We hoped to have legendary Blast Hall of Fame head coach Kenny Cooper on right after England won its way into the World Cup final but Lionel Messi and one of the greatest victories in recent memory turned this conversation into a beautifully wistful journey from when he arrived and what the game of soccer has become in the United States of America since those glorious days at the Baltimore Civic Center. And did you know that Coops once played on a team with Pele for three weeks?
Nestor Aparicio and Kenny Cooper discussed the recent World Cup, England’s loss to Croatia, and the emotional experience of watching the game. Cooper shared his emotional journey, including attending the game with his family and the significance of England’s national anthem. They also reflected on Cooper’s career, including his time with the New York Cosmos and his impact on soccer in Baltimore. Cooper praised Messi and Pele, sharing personal anecdotes about playing with Pele. They also touched on the growth of soccer in America, the importance of community, and the role of media in sports. The conversation concluded with Cooper expressing his love for Baltimore and his family.
Kenny Cooper’s Return to Baltimore and World Cup Reflections
- Nestor Aparicio welcomes Kenny Cooper back to Baltimore and mentions his recent trip to Philadelphia.
- Nestor discusses the Crab Cake Tour and upcoming events, including a giveaway at Pizza John’s.
- Nestor reflects on the emotional experience of watching England play Croatia at Jerry World.
- Kenny Cooper shares his emotional experience of watching England win and the significance of the game.
England’s World Cup Performance and Coaching Decisions
- Kenny Cooper discusses England’s performance against Croatia and the emotional impact of the game.
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the coaching decisions that led to England’s loss, including the substitutions and defensive tactics.
- Kenny praises Pickford’s performance and the importance of scoring early in the game.
- Nestor and Kenny reflect on the tactical errors made by the England coach and the impact of substitutions.
Kenny Cooper’s Experience Playing with Pele
- Nestor asks Kenny about his experience playing with Pele during his time with the New York Cosmos.
- Kenny shares his memories of playing with Pele and the impact he had on the team.
- Kenny describes Pele’s unique playing style and the challenges of defending against him.
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the greatness of Pele and Messi, comparing their skills and impact on the game.
Kenny Cooper’s Legacy and Impact on Soccer in Baltimore
- Nestor reflects on Kenny’s contributions to soccer in Baltimore and his impact on the community.
- Kenny shares his memories of building the Blast team and the challenges they faced.
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the growth of soccer in America and the success of the MLS.
- Kenny talks about the importance of community involvement and the support he received from local businesses and fans.
Kenny Cooper’s Personal Reflections and Family
- Kenny shares personal reflections on his life, including his family and the impact of his faith.
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the importance of having a supportive community and the role of faith in their lives.
- Kenny talks about his family, including his children and grandchildren, and their involvement in soccer.
- Nestor and Kenny reflect on the importance of mentorship and leadership in sports and life.
The World Cup and the Future of Soccer
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the future of soccer and the impact of the World Cup on the sport.
- Kenny shares his thoughts on the best teams and players in the tournament, including Argentina and Messi.
- Nestor and Kenny reflect on the importance of VAR and the impact it has had on the game.
- Kenny discusses the challenges of hosting the World Cup and the impact it has had on the host country.
Kenny Cooper’s Final Reflections and Farewell
- Nestor and Kenny reflect on the importance of community and the impact of sports on society.
- Kenny shares his final thoughts on his career and the lessons he has learned.
- Nestor and Kenny discuss the importance of maintaining positive relationships and supporting each other.
- Kenny says goodbye to Nestor and the listeners, expressing his gratitude and love for the community.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are WNST AM 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive, and I’m positively back from Philadelphia. I didn’t even have a cheesesteak or a pretzel. I did have one of those roast pork up there. We’re gonna be having a proper crab cake next Friday. We’re gonna be rejoining the crab cake tour in progress after the World Cup on Friday at Pizza John’s in Essex. So we’ll see you there. John Allen is coming out. We’re saying goodbye to East Point Mall next week. I will have Maryland Treasures lottery tickets giveaway at Pizza John’s, and we have a whole litany of crab cake tours coming up at Koco’s and Costas and State Fair and all sorts of places. This is going to be one of my favorite segments. I just got back from the All Star Game. Not doing a whole lot of radio this week. If you’ve listened in, we got the Crab Cake Tour next week on the on the 24th. And Kenny Cooper was the man I thought of at every turn for England, as well as Donald Trump, because I thought if the Brits showed up on Sunday, win or lose, they were going to crush Trump for even showing up at MetLife Stadium on Saturday or Sunday, I should say, and I didn’t know whether to have him on before England won or lost. And obviously, it was in my heart to make this segment sort of what it would mean for England to win. I I tribute. I paid tribute to Billy Ronson last week because I watched a lot of World Cup games with disappointing results is we need results. We need a result. He would say he would just scream, and I was when the Beckham thing happened and got sent off. I was with Ronson. Coach Cooper joins me from his lovely home that he has made in Dallas, and Mike Marlow gave me this gift. Coach Blast Extra evening, so I want to let you know the love is real. 40 years later, still here for you, Hall of Famer in my heart as always, and I bled for you. I was in a I was in a pub in Richmond, Virginia before a fixed smithereen show. It was up one nil, and there were 10, and I was like, “This is really going to happen, and then it didn’t happen. And you know, we’ve been planning this for a little while. I’m I’m so sorry. You know, I don’t know what else to say to a to to an Englishman. You know, forget Mick Jagger and all the other ones. You’re the one that I cry for, my friend.
