There was too much to fit into Episode 76, so this week, we cover Chris Mycoskie’s Top 5 in-person sporting events. Chris was blessed with opportunities throughout his life to attend as a fan and to work as a broadcaster and reporter. The Army vs Navy game, Atlanta Olympics, memorable Nolan Ryan moments, and Rangers World Series moments – we talk about it all in this chat reminiscing about attending live sporting events.
Enjoy Chris’ Top 5 ranking in episode #77 & find other episodes of Hustle & Pro.
Show Notes
- [01:30] #5 Atlanta Olympics
- [8:22] #4 Army Navy
- [12:30] #3 Nolan
- [19:00] #2 McGwire’s Chase
- [22:45] #1 World Series
Resources within this episode:
- Chris Mycoskie: Website | Podcast
- Chris on social: Twitter: @mycoskie | Linked In
- Kelly Walker: Instagram: @kelly_walkertexas | Twitter: @kelly_walker_TX
Connect with Lifestyle Frisco:
Transcript: (machine-generated)
Welcome to Hustle and Pro season two, talking sports in Frisco from youth to pro. Now here’s your host Kelly Walker.
Kelly:
Okay. We are back with Chris Mycoskie. So, at the end of last episode, we were running down some of your honorable mention and top 10 so far of sports moments that you’ve seen in person. We’re kind of reminiscing about back when, you know, we could go to sports and watch games and some of your lists, um, is based on your life as a sports broadcaster. And some of your list is based on your life as a lucky kid whose grandpa was the team physician for the Texas Rangers. Yeah he was the original. The original, and getting to do some cool things with your dad and your grandpa. I mean, you were just telling us about how you’re kind of living that kid dream of getting to be bat boy at some Ranger or some MLB All Star games and just getting to, uh, to go to the Cowboys Bills, Super Bowl when you were in eighth grade and how you covered that for the, uh, was it the Fort Worth Star Telegram.
Chris:
Yeah. I mean, they weren’t paying my bill certainly to go out there, but when I had that, when I, they knew I was going to go, it was like, well, that obviously has to be what your column is about this week. So, yeah.
Kelly:
Yeah. I mean, just to be able to, to have that experience. So young is so cool. So no wonder you’ve built a career around that. So, um, I guess let’s, let’s keep going and let’s jump back in and I think we’re at are your top five. Yeah.
Chris:
We are number five. And this is an overall week-long experience. It’s not just one particular game, but it is the Atlanta Olympics, 1996. How do you narrow that down to just one event?
Kelly:
Right? There’s so many, I’ve never been to an Olympics. I love consuming as much Olympics as I can possibly on TV all the time, every time. So I don’t even know what it’s like to be there in person with, you know, how spread out it is and how you can get to different events. I don’t even know how you know where to be. So how did you prioritize or let’s see, I mean, you were finishing high school. So were you there just personally, or are you still kind of building some work resume and how did you cover it?
Chris:
Oh, no, no. It was a family trip and, um, it’s kind of funny. My, uh, my dad took me and my brothers, but then my mom was actually there for work. Uh, she at the time was working for the national weather service in their communications wing and they had a big presence at the Olympics, as you might expect with all the different things that depend on them. Uh, so she was there working and we were able to spend some time with her, even though we were there with our dad. So it was very cool for everybody to be there at the same time. Uh, everything was a ticket lottery. So I think now it might be a little bit tougher, but back then, so long as you gave them different mailing addresses, you could submit as many applications as you want. So we enlisted the help of friends and family to enter the lottery, and then if they won, then we would pay them for the tickets and go, you know, they would just mail physical tickets to people still back then.
Kelly:
And so the lottery though, was it basically like you enter for certain events in sports, or was it a you get what you get?
Chris:
No, you’re requesting certain events and certain sports on certain days. So you wanted to go to, it was not the original dream team obviously but still the 96 version was still pretty good. Wanted to go to some of those USA basketball games and we got tickets to two of those games while we were there. Wow. Got to do some swimming and diving, um, some beach volleyball. But past that, you know, we were also, it wasn’t even necessarily the big stuff. Just wanted to take in some random things, handball, the clean and jerk, uh, weightlifting,
Kelly:
Because it’s the Olympics! Everything’s big, everything’s cool even if we don’t follow on a normal basis, to be able to go see those weightlifters do their thing. I mean, that’s incredible.
