The K.P. Wee Podcast

In a conversation recorded in late June 2021, L.A. Dodger team historian Mark Langill (the first ever team historian hired by a Major League Baseball club) stops by to chat about how he got his start in the sports industry, offering tips for young people interested in a job in sports. He also discusses some forgotten Dodger pitchers from the Brooklyn days to the modern era.

KEY QUOTES:

• "I think the most important thing is to be able to smile and to be able to have a sense of humor. Don't take yourself so seriously."
• "You never know down the road who you may meet. Never discount whatever connections you may have down the road."
• "There's nothing greater than to be able to say I GET to go to work—instead of I HAVE to go to work."
• "Try to be as nice as you can to people, in all walks of life. That's the best thing that you can do. Because, if you're working for a baseball team, you should approach your job exactly the same way if you're in fifth place riding a 10-game losing streak or you're on the 1927 Yankees because your job shouldn't change based on the team, the attendance, the weather, [or] anything like that."
• "Don't say that you can't do anything, because if you say you can—and you say you can't—chances are you're right. So, right off the bat, get that negative stuff out of your head. Don't let people say that you can't do something. Follow that inner voice. Find somebody that's of interest to you, and just ask them questions. You don't have to make it like a job interview. Just say, 'Hey, if you've got a couple minutes, I just want to ask you about how you go about your day.'"

Ted Sobel joins this episode to discuss his book Touching Greatness: Tales from the Front Row with Heroes and Legends, a personal lifetime scrapbook of stories of an incredible life of rubbing shoulders with over 750 Hall of Famers in sports, music, and show business. The book can be found here: https://coacheschoice.com/touching-greatness/ or here: https://www.amazon.com/Touching-Greatness-Ted-Sobel/dp/1606795430

Los Angeles radio's longest-tenured sports reporter, Sobel covers virtually every sport out there and, this month, began his 17th season of being the studio host for Sport USA Radio Network's NFL Sunday doubleheader broadcasts. Today, he joins host K.P. Wee and shares stories about some of the biggest legends in sports—from Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux to Aaron Rodgers and Shaquille O'Neal.

You can pick up Touching Greatness: Takes from the Front Row with Heroes and Legends from the publisher's website: coacheschoice.com or Amazon.com.

Coaches Choice link: https://coacheschoice.com/touching-greatness/

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Touching-Greatness-Ted-Sobel/dp/1606795430

In this episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast, the tables are turned when Stan Markotich, former News Director at CJIV Radio, takes over the microphone to interview our host. Together, they discuss two of K.P.'s baseball books: Tom Candiotti: A Life of Knuckleballs and John Cangelosi: The Improbable Baseball Journey of the Undersized Kid from Nowhere to World Series Champion.

Brett Hawn, host of the Totally Goated Podcast and a journalism student at Rutgers University (New Jersey), makes a return to The K.P. Wee Podcast for another special edition of "This Week in Baseball History" with a Mets flavor. A huge Mets fan, Brett responds to follow-up questions regarding each piece of history nugget, discussing marathon games, the Mets' recent back-to-back extra-inning losses to the L.A. Dodgers, Tom Seaver's major-league record of 10 straight strikeouts being equalled twice in 2021, R.A. Dickey's Mets record scoreless innings streak from 2012, Brett's favorite obscure Mets record, and overrated Yankees. It's just two sports fans discussing sports.

In this episode, another "This Week in Baseball History" edition, IBWAA Podcast co-host Jason Takefman stops by to share his thoughts on baseball memories in connection with topics from the week of August 16th of past seasons. Topics include myths in sports and great/poor managerial/coaching performances in sports.

Brett Hawn, host of the Totally Goated Podcast and a journalism student at Rutgers University (New Jersey), joins this episode for a special edition of "This Week in Baseball History" with a Mets flavor. A huge Mets/Jets fan, Brett responds to follow-up questions regarding each piece of history nugget, discussing Bartolo Colon's folk-hero status in Queens, Brett's favorite 'surprising stat' and Jets superstitions, his least favorite teams and fanbases, the coach he hates the most, some painful Mets/Jets memories, some random sports coincidences, and other Mets/Jets topics. It's just two sports fans discussing sports.

