So, John Tory has apparently given his final answer, he’s not running for Mayor of Toronto after all. Well, that may just do it. This could be the first time I don’t vote. I have no faith in any candidate, I think it was Brewsters Millions where the line was vote for none of the above.

Anyways, back to the world that we care about…

So Jeff Lumley has a co-host, they call it a guest, for the last couple of days. First I heard Jeff Blair then today Dan Dunleavy. Couple of thoughts. First, Dan Dunleavy should be hosting the show. He is a way better interim host than Lumley. Second, if your going to give Lumley a co-hose (guest) then Lumley needs to shut his yap from time to time, to, ya know breathe and give the other person a shot to speak. Yesterday with Jim Lang they did a pretty good football segment. Both Blair and Lumley together were good with Clubber Lang. This morning Dan Dunleavy and Lumley did a segment with someone from football weekly magazine (I believe that’s where the guy was from), in any event, Lumley used the exact same bits and made the exact same comments from the interview the day before.

If your sticking with him in the interim, giving him a co-host is good. It brings a totally unlistenable show to the decent or okay in my mind. It is still a long way where the previous show was. I will say this, I liked Dan Dunleavy this am. I like Jeff Blair too. I like Bruce Arthur on PTS as well. I’d like to see either Arthur or Blair as a permanent number 2 host a lot. I think Dunleavy should get a bigger role.

Do you remember Gord Stellick? Well, maybe you can actually go home again, especially if you never leave. Not that anything is “imminent” but tongues are wagging that Stellick could be brought back to the Fan 590 in a role that I think he would be perfectly suited for., pre and post Toronto Maple Leafs games. PTS with Mccown ends at 6, put Stellick on from 6-7 on game nights and then he picks up after the game too. In my opinions it’s a great fit. He knows the game and fans like him and he’ll probably get some good pre and post interviews. I asked the Fan’s Collins about the move and he would only say that he is focused right now on the 6 am to 6pm window. So, is it happening? I don’t know. I know that lots of people are talking about it and I think it would be a great move.

Still with the Fan, Collins did say that there are no new developments on the search for a morning team. Andrew Krystal is in town and he and Greg Brady are probably starting to get primed for their Fan 590 debuts. Will be interesting to see who takes over the morning game.

Meanwhile up the dial at 640 Toronto, I am hearing lots of interesting things. First is that at least according to those talking, the odds on favourite to replace Greg Brady as host of the Bill Watters show is…. Bill Hayes. The bigger question is, what exactly does that mean. I’ve heard a few different interpretation here is the most common: 640 is going to wind down, at least for the present it’s sports programming. It will continue to do the Leafs game while it owns the right to do so, but after this contract it will punt- at least according to this theory. Perhaps, the story goes, at least as far as opinion from those on the street is that they will hope that Mr. Watters realizes what is on the horizon and a settlement is made releasing him from his contract. Reminder, this is far from fact, it’s merely conjecture. 640, the opinions go, will focus primarily on talk.

The other theory is that perhaps this anti-sports movement will only be short lived. Those who are telling me this opine that perhaps the station forgoes sports programming until such a time as Watters current agreement expires, the Leafs contract expires and perhaps takes a run at some Fan590 on air talent at some time down the road with a revamped sports offering. Again, this is conjecture only.

Personally I think there will be some telling signs over the next couple of weeks. If for example 640 sticks with Hayes, it’s a sign to me that perhaps they are indeed going to reduce the sports focus. Leafs lunch is gone, and no big name in the host slot with Watters screams of white flag waiving to me. Conversely, if a new host is named and they do go after some other talent right now with sports experience then it will likely mean that they aren’t forgoing sports at all. Several people are looking at one Howard Berger as a trigger/signal. If Berger were to magically head to 640 to replace Jonas as the Leafs beat guy, AND they brought in another host for the BWS- it’s game on. Personally I have no knowledge of Berger looking to move or being approached, it’s purely conjecture.

