Michael Cooper Sports Talk

Coop and Curry take on some of this year’s crazy silly Bowl names – what were they thinking? The legendary Sammy Baugh, gone at 94 - plus geriatric contract renewals – good or bad…

Coop reviews last week's poll on the new potential NFL Hall of Famers and announces the new poll - who has a better chance of making the playoffs - the Chargers or the Cowboys - and then breaks down the winners and the losers in all 16 NFL week 11 games.

The return of Brooklyn Dodger, Carl Erskine, to the program assessing the 50th year of the L.A. Dodgers and a commentary on the World Series between the Phillies and, more than likely, the Tampa Bay Rays. Plus Carl gives his opinion of whether or not the Dodgers should resign Manny Ramirez.

Subject of the movie, "The Express", Ernie Davis was the first African-American athlete to win the Heisman Trophy when he played for Syracuse University. Drafted to the pros in 1961, he developed leukemia in 1962 and would never play a professional game.

Coop talks with award winning NFL Hall of Fame sports writer Art Spander about the latest chapter in the legacy of Al Davis. Art Spander legendary California sports writer talks about his 45-year relationship with Al Davis. Find out what was behind the controversial owner of the Oakland Raiders latest headline-making move firing Head Coach Lane Kiffin. Plus you’ll learn how Davis went from an AFL scout to Commissioner of the AFL and finally to Commander and Chief of the Raiders.

David Tyree talks with Coop about the spiritual glue that may have allowed him to make the greatest catch in Super Bowl history and he re-lives the night before the game, taking us into the huddle when Eli Manning called the most famous play in Football history - Plus Coop talks about the Razor's Edge and how history could have changed dramaticaly for Tyree and Manning just one play before The Catch.

Michael Cooper interviews author Stan Isaacs who recollects the ten biggest moments in sports he has experienced in his 60 year career covering sports.

Author Gary Moore tells of his father Gene’s brush with baseball destiny, and how a farm boy from Illinois almost made it to the Major Leagues, and the obstacles that stood in his way. A film based on PLAYING WITH THE ENEMY is currently in production, with Gary’s son Toby set to play Gene Moore.

With an anthology of 20 heartfelt stories in the ANATOMY OF BASEBALL, Andrew Blauner helps fans rediscover what the game really means.

Art Spander, a longtime sports columnist who currently writes for the Oakland Tribune and papers across country and around the world, on the collapse of the Golden State Warriors, his prediction for the NBA Championship, whether Tiger's bad knee hurt his Masters bid and the San Francisco Giants decline to mediocrity.

Former Carolina Panther All-Pro Safety, Mike Minter, on life after football and making the right choices in life.

Legendary Los Angeles Dodger and San Diego Padre, Steve Garvey, joins Coop to talk about his career and new book "My Bat Boy Days," where Steve recounts his boyhood growing up in Tampa, Florida, as a Spring Training Bat Boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the impact those players had on his own career.

Coop interviews Baseball immortal, Carl Erskine, who has had quite the Spring Training. The Brooklyn Dodger go-to pitcher played the National Anthem at the Dodgers last spring training game on his harmonica and threw out the first pitch at Dodgers stadium this year on the 50th Anniversary of the team moving to Los Angeles. Carl had the honor of pitching the first Dodger game at Vero Beach and the first Dodger game in Los Angeles.

Legends of Sports - Jim Saccomano Public Relations Director for the Denver Bronco's for the past 30 years talks about his new book, "Game of My Life: Denver Broncos", relating the highlights of being part of 5 Superbowls with the team and working over 17 other Superbowls for the NFL.

Manny Fernandez from the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins talks about his career and whether the Patriots will go undefeated this year.

Legends in Sports... Jim Kiick was a key part of the Coach Don Shula’s running game in the early 70’s – including the Dolphins 1972 undefeated season and Superbowl VII win. Jim talks about his 3 Superbowls, his father's football career and his activities off the field with pals like Larry Csonka that made him as famous as his playing stats…

More with 1972 Dolphin, Jim Kiick… why you can’t compare the Patriots with the Dolphins, how they would match up back in his day, and his take on the inaccuracies of media speculation about both teams.

Joe DeLamielleure, 1970’s Superstar with the Buffalo Bills, outspoken supporter of Mike Ditka’s charity, The Gridiron Greats, and their fight to get compensation for injured football players, and his involvement with the exciting new All American Football League.

Legends of Sports welcomes Rod Sherman, veteran from USC and the Oakland Raiders. He was a star wide receiver with the USC Trojans & an Oakland Raiders first round draft pick, playing in their first invite to the Super Bowl. His love of football stays alive with
http://www.FlashbackCamps.com

For a decade, since the team was founded, Bill Rosinski was the Voice of the Carolina Panthers - After admitting in an interview that his saddest moment in sports was not receiving the traditional NFC ring along with the team, he was fired by owner Jerry Richardson – Bill also recounts his days with some of the Falcons more colorful players including Jerry Glanville, Kerry Collins and Rae Carruth.

Legends in Sports - New Orleans Coach JT Curtis, the most successful coach in the history of high school football, and his Hurricane Season of 2005 Curtis Christian High School coach J.T. Curtis is the subject of a new book, Hurricane Season by Neal Thompson, about how Curtis and his team overcame Hurricane Katrina to win a state championship in 2005 - and again in 2006 Coach Curtis has won 21 state championships in route to a 443-46-6 record.