In this episode (recorded on Friday, July 30, 2021, an hour before Major League Baseball's trade deadline), a special "This Week in Baseball History" edition, C's Plus Baseball writer Niall O'Donohoe stops by to share his thoughts on baseball memories in connection with topics from the week of August 2nd of past seasons.

It's just two sports fans having fun talking sports. Topics include managers receiving too much credit or blame for players' performances, Niall's all-time pitchers list including that of his Blue Jays, two of K.P.'s all-time sports "myths," K.P.'s "worst champions ever," rookies and players making an impact early but then disappearing, and Niall's take on a possible mercy rule in baseball.

Follow Niall O'Donohoe/C's Plus Baseball:

Website: https://csplusbaseball.ca

Twitter: https://twitter.com/csplusbaseball

Tune in to this episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast to learn about the Sports Business 2.0 revolution and meet the online learning pioneer at the center of it. Dr. Lynn Lashbrook founded Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW) three decades ago as a forum for experienced professionals in the business of sports management to mentor students aspiring to build a career of their own. At a time when dial-up Internet was still the standard in most homes, SMWW was offering live online classes accessible to the world. For decades, Dr. Lashbrook has recognized this technology as a transformational tool but Covid-19 has finally driven it into the mainstream. The mantra? "Go global, or go home!"

Not only does SMWW make learning about the business of sports more open and interactive, it also extends opportunities to would-be sports management professionals around the world. With 35 online sports business courses, sports career conferences, a graduate degree program, and valuable alumni network, Dr. Lashbrook is helping individuals achieve their dream of working in sports not just in Northern America but in countries across Africa, Eurasia and South America. He is fostering a global conversation among students and professionals – one that supports the export of sports across borders and preconceived notions of all kinds.

With a long history as a successful agent himself, Dr. Lashbrook shares with K.P. both hard-won wisdom and an unquenchable enthusiasm for diversifying, democratizing and growing sports year over year. He sees and feels this burgeoning energy in his online forums, building on inspiration he has taken from uniquely successful mentors such as Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Phil Knight of Nike, and Lamar Hunt, a founder of the American Football League and Major League Soccer.

The SMWW toolbox offers students a lifetime membership that promises exponential growth. With its ever-widening network of connections and live conference event opportunities, students across different cultures and sports learn from one another. They are encouraged to interact, trade notes, dialogue online and interact via informational interviews with professionals across the spectrum of sports management training and skills.

SMWW's online learning program is growing by leaps and bounds not only because pandemic has accelerated the embrace of video communication but also because it makes education affordable and opens the field globally to sports enthusiasts who want to turn their passion into a profitable profession.

Enjoy this lively conversation in which K.P. learns about Dr. Lashbrook's original vision and entrepreneurial journey, the types of student best suited to SMWW (Hint: anyone with a genuine love of sports) and the potential of unleashing a sports fan base of 8 billion people worldwide. No letterman jacket is required to tap into this huge trend and become a part of the SMWW network – the LinkedIn for people building a career in sports!

You can hear previous episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast here.

