She was a sports fan growing up in Congers, N.Y. and at Clarkstown North High, and as lead CBS sideline reporter for the past 10 years, Tracy Wolfson does a dream job with her dream job, especially on Saturday afternoons and nights, especially when she is able to get the raw emotions out of the Nick Sabans and the Les Mileses.
“I have the best view in the house,” Wolfson said Saturday, before working the Texas A & M-LSU game.
The Rumble asked for her three most memorable moments, and she gave us four instead:
“My first one would be LSU-Tennessee my second year,” Wolfson said, “when Les Miles cursed on air.
“I have to say the Auburn-Alabama game in 2010 with Cam Newton, and the team coming back (from a 24-point deficit).
“Last year’s SEC Championship game, Georgia-Alabama, coming down to the wire.
“And the [Auburn] Hail Mary last week, after having Georgia come back, and where the sideline was one of total elation, and the other [Georgia] of complete disappointment.”
Her favorite venues?
“I love being in Alabama [Tuscaloosa]. I like the tradition. I like the history. I like the fans and the way they dress up. …. The fraternities wear suits and ties. Now it’s louder than ever. I really enjoy going to Georgia. It’s a complete town. You can walk to the stadium and the bars and restaurants, everything there is top notch.”
Johnny Football? “He’s just magical,” Wolfson says. “You have to see him in person.”
Saban? “One of my favorite coaches to work with,” she says. “I think he’s very misinterpreted. They always think he’s extremely serious. We saw that other side when he and A.J. McCarron jumped into each other’s arms. He just gets it. He knows what my job is.”
Wolfson will be working Raiders-Cowboys Thanksgiving night and then Auburn-Alabama Saturday.
“I just wanted to find a way to talk sports all the time, and this was a dream of mine since I was 9-10 years old,” Wolfson said.
Hurley Sr. raising funds for St. Anthony
Bob Hurley Sr. never has looked past the next game, one key to his legendary coaching career at national powerhouse St. Anthony of Jersey City. For once, however, he is looking ahead — for the school’s financial well being.
Last week, Hurley launched a campaign to raise $10 million over the next year to ensure the New Jersey Catholic school, which has struggled financially for decades, stays open through 2020 with an interactive Website (StAnthony2020.com). In the last week, Hurley has appeared on WFAN’s “Boomer and Carton Morning Show” and attended last Wednesday’s Knicks-Pacers game to champion the effort.
“We don’t want to become Rice or Tolentine or Power Memorial or Paterson Catholic, those schools who weren’t able to plan in advance,” Hurley told The Rumble’s Zach Braziller. “It’s sophisticated. It’s trying to reach people in all different areas. It’s more than I know being an old school basketball coach with a limited understanding of the new world of social media and Twitter.”
Hurley credited the idea to TeamWorks Media, the company that filmed the documentary of Hurley and his team, “The Street Stops Here.”
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed it will be a good year, because it will give the plan some legs,” said Hurley, a retired corrections officer.
Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010, Hurley has coached at St. Anthony for 42 years. The subject of Adrian Wojnarowski’s best-selling book, “The Miracle of St. Anthony,” Hurley has won more than 1,000 basketball games in his career, 25 state titles and four national titles.
The site is as much about basketball as the school, which says over the last 20 years 100 percent of its students have gained college acceptance.
In addition to asking for donations, St. Anthony is using its basketball program to raise money. The site offers those interested to purchase a St. Anthony jersey, baseball hat, sit it on a practice, get a Hurley voice mail recording, receive a coaching clinic from Hurley or even be an honorary assistant coach for a game.
St. Anthony’s has an enrollment of roughly 250 students, most of whom live near the poverty line, according to the school. It’s budget is half subsidized via donations. Tuition is $6,000 and the school needs to raise at least $1.5 a year to cover the difference.
So far, St. Anthony has received $276,005 from 278 donors.
Winning time!
First-round bragging rights went to Matthew Sanchez, who won the free, on-line handicapping contest, sponsored by Yonkers Raceway and the Standardbred Owners Association of New York.
Sanchez earned $847 from his mythical $20 win bet on eight races Tuesday night. The contest continues the next four Tuesdays (Nov. 26, Dec. 3, 10 and 17). The final round is set for Sat., Dec. 21, Yonkers’ final day of racing for the season.