TED SOBEL SPORTS AUDIO VAULT: Your Inside Access to TOUCHING GREATNESS

Games one and two of the World Series were both dramatic in their own right while game 3 was your garden variety blowout! But few will ever remember anything in the latter matchup but Albert Pujols crushing 3 homers in his last 3 at bats (along with 5 total hits and 6 rbi’s) to lead his Cardinals to an impressive 16-7 win over the Rangers for a 2-1 series edge.

Only Babe Ruth (twice) and Reggie Jackson had ever hit 3 bombs in a single WS game before tonight and Sir Pujols matched them just a day after earning the right of getting ripped by the media for not even thinking about doing any postgame interviews after game 2 in St. Lou.

I was there of course, but spent all but the last few minutes in the winning Texas locker room so I had no idea of what Albert had pulled. Let’s just say that a ‘superstar’ who needs his PR hack to tell him that he’s wanted after a world series game is either in a coma or doesn’t care. Anyway you look at it, Pujols certainly found a way to put that negative to rest and in a hurry as it will all be forgotten (by most).

So now suddenly the Rangers need big outings from there starters in games 4 and 5 at home (specially after all the pitches their relievers threw tonight) or else be in jeopardy of never getting back to St. Louis while losing the Series for a 2nd straight year.
Texas will go with Derek Holland in game 4 and then their ace and the pride of Newport Beach C.J. Wilson in game 5 on Monday.

I got the chance to speak with each of them in the Rangers postgame locker room on Thursday night and it was specially fun to walk up to C.J. and ask if my KNX 1070 mic flag looked familiar to him at all? And as you’ll hear, he impressively guessed correctly right off the bat! Unfortunetly the only thing I regret not asking (as it was done on the fly) was how Wilson was dealing with not getting a post-season win yet this month? Shame on me…that was my worst personal blunder on the trip besides losing my new smartphone at the Arch before flying home on Friday-What a dummy I am! Fortunately an honest woman found it, turned it in and then emailed me. And the guy at the Arch said it would be Fed-ex’d at their expense because of taxpayer’s dollars…what a great country!

Here are my chats with the next two Texas starters, with each trying not to meltdown in the pressure cooker…

Derek Holland with Ted Sobel:

C.J. Wilson with Ted Sobel:

It was looking as if the Cardinals were heading to Texas with a surprising 2-0 series lead. That’s certainly what you pay your closer big bucks for when expecting him to shut the door and save a 1-0 9th inning lead in the World Series. But Noooooooooooooo…Jason Motte got himself in a jam and his manager Tony LaRussa wouldn’t allow him to battle out of it and the Rangers went on to steal a 2-1 win and go home in a 1-all series.

I spent 99% of my time in the winning Texas locker room afterwards so I was not aware of Albert Pujols snubbing the media gaff, but I did run into the last Cardinal player left in the room David Freese and he showed his class by giving me a couple of minutes well after the game. And so the series is really on now without me as I’m out of here in the morning. But I will be reporting on it from my KFWB microphone on Monday filling in for our verrrry early morning sports guy Bret Lewis at 5am….

Rangers SS Elvis Andrus with Ted Sobel after scoring winning run:

Rangers Michael Young with Ted Sobel after winning sac fly:

Rangers game 2 starter Colby Lewis with Ted Sobel:

Rangers game 2 winning pitcher Mike Adams with Ted Sobel:

Cardinals 3rd baseman David Freese with Ted Sobel after loss:

It was fantastic drama-BUT for those of us who have to give you a nice detailed 30 second voicer right at the end of the game…I had to re-write like my pants were on fire! No problem, all is well as I head home for my NFL Sunday on Sport USA Radio done with another World Series and the completion of my first ‘Media Grand Slam’ (Super Bowl, NBA/NHL Finals, and the Series in the same year). Dammmmmmn…that was fun to do! 🙂

Among some other experiences this week was running into old friend Orel Hershiser on the field before game 2. It’s the first time I ever noticed him wearing his Dodgers’ 1988 World Series ring. He told me he never used to wear it but decided to about 5 years ago after often being stopped and asked where he keeps it? So it was only fitting that he showed it off to all of us here on my blog. It’s strange to say that the picture of me (click to enlarge)interviewing Orel was taken 23 years ago when he earned W.S. MVP honors. It’s also the same season when I took him aside during the spring ‘Freeway Series’ against the Angels when strongly predicting to his face that he would win the Cy Young award that year-and it came true! I’ve only done that one other time with Brett Favre, with that story left for another time.

See you back home in L.A….

While I’m working here in St. Louis getting ready for game 2 of the World Series, it’s time to change the pace and fill out a mid-season report card on the UCLA football program which is as up in the air right now as I’ll be on my flight back home tomorrow. The disappointing (or are they?) 3-3 Bruins play a rare Thursday nighter at Arizona against the 1-5 Wildcats who just fired coach Mike Stoops. So how will the boys from Westwood deal with that scenario along with their own issues? As in will Kevin Prince be able to handle the chore of leading them into the endzone more often without turning the ball over since he’s now in charge at QB again after his buddy Richard Brehaut broke his leg in their previous win over Wazu?

And then there’s the cloud of pressure hovering over the future of head coach Rick Neuheisel if he doesn’t get his Bruins to a bowl game this year? It seems likely he’ll be gone with anything less than that getting accomplished despite his A.D. Dan Guerrero being non-commital when saying that we are all “day to day”. Maybe Dan, but I don’t need to win 7 football games this season or else, except for maybe in a few parlays? 🙂

I asked Neuheisel one on one if being the next Stoops ever crossed his mind when trailing late at the Rose Bowl to Waszu? And he answered like a man taking full responsibility for ‘his program’. Unfortunately Rick was dealing with a bad cold at the time and I can only imagine how much more sick he’ll feel if his Bruins don’t win in Tucson tonight? Mr. Prince got into some detail on what lies ahead for him while mentoring his freshman backup Brett Hundley. And then my regular weekly chat with Bruins tailback Johnathan Franklin showed that he’s still being very positive about his guy’s chances of going bowling this season (and not just to the local lanes trying to avoid those gutterballs).

