Sports Connections with David Smale

Andy Katz is one of college basketball's finest reporters. On this episode of Sports Connections, Andy and David discuss college basketball on a national level. The two talk about their favorite locations in the sport. Andy also goes in-depth on his friendship with former President Barack Obama.

Mark Neely has been a broadcaster for many years, including some of the biggest games in College Football, Major League Baseball and other sports. In this episode of Sports Connections with David Smale, Mark and David look back on their careers and discuss their favorite moments in sports.

Rich Gannon played 18 seasons in the NFL and now he works as an ambassador for Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Rich and David discuss how being a leader is important in today's society and how the skills he learned during his time on the gridiron apply to his life today.

Rece Davis is one of the premier broadcasters in the sports industry. In this interview, David talks with Rece about his background, the sports world, and his faith. 

If you're a sports fan—and you wouldn't be listening to this podcast if you weren't—and you have a bucket list, you need to add the College World Series to your list. While you're at it, you might put it at or near the top of that list. Kathryn Morrissey heads up the College World Series of Omaha, Inc., the host committee of college baseball's biggest event. She's been part of the event for more than 30 years, and she's retiring while it's continuing to gain popularity. Later this week, the 2022 event kicks off. So grab yourself a Zesto and get ready for some great baseball!

Whit Merrifield might be the best-kept secret in Major League baseball today. He's led the American League in at least one offensive category—many times multiple categories—every full season he's played. Yet few outside of Kansas City can tell you much about him. He's one of the leaders of the youthful Kansas City Royals, and he's very candid about his desire to bring a winner back to the Heartland.

It sounds strange to say that Collin Klien is the face of the Kansas State football program since he's neither a current player nor the head coach. But there are few who will disagree. Klien played quarterback for the Wildcats from 2009-12. He was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012. He has risen through the coaching ranks to offensive coordinator, and no doubt will be the head coach at some point. He's even married to former K-State women's hoops player (and daughter of a K-State all-American linebacker) Shalin Spani.

Roger Espinoza has been with the Sporting Kansas City franchise for so long, he was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards. His time as a player began before Peter Vermes became the manager of the club. Yes, he's been around for a long time. He's one of the most popular players on the roster because he always gives every ounce of effort. What you may not know is that Espinoza also has a great sense of humor, which he displays in today's interview.

John Mangini is like many men his age. He grew up collecting baseball cards. But unlike many of his contemporaries, he still has much of that collection—and a lot more. He now has more than 100,000 cards, plus a museum-worthy assortment of other baseball memorabilia in his collection. The native of the Pittsburgh area has spent a lifetime enjoying the game of baseball through collectibles.

Adam Wainwright recently became the first pitcher older than 40 to pitch seven scoreless innings and allow one hit since 2009. Yeah, he's still got it. But “Uncle Charlie,” the nickname he earned for his outstanding curveball, is more than just a great competitor; he's also a great guy. He was the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award winner, given to the MLB player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team. He's active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Pro Athletes Outreach.

How does it feel to have your name announced at the NFL Draft? Tim Grunhard, who was a second-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1990, joins us to talk about how he felt. He also shares what it felt like the first time he walked into Arrowhead Stadium. Grunny helps us analyze the Chiefs draft and how those pieces might fit into the six-time defending AFC West champs!

The Draft is behind us and now NFL teams are filling their rosters with undrafted free agents and cuts from other teams. It wasn't that long ago that the short-lived Plan B free agency was a part of roster-building, and no one did it better than the Kansas City Chiefs. One of the best examples was Dan Saleaumua, who came to the Chiefs after two years with the Detroit Lions. He had great success with the Chiefs, helping them to a run of playoff appearances. He joins us today to talk about what was attractive to Kansas City.

The new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rule has created a seismic shift in college athletics. Now, student-athletes can make money by using their name or face to promote products and services. It might be the biggest off-field change since colleges started offering athletic scholarships. Curry Sexton, a former K-State receiver, has helped create a collective that helps K-State student-athletes connect with revenue sources, and he joins us to talk about how it might help his alma mater.