Chris:
Exactly. And you know, one of the things that we got tickets for that was, you know, I think when we put in for it, we didn’t think of the enormity of this event, but it was the only field hockey game I have ever been to. India versus Pakistan. That is the national game of both of those countries. They hate each other and are always nearly at war and they’re playing. I mean, it was to be in that stadium and that energy from all of the people who have roots from those countries who just, who live in the U S now who were there or who traveled over, but a sold out football stadium in Atlanta playing field hockey between India and Pakistan. I mean, I’d be hard pressed to find a more intense atmosphere than that.
Kelly:
Did you even know what was happening on the field?
Chris:
Barely.
Kelly:
I mean, I don’t know. I do not know the rules of field hockey. I’m sure there’s some compliments to the sports that, you know, mainstream sports that you’re used to watching, but you probably just sat there as an observer, taking it all in.
Chris:
Exactly. You know, I could figure it out as much as they were striking the ball and trying to put it in the net. That’s as simple as I could get it, but no, that didn’t matter. And I don’t, I have no recollection of who won at all, but, uh, no.
Kelly:
That didn’t matter to you. Yeah, just for that experience. That’s neat.
Chris:
Yeah. And you know, and we, we rented a house for that whole week and we’re just in the middle of all the action and, you know, taking the trams to all the different venues. Um, just really awesome. And obviously it’s not just the game, it’s all the, the party atmosphere. And, and until, to bring it down a little bit, unfortunately, but we were there when the bomb went off in Centennial Park. We had actually been in the park two hours prior to the bomb going off. Wow. And yeah, to know that we were so close to potentially, uh, being in real trouble there and, you know, we woke up middle, I think I woke up actually middle of the night, just couldn’t sleep. And I turn on the TV, assuming there would be some replays on from that day. And it’s Tom Brokaw talking to the mayor of Atlanta and I’m trying to figure out what in the world are they talking about and piecing it all together after that. And, you know, they didn’t suspend the games. They went on the next morning and there was a much larger security presence, but it continued and is a little bit more subdued.
Kelly:
I’m surprised that there wasn’t some hiccup in events, right? NowI feel like things would get stopped or something, but that’s incredible. I mean that right there, people like me that say, Oh, I want to go this and that. That’s one of those scary, risky things, especially if you think about taking your kids with you or something, that’s what stops a lot of people. I mean, of course that idea, you know, knowing that in large crowds, acts like that happen sometimes. Obviously they’re very rare, but it’s, that is a scary piece of it.
Chris:
No, in a lot of these events that I talk about, you know, they were big things on the world stage that certainly could be a target. And it goes back to when I was playing baseball, even today, I still, during national Anthem, I pray. And that’s part of my prayer is to protect us from any violent acts like that, to protect everybody in the stadium and, you know, not just the players on the field, but everybody who’s here. And, uh, you know, I certainly know that any of these big events could be, could be a target. And I’m very thankful that they haven’t been.
Kelly:
All right. So are we on to number four.
Chris:
We are. And it was a bucket list thing that, uh, I did with my dad and my brothers this past year. The Army Navy game. We had talked about it for years and finally, my dad just decided, he didn’t even ask us if we had the date free. H’d just texted us. Like I got the tickets we’re finally going,
Kelly:
You’ll make the date free hopefully. Now, do y’all have any family affiliations to Army or Navy, or was this just to be there?
Chris:
Our grandfathers served as everybody’s did in that generation. Uh, so that’s why I was rooting for Army, but, uh, no. I mean, I think every football-loving American needs to try to make it to this event at some point in their life. I mean, everything about that weekend in Philadelphia, that game just takes over the city and you have to get into the stadium way before kickoff cause you have to see the walk on. Every service academy student cadet and midshipman all walk on the field, cover all 100 yards and is just a beautiful sight to see. And, um, I mean everything, the pageantry between everything they’re doing outside the stadium, all the displays and obviously everything you see inside and the fly-overs, it’s it is Americana at its finest, right? I’m so glad we were able to go.
