Fernando Valenzuela, the iconic pitcher whose remarkable ascent to fame with the Los Angeles Dodgers enchanted baseball fans and sparked the cultural sensation called "Fernandomania," passed away on Tuesday, as confirmed by the Dodgers. He was 63 years old.   Bob and Steve spend the first half of the show remembering Valenzuela’s greatness before bouncing around the various sports headlines that caught their attention on this Wednesday of podcasting. 

Does anyone care about the Presidents Cup? Bob and Steve start day 4 of Steve’s tenure as co-host by breaking down the field in Montreal, asking themselves… why do people make a big deal about this tournament?  With golf out of the way and the Indiana Fever’s season coming to a close the two dig into  Caitlin Clark's impact on the league and wonder how the WNBA can keep this momentum going before re-capping week 4 of the NFL’s Regular season.

Seeing a Canadian Golfer win anything used to be rare… now not so much. 6 Canadians have taken home a trophy on the PGA Tour over the last three years and they don’t look to be slowing down. After winning the Byron Nelson 3 weeks ago, Taylor Pendrith became the latest to end a weekend on top of the leader board and he joins Bob and John today to talk about it, the rise in Canadian Golf and his excitement for the Canadian Open in Hamilton tat the end of the month. 

At the age of 90, and after a broadcasting career that spanned more than half a century, Bob Cole, the legendary play-by-play caller, passed away Wednesday night in St. John’s, Newfoundland. On today’s bonus episode of the podcast, Bob and John welcome John Davidson, and then Mark Askin, two men who have worked closely with Cole, to share memories and reminisce about their time with the most recognizable voice in the game of hockey.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs start tomorrow, and it wouldn’t be The Bob McCown Podcast if John didn’t bring on Kevin Paul Dupont & Eric Duhatschek to the show to talk about them. In this bonus episode of the podcast, the four take a look at each of the 8 series, giving us their in-depth analysis on how they think the Stanley Cup Playoffs will play out this year.

After signing a one-year deal to stay in Minnesota, Marc-Andre Fleury is set to play in his 21st NHL season, and his agent, Allan Walsh, comes on the show to give us the details on how the decision was made and why the goaltender insisted on staying in Minnesota. Allan also takes some time to discuss the roller coaster that is the Arizona Coyotes and the decision to relocate the team to Salt Lake City. With Allan representing a few players within the organization, we get some insight into how a relocation will look for the players and the process they will go through once the season ends before the end of the show.

Conversation about Vince Carter’s recent induction into the NBA Hall Of Fame quickly turns into a discussion about the relevance of Hall of Fames in general, as Bob and John question the process by which players are inducted. The two also spend some time on the Toronto Maple Leafs in today’s Bonus Bobcast, debating the value of both Mitch Marner and William Nylander, and wondering if Leafs captain, John Tavares, would be willing to take a pay cut to stay with the Leafs once his contract expires.

A Voice in the National Hockey League For over 30 years, Jeff Rimer, the longtime Play-By-Play Announcer for the Columbus Blue Jackets is set to retire at season’s end. He joins Bob and John for a bonus episode of the podcast today to reflect on his career, talk some hockey and extend an invite to Bob for next year’s Winter Classic at Ohio State.

It's a two-for-one type of day today as we welcome Doug MacLean on to the show to start things off with some hockey talk & then bring Michael Farber on to end the show with Bob and John. After the three finish discussing Morgan Reilly's upcoming hearing with NHL Player Safety, Bob, John and Doug focus on the rather peculiar situation John Tavares has found himself in with the Canada Revenue Agency. Then, sticking to the them of money, or rather money owed, Michael Farber joins the show to give us the details on the 880 dollar renovation to the roof of Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

It’s Deitsch Monday as we welcome Richard back onto the show to go over some of the more pressing Sporting Headlines from the weekend. We start with the Toronto Raptors and their double overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday as we dive deep into why on earth the plays down the stretch weren't run through their star, Scottie Barnes. We also react to the rather confusing location decisions for the FIFA World Cup in 2026 before ending the show with a brief discussion on this Sunday's Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49’ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s a good ol’ fashioned Hockey Roundtable on todays show as our two Mikes, Harrington and Zeisberger join the show.  John, Daren, Mike and Mike try to cover as much as possible within the NHL with a main focus on the Eastern Conference, breaking down the three Eastern teams that entered the year with higher expectations than usual: The Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres.

