Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, Bob Nicholson; David Peterson, chair of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games Bid; Don Banks from Sports Illustrated; manager of team travel for the Toronto Blue Jays, Mike Shaw; Brahm Resnik, reporter and anchor for News 12 in Phoenix.

Nothing like the best combo in sports radio, Brunt and McCown!!!

If you think Bettman v Balsillie is insane, imagine Bettman vs MLSE? The battle lines are drawn and the next few days will dictate exactly how close those two are headed towards battle.

David Petterson, Chair of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games Bid came on and supposedly the two of them had a loud altercation regarding the bid. Bobcat has been a long time advocate of no public funds going to sporting bid tournaments, especially the olympics. Hell, he's even critical of the Vancouver Olympics that he'll be attending at broadcasting at! When it came down to the Pan Am Games, Bobcat was pretty adament that it was the wrong way to proceed based on a multitude of factors. While it was a very, VERY civil conversation, if this thing gets closer expect a major battle between Peterson and Bobcat on the airwaves.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, September 7, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Guests: Roundtable with Bruce Arthur and Neil Smith.

One of the less memorable shows...Bobcat still in a funk about not getting down to the bottom of the NHLPA mess. But other than that, not much to write about.

Bettman all of a sudden isn't arch enemy #1 around these parts!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, August 31, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Guests: Brian Cooper of Sports & Entertainment L.P.; Toronto Sun baseball columnist, Bob Elliott; Buzz Hargrove, interim ombudsman for the NHLPA; Ernie Els, golfer on the PGA Tour; president and CEO of the Edmonton Oilers, Patrick LaForge.

"Kelly is smart - smart like Bettman is smart. …and whatever my differences are with Gary, I've always acknowledged this is a really bright guy."

What the hell??? Bob, have you been sipping the kool-aid while you've been away? I never thought I'd see the day that I'd hear McCown say this! I think it's safe to say that through the past couple of years, McCown had a deep 'intrigue' in Paul Kelly. He didn't dodge questions by Bobcat, was honest and was a refreshing change from the normal Hockey Executives.

I can remember McCown in the past hanging up on guests in the past for not answering questions and not wanting to waste the time of the listeners. I was waiting for McCown to hang up on Buzz Hargrove who did a great tap dance around questions without answering a damn thing. I felt my time was wasted, not by Bobcat but by Hargrove not answering the fundamental question of WHY Kelly was released as Head of the NHLPA.

Somewhere, Bob Goodenow is laughing his arse off.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown - Wedneday, July 22 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Tuesday: Scott Simmons, RCGA executive director; president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brian Burke; ESPN's Dan Shulman; National Post writer, Bruce Arthur; Brendan Taman, Saskatchewan Roughriders football administration director.

The relationship between Brian Burke and Bob McCown is going to be an interesting one to follow over the course of this season and through the duration of Burke's contract. There are two men with large history in the sports landscape, two experts on how the media is used and most importantly 2 owners of massive egos. Burke came on the show today and called McCown "Mac". I don't recall anyone calling McCown this before. It's common knowledge that McCown and Burke met to discuss hockey earlier this summer and McCown even posted an article on fadoo.ca. Burke spoke about how the media and sports franchises use each other, and was very open in discussing this point.
I wonder how this interesting relationship will play itself out. Can these two really get along, or are they inevitably headed for a massive collision of ideals? What about when Bobcat brings up Bettman with Burke (a long time Bettman supporter)?

Blair - spit out your comments will ya'? You're thinking on the fly way too much and as a listener it's hard to listen to...

Just a great article by Bruce Arthur on the Erin Andrews scandal. I have to admit I have seen the video and it's not titillating as much as making me feel like a stalker. If this was your daughter or a family member, how would you feel?

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown - Tuesday, July 21 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Tuesday: President and GM of the Toronto Raptors, Bryan Colangelo; Pat Gillick, advisor to the Philadelphia Phillies; SportsBusiness Journal writer, Bill King.

Yet another great co-host in John Shannon. Great behind the scenes discussion regarding sports television production and direction. For anyone interested in sports broadcasting, particularly hockey, the first segment is for you.

