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

This is great timing with the Olympics now behind us and the NHL playoff stretch run just ahead…I’m back to share my newly found 1980 Team USA ‘Miracle on Ice’ coaches interviews from when I announced 2 of their 61 pre-Olympic tournament games (just 2 weeks before the Lake Placid Olympic Games) while broadcasting all University of Wisconsin hockey games on WIBA Radio in Madison that season. Can you imagine an Olympic team NOW playing 61 games just to prep for their run to win a medal?

With Jim Craig and Mark Johnson at the 25th anniversary of the ‘Miracle on Ice’

The Badgers under legendary coach Bob Johnson had lost 2 of his best players to the Olympic squad and his rival coach from Minnesota Herb Brooks. ‘Badger’ Bob’s son Mark and defenseman Bob Suter were both keys to the Olympians success while making it a tough year in Madison due to their talent-depleted roster.

Team USA beat the Badgers twice, the first game an easy 6-2 win in Minneapolis followed by a 4-2 score at the old Dane County Coliseum in Madison with Mark Johnson unable to play in front of his hometown because of injury. Fortunately for the Americans, Johnson healed up in time for the real games in Lake Placid and the rest is incredible history.

I’m posting my interviews with all 3 coaches who were involved just as I recorded them 34 years ago this month. And when you hear some of my questions, please remember that we were involved in many political issues which were affecting the Olympic movement at the time including the Iran hostage crisis.

Herbie and his famed plaid sportcoat

As for Team USA’s head coach Herb Brooks, I was told at the time that he could be very ornery with the media (especially with the new kid on the block ‘ME’, who’s working for his rival Wisconsin broadcast team). So I must admit that I was a little intimidated by his presence. Although as our 6 minute chat continued it was obvious that he couldn’t have been more gracious with his time, and I wished that I would’ve asked a few more questions (certainly more directly pertaining to his team which would go on to produce the greatest upset in sports). During this time they were totally under the radar and nobody expected them to medal…let alone go on to beat the mighty Russians and then Finland for the gold. But it was a magical time that will never be forgotten. And it was a true pleasure to be a minute part of it.

Johnson and Brooks who ironically both coached the Pittsburgh Penguins

Ted Sobel with Herb Brooks who told me ‘We’re an underdog, but a good underdog!”:

Brooks and Patrick went from Team USA to the N.Y. Rangers

Ted Sobel with Team USA assistant coach Craig Patrick:

Ted Sobel with Badgers head coach Bob Johnson:

And I found some of my play by play of the first game at the Met Center in Minneapolis with partner Mike Lucas, which includes much of the 2nd period with Wisconsin stunning Team USA early on tied at 1-1. But then reality set in.. and it’s fun to hear those familiar names again wearing red, white, and blue who just a few weeks later would shock the world:

with Wills on the 1963 World Series sweep

The New York Yankees are in town to face the Dodgers for only the third time during a regular season schedule but that’s not what is memorable in these franchises’ great history. They’ve face each other 4 other much more important times since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn and they both won 2 World Series including the first one that I ever attended…the 1963 sweep of the Bronx Bombers.

It was a ‘Bronx Zoo’ literally before tonight’s 2-game series opener. The Dodgers heads of security told me this was the most amount of guests allowed on the field before a game that they could remember maybe as many as 400 and that doesn’t include the extra media members who were on hand.

All of that was fine with me as it didn’t affect my job to get some of the top names from the past to give me their favorite Dodgers-Yankees memories.
And there certainly were plenty of them starting with the eldest Dodger in the house, now 86 years young Don Newcombe who told me a story about facing Joe DiMaggio that I had never heard…

Don Newcombe:

Maury Wills who was a part of the Dodgers sweep of the mighty Yankees in 1963 and Maury recalled a special moment with Koufax vs. Mantle:

Ron Cey who was beaned by Goose Gossage in the 1981 Series recalls other special personal moments including his first time playing in the old Yankee Stadium:

Steve Garvey had several great memories of seeing the Yankees but his first was as a Dodgers batboy in Vero Beach:

Reminiscing with Mr. October

And last but not least, ‘Mr. October’ Reggie Jackson who earned that nickname hitting 3 homers in game 6 of the 1977 World Series to help his Yanks beat the Dodgers in that series. But I learned something new as Reggie told me he was close to becoming a Dodger before ever signing with the Yankees:

Puig sends us all home with one swing

It was just another Dodger victory over the Zinzinnati Reds (as Mr. Scully calls ’em). They suffered a new team record with 20 strikeouts against three Reds pitchers. But Yasiel Puig who had earlier struck out 3 times and is obviously dealing with some major league adjustments to remain a super-rookie homered with two outs in the 11th inning for a 1-0 Dodgers win. Puig circled the bases and slid into home plate, where teammates were waiting for him after his first career walk-off homer.

Homeplate celebration for Puig

The following are my postgame clubhouse interview including some preview thoughts on the Yankees invading Dodger Stadium for 2 nights starting on Tuesday.