From Goalies to a broadcasting legend - John & Daren continue their Hall Of Fame themed week with another good one.    Foster Hewitt Memorial Award Recipient and member of the Canadian Association Of Broadcasters Hall Of Fame, Dick Irvin, stops by the show today to talk about the Hockey Hall Of Fame’s Class of 2023, share memories from his time in Hockey and of course, unload some stories about some of the greatest teams, stories and moments the NHL has ever seen.

We’ve got Mike Schopp from WGR550 in Buffalo on today and if you haven’t guessed it already… we’re talking’ Buffalo Sports.  We start the show with some Sabres talk as we get Mike to help us set our expectations for this young hockey team.  Then it’s all football, with Mike catching us up to speed with everything Buffalo Bills.

Jim Nill joins Daren and John today as we get caught up with the Dallas Stars and find out what their GM has planned for the team this year. We talk with Jim about his teams additions this off season and get an idea on his philosphy when it comes to managing a team, scouting and how he interacts with his players.

The title says it all folks.... John Gibbons is on to end the week with some baseball talk as just about everyone in Canada is asking the same thing - What is Happening To The Blue Jays. We take a look at what has forced a team like this...who's paying their players as much money as they are... to consistently play below expectations for the first half of the show before getting into a more generalized chat about John's playing days, his opinion on the infamous home run jacket and catch up with Bob as we send you into your weekend.

New Episode Monday!   Richard Deitsch filling in for an ailing Bobcat on today's show as we welcome on the President of Hockey Operations in Vegas and one of the newest names to go on the Stanley Cup -  George McPhee.   We get George's first thoughts on what this win means to the City of Las Vegas, the Golden Knights and himself as they prepare for tomorrow's parade.    We take the opportunity to reflect on the season with George and go through the trades, signings, injuries and whatever else that led to the first ever Stanley Cup win in Vegas Golden Knight history

Still on a mini Vacay for until next week - Enjoy this episode from back in December while you wait! Naturally, when you have two former NHL goaltenders and current NHL broadcasters on the show you talk about hockey… right?    No hockey today we dig into the parallels of comedy in sport with two guys who know a few things about stopping pucks and telling jokes. Scott Darling and Jim Ralph join the show today as we talk about their connection with comedy in their life after sport. We talk to Scott about his transition from the net to the stage as we find out what drove him to try his hand at stand up. We also get Jim’s perspective on the matter as a public speaker and find out why we should never call him a "comedian"

We are off for the rest of the week but in the mean time, check out one of our favourite shows we recorded earlier this year! We bring on Tripp Tracy and Justin Bourne today to share some personal experiences on how hockey culture impacted their alcoholism. The group comes together to discuss specific events which affected their careers, and methods of moving forward. Learn more about support systems, how to cope, and dealing with triggers and temptations.

Usually when we have Doug Smith on we talk basketball... but we don't usually have Doug Smith on the Day after a Canadian Golfer sinks a 72 foot putt to win the Canadian open.   We Start the show by breaking down Nick Taylor's historic win at the Canadian Open over the weekend and try to figure out where this moment lands in Canadian sports history.   With the golf talk out of the way, Doug gives us a breakdown on the newest member and coach of the Toronto Raptors, Darko Rajakovic.   We find out just who this coach is and what he will bring to the team with Doug, and then speculate on what the roster and coaching staff will look like after Rajakovic gets his hands on them.

John Paul Morosi joins us from Halifax to talk about Canada’s 6-2 win over the United States in the smith finals of the World Junior Championships. The three talk about the to controversial goalie interference against the US team as we preview Canada’s gold medal game against Czechia tonight. We then move over to baseball as we talk about the Toronto Blue Jays & some of the deals that still need to be made this off-season

Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Montreal Canadiens, Jeff Gorton, joins the show to talk about his team on todays episode. With almost a year under his belt in Montreal, Bob and John talk to Jeff about his experience with the Habs so far, his comprehension of the French language and what his plans for the team are going forward. We get some insight on what Jeff brings to the table, having worked for two original 6 teams already, and learn the differences within the fan base and media in Montreal compared to markets like Boston and New York City.  The three discuss this years draft and their decision to select Slovakian power forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the number one overall pick. We find out where Jeff thinks the prospect should play next year and get his opinion on the alleged Shane Wright “stare down” on draft night. We finish the show by addressing the discourse surrounding American born players and their hesitance to play in a Canadian market.