Kenny Cooper 2:16
Well, that’s so nice of you to tell me on the show. I really appreciate it. My my two sons, Kenny Junior and Joe, and the the wife of Kenny Molly took me out to Jerry World to see the England game, Croatia, and it was for me an emotional experience. There’s certain things that happen in your life. It was a bucket list for me to see England play here in Dallas, and at the start when they say play God Save Our King, my boys and stood next to me. I’ve got my hand over my heart to do when they play the American national anthem, and we just cried together. And then to see the game the way it played out, you know, they went on to win, and then of course at the end they play Hey Jude. It was just incredibly emotional experience for me. I will say this to to be fair. I do believe Argentina yesterday was the better team on the day. They got Messi, who is a special player, as everybody knows, and he showed it, and he showed why he’s messy, but tactically, I don’t want to be overcritical of the coach. But as he said in the British newspapers today, he got it wrong. He got it totally wrong. He started substituting and bringing in all the defenders, and the Argentinian coach put in offensive players, and that was that was the answer right there. At one time, they had six guys back on defense in the in the goal area, and all Argentina was doing was like pushing full court press in there. You couldn’t get the ball out.
Nestor Aparicio 3:55
Ah, the lead and the way the lead happened, and to hold on to the lead, what is the coaching decision that you thought was in error specifically, or you know vaguely about defense and offense? But would it have met? I mean, in the end, Argentina was going to bring in offensive play. I mean, England didn’t look forceful of getting the second goal, maybe the one the one shot, but then after that, it felt like the field turned a little bit, and they were going to be playing defense no matter what. I I felt.
Kenny Cooper 4:31
Yeah, I will say this: that Pickford, the goalkeeper, made three very very good saves. There was a time when England went ahead one zero. They had two chances. Bom boom. If they’d have gone up, you know, 2030 It’s a different game. But I thought it was a classical game from a coaching standpoint. I don’t particularly like to not critique, be critical. But yeah, I looked at and going, oh no, you know, he can’t. Drop everybody back like this because you could see he was under so much pressure. It was just a matter of time, just a matter of time. And I think one of the commentators said it’s just a matter of time. And there was only what 10 minutes left. I mean, but it was the message show at the end of the day. It’s the message show, and it’ll go on and probably win the MVP of the tournament.
Nestor Aparicio 5:20
Is he the greatest player you’ve ever seen, or or the greatest? I mean, Pele, but put put it into context because I was trying to explain it to a non-soccer person, his greatness, and then, and as that was happening, the pass happened literally, and and I said that you don’t even need to know the game to know that that was a that was an incredible ball, but more than that, his greatness in the totality of your lifetime, and you’ve seen it all.
Kenny Cooper 5:48
Well, I will say this because I get asked the question every other day. The greatest player I ever saw, excuse me, greatest player I ever saw play or play with was Pele. I was fortunate to go on a tour of Europe and Asia with the New York Cosmos. They invited me from the Dallas Tornado when I played down here to go on this tour. So I was around Pele for three weeks. Unbelievable gentleman, incredible gentleman. But you played
Nestor Aparicio 6:20
on a team with Pele.
Kenny Cooper 6:22
Yes, I played on the New York Cosmos in 1976. On a, I didn’t
Nestor Aparicio 6:27
even know. I mean, like, I feel like I’ve known you forever, and and I’m sure that when John Hawkins and Bernie Michels wrote about you and Sandy McKee back in the 80s, they all knew it, and it Chris Thomas and all of that. But I can’t say now. Now listen, I talked about you when I booked you on. I booked you on earlier in the week, and I literally was watching the All Star game with some soccer people. Buster Olney was with me, who covered the soccer’s, and and and covered your contemporary Ron Newman, covers baseball now. You know, I talked a little soccer, and Spain was playing France when this was going on, and I was trying to. You got looked up. You got Google because we were trying to figure out the name of the Dallas team. I’m like, what would the Cosmos, the Diplomats, you know, the route, you know, the tornado,
Kenny Cooper 7:12
Dallas tornado, tornado.
Nestor Aparicio 7:13
Okay, so give me, tell me this Pele story, Coach. God, I’ve never heard this. This is beautiful. I
Kenny Cooper 7:19
was on the tour for three weeks, and we traveled all over and finished up actually playing the Japanese national team in Tokyo. But I said to so you were
Nestor Aparicio 7:32
in the goal and Pele was scoring goals in front of you.
Kenny Cooper 7:35
Yeah, yeah. While
Nestor Aparicio 7:36
you were on the pitch.
Kenny Cooper 7:37
Yeah, yeah, and I played against him. I don’t
Nestor Aparicio 7:39
know that I’ve got a better story than that, you know. Unless some people play with Michael Jordan, or you know, like that’s pretty good. That’s pretty good. I’ll
Kenny Cooper 7:44
tell you this: when I’m asked who is the better player, the both world class players, but Pele for me, because being a goalkeeper, that when you thought he was going to shoot, he would pass. When you thought he was going to pass, he dribbled. So you he was totally totally on balance all the time when you played against him, and he scored some goals on me, not many, thank God. I managed to save a shootout up in New York when we won up there, but yeah, there’s only one Pele. I mean, there will only ever be one Pele, but Messi is a close second, definitely.
