1/20/10 - @totalpts, McCown's fears

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Writer for the Globe and Mail, Jeff Blair; Michael Hiestand, USA Today media columnist, Mike Dee, CEO of the Miami Dolphins; ESPN's Keith Law, Ed Olczyk; Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo! Sports; Dr. Peter Jensen, mental training coach for Canada's Olympic women's hockey team

When I hear Pearl Jam or Oasis in the first hour on PTS, I know my bud Neil (@totalpts) who works at PTS is doing it for me (well, at least I think he is!) Only problem is sometimes it's a while before I listen to it via the podcast. But thanks in advance @totalpts. For those interested, check out his blog. I hope to have an interview with him in the future!

Another 'who knew' moment from the Bobcat. He has a fear of public speaking. PTS is his 'element', so he doesn't think twice about speaking there, but other than that, he does truly have a fear of speaking in public.

1/13/10 - Lou Lamoriello, Pat Burns, Eric Tillman, Mark Cohon

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Jack Armstrong, basketball analyst and co-host of "The Game Plan" on THE FAN 590, Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils president and GM; NHL commentator for NBC and Versus, Ed Olczyk, Commissioner of the CFL, Mark Cohon; Jerry Colangelo, Phoenix Suns chair and CEO; Canadian lawn bowling team captain Steve McKerihen.

Lamoriello - CLASSIC! Good to hear Pat Burns is doing well. I wonder why McCown doesn't take the opportunity to challenge Lou a bit more when given the opportunity to speak to him. Most of the interview comprised of 'same-old' content regarding the recent power outage that caused a game to be continued at a later date. Why not question how the Devils, as good as they have historically have been, continue to draw such miserable numbers at the gate? At the time of this post, the Devils are 22nd in home attendance.

Cohon spoke about backing Tillman, and primarily backing the Judge on the case and using the Judge's ruling for the rest of league. This was not an easy decision, nor topic to speak of, particularly due to Tillman's likeability prior to the incident. If it were me, I'd have followed Bobcat's suggestion of suspending him for a year and come back after the 'reflection' Tillman needs to do has had a chance to even begin.

If you are looking here for a lawn bowling review, forget it. C'mon Bobcat? In Prime Time?? (Didn't even both listening!) I hope it's another 20 years before lawn bowling comes up again!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, December 6, 2010 (4:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: David Branch, president of the CHL and commissioner of the OHL, Bryan Colangelo, president and general manager of the Toronto Raptors; Dave Van Horne, former play-by-play announcer for the Montreal Expos, Ed Olczyk, hockey analyst for Versus and NBC; CNBC's Darren Rovell; Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun baseball columnist.

Alomar should be in the BHOF. Making him "earn" it, after a couple of years is absolutely stupid. Case closed. Congrats to the "Hawk" Andre Dawson for getting in!

So Becker comes on defending Arenas to the nth degree and others have come on to slag Arenas including Colangelo today. I'm not justifying what he did, of course it was in poor judgement. But I do agree with Becker that Arenas will have a major case against the NBA for being "indefinitely suspended."

...and Colangelo called McCown out for calling Bargnani a "D-League" player at best. McCown admitted that it was tongue in cheek, but then proceeded to further call Bargnani out for his inconsistency.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 (4:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Dave Perkins, Damien Cox, Ed Olczyk, Wayne Parrish, Fred Gaudelli, Brendan Shanahan, Michael McKinley

Some awfully introspective questions between Cox and McCown on today's show. Questions about the media and roles and responsibilities of journalists. When McCown asks "are we wimps?", when he questions why mainstream journalists, you know the self introspection is at full tilt. There were a lot of questions in this segment, but very little answers. TMZ hides behind the site name, and the difficult thing for journalists is, they cannot hide. If someone like Cox or McCown divulge their deep knowledge of the Sports stars they cover, they can kiss goodbye access to the athletes they cover.

McCown also made mention of knowledge of major superstar who has had "indiscretions", and the process of not divulging the info. In McCown's defence, he attributed the element of legal action as his motivating factor. Cox leaned more towards future access to athletes.

Journalism in the sports world is changing...whether the old dogs want to admit it or not. This new segment of the news that McCown talks about as "fearless", is a reality. I'm interested to see how the next decade of journalists will cover stories.

Part of the reason I love PTS is the fact that we are exposed to characters we would never otherwise see. These are the big names behind sports that influence sports as much (if not more) than the athletes themselves. Fred Gaudelli is one of those individuals - great interview and hope he's a recurring guest after a long absence.