Kelly:
Other big college football game or rivalry games like you mentioned Ohio State a few times and LSU, and there’s just some places you want to be just because of the environment. But it’s like, this is supercharged with real meaning behind it, you know, real, real family sacrifice and history. And like you said, Americana. I bet that is pretty amazing.
Chris:
And another reason I had just a little bit more pull to root for Army. The previous season, I was a sideline reporter for the national radio broadcast at the Armed Forces Bowl, which was Army versus Houston. And I got to know the Army coaches a little bit through visiting with them through the course of the week. Uh, obviously got to cover that game and it’s just a huge victory for Army and the way that they are just so laser focused on just that one game all season long. I mean, I did a post game interview with Todd Monken the head coach of Army. And he ends it after his last answer to my question with, Beat Navy. You still have at whole off season and all your other regular season games to play. But it’s laser focused in that one game.
Kelly:
That’s on their mind. That’s awesome. I love that.
Chris:
Yeah, it was, it was very, very cool. And you know, I really hope I can take my son to that one day. I don’t want it to, and you know, this whole singing second is, is really their motto all week long. They both go over to their corners in front of their bands and the rest of the student body. And you sing the losing team’s alma mater first, everybody’s respectful, standing there for both teams. And then the winning team gets to sprint over to its student section and the losing team accompanies them and stands there respectfully behind as the winning team’s alma mater plays.
Kelly:
That’s the respect and mutual respect is that’s the unique piece of it too. You don’t get to see that.
Chris:
It just, it makes your heart leap into your throat. Just seeing, seeing that and witnessing, you know, it’s those commander in chief games between Army Navy and Air Force that round robin they play every year. I know the old saying goes, it’s the only games where all the players on the field are willing to die for everybody watching the game. So it’s, it’s special.
Kelly:
Yeah. Okay. What’s number three that’s gonna top that one?
Chris:
Yeah, they keep getting better. All right. So number three, May 1st, 1991, Nolan Ryan’s seventh no-hitter.
Kelly:
Your man Nolan. Okay. Seventh no-hitter 91. Okay.
Chris:
And he, you know, yeah, you said it off the top. If for those who have listened to both episodes, as we keep going here, uh, on episode one, you asked about, uh, my favorite athlete and that’s him, Nolan. And I think some people remember this and some people may not. That game actually was not televised locally. So we had the game on the radio all night, you know, the way the Rangers are in my family, we are never not paying attention to the Rangers.
Kelly:
I grew up with them on the radio, even if they’re on the TV. The TV was muted because my dad liked the radio voices at the time better, you know, whatever it was. And so we, we consumed a lot of Rangers via radio. We weren’t in the Dallas market. We were a few hours south.
Chris:
Okay. And, uh, so we had the radio going, Nolan had the no-hitter, we kept tracking it and my dad got home from work. And I think it was the seventh inning when he got home. And he had been listening on the radio on the way home and said, let’s go.
Kelly:
Did you talk about, did you say the words there’s a no hitter happening? Or do you have to just not mention it, right?
Chris:
No. We’re a baseball-centric enough family where he didn’t have to look at us and say, Nolan has a no hitter going. We need to go to the stadium. Now, he knew we were listening. We knew he was listening and he just, he pulls into the driveway, gets out of the car and just says, let’s go.
Kelly:
So you picked up in the seventh inning and went up there?
Chris:
Exactly. Uh, so we get there, we pull the car up, you know, old Arlington stadium, pull the car up next to the ticket box or, you know, the closest parking spot we could find next to the front entrance and just walk right in. I mean, nobody, everybody who was manning the gates or was supposed to, had left their post to go in and watch.
Kelly:
Yeah. And it’s so late in the game, I mean, what are they, they’re not selling tickets at that point. Wow.
Chris:
So anybody could have done it, if anybody would have known nobody’s going to be watching the gates. I think anybody that’s within 15 miles of Arlington stadium could have said in those last few minutes, let’s go up to the stadium and try to see this in person.
