THC: Would you say remaining true to yourself and embracing your off-camera personality is a necessary aspect of your job on TV?

SS: Definitely. Anyone who is successful at this job has to do that. Chris Berman on-camera is the same guys he is off-camera. Bob Costas on-camera is the same guy he is off-camera. But I'm not going to get on TV and be Bob Costas because that's not who I am. I think Bob Costas is one of the best in this business, but I'm not going to get on TV and act like Bob to try to be good because that is not my personality. In the same way, Bob can't get on NBC and start talking about somebody trying to playa-hate somebody because that's not who he is. I'm just down-to-earth in real life and that is what comes across on-camera.

THC: You grew up in Chicago and North Carolina and went to college at UNC. You must have been buffeted by sports as a child and a young adult. What are your fondest sports memories from your childhood and what do you view as defining sports moments of your youth?

SS: I have a few. I really remember my first baseball game. I was about five years old and my dad and his brother, my Uncle John, took me and my brother to a White Sox double-header against the Oakland A's. Vida Blue pitched the first game for the A's. I remember my dad and Uncle John talking about the A's trading Vida Blue to the White Sox in between games and that he would pitch the second game for the White Sox. I thought "Alright, it's going to be cool for the White Sox to get a black pitcher," and I couldn't wait to get to my seat and wait for Vida Blue. Of course they were kidding, but I really remember looking forward to Vida Blue.

Another memory I have--and I don't even know if you know this--was when the Super Bowl Champions played the College All-Stars. I was at the last game at Soldier Field in 1976. My grandfather took me and my brother and my two cousins. It rained so hard they cancelled the game. I had never seen a football game cancelled because of rain. I remember sprinting back to the car--the four kids and my granddad--and my granddad took a spill in the parking lot.

And, of course, I remember sitting around the TV with my brother and cousins the night of April 8th, 1974, when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record. Those are the things I remember that happened. I also grew up playing sports, but if you ask about sports things I did, then we'd be here for two hours (laughing) 'cause I was All-World, All-Everything….

THC: That sounds interesting, but I don't want to keep you that long. Anyway, aside from being All-Everything in sports at UNC, you were also a good sports reporter for the local radio station. Being a sportswriter myself, I was wondering if you had any advice for current sports reporters on how to succeed and continue doing with what we love.