Manager Don Mattingly:

Dodger starter Chris Capuano who threw an impressive 3-hitter thru 6 2/3 innings:

Dodgers starting LF Jerry Hairston, Jr. who was the only starter to not strikeout in the game:

Dodgers utility specialist Nick Punto:

Dodgers reliever Brandon League who’s awakened with 3 wins in a week:

Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt on his guys’ strong outing and how this sets up the Yankees series:

Right in the middle of a nice Dodgers surge, Pac 12 football media day called at Sony Studios in my old neighborhood of Culver City where as a kid I tried sneaking into what was then the MGM studio lot. So at least this time as I was legally on their invite list…if Clark Gable only knew!

My main reason for attending was to get preview thoughts from UCLA and USC’s head coaches and invited players. But I was also interested in chatting with Stanford head coach David Shaw who I’ve greatly admired since he took over for Jim Harbaugh. The last time I dealt with Coach Shaw was after his impressive win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl and I wanted to catch up and get the latest from him.

Shooting the bull with Coach Mora

UCLA coach Jim Mora:

Towering under Anthony Barr

UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr:

UCLA OL Xavier Sua-Filo:

Coach Kiffin wasn’t in the mood to give me much real insight

USC coach Lane Kiffin:

chatting with Marqise Lee

USC WR Marqise Lee:

USC LB Hayes Pullard:

Stanford Coach David Shaw roundtable discussion:

Somewhere under the rainbow at Sony Studios

MORE TO COME SHORTLY INCLUDING MY 1 on 1 with ex-Oregon QB Joey Harrington

I reminded Phil that he never let go of that Claret Jug during the entire championship newser

On a day in which all attention was focused on whether Lee Westwood could win his first major in his own backyard, whether Adam Scott could double up his 2013 major total, or whether Tiger Woods could finally get his first in over 5 years, it was Phil Mickelson who stepped in and turned in the round of the day and one of the classics of all-time.

He began the day five strokes behind Westwood before turning in a -5 round, paced by six birdies, and ended up tying the low round of the entire tournament, to finish at -3 for the week and earn his first Claret Jug.

Phil not only shot a 32 on the more difficult back 9 at Muirfield but fired birdies on four of his final six holes to run away with his 5th major from out of the blue.

The following are most of the key figures’ post-tournament thoughts on what turned into one of the great finishes in Open Championship history and as Phil called it, the best round of his life. And it truly capped off my special trip to Europe after watching Andy Murray become the first Brit in 77 years to win Wimbledon.

Phil Mickelson:
Phil Mickelson Open Championship newser with Sobel et al

Adam Scott who finished T-3 and 4 shots back after letting another Open Championship get away when he had the lead on the back 9:
Adam Scott with Sobel et al after final round at Muirfield

Lee Westwood had the lead for much of the front 9 but let it slip away as he could never put his game in championship form and disappointing his local U.K. fans to leave still without his first major:
Lee Westwood with Sobel et al after final round at Muirfield

Ian Poulter who had the earlier round of the day at 4 under par for finished T-3 alongside fellow Brit Westwood:
Ian Poulter with Sobel et al after the round of the day so far 4 under

Tiger Woods never gave himself a realistic chance to win with a below Tiger-like 3 over 74 and T-6 and 5 shots back of Phil:
Tiger Woods with Sobel et al post final round at Muirfield

You have found the ONLY place on the web that gives you complete un-edited post round interviews at The Open Championship…Please enjoy this MAJOR experience!

The 18th green being watered for a very big Sunday!

Britain’s Lee Westwood is your Open Championship 54-hole leader as he attempts to win his first major title. Many consider him to be the best active player without a major victory, a list Hunter Mahan is quickly rising up on and Mahan will join Westwood in the final group on Sunday. Hunter also played in the final pairing on Sunday at the U.S. Open, but struggled.

But the most interesting pairing (maybe EVER in a major?) will be Tiger Woods and Adam Scott who’s caddie Steve Williams used to carry the bag for Tiger until their bitter breakup a few years back.

This won’t be the first time Woods has been paired with his former caddie and Scott. They were in a group together for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open. Tiger will begin the day in a tie for second place at 1-under, two strokes behind Westwood. And one very intriguing stat to watch is Tiger being 14-1 in his career when opening the final round of a major with at least a share of the lead, but is 0-47 when he doesn’t.

The following are your post round interviews to listen to…and thanks for checking in here…

Lee Westwood:
Lee Westwood with Sobel et al as the 3rd round leader at The Open

Tiger’s fans Scottish style

Tiger who’s biggest distraction could be some of his fans wearing those gaudy Tiger suits and not his old caddie hanging around!:
Tiger Woods with Sobel et al after round 3 at Muirfield

Hunter Mahan:
Mahan 3rd round.mp3

Adam Scott:
Adam Scott with Sobel et al after round 3 at Muirfield

Henrik Stenson who is 4 shots back and feeling like he hasn’t played his best yet:
Henrik Stenson with Sobel after round 3 at Muirfield

Phil Mickelson is 5 behind although he told us the he expected to be only a couple of shots back:
Phil Mickelson with Sobel et al after 3rd round at Muirfield

Ian Poulter starts championship Sunday 8 behind his fellow Brit Westwood, but says he’s playing very well:
Ian Poulter with Sobel et al after 3rd round at Muirfield

Love Sunday at The Open…so let’s have fun with another classic ahead of us!