Kelly:
That’s crazy. I mean, you’re setting yourself up for a big disappointment if on the way there, you know, something goes wrong and there’s a hit or
Chris:
Well, it’s so close that we live in Arlington well, we lived in Arlington, you know, we’re so close. We knew, all right. If we have to turn around, that’s fine. What do we lose? 10 minutes, big deal.
Kelly:
It’s worth it. Worth a shot. And it paid off. That is so fun.
Chris:
So we pull up and run in. And, uh, see, I think we actually got there in time for the ninth. So, um, saw the last few outs, jumped up and down screaming.
Kelly:
White knuckle, three outs, just can’t breathe until, you know, what’s happening every, every out, every swing. That’s so awesome.
Chris:
So I, my, the way I remembering it was that he walked in after work at the seventh inning. So he might’ve gone to go quickly change clothes or something. My dad was a surgeon, so he probably was in either a suit or in scrubs or something. He was like, oh, let me go change and do a tee shirt and shorts or something. And, uh, and we’ll run out over there. So, um, actually, you know, I mentioned the game not being on TV. The reason people kind of think that it was, is the ninth inning actually was. Channel 5 picked up the Bluejays TV feed and ran it live in the ninth inning and they didn’t have rights to it. They had no permissions. They thought, you know, this is news. We have a feed, let’s throw it up there. Not thinking about how much stations pay for rights to major league baseball. And they got a huge fine after that. And they, I know they had some restrictions on their coverage afterwards, but people, if they were paying attention to the news that night, they got to watch. But we got to see it in person.
Kelly:
How many, no hitters did Nolan end up with?
Chris:
That was his last one.
Kelly:
His last one. Okay. How many other pitchers have topped that?
Chris:
Nobody. No, his no-hitter record and his strikeout record will stand forever. Stay intact. I would think so. I mean, I’m working, I’m working on my son right now, but his fast ball isn’t quite up to speed.
Kelly:
Got a little ways to go. Cause is he still like a toddler?
Chris:
He’s four. Yeah. He turned, turned four on, the last normal day. You know, we talked about that on March 11th. Yeah. I did the, uh, the conference USA basketball games, uh, for ESPN that day. And then we went over, uh, just a few doors down from the Ford Center and had his birthday dinner at Wahlburgers there in The Star and went, uh, went to the, uh, the pep rallies at the C USA, uh, tournament, uh, over on the field, right outside Ford Center and had a great night. And then the next day sports shut down.
Kelly:
Aren’t those facilities great? That’s my backyard. I can see The Star from my front yard actually. So we love, we love getting to spend time over there and all the sports that hopefully will ramp up pretty soon at The Star, our high school football and everything. Our kids are in Frisco ISD. So we are lucky enough to get to be a part of getting to play at Ford Center.
Chris:
Yeah. If we’re, if we’re still living where we are now, by the time he gets to high school, he’ll be part of the new Emerson High School that’s being built, uh, at this moment. So he would be zoned for Independence, but, uh, he could, he can give up his Knights affiliation now that, uh, there’s a new school being built even closer to us.
Kelly:
Awesome. Okay. Let’s move on to number two.
Chris:
All right. This is a three day long event. In 1998. I was going to school at the university of Missouri. I had interned for WBAP the previous summer, and they asked me to go cover this, got me a credential. Mark McGuire’s chase to break the home run record. I got to see his 60th, 61st and 62nd home runs as he tied Babe Ruth, then tied Roger Maris, and then got the record for himself, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. At the time and really throughout most of my traditional student career, I didn’t care much about going to class anyway. So I wasn’t, I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to go to a ballgame where yeah, history was going to be made. And obviously at the time you don’t know about the PDs he’s taking, you don’t know that the record is going to be broken just a couple of years later again. At the time it stood for so long, and looked so untouchable.
Chris:
And you know, I’m getting to be there alongside these national sports writers just a couple of seats away from me in the press box. And I’m just a college kid and I’m, you know, I feel like I’ve reached the pinnacle of my career already. And then I get back to the car on the night of the 62nd home run and the Cardinals are still doing their post game show and Jack Buck who, you know, one of the most, the biggest voices in broadcasting history. I mean, he’s called everything and he’s still doing Cardinals games at that point. And they’re talking to him about the night and his impressions and all that. And Jack Buck says that was the most exciting sporting event he has ever witnessed. So I was like, Oh man, well, I’m never going to top this.