Nestor Aparicio 8:22
All right. Well, I mean, we’ve settled that. As far as the want for your people and Mick Jagger and all of you who are getting a little older now, how old are you? You still 29 or you 30 yet? How old are you?
Kenny Cooper 8:36
81 All right. 81 Can you believe that?
Nestor Aparicio 8:39
Listen, man, I’m seeing Springsteen and Rick Springfield and Sammy Hagar in their late 70s, early 80s, out performing, and it’s just a beautiful thing. So I think 80 is like the new 50. To be really honest with you, yeah,
Kenny Cooper 8:53
yeah. I wish I could say say I feel that I made it. I feel more like I’m 90 because I’ve had two hip replacements, two knee replacements, and you’re just not the same afterwards. Okay, so a few pains here and there physically every day, but mentally, I think I’m still pretty sharp.
Nestor Aparicio 9:12
Well, I think so, and I’m glad you’re here. Coach Kenny Cooper is here. If you don’t know his voice, leave town or just get a at least this. Get a history lesson if I have to go through who Kenny Cooper is, but I think of you in the England way of what you brought to my community and soccer and the beautiful game and an indoor game and a funnier game. I was with Michael Buchdahl on Monday and Tuesday night in Philadelphia, the one-time GM of the Arrows and one-time roommate of Charles Markwood Ekman, who was telling stories of the rabbi and and the old days of what you brought to Baltimore, which was your love of the game, which Ronson brought to. With World Cup that I lived through Pete Caringi and you know Santino Caranta and people that have been a part of this and and being in this community for years back with Desmond Armstrong and other players had played on teams Dennison Cabral watched Brazil World Cup games with me I went to Europe in ’06 in Germany and went to games with my wife and saw and wore the Team USA jersey against Italy and and Czech Republic and seen what it’s like on the outside. But you were always trying to preach that 50 years ago. And the one thing that I said to Karenji and I had him on for a good hour right after the U.S. went out about a week week and a half ago, and I didn’t have him on before the tournament because he was doing all the things you did-camps, soccer, all that. Essence Community College-you guys are contemporary legend coaches for me, from Highlandtown to England. And the the growth of the game in this country is something that should make you cry. Having brought that crazy little round ball that you call football that we called soccer, and you brought it to Dallas. You brought it to Baltimore. You were a business leader, thought leader in our community, a champion for your people, our people, the American flag, like all of that, and the importance of it, and soccer and what it’s done. I think in America, from the last World Cup in ’94 to you seeing it in Jerry’s world three weeks ago, right?
Kenny Cooper 11:24
Oh well, that’s everything went through my mind. I mean, I came here what 56 years ago, and just seeing England play live, and there was a feeling that we’ve arrived. You know, the game has finally arrived. It’s here, the World Cup, the greatest sporting event in the world, highest revenue, highest sponsorship, highest attendance. I mean, it was the thrill of my life. I mean, we’ll we’ll go down to the thrill of my life when it comes to soccer. But I approached it in Baltimore as a political campaign. Bernie Roden, God bless him, when I accepted the position back in 70. We went to Houston for one year. We did really well. We we had a great record. We lost in the final to the New York Herald, and then he called me and said, “Kid, kid, we’re moving, and we’re going to either Baltimore or Boston. Right? It all depends where you want to live, so you make the choice. I said, “Hey, Bernie. Well, I said, “Let’s do this. Let me go to Baltimore first, which I did, and I got off the plane and fell in love with the city, and my kids were born there. Yes, I live in Dallas, and because my wife’s originally from Dallas, but it’s it’s like the Liverpool of England. It really is. You know, it’s a port. The people are blue collar, salt of the earth. You know, everybody knows everybody. You go, no matter where you go, everybody knows one another. Great food, great restaurant, great seafood. So it was just tailor made for us. But you know, I used to drive the players, we’re going to go out in the community. We’re going to go here, there, everywhere. We’re going to be seen everywhere, right? And of course, you know the likes of people like Billy Ronson. I brought him over. He settled here. God bless him, and you know was an important part of our success. The great Stemankovich, God bless him, who passed away, and people like. By the way,
Nestor Aparicio 13:22
stand the man. I don’t want to be too interruptive because I want to keep you going. I explained to my wife that literally when the tournament was happening and we were playing Bosnia, Herzegovina, and some other of the Baltic kind of countries, I looked up Tito Uzze, and I knew that name from reading John Hawkins and working at the News American during Stand the Man, and I explained to my wife that there was this man who came from Yugoslavia, and I was trying to figure out which country, Croatia, where that would be at this point in the world, geographically, and the wars that happened there, and the lives lost, and these soccer players that were just amazing that you brought to your league. And I said to my wife, he was overweight. He chain smoked. He ate pizza and drank beer. And he was the greatest soccer player I ever saw on the ball on the foot in that game. That was, I said they called him the magician, and if you go watch the top 10 videos of him wearing that red and yellow and orange thing that you guys created with Blast Mania, that it was extraordinary. And my father, who thought soccer was not even a thing. Fell in love with your sport, and I told my and I’ll tell anybody. My mother only had a crush. My mother, my not my mother, I lost only had a crush on one man. It was you. My mother loved you. I don’t know if you know. I think I told you this. It’s this isn’t a secret, but my. Loved you. She would wait on Channel 11 for Chris Thomas to talk to you, and loved you. So, like, you sold it to people that didn’t even understand. The first time I went down there, we saw the Buffalo team play, and Danny Counts, Pollahan, that first team. My dad didn’t even understand what it was, but it said Baltimore on it, and there was this British guy that was bringing this new funky green turf thing, and I liked hockey. We knew our way to the arena, and my father fell in love with soccer much more than I did, and my mother fell in love with you. So, like, and here I am, all these years later, and we’re in love with each other. Coops,
