Broadcasting Legend Rod Black Interview | The Game Sports Podcast

[00:00:05] Speaker A: Booyah. And it's time for the Game sports podcast. It is your host, David McCaig junior. The Game sports podcast is powered by 91 n. That's 91 network. And this is the Game sports podcast special edition show. Now, this is the episodes of the game Sports podcast where, yes, as I mentioned, special edition category, which is a show featuring a full interview with a very special guests. And normally there is a co host joining yours truly. But you know what? I decided to rock it solo here tonight and hog the guest to myself per se. Now, you may be able to see him on the other side of the screen. If you're checking out on the video side or even the audio side, you may see his name or picture in the thumbnail. Nonetheless, I am going to give you my usual introduction because it wouldn't be a special edition show without me getting into my usual introduction. So get your popcorn ready, get your beverages, and let's get right into it. Getting to our guest, you likely see the name, even the thumbnail, as I mentioned. But you may have heard his voice and seen his face on tv for, well, let's just say over 30 years. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, got his start at the age of 19 with CTV affiliate for the Winnipeg jets before moving to Toronto by 1990, where until 2021 he was a representative of CTV TSN and this guest was involved in all sports, baseball, golf, bowling, curling, boxing, figure skating, hockey, CFL, and much more. In 2002, he was a guest star in the animated series the minor leagues, and in 2005, he won the Sports Media Canada award as outstanding sports broadcaster to earn five Gemini award nominations for best sports broadcaster. In 2008, he was named to the role of honor of the Manitoba Sports Writers and Sports Casters association. In 2013, he received the Queen Elizabeth second Diamond Jubilee medal. I may have butchered that, but that's fine. If I butcher one thing in the introduction, we're fine for his volunteer work with Plant Canada. Last, but certainly not least of this guy's bio and fun fact, his son is Tyler Black. If you know sports, you know who that is. Or you may not know who that is. Well, let me remind you that he's a prospect in the Milwaukee brewers organization. Was drafted in the first round of 2021. Definitely canadian boy as well. Without further ado, the one and only rod black. Rod, thanks for taking the time. [00:02:21] Speaker B: That was a hell of an introduction. Oh my gosh. Some of it was true. It was fantastic. And Wikipedia, that's something else. Good to see you. [00:02:33] Speaker A: You know what? I use good to see you and I use Instagram. I use. I even looked up some of your older videos that you had. Obviously, everyone that knows you got to got the pleasure to see you on tv with the raptors, obviously, and everything thing. And I know we'll get into a lot. But you know what? There's one thing I wanted to get into first, and you're from Winnipeg, right? I know Winnipeg. Outside of being a podcast host, I do work full time, as you say, to put more food on the table, if you will. And I know, let's just say the head office of the place of where I work is actually in Winnipeg. And you know, I've been told by a lot of people, you know, it's cold. It's cold there in the winter. It's different winters than it is in Ontario. But just in case people don't know about Winnipeg, what can you tell them about it? And the second thing, if you were the GM of a sports team, how would you persuade someone to sign in Winnipeg? [00:03:30] Speaker B: Well, I am a proud Winnipegger. A proud pegger, they call them. And Tobin. I come from a small area just outside, kind of like, I guess a suburb, kind of like Scarborough without the romance. It's called transcona, known for its pink flamingos. Winnipeg is a very friendly place. They call it friendly Manitoba. It's community, it's home for me, a great sports town. They love their sports. It's. It's grown over the years for sure. It is cold in the winter. It can get cold, but you know, it's. I think with global warming we. You never know what you get. I know today, the day I'm talking to you, it's actually warmer in Winnipeg than it is here. I'm living just outside of Toronto, so it can be cold. Beautiful summers, incredible lakes, fantastic fishing, one of the best freshwater beaches, Grand beach in North America, voted by Playboy magazine a long time ago. Great ukrainian food, a great food period. Very diverse community. But as I said before, very friendly, good for families. And I think that if I was a GM and I've known a lot of them because I've worked there for such a long time and I still do work in the peg from time to time and I did the CFL for so many years, how would I sell somebody? If you like to. If you like to play for a community that loves its team, there may not be a better community and that's a hot take, but they love their teams. You know, clearly it's the jets and clearly it's the blue Bombers, but they have the gold eyes too. They've had soccer teams in the past, I still think they have some minor league teams here and there, but they are jets fans through and through, blue bomber fans through and through. And it's a great place. It's still my home. You know, I love going back there, although I don't get back as much as I used to. But you're right about the cold part. I don't miss those January and February days. But here's the thing. Little known fact, let's say, and the people go, what's -40 in Winnipeg? Well, it's about -36 actually, with the windshield, it's -40 but it's very dry. And when the sun shines, there's a different color, blue sky. There's no pollution there. It's just big sky country and it doesn't feel like it. So here in Toronto, if you're, I would say, like it gets cold when it's minus ten here it's really cold and it's damp and it goes through your bones. And people here don't really kind of dress in Winnipeg and Manitoba, you dress for it. So they do a lot of things still outside. But, you know, I think, you know, one of the great things is you can drink heavily, too. You know, you can drink heavily. It helps with the cold. You stay indoors. But it's also a great storytelling community. It, here's another one. I keep going on it because I'll rant on Winnipeg. I love Winnipeg. Really. One of the first hotspots for rock and roll music in North America, beyond Memphis. And, but rock and roll radio station, I'm pretty sure 92 city FM was one of the first ever rock and roll radio stations and had dj's like brother Jake Edwards and Andy Frost and all the gang there. And they played rock and they, they've had so many rock and roll concerts. They've had great bands that come out of there. So I'm doing a good job for tourism Winnipeg right now because, hey, I've moved to Winnipeg. And not, not soon, though, for me, because I got, I live here. But the only tough thing I would say, david, about the peg at times is it can be a little hard to get in and out of some destinations because of flights and what air travel's like now. They kind of make you hop, you know, and stop in different cities. But it really. Have you, have you, you've been, though, haven't you? [00:07:27] Speaker A: No, I haven't. I was actually supposed to, but what's. [00:07:30] Speaker B: Your company that, can you divulge that? The company you work for. [00:07:33] Speaker A: So the, I guess I could divulge it because. [00:07:36] Speaker B: Is it an insurance company? [00:07:38] Speaker A: No, it's not. It's in, you know what, just in case I can't, for security reasons, in the lottery ticket business. [00:07:45] Speaker B: Oh, that makes sense. [00:07:46] Speaker A: It's in the, it's in the lottery ticket business. [00:07:51] Speaker B: I probably know the company, but you should go. It's, it's, it's a really good summer city. For sure. Some people say summer is only June 6 to June 7, but I can't. Winnipeg. When the beauty of Winnipeg is we all, we never take offense to that because we joke about it and it's, it's, it's fun, but it's, it's also very flat. It's very flat. You can watch your dog run away from home for about five days. So it's like, oh, there he goes. He's gone. But I kid and I do. It's in my heart for sure. [00:08:25] Speaker A: See, I've had the opportunity when I got hired to that company that worked for. They ended up end up getting hired in the middle of COVID Right in the middle of it. So what obviously travel was restrict really big restrictions and then obviously things have lightened in the past year, thankfully. But we just haven't been able to coordinate. I've had the opportunity once, but it didn't work out because it was my wedding at that point. So I could. But I would love to get to that point because Winnipeg is definitely something and you just sold it more to me. [00:08:52] Speaker B: Here's another one that's a good. Because clearly this is a sports podcast, not a tourism podcast. Here's another little trivia question for all of the peeps out there. Is that. And I'm pretty sure Steve Ballmer is number one. Now clearly I'm giving you the answer. But the franchise, the richest sports franchise in North America. I shouldn't say richest because I'm talking valuation. The franchise with the richest owner in North America is the Winnipeg jets. Wow. [00:09:25] Speaker A: I didn't even know that. [00:09:26] Speaker B: Yeah. David Thompson, the Thompson family, I believe they're like fifth or 6th wealthiest family. And David Thompson has a huge part of the Winnipeg. I don't know if the jets would be in Winnipeg if it wasn't for Mark Chipman and, you know, and David Thompson. But Thompson is heavily involved and they. Yeah. You know, again, I was doing the jets games just before they left the first time and clearly it was economy, it was american dollars they didn't have. You need kind of that sugar daddy. You need a billionaire owner. Now to, to operate a sports franchise in the big four. And, you know, they're, Ottawa didn't have one. Eugene Melnick, as much money as he had, wasn't a billionaire. Now they have a billionaire. You have to be a billionaire. And, and clearly the Thompson money, you know, obviously sings there. And, you know, there. It's, it's got a, it's got a very rich, rich owner and a very. [00:10:20] Speaker A: Very good fan base that the jets have that passion. But the fan base is so passionate about the bombers, too. [00:10:27] Speaker B: So here's another one, too. You're like, I think, you know, again, when we're airing this, there has been a lot of consternation amongst fans about and the experts, so called experts. Oh, what's going on in Winnipeg? Why aren't they coming to games? Well, to me, the reason that has happened has nothing to do with the team, zero, because they're great fans and they have support. But, David, you're not a season ticket holder for the jets. I'm not a season ticket holder, but together, how it works is we're season ticket holders. Right. And to me, it's kind of a harbinger or a precursor to our economy. And that's probably not a good sign. If jets fans aren't going to games, it's not because they don't like the team, because the team is clear. Actually, I think the Winnipeg jets have a chance to win the Stanley cup. That's how good they've been this year. [00:11:12] Speaker A: Good team. [00:11:13] Speaker B: But what it is, it's a pre it. That means that those Manitobans who aren't going don't have the discretionary income right now and they can't afford to go to those games or they're, they don't want to use that discretionary income for that. And that to me, is a precursor to the economy. I always look at middle class markets as rich as their owner is, but you don't give the tickets away. Right. And so that has a lot to do with, it's not cold weather. It has, you know, apathy. No, no, no. [00:11:41] Speaker A: They got the population. They got the passion around it. It's just everything is so expensive. Yeah. [00:11:47] Speaker B: And the first thing you don't pay is pay money. And by the way, they also go, well, hey, you know, they like to sit at home and watch a tv. No, no, no. They like to go to games. Have you seen the jets fans outside the arena and playoffs? That's one of the greatest scenes ever. So, no, it has nothing to do with it, but it does have to me, if I'm an economic analyst on Bloomberg channel or whatever and talking about the economy and where it's going, that to me is very cautionary. If those middle markets and people aren't using their discretionary income to go to games, that means that our economy is definitely on a downturn. [00:12:22] Speaker A: Yeah. And it's challenging all around. And when you get that extra money and obviously going outside of sports here, but when you get that extra income, you're trying to think of yourself and family. [00:12:31] Speaker B: Right. [00:12:31] Speaker A: That's, that's a big thing. We're in Sault Ste. Marie, Rod. That's where the gate, that's what the game sports podcast is. [00:12:36] Speaker B: I love to Saint Marie, Ontario, the. [00:12:40] Speaker A: Heart of the Great Lakes. So we actually feel the cold winters as well. We're border town with Sioux Michigan, so we have a lot of