Interesting times in Toronto - Bosh and Halladay could easily be gone this time next year. These moves will be critical for both the Jays and Raptors.

I was waiting for McCown to tell Gillick that Beeston may need the ultimate convincing from Gillick himself in coming back to the Jays as GM, something that Bobcat has espoused on fadoo.ca and on Prime Time Sports.

Hey Bobcat, there are no "wimpy easterners" in Ottawa...we LIVE cold here!!! Saskatchewan ain't got NUTTIN' on Ottawa with regards to winters!

The Bill King interview was great. Hope he returns! McCown quipped on blogs, "Blogs are opinion pieces, they are not information pieces. Any information that has been gleamed off of a blog has been usually ripped off of someone else, traditional media. What are bloggers? Amateur columnists!" Thanks Bob - I take that as a compliment, although I am not ripping off
anyone...and you won't see profanity here!!! :)

As these are the dog days of summer, I've compiled a top 5 list of Bobcat's Public Enemies:
1. Gary Bettman
2. Tom Watson
3. All-Star Games
4. Soccer
5. Cito Gaston

What/Who am I missing? Post below!!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play broadcaster, Alan Ashby; Tom Tebbutt, the Globe and Mail's tennis expert; Tom Wright, author of Jim Balsillie's NHL team relocation application; Doug MacLean of THE FAN 590 and Rogers Sportsnet.

Tom Wright, Commissioner of the CFL assisting Balsillie's application to bring an NHL team to Hamilton? Interesting...wonder how GB feels about that! What would Wright think if the same thing happened to him (eg. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers moving to Winnipeg)? I'm surprised the boys didn't ask!

MacLean back on after his fanatical outburst the last time around. The pitbull seemed to be more in control this time and not raving like a mad lunatic. Maclean said that if Balsillie wanted to move Phoneix to Las Vegas, Bettman would be approve it in 5 seconds. Brunt agreed, but I'm
not sure why. Bettman would essentially be wasting 200 million+ by approving a move of the Coyotes. "You're two bright guys who think you are very intelligent...", MacLean quipped.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Business writer for the Globe and Mail, Paul Waldie; Alex Anthopoulos, Toronto Blue Jays assistant GM; Lester Munson from ESPN hockey analyst for Rogers Sportsnet, Doug MacLean; Howard Berger, FAN 590 hockey reporter

The courtroom drama continues between Balsillie and Bettman. Really fascinating radio with more lawyers on Prime Time Sports airways than sports-peeps these days! Things are changing on a minute to minute basis and the range of guests Prime Time Sports is bringing in is fantastic - Lester Munson was particularly insightful.

But c'mon Bobcat, no love for Ricciardi??

One thing is becoming clean about MacLean - he's a bully. As a listener, I need an *exchange* of ideas. Not one side ramming their ideas down the others throat. It's frustrating to listen to his side, and not have McCown able to respond in a debate. Make no mistake, I actually agree (at times) with what MacLean is saying. But MacLean is very wrong about his assumptions coming into the discussion regarding Brunt and McCown being anti-NHL. It furthers McCowns point that loyal NHL dogs will always have the back of Bettman and company to almost a fault.

What I am surprised about is McCown seemingly backing away from getting his point across. This could be for a variety of reasons. First, perhaps McCown feels that arguing with MacLean is pointless due to how emotion MacLean is. Alternatively (and more sinisterly), McCown is letting MacLean dig his own hole and prove his point that NHL-shills exist everywhere and are protective of the league no matter what happens.

As a listener, I'm frustrated that there can't be an exchange of ideas when MacLean is on. ...and for god sakes MacLean, at least do your homework. You've said in the past that McCown wants to ban fighting - untrue. Today you come in saying that McCown is pro-Leafs?!?!? To quote McCown "are you on crack?"