On the flip-side, if 640 sticks with Jonas and Hayes…well don’t look for sports banter for that much longer. At least according to those opining these days.

This has been a dull couple of weeks here in town. Hopefully things will pick up soon. Hope you enjoy these radio rumblings- good banter from this seat.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Well, this has been an interesting couple of days hasn’t it? The changes that we told you about long ago finally came to fruition, at least in part. Major changes at the Fan 590 took place today, after they started at 640 Toronto over the last couple of days. 640 started this off by announcing the end of Leafs Lunch and then with the termination/departure of Greg Brady. Today, the Fan’s Don Kollins cleaned house.

Gone from regular duty are, Don Landry, Gord Stellick, Mike Hogan, Brian Angus and Rick Ralph. That is all that really happened today, and while I understand while some people are upset with the lack of announcement or formality from Kollins, I happen to have a lot of respect for the silence and think it’s the right thing to do.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Kollins this afternoon and I could tell this wasn’t his finest or proudest day. Firing people, no matter how long they have worked at a place sucks. Strip away all the bs and you are dealing with the 2nd most important thing in a persons life, their livelihood (the first being their health). When you are the new guy and you are charged with making changes it isn’t easy.

However, as Kollins said, he wasn’t brought in to be popular and he wasn’t brought in to be nice. He was brought in to produce and therefore as a result this is what he thought he had to do. It sends like Kollins has looked at tons of reports, statistics and focus groups before making the moves he did today. I got the sense that he realized what many of us did, the station had become stale and that despite some shows realizing gains in one book or another it became irrelevant when compared to the overall trend.

The reason nothing has been said formally is that today isn’t the time to say anything formally. I am sure there were lots of long faces at the radio station today and I am pretty sure there are nervous people as well remaining. Nelson Millman, the man who built the station, it is said treated those who worked there like family. Perhaps to a fault. Everyone may not have loved Millman but they certainly knew and respected his loyalty. Millman is now over at Sportsnet and one can see the same thing over there. Millman’s been there for a few months and he has yet to make noticeable change at least in the talent department.

Different styles, different roles, perhaps different goals or objectives.

Kollins has a clear view for where he wants the station to go and what he wants it to be. I think he wants his talent to be sports oriented BUT well versed enough to talk about the issues that the stations listeners are talking about. I think if I heard him correctly, it’s not just sports but it’s guys talk too (sorry ladies). Perhaps the best or most interesting thing Kollins said to me is that if the station is going to be called the Fan, then it should be about the fan and include the fan.

As for the future… Well, here’s what I know and here’s what I think. Jeff Lumby steps in to the morning role as a fill in. Kollins will look far and wide for a morning show candidate or team that is premiere. Although not in the bag yet, and Kollins wouldn’t confirm, I firmly believe that Andrew Krystal is the guy coming to the Fan 590 to fill what was the Hogan slot. Greg Brady will eventually fill the host role on Hockey Central- with Darren Millard apparently filling a panelist role and eventually the one hour slot from 2-3 (Brady that is not, Millard). The timing for Brady’s start is up in the air as I am sure there are non-compete clauses (damn lawyers) in his contract that may preclude him from taking to the Fan airwaves anytime soon. Brady will likely get a few opportunities to prove his fit in the coveted morning slot- but it’s not his gig right now for sure.

Mccown, as we told you will start at 3 and carry on until 6. 6-7 is going to be a combination of pre-game shows (Blue Jays, Raptors – Maple Leafs?) and some PTS repeat.

Mike Hogan, it sounds like will remain Mr. Argos. Eric Smith Mr. Raptors. Both may do some fill in when or as necessary. It sounds like Jack Armstrong is probably a little bit relieved from having to make the daily trek to Toronto from down the QEW. Family time is never a bad thing if one can afford to spend it right?

