Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez catches up with Scoop B Radio. Photo Credit: Brad Mangin

Fall is here and the coolest part is that while preseason basketball is here along with regular season NFL football, so are Major League Baseball playoffs.

During the 90s, you often saw guys like Ken Griffey Jr. wear his hat backwards before games, MLB All Star Home Run Derbies and batting practice.

Ken Griffey Jr. Photo Credit: The Comeback

Griffey made it look cool, but did you know that baseball catchers could never fit their catcher’s mask over their hat? As a result, catchers started turning their hats backward when they would put on their mask. 

Yep. Catchers like Ivan Rodriguez looked cool doing it too!

On a recent episode of Scoop B Radio, Rodriguez, a Hall of Famer, World Series Champion and 14 time MLB  All-Star chatted with me about what else? Baseball caps!

Some athletes are sneakerheads, others are baseball card collectors, but the 13 Gold Glover is a cap collector and has every camp imaginable to the point where there were too many in his home. “ I split it up to be honest with you,” Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez told me on Scoop B Radio.

“My father has some, my son has some in his house I have some in my house but I collect them because I always wore hats.”

Apparently there’s a simple solution as to why he wears so many. “Because I don’t have too much hair on my head,” joked Rodriguez. “So I had to find a way to cover it up in the summer. But I’m a very good collector and I’m very proud of that.”

Pudge was a beast on the field.

He’s also a humanitarian off of it. A native of Puerto Rico, Pudge has led relief efforts to those affected by Hurricane Maria. He’s gotten folks to fill a warehouse with food, water, generators, tents and more for those impacted.

To all my people in #PuertoRico, Mexico and the Caribbean island, keep your head up,there is help on the way God bless #UnitedForPuertoRico pic.twitter.com/dCwr4x0DwG

— Ivan Pudge Rodriguez (@Pudge_Rodriguez) September 26, 2017

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The post Baseball HOF’er Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez Chats With Scoop B Radio About His Baseball Hat Collection appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph. Photo Credit: Mets Merized Online

Check Out Brooklyn, New York native, New York Yankee great and former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph’s chat with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio. Press Play Below.

The New York Mets’ take on the Atlanta Braves this afternoon at Citi Field. Injuries and subsequent trades aided in the Amazing’s 66-89 season.

Many blame managing by Mets skipper Charlie Manuel as the reason for the Mets’ disappointing season. Just two seasons ago, Manuel guided the Mets to a World Series appearance against the Kansas City Royals. The Mets would lose in 5 games.

Will he return next season? We shall see.

In the interim, let’s take a look back at former Mets manager Willie Randolph. Randolph posted a 302-253 record while managing the Mets.

While managing the Mets, Randolph guided the Mets to being one pitch away from appearing in the World Series, turning the organization around from being a second tier team and winning their division.

Sadly, Randolph was fired by the Mets in June 2008 after a rough start.

After his firing Randolph would have stints as a coach with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles, he also wrote a book, The Yankee Way: Playing Coaching and My Life In Baseball, Randolph’s story of his life playing and coaching for the most storied professional sports franchise in the world: The New York Yankees.

While on the Scoop B Radio Podcast, Randolph, a native New Yorker, reflected on his time with the Mets.

“I got fired in a tough spot,” Willie Randolph told me on Scoop B Radio. “We are hired to be fired and I understand that I was successful and I did a good job and I want to continue.”

Added Randolph:

“Even though I got knocked off the perch or got knocked down I want to get back on that wheel and hopefully get another opportunity and show everyone what I am capable of doing. So you know it doesn’t consume me. I would love the opportunity, God willing, I am prepared and ready for it. But right now, it’s been a little bit frustrating that I haven’t had the opportunity yet. But I am going to stay positive and I am going to stay strong and like I said, stay prepared so if the phone does ring; I will  be ready to take on the next challenge.”

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The post Willie Randolph Says He Got ‘Fired In A Tough Spot’ While Managing The New York Mets appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter talking strategy with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Photo Credit: Angie Vasquez

Last week was a potent week in sports. Let’s see, you’ve got iconic New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter and his jersey retirement ceremony yesterday at Yankee Stadium and you had the San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili who had quite an impressive block on the Houston Rockets’ James Harden in the Western Conference Semi Finals. The Spurs would go on to win that series. Things didn’t get any eaaier as the Spurs had a huge lead on the Golden State Warriors in game 1 of the Western Conference Finals and would end up losing by two.