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Friday, May 15, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Roundtable with Bob McCown, Stephen Brunt, Dave Perkins, and Jeff Blair

With Balsillie coming on Prime Time sports next week, it sets up for an intriguing match up of idea. Balsillie's dream of Hamilton vs. McCown's 'reality' of Toronto. Interestingly enough, Balsillie and McCown met a few months ago to discuss this issue and from McCowns account while the conversation went well, he couldn't get a read on Balsillie. McCown is clearly drawing a line in the sand, and it will be fascinating to see where the discussion between these two men will go. Can a response from the NHL be far behind on Prime Time Sports airwaves?

I have as much to contribute to the horse racing subject as Blair did during that segment!

McCowns "lies" equals Brunt's "contradictions"...freakin' classic!! ...and what's this about McCown being a cheerleader while Brunt was smokin' a blunt?!?!? Someone fill me in on this story, even with a PHOTO!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, May 11, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Roundtable with Stephen Brunt, Doug Smith

Are we going to be talking' about Balsillie all summer?

To have heard McCown through all these years and be passionate about it enough to start a blog, one could deduct that I have a passion for the periphery of the sports landscape including the business of sports. That would be correct. The story regarding Balsillie's bid to buy the Coyotes is gripping to say the least with tons of implications not only for the NHL, but the entire professional sports industry.

Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be any worse. Ovechkin and Crosby are on the even of a game #7 in a gripping series. The Hurricanes and their insane fans are close toppling the mighty Bruins. The Canucks just choked against the up-start Blackhawks and Wings-Ducks look prime to go 7 games. The playoffs have never been this gripping before.

All of this, and what is the media in the US reporting? "The dogfight in the desert for the Phoenix Coyotes promises to be the most interesting contest in hockey this month." Unfortunately, this is both sad and true.

(Here's a post I made on Fadoo on the topic.)

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Friday May 1st, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Roundtable: Jim Kelley, Bruce Arthur, and Gord Kirke

McCown continues his verbal assault on Bettman. His handling of Phoenix, Atlanta and Tampa Bay were all reason for McCown's ire this time around.

A-Roid IS the most hated man in professional sport. Without question.

We all long for a time when watching our heroes in Baseball wasn't about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, but more about skill, heart and desire. When I think about the '85 Jays, I must confess it evokes memories of overcoming massive odds and past disappointments. It brings up memories of the first sports playoffs I saw. Seeing George bell grab onto that ball in left field to clinch the AL East Title will be etched in my mind forever.

Baseball today haven't turned us into sceptics…they have turned us into sport-focused only, without regard to 'how' they got there. Being sceptical is too painful. It's just easier to bury our heads in the sand.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Friday April 24, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Roundtable: Stephen Brunt, James Deacon, Gord Kirke

The name of the book mentioned in the first segment is called "Old City Hall", not "City Hall" (no sponsored links either.)

McCown is working on two books that intrigue the heck out of me:
- one for the fall 2009 (McCown hasn't started yet) - a book regarding the last 20 years of Prime Time Sports. REALLY interested in this, but as the big guy hasn't started anything and the roundtable didn't know anything about it.
- one for the fall 2010 (McCown to write with David Naylor)

I'm a big time fan of McCown's previous book, The 100 Greatest Hockey Arguments. I'm pretty sure that Brunt had some sort of encouragement for Bobcat to do the book in the first place. I also think that McCown was a bit surprised by the reaction of the book. What I wasn't a big fan of was the re-release of the book and the ability to get an autographed copy for the SECOND version of the book. I bought the first version of the book as a die hard Prime Time Sports fan, and would have gladly forked over the cash if an autographed copy was available the first time around. When the second version came out, it seemed like a cheap cash grab to me. Ah well, 'tis the world of publishing and Bob's "got mouths to feed". This definitely won't take away from my thirst for McCown related media including literature.

A week or so ago, a cryptic comment was made here by 'someone' perhaps posing to be Bobcat. I held onto a bit of hope that perhaps it was McCown, but McCown said on the show today, "there's no danger of me reading someone else's blogs on the internet. Unless they are on my site, in which case I read all of them, and they are excellent." *sigh* Ah well, Bobcat will hopefully find this site one day.