When Carl Peterson took the role of Chiefs President/CEO/General Manager, the franchise was in disarray. They had not won a playoff game—they had lost the only two they played in—since winning the Super Bowl almost 20 years before. Worse yet, they were an afterthought in the league and even in their own community. No one wanted to go to Arrowhead Stadium for a Chiefs game. More than 30 years later, the Chiefs are a model NFL franchise and one of the standard-bearers for how to engage a fan base.

Chris Klieman had the unenviable task of following College Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder as the head coach at Kansas State following the 2018 season. Klieman has taken the Wildcats to bowl games in two of his first three seasons, with the crazy season of 2020 as the outlier. He's established his program as one of the best in the Big 12, one that won't back down to anybody (the Wildcats are 2-1 against Oklahoma). And he's done it with his own style and personality.

“USA! USA!” The loud chant reverberates in our minds as American sports fans. Did you know that chant began at the “Miracle on Ice” during the 1980 Olympics? Our guest, Ken Morrow, was part of the USA team that won the game against the Russians, the heavily favored four-time defending Gold Medal winners who defeated the American team 10-3 in an exhibition game days before the Olympics began. But on that perfect night in Lake Placid, N.Y., the Americans won 4-3 in front of a small, but frenzied crowd on their way to the Gold Medal. That memory will never fade, for Morrow, for me or for anybody old enough to remember it happening.

We all have barriers to get through to accomplish things in our lives. But what if you passion carried a built-in obstacle that was impossible to ignore? Bryce Weiler is a sports broadcaster who can't see the action he's describing. Blind since birth, Weiler doesn't let that slow him down, as he “listens” to the game and describes why and how what just happened came about. He's also taking the attention he's been receiving to help other people defeat the challenges in their lives. We guarantee you'll be inspired by this story.

Have you ever played “Can you top this?” with your friends? That's where you're comparing who you know, and each person tries to one-up the previous person. Our guest today, Charlie Mechem would win that every time, and he joins us to talk about his upcoming book “Arnie and Jack: Stories of My Long Friendship With Two Remarkable Men, the story of his relationships with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Can you top that?

A year ago tonight, Homer Drew was in the stands watching his son Scott coach the Baylor Bears to the national championship in Division I men's basketball. Another son, Bryce, helped get Homer on the national stage 24 years ago during the tournament when he hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to help Valparaiso—coached by Homer—defeat Mississippi in a first-round game. Homer joins us today to talk about basketball…and life.

A generation of basketball fans may only know Charles Barkley only as a wisecracking studio analyst for the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and NBA television broadcasts. But the self-deprecating Barkley was one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Shorter than the average power forward at just 6-4, he used strength, quickness and hustle to be selected as one of the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History.

College basketball fans fell in love with “Sister Jean” at the tender age of 98, when her Loyola Ramblers shocked the world by reaching the Final Four in 2018. She's the face of Loyola basketball when she's not still working for the university by building relationships with students. She played high school basketball back in the 1930s, and she still knows plenty about the game.

Dan Shulman, like many of us, grew up playing a lot of sports, though he admits that he didn't play them well. But his skill at capturing the essence of the game makes the games he calls “must watch” television. He's the primary voice of ESPN's massive college basketball coverage, and he considers himself fortunate to be able to cover games all across the country inside the best arenas in America. He's also the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball, so he never has a chance to get out of practice of being behind the microphone.

Brian Hanni grew up loving sports, but he knew he probably wouldn't compete beyond high school. He set a goal to be a professional broadcaster, and then went to work to make it happen. His boundless energy, whether it's broadcasting Kansas' perennial basketball powerhouse or the Jayhawks' under-performing football team, comes from his love of the game and his gratitude for the opportunity.

Jon Sciambi is known throughout the ESPN-inspired sports world as "Boog" because of his strong resemblance to former MLB All Star and MVP John "Boog" Powell. But Sciambi is carving his own path. One of the best college basketball broadcasters in the business, Sciambi is in Kansas City this week to broadcast the Big 12 Championship, and there's no place he'd rather be.  

