Update

Well, as promised back from hiatus with a decision. Before I get into the decision, it's probably good to set the context of how the blog is updated. I rarely catch Prime Time Sports "live" from 4-7pm. Most of the time I listen to it via podcast at various times the following day. A few things have happened over the last few months:
1) I have two kids under 3, the youngest of whom has taken ill over the past few months
2) Increased responsibilities at work
3) Turning 35 recently has really made me take stock in my health including working out every day for an hour between 4-5

With these factors rearing their head, it's time for me to change perspective here.

I will be attempting a periodic review of Prime Time Sports especially when guests of interest appear on the show.

As mentioned, I do listen to Prime Time religiously, but have gone periods without the show, especially when I moved to Ottawa in 1993 and I couldn't find the show locally. Now with internet, 4 channel broadcasts, and 3 hour format made available to the nation, Prime Time is more accessible than ever. Not to mention Bobcats own website at fadoo.ca

I'm not entirely sure how long Bobcat will continue on Prime Time Sports. ...and part of the reason for me starting this blog was to pay homage and tribute to a broadcaster who I feel is one of the best in Canada, and certainly the best of my lifetime that I have had the privilege of listening to.

Hopefully this blog added to the discussion on a daily basis and will continue to attempt to bring further insight to Prime Time Sports. Should any of you wish to make contributions here, feel free to drop me a line.

Keep well everyone and talk to you soon.

2/8/10 - 200 posts later...hiatus and a possible change of format...

This is post #200 here at Prime Time Sports Review.

As you have probably seen around here lately, updates are becoming like Toronto Maple Leaf playoff appearance - few and far between!! Truthfully, the extra 4-5 hour broadcast has caused a bit of a disruption with the personal routine (whoever thought more McCown would be a bad thing?!?!) That in addition to a new workout routine have really played havoc with me listening to PTS as religiously as I have in the past. Although I still end up hearing the vast majority of the shows a week, it's difficult to keep up!

We will be on hiatus here at Prime Time Sports Review until the Olympics are over, failing some incredible McCown/PTS news. We are also evaluating whether or not to go to a weekly format to review Prime Time Sports. As always, feel free to email us if you are interested in guest blogging regarding anything surrounding Bob McCown or Prime Time Sports. ...also, feel free to comment at anytime about anything!

Before I sign off for the next few weeks, I wanted to offer my deepest condolences to the Burke family on the loss of their son Brendan. Amazing story between Brian and Brendan appeared in an ESPN article this past December. It is absolutely recommended reading for all parents and young adults.

As much as I despise the leafs, Burke has my deep respect even more so since the article was written - I blogged about it last year.

In the meantime, check out our friends at Total PTS. Some awesome inside info for you that you'd otherwise never here! Amazing job by them to let you "inside" PTS.

Signing off...(for now!)

Reaction to Phaneuf deal

Today was supposed to be catch-up day for PTSR, and instead Burke wrecks my plans with the Phaneuf deal. I keep getting asked about "the trade", so here's my thoughts. Leafs needed to act now. Absolutely no way Burke can afford a bottom 5 finish this year.

Add those two elements together and the flames and leafs were perfect trading partners.

Being married to a Calgarian, we watch Flames games very regularly and Phaneuf is nowhere near the defenceman he used to be (this year or last.) Leafs gamble on Phaneufs contract (6.5 for the next 4 years.) If he's a bust, leafs are in trouble with a contract that's iron clad. On the other hand, the Flames do get salary relief next year with most of the acquisitions from the Leafs being UFAs, and in this salary cap era that cannot be under estimated.

Sutter is probably one of the best minds in hockey. There's no way he lets Phaneuf go unless there is a problem and feels the contract is too much of a risk for the performance he is getting. On the other hand, Burke must feel he can 'rehab' Phaneuf and is willing to take a risk.

I spent the better part of the day listening to both Toronto and Calgary sports radio and was surprised that Leafs nation wasn't jumping for joy about this one and had skepticism about Phaneuf. On the other hand, Flames nation was generally upset that they did not receive more for Phaneuf.

Two other quick notes:
- The parallels between the Flames/Phaneuf relationship and Sens/Redden relationship is eerie
- Amazing work done by Darren Dregger from TSN on this trade, particularly from twitter end

Stay tuned to see what Bobcat thinks of the deal later on Monday at Prime Time Sports!

1/26/10 - Brunt back, Why the Cormier hindsight??

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: CNBC sports business reporter, Darren Rovell, Nick Kypreos from Rogers Sportsnet; Georges Laraque, former Montreal Canadiens forward, Buck Martinez, play-by-play announcer for Toronto Blue Jays games on Rogers Sportsnet; curler Jennifer Jones; Dan Shulman from ESPN.

Finally...Brunt is BACK! Feels like ages that he's been on. He shared stories about going to New Orleans and how amazing the experience was being there during the Saints victory on Sunday. The accounts he provides demonstrates why he is an amazing writer. He called the atmosphere in New Orleans "unlike anything that I have ever seen."

I'm not sure what the point is of McCown and Brunt attacking Hockey Canada and the IIHF retroactively for Cormier hit on the Swedish player during the World Juniors. You know what they say about hindsight, and I'm not sure where the outrage was during the World Juniors regarding the incident. I don't even remember it being discussed at the time by PTS. Perhaps a more intriguing discussion is why there was no media outrage at the time of the incident during the World Juniors.

1/25/10 - Anthopulos interview gone wrong

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Bruce Arthur
Guests: Toronto Blue Jays GM, Alex Anthopoulos, Rob Becker, lawyer; general manager of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Brendan Taman; Tom Tebbutt, Globe and Mail tennis reporter.

