Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelly
Guests: GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brian Burke; ESPN broadcaster Dan Shulman; Paul Waldie, writer for the Globe and Mail; Rob Becker, attorney and legal analyst.

After a painful week without McCown, he returned from the brutal cold he had to conduct a fascinating interview with Burke. A must listen for any hockey fan. As a Sens fan, it's my duty to hate the leafs with a passion (and I am proud to do so.) But you can't help but be amazed by the charisma Burkey speaks with. The leafs are in good hands.

You can really see the connection between Burke and McCown. All will go well between these two as long as the leafs are winning. If something goes off the rails, McCown will be ready to call Burke out, and Burke will surely stand his ground making for some interesting radio (like there hasn't been enough of that recently on PTS?)

...and after the months of crap with Balsillie, her falls on his sword trying to paint himself as a Canadian hero? My respect ends for Balsillie on what he's achieved for RIM and Blackberry, although it has greatly diminished by the way he has tried to acquire the Phoenix Coyotes.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, September 21, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Ed Olczyk, hockey analyst for Versus and NBC; Hamilton Tiger Cats GM, Bob O'Billovich; Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner; Trent Edwards, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills.

The leafs get a bonnifide 35-goal scorer for 2 first round picks and a second? If Murray made that deal in Ottawa, he'd be fired.

On the Daly interview, I thought both McCown and Brunt were out of line a couple of times. Daly answered questions up front and a couple of times, both Brunt and McCown hinted at owners not talking as they were "afraid of getting their wrists slapped." The two times they did this, they did not give Daly an opportunity to respond, although it was more of a cheap shot than a question. Daly answered the questions honestly and it seemed (at least initially) that both McCown and Brunt had an axe to grind.

...and out of nowhere, McCown hit Daly with the referee lawsuit question. To my recollection, I don't remember this issue ever being discussed. As a listener, it would have been nice to get more context before Daly was asked the question.

On the positive, a great answer by Daly on the whole NHLPA-Kelly firing. "Shocked" was the word Daly used.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Glendale, Arizona council member, Phil Lieberman; Bob Elliott, baseball writer for the Toronto Sun; Don Banks from Sports Illustrated; ESPN's Mark Fainaru-Wada; NFL player agent, Leigh Steinberg.

First segment McCown and Brunt talked about books, and writing. Whatever happened to the two books McCown was to produce next year?? Know what's going on? Drop us a line in the comment section. A book of fiction selling well Bobcat? How about a book about the leafs winning the cup thousands of years in the future (if we're talking about true fiction?)

Hearing from Arizona Council Member Phil Lieberman was a hit of reality on the Phoenix issue. Who will assist the small businesses that will suffer with the Coyotes departure? Certainly not the NHL nor the Balsillie camp, both of whom are out for themselves. Balsillie only cares about getting a team in the southern Ontario market. Bettman only cares about getting those lucrative expansion/re-location fees on his terms.

Line of the day when Bob Elliot was introduced..."Bob's not hear, it's Doug MacLean!!" ...and Bob Elliot agreed with McCown too saying McCown "was right". Interesting. Guests that skirt around the MacLean issue never get a full diatribe on the subject as McCown has remained steady that he won't discuss it anymore but if others want to discuss it, he'll listen.

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Rob Becker, legal analyst; the Golf Channel's Iain Page; Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner; Keith Law from ESPN; defensive end for the Edmonton Eskimos, Kitwana Jones.

Bobcat - you are GIVING books away??? To whom?!? How'z 'bout you signing my book that was bought on the first day it was released (the FIRST edition!)

It must be hard for Bobcat to show restraint on Daly. After all, he has called the guy a liar before regarding the Coyotes mess (and truthfully, he is!) Having said that, today the two were cordial, and even 'playful' with each other. It amazes me that all the guys in the sports business, or most, have pretty thick skin.

Thanks Bob for not taking a run at the Sens when discussing the issue of the exercise bikes! It was a softball that you could have killed us on, and you laid off. Thanks for becoming an honorary Sens fan!!

So, what are the odds that Bobcat will be away on Monday....ohh, how I hate Mondays!!!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, June 1, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Bill Walker, spokesman for Jim Balsillie; GM of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, Bob O'Billovich; roundtable with Bob McCown, Stephen Brunt, and Gord Kirke.

Let's get June 9th already to decide what the next step is for the Coyotes issue. Whatever is the result, you know there will be appeals and this will drag through the courts, but at least it's a new chapter. I'm getting tired of being on the same page!!

If Bobcat's assertion is that the success of the Wings, while indeed talented and possessing intelligent management, has to do as much with 'luck' as anything, then do the Ottawa Senators also have the same 'luck' as a backdrop for their lack of playoff success?

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: Monday, May 4, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Roundtable: Roundtable with Jim Kelley, and James Deacon

May the fourth be with you.

McCown started the first segment with the following: "I'd fix the (national hockey) league in a week and the first thing I'd do is say 'the hell with America. I don't give a flyin' Fadoo about how the playoffs affect America." With the talk of Balsillie taking ownership of the Coyotes and moving them to southern Ontario heating up, the whole discussion of hockey in Canada vs hockey in the USA is JUST beginning. …I get the sense it won't be a long argument.

McCown argued that the 92 Jays batting line-up may be the best of all time. I love how Bob McCown throws stuff out there that is completely moronic and then begins to persuade you to his side of the argument.

I would love to see McGuire and McCown engage with each other for just one segment - heck, it doesn't even have to be about hockey. Both of them are really knowledgeable, passionate, stubborn and persuasive (all good things in my books.) Hopefully the unholy alliance of Bell-Rogers will facilitate this (right Brunt?)

"Sidney, get an apartment." God bless Bob McCown.

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??

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?