I will say this, and it’s worth listening to if you can find it- Armstrong and Smith opened their show with tremendous dignity and respect today. Perhaps as best as I’ve ever heard anyone considering the day that went on. They were respectful and really said all the right things. To be honest, Smith said it best when he said something that got echoed by both Kollins and another sports media personality to me today: Smith said that there was a tremendous lack of continuity in the mid day slot at the fan. Both he and Armstrong were traveling a ton and that made things difficult. Kollins echoed that in saying that he really was looking for someone to be in the drivers seat from 12-3. He believes he has found that in Brady.

Let me say this about Brady, as I heard him a lot in Detroit. I know a ton of people think he is a puckhead – a hockey only guy, but I think you need to step back and look at the role he has had while in Toronto. He worked with Watters. He worked at a station that’s only real sports direction is hockey. I can tell you that in Detroit, Hockey comes after the other majors sports. Even as popular as the wings were, unless they were late in the playoffs they were not the primary topic on WDFN or on Brady’s shows (ice time – a hockey centric show excepted of course).

I am stunned that Gord Stellick was let go. I didn’t see that coming at all. I saw changes to the morning show, I sensed Landry would be gone, but not Gord. Everyone LOVES Gord. It certainly sounds like Stellick was caught by surprise too. Personally I hope he lands on his feet and I think he would be great with Watters.

I am not sure what to think about Landry. For months the rumor was he didn’t want to do radio anymore and I think it showed at times. Whatever he does I hope he does it soon and he enjoys it.

I get the sense that Hogan isn’t done at the Fan. It certainly sounds like he will remain the Argos guy and do an Argo show. That’s good because he’s good at it, he’s passionate about it and I don’t think anyone else in this town could do as well. Personally, I think his show has been way better since he lost the sidekick. I think the slot he was in was tough, especially for a sports only show.

This may sound nuts, but the two guys I really feel for are Rick Ralph and Brian Angus. Ralph hasn’t had an easy year and I thought he did a good job reading the news. I hope he is able to find something soon. As for Angus, the producers really are the worker bees. I have no clue if he was good, liked or otherwise, but we’ve heard about ‘mumbles’ for a long time. I don’t think too many people keep those types of jobs for a long time without being good. It seems like he was just getting his feet wet on air and I hope he find work soon too.

So, I think we need to let the dust settle. It sounds like there is going to be more noise and news in the coming weeks and months. Keep in mind that this is the dead time in the industry anyways.

I will have lots more tomorrow, but let me leave you with two thought for the night. I am told that Jim Kelley is really unwell. I know that he was in town recently and he did some studio shows and I wanted to wish Jim again best of health in whatever he is battling.

Lastly, for those who wonder why Mccown gets the big bucks, listen to the way he started his show tonight. The guy is a pro. I don’t care if your in the love him or hate him camp, his start tonight was fantastic. He was brutally honest, sincere and well, from the heart. Either that or he is one hell of an actor and I’m not buying that. I’ve tried to capture most of what he said, the link is below too…

When I started TSM three years ago next week, it was because I felt there was a lack of balance and fairness in the main street sports world in this town. The only reason this website is still going is that many of you come back every day and are kind enough to send words of encouragement, comments and feedback on a regular basis. I’ve fought the resistance to join the other fantastic blogs in the sports world and I’ve tried to stay focused on the sports media scene as best as possible. While the last few weeks were fun to cover and talk to lots of people, I am mindful that people lost their jobs and that sucks. To them, I’ve tried to be fair and balanced in my comments and critiques and I hope to be able to do so again when you take to the air again. To those who support this site

THANK YOU!!

