John McCain-Bob Ley interview - excerpts for Tuesday Morning SportsCenter

By April MacIntyre Sep 16, 2008, 3:39 GMT

Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, his wife Cindy McCain and Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama are greeted by first responders in the on the site of the 911 terrorist attacks in New York City, USA, on 11 September 2008. The USA marks the seventh anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, when terrorists hijacked airliners and flew them in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. EPA/TIMOTHY A.CLARY / POOL

ESPN's SportsCenter interviewed Senator John McCain.

The Republican presidential nominee had a one-on-one interview with ESPN SportsCenter anchor and Outside the Lines host Bob Ley, which will debut on Tuesday’s 9 a.m. ET SportsCenter.

McCain and Ley spoke prior to the Sunday, Sept. 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup race in the garage area at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

EXCERPTS FROM THE McCAIN-LEY INTERVIEW

Bob Ley: “You were a boxer. I know you love the sport. You had a role in several pieces of legislation. What is the state of the sport that you love so much?”

Sen. John McCain: “I don't think it's as good as it could be. I think pay per view has had unintended consequences as well as intended, and it has narrowed the viewing audience. You see this ultimate fighting filling in a bit of a vacuum there. I'm a proud conservative, I still think it is the sport that needs a union because these are the people with the shortest spans of participation. They need to have retirement benefits, and they need it as badly or worse than any professional sport.”

Bob Ley: “There was a point several years ago you were proposing legislation to ban wagering on college sports in Nevada. Why did that die and why do you think that still might be needed?”

John McCain: “I think one reason is Americans like to wager. But I also think that we have seen from time to time this temptation overcoming some young athletes. So we need to watch very carefully. But frankly, that legislation isn't going to pass, so let's do everything we can to make sure these young athletes are aware of the temptations that are out there.”

Bob Ley: “I'd like to talk to you about drug testing and baseball. We all remember the senate hearing you were chairing, and your conversation with Don Fehr. How important was Congress in moving baseball and other sports off the dime in that issue?”

John McCain: “Fortunately we have moved forward with meaningful reform. But you know, and everybody watching knows as well as I do, there's somebody in a lab right now that's trying to be one step ahead.”