Interesting note from today's show: McCown and Cox are in an 8-year lawsuit?? Details, details!!!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 (4:00-7:00)

Executive producer of studio production at Rogers Sportsnet, Nelson Millman, Ed Olczyk, NBC and Versus hockey analyst; owner of the Hamilton Tiger Cats, Bob Young, Darren Rovell, sports business reporter for CNBC; president of Ryerson University, Sheldon Levy.

Wow - Nelson Millman gone. This will be really interesting, specifically how Millman's departure affects Prime Time Sports. His effect on the FAN 590 and building the radio station through the many changes will be felt for years to come. What was the first all sports radio station format has morphed into the hub of Sports, arguably in North America. How's the new guy gonna handle the ego that is McCown?? "The enemy you know vs. the enemy you don't - you can't possibly prepare him for what he's getting into", quipped McCown!

MORE STORIES OF THE HISTORY OF PRIME TIME!!! With Millman on, there was so much stuff that I really love, and I'd imagine most long time listeners do too! As time goes by, Prime Time is as much an intriguing part of sports and sports history and definitely fascinating to hear the inner stories of those who have to deal with McCown on a regular basis, and how McCown became the personality he is.

Round Table coming up at the end of the week. Bobcat, bring back my girl Mary Ormsby!!!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: Andrew Brandt, president of National Football Post and former VP of the Green Bay Packers; Andreas Apostolopoulos from Triple Properties, NBC and Versus hockey analyst, Ed Olczyk; Michael Hiestand, USA Today media columnist; Quinton Aaron, actor in the movie "The Blind Side".

I've asked this before, but....

McCown, if the Jays are so good right now and the nucleus is there, why fire JP in the first place? It can't be both ways. Either JP built this city on rock and roll, or he should have been axed. Which is it?? Your notion of the nucleus being there would suggest that it is the former, not the latter.

Wonderful revelation of Domi being re-signed by the Leafs for 2.5 million for the direct reason to sell jerseys. John Shannon swears it's true. 2.5 million divided by $100/jersey equals 25,000 jerseys a year. Is it possible that there are enough leaf nation idiots that justified the contract? As crazy as it sounds, I bet MLSE made their money back on that one (and then some!)

Hey - anyone know how did Brunt do on the torch relay?

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: John Shannon
Guests: : Rob Zamuner, NHLPA representative and former NHL player; USA Today baseball columnist, Bob Nightengale; writer for the Wall Street Journal, Christina Lewis; Ed Olczyk, hockey analyst for NBC and Versus; Toronto Raptors radio colour commentator, Eric Smith; Don Banks from Sports Illustrated.

$550,000 for the Pontiac Silverdome…c'mon folks, we can come up with that change here and now can't we???

Bobcat and Christina Lewis seemed to be flirting a bit, no? Maybe it's my Friday afternoon ears??

Missed the Olczyk, Smith and Banks interviews but will add later today!

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Monday, November 9, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Dave Andrews, Richard Griffin, Ed Olczyk, Don Banks, and Da'Shawn Thomas.

It's a cross between writer's block and a lack of any content worthwhile of reporting on today's show. While I was on the bench, I did listen to all the shows and was hoping to catch-up on what I missed but there was very little that I was inspired by.

Da'Shawn Thomas was an interesting story who started in the CFL, now at Western and invited to the NFL columbines. Interesting, but not compelling. Even Banks commented to McCown/Brunt wake him up if he makes it past the columbines.

Agassi will be on Prime Time Sports on Wednesday. Two interesting things about this. Firstly, Sportsnet continues to promote the interesting Mike Danton story, but no mention of the Agassi interview anywhere. Secondly, on Jim Rome earlier in the week he trumpeted Agassi's character as being impeccable as this would be the only reason he would "lay it bare" for a biography. What Rome was missing was the hypothesis by McCown late last week - that Agassi revealed his story about drug use, etc due to the story about to come out anyways. It will be interesting if McCown confronts Agassi on this point specifically, and while the show isn't being advertised by Sportsnet should prove to be one on the more interesting interviews of the year.

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Jim Kelley
Guests: Tony Viner, president and CEO of Rogers Media; NBC and Versus hockey analyst, Ed Olczyk; senior advisor for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pat Gillick; ESPN play-by-play announcer, Dan Shulman; James Christie, Globe and Mail columnist.

The OFFICIAL Jays post-mortem has begun.

Viner answered the simple question - Rogers is committed to the Jays and they are not for sale. Kelley really needs to think about his question line before he asks it. There was one question that literally took a minute and a half to ask it. Viner only stayed on for one segment, but as Viner put it about Prime Time Sports, "I'm planning on being a regular."