Here’s what Mccown had to say today:

-Difficult day for those of us at the station especially for those of us who have been at the fan since inception.
- truth is there have been changes over the years, not dramatic, tribute to people and management- management have stuck with people here- many have moved through, many have moved on to great things.
-Mentions almuni who have gone on to great things
- Significant number of the core group you won’t hear on the fan
- today was one of the those days in radio
-maybe not all the right decisions were made
-I’m not sure whatever the plan is will work and my feelings and sympathies goes out to those effected today-
-from experience this company has fired me 2 times
- no worse day than today, tomorrow will be nominally better and the next day….
- i’ve had the great fortune in the times I have been fired, i’ve taken a step backwards at first but ended up at least 2 steps ahead
- these were good people
- i ran into landry and stellick 2-3 times a year
- there is a bond though because of what we do
- I suspect none of them is listening, hard to watch and or listen to the place you leave
- for the record, I think we all wish them well, those of us here and those of you listening
- this was a hard day
- couple of changes have been announced
- I don’t know the people who have been announced
- I trust decisions that were made were calcualted but I can’t speculate
- I don’t know that it has been confirmed that this program will change it’s time on July 19 from the slot it has been from the beginning to 3-6 and on occasion you may get a repeat of this show from 6-7
- were going fro 3-6, I am unconvinced that this is a good idea. We are going to try it, we will gauge your response and others involved. I have no idea how this will impact the television.
-this is a day of difficulty, a difficult day for everyone here, not nearly as difficult as for those who have left us
-we thank them for their friendship and what they have provided us as listeners for while the group that is here that delivers programming we also listened to those who have left.

Listen to Mccown

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So…..

This is what I am hearing the new Fan 590 lineup looks like for now

6-9 Morning show with some fill ins until permanent replacement is found
9-12 Andrew Krystal
12-2 Hockey Central with Greg Brady as host
2-3 The Greg Brady show
3-6 Prime Time Sports with Bob Mccown
6-7 Blue Jays/Raptors pre-game

More details later in the day including commentary

So, as we told you around 4pm, the winds of change have finally blown through 2 Toronto radio stations.

Greg Brady has left 640 Toronto for what we can only assume are “greener” pastures over at the fan 590. All references to Brady appear to have been removed from the 640 Toronto website.

Nothing is entirely clear right now, but as I wrote earlier, here is what I think is going to happen:

Changes are going to happen to the morning show. I am pretty sure Brady isn’t going there. I am lead to believe that Don Landry’s contract is set to expire some time soon. Gord Stellick’s I believe has at least another year remaining.

Despite Krystal’s denial, I do believe he will end up at the Fan and I do believe he will sit in the slot currently held by Mike Hogan.

I do believe that Brady will take over part of the hosting duties of hockey central at noon and host part of the mid day show at the Fan leading up to Mccown’s prime time sports.

As for who takes over for Brady, I have no clue. There probably isn’t a shortage of guys who’d be willing to take the gig.

Brady confirmed on twitter his exit from 640 and the Watters show:

“Just wanted to say thanks for your notes. It was a real emotional day. 640 treated me remarkably, so classy, and my bosses were wonderful.”

“I will miss all the fun I had with Watters. He treated me golden, but this move is equally exciting & being home for family more is huge.”

“Not sure when I’ll be on the radio again or what exactly I will be doing, but I’m as excited as Dion Phaneuf was when he got traded here.”

So….that’s it for now….

Sticking with radio and 640 Toronto, I am curious what you all think about something I heard on their airwaves at roughly 740am today.

As you are probably aware, late last night the auction for the Paul Henderson team Canada jersey closed. The winning bid was in excess of a million dollars. The newspapers this morning had the sale, and the price but not the buyer. When I got in the car, I learned the following, the jersey was sold to a resident of Toronto, a Canadian man, a real estate magnate and the owner of a Vaughn shopping mall company. One station provided the owners name.

James MacPhee, 640 Toronto’s News Director read the story of the sale of the jersey. He read the story except he added at the end that the jersey was purchased by a “Jewish man from Toronto”.

Now, I will admit, I was driving at the time and I nearly drove into a pole with I heard MacPhee’s report. Let me be clear, I didn’t find the commentary to be rude, insensitive or in anyway based on hatred. What I did think was how irrelevant the comment was and my curiosity grew as to why MacPhee would even go there… I mean what the hell did the buyer’s religion have to do with anything?