The following chats are from practice last Wednesday during the Bruins bye week…as it’s time for them to show their true football prowess or continue to slide into ‘Bolivian’ as Mike Tyson once said!…

Rick Neuheisel’s mid-season report card with Ted Sobel:

Kevin Prince with Ted Sobel:

Johnathan Franklin with Ted Sobel:

And while we’re talking UCLA, last week would have been Coach John Wooden’s 101st birthday. It’s been 3 years since my annual calls of birthday well wishes ended to Coach. The last time I asked him how it felt to be 98? And in a slower than usual reply he said with a little chuckle “it’s better than being 97 because I’m still here”. We only spoke for a few minutes but it being our last chat on the phone will stay with me forever. I used to love it when he was obviously screening his calls with an old-school answering machine and while I was leaving a message he would pick up the call. At least it showed that he didn’t mind hearing from me, as you can only imagine how many calls and letters, etc. he would get every day.

This picture was taken on his special day in 2003 when the court at Pauley Pavilion was named Nell and John Wooden Court…one of the standout events I’ve ever attended with most of his former players on hand to be a part of the ceremonies. It was also very special to me because I got the rare opportunity to watch some of the game in a room with Coach Wooden and his close pal and ex-Bruin All American Mike Warren before Coach was to meet with the media at halftime. I remember that Magic Johnson was in the house because his Michigan State Spartans were there against the Bruins. But the standout part of the night for me by far was being in the presence of Coach as he talked about the game after each play and getting the opportunity to banter with him in his own shrine. Believe me, these were rare and special moments that were never taken for granted!

The World Series is underway and there’s no way they were going to play his thing without me. After almost coincidentally working the Super Bowl in Dallas, the Stanley Cup finals in Vancouver and the NBA finals in Miami the past several months, I simply decided that a perfect ending needed to become a reality by covering all 4 major events in the same calendar year (certainly a rarity for a local and not national radio reporter-and much more rare without ANY of my local teams involved).

And who knows when or if I’d ever get this opportunity again? So here I am in very cold St. Louis where the windchill dipped during tonight’s Series opener to 41 degrees. Fortunately I was prepared by taking my true winter coat on the trip and all is good (I think?). Hey if some of the players can play sleeveless out there, it’s the least I can do…right?

Like the last few weeks, the Cardinals found another way to win as Temecula’s Allen Craig pinch-hit for ace Chris Carpenter and delivered a go-ahead single in the sixth inning which stood up thanks to the Cards bullpen and closer Jason Motte who saved the day in the 9th inning. I spoke with both of those guys and other key members of the series opener making this miserably cold and damp night in St. Lou worth it all. The following is a taste of the atmosphere for game one (and my self proclaimed ‘Media Grand Slam’) while giving you a little flavor from the ultimate baseball city. These fans eat, drink, and sleep the Cardinals so after a Series opening 3-2 win, they are in “red heaven”!…

Allen Craig with Ted Sobel after his game winning pinch hit:

Cards closer Jason Motte with Ted Sobel after save:

Cards all-star Albert Pujols with Ted Sobel after game one:

Cards shortstop Rafael Furcal talks as ex-Dodger with Ted Sobel:

Cards 2nd baseman Ryan Theriot another ex-Dodger with Ted Sobel:

Cards 3b David Freese with Ted Sobel after game one win:

Cards hitting coach Mark McGwire with Ted Sobel after win:

Rangers leadoff man Ian Kinsler with Ted Sobel after loss:

AS ALWAYS, ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS ON MY POSTS HERE ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED

It’s that time of year again so I thought I’d leave you a little puck to chew on before flying to St. Louis in the morning (Tuesday) to complete my ‘Media Grand Slam’ at games one and two of the World Series.

Kings center Jarret Stoll took a few minutes after practice to call and tell me about his trip to Europe along with thoughts on their eastern U.S. pair of games, and Tuesday night’s home opener against the Blues. How ironic it is that I rarely miss the Kings first home game and here I am likely to watch it in my hotel room in St. Louis. Of course I couldn’t let Stolly get away without making his World Series prediction after seeing him earlier this year throw out a first pitch at Dodger Stadium. And I am impressed with his knowledge of both the Cardinals and Rangers, too.

And to fully explain completing what I’ve coined ‘Media Grand Slam’…I’ll be reporting from the World Series in St. Louis after covering the Super Bowl in Dallas, the Stanley Cup Finals in Vancouver and the deciding game 6 of the NBA Finals in Miami (and yes, Lebron it was a choke!) all in the same calendar year. And the amazing part of this is that not one Southern California team was a part of any of them. Definitely a very rare feat for a local radio guy who was very fortunate to pull this off. But after this, I’m not planning on traveling any further east this year than the 57 Freeway to see the Ducks skate or on Figueroa to see the Kings and/or the Lakers (if we all live that long?).

You’ll next hear from me in the midwest after I try a little down home St. Louis BBQ…Can’t wait! And if you have an suggestions for places to chow down at in that neighborhood, please don’t hesitate to message me here, thanks! 🙂

Kings center Jarret Stoll with Ted Sobel:

Week 6 is in the book and the following is our Sports USA Radio network NFL Sunday Wrap Up Show, enjoy…

NFL Sunday Wrap Up with Ted Sobel: