Sports Connections with David Smale

Episode 134: Wade Davis - Wader, Check Please

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.

Episode 133: Seth Greenberg - Analyze This

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.

Episode 132: Luke Ritter - Minor Adjustments

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.

Episode 131: Pat Mahomes Sr. - Kansas City’s Favorite Dad

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.

Episode 130: Blair Kerkhoff - Man of Many Talents

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.

Episode 129: Dayton Moore -Definition of Strong Leadership

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.

Episode 128: Stephone Paige - Not Just a One-Game Wonder

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).

Episode 127: Jim Nantz - In a Smooth Groove

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.

Episode 126: Joseph Kennedy - Lightning Rod

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.

Episode 125: Jorden Paige - Jacked Up!

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.