Washington Wizards’ John Wall chatting with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about Allen Iverson. Photo Credit: Eric Salvary

The play of the week, however is the heroics of the Washington Wizards’ John Wall. The guard hit a game winner in game 6 of the Eastern Conferece Semi Finals against the Boston Celtics. The shot, propelled the Wizard to tie the series at 3 games apiece and force a game 7.

All of that and more in the latest edition DJ Manny El produced Scoop’s Top Plays!

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The post Jeter, John Wall & Ginobili Headline Scoop’s Top Plays With Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Former New York Mets Manager Willie Randolph chats with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson on Scoop B Radio. (Photo Credit: New York Times)

Willie Randolph had a successful career in Major League Baseball.  Randolph played in the 70s and 80s and won 6 World Series titles as both a player and a coach with the New York Yankees.

A Brooklyn native by way of the borough’s Tilden High School, it was a dream come true when he had the opportunity to become manager of the New York Mets for four seasons. During that tenure Randolph guided the team to their first division title in 18 years. The Mets were also within one win away from a World Series appearance.“I waited a long time to get the opportunity,” Randolph told me on today’s episode of Scoop B Radio. “I was honored and blessed to get the opportunity to manage the Mets, the team I grew up rooting for. That’s another thing to convey to the kids: I grew up a Mets fan and then twenty years later I wound up the manager of the team. So again dreams do come true and it could happen to you.”

Check Out Willie Randolph Chatting With Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson On Scoop B Radio

During his time as Mets manager, Randolph posted a 302-253 record. The first African-American to manage a baseball team in New York, Randolph was fired by the Mets in June 2008 after a rough start. After his firing Randolph would have stints as a coach with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Baltimore Orioles, he also wrote a book, The Yankee Way: Playing Coaching and My Life In Baseball, Randolph’s story of his life playing and coaching for the most storied professional sports franchise in the world, The New York Yankees.

All of that is great, but Randolph does miss managing an MLB team. “So after I got fired from the Mets after doing the job I wrote, The Yankee Way: Playing, Coaching and My Life In Baseball,” Randolph told me.

“And being one pitch from the World Series, turning the organization around from a second tier team to winning the division in my second year and then almost getting to the World Series in my third year. So I’m successful. I feel like I’m proud of that because I feel like I am part of a legacy. Jackie Robinson was my hero he was the one that inspired me to be a baseball player. So for me just growing up and feeling that bond.”

Randolph says about his time with the Mets:

“So really why I got fired in a tough spot, we are hired to be fired and I understand that I was successful and I did a good job and I want to continue,” he told Scoop B Radio.

“Even though I got knocked off the perch or got knocked down I want to get back on that wheel and hopefully get another opportunity and show everyone what I am capable of doing. So you know it doesn’t consume me. I would love the opportunity, God willing, I am prepared and ready for it. But right now, it’s been a little bit frustrating that I haven’t had the opportunity yet. But I am going to stay positive and I am going to stay strong and like I said, stay prepared so if the phone does ring; I will  be ready to take on the next challenge.”

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The post Willie Randolph On Returning To Managing In Baseball: “It’s been a little bit frustrating that I haven’t had the opportunity yet” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Jay-Z’s clothing company is getting a major look for the 2012 MLB season. Rocawear will have branded signage inside Yankee stadium, as well as integrated promotion throughout the season. Few details have been put forth, but, through a press release, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Iconix Brand Group Jameel Spencer stated:

“Jay-Z has been a long-time fan of the Yankees, regularly attends games and has even included his favorite team in song lyrics, so this was a natural partnership. Rocawear, along with Jay-Z are very excited to be working with the Yankees for the 2012 season. We feel another championship in ‘12!”

This isn’t the first partnership Hov has enjoyed with the Yanks. In 2010, they created a limited edition Blueprint 3 clothing line which was sold exclusively at Yankee stadium.

The post Rocawear Partners with New York Yankees appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.