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: 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?

Update to the MacLean-McCown fight

MacLean stated on the afternoon show on the Fan590 @ roughly 3pm:
- he spoke with Bob this morning at 8:30
- he cleared the air with him and did apologize
- he asked to pass on a message to Bobcat that he won't be able to be on Prime Time Sports later today (weird, no?)
- his neighbors were looking worried at him when he was in the argument
- he and Bobcat are still friends

Bizzare.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Thursday, September 10, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: ESPN's Dan Shulman; Peter King, Sports Illustrated football writer; George Gillett, Montreal Canadiens outgoing owner; Doug MacLean, consultant to Jim Balsillie's company; Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal.

OK, you see yesterdays review? Skip it! If there are new and twisting revelations with regards to the Phoenix situation, like that of today with MacLean jumping ship, then giddyup, lets go! MacLean absolutely ripped into McCown during the spring regarding the Balsillie mess. I don't recall Prime Time Sports ever replaying a past interview before a guest came on, especially when the guest did a complete 180 of the way they felt. A great set-up for the interview that took place.

When I heard the news of MacLean joining the Balsillie camp, I immediately thought that if Balsillie loses, MacLeans career is DONE! No one will ever give him a shot after the "betrayal" of the NHL with this move.

HOLD CRAP what an explosive interview with MacLean!!! MacLean attacked McCown "...it's not unlike you when someone is not in the studio that you are at your best. For you to say it was it was suicidal for me to partner with Balsillie, it was suicidal for me with the NHL for me to become a friend of yours." Man, he was ticked. I do agree with MacLean that McCown was a bit out of line to throw the tape on air when he wasn't around.

It sounded like MacLean wants to be the bridge between Balsillie and the NHL.

I have said it time and time again that MacLean has an axe to grind with MacLean. McCown: "He always makes it a personal attack and that's what he did tonight. As long as I sit in this chair, that will be the last time you hear MacLean on this program. I may be criticized for that, but I don't care. He is who I thought he was." Stunning.

I would love to see the video behind this and McCown's reaction when MacLean was speaking. I can't ever remember Bobcat being spoken to like this on Prime Time Sports...ever...

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: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Keith Pelley, president of Canada'a Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium; National Post writer, Michael Traikos; Dan Shulman, baseball play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN; Doug MacLean of Rogers Sportsnet and THE FAN 590, and Canadian curler Kevin Martin

The podcast of Prime Time Sports will now be covering the 5:00-7:00 hours, which is GREAT! I'll be reviewing both hours here daily. Thanks to Neil Oosten at Prime Time Sports for getting back to us on this request (although we were one of a bunch that requested this!)

Doc is the best Blue Jays pitcher ever. Debate over. ...and who knew, AJ Burnett is older than Halladay?? Wow.

Shameless sponsor mention - Shulman loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups...

I hear from a *very* inside source at Prime Time that Stroumboulopoulos will not be on the roundtable on Friday. Hopefully a rain check is issued, but you can't really bail on McCown more than once, can you??

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Thursday April 23, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: David Samson, president of the Florida Marlins; FAN 590 show co-host and Rogers Sportsnet hockey analyst, Doug MacLean

Man, I honestly don't remember thinking about the Jays as much as I am this year. An amazing story and it's fun to talk baseball again in Toronto. I wonder what TSN/Sportsnet numbers are on the Jays as compared to last year (not only broadcast, but hits on their website.)

What does Gainey have to gain (pardon the pun) by kissing and telling about his wanting to get Lecavalier from Laughton? Lecavalier or not, the Habs season was brutal and would have ended up the same. Gainey sounds like a cranky old man crying over spilt milk (and, I like many others am a huge Gainey supporter.)

MacLean shows up late and says he's actually early! Man, the battle between MacLean and McCown is awesome! McCown quipped to MacLean, "I may know more than you, but what is for certain is I'll SAY more than you." Even Brunt quipped "This show would be in shambles without me." Classic. I actually laughed so hard at that one that my co-workers looked at me!

Roundtable tomorrow - c'mon McCown, get Mary Ormsby on...you haven't had her on nearly as often as in the past! Maybe she's getting tired of ya'?!?!

Prime Time Sports Review separated at birth:
- Episode 1: Mary Ormsby and Joanna Kerns
- Episode 2: Kate Smith and Susan Boyle

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 - Tuesday, March 24, 2009 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Joe DeLamielleure, Doug MacLean
I love it when Prime Time Sports exposes areas of the sporting landscape that we normally wouldn't get exposure to. The NFLPA and the conflict with ex-players Pensions continues to astound me. Evertime Bob McCown has had someone on about this issue (specifically a former player), it is compelling radio. Perhaps it is McCown's love of Jim Brown that continues to drive him on this issue, or simply the lunacy of what is currently occuring. Joe DeLamielleure was in the first segment speaking about how former players who are being shafted by the union are creating their own organization to ensure their voices are heard more than they have been in the past. A pension of $172 per month for former players is laughable with a players union that is as rich as it is. Look more on this story in the coming months.

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!

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?