american. [00:12:47] Speaker B: I love Sioux Michigan, too. I've been down. Where's that place? Treetops. [00:12:51] Speaker A: Treetops. Have you seen the polar stadium too? [00:12:53] Speaker B: I have not. But I went, I once, the only time I've been to Sioux Michigan, I actually had to do an interview with Phil Mickelson, of all people, was down there. Yeah, it's crazy story. And then. But I've been to the Sioux many times and spoke at a few events. But also, you know, through the years have followed that great town. I mean, some of the greatest hockey players who have ever, ever played have been through that great city. So I'm not, I'm kind of speaking to someone who knows a lot about a fan base that's passionate and people that are passionate and again, probably a middle income city. And it's, it's all about your town. And so that's the beauty. [00:13:30] Speaker A: Local thrives. [00:13:32] Speaker B: Yes. [00:13:32] Speaker A: Nothing, no credit. Like nothing against franchise. [00:13:34] Speaker B: And it should, by the way, locals. [00:13:36] Speaker A: Local restaurants, local fans like sports. [00:13:41] Speaker B: That's the way it should be. We've lost touch with that. I really, truly believe that. We've lost so much over the years in terms of franchising and branding and, and dare I say now into gambling as well. And, you know, where every commercial is has something to do with some sort of betting company or gaming company. Nothing wrong with that. Hey, it's got passed. But it's not everything. Local is everything. Your town, your team, your home. Sports is territorial. Sports is provincial. Sports is what, you know. Where are you from? I'm not a fan of many teams. Like, I'm not even a fan of the jets just because I did so many games. But I'm a fan when I was growing up, I was, I was growing up with the blue Bombers. I'm a fan of the Minnesota Vikings because territorially they were close. [00:14:30] Speaker A: Exactly. [00:14:30] Speaker B: You know, I know a lot of, I'm sure a lot of suf, I was in Windsor last week. Tons of Tiger fans, tons of Red Wing fans. More red wing fans in Windsor than Maple Leaf fans. And it's because of that territory, right, exactly. [00:14:44] Speaker A: And the, and the big thing is in Toronto, I always laugh because I think Toronto, when they think of Sault Ste. Marie right now, they think of Kyle Dubas and they think it might have the best taste in a lot of Sheldon. Yeah, and Sheldon. Exactly. [00:14:57] Speaker B: There's, they did well there, though. [00:14:59] Speaker A: They did. And there's a lot of Toronto fans here in the suit. A lot of, a lot of red wing fans because territorial, as you mentioned, Montreal, that's still territorial to some degree. There's a lot of, you know, we call the Sioux little Italy, too, as well. A lot of Italians. There's a lot of soccer love here. [00:15:14] Speaker B: It's. Espo was there at one time, too, was he not? Phil Esposito. I mean, that's so, that way. Phil and Tony, and that was their, I'm sure that's when the little Italy mafia began. [00:15:27] Speaker A: I'm just saying, gretzky, that play with the Hounds, you got Francis, that's from here. Turcomeer, a lot of talent. Colin Miller is currently active in the NHL. A lot of good players. [00:15:38] Speaker B: And you follow them. You know, that's the beauty of small towns, is you follow the, you'll always, you know, Susaine Marie fans definitely would follow Wayne Gretzky for his entire career because he played there. Erie. Connor McDavid, same thing. Like, you know, where you're, you played, people will always, even though they might have their team, they will go well, he, he played here. He played here. [00:16:03] Speaker A: See, and honestly, there's that local touch. It's so great that you also said diverse, because I, it's something that I like, a diverse culture. I love community. The sue is that it's really expanded to that. [00:16:16] Speaker B: I gotta get down there soon again. I love, I love, I love the people there. I love the place. [00:16:19] Speaker A: Well, definitely when you do, we'll have to have a little pint or a. [00:16:24] Speaker B: Few more than a little. [00:16:26] Speaker A: There's one restaurant that I would definitely recommend, but I won't say it on there because they don't, they don't sponsor. [00:16:31] Speaker B: Yet, but I hope we will after this. [00:16:36] Speaker A: You know, honestly, I was gonna go my next way. I was gonna go. But I'm gonna save the next part for the end because it's about. I wanted to give you the floor, usually at the end, like giving guests the floor. So I'll skip that part and go that towards the end. What I want to go to the next part is, and I know, obviously, I did my research, the game, the whole staff, we did a research that we can on you. So correct us if we're wrong, but you did go to Red River College. Is that accurate? Nice. Okay, so. [00:16:59] Speaker B: Didn't finish. [00:17:00] Speaker A: No, no. So you started broadcasting at 19, though, right? That's when it all started. [00:17:06] Speaker B: Yeah, I was. I was 18, actually. Then I. Yeah, 18. And then I. I think I got the job just as I was my, my 19th year. So that's probably. Yeah, so that was. But I was young. I was definitely young. [00:17:17] Speaker A: So who was somebody that, who guided you and influenced you to get into that? I know, obviously when you're in Canada, you grow into sports. You're just passionate about it, right? You. You follow a team. Like you said, you were obviously into sports. So, you know, like, obviously I give credit to my father, who was big into sports, right, who started me, you know, watching sports. But there must have been somebody who may be influenced you on the side, you into the broadcasting background. [00:17:40] Speaker B: And honestly, truthfully, I always wanted to be a, I always wanted to be a pro athlete. And I played every sport imaginable. And, you know, I kind of knocked on the door on a lot of them and then picked, you know, probably played too many of them. But having said that, it kind of helped me later in my career because as you mentioned earlier, I've broadcast pretty much every sport imaginable except pickleball. But I'm working on that. That's coming? Yeah, it's coming. So. But I really loved to play and I was doing a lot of voices and stuff when I was a kid. Local radio station, I phone in and have fun and I was kind of interested in that side. But I really kind of wasn't thinking that I could do that because I was so young, but I liked it. And then everything, my worlds kind of collided, you know, I was my, I guess I was 1617. I was playing football. I played for the Winnipeg Hawkeyes junior team there. I liked it. I just didn't like getting hit. I was a good receiver. That was kind of like my coach wanted me to be a wideout. He just said right outside the field. But then I, then I became a quarterback, and then I just didn't like getting hit a lot, and same thing with hockey. I just didn't like getting hit a lot. And I played baseball as well, and I kind of played, dabbled in a little semi pro team out there, but I really picked up basketball, and I really wanted to. I wanted to be the first white globetrotter, and I did all the tricks, and I. I don't know how it happened. I think it was just so cheap. I. We didn't have a lot of money, and the days that we didn't play road hockey or something out in Transcona, I would. I would be out there banging a basketball and kind of pretending that I was doctor J, who was my hero at the time, growing up and mimicking all the moves. Anyway, I got pretty good at it and played in junior high and high school. I was still playing other sports. I was dabbling in the radio and theater thing, and then I had a scholarship offer down to the states, place called Bemidji State, and it was on my way down there was. It was kind of a dual thing. They looked at me for hockey and it was, and for basketball, and I was on my kind of recruiting visit, but the guy basically, it was different back then. They basically said, come, you got a spot. So I was about halfway there, and I don't know, I had this kind of epiphany with a friend of mine in the car. I just said, I don't think I want to do this. So I went. I kind of thought, I really. I just wanted it maybe broadcast, and I didn't think about getting in sports because there was so many older guys. It was just, you know, the legends, and I thought, oh, that's going to take forever. Maybe radio, doing some stuff. I just. I don't know if what it was. Maybe I was a homeboy or something. I just kind of had cold feet. We were over the border, I think we just got into Minnesota, turned around, came home. I had registered for a course called creative communications in Red river, and. And I decided to go there. And I still kept playing sports and kept loving it, but kind of that. And I can tell you, to this day, I still have dreams about why I didn't take that, but at the same, it was almost like a sliding door thing. I decided, just for some reason, I just thought that kind of might have been my calling. And then a year later, I was in the course, and I honestly thought, this is a bad choice, man. There are no jobs out there. What am I going to do? I'm 18. I got this big afro. I've got this cheesy little mustache. Yeah, I don't know what I'm. Yeah, I don't know what I'm gonna do here. I could get an advertising, you know, maybe work in a local. I really like the vibe and that. I kept actually trying to play sports. I was even gonna go to Australia to try to maybe play some pro. A lot of little things happened, and then one day, this job opening came up in this, my second year at Red river, and they were looking for a sports broadcaster at the local CTV station. [00:21:24] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:21:25] Speaker B: And that's. Everybody kept saying, you should do this, you should do that. I said, I'm too young, man. Who's going to take me? And there were a lot of older people in my class that said, you'll get the job. But I thought, oh, my gosh, this is a perfect. Oh. And I just said, this is. This might be it. And a guy named Peter Young, who was a longtime broadcaster there, came to interview people. Lo and behold. Long story short, I got the job, and then I didn't finish school. I just took one, and I immersed myself in it. It was like. It was like becoming a pro is like, I 24 7365. I, you know, worked late nights, worked all night. Started a thing called plays of the week. I think we started the first ever plays of the week. That was kind of my calling card. We just had fun. I really liked doing it, and it became that. That microphone and sports that became my. That became my calling for my life, and it changed my life. That. That one little moment, you know, getting that job changed my life forever. [00:22:25] Speaker A: See, honestly. And we're happy that you did it, because you spent such a long time in it. I remember watching, like, I've had James Duthie on the show, and I always. [00:22:33] Speaker B: A good dude. [00:22:34] Speaker A: I bugged you. [00:22:35] Speaker B: Sure. What the hell? He does. I don't know how he gets all these. Does any of his stuff when he's on that golf course all day long. But he does it literally. [00:22:41] Speaker A: I. He thought he was talking about how much he loved golf, but I said, your voice echoes through my house. Right. Because wife, same way my family was, the same. You got trade center on, or you got free agent. [00:22:54] Speaker B: Yes. [00:22:54] Speaker A: Whatever you got on. [00:22:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:22:56] Speaker A: You got voices. Your voice was another one going through the house. Another one was obviously Joe Bowen. Was another voice going through this house. Another friend. [00:23:03] Speaker B: Holy Macana. [00:23:05] Speaker A: Hundred percent, right. [00:23:06] Speaker B: Great friend, too. [00:23:07] Speaker A: He's. And honestly, there. There's people that were meant to do something. I said that to Joe. I'll say that to you, James? I. You know what? Like, honestly, it's. [00:23:16] Speaker B: It's. He's got a. He's not a weird. He's had a weird kind of journey, and it's worked out for him, and he's obviously one of the very best and good on him. He was a writer, I recall. I think he said this a few. [00:23:28] Speaker A: Times when he was 30. [00:23:30] Speaker B: He was saying, yeah, and I think I did a Canada games or something. Can't remember what exactly it was. And he always said that he wrote the research manual, because I don't know if you know this. I wrote the research manual for you guys. I said, really? And that's how he got it. And a persistence. It doesn't matter when you get in or how you get in. It matters if you get in. And if you. I'm gonna. I tell people all the time, just keep knocking, keep kicking doors down. Everybody can be a broadcaster now. Everybody. The world has changed with podcasts and everything. They're the state of the art now with sports in particular, and you never know that kind of. That one moment. And if you work your ass off it and you. You don't take yourself too seriously, I think that's the main thing, too. I think that's, you know, one. One