So, I asked a handful of people this morning if I was out of my mind. All, without exception agreed that it was a bizarre comment to make and pushed me to inquire as to why it was made.

So I sent a few emails and ended up on the phone with MacPhee. MacPhee politely laughed when I asked him why he mentioned that the purchaser of the Henderson jersey was a Jewish man from Toronto. He offered that he “just threw it out there because he knew the buyer was Jewish.”

Now again…I am NOT suggesting any hatred, bias, racism or otherwise on the part of MacPhee or 640. I’m not looking for an apology. The question does remain however, why would someone make that type of comment while reading the news. If Mitchell Goldhar, the buyer of the jersey was Italian, or Irish, would the comment have been “the buyer is an Italian (Irish) man from Toronto”?

Maybe I am truly nuts. But it says here that MacPhee (who’s work I really like- I have written here before that I like the humor and life he brings to his work) said something stupid and that others with much thinner skin than mine would find tremendously insensitive… my advice- for the little that it’s worth…think before you speak.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

Score one for Bill Houston. As I’ve been saying for some time word on the street is that changes are coming sooner rather than later at the fan 590.

Bill Houston clearly still has his ear to the ground as his blog today is the first I had heard of george stroumboulopoulos taking over the morning show from at least Don Landry and perhaps Gord Stellick.

I was told, by multiple sources that changes weren’t going to be made initally to the morning show and that Steliick and Landry would like ride out their current contracts.

I have been told by a few people that someone else has been hired for part of the mid day programming, some time after the morning slot yet before Mccown takes to the air. I will share the name that I have heard later this week. So far folks directly at the fan have declined to comment.

Will it be george stroumboulopoulos and or someone else during the day???

Time will tell.

Lasyly kudos to Houston for the obituary of Fado.ca. Mccowns blog site. Didn’t notice it had been shut down.

Update: my radio gurus are telling me that george stroumboulopoulos to the fan will sell lots of banner ads but that it’s unlikely to happen. So there ya go. My bet on the number one reason would be cost. Fan isn’t looking to add another mccown type salary to the cost structure.. Again just a hunch.

More on whom I am hearing has been hired later

@yyzsportsmedia
Jmax1017

I listened into the Landry and Stellick Show this am. This is the first time in a very long time I felt really badly for interviewers. This has to be the reason guys like Mccown don’t like to interview athletes in general.

Seriously, the next time you can’t sleep, or are curious the pain of child labour or root canal listen to Carlo.

Every time he says Ummm or Ahhh drink. Please don’t drive after listening in….

Landry and Stellick talk to Carlo Colaiacovo is here

I don’t usually pay attention to my spam folder. However an email today from Mike S pointed me to a real gem from the good folks at the Fan590. They sent out a listener poll asking folks to rate local media personalities that I would have missed had it not been pointed out to me.

There were roughly 20 questions in the survey. The first portion of the survey asks you to listen to clips from several on air personalities and then rank how much you like or dislike that personality on a sliding scale from like to dislike. If memory serves me correctly the clips were from Don Landry, Gord Stellick, Mike Hogan, Bob McCown all from the Fan 590. Also included were Bill Watters, Greg Brady and Andy Frost from 640 Toronto. Added to the mix were John Tory, Kathryn Humphreys , George Stroumboulopoulos, Norm Rumack and another personality whom I think may have been John Moore. I may be missing a few and I am not entirely sure on the last one. The second part of the survey used the same ranking systems and the same personalities but this time users are asked to rate the personalities based upon names only. So the question would say something to the effect of how would you rate Gord Stellick as an on air personality and then the user would answer somewhere between the range of like and dislike. The funniest part of this segment to me was the fact that they misspelled Greg Brady’s name and have him listed as Greg Brody.

