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CNN Live At Daybreak
Interview With Scott Ferrall
Aired October 31, 2001 - 06:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, sports fans had the dilemma of following game three of the World Series last night, or taking in Michael Jordan's return to regular season basketball as a NBA player. Well, sports radio host, Scott Ferrall, was at the Knicks game last night watching Jordan, and he joins this morning to talk about what's been called Super Tuesday in sports.
Scott, good to see you -- how are you doing, man?
SCOTT FERRALL, 1050 ESPN SPORTS RADIO HOST: I'm great, Leon. Thanks for having me in. I got lucky. I not only got to see M.J. float through the air last night at the world-famous Madison Square Garden. I took the C and D out to the Bronx and caught a couple of innings of the World Series game three. I got the best of both worlds.
HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
FERRALL: And I stood in all of those lines.
HARRIS: You did? You got them both in?
FERRALL: Yes, I got them both in, and then I took the D to the C back to the Garden and went up and did my show until 1:00 in the morning on ESPN radio. It was a great evening.
HARRIS: You've got to be kidding me. OK, so then tell us, since you got to both of them, which one was the best one?
FERRALL: I got to tell you, there's nothing quite like going to the exotic and absolutely phenomenal Yankee Stadium, even standing in the lines. It's just necessary. The president was there. I think the Yankee fans maintained their jack, if you will, controlled themselves. No one got violent. Everyone just was kind of reassured that they knew what they were going through the process itself. It was difficult for some; others just had to have a little bit more patience.
But once I got in, there's just the euphoria of that building. There's something about Yankee Stadium. I'm not a Yankee or a Met fan, but I appreciate their fans more than anything I've ever seen. Their passion is deeply rooted. And being in that ballpark is almost mystical.
HARRIS: Yes.
FERRALL: It's ghosts flying around. It's an unbelievable experience. There's nothing quite like it, or frankly, taking the C D all the way out to 161st and getting out and coming up out of the subway and being at Yankee Stadium. The president was there, 70,000 fans, pandemonium, a great game, the Rocket on the hill.
HARRIS: Well, I'm going to...
FERRALL: It was exciting all right, and M.J. was exciting too. The throng of media at the Garden was unequaled to anything I've ever seen in the media in 20 years.
HARRIS: Yes, but I kind of guess that you wouldn't speak so glowingly about what you saw when you watched that Knicks game last night.
(CROSSTALK)
FERRALL: Yes, I didn't like the performance. He shot a couple that, Leon, you and I look like we might have been to drain a couple from the corner in the backyard, but Mike was having some iron difficulties last night, maybe he needs to eat breakfast in the morning.
Is it in the legs? Who knows. But the fans love him. I thought it was interesting what the young girl that got, you know, eventually end up with the winning ticket, if you will, to sit next to Spike Lee, a generous individual bought that $100,000 ticket...
HARRIS: Yes, I wanted to ask you about that. Did you see who won the seat?
FERRALL: ... and let a young daughter of one of the lost firemen, here in New York, have that seat.
HARRIS: That was cool.
FERRALL: It was just a great evening. I mean, the Nets played, the Knicks played, the Islanders won. They just keep winning. You've got M.J. in town. You've got the Yankees and the Diamondbacks. You've got the entire world watching, and we certainly don't forget our heroes down at ground zero. I know that going down there is special for me, and I just -- all of the guys that are down there, we love you, the crime scene guys.
HARRIS: Yes.
FERRALL: Everybody that's been there for 400 hours. We're never going to forget you. All of the fans every night at the Garden for all of the hockey games and...
HARRIS: Yes.
FERRALL: ... for all of the NBA games every night. It's just the most unbelievable ovations and feeling. I've never anything like it. I have always done my show from Los Angeles. I'm proud to be a New Yorker. I'm a native New Yorker.
HARRIS: Well, let me ask you real quick, man. What was the radio show like? Did callers call in more about the World Series or about Michael last night?
FERRALL: Oh, everybody cares about the Yankees. It's one after the next, pounding it home. And now, the pressure is on the Yankees here in New York. Clemens got the job done, and now you have to face Schilling tonight with the BB's coming in. You can't even see them, they're flying by their heads. It's just really going to be a fantastic series now.
HARRIS: Right.
FERRALL: Things could get even tonight, and then, of course, Thursday night, they could play game five, go back out to the valley in Arizona. I'm hoping for a terrific finish. The fans are great, the passion. The Yankees had no bath, and they starting popping it. Posada had the home run.
HARRIS: Yes.
FERRALL: That ballpark is really special. There's something about New York and the Yankees...
HARRIS: Well...
FERRALL: ... even if you don't like them, you've got to love them.
HARRIS: ... there's something about the clock right now. We've got cut it short. Next time we talk, you've got to tell me what you gargle to make your voice sound like that. I've been a fan for a long time, and keep up the work, Scott Ferrall --
FERRALL: Thanks, Leon. Say hi to Daryn.
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: All right...
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HARRIS: ... will do it, man -- take care. We'll see you in a bit.
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