Kenny Cooper 15:38
yeah, you didn’t. She didn’t tell you, Dad. I was so in love with it. No,
Nestor Aparicio 15:42
no, my dad. You know, listen. We loved soccer and we loved your team, and you know that. And Stan, the man, and the people, and I thought of Stankovic, and just all of the players, and you through this, and what you were trying to convey in America when you came here 56 years ago about this game, it’s here. It’s here for your grandchildren. Bravo for you and Pete and everybody else who sold it
Kenny Cooper 16:06
here. Yeah, yeah. My biggest disappointment, obviously, England losing, but the way the Americans played, they didn’t. They didn’t show up. They were overawed on the day. Very, very disappointed to see so many players go out there and and you know not respond. I mean, you. But I’ll tell you, I think part of the reason is is the the process of getting to the World Cup. You’ve got to go through different stages. But if you’re the host nation, you automatically don’t have to do that. You qualify. So all every other team around the world that qualified has gone through all these tough, difficult games, time zones, and but you know the states didn’t have to do that. I was super, super disappointed for the American people, and then I looked at some things up because it stuck with me for a number of days, and I thought to myself, you know what I’m going to do? I’m gonna put in the computer Mark Pulisics, right? Put his name in. I’m gonna put net worth, right? 50-8.5 million net worth, incredible. And in and I hate to say this because he’s a great guy, wonderful person. Didn’t show up, you know. And yeah, I think they let us down at the start of the tournament. I told my kids, I told my friends, my golf buddies, here’s my two teams, England and USA, for the final because I thought they had everything to play for. You know.
Nestor Aparicio 17:36
Well, the other part of this that I’m leaving out that’s a big part of this is your boy, and your boy in the U.S. team, and years ago, like it’s you brought your family here that became part of American soccer as well. And what MLS has been in this country, and Messi, Messi played in our football stadium eight weeks ago, you know, and the Miami thing as well, and Beckham bringing your game here in a way that you were a part of the NASL trying to bring Pele here and sell the game-it’s worked. That’s the amazing thing. It act, and and through all of it, the corruption of FIFA cannot be overlooked here. And my and the illness when you mentioned buying World Cup qualifiers. I mean, what did Qatar and Russia do? Right, literally.
Kenny Cooper 18:24
Yeah. No. I mean, it’s it’s been an overwhelming success, and I think Argentina will go on and win it. But everybody that I talked to is edging towards Spain. Then England play the day before. They play Saturday against France to see who finishes third or fourth. Now, when you finish third or first, second, third or fourth, everybody’s a winner, right? If anyone finished third or fourth, they’re still a winner. You know, they had a great tournament, and on the day they got beat by the best team.
Nestor Aparicio 18:55
Kenny Cooper is here. We’re sharing memories of soccer. I interrupted you once, Demankovich, but when you came here, fell in love with the city and had a little bit of money, but never had a lot. And I know that because I took you out in Little Italy one night. I thought you were richer than you were, all of you, all of you people on TV. But trying to make a business work here in an indoor arena, and I know the real history of this was we lost the Colts, and that really was a lane, and and that we we’ve talked about that. But Eckman, my friend and partner Bruce Share, his father Red Share, and Ed Hale keeping it alive all these years later in Towson. But just you trying to sell the game in a city that ached for something like that, that has led to the Santino Carantas and the younger players, and Pete even get into the Final Four over at UMBC and all of the young players and the female players here that have gone on to thrive. And we had a goalkeeper from Bel Air keeping goal, you know, for Team USA here. I mean, we’ve had. Marylanders on the team, many rioters and many players, right? So
Kenny Cooper 20:03
a lot of people forget it’s a it’s a it’s a great soccer city, Baltimore, Maryland. That area has always been a great area. I mean, did you feel
Nestor Aparicio 20:12
that when you got here in Highland Town and with immigrant kids?
Kenny Cooper 20:14
Absolutely. I remember we when after we had the press conference at in the civic center, I remember during when I was talking about our goals, our plans. You know what we’re going to be doing. I said, “I promise you one thing. I promise you a championship in four years. I think it will take us four years. And it was four years to the date. You know, we we had a winning record, and we won what three, four divisions, but yeah, I think. And then of course, like anything else, we peaked. The team peaked, and we have changes. The league changes a little bit. But you mentioned some very good names there. I mean, you know, Ed Hale. I’m a big fan of Ed Hales, really big fan. I think he’s done so much for the city, for the for the state, I think he’s done a tremendous amount. I know that I think he just ran for governorship.