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (04:03): Dr. Lashbrook explains how he has put together a stable of rock stars – teachers from across sports disciplines who share their real-world managerial experience through a range of 35+ SMWW online courses.
• (05:48): For decades Dr. Lashbrook has been offering weekly online chats for current and former students, an outgrowth of his love for the Socratic method. It's all about keeping a dialogue – and the learning and growing -- alive in a global classroom across163 countries.
• (09:10): A bit about how SMWW has grown and evolved over its many decades in existence, from early Internet to post-Covid-19.
• (11:27): The opportunities to be had in the global conversation that is sports.
• (12:13): Dr. Lashbrook touches on the potential sports have to advance diversity, democratize opportunity and support global outreach.
• (15:33): Sports business needs are the same across the world, which is what Dr. Lashbrook recognized early when he put a priority on cultivating a global footprint across countries at all stages of development with regard to professional sports.
• (18:57): The role of live, in-person conferences (often linked to important draft and other sports events). Dr. Lashbrook believes SMWW has a vital role to play in providing students direct access. Plans are set for getting back on the road to facilitate these events as Covid-19 restrictions ease.
• (21:34): How and why Dr. Lashbrook designed informational interviewing and shadowing of professionals into his SMWW curriculum.
• (24:10): Why informational interviews and the legitimacy conferred by the SMWW credential are what Dr. Lashbrook calls his "secret sauce."
• (25:00): Having a letterman jacket in your closet is no longer a prerequisite for going into professional sports management. Business acumen and other skills/talents can be equally important.
• (28:03): Himself a successful agent, Dr. Lashbrook shares thoughts on what it takes, SMWW's model for mentoring a growing network of well-trained agents and what hurdles to expect in pursuing this sports specialty.
• (33:33): K.P. elicits from Dr. Lashbrook, with his demonstrably visionary track record, thoughts about where the field of sports management is heading and what elements will shape SMWW's model over decades to come.
• (37:08): What types of traits and circumstances constitute the ideal SMWW student and what ultimately sets them up for success. (Answer: Anyone with the commitment!)
• (40:30): Dr. Lashbrook's passion for helping people who love sports work in the arena professionally. SMWW is all about helping students connect with real jobs and fulfilling lives.
• (41:52): What lies ahead for sports? Globalization of all types of sports across borders and across affinity groups. The landscape is changing dramatically and opening up with cross-pollination of all types of sports.

KEY QUOTES:

• (04:31): "The lightbulb went off that the experts might not have the educational doctorate that we require, such as me with kinesiology, but we realized that there were people out there who wanted to teach and give back."
• (07:52): "I've always said books are outdated when they're printed. SMWW never becomes outdated because next week's curriculum is happening as we speak."
• (09:59): "When Covid hit, the whole world joined online overnight."
• (10:58): "You must have an educated society to have a free society and you must really have sports, which is synonymous to peace, if you look at the original Olympics and how they started."
• (12:59): "We're into a magical formula and I don't think anything stops us from getting bigger and better. Our contribution back is the growth of sports business around the world."
• (14:46): "An entrepreneur has to believe in something so passionately that no one can talk you out of it."
• (18:07): "There's no walls to our target and it's a worldwide target. Sports and access to education are a universal language."
• (20:02): "(Live conferences) complement our business model and are icing on the cake, adding so much to the course."
• (23:57): "The informational interview is what I call our secret sauce."
• (26:21): "So many people from all walks of life that never played the game are running sports. It's a catalyst for the diversity explosion."
• (31:01): "We think we're in a major seismic change of opportunity in the agent world and the nice thing (is) you don't have to quit your day job to try it out."
• (33:40): "I've always been in love with the Internet and the potential for what online education can do around the world with name, image, and likeness as well as other avenues."
• (35:12): "I want somebody to have the same adrenaline in a classroom that you have when you go to a game or the ice to watch."
• (39:52): "The better the audience, the better the class. The better the engagement, the more value you get."
• (40:29): "I think anybody who loves sport should be able to make money in sport."
• (41:14): "We can't guarantee a job, but what a great opportunity to test the waters (and find out) if there's a way to monetize your passion!"
• (43:55): "As the tide rises, the boats are raised in sports. I think the sky is the limit."
• (45:10): "If I can keep growing and listening to the cultures and challenges, I think we can come up with solutions to accelerate the business of sports."

Dr. Lynn Lashbrook Bio: Dr. Lynn Lashbrook has been working and teaching in Sports Management for over 40 years and has demonstrated a lifelong passion for growing dynamic sports programs, and he also continues to work as an NFL agent and has personally represented over 100 NFL clients including first rounders.

