Friday, March 6 - 5:00-7:00

Roundtable with Bob McCown, Stephen Brunt, James Deacon, and John Wells
"Due to your performance Brunt, you are getting exactly what you are worth…NOTHING!" - Bob McCown.

(I really have to start a javascript quotation generator with Bob McCown's quotes!)

A wonderful exchange off the top (which turned into an entire segment) between Brunt and McCown on Brunt wanting to talk about "Tobogganing". McCown maintained he's going to be excited about the games, but don't expect him to be excited up until a week before and a week after. As this "unholy alliance" continues, it's going to be really interesting to see how McCown's mood is going to affect what the network wants to achieve. A lot is at stake, and I'm sure Bobcat will get a talking to as we get closer to put on the pompoms and do the rah-rah-rah thing more and keep the comments against the alliance to a minimum! (Anyone from Prime Time Sports want to email me on that hypothesis, feel free and bobcat_idol@hotmail.com!)

Hey Deacon in response to your comment "Imagine the Ottawa fans thought about Gerber's win?" - we thought exactly what Bob McCown said 2 seconds later…we hope he takes the leafs RIGHT into 9th place! Go Gerber GO! The highlight of my season will be when Gerber looses the last game of the season and costs the leafs from getting into the playoffs for the first time in 5 years. (Of course, there is an alternative which my mind mentally cannot go to!)

Then, shock of shocks, the roundtable started to discuss my hometown Kanata. Lots of guessing here and not much of homework done by the panel. For the record, the links to both proposals are located below:

Ottawa's MLS bid
and
Ottawa's CFL bid
Melnyk is asking for land to be donated by the City that he wishes to build MLS Soccer on. I hate Bob McCown's take on the CFL not returning to Ottawa based on it's previous failures. I have heard this time and time again, and to hear the 4 guys from Toronto take shots against what's happening in Ottawa. Truth is Bobcat, as a former Renegades Season Ticket holder, we have had attendance that was equal to the product on the field. SI was going to write an article the year the Renegades folded that the Ottawa CFL team was the most "loosing-est" (Bobcat, you may cringe now), franchise of all time. You can't continue to go for support to the public when the ownership is so incompetent.

In terms of the relationship between the CFL and MLS, what is happening is all part of negotiating, the EXACT same way it was with the Leafs and Raptors looking for facilities. I'm not saying necessarily that it will work, but the posturing is the same. Where I have been influenced by Bobcat is, as long as my public money doesn't go into the franchise (land or otherwise), I'm a-ok.

Not sure of Wells said more than 10 words the entire 2 hours. (In a loving way, of course!)

...and Prime Time Sports, brought to you by Harvey's? Very cool shout-out Bobcat!

Thursday, March 5 - 6:00-7:00

Hockey. Baseball. Basketball. SWEET!

In the first segment on Prime Time Sports, Bob McCown and Stephen Brunt welcomed Al Morganti and Neil Smith to talk about "hockeyhockeyhockeyhockey" Al hasn't been on in a while either. Talked about the trade deadline as well as Stanley Cup predictions:

Neil Smith: (didn't answer - CHICKEN!)
Al Morganti: New Jersey (McCown agreed)

Second segment with Jeff Blair to discuss baseball - Canada rocks and looks promising for the World Baseball Championship. A-Roid looks like he needs surgery.

Jack Armstrong came in to talk about Baketball - Raptors are out. Jack commented "You are the Johnny Carson of sports radio" and brought shivers up my spine when he suggested Bobcat get Monday and Friday's off. "It's more quantity than quality (on Prime Time Sports)", McCown quipped.

Stephen Brunt quipped at the end "I'd rather be Brian Burke than Brian Colangelo." One thing is for sure - no one wants to be JP Ricciardi!!!

Monday, March 2 - 5:00-6:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt

Before we get started today, didn't update Friday's entry as there wasn't much to comment on.

There are few things in life like seeing Stephen Brunt work with Bob McCown, especially on Monday in the first 5pm segment. Normally, it's like eavesdropping on two very good, but VERY different friends catching up. It reminds me of a lot of the conversations I have with my friends that I haven't seen in a while. The first segment is normally reserved for the McCown and Brunt to talk about the issues of the day. While Kelley and McCown also do the same, ain't nuttin like McCown and Brunt. (OK, you guys get the point eh?)