Kelly:
Yeah, yeah. I mean, that’s saying a lot because think of all the things he’s called, like you said. But even though later on you go to find out, you know, there’s an asterisk because of performance enhancing drugs and things. I mean, it’s still doesn’t mean that moment wasn’t great for you. I mean like this summer we’ve watched a lot of Lance Armstrong coverage and documentaries, and yes, there’s some cloud over it. Right. But it’s still, it’s still amazing what they were able to do. Regardless.
Chris:
The whole thing was just other-worldly for, uh, you know, for, again, for a baseball nut. And, you know, I’m trying to still do a little bit of schoolwork in the press box in between his at-bats and try not to completely fall behind. But I, I drove back to Columbia every night, except for that final night on the 62nd. It just got to be way too late and I was just beat from that many days in a row, going back and forth to St. Louis. So got the cheapest hotel room I could find at the airport and made my way back to campus, uh, the next morning. And I I’m sure I missed a couple of classes the next day, but again, it’s kind of like walking in to that eighth grade class after the Super Bowl. You walk into class the next afternoon and Columbia is like, you were there? You got, you got to see him hit number 62?
Kelly:
Yeah. Class that you missed is forgettable. The game is not. Yeah. Okay. So we are up to your number one, what you have ranked as your favorite sports moment that you’ve witnessed in person. What’ve you got?
Chris:
The 2010 World Series. It’s game three, the first ever World Series game played in Arlington. After all of those years going to games at Arlington Stadium, going to spring training, just having the Rangers be such a huge part of our life as a family. The World Series is in our town and I was at the time still living in Baton Rouge. I was working for the Fox station down there and found a flight to Love Field. I was back, I was in DFW for less than 24 hours, but I could not miss that game. I had to be in my hometown to see the first World Series game there. The Rangers won, which was great, but it was almost beside the point. It was what was happening in our city.
Kelly:
Right. Just to be there just for all that lifetime of, of buildup for you just to be at the World Series period. Who are you with?
Chris:
Sat with my dad, uh, grandpa was a few rows in front of us, aunts and uncles and cousins kind of scattered throughout the stadium too. Not everybody made it back. It wasn’t like that Ohio State Oregon, uh, football national championship. It wasn’t quite to that level. I think probably because there was a little bit less turnaround time, you know, from when you win the AL to when the World Series is starting up. Um, but, and obviously fewer seats in the Ballpark than there are in AT&T Stadium, so a little bit harder to come by.
Kelly:
You only went to game three? Was game four in Arlington also?
Chris:
Right. And I had, like I said, I had to get back to Baton Rouge and, um, yeah, quick, very quick trip. I flew in and we went straight to the game. So probably got into Arlington around five o’clock when the gates were opening and flew back out first thing the next morning. So it was just a whirlwind trip, but again, I just had to be there. And, you know, my dad had been going to games, you know, since they moved there in 1972. And my grandfather was the first team doctor. He had, he actually handed off the job of medical director to my uncle and my dad. They did it as a co-position starting in 1985. So the family legacy continued for a few years, uh, until the Rangers eventually decided to make a change. They actually, I think they sold the Rangers team physician position basically to the official hospital of the team. Uh, so they, the family legacy finally ended there.
Kelly:
Sponsorships take over.
Chris:
Exactly. It’s unfortunate.
Kelly:
Would being at that World Series game probably rank at the top of your dad’s and maybe your grandpa’s list too?
Chris:
I would think so. I think for grandpa, I, you know, I didn’t ask him for his top 10 list. I’ll have to ask him again when I see him in heaven. But you know, that Ohio State Oregon football championship with all of his sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters and everybody around him that game, even though he couldn’t really see it, I mean, back in 2010, he still had a little bit more of his eyesight so was taking it in a little bit more. And obviously the Rangers, the Rangers and Ohio State are definitely one and two in his life as far as affiliations and just that running so close to his heart. Um, but I probably say that was number one. And, you know, the fact that he never got to see a world championship, uh, I hate that and it might never come into my lifetime either for the Rangers to win a World Series.