Nestor Aparicio 21:06
He did.
Kenny Cooper 21:06
I spoke to Ed in that period of time, and I think he would have made a great governor because Ed is a tough guy, a very very smart guy. But his heart and soul, he loves loves Baltimore, loves Baltimore. And then you know, Red share. What can you say? I mean, he had the the horse aloma’s ruler, right? That run the business. Yeah, and then we made some great friendships. Chris Thomas and you and I were we’re all good friends. You know, Eckman. We used to go on a road trip because he did the play by play, and he he came to the airport with a small little leather bag with one pair of underwear and a shirt, right? A change of shirt, a character, a character in his own mind. But he, he was mr. Baltimore. We know this, right? I mean, he just loved Baltimore through and through, and but it’s it’s a big city, small town, and I’m very proud that my my kids were were born there. You know, family, a lot of great years, almost 17 years, and it was. I always remember saying to Irene, “You know, we what? Where do you want to go? And at the time, a father wasn’t doing, a mother wasn’t doing well. She’s very, very, very ill. I said, “Look, let’s let’s go back to Dallas, and it’s turned out fine. The kids are at Joe’s here. A man is here. Kenny’s here. So we’ve got our kids around us. Molly lives in Grosbeck, which is two hours away. Molly married a rancher, right? So she’s got horses and cattle, and you know.
Nestor Aparicio 22:34
You’ve lived a great life, man. You really have. You’ve lived like five different lives, haven’t you? Yeah,
Kenny Cooper 22:40
I absolutely have. I have no complaints at all. God has been good to me. He’s been good to my family, and my family is. A lot of people know is a pretty spiritual family. We believe that everything comes from that. I’m not here to to turn religious. I’m just saying that you have to have your beliefs. You have to have a place to call home. You have to have somebody you believe in, you have to have somebody that loves you, right? And I think that’s what we’ve we’ve tried to do. And in return, you know, we’ve done a lot for the game, but so so have a lot of other people. You know, people like Stankovic. You know, Billy, God bless him, Billy Ronson, Keith Van Aaron, Scott Manning. You know, Scott Manning had a sensational series in the championship against St. Louis. But I think I wish I wish I could have won more championships because we went to we went to five championship games and and we only won one you know that’s a coaching disappointment for me but no I wouldn’t change nothing in my life and loved every minute of moving to America greatest decision I probably ever mean
Nestor Aparicio 23:41
well. Jungle and Julie V had a little bit to do with it, right? I mean, yeah, they were good teams.
Kenny Cooper 23:45
Oh yeah, yeah. Ron Newman, God bless him, and Dom Popovich. It’s just, yeah. I mean, the league was a tremendous league. I mean, when you think about the sellout crowds in the arena, yeah, I mean, some great games. You know, we got national television. It was fun to build something to, and it’s still alive and kicking. It’s maybe not where it used to be, but you’ve got Ed Hale there that I think it will keep pushing and pushing and pushing. And I think now that outdoor soccer is truly cemented here, it’s you don’t see people. A person said to me today at lunch. The only thing I don’t like about soccer is the players are flopping all over. I said, really? Well, let me tell you something. Have you ever you’ve been hit with nose pads on, like in American football, they wear pads and helmets. You’re out there. The ball hits you, knocks your teeth out, breaks your nose, tackles. You know, flying all over the place, and then they say, “Well, the players are rolling. I said, “What do you think they’re supposed to do? They just fall on the floor, faith first, right? But no, wouldn’t change nothing, my friend.
Nestor Aparicio 24:53
- What do you remember about that?
Kenny Cooper 24:56
I tell you, I was 20 years of age. England played Germany at Wembley. They finished up winning the game four two in extra time. Jeff Hurst scored an atrick Gordon Banks, a great Gordon Bank, was the goalkeeper. It was just it it changed it changed your way of life to see the biggest event and England win against an arch rival Germany. I mean, you live off that for years, and I think America will live off this World Cup for years and years.
Nestor Aparicio 25:30
Where were you that day? 60-six.
Kenny Cooper 25:32
I was in Black Blackpool, England, with my family. Watched the game on television, black and white TV, I may say. Right, no color, black and white TV, right? My dad was having a beer, right? And I was a little bit too young to drink at the time. So, but yeah, you were great
Nestor Aparicio 25:51
soccer. You were a great goalie at the time. Like it was, it was your vocation. It was your dream, right? To play.
Kenny Cooper 25:57
Yeah, yeah. I was blessed because I wasn’t overly big for a goalkeeper, you know. I was 510 that type of thing.
Nestor Aparicio 26:04
You weren’t a candidate for the national team.
Kenny Cooper 26:07
Yeah, yeah,
Nestor Aparicio 26:08
right. Okay,
Kenny Cooper 26:10
yeah, and as you know, soccer in England. I mean, you’ve been over there. You’ve seen it’s just a way of life, right? It’s a way of life. But I’ll share this with you and the listeners that when my my kids Kenny and Joe and Molly took me to the game at Jerry World, I said, “Guys, I I can’t climb all those stairs and elevate. And and they said, “Hey, no problem, Dad. Joe went and come out with a a wheelchair, right? And to I tell you the truth, my ego was a little bit too much to sit. I said, I can’t, I can’t do it, guys. I, I don’t know. I’m going to bump into, and and I said, no, I got to do it because I won’t see the game. Everybody was so frigging nice, right? You’re
Nestor Aparicio 26:53
loved. I love you. That everyone who listens to this piece loves you. You need to know that. That’s true.