Jimmy Dykes is at home every time he's near a basketball court. Whether it was in his days as a player at the University of Arkansas, or his days as a coach throughout the southeast, or for most of the last 30 years as a college basketball analyst for ESPN, he loves his time around the game. But even more, he loves his time around home, and he's willing to share that message with individuals or groups. His book, The Film Doesn't Lie, examines how our lives reflect our mindset from the perspective of a coach.

Bill Self's teams have won or shared an astonishing 76 percent of their conference titles in his first 25 years as a head coach, which landed him in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. As the head coach at Kansas, he's won nearly 82 percent of his games, including 80.6 percent of his games in the Big 12, arguably the best conference in college basketball. He's in his 19th season at Kansas, and his teams have lost just 16 games at home during that time. He'll likely win or share his 16th conference title this season, meaning he'll have as many rings as losses. That's why we call him the best coach in college basketball.

When Alec Lemmon was in grad school at Mid-America Nazarene University, he had a class in which his professor asked the class to ponder what they'd do with their lives if they didn't have to worry about money. A former national-caliber youth soccer player, Lemmon thought about how he could use his love for “the beautiful game.” He wanted to create a youth soccer experience for kids that focused on more than just soccer skills development and winning at all costs. He founded TOCA FC, a competitive soccer club based on the values of faith, family and futbol. He then took that model to the inner-city and worked with underserved youth. We guarantee you'll be inspired.

The sport of NASCAR caught fire in the 1970s and spread beyond its southeastern roots. Tracks popped up around the country in every time zone. Kansas Speedway opened in 2001 and quickly became one of the drivers' favorite tracks. The development around the speedway includes Children's Mercy Park and Legends Field, plus acres of retail spots. Pat Warren has led the efforts of the Speedway for nearly a decade, and he joins us to talk about the impact racing has on our community.

With the Super Bowl now behind us, we take a look back at one of the all-time great kickers in NFL history. When Nick Lowery retired, he had the most made field goals in NFL history and had the highest percentage of made field goals. He led the league in longest field goal multiple times, and he was probably the best-dressed kicker in the league as well. He joins us today to talk about his kicking career, and his second career as a motivational speaker.

Do you love the game of football, just not the violence associated with it? Then flag football is for you. The American Flag Football League was founded in 2016 and has taken off quickly. So far, all the competitions have been in tournament formats, but there is movement toward adopting a regular season approach. Jeff Lewis, the founder of the league, joins us to talk about the league, which he expects to be world-wide in a few years.

When Kansas City Royals reliever Wade Davis came into the game during the Royals back-to-back World Series seasons, the game was all-but decided. He was part of the team's back end of the bullpen that shut down opposing offenses. After an injury took out closer Greg Holland, Davis became the closer. He had an ERA under 1.00 over those two seasons. Now retired, Davis and his wife, Katelyn, will focus their full attention on their favorite charity, The Battle Within, which helps former military and first responders deal with PTSD. They join us to talk about their passion for this cause.

If you're a fan of college basketball, you'll know the name Seth Greenberg. Greenberg had a long, successful career as a head coach, but he's become better known through his work on ESPN. He's part of the College Game Day crew, and he also does studio work during the week. He's not afraid to voice his opinion, even when he disagrees with the common perception or with his fellow analysts. He joins us to talk about his life in college hoops.

Most people's perspective of Minor League Baseball probably comes from one of many baseball movies, like “Bull Durham,” “Major League” or “Trouble With the Curve.” But is that what the game is really like at the lower levels of professional baseball? Luke Ritter is entering his third season in the New York Mets organization, and he's thrilled to be around the game. Yes, there are challenges associated with being a professional ballplayer out of the limelight. But Ritter is excited to be playing the game he loves and getting paid to do it. You'll love this young man, and maybe you'll rekindle your love of the game after listening to him.

