later his his 3rd period goal vs Finland clinched the gold medal. In addition to the many stories about Herb Brooks and that Olympic team, he also talks about his days growing up in Minnesota and playing at the 'U', and then his years in the NHL. Great stories from an American sports hero.

Bill Raftery had a stellar career as a player in New Jersey and at LaSalle, and then went on to coaching success at FDU and Seton Hall. But 42 years ago he turned to broadcasting, and a Hall of Fame career began. When we are not talking 'onions' and 'Send it in Jerome', we are talking about all the players, coaches, and broadcasters he has crossed paths with (and maybe bent an elbow with) over the last 4+ decades. Great stories from a legend.

Lou Whitaker formed one half of the greatest double play combination in Major League Baseball history. He went to 5 All Star games, won 4 Gold Gloves and 3 Silver Slugger awards. His WAR is 7th highest all-time among second basemen, and of the 6 in front of him, 4 played before WWII. He was also a key member on one of the greatest teams ever, the 1984 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers. Listen for some great stories and observations.