thing I would say for. For all the people you mentioned, Joe and. And James and everybody who's done it or has had success at that kind of level, I. We take ourselves. We take what we do very seriously, but we don't take ourselves seriously. And I think that's. That's probably a good trait, because it's just sports, man. It's just sports. You know, there's big stories, right? There's hard. Yeah, there's hard ass stories. There's stuff that really breaks your heart, and you got to be on those stories, because it can't just be fun and games all the time. But generally, sports was made tv sports was made as a getaway, a toy department for us, you know, to relax from the. All the daily stuff that. With all the daily crap we have to put up with and, you know, and this and stuff that just lets our brain rest and watch and enjoy. I just was watching a bowl game just before we started, and that's sports, man. You know, unwritten. You can't write endings. Unpredictable. This western Kentucky old dominion game, you might have been watching, and I'm watching it. Old Dominion is up 28 nothing, and western Kentucky won in overtime. And that's sports. And it doesn't matter what level it is. Yeah. Division one division, three, high school, male, female, whatever it is, boy, girl sports is. That's the beauty of it. And once you're in it, and I'm sure you love it the same way I do, is it once you're in, once it's in your blood, it's in your heart, and it beats. There's nothing like being at a game, nothing like watching a game, nothing like being part of sports. And that's why I've, again, it's, it's, it's. It's been my journey of a love time. And, you know, as it. All the other stuff we do around it, I, they're very much more important things in sports from my life. But sports has been my, it's been my, my nerve center, for sure. [00:26:19] Speaker A: See, honestly, that's a good segue into this point that I had. And obviously, I'd like, I'm excited to get into both the Raptors and Jays about you. [00:26:25] Speaker B: There's a lot we can get into. Whatever you like. [00:26:28] Speaker A: Half hour might be. It might be a little more than. [00:26:31] Speaker B: A half hour, you go whatever you want. [00:26:33] Speaker A: We, the challenges in broadcasting brought. But today, I think today is a good example even before it was. Because people then to now, there's obviously different challenges that occurred then to now. If you want to look at now for the simple, from a simple perspective, podcasts are all over. I know the common thing that I hear a lot of is that, okay, you got people that are former athletes or celebrities doing podcasts. For example, no free ads. But the Kelsey brothers, they do the new Heights podcast. They're. They are hot right now, those guys. Hot. That's, that's. Yeah, chick. Let's write those guys. They, they obviously, they, they. People feel like they have to compete against them. And that's a challenge in today is the mental health side of it, where they look at, say, I gotta compete, I gotta try to meet, when really, in my opinion, isn't, you just bring forward the content that you believe in, that you're passionate about, and that is what's gonna give you the best feedback for, most importantly, yourself. Never mind what others think. So what I want to know from you, though, is the challenges that you've had for 30 years up till now. Like, I'm sure there was a time where you just said, oh, my. Like, I know you touched on the beginning, said, I don't know if I want to do, but you got, you got in, and I'm working your way up. But over the 30 years, I'm sure there was challenges that you had to face or barriers that you had to overcome. [00:27:51] Speaker B: And it's actually 40 years. 40 years. 30. 30 is Celsius. I would. Yeah, there's tons of them. I think there's, I think there's tons of them. And you all, and everybody fights it and everybody, and anybody who says there aren't, they're fooling themselves and you go through it. But I think what you find a divining rod that points you in their direction of the truth, which is most important, obviously, to doing stories, stuff that points you in the direction of the teams that you're covering, points you the direction of the sport, all of that. I think you have to have. I treat it like bodybuilding. You know, sometimes you feel a little weak. So what do you do? You build your body up. Same thing in this thing is, you know, I can tell you, especially in my early years, I'm going like, jesus is tough. You got to do it. And, you know, people are hammering at you and you're saying this and that, and you just got to do your stuff and you got to believe in yourself. And then you're right. You find, you find your level and whatever that level is. You know, some get here, some get there, some by luck and pluck, get a little higher in whatever profession. This is just not broadcasting. But you realize, too, that hard work will pave the way. And you just put your nose down and you get, develop a very thick skin and you just move forward. And the beauty of it is, for me, it always was, no matter how hard it's been or whatever we've done, you know, and it, whether we've had transmission problems, where we've made mistakes on the air or whatever it is, generally, if you do the prep work, it'll shine through. And I'm, you know, I think. I don't think. I know that, you know, the work pays off. I don't like to go into a game cold. It looks like we go into games cold sometimes because we do so many of them. But I can tell you that whatever game that is. Like a couple weeks ago, I did some ESPN work down in Moncton, New Brunswick, and then I had, I had a boxing event the week before. There was like four, four events that were going on at the same time. And the old days, probably 30 years ago, you, it was really hard because you had to get your research. You couldn't go online. [00:30:08] Speaker A: There was no writings on paper. [00:30:10] Speaker B: Well, you had to read. And that's all I did was read newspaper. I used to get four or five newspapers sent every day to my thing, and I go through them all because I knew that there was different leanings, you know, conservative. And it wasn't just sports. I read everything because I wanted to. I knew that I needed that knowledge. And that brain's a muscle, too. It's going to grow and you develop and you develop. So the more you put in, the more you'll have at your disposal. So for whatever game, like every 3 hours, I say it probably takes 20 hours to prepare and making sure you have all the names. And I can tell you it's hard sometimes because you go into a game and then they change everything and they go, oh, you know, I was doing the cebl this year, and I love the canadian, canadian elite basketball league. It's fantastic. And it just come to their arena before, by the way, just want to let you know, we just got two new players. Like, what? So now you're just now again, if that was years ago, I'm going like, what are we gonna. So you what I do? I go and talk to the player. Go and find out how they say their name. First of all, tell me a little story about yourself. Sell the players. The game will take care of itself. But back to, back to the original question. Yeah, you're going to go through a lot of challenges, a lot of ups and downs, but there's going to be a lot more ups and downs. And the beauty of, the beauty of sport is that there's usually a game a day and there's another game the next day. So no matter what happened, and sometimes, David, it's the games that you never expect that are going to be the greatest games. I can tell you I've done broadcasts where I thought, oh, my gosh, this is maybe one of the greatest broadcasts you know, we've ever done as a team in that, and you never hear it from fans. You know, they go, whatever, and then you'll do a game that was not very well produced or there were some mistakes or whatever, you know, like a glitches here and there. We could lose a camera, whatever, and people go, that was the greatest games. You guys were unbelievable. So you got to take everything. I think it's just like in life, brother. I think you just take everything with a grain of salt and you move on. And I've frankly learned a lot of that also from my athlete friends and my coaching friends, because no one takes more criticism, I would say, or is more looked at under a microscope than any of the professional athletes or athletes that we cover that we cover because it's very hard for them, too, especially in a day of social media, and everybody's got something to say. Good batter. You could have the greatest game in your life. There's some hooligan idiot out there that's going to write something out. I think you just got to realize it. Just move on. Just take. I always say, don't take a step back, take a step forward. [00:32:46] Speaker A: And I like that thick skin reference because that's so important in any area. Go from an athlete perspective. You could take even a full time worker perspective, what field you're in or in broadcasting, because you're gonna have that. So you have this clip that it has a thousand views, right? [00:33:01] Speaker B: Or. [00:33:01] Speaker A: And whatever it may have, you may have 29 likes, 39 dislikes. But you know what? And you got comments. There's. Some are positive, some are negative. You can't read into that. [00:33:14] Speaker B: I think, honestly, you should probably just don't read into it. Read it, read it, period. Like, that's. I would tell you right now that anybody who does has stuff like that, they don't read it anyway. They just post or do whatever, and they have their own opinion. And here's a great example, especially of the world we live in. And I've been so lucky and privileged to do. What are you drinking, by the way? What is that? [00:33:33] Speaker A: Each episode I enjoy a drink, I'm not gonna lie. So it has ginger al in it and a rum. It's a. [00:33:39] Speaker B: That's actually how we broadcast the Olympic Games. It's unbelievable. We do, actually tequila. No, no kidding. [00:33:44] Speaker A: It's a bamboo banana ish rum, to be honest. [00:33:47] Speaker B: I like that. When I go to the zoo, I expect two of those. [00:33:49] Speaker A: Oh, more than two. [00:33:50] Speaker B: So you go, you know, you're lucky. And we do all of these broadcasts, and I. You just know the big ratings. Like, you know, I was lucky enough to work for a network. So generally, we always had really big numbers for whatever event it was, because we did big, big events. That's what happens. And I never put a lot into it. I know salespeople did, managers. You know, Olympics. You get, like, eight to 1012 million, sometimes maybe 20 million people watching, you know, the NBA championship. I know we had probably a whole country watching when I did the Blue Jays. We had a whole country watching here. I did the CBL last year. And J. Cole was playing for the team, right? [00:34:33] Speaker A: Yeah. Yeah, that's right. [00:34:34] Speaker B: And J. Cole, he's actually a very decent basketball player. He's a fantastic person. And it was so cool. Like, you know, having him around Jermaine Cole, to have him there, you know, and he was really just a nice dude. Anyway, he got into one game, he wasn't playing much. He get in. He was a hard worker. Definitely wasn't one of the best players on the team, nevermind the league, but he got in. He hit two threes, and I called the two threes. I think to this day, if I go on that, out of all of the events that I was lucky enough to broadcast, if you added all of those ratings, those people who watched up, it doesn't equal the impressions that two buckets from J. Cole got. I think it's like till I got 200 million views or something. And the guy, because he got two baskets. So you does that. I'm not saying that because I think that that's impressive. I'm saying that because that if you look, you go, oh, my gosh, 200 million. It doesn't matter if it was two or 200. The ability to actually post something that is honest, that is, that that could be entertaining. That isn't hateful, I think is a big thing. I think there's just too much hate out there, but it also makes people opine that will maybe move a needle. I think that's kind of cool when people can actually do that and you don't really care what anybody says, you know, like, I'm sure J. Cole, whenever 200 million people, nobody says, like, you know, oh, I got, he hardly played, but he got two baskets. [00:36:02] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:36:03] Speaker B: So again, I think it's just such a, you know, we live in that kind of world of 50% like it, 50% don't like it. It's, you know, yeah, it's, it's, it's like the old, the old saying when you were coaching as a guy, coach. Used to coach my kids in a lot of sports is that, you know, you had the three rules that, you know, three people are gonna like you, three people are going to not like you, and three people are gonna hate you. So you just kind of got, make sure you put the people you like. You make sure that they're the goal scorers or the, the stars of the team, because not everybody can play anyway. It's, it's all, that's, that's kind of the way the sports world spins, see. [00:36:43] Speaker A: And