Kenny Cooper 27:00
And I appreciate all that, and I I can definitely feel that, and I and for that I’ll always be. I wouldn’t
Nestor Aparicio 27:05
fake it, would I?
Kenny Cooper 27:06
No, I
Nestor Aparicio 27:07
wouldn’t fake it. No,
Kenny Cooper 27:09
not at all. But it’s like it’s like where do we go from here now? The problem with the World Cup, it’s only every four years, and I hope that’s what the
Nestor Aparicio 27:18
suffering part is, right? In the back. So for me, I just got back from Argentina. You know I’m Venezuelan. You know I’ve always had a Messi thing for 20 years. That if I could have gone to a game that somebody would offer me a ticket to say I would want at any point the last 20 years. Now I went to a couple games in ’06. I had a chance. I’ve had several chances to see Messi play, and I haven’t. I screwed up that game down in Houston that he played a couple of years ago, so I had chances. There was a friendly where Argentina played Brazil at MetLife, and he scored like three goals. And it, but I didn’t. It was 100 degrees. I found excuses to not go. So I’ve never seen Messi play. I shouldn’t even admit that. It’s it’s embarrassing. But they already won. I went to Argentina about four months ago. I was in Buenos Aires having a nice a nice mall back to honor the coach and you and everyone else, and and a big steak. Get that fish. Give me a steak. So um, and I went all over South America and I felt the game again. Right, Colombia. I was in Medellin. I was in Bogota. It was all, and and they played well too. I mean, they they they took it to the end. A lot of teams. I mean, the Cape Verde, just so many great stories in this particular cup. But France already won, Spain already won. Cool. I’m I’m I’m not a hater of anywhere. I I want I want the best team to win, but there was something about me really wanting this for you and for all of England, and I coming that close for me. I’ll root for Argentina on Sunday, and I don’t, you know, I don’t really have a dog, and and I’d like to see Messi be in that conversation with Pele in that way with another World Cup. But it it is the suffering of waiting for you. I mean, I think that that’s the thing, the the finality of it, not just for you, but for Brazil, but you know places where they really thought they could. But Morocco made a nice run this year and really kind of had a team. You know they were teams. Norway. Look at the Norway. No better story than Norway, right?
Speaker 1 29:13
No,
Speaker 2 29:13
no
Kenny Cooper 29:13
question, no question. No, it’s it’s been it’s been the the best World Cup I’ve seen. I mean, I will be honest with you. I’ve really my son Joe he went to almost every game in in Dallas, right? And if he’s had a ticket to go down to Miami, he was on about going to New York, and the ticket prices, as you know, were out of sight, out of sight. But no, it’s just think that there’s only what two games left, right? Yeah, Saturday and Sunday, and I’m just pleased that I got to see live and in person.
Nestor Aparicio 29:51
Do you like replay the video, the review?
Kenny Cooper 29:54
Yeah, yeah, I do. Yeah,
Nestor Aparicio 29:58
I think it’s so hard when a guy’s. Getting kicked in the shin, taking a ball, and what what really happened? And we were always guessing. This is the first World Cup where I really feel like now they could go VAR and what happened with Argentina and taking the playback 60 seconds and saying there was a foul, and the fact that they don’t have a clock. I mean, the things that Americans look at and say, “Why is the referee? I mean, there’s some funky things in addition to the general corruption of FIFA, but this is one thing. And I say this about baseball with the strike zone and the box, they’ve made the game a lot better. You know, I’m a lifer baseball guy as an Aparicio. You’re right. They’ve made baseball better with television and review, and I feel like tennis got better when the lines and McEnroe didn’t have to yell anymore, I think soccer’s come a long way, and they got it real close. And especially with the obvious dives, and just trying to get a call right when you’re in a World Cup quarter, and there’s a billion people screaming, and a yellow card, a red card, a foul, even possession is paramount and dramatic, and and and in front of the world, and I and as a sport, a fan of sport, I just I always want them to get the call right before above and beyond anything. Yeah, get the call right, make the game fair.
Kenny Cooper 31:12
Yeah, you you’re always in contact sports. You’re all always going to have a judgment call, and they come down to, you know, the fans are looking at it. The referee sees one thing now. VARs come in, and VAR I think is one of the better things that’s happened. Some people say, “No, you got to do away with it. No, no, it’s it’s helped the game, right? I mean, I think this World Cup has not been as physical as other World Cups, you know. There wasn’t a lot of players sent off. The thing that I like is the fans, the fans from all over, even England and English fans, British fans can be very unruly, but they they were perfect gentlemen and ladies when we sat here in 80,000 people in Jerry World, right? But people-they could not be nicer. It’s a celebration
Nestor Aparicio 32:06
of the game. It really is. I mean,
Kenny Cooper 32:08
yes, it is a celebration of the game. Well said. I mean, I saw a
Nestor Aparicio 32:11
Sweden Trinidad game in 2006 Was the first World Cup game I ever saw in person. My wife and I and our friends Ken and Meg drove from Amsterdam into Dortmund, parked the car, went in, and there were Sweden people doing Swedish things, Trinidad people doing Trinidad things, people exchanging, and and I have video of us right before the kick with the Czech Republic in the USA, and this is in 2006. We’re we were in Gelsenkirchen in the dome, and I had the video out, and Meg was exchanging pleasantries with the Czech fans and friends with the fans in the stands, and that’s what I found 20 years later of the evidence of what it felt like to be there and bringing that back. And we got our ass kicked that day. But in a general sense, it’s it’s it’s it’s a beautiful game, and it sucked me in again. It really did.