Former player, broadcaster & NHL executive, Dale Tallon joins the show to chat with Bob and John. With golf talk out of the way the three discuss Dale's time in Chicago and pick his brain on what he thinks needs to happen in order to have a championship contending hockey club. We talk about the intricacies of the free agent market, how important scouting college hockey players is in a 7 round draft and get some info at the end of the show on whether we will see Dale in an NHL teams front office again anytime soon.

From September 5th 2022 It was 30 years ago today that Canadians were introduced to "The FAN". Canada's first all sports radio station, The FAN was responsible for kickstarting the careers of some of the countries most well known broadcasters, including our very own Bob McCown. The brains behind the operation, Allan Davis, joins us today to talk to Bob and John and to look back on what made the station so successful and how it revolutionized the way we consume sports content.

Check out one of our favourite interviews that we did this year while Bob and John are on their vacation! A man who needs no introduction.... Doug Gilmour joins the podcast today to catch up with Bob and John. We get lots of info from Doug as he reminisces about his days playing hockey. We ask him about his thinking process that went into choosing his jersey numbers, the infamous missed call that stopped the Leafs from going to the Stanley Cup Final and other details fans may not know about the former Leafs Captain. After the break, we dig in to Doug's time in the front office and his coaching stint with the Kingston Frontenacs.

We’re taking a week off! While we’re away, we will be running some of our favourite episodes that we recorded this year! Check it out if you missed it, see ya next week!    Member of both the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame & the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and one of the countries greatest golfers to play the game, Lorie Kane, graces Bob and John with her presence on todays episode. With Lorie set to compete in her 30th and final Canadian Women's Open Bob and John talk to her about her career and how her training has changed over three decades of professional golf.  We talk about the evolution of not only Lorie's game but the equipment she uses. Bob and John get some lessons on the right clubs to use and get some tips to help their putting game before the three move the discussion to the LIV Tour. Lorie gives her opinion on what the Saudi backed tour is doing to the game of golf and get some insight on if we are going to see LIV implement a women's tour anytime soon.

President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, Mark Shapiro himself hops back on the podcast to catch up with Bob and John. With renovations currently underway at the Rogers Centre, Mark gives us a progress report on the 300 Million Dollar makeover for the leagues 7th oldest ballpark before shifting focus to the Blue Jays roster, Mark's opinion on the teams off-season signings and his exceptions heading into next year as we get closer to the start of Spring Training.

Some basketball talk today as we welcome Doug Smith and Michael Grange to the podcast to talk about the Toronto Raptors. After breaking down their win last night against the depleted Los Angeles Lakers, we analyze the Raptors roster and debate on what they need to do to improve their rotation, and question whether they need improvement at all. We also talk about Scottie Barnes’ second year slump, the progression of OG Anunoby’s game and the lack of defensive production coming from guys like Fred Van Fleet and Gary Trent Jr.

Hockey talk on todays show as we welcome Bruce Garrioch and Kevin Paul Dupont back to the podcast. With the books finally becoming public for the Ottawa Senators, we get Tinto the potential sale of the team as we look at potential buyers and what new ownership would mean for the franchise. The foursome also spend time discussing the Boston Bruins hot start to the season and briefly touch upon various story lines swirling around the NHL.

None other than the Commissioner of the National Hockey League himself, Gary Bettman joins the show today to talk with Bob and John. So much to talk about with so little time on todays episode as Bob and John try to fit all of their pressing questions regarding the NHL into Mr. Bettman’s busy schedule. We talk to Gary about the Arizona Coyotes new facility at Mullett arena as we get an update on when we should expect the final product to be ready. Before we go, we talk to Gary about the conversation we had last week with Oilers GM Ken Holland and the lack of games scheduled this year between division rivals before having a candid discussion about the advertisements fans now see on the teams jerseys and the technical difficulties the league is facing after implementing the new digital ads on the rinks boards.

Barry Trotz Joplins the show today to catch up with Bob and John. With his name popping up in the hockey world recently, we talk to Barry about his recent comments regarding his interest in coaching for an Original Six hockey club and gauge his interest about an eventual return to the NHL. Barry also shares with us what he does to stay ready in case another opportunity arises, his opinions on various teams around the league and lets us know what he thinks about taking a gig in the front office on todays show.