Kate Jett - va-va-voom Bobcat?

When it comes to Bettman, both Brunt and McCown have been on the same page. Brunt seemed to divert from this when he disagreed with McCown on bringing another NHL team to Toronto, especially with regards to Bettman's handling of the Balsillie situation. Brunt surprised me (and I'm sure McCown) by taking Bettman's side - "(Bob) I think you make it way to personal. You make it sound like he's (Bettman's) omnipotent, like he's this dictator running the league. He's not. I think he's trying to save the owners butts, legally. I don't think he's sitting there casting lightning bolts at people (like Balsillie)." McCown retorted, "I'm quite comfortable that it was personal (at Balsillie)." There is no question that McCown has inside information from the Ballsille camp, if not the Balsillie himself.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Tuesday April 21, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: NHLPA Executive Director, Paul Kelly; David Leadbetter, golf coach

McCown has been all over the Coyotes situation for (at least) the past 2-3 years. I recall Bettman saying in an interview that the Coyotes weren't getting cash infusions but were only getting advances to their share of the pie which was going to come anyways in the off season. Bettman has had a knack of getting franchises out of these kinds of binds by bring the knight riding the white horse to the rescue (note: reminder to myself to send Melnyk a thank you note!) To quote Paul Kelley, "(Bob) I like you am a little bit sceptical." How many times can Bettman do this? With Tampa? With Nashville? With Dallas? According to Bobcat - up to 8 different NHL franchises are up for sale.

I'm sure David Leadbetter was interesting. Heck - looking for other writers for the blog exactly for cases like this!! Drop me an email if interested!

Interesting that Brunt commented on the Hawks saying that they haven't won a cup since 1961, bad ownership, enormously long drought, and a backwards franchise. But if you play good hockey, people will appreciate it and turn it back into a hockey town and make it work. C'mon Brunt, doesn't this logic work for football in Ottawa??

Prime Time Sport with Bob McCown: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Executive Director of the RCGA, Scott Simmons; Doug MacLean, co-host of "The Game Plan" on THE FAN 590; Keith Law of ESPN.

Topic of conversation with Doug MacLean started with the Habs sale. Gary Bettman would trumpet the price of the Habs as much as Bob McCown would trumpet the price of the Habs. Both have one thing in common - they'll use it to prove their argument and disprove the nay-sayers. I really like what MacLean brings to the Prime Time Sport and hope he's on more often. His vehement defence of "GB" doesn't happen often and over the past 3-4 months he has (at least) held his own in arguments with the Bobcat.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown - Friday, March 27, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Round Table Guests: Stephen Brunt, Neil Smith, Jeff Blair.
"The sky is falling…the sky is falling!!!"
If the cap in the NHL goes down by $10 million, the Sens are mightily screwed, along side at least 10 other teams. In the first segment, the round table discussed all of the implication of the cap coming down in the coming years and how teams would handle such a (probable) scenario. Ultimately, the one area that was not discussed is why the owners wouldn't lock out the players due to the agreement not being flexible enough to handle the "realities of the new economy" (can't you see Bettman at a news conference stating something like that??)

Getting a bit tired of the Outlaw League discussion, although as I said in my post, it's definitely making me think twice on putting my infant sons in anything associated with hockey. How this issue has received more feedback to Prime Time Sports than any other is more of an indication of how psychotic and fanatical parents are about their kids more than the issue itself.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 - 6:00-7:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley
Guests: Doug MacLean, Jeff Blair, Darren Rovell

Missed the 5pm Rutherford interview. Pass few days have had quite a sick baby at home, and well…duty calls! Catching up:

MacLean loves Bettman. …and McCown's 100% right when he defended the attacks made on him by MacLean saying that McCown wants nothing but fighting eliminated from the NHL. McCown responded, "The audience knows that, they are not going to buy the crap that you're spewing." Bob McCown has stated on Prime Time Sports time and time again that he doesn't want fighting eliminated from the league, but instead harsher penalties for fighting. I have no clue why McCown lets MacLean off the hook for the length of time he does, as opposed to other guests that he controls the tone and pace of the conversation. A couple of nice jabs though by McCown, "Thank god you were crappy as a GM and President and came to broadcasting." …and RIGHT when I wrote that last line, Bobcat LOST it to the "you're such a pacifist" comment by MacLean, "You boneheads have been running hockey into the ground for so long to the point where you can't sell tickets in Florida, you can't sell tickets in Phoenix, you got 5 franchises that are about to move, the NHL is economically going to hell in a hand basket, and it's time for you goofballs to stop making the rules." The MacLean-McCown debates are getting to be legendary, as long as Bobcat keeps MacLean in check from rambling too much!

Monday, March 2 - 6:00-7:00

"I'm reluctant to read emails, because it gives a platform to the morons." - Bob McCown

It really bothers me to hear Bob McCown talk about hate mail he got as a result of his piece on the Fifth Estate. I will say what he can't. Things will change when the "dinosaurs" are extinct. When the Cherrys, Burke's, and Bettman's of the NHL are out of the NHL, things will change.

For the record, McCown has never said he wants fighting out of hockey. What McCown does want is stiffer penalties thereby making a greater deterrent for fighting in hockey. What McCown does want is to remove the goons from the league that serve no point other than taking spots from other skilled players. What McCown does want is a more skilled league.

No one can justify how the level of hockey is so high in tournaments where no fighting exists, yet it can't happen for the NHL.

I am so proud of the Brunts and McCowns of the world trying to shine a light on the hypocrisy of the NHL. This is the beauty of Prime Time Sports.

I grant you that this issue isn't as clear cut in the direction of creating larger deterrents for fighting, but one thing is for sure...it ain't as one sided as the bully's of the NHL are making it. ...and as McCown has stated, when someone in the NHL dies as a result of a fight, the dinosaurs may be extinct overnight.

(Bobcat - you are out to lunch if you think the Sens are buyers...and I mean REALLY out to lunch.)

Thursday, February 26 - 5:00-6:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley

Got a comment to provide my feedback instead of a full summary of the show. Will try that today.

The comments on Phoenix relocating can't help but make me look at how Bettman saved the Sens. In the late-90s (or so), the financial problems the Sens were having were massive. I am convinced that if it weren't for Bettman, the Sens would be gone. Doesn't mean I love the man, but his stubborness allowed only for a guy like Melnyk to come forward as opposed to a Balsille-wannabe shipping this town out of town. That in addition to the Sens competitiveness at the same time really ensured that this team will be in Ottawa for the long haul (or at least until Melnyk runs out of cash - Sens fans, repeat after me - GO ECONOMY GO!!!)

Some more discussion on Tiger Woods returning and how the marketing is really amped . Here are the commercials the Boys were talking about:

Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 5:00-6:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley

The boys speak about the upcoming CBC 5th estate special "Fighting in Hockey" Link. It will air this Friday at 9pm EST. Both Bobcat and Cherry will be on the show (although he said he's on for "8 seconds. What are the chances that most of me are on an editing floor in CBC somewhere?").

The real interesting thing about PTS and the past 6-8 months worth of shows (at least) is the simmering rivalry between Cherry and McCown. McCown has always said he has the most respect for Cherry but fundamentally disagrees with his take on fighting. It seems as both him and Don will be on the CBC, although I highly doubt face to face. Bobcat has maintained that fighting shouldn't be eliminated from the game, but instead stiffer penalties be invoked for those who partake in fisticuffs.

Bobcat took a FANTASTIC shot against MLSE and the Leafs regarding the ...reiterating that MLSE is a bunch of money grubbing idiots (man, I love the truth!)

Greekboy Kypreos came on to Bobcat stating MLSE must think "we have stupid, stupid fans who will pay just about anything." Nothing earth shattering about this news.

Bobcat shared that when he was 12 he punched a bully out and Kipper jumped all over for him asking why isn't this good enough for the NHL? (I'm pretty sure Kipper was joking...wasn't he??)

Tigercats on for the last segment - missed it due to a crying youngan!!