Today was different. The banter was good, speaking about the East Coast, however the boys jumped straight to the fighting issue. Specifically, the Fifth Estate piece and the past weekends Coach's Corner attack on Ovechkin by Don Cherry (see video from Feb 28).

Cherry put a bounty out on Ovechkin. To call it anything else is shortsighted and naive. If some goon wants to make a name for himself, he now has a free pass on Ovechkin. Agree with the boys, that this is really all on Cherry.

Here's one question - why was Ron so silent? For a guy who has has annually teed off on Bettman with such pinpoint accuracy, why was he so silent on Saturday?

Friday, February 27 - 5:00-6:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Hosts: Jim Kelley, Mary Ormsby, Wayne Parrish

Discussion about how bloggers are the scum of the earth (ok, maybe that's a stretch!) The discussion started with A-Roid and how the report of 104 players was perhaps poor reporting in that the reporters didn't insist on getting all the names of players. This turned into Kelley taking another shot against the online ink-stained wretches (ie. bloggers, et al)! Kelley seems to have a real slant against the online community and this week alone has taken 2-3 shots against bloggers for reporting fictitious news. If it weren't for bloggers, I'm convinced no news would have come out regarding Ray Emery, and his personal life which caused the demise of the Sens last year.

Loved the long story on how McCown and ownership of NBA games in the early 80s.

Am I wrong on this, or does Mary Ormsby bear a striking resemblance to Joanna Kerns from the TV show Growing Pains?

Thursday, February 26 - 6:00-7:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley
Guests: President and CEO of Sports and Entertainment L.P., Brian Cooper; NHL player agent, Anton Thun; Greg Logan, Newsday writer

The need for NHL clubs to have access funds is hitting an alarming rate. 50% of NHL teams need access to NHL reserves this year, but yet according to Bettman,life is beautiful:

(to the guys in Toronto with Bobcat, please don't show him the above link or he'll jump from the studio offices!)

$5.69/ticket for seasons tickets in Tampa Bay in the nosebleeds next year? Giddy-up! At least with the crappy economy, we'll see better deals for tickets. We've already seen the deals in Ottawa already. (Mind you, that probably has to do more with the Sens stinking up the arena, than the economic climate!)

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:

Wednesday, February 25 - 6:00-7:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley
Guests: Michael Sanderson, father of the late Don Sanderson; FAN 590 show host and Rogers Sportsnet hockey analyst, Doug MacLean

Through the years, the one thing that has kept me coming back to PTS is how the Bobcat can take high expectations for interesting guests and exceed these expectations into something memorable. Michael Sanderson had the potential to be one of those interviews. I think the only reason it wasn't was that the interview was only limited to one segment. (Segments #2 and #3 with MacLean wasn't anything to write home about either.)

Right off the bat, McCown asked Mr. Sanderson what misconceptions there were about his son who passed away due to hitting his head on the ice during a fight. Sanderson responded by saying his son was never a goon. "Hockey is physical enough, without fighting." A picture was painted regarding Don Sanderson being a player that knew his future in hockey did not include playing in the NHL, but perhaps coaching at some level.

He said he was not an advocate for fighting and always didn't like fighting. He then went on to state McCown's theory on where fighting should be in the new NHL. Heavier suspensions, stiffer penalties and a stigma attached to fighting by the punishments therein.

I personally remember a Coach's Corner shortly after Sanderson passed, that Don Cherry said that he spoke to Mike Sanderson who said if someone is looking for trouble, to not hesitate to drop the gloves and fight. "That's hard for people to believe," Cherry said. "Mike is a hockey guy. He coaches hockey, he teaches hockey. All his life he's been in hockey. If two guys want to [fight], that's it." Here's the source to Cherry saying this. After hearing Michael Sanderson, either Cherry is lying or Don Sanderson is. I believe it's the former. Mike briefly addressed Cherry in the interview head-on. Kudos to Bobcat for not turning it into a he-said she-said issue, and choosing to focus on the fighting issue itself.