So, what should one make of this little survey? In all likelihood probably about as much as Chris Bosh’s twitter feed. However, it’s hard to ignore which personalities are included in the survey and which are omitted. For instance, I am curious why users weren’t asked about the hockey central guys or the game plan guys. With the exception of Mike Hogan (Argo play by play) none of the folks involved in actual team coverage were listed either. None of their “beat” reporters were included. I find it interesting that Rumack is included but Toth wasn’t. I find it extremely interesting that John Torey would be included. Where does Kathryn Humphreys , George Stroumboulopoulos and Moore fit in that survey? Why not include the other regular guests in addition to Humphreys? I mean why not Jeff Blair, Stephen Brunt, Bruce Arthur, Scotty Bowman, Glen Healey, Nik Kypreos etc?

I know there is a new program director at the Fan590. The survey is signed by him. It can’t be a surprise to anyone that he is taking stock on what he has and doesn’t have. One would think that the ratings books he gets would tell him all he wanted to know. I give lots of credit to the powers that be at the Fan590 for at least asking the question of those who listen to the station. How much credence the results are given will never be known. To me it’s just another sign that changes are on the horizon.

Lastly, a couple of good articles worth reading…

First Bruce Arthur’s article about tasering is pretty funny.

Jeff Blair’s article on Chris Bosh twittering is good too

Really sad to hear of the passing of Ernie Harwell. I lived in Detroit for a spell and always loved listening to him call games. Harwell’s passing is a sad reminder of a time where radio play by play was an art enjoyed by people who just weren’t in the car. People used to listen to entire games because it was the only way to follow the game live. Harwell was a storyteller. Listening to him calling a game was as if you had invited him into your living room to describe the game. You felt like he was talking to you. There won’t be another Ernie because the medium no longer requires it. It’s too bad.

From Atlanta,

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

you can read and take part in the survey here

You know how I feel about that moronic article by Joe Cowley from Chicago. I think I made it pretty clear. When I saw on twitter that Cowley was going to be on the Fan590, I thought good- first- good on Cowley for being man enough for coming on and good on whoever was going to tell the guy off for making ignorant comments.

Now, I’m still impressed Cowley showed up and well, totally embarassed for the folks on the morning show at the fan.

Cowley comes on and says that Toronto is a great hockey town. He says this whole thing started during SARS when he was stuck in a hotel room and he said he felt that he was in a third world country becuase he couldn’t leave his hotel room. He said this while on the air with a Chicago radio station. After the fact he was approached by Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun who asked him if he really had said that he felt like he was in a third world country. According to Cowley, he said to Elliott that he did say it, but that he tried to provide context. Cowley told the guys that Elliott had no interest in listening to the story and that was because Elliott is part of the old boys network who doesn’t respect younger guys (again, according to Cowley). Clearly Cowley isn’t an Elliott fan. He then talked about Richard Griffin also having it in for him as Cowley has been coming to Toronto since the late 90′s.

When he was asked about the comments about Toronto as a baseball market, Cowley said that he feels that baseball isn’t working here. He pointed to the lack of coverage baseball gets, referring specifically to the poor placement in the newspapers; he mentioned that he was listening to a station after the Jays game (590) and that a caller suggested that the Jays need a new ballpark and the host said that a new stadium would only draw people for a year.

Stellick brought up other markets where baseball numbers are low, asking why Cowley was in essence singling out Toronto. Cowley said that its about more than attendance. He explained that In Toronto hockey is the most popular then soccer. Where does baseball fit in, he asked. Cowley then said that in the American markets where baseball is struggling there are huge economic problems. Here is where Cowley looses me, he claims that in the USA football is king (kind of like hockey here no?). He says that in Cleveland, where the economy has been especially hit hard, people are spending their sports money on Lebron and then on the Browns. Ok, I can buy that argument. BUT HOW IS THAT ANY DIFFERENT THAN HERE??????? I don’t want to debate where baseball is in the sports hierarchy. For arguments sake let’s say he’s right and it’s hockey, soccer than baseball. How is that different than Cleveland, where it’s basketball (only since Lebron arrived) then Browns and Indians? It doesn’t!