usually I'm a prepared guy, but you say, that made me think of a quote, actually, from Ryan Reynolds, where he said, and I'm going to summarize, I'm not going to say I kind of want to butcher it. But he said the bigger the crowds, you know, the worse usually it is. The smaller the crowd that means the better it is. In short. That's, that's not the exact quote. No, no, it was a good quote. Right. But either way, going to what we said here, anyone? [00:37:06] Speaker B: Yeah. There is a comfortability in, in coziness and, and just being like, there's, there's something about a smaller room working. A smaller room. I do a lot of speaking events. I kind of like that sometimes smaller rooms are really hard to work, but sometimes there's that. It's a charm to it. There's a charm to it. You're really tight and close, and it's kind of like what podcasts have become. You, you. I'm a fan of them. I listen to quite a few of them, and I really like to get to know, I think people now, especially celebrities, people with big names, high profiles, seem to, even if they're not sitting beside you because of this new format, they tell you stuff that you don't normally get. And I think that's the beauty of, the beauty of this new age, if there is a beauty to it, definitely. [00:37:58] Speaker A: Now, one thing I want to get into and is the Raptors and J's. So actually, there's a lot, there's, there's a good chunk. But of course, you know, there was something that I watched. Speaking of YouTube, I'm going to go with the Raptors here, and I am looking down for people that are watching my videos. Speaking of criticizing, I do, I want to make sure I get this right. I'm going to read this. So on the YouTube channel, it's called my canadian moment is where I read this or watch this. You did a, you shared your favorite canadian moments, and there was a number that you brought up, obviously. But there's one thing that stood out to you, and it was not only in 2019 did the Raptors win. [00:38:32] Speaker B: Oh, this is for Canada's Sports hall of Fame. I do remember doing that. [00:38:35] Speaker A: So I won't say what it was outside of them winning. What was the one thing in 2019 that stood out? [00:38:41] Speaker B: Well, I can't remember because we had a big party after that, but I do, I will never forget. There's a lot to it, and especially since I did the first games of the Raptor games, and I've been, you know, a long time with my buddies and Leo and, and Paul Jones and Jack and Matty and all those guys, and we're broadcasters. All we do is tell stories, but we're also a team, and we're a team, and we're following a team. And this team was incredible. 2019, you know, I yearn. I yearn for 2019 again because it was so magical. And there's so many things you can learn about building a sports franchise, by the way. Get the best player, that helps. That's a lot, you know, and then, and then have equal parts to help that, that best player, because I can tell you right now, people say, well, you never would have won without Kawhi Leonard. Well, I would tell you we probably don't win without Kyle Lowry, either. I mean, if Kawhi doesn't have Kyle, we might not. When I say we, the Raptors at the time, Canada might not have an NBA championship. I will tell you right now, the Toronto Raptors would not have won an NBA championship if it wasn't for DeMar DeRozan because you didn't have a guy who built the franchise, got us to that next level, got this, this young team that went through so many failures, including himself, to that next level. He brought he and Kyle together. And then the ability to trade a commodity like that for a known commodity in Kauai, if you don't have DeMarti Rosen, you can't get Kawhi Leonard. Exactly. There's a lot of little pieces, but, yeah, that, that night, all, it sticks with me for a long time. And, you know, both Leo and I looked at him was, the clock was winding down. He had a tear in his eye. I think. I think I had an allergy. But, but I do recall the, the people that were there, and I, you know, I know there was some criticism for one security guard in the way he handled Messiah, but I really appreciated all the security guards and Oracle arena at the time for allowing the Canadians to stay. They could have kicked everybody out, and everybody was staying, and it had to be a couple thousand people. And everybody was in such a party mood. Everybody was celebrating, everybody. And then they just burst into O Canada. And that song. [00:40:55] Speaker A: That's the moment. [00:40:55] Speaker B: Yeah, that song just, and again, I've been to, I've seen that happen before, but not with that kind of spontaneity. And it was just such a neat moment because it just wasn't a Toronto win. It was a canadian win. And speaking of diverse, nothing like a basketball crowd, every ethnicity, everyone in that crowd standing. And a lot of them had come from, you know, I'm sure down from British Columbia. Some came from Alberta in the prairies. Many came from Toronto, but was so many Quebecers, they came down there and it was a hard ticket to get, by the way. They're, you know, there very well could have been a 7th game. You know, the way that was going, you never knew. But that moment, them singing, oh, Canada, I get chills every time I see an athlete sing it. A team sing it. But, you know, let's face it, we really only had one canadian on the team at the time, you know, some canadian staff. But, you know, I'm watching the players and they're singing. Yeah, it was special. [00:41:57] Speaker A: It was so special for, for a country. Like you said, I remember being, and I can actually say this establishment, because they sponsor the show. It's called SportsCenter bar and grill to Saint Mary, Ontario. We were there watching the Raptors sports. [00:42:08] Speaker B: Center bar and grill, official home of the 2019 NBA champion Raptors. [00:42:14] Speaker A: Exactly that. And they. There was friends of ours out there. The bar was packed. When the Raptors won that championship, celebrations took everywhere in Canada. Free shots. I don't know if the owner knows that now he does free shots around the bar. [00:42:28] Speaker B: And did he have some rum there for you? [00:42:31] Speaker A: Oh, there was actually whiskey at the time going around, but they. Either way, it was something that everyone wanted to celebrate. Right. And I stayed. Rod and I stayed to watch the entire ceremony. Okay. [00:42:42] Speaker B: So that would have been. So let me think. Because that was, oh, I'm going to say 1030 in Oakland. So that had to be 132 o'clock in the morning. [00:42:53] Speaker A: About that. We're at the bar sitting, and I know there was a group of our friends. [00:42:56] Speaker B: Were they still serving? [00:42:58] Speaker A: So they. Should I just give my. I'll give the thumbs up? [00:43:03] Speaker B: Well, yeah, you know what they are. They are a sponsor. But you don't want them to lose their license. [00:43:08] Speaker A: No, no. They were appropriately doing what was necessary. [00:43:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:11] Speaker A: But we were sitting down watching me, my friends, and then my, my wife and a few of her other friends were watching, and they couldn't understand why we had to watch and stay and stay and watch. I did not want to miss a second until the credits came on, until it cut from the air broadcast to go to sports center because it was ts. Yeah, it was TSN. [00:43:32] Speaker B: And then we were still on. Yeah, I think we. Then we went. Then we had to go up and we had to do this after show. I'll never forget. That was way up in the rafters in Oracle. And there was Paul Jones, Eric Smith, Matty Leo, myself, Jack, kind of all the broadcasters. And we, we went around the. And we were taking calls and our tech emails and that went for a couple hours, and I'll never forget, Jack was just getting lit. And we effin won the championship. We Effin won the championship, you guys. We effin won it. We won it. And then we ended up going to a party after, which was underneath the bridge in Oakland on the way back to San Francisco. Everybody was there. That was really cool. It wasn't as crazy as you would think. It was celebratory, but I think the guys were just beat, and they were kind of getting ready to go the next day on Drake's plane because they were going to Vegas. They gave everybody else in the media their tickets, who normally are on the charter. They gave them tickets and said, okay, here's your ticket home. You're not coming on the charter because it was going to Vegas. And I actually was going the next day. I had to do a CFL game the next night in Edmonton. [00:44:45] Speaker A: Really? [00:44:45] Speaker B: Was opening of the season or. No, it was a. It was opening. It couldn't have been. Yeah, no, it was a preseason game. It might have been. No, you know what? It was the opening of the season. And so the night after I left that party at 05:00 a.m. i got on a plane at 08:00 a.m. got to Edmonton around ten, got a nap in, and then did the game. And I. I was still higher than a kite in many ways, but, yeah, it was just such a. Well, it was just magic, man. It was just magic. [00:45:17] Speaker A: I thought if you would have told me when I was younger that I would have saw the Raptors win before the Leafs or Jays, I thought I would maybe said, nah, no, because basketball. [00:45:24] Speaker B: You obviously weren't born when the Jays. [00:45:27] Speaker A: I was at one and two years. [00:45:28] Speaker B: Old, so there's some good memories of it. That one was. That one was crazy. I'm lucky enough to be around for that one. And that was, um. It wasn't around in 67, but I watched it on tv and I'm always an elite fan, and I'm still, again, like I said, I'm not really a fan of any particular team. But 92 was, again, magical. The whole country was watching, and there wasn't, you know, their sports networks were just starting, you know, so it wasn't like it is now. And there were. Cable television was barely on the air. There was, it was, it wasn't like it is now. And there was no mobile devices. There were no, there were no cell phones. None of these just starting. And 92 was. Yeah, we go to dial. I'd have go to dial pay phone to do throw clips back and. But it was a different celebration because we were in Atlanta when the Jays won, and it was really low key. It was really low key. And everybody. And they were so beat up that the Jays were so beat up, but they were having fun. And then we got on a plane back and we left the next. And then when you got home, it was nuts. Like, as great as that raptor Parade was, which was, I think, actually, the raptor parade just. Yeah, just ended good. But the raptor parade was, was out of control. But I don't even know, even if the Leafs went, I'm not sure that there would be that big of a parade. And there's a reasons for that, just because I think it's such a diverse population, a lot of kids, and by the way, they were out of school. They got out of school, right? They were out of school. And Blue Jays one was the first one I'd ever been around. It was nuts. And then it came in. And then the next year when Joe hit two, that was when really, the country was captivated. Because, David, before that, even at the Olympics, then we started winning Olympic gold medals. We never really, as a nation, won gold medals. 