MacLean came on to discuss Phoenix Coyotes bailout. McCown asks, "who in there right bleeping mind would wanna buy this franchise unless it was movable...would you?" Just give this team back to Winnipeg already!! Nice to see MacLean agree with Bobcat on something, finally!

Trade deadline discussion in the 3rd segment - lots of potential big players moving...but other than that, nothing earth shattering here.

No parting shots.

ps. i see quite a few people coming from around the country - comment, will ya?

Wednesday, Feb 25th - 5:00-6:00

Host: Bob McCown
Co-host: Jim Kelley
Guests: Jarrett Bell from USA Today, Jeff Blair from the Toronto Star
Very interesting point by Kelley, regarding Ovechkins all star game antics being aimed squarely at Crosby. He said the entire gettup by Ovechkin was designed to irk Crosby and it all boiled over on Sun afternoon. I totally see that now - great call by Kelley...take a look at the video at the bottom of the post...looks close, eh?

'The NHL has come to the realization the Ovechkin is the best player in the NHL, and if not, then Malkin is...Ovechkin has something Sydney does not, a personality." - McCown firing on all cylinders here this aft.

Next topic, NFL columbines (sp) with Jarrett Bell from USA Today. An old take from the gang on how brutally dry watching the NFL columbines are. Bobcats idea for an NFL style olympics where all running backs run the 100m against each other got a rise from Bell saying, "you guys are ahead of your time.". Goodell takes a paycut, and although he didn't say it, you could hear McCown wanting to rip into Bettman for not doing the same.

Jeff Blair next up to talk about the Jays (after McCowns diatribe about guests coming on, on cell phones - probably his biggest pet peeve). A-Roid in Florida for spring training with fans throwing their walkers at him. "The longer he talks, the dumber he sounds." - great point by Blair.

One thing I'd like to know is what Ken Griffey thinks out all of this...was he ever tempted? What did he know? (Assuming he never used steroids - can we even make that assumption?)

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!!

Monday, February 23rd - 6:00-7:00

Well, both Kelley and Brunt are part of the mini-roundtable tonight. (For the record, Kelley kept the co-host chair, and Brunt took the 'guest' chair!)

Tom Renney was discussed and the relevant merits of him as a Coach. I agree with discussion that surrounded Tortorella as incoming Head Coach. As far as cashing two cheques goes - in the rare times it happens in ones life, I say TAKE IT! :)

The boys discussed the trade deadline and how it's more for show then anything else. Bobcat brought up the point that he brought up in his book saying that the trade deadline is all hype and even the busiest teams never materializes into anything significant in the standings.

I tend to disagree - the pressure on GMs to make a deal only occurs twice during the year - the draft and trade deadline. Other than these times, it's virtually quiet during the NHL year. The media scruitny on GMs will push them into actions they normally wouldn't make. I predict there will be a blockbuster deal this year (lecalvier/spezza.)

They then proceeded to do a cross Canada tour spending (shock of shocks) considerable amount of time on the Leafs. Kelley continues to have a major axe to grind on Murray as he's a feverish Muckler supporter. The reality is Murray has had one draft. There isn't any decision Murray has made that has been questionable at the time he made it. The age-old scare tactics of PTS really came out when they spoke about how viable the Sens would be if they were on the decline. Even in a brutal economy, the Sens are 2nd in attendance (source). The Sens have built a solid base here and this team isn't going anywhere...

In terms of the Spezza-Heatley debate, it's sad to see the 3 wise men not take note of Heatley's NTC. Heatley simply can't be moved anywhere, unless he waives his NTC. Spezza is the only option for the Sens. Not sure why this point is missed so much by the media (not only PTS).

In summary, here's how they broke everything down:
Sens - buyers/sellers - who the heck knows?
Leafs - sellers
Habs - buyers
Flames - buyers
Oilers - not sellers
Canucks - buyers

The worst Coach in the NHL according to Bobcat - Wayne Gretzky.

Parting shots:
Kelley - 99% of trade rumors you hear are false, so calm down...
Brunt - Jays are screwed
Bobcat - yep, Jays are screwed

(Just a quick edit - I worried a lot about agreeing with everything the Bobcat said, but this inaugural post makes me feel much better!)

ps. what do you guys think?