Gillick on coming to Toronto to assist the Jays, "Not at this time…" Bobcat, if it's impossible for Gillick to answer his interest in the Jays position due to his contract with the Phillies, why ask?

The Olympics are definitely corrupt…I still smart from Toronto not getting the bid in '96. Having said that, what exactly did Vancouver do to secure their bid?

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Co-author of "Leafs AbomiNation", Michael Grange; Claude Lemieux, NHL player and "Battle of the Blades" contestant; Peter Keating, writer for ESPN The Magazine; NBC and Versus hockey analyst, Ed Olczyk; George Stroumboulopoulos, host of "The Hour" on CBC.

McCown: "I'm developing a book that talks about the life and times in this stupid business and how the suits have tried to mess up my life."

Brunt: "That hasn't happened recently to you has it?"
McCown: "Not in a couple of hours, but I've been here."

"An announcement is forthcoming…it's up to them to make whatever announcement they wish…we’re not sure why we're not on, but it doesn't matter why we're not on, but it's up to them (Sportsnet)…but it's going to be okay…just relax!" quipped McCown during the show.

Regardless of all the speculation going around the internetsssss these days, it seems as there will be something different, new and fresh happening with Prime Time Sports and Sportsnet. My best guess is that Sportsnet is going to take McCown and company out of the Fan590 studio and bring him into the Sportsnet studios which would lend to better camera's, better graphics and video support to conversations that take place. The simulcast will still take place on Fan590, but Sportsnet will be the base, not the Fan590, as it is now. So instead of a radio show on tv, it will be a tv show on radio. This would bring PTS up to a level to compete with TSN (Again, this is all in my mind!)

So, McCown has 3 upcoming books (all in his head) which are:
- McCowns life and times
- A retrospective of Prime Time Sports (evidently a picture book?)
- ???

…although not much has been said about Jim Kelley's departure from Prime Time Sports, Brunt did mention it by saying "now that John Shannon is a sidekick…" So it's pretty well confirmed. Kelley's out. Shannon's in.

Strombo interview was great…wish he'd be on more and can't wait for the Fleury interview on the Hour.

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

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Bruce Arthur
Guests: Globe and Mail sports writer, David Naylor; Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports; Ed Olczyk, NBC and Versus hockey analyst; legal expert Rob Becker; Keith Law from ESPN.

Nice to hear some real music on the podcast breaks...instead of the studio music. Cheap Sportsnet bastards won't pay for licensed music on the TV airwaves.

Would love to know more details about the books that McCown/Naylor have going on. It still sounds like it's at least a year away though for anything to be produced. Hope the History of Prime Time Sports makes it to fruition.

"Don (Cherry) is a bit of a dancer" - Scott Moore. Does anyone in Canada know this side of Cherry?

Looking at the Kelly-NHLPA situation, McCown has recently argued that Kelly's fundamental mistake was not getting rid of the 'old guard' and letting the Executive Board continue to run, without putting in "his own guys". The problem with this argument is that it is all in hindsight. No one saw this coming and unfortunately McCown's comments come after the fact. If McCown thought this, why not say it before instead of after Kelly was fired? ...and a bit sick of the "Sword of Damocles"
saying too! For those that need it, here's the link to what the reference is all about:
LINK

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: Thursday, May 21, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 (5:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: CNBC's Darren Rovell; Sean Fitz-Gerald, reporter for the National Post; Ed Olczyk, hockey analyst for NBC and Versus; Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun; Buffalo News writer, Jerry Sullivan

After two memorable days of interviews and insight, things slowed down in Prime Time Sports world today. We're talking about whether Wells should go as the number 4 hitter in May - it's great to be a Jays fan again, eh?

Two guys I'd love to have a beer with watching a game - Bob Elliot and Bert Sugar.

Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown - Thursday, March 19 (6:00-7:00)

Host: Bob McCown
Co-Host: Stephen Brunt
Guests: Eugene Melnyk, owner of the Ottawa Senators; hockey colour commentator for NBC and Versus, Ed Olczyk; Toronto Raptors radio play-by-play team, Eric Smith and Paul Jones.

Melnyk lost out on his bid to acquire an MLS franchise, and now is in a real fight to secure the City of Ottawa's support vs his rival CFL wannabees, Minto et al. McCown and Brunt called Melnyk on the reason why a merging couldn't happen, which is what all of Ottawa is asking. Living in Ottawa, I neither have a rooting interest in CFL or MLS. But I can tell ya one thing, I don't want my tax dollars going to either of these groups. I would be more willing to part with a *bit* of my tax dollars to go to a combined facility that both groups would use. If I'm a betting man, the CFL is a heckuva lot closer coming to Ottawa than MLS, and Melnyk knows it.