92 was kind of that first year in Barcelona that we won gold medals. We hadn't, you know, 88, yeah, we won the gold medal and was taken away because of steroids and all of that. We really didn't win. We weren't that kind of nation then. In 92, we're starting to win and, you know, Olympics started to take over. Olympic were our moment. We didn't have that. Blue Jays winning was the first, to me is still as what it's. It's right out there if it's not number one. And the most memorable moments I've ever had watching or covering sports because it, it was the first, or I had been around and coast to coast to coast and then fast forward, you know, to 2019, that's when it felt like that again to me. A whole country watching a team, you know, you won't get that. If the Leafs win a Stanley cup, where the Calgary Flames or the Montreal Canadiens, last time they won a cup that was 93. You don't get a whole country celebrating. Vancouver has a good chance. No, but it's the Blue Jays and the Maple Leaf, or Blue Jays. Sorry. And the Raptors, because they're, they. They own a country. I think we should have the Expos. You know, we could have had the Expos win as well. I do think we're going to get another NBA franchise someday. [00:48:34] Speaker A: I do think Vancouver. [00:48:36] Speaker B: I think it could be Montreal even before Vancouver. [00:48:38] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:48:39] Speaker B: So it's. It won't be the same. That will not. 2019 will stay in the history books forever. [00:48:45] Speaker A: And it was. You remember where you were, right? That's. [00:48:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:48:48] Speaker A: It's so big. You went for a nation, never mind an organization, right? That's the way I look at it. It's such a memorable thing. And, yeah, I am gonna sit and watch the tv until the screen goes black, because you know what is a Toronto fan that I will admit outside being a podcast, so someone knows a while. So I'm a big Toronto fan. There's a Jays fan. Right? J series right there. And there's a leaf jersey that has my name on it, selfishly enough. But the reason being. [00:49:14] Speaker B: Okay, let's see. What's that other jersey? [00:49:16] Speaker A: This is a Steelers jersey. [00:49:18] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. Oh, is that palomalo? [00:49:19] Speaker A: Yes, it is. [00:49:20] Speaker B: Nice. [00:49:21] Speaker A: And that's a men's league hockey jersey up there. [00:49:23] Speaker B: Oh, that's the most important one. [00:49:24] Speaker A: It is. It's the beer League one. And I got a leaf jersey. [00:49:28] Speaker B: Oh, there's the Jays one. Who's your. Who's your Jays jersey? [00:49:30] Speaker A: Vladimir Guerrero, junior. [00:49:31] Speaker B: Nice. [00:49:32] Speaker A: I had a Bautista. I'm actually a big Bautista. [00:49:34] Speaker B: Hopefully. Hopefully that will be worth some money someday, and if he stays a blue. [00:49:39] Speaker A: Jay, you know, I thought there was gonna be more players going there this summer, but we won't get into that. It's a little expired. But how? There was someone else, I thought going there this year, but it didn't happen. You know, at that moment that we watched that is. It's like, my God, it's. You see that growing up your whole life, Vince Carter all the time. You just think of all that. And for years, the Raptors were behind the. The Cavaliers, and the LeBron James had good teams, right? And then they get into the finals, they're against Golden State. You're like, oh, no. Now it goes down. And you know what? Fans were, like, celebrating. But it's not because we're rude. It's because we've had so much pain and we've had so much that we wanted. [00:50:15] Speaker B: Sucked so bad. [00:50:17] Speaker A: So bad. [00:50:18] Speaker B: So bad. I did. I did the first years of the Raptors, and it was fun. But, man, even those first few couple seasons are going. I'm not sure we're going to be here in another five years. Never mind ten, never mind 25, never 26 years. [00:50:31] Speaker A: Relocate us. [00:50:32] Speaker B: Real. I'm going. Like, those uniforms are. They look terrible. They're playing in a terrible stadium for this. And yet years later, that that jersey is probably the most popular jersey. It's funny how that works. Comes back and then you're right, though. Vince Carter changed things. Vince Carter changed things. I did was doing the games. I remember doing his first game, national television. It was after that kind of mini lockout that they had. It was in February, home game that they had. He played against Boston on the Friday. They came home to play against the Grizzlies. And first time he got the ball, slammed it. I think it was over Bryant Reeves, I'm pretty sure. And then it was like, oh, my gosh, this is like, this guy's for real. And that's when I honestly think that was kind of the first turning point where we said, oh, my gosh, this is really cool. Really. I think the time they beat the Bulls was cool. It's kind of a novelty, but you still kind of went, uh, is it what's going to happen? Get your own arena. Vince Carter. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. What we love, especially in Toronto, I think, is to have justification or verification or validation from our friends in the states. Oh, look at Canada. So canadian, we say, oh, my gosh, look. Look at how good they are. And we want that, you know? And then we go, I'm sorry. We're raging. Yeah, I'm sorry. And that's exactly how it worked. I think it works in sports with that still to this day with us. But you get that validation, and Vince was that instant validation that, oh, my gosh, there hasn't been a more important basketball name in our country since James Daysmith. And then at the same time, Steve Nash was playing really well, and then he made young canadian players believe that they could do it, especially guys who might have been undersized. And so there were just great worlds were colliding. [00:52:24] Speaker A: Worlds were colliding that I was going to say my thing with the combining the Raptors and Jays, the Leafs, hockey's hockey in Canada, so we'll have to worry about enrollment in hockey. But you speak of baseball and basketball. When the Raptors won, the effect on the country that it does for enrollment in basketball, for youth basketball organizations skyrocket. The baseball, that bat flip by Bautista, that was heard all across Canada, the enrollments also went up right after that bat flip. Right? And it's the big thing now. So, like, I think we go back to what I asked you about pitching as a GM. When you're a gm of the jays, you're the Gm of the raptors. Not the Leafs, because the leaf are just a mecca of the hockey world. But you talk about those two teams, it's one. One team representing one country at this time, anyways, and you can be your. Your effect on that team, aka what Shohei could have done if he came here. I'll mention the name that we were talking about a few moments ago. It's. It's. [00:53:16] Speaker B: It would have changed the dynamic of every. [00:53:19] Speaker A: I feel like Toronto sports, just everything in sports would have pivoted, especially. [00:53:25] Speaker B: Especially for. I don't say new Canadians, but Canadians that hadn't really been baseball fans before, right? For some of our immigrant population, for not only Japanese or Korean or Chinese or whatever, that's. I mean, the obvious, but for, you know, like, anybody who's coming in and says, hey, you know, he's a little different. He's a little different. He's an unbelievable player. You haven't had a player like that in a long time. And bang, he changes enrollment, he changes kids who dream. I have a call. I call it the eight eight year rule. It might be a little bit different now. It used to be the eight year rule, or it was a five to eight year rule. When a generational player got in the game, it was usually five to eight years after that. They won. They actually won a championship. It's crazy. You look at all of them and you can all go, wow. Mary Elim Jordan. It took them that long. But I always say for kids who are, you know, in that, like Shay Gildeous Alexander, for instance, how old he was when he was, you know, again, 20. I did the bio steal game, and Shay was. He wasn't even a standout in that game and was like. And. But to be inspired. So I think, you know, when they're turning ten to twelve years old, twelve, is that when they turn 20? Justin Morno. I remember Justin Morno. That was eight years after the Toronto Blue Jays had won the World Series. So he was like a 1213 year old watching the Blue Jays win the World Series. Sidney Crosby, whose dad was drafted by Montreal, was born in 87. So Sidney Crosby, I'm sure his team was the Montreal Canadiens. He actually was a big. Truth be known, he was a huge leaf fan. And his favorite hockey player was Darrell Sittler, which is. A lot of people don't know that. And his nickname is actually Darrell. And he writes in his gloves before every game, or in his gloves. I don't think he writes it because it's on. But any new pair of gloves he has, he puts Daryl in there, when he was in Remuski, he had, I think it was close to a ten point game, which Darrell Sittler, of course, had. And everybody on the team started calling him. I think he got eight. They started calling him Darrell. [00:55:32] Speaker A: Wow. Okay. [00:55:33] Speaker B: And that's. And that's. Yeah, so, but think about Crosby. He was like, again, 87. So, like, you know, six, six, seven years. A six, seven year old impressionable kid. Think about eight years later, 1550. He was only 15, but where was he when he was 15? He was one of the best players, an exceptional athlete for the draft. He was this superstar. Remember covering him at 1415. I think they need that, those moments. The Marie Philippe Poulain. I think it goes to female sport. You know, where was she when Hailey Wickenheiser was doing what Hailey Wickenheiser was doing? Winning world championships in olympic gold medals. Give them eight years after they get first inspired. That's when you kind of see them take off, take flight. [00:56:14] Speaker A: And Crosby's lucky in 87, where he saw the Jays win back to back. He would have saw Montreal win. He would have saw the Raptors. [00:56:20] Speaker B: Been a young kid. Yeah. [00:56:22] Speaker A: You saw the raptors come into the NBA. Right. [00:56:24] Speaker B: And he was around championships, anyone. [00:56:26] Speaker A: Exactly. [00:56:27] Speaker B: And then he won the world. And then he won the world junior. That was 2005, I think. Yeah. In Grand Forks. So, you know, he was 18, you know, fast, you know, and people still did. I honestly think that he might be the most underrated goat there is out there. They still don't put his name. I still think he's one of the five greatest hockey players of all time. I really do. And, and it's just because of the modern day and individuals can't. He's a champ. He's a champ. He's so dominant. He was incredible. He inspired, by the way, Connor McDavid, Austin Matthews, all those. How old were they? Watching Sidney Crosby. [00:57:06] Speaker A: Yep. All the more. Well, McMathews is an oh my, 95, 96. So he would have. But he would have been just under, under ten years old, watching Crosby 8910. Eleven. Watched Ovechkin do that goal. He was at Arizona. He was at that game, and he saw. Vets can do that. [00:57:26] Speaker B: And I think Alex and Sid are pretty close in age, right? They played it. They played against each other at that world junior. So I think that's how inspiration works for, for young athletes. They have that moment, and then if you stay on that path and you have, a lot of stuff has to happen. But the next great ones, you find that it's kind of eight years after they've been, you know, sparked. Ignited. [00:57:47] Speaker A: Launched, even influenced. [00:57:48] Speaker B: Influenced. It's huge now. [00:57:52] Speaker A: You know, I'm obviously, you know, the agenda I kind of just went off. You know, I didn't get into your awards. I didn't get into. Get into that. [00:58:01] Speaker B: That's okay. Don't worry about we. [00:58:04] Speaker A: I am gonna save it, though, for the end. I'll make it a two parter at the end, especially for. [00:58:07] Speaker B: That's okay. [00:58:08] Speaker A: The awards part, but we don't. [00:58:10] Speaker B: Yeah, but we. Honestly, that's nice stuff, but honestly, I never even thought about them or never think about them, and it's like, I never. Although this is my. This is my. This is my award last year for winning the scoring championship in my old fart league. [00:58:26] Speaker A: The pleasure of. This is my award after. [00:58:28] Speaker B: Yeah, that's right. Here. [00:58:29] Speaker A: This, this. [00:58:30] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:58:31] Speaker A: You know, but you did cover the Olympics a little bit. I'll go into this just quickly. You know, you covered 92, 94, 2010, 2012. [00:58:39] Speaker B: Yeah, 96, too. Did 96 in Atlanta. The bombing. I actually went there for the bombing, and then I saw Donovan run. Covered that. But as was a reporter, we didn't have the rights, so. 92, 96. Yeah. London, Vancouver. I love the Olympics. There's nothing like it. [00:58:53] Speaker A: So, with recording the Olympics, is that, like. Is the. Make sure it makes sense. I say this is covering the Olympics, like the Olympics for broadcasting. Am I saying that right? [00:59:03] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. As much as. And again, I pulled the Blue Jays win, and the Raptors went on real, like people always ask me. I really don't. It's so hard. I'm, you know, again, I'm blessed and lucky to been around all this and. But to go to an Olympics and to. You feel like you're representing your country not as an athlete, but you're representing your country as a broadcaster, and you have a responsibility as a broadcaster to cover it at the best of your ability and to frame stories, because the Olympics are really about stories. And I wish sports was pro sports was more about that instead of the over unders and the parlays and all that right now, which is fine betting everywhere. Everywhere. And people care more about what they're going to, you know, what their over under is on tonight, then they care about the real, honest to goodness, pure stories that we. We need to hear more of. I think we're kind of lost that. Like, we go to intermissions now and the intermission. It's nice to have a panel, but I just watched the game. I just saw a good game. I know. I know. You know, I'm glad that they're breaking it down, and I'm glad the exes out there, and I'm glad, you know, Dave pullin's doing that and Jeff O'Dog is doing all that. I like it. Shorten that up. Just give me. I've seen it already. I've seen that. I like to see more features again. I like to see stories, and I want people to tug on my heartstrings or, or perhaps even go the other way and make, make me like or maybe even dislike the athlete. Find out a little bit more. And that's what the Olympics are about. You have never heard of these