Stellick then brought up the same issue I did- the Chicago Blackhawks who were in the absolute basement of the NHL in attendance. Cowley said that Stellick was right that hockey was ignored for a while. Stellick pressed him on the issue, prompting Cowley’s weakest argument that it’s different with the Blackhawks because their an original six franchise – there’s a history there. Now that’s just crap. While Wirtz owned the Blackhawks the joke was that the only hockey fans in Chicago were season ticket holders. Despite the team being last or near it in attendance no one ever suggested the team be moved. Stellick rightly suggested that the Jays should be allowed to get back on track before concluding that the team be moved. To me Cowley’s arguments were baseless. I think he was easily challengable based on how he presented his case. The call then took a turn for the worse.

Let me preface it by saying that I know time is tight on radio. I know the hosts have commercials, traffic news etc to get to. However, this was a big topic and a coup for them to get Cowley on. Clearly they were up against a break, but man did Landry handle the rest of the call poorly. In my opinion he should have asked Cowley if he could stick around. He could have said, thanks for coming on, we disagree with you etc…. Instead he said, well, were out of time, maybe your a nice guy who’s trying to be funny and if so let me just say kiss my back bacon behind! Cowley was clearly surprised by Landry’s comment said something along the lines of whatever…

Now, I don’t know what Landry was trying to do or say. It appears that he, like many of us had our minds made up about the story and Cowley after the stories appeared about Cowley in the National Post and the Toronto Star. So I get Landry’s obvious attitude starting the interview. However, and I am not going to take sides on the Bob Elliott part, but let’s just say that the part about SARS does make sense. I know people who were stuck in Europe this week who said they felt like they were stuck in a third world country.

As I said above, Cowley was easily attack able on the merits of his arguments. Landry’s comment at the end wasn’t mean spirited as some have suggested, it was, unfunny and plain embarrassing. I really feel badly for Stellick. Apparently an apology was issued by Landry this am as people were emailing in about his comment. To be honest the apology should be made to Stellick. The proof, from my perspective came from the comment a long time sports personality left on this site: “Joe Cowley roasted your radio boobs the other day on this subject when they tried to ambush him about this. They had absolutely no retort and looked like dopey hosers.”

It’s hard to argue with that. The “retorts” available were many. Why Landry chose the one he did is quite surprising. Why not ask him to stick around? Up until then it was good radio. Given the subject matter lots of people would have written about it. I don’t get why Landry ended the segment the way he did. Oh well. Maybe we will hear more.

You can hear the interview here

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Listen to the Chat here

This is a hockey only city we are told. Our newspapers, television and radio stations cover hockey and the Maple Leafs almost exclusively. While the ACC may not be entirely sold out every single game, it certainly is close. Corporate tickets, sponsorships and advertising for the Toronto Maple Leafs are second to none in this market. We know more about the Maple Leaf players on a given day then any politician, actor and in some cases likely even our family and friends. The number of blogs covering hockey and the Leafs in this city is incredible. I swear when Al Gore created the internets the markets he envisioned were porn, travel, spam and of course Toronto Maple Leafs hockey.

I, like many of you weren’t alive the last time the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. I was in Maple Leaf Gardens when they los to Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings. I am told I was there in (was it 1978) when we did battle with the Montreal Canadiens. I spent most of my Saturday nights at the Gardens during the 1980′s and early 1990′s. While I am not a Gord Stellick stats guru, I never missed a game.

So, here’s the question for you fellow Maple Leaf fans: How low do they have to go? Where is your breaking point? Are we all so delusional that we will just keep coming back for more, year after year? Or do we have a tipping point. How many times have you turned off the tv at the conclusion of another year and said ‘That’s IT!- I won’t watch again. Yet you follow every off-season move. Come training camp, you’ve read every article and you even listen to the call in shows after the exhibition games.