Kenny Cooper 33:02
Still is a beautiful game. Yeah, well said. Yep.
Nestor Aparicio 33:05
All right. Well, I love you. I got one last question for the road, other than your family, and I want you to give me a whole update on that. But this Washington Nationals thing, it has come to me that we’re 21 years into having baseball in D.C. and I know you were part at one point about Northern Virginia and baseball. Do you have any story you want to tell there? Because the trajectory of this franchise and the baseball team that we’re going to be talking about, trade deadline, under five, Adley Rutschman All Star Game, all the things I’ve been doing this week, that baseball owned this city as you would know it. You know, back in the day, and it was such an ownership of the region that your friend Collins had a little thing with Major League Baseball that really begat what the Nationals became, right?
Kenny Cooper 33:51
Yeah, yeah. Bill Bill Collins, wonderful guy. He was a chairman owner of Metrocor Communication Company, who I finished it when I retired working with Bill, is avid avid baseball fan. He had a minor league franchise in Greensboro, I believe, in Greensboro. Yeah, and he was pushing and pushing, and I think it’s part of the reason he didn’t get it at the end of the day. He missed out. You know, he had a great ownership group. I met them in Washington D.C. They had the wherewithal. They had the passion for the game, and just to see where I enjoy baseball. If you see, am I out in that average fan? No, I don’t watch every game, but I’ve learnt the increases of baseball. I appreciate it.
Nestor Aparicio 34:42
Being in Baltimore at the time you were in Baltimore, my goodness, right? Like it was-it’s the DNA. It it peek at me, Koop’s. You know what I mean? Like my cousin came here from Venezuela and brought my father, and here I am, all these years later. You know.
Kenny Cooper 34:55
You know, and I I knew we made it in Baltimore. We hadn’t been there very long. It was our first playoff game, and all the Orioles and the Colts came to the game. I remember meeting Johnny United for the first time. Tom Maddie, okay, it was just amazing how supportive they was, and we became we became good friends. I mean, Richard Samus, mr. Nobody, right? Town and Country Pontiac, one of our major sponsors. God bless him. I seem to be saying God bless him a lot because most of the people I’m talking about. I can bring
Nestor Aparicio 35:31
him back to life, Richard. I can, mr. Nobody, town and country. Kenny, tell him something. Tell him how things used to be.
Kenny Cooper 35:39
Is that pretty good? That’s pretty good. It’s pretty good. Pretty good. So let me ask a question. Sure. How are you? By the way,
Nestor Aparicio 35:46
he did a lot for leukemia long before my wife.
Kenny Cooper 35:49
Yeah. So. Yeah. A moment. Yeah, and his his precious daughter Diane. She passed away of leukemia. I was there at the time. Now I was doing
Nestor Aparicio 35:59
fundraising before I knew what it was about.
Kenny Cooper 36:02
There you go. There you go. And Richard and Dorothy-they did awful lot for Leukemia Foundation. And so, so did that’s not
Nestor Aparicio 36:09
rich, right? Jimmy Pappas, all those guys, right?
Kenny Cooper 36:12
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely.
Nestor Aparicio 36:14
I knew I was going to cry in this segment. I predicted that.
Kenny Cooper 36:18
No. So when you say our family family’s doing great, you thank God we’ve been all been healthy except growing old a little bit, which happens. I still enjoy my red wine, which my son Joe is red wine drinker, so we we enjoy a glass of red wine for any celebration, right? Even even when England lost, we we celebrated with a a little glass of whiskey, which was really nice. I enjoyed that too. A wee
Nestor Aparicio 36:48
bit, a wee dram, as they would say, right?
Kenny Cooper 36:50
Just a wee dram. But Baltimore was an important part of my life. It really was. It took me back to England because I loved where I’m from, you know, close to Liverpool, Blackpool, and just very, very similar to people. It’s the people that made the city what it is, and it’s it’s still the same. I’ve got great friendships there. Our neighbors were Mike Gill, who had a company called Americom, big supporter of the team, you know. And what used to happen is bizarre. You meet somebody as a coach, you meet an awful lot of people, right? And they always want to do something for you. Hey, meet for lunch. Let’s go out for dinner. Let’s go get some crab cakes, whatever. And and did finish up becoming sponsors, right? I mean, that’s how my relationship started with. You know, it was
Nestor Aparicio 37:36
a real, it was a real community team. You know, so were the Orioles. So were the Colts. It’s not that anymore, and it that’s unfortunate. You know, it really is,
Kenny Cooper 37:44
and that’s a shame. That is a shame because, yeah, I mean, a team can do so much for a community just for you know the general attitude of people changes when you know when a team wins. Oh, they’re up, they’re up for a week, whatever. I win. No, tell me
Nestor Aparicio 37:58
this. I’ll give you this. I’ve been doing this all my life, and you respect me enough to go to your son’s house to get a Zoom because you’re an old technology geek who’s 81 at this point, and we have a story to tell. And everyone within earshot of my voice and and this piece will know you’re alive and well in our friendship. I haven’t met the Orioles manager. I haven’t met the last four Orioles managers. I haven’t met the Ravens’ coach because they don’t want to know people like me.