athletes ever. You get a research manual like this and you got to pour over it for months, and then you find these unbelievable stories of where they came from because they are amateur, amateur athletes, but. [01:00:43] Speaker A: They'Re so good at their sport. [01:00:45] Speaker B: So good, and they only, they train their whole life for 10 seconds, 10 seconds, some of them. And there could be abject failure, disappointment and tragedy and all of those things, but it's, there's nothing like it. There's nothing like the Olympics. You get home and I, every Olympics, they come back. I've really had to have a kind of a meltdown, withdrawals just move, just go away from sports for a bit, just because it's really emotionally taxing, especially when you see, you see the anthems being sung or, or you see somebody who just missed the podium or you see the joy, but you also see the heartbreak. That's the Olympics. The Olympics. There's nothing like it. It has been diminished. I believe the Olympics have really been diminished over the years. People kind of go, oh, when's the next? We always, a few years ago, we knew, oh, can't wait for the next. It doesn't seem to have the gravita that it once had, because I still don't think we build up the athletes enough before it. Two weeks before the games, everybody goes, oh, Olympics, Olympics. Then you have to watch it overnight. You don't get any sleep. To me, it's not, doesn't seem to have the oomph that oomph that it once had. I can tell. You can go ask anybody on the street, where's, where's the next Olympics? Where's the next two Olympics? Nobody, one out of ten used to always know. I knew, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. And you kind of forget, and it. But it's the Olympics, and David is. I don't know if you've been to have a chance to get to one or see one. I encourage everybody, if you get a ticket, get a chance to go. Everybody should get a chance. The television sets. Marvelous or however you watch it, but to see it in person is my. [01:02:25] Speaker A: Friend, is Brad Jacobs, friend of mine. And he ended up, obviously winning a gold medal in the Olympics for curling. And I always say that he was a big, he was a big part in really putting forward Curly because he. [01:02:38] Speaker B: Raz a great dude. [01:02:39] Speaker A: He brought a different approach to Curly where he celebrated. Right. Very hockey esque. Right. That's not known. That's not like that. Right. It's like golf. You don't scream golf. Right. It's a quiet, it's a gentleman's game. If you all know, go. I know curling really have that. [01:02:53] Speaker B: And the Americans loved it. [01:02:55] Speaker A: Yes. [01:02:55] Speaker B: They love it because they love, because they were wondering, even my good friend Charles Barclay, I remember you said on the air, my favorite sport is, I don't know what Kurt is, but I think, what is it? Dustin, not Kurland. It's Dustin. And then he just, he kept phoning me, goes, when, who's playing who? And like, I love this sport, man. I got, I think I want to try this. I said, no, you can drink. But that, it's overcome that kind of. It's very athletic. Now, great athletes. You have to be a great athlete. The strategy is incredible. It's getting better, I think, too, you know, like, but it's. Here's another thing. They got to be careful with curling. It's wall to wall. I saw what happened to skating because I'm a big, I love skating, covering it, and it just got oversaturated, and it was the same on every time. And it's good, great for the sport, but there's so much wall to wall now. The, the curling fans love it. They love it because the microphones have changed it. But you got to be really careful because what you're going to do, it's like golf is now with PGA Tour and lip, when you have too much that is not significant or majors, you're going to bring your, the rest of your product down. [01:04:03] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:04:03] Speaker B: And I think that's, you're going to see that happen in golf, for sure. And the people are only going to care about the majors. You saw it in indie racing. They divided everything up and they oversaturated it. You saw it in boxing. They divided everything up and they oversaturated it. So I just hope curling it. And I've talked to, I had a really good conversation recently with Jennifer Jones, who I really admire. What an icon. And a manitoban as well, and Glenn Howard, who I have great respect to him. And wrestling. We had a great conversation about where it's going. And they feel that, too. They go, we got to be careful of where we're going with the sport. Having said that, it's a rock and roll sport now. They've rocked and they've rolled it. And it's because of what you said, the celebrations, the cheering, the athleticism. When I first started, honestly, when I first started covering curling was back in Manitoba. We would have 20 minutes of sports cast a night. 15 minutes of it would actually go to curling. We had Rick, we had cameras out. The largest bon spiel in the world. I think it still is, but it would go 24 hours. My sports director sent me out at two in the morning, was the MCA bon spiel took cover. Curling. That's how popular it is there. And I'll never forget. I'd go there at two in the morning and there'd be somebody smoking a dart, playing. Smoking a dart, you know, and they had the corn brooms going and. Yeah, then they have a drink between. And yet they were in the MCA bone spiel. And it's different. [01:05:29] Speaker A: It's not the same. Brad's obviously a really thick guy. There's guy that. It's a different. It's a whole different approach. [01:05:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:05:36] Speaker A: Now, obviously, before we get to wrap up, there is one topic. So I did research this. [01:05:41] Speaker B: I like to. [01:05:41] Speaker A: I like to brag about. I did a little bit of research. Okay. Beauty. There's something that aired on Rogers tv. I think you probably know where I'm going with this. A day in the life. It was hosted by Fred Hacker. [01:05:52] Speaker B: Oh, yes. Up in Midland, Ontario. [01:05:55] Speaker A: Yes. So it was about an hour filled of your history, was it in the world of sports? And you brought up one story about interviewing Wayne Gretzky, and it led to you becoming best friends with his agents. [01:06:09] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. To this day. [01:06:11] Speaker A: Yeah. So I don't know if you wanted to share that. [01:06:15] Speaker B: It's my first ever hockey broadcast. My first ever hockey broadcast was in Edmonton. And I will tell you, it goes back to what we said before about, you know, all the challenges. And I. I will tell you, I. I could have gone swimming and would have had less. Can sweat on my body, less. Less dampness on my body. I could have a shower. I was just sweating that whole day because it was the Oilers against the jets. It was 1983, so it was about my second or third year in broadcasting, and it was my first. I just got the job. We got the rights to host. Hockey was different back then. You only had Saturday night game and a midweek game, and the locals did the midweek game so that we were doing the jets games. And I'll never forget, Calgary's host at the time was Ron McClain. So I see him all the time, and we'd always see each other. And so we come in, and I'm all excited about this. And they go, and John Shannon is my producer, my first ever producer. Great man. One of the great producers I've ever worked with. And he goes, Roddy, Roddy, big boy. I got Gretzky. First intermission for you. Awesome. And as a host, that's what you look. That's when you used to do interviews, and they were all. They used to sit down and you'd have them for, like, three or four minutes. Yeah, yeah. They put this little studio thing up behind you. So I was going back, and I knew Wayne a little bit. I had interviewed him a few times when he came to Winnipeg before I know him. He was great, by the way. He's the great one for a lot of reasons. A lot of reasons. And I wasn't nervous about that, but I kind of thought, okay, well, he's got some kind of preparing questions, and I think through the years, he realized, you know, just prepare the information. Don't have your questions ready, but I'm kind of going. And then we get to end of the first period. A couple minutes are left. I'm going, man, it's gonna be good. I can't wait. Got prepared. Wayne Gretzky, the runner, comes in about 30 seconds after the period ends, and usually they come in with a towel, and I'm kind of waiting, sitting there, and I think his name is Bill Twilley. Who is the boilers pr guys? Wayne. Wayne. Can't do it. He got a little banged up. He can't do the interview. But we got. We got Wayne's agent, Gus Badali. Well, and the only good thing was that I knew Gus because. A little bit. Because Dave Babbage and Dale Howrchuk were his agent, too. Gus. And people who don't know your listeners and viewers was the Jerry Maguire of canadian sports agents, 17 of the top 20 forwards. He had them all. Anyway, so he comes in and he does the interview, and he actually. I bug him all the time. He looked like Peter Sellers. He had the little mustache going. And he was good. And was good. It was really good interview. Nice exchange, actually. Good thing. And we didn't promote Wayne, which was good, so they didn't, you know, there wasn't this kind of letdown, but Gus was really good and fascinating. And after the game, I saw him, and I saw Wayne. For whatever reason, through him and Dave Babbage, we forged this incredible, incredible friendship through the years. He was the best man at my wedding. He wasn't my agent, but he led me to an agency that helped me in my career. I thought it was important to have some representation at the time through landmark sports and Elliot Kerr, but he was. He was just. If you talk to anybody in the game about Gus, everybody, he's like Raymond. Everybody loves Gus. And he's a godfather to my, one of my kids. He is. He's 87 years old now. Not many, you know, he's a, you know, 20, a quarter century older than basically me and more. But we were always great friends. And he's. He knows more about hockey than anybody I've ever met. As a scout, as an agent. Doesn't do it anymore. Still kind of watches the game. I lean on him for his expertise, but he was an amazing guy. And it goes to show, you never miss an opportunity to meet somebody. And if it wasn't. If it wasn't for gratsky gassing us that day and not doing the interview, I never would have had this. This friend for life. And he really has been really, truly my. He's been like a dad. He's been like a big brother to me, and he's been fantastic. [01:10:23] Speaker A: I love this. The part where obviously, where you mentioned he's a godfather of your children and the best man. [01:10:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:10:28] Speaker A: That is what, the pivotal moment. You just. [01:10:30] Speaker B: He is italian, too, so that's kind of why he's the godfather. So I bug him a lot. [01:10:36] Speaker A: That's funny. No, so I did look at your instagram, and I liked one part of your bio where you said you're a full time dad. And you know what? There's one thing that you did that I'll credit that. Obviously, you did so much. Traveling, different, different sports to be a father and to, to, you know, obviously you're. Speaking of Tyler. He's done very well, obviously. Speaking of it, you know, if he does ever get. Decides he has a chance to sign in Toronto, please let him do it. Yeah, no, to. But to be a great ballpark in Milwaukee, by the way. I've been there. Love it. But full time dad. You did what you did with being a father, right? [01:11:13] Speaker B: Very hard. Very hard. Very challenging. [01:11:16] Speaker A: I bet, because you're traveling all the time, right. And I'm sure you had a good supporting cast at home or my wife. [01:11:23] Speaker B: She, she was the rock, right? She, that's what she did. And, and, and a community, because I worked weekends, worked at nights. When I was home, I was home, you know, which was great. And still to this day, I still, I'm still very much in broadcasting. Summers were really tough because I did the Jays and the CFL, so I was very rarely home. We never, we weren't like the typical family to go out to a cottage in a lake. And that's probably why my kids started playing baseball in the summer, too, because they were around it and I was working, so they had to stay, we had to stay within the city. And, you know, you mentioned Joe Bowen earlier. Joe was, Joe and I coached at a young age, too. You know, our kids were all around, so baseball was really, they all played hockey. They were around it, but we needed, we needed really good friends to help us with rides. And if I was home, I took two, and because they were all playing hockey, my wife would take the other two. We have four and four under six at the time, and they were all playing hockey. [01:12:21] Speaker A: And it was four under six. [01:12:22] Speaker B: It was, I don't even know, it was chaos with a capital c. And it was, I don't know how we did it, but we leaned on a lot of people, great friends who helped us. And then you lean