For a guy that spends his days critiquing, dissecting and analyzing the Jays (at least when baseball is the subject), McCown is really letting Anthopoulos off the hook with these early interviews. Perhaps it's due to the fact that AA is so early in to his tenure, but no real analytical questions for AA by McCown. Thankfully, Bobcat did take listener calls which for the most part were surprisingly really good!

Your thoughts??

1/21/10 -Eugene Melnyk, Senators, Cullen, TFC

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Basketball writer for the Globe and Mail, Michael Grange; Elliotte Friedman from "Hockey Night in Canada" on CBC, Eugene Melnyk, Ottawa Senators owner; Dan Shulman, ESPN broadcaster, Don Banks, writer for Sports Illustrated; David Branch, commissioner of the OHL; comedian Sean Cullen

It seems every time Melnyk comes on, McCown doesn't really talk about the Senators in any great detail, other than the cursory "how's the team doin'?" kinda questions. Melnyk always seems to be questioned about the PTS world more than anything. Since the tired notion of addressing the head shot issue was the topic of the week, that's what the conversation revolved around.

I thought Sean Cullen was the funniest thing on PTS in a long time! ...and Bobcat, just go to a TFC game the next time you get the opportunity. Or at least swear off of leaf games, will ya???

1/20/10 - @totalpts, McCown's fears

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Writer for the Globe and Mail, Jeff Blair; Michael Hiestand, USA Today media columnist, Mike Dee, CEO of the Miami Dolphins; ESPN's Keith Law, Ed Olczyk; Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo! Sports; Dr. Peter Jensen, mental training coach for Canada's Olympic women's hockey team

When I hear Pearl Jam or Oasis in the first hour on PTS, I know my bud Neil (@totalpts) who works at PTS is doing it for me (well, at least I think he is!) Only problem is sometimes it's a while before I listen to it via the podcast. But thanks in advance @totalpts. For those interested, check out his blog. I hope to have an interview with him in the future!

Another 'who knew' moment from the Bobcat. He has a fear of public speaking. PTS is his 'element', so he doesn't think twice about speaking there, but other than that, he does truly have a fear of speaking in public.

1/19/10 - Kypreos, Cherry, HNIC, Gillett, Global TV

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Jim Kelley, Sportsnet.ca columnist, Buddy Nix, Buffalo Bills GM; Rogers Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, Former owner of the Montreal Canadiens, George Gillett; Lyle Bauer, Calgary Stampeders president and CEO; professor at Montana State University, Michael Meyers.

The dinosaurs of hockey continue with Kypreos being one of it's class clowns. How he can defend the "culture" in hockey, and in turn, indirectly justify the Cromier hit is absolutely disgusting. The disdain I have for the protectors of fighting/head shots/hits from behind/the code is similar to the way I feel about republicans and leaf fans!

Maybe Kypreos is eying the HNIC job when Cherry leaves.

There's a lot in common with the UK press and the Montreal press, eh Mr. Gillett? ...and who knew McCown had a broken heart from Global??

1/14/10 - @totalpts, CHFI, TSN, Kelley, Fay Vincent, Marvin Miller

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Phil King, president of TSN; Sportsnet.ca's Jim Kelley, Dan Shulman, ESPN broadcaster; NHL executive Colin Campbell, NFL writer for Sports Illustrated, Don Banks; former commissioner of Major League Baseball, Fay Vincent; Clint Hamilton, CIS president.

"What's with the weird music around here? We've turned into CHFI!"...and so it began. Poor @totalpts getting slagged but thanks for playing some Oasis for me (note how Bobcat didn't get peeved over that one, eh??) More on our bud @totalpts coming soon!

Interesting to have the president of TSN appear on PTS. Has the president of Sportsnet ever appeared on PTS? Does Doug Beeforth ring a bell?? Not to me, so I'd be willing to bet he hasn't been on.

These segments with Kelley in fine form are also becoming classic! Is it me, or is Kelley much better as a guest than a co-host. I'm not sure why, but he is!

I am a big time Fay Vincent fan. He has a "Bert Sugar"-type adoration by Bobcat, and in turn the listeners. More gripping radio as a listener. McCown asked Vincent about Mavin Miller being in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Vincent called it an "outrageous scandal". Not being given the context ahead of time and having no clue on who Marvin Miller is, I decided to google him, and it's a fascinating story. He's alive at 92, and in an era where there is only Andrew Dawson going into the BHOF, he really should be put in to acknowledge the work he's done for Baseball.

1/13/10 - Lou Lamoriello, Pat Burns, Eric Tillman, Mark Cohon

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Jack Armstrong, basketball analyst and co-host of "The Game Plan" on THE FAN 590, Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils president and GM; NHL commentator for NBC and Versus, Ed Olczyk, Commissioner of the CFL, Mark Cohon; Jerry Colangelo, Phoenix Suns chair and CEO; Canadian lawn bowling team captain Steve McKerihen.

Lamoriello - CLASSIC! Good to hear Pat Burns is doing well. I wonder why McCown doesn't take the opportunity to challenge Lou a bit more when given the opportunity to speak to him. Most of the interview comprised of 'same-old' content regarding the recent power outage that caused a game to be continued at a later date. Why not question how the Devils, as good as they have historically have been, continue to draw such miserable numbers at the gate? At the time of this post, the Devils are 22nd in home attendance.

Cohon spoke about backing Tillman, and primarily backing the Judge on the case and using the Judge's ruling for the rest of league. This was not an easy decision, nor topic to speak of, particularly due to Tillman's likeability prior to the incident. If it were me, I'd have followed Bobcat's suggestion of suspending him for a year and come back after the 'reflection' Tillman needs to do has had a chance to even begin.

If you are looking here for a lawn bowling review, forget it. C'mon Bobcat? In Prime Time?? (Didn't even both listening!) I hope it's another 20 years before lawn bowling comes up again!