Currently, Dr. Lashbrook is President of Sports Management Worldwide, first ever online sports management school with a mission to educate future sports business executives. SMWW trains and mentors thousands of students every year for sports business careers, including athletes, agents and sports industry leaders. Sports Management Worldwide, under Dr. Lashbrook's guidance, offers a global sports faculty including former General Managers, Scouts, Coaches and well-known sports executives. Offering sport specific skills via online training, SMWW boasts over 5,000 alumni from over 140 countries. SMWW offers cutting edge sports career courses that complement college courses. This includes the Sports Management Worldwide Agency, an international full-service sports agency with over 200 Agent Advisors worldwide representing hundreds of professional athletes.

Follow Dr. Lashbrook: SMWW Website: www.smww.com (newsletter, access to career counselors)

SMWW Agency Website: www.smwwagency.com

Dr. Lashbrook's Email: [email protected]

Dr. Lashbrook @LinkedIn

Dr. Lashbrook @LinkedIn

Dr. Lashbrook @Wikipedia

About K.P. Wee: K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee: K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

Niall O'Donohoe of C's Plus Baseball, a blog about the MiLB Vancouver Canadians, joins the podcast in this episode to discuss baseball, including how he motivates himself to cover the C's on a daily basis. Niall, who's also the public address announcer for the Canadians' home games at Nat Bailey Stadium, even discusses how he prepares for his P.A. announcing duties with the High-A West League club as well as his passion for the Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Lions.

Follow Niall O'Donohoe/C's Plus Baseball:

Website: https://csplusbaseball.ca/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/csplusbaseball

Jason Takefman of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) joins this episode to discuss no-hitters, negativity as well as overreactions by fans and media members, Jacob deGrom, and other topics.

Key Topics:

• (01:50): K.P. brings up hitless games which aren't recognized as official no-hitters, revisiting the hitless starts by Andy Hawkins (1990), Mark Gardner (1991), and Madison Bumgarner (2021).
• (04:45): K.P. reminds Jason about the "official definition" of a no-hitter while being open to a revised definition being created down the road.
• (10:40): Jason brings up Mike Morgan, the opposing pitcher in the 1991 Dennis Martinez perfect game, which leads to the discussion of the 2001 Diamondbacks.
• (15:30): The 1993 Canadiens vs. Wayne Gretzky matchup is revisited, and K.P. mentions how the idea for his 1993 Canadiens book was hatched.
• (19:00): K.P. talks about the negativity by fans, bringing up social media comments by naysayers about the Phoenix Suns' run to the NBA Finals.
• (23:00): K.P. and Jason discuss the 2021 Canadiens' playoff series vs. Vegas.
• (25:20): Montreal's 1986 and 1993 teams are compared to the 1989 Habs.
• (26:50): Jason compares the Habs to the Yankees' power teams as well as the less successful franchises in sports.
• (29:00): K.P. laments the fact that Tom Candiotti is being unfairly blamed for the 1991 ALCS loss and reminds Jason that Candiotti lost a close race to Roger Clemens for that year's ERA title, which leads to a discussion about Clemens.
• (34:00): The 2000 ALCS is revisited and more Yankees chatter comes up, with Jason discussing the "winning DNA" by elite teams.
• (40:30): K.P. talks about overreactions and hyperbole by fans and media members.
• (41:39): Jacob deGrom is mentioned, along with a particular national baseball writer's recent use of the word "ignorance," directed at anyone who discredits deGrom's success.
• (43:00): Jason uses a quarterback analogy to make a point about the impracticality of comparing eras and the hyperbole surrounding the 2021 Dodgers at the start of the season (with an L.A. writer's claim that they were going to be better than the 1927 Yankees and the 1975-76 Big Red Machine).
• (45:55): K.P. argues why deGrom cannot be part of the 2021 National League MVP conversation.
• (47:00) K.P. reminds Jason there are no such things as "big enough" leads.
• (49:00) K.P. explains it's too premature for the deGrom ERA watch (the context being his chasing the 1.12 ERA mark set by Bob Gibson in 1968).
• (51:45) Jeff Reardon is mentioned; K.P. laments the fact he's blamed for the Braves' 1992 World Series loss, bringing up the fact people have forgotten first baseman Sid Bream's zero RBIs in both the 1991 and 1992 World Series.
• (56:10): K.P. brings up a cool no-hitter anecdote.