on your team, your team, too. The people around the team who picked them up. And I will tell, be honest, we, we did forget a couple of kids here and there, different places. But it was, I do think that our whole, our entire life, my wife's father was a national Hockey league player, played for Boston. My dad was on the verge of making the Rangers, and then he got hurt. So, you know, goes back to your first question earlier about, you know, how to get involved in sports. Our whole life has been not just sports, but it's been, it's pretty revolved, pretty much revolved. And we got our kids involved early and through, you know, biosmosis, maybe through what I did and what my wife's love of it, they were actively, actively involved and they loved it. And there's nothing like a life in sport again, that's your life. And anybody out there, you know, it's not everything. It isn't everything. And we saw that during, especially the last few years, how life changes. And we see it in the world now. There's so many more important stories than sports, than games. You know, as we got these wars going on, and we had a pandemic. But I think during the pandemic, we realized how important sport was, how important all of us is. Sport, because you need that just that getaway that it just gets us. Gets us away. And by the way, it just keeps you in shape, too. And there are so many kids nowadays that they're on mobile devices and they're in the malls, and we need. And physical education isn't mandatory in school. We need it to be mandatory. What do we know? You need to have people. The reason we started playing games in the history of sport was to keep people active, and we need more of that healthy living, and that's really through our life with our kids. That's what it's been. And it's been great to watch them, too. It's been great. As a mom and dad, it's stressful watching your kids play in any sport, but I love watching them. My daughter played hockey at a very high level. She's in college now. Unfortunately for her. Just. It's over. She'll play like some. I'm sure some intramural. I think she could have probably played at the next level. But I loved it. Didn't matter what kid. I just loved watching them play. You know, my third oldest last year, I was watching him when he was in town. Maybe that was the year before he was playing with his buddies at the rink. They had an ice rink in a little beer league. I go and watch because I love to watch. Yeah, you love to watch your kids. And as a parent, that's, hey, that's what we're put here for. [01:15:02] Speaker A: And honestly, you know what? To be able to balance what you did is everything. It takes, that support. [01:15:07] Speaker B: Well, they used to come to. They used to come to games, especially Tyler and Brody. They're the oldest. They. I dragged them along. That was the best babysitting service. Right? I don't know if I was cheap. I didn't want to get babysitted. But they come to all the Jays games. That's how they probably got their love of the. [01:15:21] Speaker A: I wonder how Tyler got his. [01:15:23] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, they were around it all the time, and they saw it, and being around it is. Is so important. You know, they were around hockey, basketball. You know, they. My daughter, too. You know, we take them because I was working, but I put them just right beside me, and I just say, you just don't. Don't interrupt me. You know, they were always good. I never saw. I had one that was a wanderer. He'd go around their building and he'd take my car, I give him my credit card and he'd come back and he'd have like souvenirs and five bags of popcorn and drinks. And I went, oh, my gosh. Check the. But there's nothing. Hey, there's so lucky to be. Have them be around it. So lucky for. And I, and I, I don't say that flippantly too, because I know the cost of sports. I know. And that goes back to being in the suhab. That's why it's great. When there's an affordable ticket. I watch. What I want to see in sport is affordable tickets. There are families that, David, you and I, we talk right now, they, they can only dream about going to an NHL game or an NBA game because it's way too expensive. I know. Yeah. It's too expensive. And it's sad. It's sad because there's nothing like it. Or they save up all their money and they have a very modest income and they save up all their money to, to go to a game. And you look back and it's like, that's like six months salary to go to a game for a family of four downtown to go to a Leafs game that is at least a 2000, almost a $2,500 night. You do everything. Add it all in. That's insane. I don't know how it got. And that's why they're paying. They can play, pay players is these salaries. It's insane. The average fan cannot afford to go to a game. I'd love to see that change. [01:17:02] Speaker A: I would. That's one thing in sport. I want to see change. I think it's ridiculous. But it's a business. Right. And that's the unfortunate side of things. But I think you can. The fans that are the. And I'm a. I am like host. Hat off for a second. I am a Leaf fan. Sucker for pay that like to call myself the. The true fans are the ones that are up here in the 500 level that see the players that look this big and the ones that are sitting watching on the couch every night or in the playoffs. The ones that are in Maple Leaf Square. [01:17:31] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:17:32] Speaker A: And it's the same for jets, same for Montreal, the Rangers. I'll even not just talk canadian teams. I'll say american teams. The Rangers are the same thing. I'm going to Columbus shortly to watch Leafs and Jackets this upcoming weekend. Spoiler alert, me and Rod pre recorded this is not live. Okay. You didn't know, but the go see a game in Columbus, I'm going six rows behind the bench, 100. $110 a ticket. [01:17:56] Speaker B: Yeah. You couldn't get into it. You couldn't get into a leaf game for $110. You spent $110 at the concession stand. [01:18:03] Speaker A: That seat in Toronto. I'm paying a grand. [01:18:07] Speaker B: Well, go to a game. Go to a game. And I. I don't want to Toronto bash because you can go to almost any of the big arenas, by the way, all the arenas look the same too, now. Right? But if you look at them, and I was recently at a game downtown, and I, as a fan, and we were up pretty high. One of the friend had a box up there and invited us up, which was really nice, but it was really high. But it was good to be up there because I noticed how many empty seats because the scalpers either had them stub hub, or whoever had them, or they were in the platinum boxes, but every seat was full in the 500 or 300 level or whatever, the upper level. And you see that in baseball, too. Every seat is full. And then the middle seats, it was an off. It was a Monday night, I believe. So there again, maybe they didn't do well in the secondary market or whatever. There was only like 50% of that. So here's my thing, is, why would you just go take half of those people up there and allow them to go seat fill at some point, second period, get an opportunity. My friends at AMJ, Campbell moving company, they had the greatest, is still the greatest. I still think they do it. The move of the game, where they move somebody from the top row right down to court side or right behind the bench. Need more of that. We need that. I know it sounds pie in the sky. I probably make a terrible president or general manager, but we need. We need more of that. We need to have the. Everybody should get an opportunity. Everybody. [01:19:31] Speaker A: And you know what? To. The one thing that I'll say to looking at your social media, obviously your Easter seal. That's how you skated. [01:19:36] Speaker B: Yeah, I play with those. I play with those guys a lot. I hosted them. And it's fun. Get to see. It's like yesteryear, man. [01:19:43] Speaker A: It's not so awesome to get involved into charities, despite whatever charity you're into. There's no good feeling with that. And when you have a good turnout seat, when you have Wendell Clark and you have a crew like you into that, you know that. That's one thing that I think, and I'm just gonna say it, the Sioux could do a bit more of, is having that involvement with their role models in town. They do do things. I'm not bashing them. I want people to know that. But there's a. I like seeing that involvement when people like, we should do. [01:20:07] Speaker B: An Easter seals or we used to do. I used to play on the legends tour. I don't think I did the sue. Don't think we ever went there. But we went in every town and city in Canada. We went right with all of like, the Gila Fleurs and the Brian trotsches and we'd have a show where we played against the police officers or firefighters. And it was. It was kind of like the Globetrotters on ice. I was like a host dude there and I enjoyed it. But it was so good. Those, again, small town, small town. All those little kids. They have no idea who those legends are. But it was so cool. All they want is get as a puck, get an autograph, get their shirt signed. We need more of that. So, yeah, talk to the folks in the zoo. We should get. We should get. Do some sort of old timer charity game, raise some money for. [01:20:47] Speaker A: Our mayor is a young mayor. He's close to. I've. I'm 32. I'll say my age on air. And our mayor is just a couple years older than myself. And he's a young blood. He's hungry. That's a good way to put it. He's made a lot of good changes in the city, in my opinion. Don't at me below if you disagree. I don't want to talk in politics, but that is something that I know he would welcome. I think there was something. We had Montreal Canadiens alumni one time at the Su PI Wee arena showed up and I was ten years old. I actually think Gila Fleur was there, but I was young. I had ten, I was younger. I don't remember it that clearly. If I was remembered a bit more. But that was at the Supi arena and the Supi arena. Love that arena. It's my youth arena, but it's not the arena you'd want to host that event at. The GFL Memorial Gardens or Northern Credit Unit center or the roads. Those are the three places you'd like to go. But we definitely need a bit more of that. I know the sue would be pumped. [01:21:38] Speaker B: Let's work on that. Let's do it. Let's get something going there. That would be great because there are a lot of. A lot of players that still do it again. They do it through Easter seals or whatever the charity is. They usually come in. Then you get to draft a player and then based on your sponsorship level, or just come in and do a game. Do a charity game one night. And I think travel is a little bit of an issue for some people. But we've done games all over. Like I said, I've been up to Inuit. We've done games in Whitehorse, yellow knife. We've been all over. And so that. That should not, should not be an issue to get. Tell your mayor let's get it going. [01:22:16] Speaker A: And the game sports. [01:22:17] Speaker B: Let's go. [01:22:17] Speaker A: And the Game sports podcast 91 n will represent you. The. [01:22:20] Speaker B: Yes, let's do it. [01:22:22] Speaker A: If any other media wants involved, they can reach out to me. [01:22:24] Speaker B: Do it. Let's get it going. [01:22:25] Speaker A: Love that. [01:22:26] Speaker B: We should actually, you know what we do? Canada United States Challenge. You're right on the border there. Hey, get some of those. [01:22:33] Speaker A: Michigan. [01:22:34] Speaker B: Michigan fan. Get a Canada United States game right there. Fun game. Yeah. You got so many great american players that would do it right now with. We play. I play with Ally afraid he a lot. Guy from Detroit. Great dude. You know, the hatchers, they play quite a bit. So you can get a. You know, you get something like a Modano to come and you get some great american players. Jeremy Roenick. [01:22:59] Speaker A: Yeah, he's a podcast guy now. [01:23:02] Speaker B: He's a good dude. So, you know, you get. But stuff like that, that would be a fantastic event because the border battle or something. There you go. I gave it to you. Just tell your mayor I get 15%. [01:23:13] Speaker A: You and I are gonna talk more off air. Not where to go to a restaurant here, but to talk about that. Now, the last thing I'll do is I like to give my guests the floor. I don't even need my thing for that. So I'll throw my little script on the floor. I don't even have a script, but I have points, of course. Before I let you go, Rod, this is obviously Dave McCake with the game sports podcast powered by 91 and my guest for the entire hour and 23 minutes up to this point. Almost an hour. No, that's good. That's what I want. That's great stuff. Obviously, Rod Black has been the guest for this entirety of the episode, if you well haven't noticed from the last hour, 23 minutes. But, Rod, I want to give you the floor. [01:23:51] Speaker B: It's flown by. It's only felt like an hour 18. [01:23:55] Speaker A: I was going to say an hour or two. [01:23:56] Speaker B: No, no, it's all good. Enjoyed it. [01:23:59] Speaker A: You do podcasting. If you want to promote that, you're definitely give you the floor. On that, what you're doing now, what you