Category: Saturday Sports Slam

Garland Cooper Is The Director Of Softball & Partner Development With The NCSA

Next College Student Athlete is a Chicago-based organization that focuses on the recruiting process for high school students who want to continue or play sports on a collegiate level, and helping them find the best schools and coaches for each individual student athlete.

Former ESPN softball analyst Garland Cooper is now the Softball and Partner Development for NCSA, and she joined Matt Drzik, Greg Benedetti & Frank Sparks for an interview on the Saturday Sports Slam. She explained how the recruiting process for college students is more difficult than it was before, and how her background and experience with NCSA wants to make it easier for the students.

To hear the interview, click on the players below.

Part 1

Part 2

Win Free Tickets to Kennywood Park!!!!!!!!!

Tune into the Saturday Sports Slam Saturday August 5, 2017 at 8:05 a.m. and you could win a pair of tickets to Kennywood Park. Join Greg Benedetti and Matt Drzik as they celebrate the third anniversary of the show. They will ask trivia questions to register listeners. At the end of the show they will draw a winning name for the tickets. The numbers to call to participate are 724-843-188 and  724-774-1888.

Roberto Clemente Jr. Talks About “Food For The Hungry” On Sports Slam

Food For The Hungry is an organization that operates out of Phoenix and is a non-profit that helps starving citizens of the Dominican Republic to obtain water, food, and a healthy way of living. This year they have added the pledge campaign “Striking Out Poverty”, a drive spearheaded by several current MLB players including current Pirate Gregory Polanco.

Roberto Clemente Jr. is the Global Ambassador to FH and the son of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. He joined Matt Drzik and Greg Benedetti on the Saturday Sports Slam to discuss the great things this organization is doing, as well as the ways others can give their time and donations to this organization.

You can find out more by visiting https://www.fh.org/ or http://www.strikingoutpoverty.com/.

To hear the full interview, click on the players below.

Part 1

Part 2

Nick Nardone Is The Man In Charge Of Beaver Falls Football In 2017

After winning the PIAA Championship as a defensive coordinator, Nick Nardone will now take the head coaching reins of the defending state champions in 3A football, the Beaver Falls Tigers.

Nick spoke with Matt Drzik and Greg Benedetti on the Saturday Sports Slam about his new role with the team, the similarities and changes from last year’s squad, and what his background in football is to have led him to this point.

To hear the full interview, click the players below.

Part 1

Part 2

Larry Bruno Foundation Recognizes New 2017 Inductees Tonight

The Larry Bruno Foundation, started in 2009 and named after the legendary Beaver Falls football coach (shown above [right] in 1989 with Bob Barrickman & Chris Shovlin), will be inducting its newest members into its Hall of Achievement tonight at Shadow Lakes Country Club.

Steve Higgins, board member of the Foundation, called in the Saturday Sports Slam on July 29 to discuss with Greg Benedetti and Matt Drzik the events that the foundation helps bring to life, as well as the honor of this year’s inductees.

To hear the interview, click on the players below.

Part 1

Part 2

Ryan Matsook Talks About New Role As Western Beaver AD On Sports Slam

After a banner year that saw him coach the Beaver Falls Tigers to their first WPIAL title since 1984 and their first PIAA gold in football, Ryan Matsook left his position as BF’s head coach in March, and is now the new Athletic Director at Western Beaver High School in Industry.

Matsook phoned in to the Saturday Sports Slam on July 22 to discuss with Matt Drzik and Greg Benedetti about his new role, including what his duties are in helping Western Beaver Athletics, the similarities in his current and past jobs, and how he looks at the new six-class WPIAL format.

To hear the interview, click the players below to listen.

Part 1

Part 2

John Mehno Talks Baseball Thru The First Half of 2017 on Sports Slam

AP baseball columnist and Baden native John Mehno joined Greg Benedetti and Matt Drzik on the July 1 edition of the Saturday Sports Slam to discuss Major League Baseball at the halfway point of the 2017 season. Among the topics were the Pirates’ struggles through the first 81 games, struggling attendance at PNC Park and in Cleveland, and who the strongest teams in the MLB are.

Click below to hear the full interview as heard on Beaver County Radio:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Pens leave Fleury and Rust unprotected!!

The Pens submitted their list of players they are protecting in the NHL expansion draft. Many of the Pens major roll players in their second consecutive run to the Stanley Cup were left unprotected. As expected the Pens did protect goalie Matt Murray after Marc Andre-Fleury waived his limited move clause from his contract. Below is a list of the protected players followed by a list of unprotected players. The Knights have till June 21 to submit their picks to the NHL. The knights picks will be announced at the NHL Draft on Wednesday.

Protected players

  • Sidney Crosby (F)
  • Patric Hornqvist (F)
  • Phil Kessel (F)
  • Evgeni Malkin (F)
  • Brian Dumoulin (D)
  • Kris Letang (D)
  • Olli Maatta (D)
  • Justin Schultz (D)
  • Matt Murray (G)

Available players

  • Josh Archibald (F)
  • Nick Bonino (F)
  • Matt Cullen (F)
  • Jean-Sebastien Dea (F)
  • Carl Hagelin (F)
  • Tom Kuhnhackl (F)
  • Chris Kunitz (F)
  • Kevin Porter (F)
  • Bryan Rust (F)
  • Tom Sestito (F)
  • Oskar Sundqvist (F)
  • Dominik Uher (F)
  • Garrett Wilson (F)
  • Scott Wilson (F)
  • Ian Cole (D)
  • Frank Corrado (D)
  • Trevor Daley (D)
  • Tim Erixon (D)
  • Cameron Gaunce (D)
  • Ron Hainsey (D)
  • Stuart Percy (D)
  • Derrick Pouliot (D)
  • Chad Ruhwedel (D)
  • Mark Streit (D)
  • David Warsofsky (D)
  • Marc-Andre Fleury (G)