Two interviews for the price of one on todays episode of the podcast.   First, we bring in Arash Madani to catch us up on all of the Canadian Soccer news heading into the FIFA World Cup in Qatar before moving on to a preview of tonights World Series matchup between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies. Before Arash leaves, we make sure to get in some Canadian tennis talk with our country's young star Felix Auger Alliasime recent stellar play.   Matt Sekeres hops on the podcast for the second half of the show as the three discuss the dumpster fire that is the Vancouver Canucks start to the NHL season.

Kenny Albert, the only 4 sport play by play announcer in the game joins the show today to have a chat with Bob and John. In the midst of a series against the Toronto Blue Jays, Kenny, Bob and John talk about the New York Yankees and their record breaking slugger, Aaron Judge. We discuss the significance of Judge’s 61 home runs and what it would mean to the city of New York before moving over to MVP talk and speculate on the likelihood of Judge staying in New York as a Yankee once his contract is up. Before changing topics, the three pick Kenny’s brain about MLB’s playoff format and who he thinks we’ll see in the World Series come October. After the break, the three get into some stories from Kenny’s career as we talk about the difficulties of calling games for 4 different professional sports leagues before ending the show with some NFL talk along with a brief discussion on the New York Rangers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who better to talk about one of the greatest events in hockey history than Harry Sinden? Having coached the Canadians in the 8 game series all those 50 years ago, Harry joins the podcast today with Scott Morrison, author of "1972: The Series That Changed Hockey Forever". Building off of our episode last month, Scott and Harry dig deep into the depths of their minds, pulling out forgotten facts and figures of the Summit Series while Harry gives us a unique POV as we get to see the intricacies of the series through the eyes of the coach who won it.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last day of re-runs for The Bob McCown Podcast! Tune in Monday for a brand new episode with Bob and John. Arguably one of the most successful player agents in NHL history, Pat Brisson, joins the podcast to discuss one of his newest clients in Jack Eichel, his upcoming surgery and the idea of representing his son Brendan. The three spend most of the podcast getting into the details of his client, Jack Eichel's, deal from Buffalo to Vegas, his surgery and some behind the scenes insight on how the whole Eichel vs. Buffalo saga unfolded. Pat gives us information on Jack's relationship with the Sabres, how he was able to get the trade negotiations moving in the right direction and why the surgery Jack and his camp have been  pushing for was so important to him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the Bobcat needs some time off every once in a while - while our two hosts rest and re-charge for the next five days, enjoy re-run's of some of our favourite episodes.  Head coach of Canada's Men's Soccer team, John Herdman, joins the  show for a rare soccer podcast with Bob and John. We talk about his experience coaching Canada's women's program and how he is going to translate his success with them to the men's side. We get some insight on the differences & the similarities he has noticed between the men and the women and his overall appreciation for our Canadian athletes.  With the MNT currently vying for a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, we talk to John about his team, their line up and the advantage his team has hosting games in Canada. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the Bobcat needs some time off every once in a while - while our two hosts rest and re-charge for the next five days, enjoy re-run's of some of our favourite episodes.  Our Good friend and legendary broadcaster, Keith Olbermann joins the podcast to catchup with Bob and John. From George Steinbrenner to Walter Matthau, Keith has met some pretty interesting people and with that come some pretty interesting stories. On todays episode, we listen to some of Keith's favourite memories of some of the more interesting personalities he has met throughout his career. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the Bobcat needs some time off every once in a while - while our two hosts rest and re-charge for the next five days, enjoy re-run's of some of our favourite episodes.  Executive Vice President of MSG Sports & President of Team Business Operations, Dave Hopkinson, joins the podcast to talk with Bob and John.  From working with The Toronto Raptors and MLSE for over two decades to serving as Global Head of Partnerships for Real Madrid Club de Futbol to now leading the commercial strategy for Madison Square Garden Sports Corp, it’s safe to say Dave knows a thing or two about the business of sports. We talk about his career path and different experiences throughout the different organizations he’s worked for over the years and much more on todays episode.