Coop interviews Johnny Wilson, one of the top athletes in America in the 40's and 50's who couldn't play in the major leagues or the NBA because of his race. Johnny talks about growing up with former Brooklyn Dodger Carl Erskine.

His career with the Harlem Globetrotters, the Chicago American Giants in the Negro Leagues and coaching glory.

Lenny Moore discusses his championships with the Colts in 1958 and 1959, his career at Penn State and dealing with a white America throughout his career.

More Legends of Sports with Lenny Moore talking about Bid Daddy Lipscomb and Claude Buddy Young Lenny Moore and Coop relive the final days of perhaps the greatest NFL lineman of all time Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his alleged heroin overdose.

Carl Erskine interview with Michael Cooper on the new HBO documentary. The great Dodger talks about life in Brooklyn – his 11 World Series appearances and his two no-hitters – How Brooklyn almost became the Buffalo Bills of baseball by losing so many World Series.

The Brooklyn Dodgers losing everything in 1951 and winning it all in 1955 - directly from all star pitcher Carl Erskine.

Joe Garagiola interview with Michael Cooper taking a look at his amazing career, friendship with Yogi Beara, conversations with legends like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner and discussing his new book, Just Play Ball, a salute to the true meaning of the game.

Elvin Bethea talks about his life and 16 year NFL career from 1968-1983 with the Houston Oilers. He is the author of the new book "Smash Mouth: My Journey from Trenton to Canton.” Coop and Elvin discuss his early life, his experience with the NFL Players Union and the poor woman who came up with “Luv Ya Blue” and got shut out of the fortune made with the slogan.

Elvin came close to being a 3 time Super Bowl Champ – He tells us how his coach Bum Philips got his nickname and how he passed on the Oakland Raiders to stay with Houston after Bum talked him into a horse deal that backfired.

Future Hall of Fame Broadcaster Jerry Gross was the voice of the St. Louis Hawks and Cardinals – The San Diego Padres, Chargers and Rockets – Jerry talks about the World Series ring he got from the Cardinals in 1967 and, for the first time anywhere, tells the real story as to how and why Harry Caray got fired in St. Louis, ending up in Chicago.

Jerry spent decades broadcasting NBA Basketball and gives us his take on this years finals - he also shares parts of a recent interview he did with the always controversial Barry Bonds about the Iraq War and media criticism.

Bob opens with his take on Gary Sheffield’s comments about why there aren’t more Black American players in today’s baseball and the legendary careers of Willie Mayes Senior, Willard Brown and Satchel Paige.

Rico Petrocelli remembers the Impossible the Red Sox Dream Team of 1967 and how they went from the worst team in baseball to the best after Manager, Dick Williams, took over... plus the tragedy of Tony Conigliaro

For four decades Art has been covering sports in America – 41 straight Masters – 51 Rose Bowls and 28 straight Super Bowls – Art joins us from courtside at the Golden State Warriors game 6 match up.

Minnesota Twins star first baseman, Kent Hrbek, talks about having fun during his two World Series Championships, his Outdoor sports TV show and new book on his years as a Twin.

Paul Hornung talks about beating out Jim Brown for the Heisman – almost quitting football – Vince Lombardi and his book Lombardi and Me – and Gambling in the NFL.

Paul addresses the Pac Man Jones suspension – how his one year ban for gambling was different – how gambling almost ended the NFL and, in the wake of the Don Imus firing, Paul remembers his own missteps on the radio having being fired after 35 years doing Notre Dame Broadcasts.

NFL Hall of Fame member Willie Davis remembers his College Football Coach Eddie Robinson and looks at the similarities between Robinson and Vince Lombardi

Interview with Bobby Plump the real life star of the movie Hoosiers. Bobby relives the last second basket that brought tiny Milan the Indiana High School Championship over Muncie Central in 1954.
Bobby Plump talks about the fact and fiction between the movie Hoosiers and the reality of his school’s immortalized Indiana State High School Championship.

Bobby Plump went on to star at Butler University and compares his small team's chances of beating mighty Florida in the modern day David and Goliath match up.
Bobby Plump talks about how much bigger Indiana High School Basketball was than the NBA or NCAA tournament and why he thinks Butler could be this year’s Milan in the NCAA tournament.

1970’s St. Louis Cardinal & New Orleans Saints Star Lineman Conrad Dobler on his title The Dirtiest Player in the NFL, on beating up Mean Joe Green and Merlin Olson among many!

The debilitating injuries Dobler and many other of his fellow players are burdened with and the NFL’s refusal to help. A class action lawsuit through Manatt, Phelps and Phillips and McKool Smith against the NFL is underway to go after tens of millions in unpaid royalties owed veteran players.

Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger Carl Erskine on his career and what may be the biggest cheating scandal in baseball history involving the NY Giants.

Carl Erskine talks about his relationship with good friend Jackie Robinson and the parallels he sees with his own son Jimmy’s battle with Downs Syndrome.

Coop talks with NASCAR great David Pearson about the most dramatic win in Daytona 500 history

Chris Burford, wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 1 – on his career and the differences between football then and now - the amazing story of how the Dallas Texans became the K.C. Chiefs - plus the fate of older superstars in the NFL.