Sports Connections with David Smale

Episode 94: Johnny Russell - Johnny Be Good

Johnny Russell is not an intimidating-looking athlete. But get him on the soccer pitch and he becomes almost unstoppable. Whether he’s scoring goals with his powerful left foot or setting up teammates for better scoring chances, Russell has become a crowd favorite with Sporting Kansas City. The native of Glasgow, Scotland, Russell is a joy to talk with, because he’ll tell you—in his delightful Scottish brogue—what’s on his mind, not just some rehearsed “coach speak.” He came to the U.S. in 2018 to play for Sporting, because he wanted to venture away from Europe to see what else is out there. After listening to this interview, you’ll be glad he did.

Episode 93: Ariel Torres - A Diversion Becomes a Passion

Ariel Torres took up karate as a young child because his parents were looking to channel his energy. A highly active 6-year-old boy, he was a perfect candidate to learn the discipline required in this martial art. Ariel was born in Cuba, but he is now a proud American, and with karate making its debut in the Olympics this year—actually, he will be competing beginning tomorrow—Ariel joins us to talk about the excitement of being part of the introduction of the sport on the world’s biggest sports stage.

Episode 92: John Wathan - Fast..for Anyone

John Wathan bristles—if only in jest—when people say he was “fast…for a catcher” in his 10-year MLB career. He stole 105 bases in his career at a 75-percent clip, including a major-league record for catchers of 36 steals in one season. He was part of seven postseason appearances by the Royals between 1976 and 1985, and he jokes that he “carried” George Brett, Hal McRae and Frank White for all those seasons.

Episode 91: Jackson Yueill - Back on Track

When the US Men’s National Team lost to Trinidad and Tobago in the final qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup, it set the sport back in America. A run of nearly 30 years of reaching the World Cup came to a crashing end and began the transformation to a youthful and more athletic roster. The USMNT is preparing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup with a lot of confidence because of young stars like Jackson Yueill of the San Jose Earthquakes. Jackson joins “Sports Connections” to talk about the future of soccer in America, including his prediction for how close the US is to competing for the World Cup title.

Episode 90: Jeff Miner - Getting Right Mentally

It’s one of Yogi Berra’s best-known quotes. He said, “Ninety percent of (baseball) is half mental.” He wasn’t a sabremetrician who had devised a formula that says that 45 to 55 percent of the game relies on the mental aspect of the game. He was just being Yogi. But it’s pretty obvious that what he was trying to say is true. The further you get up the ladder in baseball, the more important being able to focus, to redirect negative thoughts and to channel an inner calm, the more successful you’ll be. Every major leaguer has talent, but the truly great ones know how to use their talent. Jeff Miner joins “Sports Connections” to talk about how he can help athletes at all levels train their minds to be successful.

Episode 89: Alexi Lalas - Voice of Experience

Alexi Lalas burst onto the American soccer scene with flowing red hair and a beard as part of the US Men’s National (Soccer) Team for the 1994 World Cup, hosted on American soil. As we approach the 2022 World Cup, and especially the U.S.’s next opportunity to host (2026), Lalas is a voice of experience and expertise as the lead analyst for Fox Sports’ coverage of men’s soccer. He had an outstanding career as a player and a general manager, and now he’s shining as a commentator.

Episode 88: Ron Jackson - Everybody’s Buddy

Ron “Papa Jack” Jackson spent 10 years on a variety of Major League Baseball teams. Everywhere he went he was a favorite teammate. His bubbly personality and competitiveness made him the guy you wanted on your team, and he even had friends on the opposition, long before that was common in baseball. He joins “Sports Connections” to talk about life as a big leaguer.

Episode 87: Aly Trost - Rising Star

Aly Trost was hired by a local sports radio station to help with social media and marketing. But her knowledge of and enthusiasm for sports has propelled her to a couple of prominent roles with the local soccer teams. She’s still helping the station in the areas for which she was hired, but her legion of fans proves this was more than a good hire. She joins “Sports Connections” to talk about her love for soccer and how that bubbles over into everything she does.

Episode 86: Fred Lynn - The Natural

Wherever Fred Lynn went in sports, success seemed to follow him. He was a multi-sport athlete in high school. He attended the University of Southern California, where he played baseball, and the Trojans won national championships all three years he was there. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and made his debut a little more than a year after he was drafted. His first full season (1975), he became the first player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and his league's MVP in the same season. Injuries were the only thing that slowed him down. He's a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and the College Baseball Hall of Fame. He joins us to talk about his great career.

Episode 85: Chuck Swirsky - From a Profession to a Passion

Chuck Swirsky has spent the last 40-plus years in and around the world of sports. He began collecting audio clips to be aired the next morning. He became a pioneer in the world of sports talk radio. For more than 20 years he’s been the play-by-play voice of two different NBA teams. Grab some “salami and cheese” and pull up a chair, as he joins us to talk about his passion for the NBA game.