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even the Bobcat needs some time off every once in a while - while our two hosts rest and re-charge for the next five days, enjoy re-run's of some of our favourite episodes.  Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations of the Montreal Canadiens, Jeff Gorton, joins the show to talk about his team on todays episode. With almost a year under his belt in Montreal, Bob and John talk to Jeff about his experience with the Habs so far, his comprehension of the French language and what his plans for the team are going forward. We get some insight on what Jeff brings to the table, having worked for two original 6 teams already, and learn the differences within the fan base and media in Montreal compared to markets like Boston and New York City.  The three discuss this years draft and their decision to select Slovakian power forward Juraj Slafkovsky with the number one overall pick. We find out where Jeff thinks the prospect should play next year and get his opinion on the alleged Shane Wright “stare down” on draft night. We finish the show by addressing the discourse surrounding American born players and their hesitance to play in a Canadian market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doug Smith Joins us on the podcast just as the red hot Toronto Raptors start looking like a good basketball team again. We talk about their recent play and why things have started to click for them. We also talk about the heavy minutes their starters are getting, their lack of depth in the roster, Precious Achiuwa and Doug tells us about some of the trade targets Toronto could be in on as we near the trade deadline. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finally, we’re almost back to our regularly scheduled programming. One last best of, here are the best interviews from some GM’s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We rely a lot on our neighbours down south and that doesn’t exclude sport opinions. Here are some of our favourite guests from the good ol’ U S of A. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cuthbert & Hughes, Swirsky & Devlin. 2 round tables, 4 of the most recognizable voices in sports.   00:01:21 - 31:14 - 50:32 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We were surprised to look back and see that we’ve had some pretty important people come on our show, here are three guys at the top of the list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Best of The Bob McCown Podcast : COACHES   Episode 2 of 10 holiday bonus episodes we give you some of our favourite interviews with some of our favourite coaches. Bruce Boudreau, Nick Nurse & Rod Brind’amor on the docket for today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We bring in broadcasting legend Dave Hodge & Toronto Sun reporter Steve Simmons to talk some hockey and a little bit of Canadian Football. The four discuss the coaching change in Vancouver, whether getting rid of the head coach was the right idea and what new bench boss, Bruce Boudreau has to offer the struggling Vancouver Canucks. We question whether Vancouver has the star power we once thought they had, compare their situation to the one in Montreal and discuss  the Philadelphia Flyers decision to let go of head coach Alain Vigneault. To end the show we talk about the CFL's eastern semifinal matchup between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our friend and MLB expert, Jon Morosi, joins the podcast to catch up with Bob & John and talk some baseball on todays episode. The three go over some of the recent signings around the league and discuss some of the players who have yet to sign a contract so far in Major League Baseball's off-season. We also dive into the Toronto Blue Jays, what the Jose Berrios extension means for their future roster moves and what the payroll may look like for Toronto in the very near future. With the idea of being able to afford to keep this young Jays roster intact becoming more and more unrealistic, the gentlemen discuss the idea of trading away some big name players and the benefits that may come from it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gearing up for the 2021/22 NBA season, Bob and John bring DOUG SMITH back on to the podcast to talk some hoops. We spend most of the show talking about the Toronto Raptors and what Doug has noticed from the team so far this pre-season. We get into what Goran Dragic's role on the team will be and if he will be traded anytime soon. We also talk about the Raptors depth at the point guard position, Scottie Barnes and how deep we expect Nick Nurse to go in his rotation. To end the show the three discuss where the NBA is at with their players vaccination status, Ben Simmons and potential roster moves for Toronto. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Toronto Blue Jays playing so well, we thought we may as well bring out one of our favourite Jays related episodes with PAUL BEESTON. This episode was originally posted on December 1st, 2020. "EPISODE 57 - PAUL BEESTON, President Emeritus of the Toronto Blue Jays, joins to talk about the legacy of the SkyDome-Rogers Centre. Also, what benefits would a new stadium bring? Where should it go? And what are the reasons behind building a new stadium for the Blue Jays?" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob and John are finally taking a vacation but rather than leave you guys with nothing we figured we would fill this week with some of Bob's favourite guests over the course of our 220 Episodes. This Episode was recorded on November 20th, 2020. "EPISODE 45 - Former NHL GM BRIAN BURKE joins the show to talk about his new book and why he prefers being a broadcaster versus running an NHL team. Also, he explains his love for Gary Bettman and what people misunderstand about the NHL Commissioner. And who were the most influential on Burke's long and varied career? A familiar name to Canucks and Maple Leafs fans tops the list. And why do Burke and McCown have the same title for their respective books??" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob and John are finally taking a vacation but rather than leave you guys with nothing we figured we would fill this week with some of Bob's favourite guests over the course of our 220 Episodes. Today we bring it way back to Episode 17 with Scott Moore on August 25th, 2020. "Uninterrupted CEO SCOTT MOORE joins the show to talk to his former employees!! Scott talks cancel culture in broadcasting and how Don Cherry's career ended. Also, he and John geek out on broadcasting techniques during COVID and his new venture with LeBron James and Drake. " See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob and John are finally taking a vacation but rather than leave you guys with nothing we figured we would fill this week with some of Bob's favourite guests over the course of our 220 Episodes. This Episode was recorded on Tuesday May 4th, 2021. To start the podcast the gentlemen pay their respects to Wayne's late father, and one of the hockey worlds most recognizable hockey dads - Walter Gretzky.  Wayne looks back on some of his fondest memories with his father, how just about all of Southern Ontario has seen his basement and what he said to him on the drive over to his last game as an NHL'er. Wayne gives his perspective of the game and how it has changed during the pandemic, wishing he could have played in todays era of skill and speed. The Great One also tells us what advice he gave to a current Oilers super star. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DARREN PANG & MIKE ZEISBERGER join the podcast to break down the Stanley Cup Final Matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning & the Montreal Canadiens. The four discuss every aspect of the team, from their regular season performance, team chemistry, goalie matchup and their path to the Stanley Cup Final in preparation for game one in Tampa Bay tonight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Maple Leaf, MARK KIRTON, joins the podcast to talk about his former teams not so shocking game seven collapse, and what on earth went wrong for them this time. The three discuss what is next for the team after another first round exit - Who do you trade, who do you keep and ultimately... who deserves most of the blame for their lack-lustre playoff performance.  We also get to learn about his battle with ALS, after being diagnosed in 2018. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a neurological disorder with no cure that causes gradual weakening of muscles and eventual death.  Mark has been incredibly active in his pursuit to spread awareness for the disease - He has raised $30,000 in the first 60 hours after launching a fundraising page last week. You can check out his twitter campaign @KirtsSpeaksALS where he’s posting daily video messages from some of the biggest names in the sport. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A couple former "Hockey Pucks" P.J. STOCK and BRIAN LAWTON join the show today for this weeks Stanley Cup Playoffs Roundtable. From the series' that have just wrapped up to those that are still in full tilt, the gentleman break down everything that has happened so far in the first round of the playoffs and what to expect as more teams punch their ticket to round two We also look at the current & potential second round matchups - who the favourites are, do the Carolina Hurricanes have a chance against the Tampa Bay Lightning and what do the Pittsburgh Penguins do now after their 1st round exit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With another season in the books, Head Coach of the Dallas Stars, RICK BOWNESS joins the podcast to talk about his time in the NHL as a player, assistant and head coach, his coaching style and his experience coaching hockey during the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