He's better known for being the father of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He might even be better known for being the grandfather of Sterling Mahomes. But Pat Mahomes had a 12-year career as an MLB pitcher, where he introduced his oldest son to the world of professional sports. He credits that exposure with helping Patrick adjust to being an NFL star so easily. Pat joins us to talk about his own career, and the integral role he played in getting Patrick ready to be the biggest star in American sports.

If you've been a sports fan in the Kansas City area at any point in the last 30-plus years, you know who Blair Kerkhoff. He's been a columnist for The Kansas City Star since 1989, and he has covered local and national colleges, the Chiefs and Royals, Kansas City's World Cup bid, and everything else the editors at The Star have thrown his way. He's talented, but about as easy-going as you'll find. Blair is in our prayers, as he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia called hairy cell leukemia after we recorded this interview. We're pulling for our friend.

Running a baseball franchise in a small market has been a challenge for a long time. You not only have the discrepancy of money available because of smaller than average local television contracts, it's harder to make your franchise an attractive landing spot for free agents. Dayton Moore built the AL champion Royals in 2014 and World Series champions in 2015, the first small-revenue team to reach back-to-back World Series since the Oakland A's from 1988-1990. As genuine and nice as they come, Dayton joins us to talk about the challenges and rewards of operating in a small market.

When Stephone Paige set the NFL record with 309 receiving yards in 1985, he did it on only eight catches. He's one of three receivers to catch passes for more than 300 yards in a single game, but he's the only one to do it on fewer than 14 catches. But Paige had an outstanding career that is over-shadowed by his record-breaking day. He joins us to talk about that game, what he's been doing since retiring from the NFL, and what it's like to be a Chiefs fan in the heart of Raiders country (hint: it's pretty good right now).

If you turn on a sporting event and hear, “Hello, friends,” in a silky-smooth voice, you know it's a big event, because Jim Nantz is there. Whether it's with Tony Romo and Bonnie Bernstein for an NFL match-up, Grant Hill and Bill Raftery for a college hoops classic, or Nick Faldo and a cadre of analysts for a PGA tour weekend, Nantz transitions from one event to the next. Nantz has been with CBS since his college days at Houston in the early 1980s, and he's “comfort food” for every sports fans' appetite.

Joe Kennedy never sought the limelight, but it found him. A high school football coach, he knelt in prayer after every game, something the local school district didn't like. Even though he was exercising his First Amendment right to free speech and freedom of religion, the district requested that he stop, and then fired him for continuing. His fight is likely to go all the way to the Supreme Court as a test case for the individual rights of public figures. He joins us to talk about the motivation for fighting for those rights.

What's your impression of a NASCAR crewman? Jorden Paige probably doesn't fit it, but he soon might. The jackman for the No. 23 car, driven by Bubba Wallace, Paige didn't grow up following the sport, and his sport of choice was football. He worked his way through a NASCAR internship and quickly fell in love with the job of jackman. The agility and athleticism required to rush the quarterback from the defensive end position comes in handy when you jump the wall, jack up a 3,300-pound car with two quick pumps and throw a tire on the car, and then run around the car and do it again—all in 13 seconds. Listen in and find out how Jorden can become a future face of the sport.

The NASCAR season is now complete, but “Silly Season” is well underway. Matt DiBenedetto just completed a two-year contract driving the iconic No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, and he's looking for a new team. He wants a team with a similar “family” approach as the Wood Brothers. He joins us to talk about how the racing community is one big family. They might “duke it out” going 190 miles per hour on the track, but that doesn't keep them from caring deeply about each other off the track.

College baseball has no better champion than College Baseball Hall of Fame coach Ron Polk. The “Father of Southeastern Conference Baseball” compiled a 1373-702-2 record, making him the ninth winningest baseball coach in Division I history. He has fought for the cause of more scholarships in college baseball for years, and he has no plans to quit now. Join us to hear what makes Ron Polk the legend that he is.

