Mike Vaccaro has been a columnist at the New York Post since 2002. Recently, he underwent a harrowing medical procedure where his lower left leg was amputated.  He recently wrote about it in a Post column and came on the podcast to tell his ordeal. He tells it triumphantly as this was the best option for him to return to as much of a normal life as possible, and he recently returned to the golf course.

In this episode, Vaccaro explained how covering sports during the Covid-19 pandemic allowed him to undergo health issues and still cover games while not being able to attend them anyway.

After the health talk, the episode becomes a sports conversation that includes the NBA's competitive balance challenges, whether Nikola Jokic is the face of the league, and whether fans care about their home teams as they used to.  He also comments about New York baseball in 2023, whether the New York Mets outspend the New York Yankees.

Follow Mike Vaccaro on social media @MikeVacc.

406. Mike Vaccaro, New York Post Columnist

Every guest is a friend. Or a friend of a friend.  (We play Jewish Geography)

News

Sports

Baseball

Sports News

Before there were podcasts, iPhones, or even sports radio, there was Sports Phone.  Originally based in New York, Sports Phone was a phone number someone could call and hear an announcer give what is commonly known as a sports update.  Many of those anchors went on to have incredible broadcasting careers and got their start working for Sports Phone.

Media veterans Scott Orgera and Sports Phone alum Howie Karpin joined the show to discuss the story behind Sports Phone.  Their book,  976-1313. : How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground features never-before-told tales of triumph and tragedy, a mix of hilarity, inspiration, and regret from the broadcasting hopefuls and sports junkies that comprised the brains and voices behind the pioneering operation.

In this episode, they talk about the many anchors who worked for Sports Phone and the countless number of callers who would call in to get the scores.  They also discussed how gambling enhanced the volume of callers, despite it not being legal as it is now.

For more information on the book, visit https://9761313.com/ and get the book here: https://a.co/d/hJKgYJ6

455. Remembering Sports Phone (976-1313)

The American Association is one of the great names in the history of professional baseball leagues in the United States. The first American Association was formed in 1902 as an independent minor league for the larger cities in the midwestern area of the U.S. Joshua Schaub was appointed Commissioner of the current iteration entitled the American Association of Professional Baseball on March 1, 2019. Schaub is the chief executive for the American Association and oversees the American Association's operations, media, expansion, revenue initiatives, technology enhancements and emergence, public relations, and relationships in professional baseball.

Schaub is the former CEO and co-owner of the Joliet Slammers baseball club of the Frontier League, a board member of the Frontier League and Prospect Leagues, and has previously worked in the Milwaukee Brewers scouting department as an intern and associate scout.

In this episode, he explains what the difference between an Independent League and the recently former MLB Partner League. He also explains the inner workings of the Association and answers many questions about how to measure its success.

This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/SWF and get on your way to being your best self.

454. American Association of Baseball Commissioner Joshua Schaub

On April 18, 2024, the National Hockey League announced that the Arizona Coyotes were being sold to the owners of the NBA's Utah Jazz, and would begin play next season at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.  The Coyotes relocated to Arizona in 1996 after they were the original Winnipeg Jets franchise. They played in America West Arena (home of the Phoenix Suns) from 1996-2003 and Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona from 2003-2022. In 2022, the Coyotes played in Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat structure on the campus of Arizona State University.  Once a potential arena deal had been shut down, the Coyotes' fate had been sealed. Notably, the NHL said that if the Phoenix Metro area could build an area, they would get an expansion team and the Arizona Coyotes' colors and uniforms would return.

Luke Lapinski is a talk show host on 98.7 FM Arizona Sports.  For 15 years, he was the pre/post/intermission host of the Coyotes on whatever radio station they were airing on, until the move to Utah.  He joined the podcast to discuss what led to the Coyote's relocation, and whether the Coyotes could get a team back with a new arena. He also discussed the many job losses in the Coyotes organization and weighed in on the Phoenix market as a sports town.

453. The Fate of the Arizona Coyotes

Award-winning media veteran Keith Dawkins was hired by the Harlem Globetrotters in January 2022.  He spent 17 years at Viacom (now ViacomCBS), was elevated to the position of Executive Vice President at Nickelodeon where he oversaw and grew some of that brand's most beloved and successful networks. Dawkins also launched the Nickelodeon Sports initiative which saw him strike strategic partnerships with the likes of NFL, NASCAR, the PGA Tour, MLS, WWE, and a variety of pro athletes. 

The originators of basketball style, influencers on today's game, and skilled athletes of the highest order, the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters have showcased their iconic talents in 124 countries and territories on six continents since their founding in 1926. Proud inductees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, their mission to spread game and bring entertainment to the world continues to drive them today. The Globetrotters are basketball innovators who popularized the jump shot, slam dunk and the half-court hook shot.

In this episode, Dawkins explains his goals for the future of the Globetrotters, and how they plan to use streaming services and social media to grow awareness to a new generation while being fan service for the people who remember them.  He also commented on the state of the NBA, WNBA, and college basketball and offers insight on how athletes become Globetrotters.

For more information about the Harlem Globetrotters, visit the Globetrotters' official website: www.harlemglobetrotters.com and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

452. Harlem Globetrotters CEO Keith Dawkins

Acclaimed golf reporter Bob Harig makes his third appearance on the show to recap the 2024 Masters Tournament which took place on April 11-14th, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia.  Scottie Scheffler won his 2nd Masters title. He last won in 2022, when Harig recapped that Masters in Episode 346. Harig also joined following the 2022 US Open in Episode 356.

In this episode, Harig breaks down the fact that Scheffler is clearly the #1 player in golf and has not achieved the superstardom that preview #1 golfers have held.  He also discussed the saga of Tiger Woods, who made his 24th consecutive cut at the Masters, and then proceeded to have his career-worst 3rd round.  Harig also weighed in on the lengthy resolution to the proposed merger between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. He discusses any potential negative impact that lack of resolution has meant for the game, and whether it has slowed the sport's growth.

Harig's new book, "Drive: The Lasting Legacy of Tiger Woods,” details the recent comeback of one of the game's greatest icons. It can be purchased here: https://a.co/d/inB30DV.

406. Mike Vaccaro, New York Post Columnist

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