Sports Innerview With Ann Liguori

Ann spoke to Dr. Victor Olujimi, Orthopedic Surgeon at Peconic Bay Medical Center about various Sports Medical  topics including how to prevent sports injuries and what the biggest issues are for most athletes. Ann then talks to Lauren Strachen, Dir. of Port Revenue, Diamonds International, about their involvement in the St. Barth Hamptons Gala next Saturday and their Crown of Lights brand.

Ann recaps the #TravelersChampionship, the #PGATour stop in Cromwell, Ct., and chats with Andy Bessette, Exe VP, Chief Administrative Officer, Travelers; Nathan Grube, Tournament Dir.; Brittany Vose, volunteer & fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research; and Chez Reavie, winner of the 2019 Travelers Championship.

Ann broadcasts Sports Innerview from Pebble Beach during the U.S. Open Championship. Local resident and author   John Peter Hagen shares local history and lore about the famed area and golf resort. Renown golf artist and philanthropist Scotty Medlock chats about his career in which he’s painted some of golf’s greatest stars. He talks about his friendships in golf and music; about the Scotty Medlock Robby Krieger Charity Golf Invitational and his recent diagnosis.

Ann talks about sports injuries, prevention and Northwell Health’s work at the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black. Nina DaPaola, VP, Orthopedic Service Line & Rehab Service Line, led Northwell Health’s work at the PGA Championship and she describes the magnitude of the operation, the spectrum of services they offered and interesting anecdotes from the Championship as well as what golfers should do to increase flexibility and prevent injuries; Dr. Nicholas Spaglione, Professor & Chair, Northwell Health System Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery; Exe. Dir., of the Orthopedic Institute talks about the hot topic of regeneration of cartilage and advances in the area; the amount of recuperation time it takes after surgery for athletes; and the work he does with the US Ski Team, the USGA and the NY Lizards, Major League Lacrosse; and Dr. David Battinelli, MD, Sr. VP & Chief Medical Officer, Northwell Health& Vice Dean & Professor of Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra University talks about No

Ann broadcasts from Bethpage Black at the PGA Championship and chats with Frank Nobilo of The Golf Channel and CBS Sports about his broadcasting career, about Bethpage Black, about Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka. Ann also talks with renown course architect Rees Jones who refurbished Bethpage Black before the 2002 U. S. Open.

Ann previews the PGA Championship with Championship Director Scott Reid and Michael Quirk, Sr. Dir., Merchandising & Licensing, PGA of America; and catches up with LPGA & Solheim Cup star Lisette Salas about her inspirational story, learning golf and excelling as a daughter of Mexican parents who immigrated to California, the LPGA #DriveOn campaign, and much more.

Ann talks with the legendary Pat Williams, NBA Executive Extraordinaire; Co-Founder, Orlando Magic; NBA Hall of Famer; Author of 110 books. Pat announced this week he is retiring from 50 plus years in the NBA. He already has a list of projects he’s planning on racking to ensure his legacy lives on. Pat and Ann discuss his future at 79 years young, his legacy, how he stays an over-achiever, his battle with Multiple Myeloma and his latest book, ‘Character Carved in Stone: The 12 Core Virtues of West Point that build Leaders & Produce Success.’ Ann then interviews Bob Klapisch, best-selling co-author of NY Times best-seller,  ‘Inside the Empire: The True Power Behind the NY Yankees,’ and they talk about the behind-the-deal ‘deals,’ the truth about GM Brian Cashman, his dealings with Derek Jeter, as a player and now part-Owner of the Florida Marlins ; how Cashman hoodwinked Jeter to land slugger Giancarlo Stanton; Joe Torre’s relationship with George Steinbrenner; what was really behind Joe Girardi’s dismissa

Ann talks with two super-achievers in the world of golf: Lee Wybranski, official artist for the 2019 PGA Championship, creating posters for Major Championships that have become highly collectible; and Ward Clayton, a producer for the exquisite documentary: ‘LOOPERS: The Caddie’s Long Walk,’ a film about golf’s caddie profession, charting the history of golf and the caddie’s role, with footage from St. Andrews, Augusta National to Brandon Dunes and Lahinch and interviews with Nick Faldo, Tom Watson, Rick Reilly and many caddies who played a big role in helping their golfers win Major titles.

Ann broadcasts from Augusta National on the Saturday morning of Masters weekend and chats with best-selling author and Golf Digest Columnist John Feinstein; Ron Sirak, Contributor, The Golf Channel and Global Golf Post; Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who was one of four legends to hit the ceremonial tee shot to open the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur the Saturday before Masters week; and with Dr. Bobby Jones IV, the grandson of Bobby Jones, Co-Founder, Augusta National and The Masters.  