want to talk about, what you want to arrow before we sign off tonight's show? [01:24:09] Speaker B: Hmm. Well, yeah, yeah. I think there were a lot of people a couple years ago, you know, a year and a half ago, I left TSN. I thought, you know, I'm retired. It wasn't a retirement. I'm not retiring. I want to keep broadcasting. And I, I really honestly want to freelance. And I like, you know, I like doing every sport imaginable. And I love doing games and I love the podcast side. I really was reticent at the beginning because this is not a knock on you or anybody else, but I just find that podcasts are like buttholes, right? Everybody's got one. Just, just some buttholes are buttholes, or some buttholes are nice. You got a nice butthole. [01:24:42] Speaker A: So I love that. [01:24:43] Speaker B: So, so, you know, you gotta find, I always, and I'm, because I was at an, on the network for such a long time, I, and I have some pretty good connections. I, I find like, you know, like there's, there's some really good ones out there that just, you want to learn something about the guest or you won't, you want to take them on a journey. And I just think there are, so we started a thing with Northstar, speaking of, and I'm not doing it now. We only, I was only with them for a year, but we're going to start another podcast in the new year. Not sure exactly what titling is. I know we call the other one the Rodcast, which was. [01:25:17] Speaker A: That's it. [01:25:18] Speaker B: That's it. Yeah. And we had some great guests and I love doing it, but I, I want to make sure we have, we're filtering it out to the right audiences and it gets like, I'm sure you go through, is it, you know, you, you want to get some good sponsors who take it to the next level. So, and it's not going to just be, you know, the athletes. It's going to be for me. It's going to be the people around sports. Like, I know we have lined up, you know, we had lined, the rock band Kiss was going to be my first, my first guest because I love Drake, obviously, you know, what people on the periphery, the Ryan Reynolds. I love to have a conversation, you know, about Wrexham and his love of sports. And it doesn't have to be athletes. It can be around sports. And then if I have an athlete, it might not even be about them. It might be about their love of traveling, their love of music. Elvis Stoichio is one of the most fascinating individuals ever. He's a race car driver now. I like to do stuff like that. I think that's kind of where I think 2024 is going to be, and we're working on that. But I guess I go back to what I said before. It's how much I love. I love the games. I. People say, do you know I miss TsN. I don't miss. I don't miss TSN. I miss the people I worked with. In fact, even the last year, I was kind of going, geez, I kind of want to be at games, more games. I don't care what they are. High school, college, whatever. I wanted to call more games. I want to be around the games, tell those stories. So I'm going to do some writing as well. I got a book coming out in late in 2024, kind of on my journey and sports and helping some other athlete write another biography that'll be out soon. So that's keeping taking a lot of time. But I just, I love the games again, day doesn't go by where I'm not watching it. So if I'm not watching it, I'd like to report it. And I'm. I I don't, I don't sports shame or broadcast shame anybody else. But I know one thing. I, nobody's ever watched more games than I have. And that's pretty kind of a sad thing. That's kind of a sad, sad statement on my life. But I love them, and I love the unpredictability and the beauty of the games. And even in times of darkness, I do believe there's, there's, there's shining lights in sports, and we need it in our society, we need that. And I really, I love it. I, and I will keep doing it, and whether it's watching my kids play, but telling stories, that's what I love doing, is telling. This is what this is. Podcasting is telling stories and telling. I think people need a little more positivity, too. You know, so many great, great stories out there on athletes and what they're doing and giving back. And I'm also getting involved with a baseball team that by the time this podcast airs, perhaps we have a local baseball team in Toronto that we got some, you know, some high profile people involved with. I don't. At a very kind of a minor league level, but it's another fascination that I have. I just, I keep saying Simba Simon said, why don't you do, like, why don't you do I remember when jeopardy. Well, why don't you apply for the jeopardy. Hoax thing? That's kind of flattering. I think because I had an Alex Trebek mustache or why don't you. And I do. I've done some film work. Why don't you do some film work or do this? Or why don't you try that? You know what? I like my lane. My lane is sports. It's the fast lane, it's the fun lane, and it's. It. You just pedal to the metal and you go through it and you just watch the world go by. And, and again, I've been so lucky through the years to talk it, and I know our time flew by. I think it gives you an idea of indication of the passion I have for it. [01:28:59] Speaker A: And sports, a big community, and that's the big thing. Everyone's got to connect in it. And honestly, you're in a position where ultimately, when you're in this community, you get connected. And when you get connected with people, you get to learn stories. And truly, you brought up a good point in your, in your statement, and this is a direction everyone that knows the game. My podcast, I've actually been doing it since 20, beginning of 2016. [01:29:26] Speaker B: Yeah, I've seen that. It's done well. You've had great guests. [01:29:29] Speaker A: It's been. And we actually just started on YouTube. I wish those 60 previous episodes that I've had more. I wish I did more video. But what if. What if Kurt show. It's not my point. The fact of the matter is that. [01:29:41] Speaker B: Don'T discount audio, though. No, like, don't discount audio. [01:29:44] Speaker A: Good point. [01:29:45] Speaker B: You know, like, people still need to, like, have it in the background. Put your headsets. That's why I kind of like podcasts. [01:29:50] Speaker A: Now, because you have options. [01:29:52] Speaker B: I love listening to the smart list of the world. My favorite stuff is Howard Stern interviews. I think Howard Stern's an incredible interview. So same thing. I don't have to see them, but it is kind of nice. I agree with you. [01:30:01] Speaker A: But the big thing is that you brought up, that is the true stories of content, and that's what I like to do. And I have someone on the show, as much as I may know a story about them. If what they had when they had a night party and when they won the standard cup, cool. That story. If I know that story, that means that story has been told five times or was told on a hot podcast that people consider higher ranking. I want to get to know the person. I want to become friends, connect with the person. True contact I will get to know them. That is the true case and the true uniqueness about podcasts and I think. [01:30:31] Speaker B: Is what you've succeeded. Obviously, you've done very well with that. So that's good. [01:30:34] Speaker A: I appreciate that. That coming, coming from you. I'm flattered. I could probably. [01:30:39] Speaker B: I'm only suck. I'm only sucking up to you because I want one of those drinks. [01:30:42] Speaker A: Honestly, when you come here, this will be the. I got you. I got you. [01:30:46] Speaker B: I think you actually had six of those while we were on here. That's how long we've been on here. [01:30:49] Speaker A: When I moved over a couple times. That means I was having a quick shot. Rod, this. You know, what I know is a couple, we had to configure the show around a little bit. So I appreciate you taking the time to come on the game sports podcast. And, you know, one day in the future, if we can have you on as a quick guest again, quick me. [01:31:06] Speaker B: Happy to do it. [01:31:08] Speaker A: And I know you and I will get in touch when you come up to the sue, and I will be. I'm honest, being honest with you, I'm going to look into that charity thing. I think there's a lot of opportunity. [01:31:16] Speaker B: Border battle, man. The border battle. [01:31:18] Speaker A: There's something there that we can, you know, arrange, even together. [01:31:21] Speaker B: Right on. [01:31:22] Speaker A: So, Rod, I want to say thank you for taking the time. And people could follow you on Instagram and not Twitter X, right? [01:31:29] Speaker B: Yeah, whatever that thing is. Or Facebook. I usually go like, I'll get streaky. And sometimes, although X is like, I don't know, like, I'm not sure where that's going, and I'm not sure. Look, on your ex today, it's like, I don't know where it's. No, it's. I just don't know. It's like this massive garbage dump at times, but it's. It's still fun. It's good. Here's storytelling information. It's still information. And as long as you can glean the good information out, we need more good information. And you're my friend. You're doing some good information. [01:31:59] Speaker A: And don't put post, if you're from the world of media, don't post any wrong information. We know what that happens. You get. The city of Toronto might get a little too excited. [01:32:08] Speaker B: I've seen that happen a few times. I was on a show that day. Then when the Shohei Otani thing happened and somebody asked me they thought it was, and I said. And I actually went, really? Because I just kept reading ago this. Maybe this is happening. I go, have you ever thought that that plane that's coming back might be the Blue Jay executives who actually got were told no. You know, like, did anybody ever see him? Like. Like, nobody was. And it was such a good source. And I feel bad for John Morosi because I know John really well from the hockey world. Felt bad for him. But I've seen it happen before. I saw it happen. I've seen it. Gosh, man, I lived. I was on Canada am one morning when I did Canada am and I heard that local radio station had declared that Pat Burns had passed away. Former relief coach and I got back to my desk after I did my sports report, and I see this phone number coming up on my. My cell phone, and it's like my trail number. And I just kind of saw, too, that this thing. But Bernie, I knew he was sick. Rod. Blackie. He said, blackie. Yeah, burnsy. They're trying to kill me off here. They're trying to kill me off. What is this? He didn't die. They reported that he had passed, and some really legitimate announcers and broadcasters and journalists said that he had died and he had not died. So that's a really good lesson, I think, for all of us to learn. Get. Make sure you get the story right. You know, I feel like I should have. Getting it fast is not. Is not getting it right is more important than getting it fast. [01:33:41] Speaker A: I feel like I should have known that just by being a Toronto fan, that. Don't get your hopes up. [01:33:46] Speaker B: They were tracking planes when Kawhi Leonard. Kawhi Leonard was trying to sign. So I've seen it all. I've. But hey, it goes back. For a long time, they had headlines of teams winning cups and championships the next day on the paper. They didn't win the night before, so there will always be mistakes. We just get through them. That's life. Get through it. [01:34:06] Speaker A: It's an enjoyable time. A little hiccup. That might be a laughable thing in the future. So keyword might be a laugh. [01:34:12] Speaker B: Might be a laugh. [01:34:12] Speaker A: I laugh sarcastically. [01:34:14] Speaker B: Yes. [01:34:15] Speaker A: But again, Rod, thank you. [01:34:16] Speaker B: I just got news that the Maple Leafs have signed Connor McDavid. No, no, don't use that. Don't use that. [01:34:23] Speaker A: I'll use that as the teaser for this clip. Click, click. [01:34:27] Speaker B: All right. Beautiful. [01:34:28] Speaker A: Thanks, Rod. Definitely. [01:34:29] Speaker B: Thanks, David. And listen, enjoyed it. [01:34:32] Speaker A: Definitely. I'm happy you did. And so did I. And that's why time flies. When you're having fun again, make sure you hit like phone. Subscribe on all the game sports podcasts, platforms, audio, video. If you're looking at video, you maybe watch the video right now. 91 n that's 91 network YouTube channel. Brand new YouTube channel. It's local. Speaking of local, that is all ran with local based content to Sault Ste. Marie, but now is also expanded to Southern Ontario. So if you have a podcast, you can have it aired on that platform. Or if you're interested in starting a podcast, reach out to 91 network ssml.com dot. Again, that's 91 network ssml.com to have your podcast aired or at least get some consulting on how you can start because it is a tough road. For sure they are there to help. And also the Game sports podcast is on there as well as all audio platforms. Easy for me to say. We are thankful that you have taken the time to join myself and rod here tonight. So now getting to the closing, I would like to remind you, keep your stick on the ice, swing your bats, cut your touchdowns, drain your threes, and shoot your shots. Booyah.