One throw. One catch. A baseball in Anthony Rizzo’s back pocket. And 108 years of waiting, finally over.

My friend Sarah Spain joins REAL DEAL to relive the Cubs’ 2016 World Series win, ten years after she was there for every game. We go back to the Rajai Davis home run that made the worst seem possible, the rain delay, and the final out that still brings it all back.

Sarah also tells the story of a night in Cleveland after Game 6 with Bill Murray, Eddie Vedder, John Cusack and Chris Chelios. We get into Eddie delivering Cubs news straight from Theo Epstein, “momentum mai tais,” and a rain-delay proposal that could have pushed Game 7’s finish to the next night.

But what stays with me is Sarah’s gratitude: for being there, for sharing it with people she loves, and for getting to experience something generations of Cubs fans never got to see.

Welcome to Episode 024 of REAL DEAL! I’m Tony Reali, and I’m so happy you’re here.

00:00 The throw that ended 108 years

00:53 A friendship episode with Sarah Spain

04:08 What happens when the Cubs finally win?

09:23 Simply Irresistible: 108 years of waiting

11:54 Remembering the feelings, not the box score

13:20 The Wrigleyville sign, Game 7 tickets and staying hopeful

21:02 Rewatching Game 7 and the Cubs’ clubhouse stories

23:14 Dexter Fowler’s dream start

24:29 David Ross and a team built for the moment

29:03 A wild night with Bill Murray and Eddie Vedder

31:53 Eddie Vedder delivers the Schwarber news

34:23 Rajai Davis, LeBron and the Game 7 gut punch

40:04 The rain-delay proposal Tony can’t believe

42:15 Call It: the Cubs’ final out

44:33 Bryant’s grimace and Rizzo’s back-pocket move

47:13 Blind Food Chain: who deserves the most credit?

53:52 Sarah’s personalized Cubs phone case

54:16 Sarah Spain calls the final out as Eddie Vedder

55:20 Tony’s final thought: gratitude, not revenge

Subscribe for new episodes of REAL DEAL every Tuesday and Friday. You can also listen on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

One throw. One catch. A baseball in Anthony Rizzo&rsquo;s back pocket. And 108 years of waiting, finally over.
My friend Sarah Spain joins REAL DEAL to relive the Cubs&rsquo; 2016 World Series win, ten years after she was there for every game. We go back to the Rajai Davis home run that made the worst seem possible, the rain delay, and the final out that still brings it all back.
Sarah also tells the story of a night in Cleveland after Game 6 with Bill Murray, Eddie Vedder, John Cusack and Chris Chelios. We get into Eddie delivering Cubs news straight from Theo Epstein, &ldquo;momentum mai tais,&rdquo; and a rain-delay proposal that could have pushed Game 7&rsquo;s finish to the next night.
But what stays with me is Sarah&rsquo;s gratitude: for being there, for sharing it with people she loves, and for getting to experience something generations of Cubs fans never got to see.
Welcome to Episode 024 of REAL DEAL! I&rsquo;m Tony Reali, and I&rsquo;m so happy you&rsquo;re here.
00:00 The throw that ended 108 years
00:53 A friendship episode with Sarah Spain
04:08 What happens when the Cubs finally win?
09:23 Simply Irresistible: 108 years of waiting
11:54 Remembering the feelings, not the box score
13:20 The Wrigleyville sign, Game 7 tickets and staying hopeful
21:02 Rewatching Game 7 and the Cubs&rsquo; clubhouse stories
23:14 Dexter Fowler&rsquo;s dream start
24:29 David Ross and a team built for the moment
29:03 A wild night with Bill Murray and Eddie Vedder
31:53 Eddie Vedder delivers the Schwarber news
34:23 Rajai Davis, LeBron and the Game 7 gut punch
40:04 The rain-delay proposal Tony can&rsquo;t believe
42:15 Call It: the Cubs&rsquo; final out
44:33 Bryant&rsquo;s grimace and Rizzo&rsquo;s back-pocket move
47:13 Blind Food Chain: who deserves the most credit?
53:52 Sarah&rsquo;s personalized Cubs phone case
54:16 Sarah Spain calls the final out as Eddie Vedder
55:20 Tony&rsquo;s final thought: gratitude, not revenge
Subscribe for new episodes of REAL DEAL every Tuesday and Friday. You can also listen on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

REAL DEAL with Tony Reali is a sports culture podcast built around one irresistible moment at a time. A play. A clip. A photo. A legend. The cultural touchstones of sports that never leave us. Every episode starts small and goes deep into the story behind the story, the feeling behind the moment, and the human truth that explains why it's still living rent-free in our heads years later.

 

Hosted by longtime ESPN personality Tony Reali, REAL DEAL blends storytelling, humor, nostalgia, emotional insight, and unpredictable energy with guests who complete the story. Athletes, broadcasters, superfans, comedians, journalists and the people nobody else would think to call.

 

This is neither a debate show nor a recap show. It’s an evergreen sports culture format built around the moments, stories, and emotional chaos that keep sports alive, always.

 

REAL DEAL with Tony Reali is a sports culture podcast built around one irresistible moment at a time. A play. A clip. A photo. A legend. The cultural touchstones of sports that never leave us. Every episode starts small and goes deep into the story behind the story, the feeling behind the moment, and the human truth that explains why it's still living rent-free in our heads years later.
&nbsp;
Hosted by longtime ESPN personality Tony Reali, REAL DEAL blends storytelling, humor, nostalgia, emotional insight, and unpredictable energy with guests who complete the story. Athletes, broadcasters, superfans, comedians, journalists and the people nobody else would think to call.
&nbsp;
This is neither a debate show nor a recap show. It&rsquo;s an evergreen sports culture format built around the moments, stories, and emotional chaos that keep sports alive, always.
&nbsp;

REAL DEAL with Tony Reali

2016 World Series: Sarah Spain Relives the Night the Cubs Finally Won It All

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d3768ee6-79c2-4cef-a906-b4f0000e155d/transcript