Dennis Dodd has been covering college sports for more than 40 years. He was there back in the “good ol' days” when the only thing that mattered was who defeated whom. He was there for the original conference realignment 10 years ago, and he was there for the recent shakeups. And knowing Dennis for most of those 40 years, I can guarantee that he'll be there for the next round of changes. He joins us today to talk about what's happened and what he expects to happen next.

Jacie Hoyt learned how to win at an early age, as her mother is one of the all-time winningest basketball coaches in Kansas high school history. Jacie played for her mom, then played at Wichita State. She now heads the women's basketball program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where she took the team to its first ever conference regular-season title in 2019-20. She just signed a contract extension, so Kansas City will be her home for many more years. She joins us to talk about where she sees her program going in the coming years.

Danny Duffy will forever be a part of Kansas City Royals lore with his contributions to the 2014 American League champions and 2015 World Series champions. The Southern California native became a Kansas Citian, to the point where, when rumors swirled that he might be traded one off-season, said, “Bury me a Royal.” He stayed with the franchise several more years before finally being traded at the 2021 trade deadline. But wherever his career takes him from here, he says that Kansas City will always hold a special place in his heart. The feeling is mutual.

Chase Coffman grew up with a famous father, as his dad was a former pro football player who eventually became a member of the Packers Hall of Fame. Paul never forced Chase or his brothers to pursue football, but he was there for guidance and inspiration as they all chose to do so. Chase became a three-time all-state performer and consensus All-American as a senior at Missouri. They both played tight end in college and in the pros, but the similarities don't stop there. They both have a fondness for each other that comes through loud and clear as they join Sports Connections.

There's no question that Mike Matheny hit the ground running as a Major League Baseball manager. With no managerial experience, Matheny led the St. Louis Cardinals to the postseason in each of his first four seasons at the helm, including three straight National League Central titles. But after starting the 2018 season at 47-46—he never had a losing season in seven seasons—he was fired. Much of the criticism was his handling of the clubhouse culture and lack of acceptance of analytics. But two seasons into his Royals tenure, Matheny has fully embraced the role of analytics in the game, and his players love him. He joins us to talk about how he's changed.

The term “hero” is thrown around so loosely. Anyone who can throw a ball, run fast or jump high is called a hero. But how do you define a real hero in this sports-crazed world? How about someone who volunteers to join the military before graduating from high school, knowing that combat is almost guaranteed? How about someone who leads men many years his senior into said battles, many times putting himself in harm's way? How about someone who spends more than 20 years in service to his country and becomes one of the most-decorated soldiers in American Army history? Today, we'll find out about one such hero from author Rob Lofthouse, who wrote a book about a man who fit all those descriptions.

Dick Vermeil said he always hoped his career was good enough to be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he didn't know if it would happen. So when he got a call this fall telling him that he had been selected by the coaches committee, he was taken back. He believes there are several other coaches who belong in the Hall before him, but he'll gladly accept the honor once the whole committee votes him in—a foregone conclusion. He was one of the most entertaining coaches in NFL history and his team always entertained. You'll be entertained by our conversation.

They say that baseball is a game of failure, where even the best fail seven out of 10 times. How about a sport where only one of 40 competitors is successful? Welcome to the world of auto racing, specifically NASCAR. The public persona of a race car driver is a tough, self-sufficient dude, focused only on winning the next weekend's race. But that's not necessarily true. Drivers, crew members, team owners and everyone involved in the sport have lives away from the track, including family issues and questions about their own mortality like every other human being. Billy Mauldin leads Motor Racing Outreach, an organization solely intent on helping those people cope with the pressures of life in sports' most-difficult arena for achieving success.

Michael McDowell is a 20-year veteran race-car driver who has been competing in some aspect of racing for 33 of his 36 years on Earth. But he pushed himself to the top of racing with his career at the 2021 Daytona 500, the Super Bowl of racing. He became the eighth driver in NASCAR history to win his first race at the circuit's biggest race. But that win didn't change him. He joins us to talk about what keeps him focused and humble as he seeks to build on that career-changing victory.