KEVIN PAUL DUPONT of the Boston Globe and MIKE ZEISBERGER from NHL.com join the podcast today to preview the 2021 NHL Playoffs. On todays roundtable, the gentlemen cover the entirety of the NHL playoff matchups as the season comes to an end. The four cover it all, from post season favourites to potential playoff surprises, we go through each first round matchup as the group gives their opinion on the must watch games across the league and who we should keep an eye on in the race for the Stanley Cup See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No guest on today's episode, leaving Bob and John to chat amongst themselves about the NHL and their coaching carousel.  The two discuss the recent departures around the league and speculate as to where John Tortorella, Rick Tocchet and David Quinn could go next - Is a Torts/Rangers reunion likely? Bob and John also wonder what's taking the Carolina Hurricanes so long to re-sign Rod Brind'Amour - with Seattle looking for their first coach in franchise history, John thinks their target could be Rod the Bod. Also on the show, we talk about how Bruce Boudreau could make a great fit in Arizona, what coach is next on the chopping block and whether it is even fair to judge a coaches performance during the pandemic season.         See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DOUG SMITH, from the Toronto Star, joins the podcast today to talk about the Toronto Raptors one day after they have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.  The three discuss whether or not the Raptors tanked on purpose to close out the season, and if Toronto should make a competitive offer to keep Kyle Lowry this offseason. Bob, John and Doug also debate on who they think the greatest Raptors of all time is,  comparing the impact Vince Carter had on the game in Toronto opposed to Kyle  Lowry. To end the show, the three address the teams needs this offseason and who Doug thinks will make the biggest leap in development for next season See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sportsnet baseball columnist, SHI DAVIDI, joins the podcast to talk about what's been going on with the Toronto Blue Jays. The three start the show by addressing Nate Pearson's shaky season debut - Should we be concerned? The conversations moves from Pearson to Alek Manoah, and whether or not he's ready for the jump to big leagues as the Jays bullpen situation gets more and more dire. Pitching problems aside - Bob, John and Shi discuss the best options for George Springer and agree that maybe keeping him as a DH for the rest of the season would be best for his health and the team. To end the show, we discuss they Blue Jays 3rd base problems, Randal Grichuck and what kind of potential Cavan Biggio brings to the table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest today needs no introduction, as most of the world already knows him as "The Great One".... WAYNE GRETZKY stops by to talk some hockey with Bob and John. To start the podcast the gentlemen pay their respects to Wayne's late father, and one of the hockey worlds most recognizable hockey dads - Walter Gretzky.  Wayne looks back on some of his fondest memories with his father, how just about all of Southern Ontario has seen his basement and what he said to him on the drive over to his last game as an NHL'er. Wayne gives his perspective of the game and how it has changed during the pandemic, wishing he could have played in todays era of skill and speed. The Great One also tells us what advice he gave to a current Oilers super star. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off of the Toronto Raptors win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Raptors play-by-play announcer, MATT DEVLIN, joins the podcast to talk basketball. The gentleman talk about the Lakers and how Matt seems to think they look a little disjointed.  That leads them to discuss the loaded Western Conference... if not the Lakers who else has a shot to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy? The three also talk about the top teams in the Eastern Conference before diving into the issues surrounding Toronto Raptors, as they could potentially miss the play-offs for the first time in 8 seasons.  Does Kyle Lowry stay? How close are the Raptors to being a top 3 team in the East again?  Matt, Bob and John talk all about it on todays show.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's not too often listeners get Bob McCown and John Shannon all to themselves... today is that day. In a rare guest-less episode, Bob and John talk some hockey but more specifically, The Toronto Maple Leafs.  The gents talk about their goalie situation and debate who they should start come playoff time : A hot Jack Campbell or a healthy Frederik Andersen?  Bob wonders if Andersen could ever be good in the playoffs, and asks whether or not Toronto should even keep the Danish net minder once his contract is up. We end the show with raised voices and red faces as both John and Bob get into a spirited debate over some of the best Goalies to ever play - Should Grant Fuhr be in the Hall of Fame? Bob sure doesn't think so.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ADRIAN DATER, writer for the Colorado Avalanche, and Islanders columnist for The Athletic, ARTHUR STAPLE join us to talk about their respective teams and all of the other playoff teams that us Canadians haven't seen much of this year.   Th gentlemen break down what it will take for both the Islanders and the Avalanche to take the next step in the playoffs, as well as debate whats more important come playoff time - Stanley cup experience? or team chemistry.   The gents wrap the show up with some goalie talk, who's the top net-minder in the league, and are they being pampered just a little too much? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two former "targets" as Bob calls them, DARREN PANG & GREG MILLEN join the podcast to go over the NHL trade deadline as it fast approaches. The two former goalies and now broadcasters give their take as to why so many goalies transition to broadcasting after their playing days are over, and remember their first audition tape they sent to our very own John Shannon. The roundtable discusses whether or not the Canadian media over-dose it's coverage on the deadline, and how this years expansion draft will be considerably different for Seattle than it was for Vegas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Raptors broadcast legend and current play-by-play man for the Chicago Bulls, CHUCK SWIRSKY stops by to talk some hoops with Bob and John. The three talk about the recent trade the Chicago Bulls made and how much better it makes their team, this years playoffs and play in tournament. The three also toss around the idea of eliminating the  East/West playoff format and discuss the differences Chuck has noticed after working in both the NBA and NCAA. Finally, it wouldn't be a basketball show if Bob didn't take an opportunity to complain about NBA teams resting their players. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former tour golfers IAN LEGGATT and RICHARD ZOKOL join Bob and John just in time for the Masters. Richard shares his experience playing at the Masters and why Augusta National is one of his least favourite courses to play on while Ian lets us know just how close he was to getting there. The gentlemen talk about the "Magic of the Masters", and preview the players in one of the most wide open fields the Master has had in a while. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Web, TV and radio personality for Rogers Sportsnet, MICHAEL GRANGE stops by to talk some basketball. The gentleman talk about the top teams in the league and who has a shot at the title. They also debate who the best point guard to ever play was, and discuss the Toronto Raptors options as the trade deadline approaches. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.