Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Baseball play-by-play announcer on ESPN, Dan Shulman; Peter Berg, director of "King's Ransom"; Jeff Hunt, owner of the Ottawa 67's and prospective CFL owner; Lester Munson, ESPN legal analyst.

Had the opportunity to see King's Ransom and thought it was fantastic. Moreso for the behind the scenes interviews with McNall, Pocklington and Gretzky and video from that period in time. I suspect it could have been a lot longer and hope a DVD comes out about it with a lot more content from the primary players. If you remember *anything* from that period in time, see it.

The promos for a TSN special on Sportsnet was rather interesting…and I wonder how much debate was involved with brining Berg on the show.

Ottawa gets its stadium. Being in Ottawa, I cannot believe we had this much debate and am doing everything in my power to ensure my City Councilor who voted against the plan (Peggy Feltmate) is voted out of office next time around.

Shannon with the line of the day on Bobcats dressing style: "McCown, you're a cross between Letterman and Imus."

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Bob McCown, Stephen Brunt, David Shoalts, Gord Kirke.

Not sure what happened to Agassi being on Prime Time Sports today, as advertised and instead being moved to Friday. Perhaps the scheduling conflict had something to do with Agassi being in New York doing Letterman??

Due to Burke/Hargrove on Thursday, and Agassi on Friday the roundtable occurred today, on a Wednesday. ..and if McCown wasn't in a bad mood because of this, he certainly was when he tore Shoalts a new one ("you weren't late for Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday when I saw your fat face on there!!!") Ohhh, SNAP!

Brunt/Shoalts took a big time run at Gretzky commenting that his appearance and circus surrounding the Hockey Hall of Fame induction was well orchestrated by Gretz himself. For guys like Brunt to continue their insistence that Gretzky is a master manipulator, really does challenge the angelic notion Number 99 has in this country. The backlash Brunt took the last time around with his article challenging Gretzky was significant. Having said this, Brunt (and Shoalts) must be absolutely certain in their criticism to continue the attacks.

I love how Maclean was slagged on the show. As Shoalts pointed out, one GM told him "we forgive one mistake, but he'd better not make any more." The hatred between McCown and Maclean is hot as ever, despite Maclean coming on Hockey Central the day after the 'incident' saying life was good and he and McCown were on good terms.

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

Host: Bob McCown
Guests: Roundtable with Bob McCown, John Shannon, Jeff Blair, and David Shoalts.

Prime Time Sports has always been a national broadcast. The first hour of the show featured the roundtable discussing how brutal the leafs are. Now being an Ottawa Senators fan, my bias is clear. Having said that, does the country *really* need a dissection of the worst place team? Why not discuss the challenges in Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver? What about the play of the Sens and how the team seems to have turned it around? Could it simply be that McCown, Shannon, Blair and Shoalts are all pretty much one dimensional in terms of their hockey knowledge? "Why bother being a leaf fan?" remarked Blair. Why discuss them in the first place and spend so damn long on the pathetic embarrassment that is the leafs? (Bash if you'd like, but you are only kidding yourself, delusional or a leaf fan...or all 3!)

So who would you like to see light the torch in Vancouver: Wayne Gretzky? Rick Hansen? Pierre Lueders? Terry Fox's Mother? Nancy Greene?

...and did you know that the Olympic torch will be lit in a few short days?? HREF="http://www.vancouver2010.com/more-2010-information/olympic-torch-r
elay/olympic-torch-relay-interactive-map/">LINK

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Peter Pocklington, former owner of the Edmonton Oilers; former player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tie Domi; ESPN's Dan Shulman; CBC hockey play-by-play broadcaster, Jim Hughson; basketball analyst Jack Armstrong.

Ahhh, Pearl Jam starting off the show...well, at least this is one huge advantage of PTS not being on Sportsnet!

So first "Gretzky's Tears", and now "I'd Trade Him Again"...the Gretzky retrospectives continue. Pocklington was very frank and for you die-hard Oiler fans out there, it is a painful interview to hear particularly when Pocklington admits that he didn't shop the Kings offer around. Epic fail.

Wouldn't it be weird if Battle of the Blades made it to the US and the ratings outdrew NHL hockey???

Agree with McCown - if the Raptors can show any semblance of competitiveness, the Toronto media and fans will love the team more than it ever has.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, September 14, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Darren Rovell, CNBC sports business reporter; Globe and Mail tennis expert, Tom Tebbutt; Al Morganti from Comcast SportsNet, and Neil Smith, former NHL general manager; Buffalo News reporter, Jerry Sullivan; Bert Sugar, boxing historian.

Kanye West and Serena Williams have NOTHING on Doug MacLean.

Absolutely insane numbers here at the 'review from the MacLean/McCown argument. Welcome and howdy everyone! Stick around and feel free to contribute to the discussion.

No discussion about Heatley or the Heatley trade early on. This was the trade that so much of us (well from Ottawa and maybe Edmonton anyways) were waiting for, for months. This was a day where Prime Time Sports really showed it's Toronto-centricity, which I find it doesn't display regularly. Perhaps it's the fact that our local sports radio station was completely absent on the weekend, choosing FOX Sports radio to be aired instead of analysis. The conversation with Morganti and Smith on the Heatley deal was simplistic and void of any detailed analysis, which again is rare for their weekly segment.

Can't wait for the Sundin speculation to begin on a daily basis on Prime Time Sports.

Brunt's new book on Gretzky is coming out shortly. In non-Bobcat fashion, he wants to actually READ this one before he talks to Brunt about it. Usually he talks to the author first and reads second. Wonder why the switch on Brunt's book?

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?