We’ve seen it with the Toronto Blue Jays. I know, baseball, it’s not our game. I went to so many Jays games as a kid. I was there at exhibition stadium. I was at the game when Windfield hit the seagull. I was there opening night at the dome. All those years, the not so good and the good I went to games. I knew every stat and useless tidbit about every player on the Jays from inception until the time they canceled the World Series. After that it wasn’t nearly as fun. Ownership changed, Gillick and Beeston left and suddenly it wasn’t the same Blue Jays. That being said- my tipping point moment was JP. From the get go I hated him. He just reminded my of Montgomery Burn’s pesky little sidekick on the Simpsons. Every time he opened his trap I wanted to smack him. What did it for me as a fan was his attitude when he used to talk to fans. When he undressed the player on the other team and then when he made the comment about it not being a lie when the teller of the lie knew the truth. I was done. Now, I pay attention, but I am not certain I am going to go. I asked my son today if he wanted to go to a game and the 7 year old said no.

Like JP, I didn’t like JFJ either. I suffered through every miserable move and interview the guy gave. I bent, but I never broke. No matter how frustrated I’ve been, no matter how many times I’ve turned off the television – I always come back. WHY? I have no idea. I used to joke that my blood was blue and white. What is it about the Maple Leafs that captures our attention and our hearts? Why do we keep watching. I know the lovable losers thing. It’s got to be more than that though doesn’t it?

I’ve just turned 38. I said to a friend the other day, 2 years. The Maple Leafs have to be back on track to respectable by the time I’m 40 or I’m done. “Done?” he laughed, “You will never be done”! Personally, I hope Burke gets this team back on track in 2 years so I don’t have to decide. But, I ask you- what would it take for you to write them off? If the Maple Leafs finish dead last next year and win the lottery for the Boston Bruins, will that do it for you? Will 5-7 more years of non-playoff teams do it? If they play so poorly this year that they are a lottery team, missing the playoffs and Brian Burke loses his job (as Greg Brady predicts would happen if they are a lottery team next year) – are you done? If Phaneuf, Schenn, Kessel don’t improve, if Kadri can’t score and Gustavsson is the next Toskala- will you throw in the towel????? What would it take for you to walk away? Is there nothing so bad that could happen that you find another team?????????

I’m not hoping for any of this to happen. I remain helplessly devoted to the blue and white. I’m just curious where your tipping point is, if it exists at all.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia

What to do on NHL trade deadline when there aren’t many big fish available? Create buzz on what many thought was a dead issue. Brian Burke has said that he won’t ask Tomas Kaberle to waive his no trade clause. Tomas Kaberle has said he doesn’t want to go anywhere. Seems straight forward enough.

Nick Kypreos and Bruce Garrioch appear on Sportsnet this morning and start the banter. While they didn’t necessarily on where things stand they agreed that they believe that Tomas Kaberle will be dealt. They didn’t believe that the Kaberle camp has submitted a list of yet (one of the two suggested one was coming though).

Gord Stellick said on the fan 590 that he didn’t believe that anything would happen with Kaberle, or anyone else on the Leafs roster for that matter.

the guys at the fourth period have tweeted emphaticly that the Ducks inquired into Kaberle’s availability and were told he won’t wave his NTC.

Bill Watters is the one who brought reason to the scenario. Watters suggested that what could occur is that a list won’t change hands, and that rather Burke will get an offer he can’t refuse and he will take it to Kaberle’s agent. The agent will ask to talk to the team and either an extension will be worked out or no deal will be done. That my friends seems to make the most sense. I ask this rhetoricaly, after seeing this team last night, why Kaberle would want to stick around this season is beyond me given that he is a near certainty to be dealt this summer.

TSM

@yyzsportsmedia