Ann broadcasts from The Valspar Championship, a PGA Tour event at Innisbrook, in the University of South Florida suite overlooking the 18th green and talks with Tracy West, the Tournament Director; USF VP of Athletics, Michael Kelly and Bill McClausland, Director, USF Alumni Association. 

Ann hosts her annual show on Head Injuries in Sports with Liz Giordano, the CEO, Head Injury Association, and previews the Celebrity Sports Forum that Ann will co-host with Dr. Max Gomez, Channel 2 News, on Wednesday with Eli Manning making an appearance. Former Heavyweight boxer Gerry Cooney and former NY Jets Wesley Walker join Ann and Liz. Wesley opens up about suffering memory loss and physical ailments he blames on playing 13 years in the NFL and says he has heard nothing from the league regarding the lawsuit for those who’ve suffered head injuries.

Ann broadcasts from the Arnold Palmer Invitational at BayHill Club & Lodge and shares her stories about Arnold Palmer, her visit with him in Latrobe, months before his passing. She talks with Jon Podany, CEO, Arnold Palmer Enterprises and Pres., Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, about the work he and his team are doing to grow Palmer’s legacy and businesses.

Ann broadcasts from the Honda Classic at PGA National and talks about the impact of Tiger, Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson not playing the Honda Classic and about Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler who are playing. Ann goes behind-the-scenes at PGA National to talk with Jeremiah Lockhart, Dir. of Agronomy; Jane Broderick, Dir. of Golf; Karen St. Angelo, Membership Director; and Celine Thibault, Dir. of Retail. 

Ann continues her travels in Nassau Paradise Island Bahamas and talks with Andy Deiro, Head Golf Pro at Royal Blue Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus design, talks about this challenging Baha Mar resort course with dramatic landscape & elevation changes; Instructor Georgette Rolle shares insight on their dynamic junior instruction programs and club-fitting/rental program; Robbie Leming, PGA, GM, Ocean Club, talks about the beautiful Tom Weiskopf-design, Ocean Club Golf Course; and Sean O’Connell, in charge of all culinary at Atlantis Resort,  provides an inside look at all the dining options at #Atlantis, including FISH, the Jose Andres masterpiece at The Cove, Atlantis.

Ann hosts her show from Nassau Paradise Island in the Bahamas and talks about all that Atlantis Resort has to offer including Dolphin Cay and their incredible marine mammal operation; their culinary excellance, FISH Restaurant Jose Andres; about the incomparable The Ocean Club A Four Seasons Resort and the Ocean Club Golf Course, a spectacular Tom Weiskopf design. Ann's guests are Doug Trueblood, Sr. VP Marketing, Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board; Taz Rutherford, Associate Director, Marine Mammal Operations, Dolphic Cay, Atlantis; Monica Majors, Dir. of PR, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort; and Robbie Leming, PGA, General Manager, Ocean Club Golf Course.

Ann hosts a pre-Super Bowl show and replays classic Sports Innerview shows she did with Deacon Jones, who led the Rams from 1961-1971 and coined the term, ‘sack,’ and with Bart Starr, who led the Green Bay Packers to victories in the first two Super Bowls. Jim Nugent, Publisher of Global Golf Post Plus and Bud Garmany of Garmany Golf, talk journalism and golf travel.

Ann broadcasts from the PGA Merchandise Show and chats with Michael Whan, LPGA Commissioner; Kelley Brooke, LPGA Professional of the Year & CEO/Founder, Bethpage Golf Group; Mark Johnson & Tracy Ramin of the USAGA; David Feaser & Nicholas Feaser of Peakvision & my buddies from Ireland: John Farren of Ballyliffen, Alan Maloney of Mt Falcon Estate & John MacLaughlin of North West Coast Links Ireland.

Ann broadcasts from the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida, and talks with the uber-talented Lydia Ko, the youngest ever to be ranked # 1 in golf, male or female, about the pressures of the tour, how she deals with all the expectations as a 21-year-old now and changing her hair color to blond. Then Ann talks golf and baseball with Tom Glavine, MVP of the 1995 World Series, who says he studies how the female pros strike the ball, and how much he appreciates the playing ability of the pros on the LPGA Tour and how they balance golf and family. And Mark Lamport-Stokes, the Dir of PR, LPGA, catches us up on all things LPGA.

Ann talks about the refurnished Champion Course, site of the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic at PGA National Resort & Spa with Jane Broderick, Dir. of Golf, and Kathy Casper, Dir. of Marketing. Ann replays her award-winning, classic ‘Sports Innerview’ cable interview, taped in the nineties, with the legendary Ted Williams.

Ann chats with the Alec Sokolow, one of the writers of ‘Toy Story,’ ‘Money Talks,’ ‘Cheaper by the Dozen,’ ‘Garfield,’ to name a few and Ann replays her classic Sports Innerview with NFL Hall of Famer Rocky Bleier, who talks about coming back from getting blown up in the Vietnam War to helping the Steelers win four Super Bowls.