Kenny Cooper 38:25
Oh no, no, no! That’s it’s the if they’re smart, they’d be the first people that meet. That that would be it. They, I can’t tell
Nestor Aparicio 38:36
you how poorly that I’m treated. I can’t begin to tell you how poorly I’m treated as a citizen, as a business owner, as a media member. It’s insane. It’s insane. And and all I think about are people like you and Gene Ubriaco and Barry Trotz and Phil Regan. Oh my! Let me take a moment. Phil Regan passed away last week. Former Orioles man. I mean, these are just some incredible people. My favorite people in life: Marvin Lewis, Brian Billick, yourself, coaches, and and and and leaders of. I would say leaders of men because it was a game of men, but leaders of men, as David Modell would say.
Kenny Cooper 39:14
Yeah, I think, I think, and that’s the one thing I’ve tried to inspire with my kids, is that the fact of being good people, being good leaders, right? Aim high, you know. Reach for the sun, and you’ll touch the moon, right? The attitude is is everything in life. I think it’s in my in my lifetime. I was, you know, self-educated. I I didn’t go to a big school, a small school. I had to go to work at 15 as a painter and a decorator, then train for playing soccer in in the evenings, and then I went on to become a professional. But it’s about the people you meet, right? And and Will Will Rogers. Used to have a good saying. I never met a person I didn’t like, right? But it’s again, it’s about surrounding yourself with good people. I think you know we have a close family. It’s a close knit family, thanks to Irene’s great wife, great mother, great grandmother. But it’s doing the right things, doing the right things, and making people feel good about themselves because it costs nothing; it’s free of charge to be nice, and we don’t have that today. Now, when you talk about media relations, and and we, you and I, have always had a great relationship, as I had with Sandy McKee and and John Hawkins and Chris Chris Thomas, because we could always separate an interview from our friendship, right? I knew that you had a tough job to do. To you know, we we lose a tough game, and you’ve got to ask tough questions, and and you’d have to come up with the answers. Have I made mistakes as a coach? Have I cost? Have I cost the blast of game here and there? Hopefully, not too many. But yeah, and that’s why I feel a little bit for the England coach because I’ve been I’ve been right there, but the media relationship and and the stars today that there’s not there’s not a lot in common, you know. There’s I think there’s a little bit of lack of respect both ways, and we wouldn’t have made it without you guys, people like yourself, Charlie Eckman, we wouldn’t we wouldn’t have made it. You was in our corner, and we and we knew that. But to to do that, we got to keep you in our corner, you know. Well, you had to be
Nestor Aparicio 41:32
in Baltimore’s corner to win me, right? Yeah, phonies, as as the coach would say, you know, ain’t no phonies around here, Koop’s. We ain’t putting up with that. Go to sleep with them cherries, Koops. I promised you that I would sing for you here on the show and in honor of England. So I would say na na na na na. Hey, Koop’s. All right. right, all right. Is that good?
Kenny Cooper 42:04
That’s brilliant. Hey Koop’s,
Nestor Aparicio 42:06
don’t make it bad. Take a song, sad song, and make it better. All right. I love you. I love you, man. Be good. You always
Kenny Cooper 42:13
do. Take care of yourself. Look after yourself. God bless you, my friend.
Nestor Aparicio 42:17
Kenny Cooper, guest on this program. It doesn’t get better than that for crying out loud. We, you know, we had blast extra back in the day. There is your England Three Lions Extra there for you coming on the november 1 in the Baltimore Evening Sun. We’re doing the Crab Cake Tour next Friday. I will try to withhold my emotions properly at Pizza John’s at Essex over the cheesesteaks, and I might have some French fries with some gravy because I’ve been really good lately. Planet Fitness has been good for me. I’m leaving Koop’s to get on the hot yoga mat tonight. I’m feeling lean enough and mean enough, and in the aftermath of potentially Argentina winning another cup, I’m gonna have some French fries and gravy. We’ll see you, Peach John. It’s all brought to you by our friends at Farnham and Dermer, and our friends at GBMC, keeping it local and real with a great soccer conversation. Is this grandkids Koop’s? Well, hold on, we got kids here. We got here. Yeah,
Kenny Cooper 43:08
this is my little granddaughter.
Nestor Aparicio 43:09
Hi, how are you? You’re beautiful. Look at that. This
Kenny Cooper 43:12
is Eleanor. Eleanor, and then Joe’s over here. You
Nestor Aparicio 43:17
guys are on in Baltimore for all 10 of my listeners. Good to see you, man. Take care of yourselves. All right, you guys. Man, the best thing of USA and England together, right? In Baltimore, all year. It’s Baltimore positive. Stay with