Kelly:
I know, I mean, as we sit here and record this, this is not a good day on the Rangers. We sit in an uncomfortable spot in this shortened season. Well, I can only imagine that game three, because I was there at the Ballpark the series before that, I want to say it was the Yankees series. So I want to say right before that, and I won’t ever forget that because I just had a baby. Jack was born September 21st, 2010. And it was kind of one of those, we have the chance to go. And I probably shouldn’t have gone out of the house. I had just had, you know, a C-section and had a tiny few week old baby. Um, but we went and I will never forget being in that stadium. We got probably the worst seats we’ve ever had in that ballpark, but just to be in and to have that big explosive moment of watching A rod strike out to end the game I think it was. It was just one of those skin-tingling moments. So I can only imagine being there for a World Series game.
Chris:
No, amazing. And that was the only game I got to go to that whole season cause I wasn’t living in the area at the time, so yeah, incredibly cool. And yeah, just to see grandpa’s face as he looked around and was seeing this in his town and you know, I just remember so many other things with him involving the Rangers when they win their first division championship. I mean, you would’ve thought he was, if you didn’t, you know, he looked like a college kid running around, you know, dumping champagne on people, you know, just so excited to finally have a title, even if it was just a AL West division after all those years of mediocrity and terrible teams for so many years.
Kelly:
That’s why it feels so good when you hang with the team for so long in the bad times, it feels so good when you finally get to the benchmarks that you’ve just never even seen yet. So, and we’ve experienced that here in this market. I mean, as Mavs fans and as Stars fans and you know, Cowboys fans, of course we’ve had the wins even before I was even around really to be a fan. But, um, but that’s why it’s so exciting for Rangers fans. I grew up, like you said, I was always watching and mostly when they were bad. And so to be as an adult, when they start getting good, it’s really fun to be able to already be on that bandwagon and experience those highs. I’m jealous that you got to experience some of those things with your, with your family. My dad is who got me into baseball and we were Rangers fans when I was tiny and we lived in Waco. We’re from Waco.
Kelly:
And so it was a really rare treat to drive up and go to a Rangers game. Um, it was just harder to you get up here when you didn’t live here. And we weren’t in the know. Um, so it was, those were really special, just regular old, regular season games. So we make sure we get our kids out there every year, um, to kind of keep that tradition going. But my dad passed away when I was in high school. And so we kept the love of Rangers baseball alive, just my mom. We take her, we go and, um, my husband, the way we’re all big fans, but I never got to go as an adult to some of these meaningful Rangers games or, you know, for him to see the new ballpark, which I haven’t seen in person either. But so cherish, andI know you do cherish, obviously they’re ranked at the top of your list. Those moments are just pretty amazing. So thank you for sharing them with us.
Chris:
No, I’m, I’m happy to do it. And it was really fun, you know, and like we talked about just looking back at these memories and thinking ahead to when we can do it all again and make new ones. I mean, I love, I love taking my son to Texas legends games, uh, you know, and he just, he loves doing that. Loves going to Allen Americans. We go to a ton of Frisco RoughRiders games, and we’re making great memories. They may not be huge, huge events, but they are, the memories are something that we’re never going to forget. And I can’t wait to get back to those stadiums. Watching these games being played in a bubble certainly doesn’t have the same impact.
Kelly:
I know, I do have to say I was jealous when I saw the Round Rock classic game of recent where there’s people in the stands watching the games. I mean, I, I don’t want to get into the, what you should do or shouldn’t do, but man, I was like, Oh, that could be us here in Frisco. It should, it should have been us. Hopefully we’ll figure it out soon and we’ll be there. We’re ready. Okay. Well thank you so much, Chris. Um, so we will link to your Twitter feed and your blog, but I want to say that it’s MYCOSKIE dot net, right? MYCOSKIE.net
Chris:
Newly redesigned. Yeah. I had time on my hands as everybody does.
Kelly:
Yeah. Fresh new site to go check out and you can see, um, his list there that we’ve talked about. So thank you everyone for joining us for this two part series of counting down Chris’s favorite sporting moments in person, and we’ll see you next week on Hustle and Pro.