The Bob McCown Podcast

It’s Deitsch Monday with Richard Deitsch joining the show to start the week with Bob and John.

A conversation about the Toronto Blue Jays’ series against the LA Dodgers quickly gets taken over by the disappointing performance from the Maple Leafs in game 4 of their first-round matchup against the Boston Bruins today, and it stays there.

Bob, John, and Richard try their best to figure out who the heck this Toronto Maple Leafs team is after another disappointing showing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this weekend. After seemingly trying the same thing for years with no improvement, the three try to determine what Brad Treliving has to do this offseason to turn things around after another first-round series exit seems all but imminent.

President of the Toronto Blue Jays, Mark Shapiro, is on the show today to end the week with some insight into the Jays and their plans for the season.

Bob and John don’t give much time to get comfortable as the two question Mark on the performances of both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alek Manoah. Bob and John try to get a sense of where the organization is at with the two underperforming stars and pick Mark’s brain on the team's patience and plans for them moving forward.

After the break, and with the Dodgers in town, Bob and John get some information on just how close the Blue Jays were to landing Shohei Ohtani and why they elected not to pursue other big names on the free agent market

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.

Some more hockey talk today as Ken Hitchcock joins the show to give Bob and Job a coaches perspective on the Stanley Cup Playoffs and his philosophy on what makes a good hockey team in the post season. 

After the break, the three focus on the hockey that’s being played right now as Bob and John pick Ken’s brain on why the Vegas Golden Knights look so good, what Toronto needs to do to win their series against the bruins and more. 

Dave Hodge joins the show today as Bob, John, and Dave focus on the two active Toronto sports teams - the Blue Jays and the Maple Leafs.

Starting with baseball, Bob, John, and Dave focus on the Blue Jays first as they try to figure out the identity of this ball club. The three struggle with the question of whether or not the Blue Jays should try to make a big trade or stick to what they have right now.

After the break, it’s all hockey with Bob, Dave, and John reacting to the first two games between the Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. William Nylander’s absence, home-ice advantage, and more are touched upon before ending the show with a brief look at a few of the other compelling series taking place right now.

With both the NBA and Stanley Cup playoffs generating more buzz than ever, April could very well be the best time of the year for sports fans. Richard, Bob, and John react to some of the games in both the NHL and the NBA last night before discussing the inevitability of streaming’s takeover of live sports.

With all signs pointing to the NBA following in the NFL’s footsteps when it comes to hosting their live events on a streaming service, Richard, Bob, and John discuss the impact that will have, both good and bad, on viewership and reach before ending the show with a brief discussion on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Coming off of a 9 year stint with the DP World Tour as their CEO, Keith Pelley is back to Canada to lead the charge With Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment as their new president & CEO. 

Known for his business acumen and his penchant for change, Keith plans on bringing exactly that to MLSE. Bob and John spend today’s show catching up with Keith and find out what immediate plans the new CEO has for the Entertainment Group, and learn how Mr. Pelley plans on fitting with some of the other bigger names and even bigger personalities within MLSE.

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.

Paul Jones & Doug Smith are on the podcast today to talk about the Raptors and playoff basketball.

Not much has changed in Toronto regarding the Raptors as the four break down Masai Ujiri’s end-of-season press conference and set expectations for a long off-season for the club.

With Raptors talk out of the way, Bob, John, Doug, and Paul discuss playoff basketball as they take a look at some of the favorites entering the postseason and talk about why no one should be sleeping on last year’s NBA Champions, The Denver Nuggets.

Based in Los Angeles, Bill gives us his perspective on the fallout, if any, from the Shohei Ohtani investigation before focusing on Shohei’s performance so far, then takes a broader look at the play of the Dodgers as a whole. Bill also shares his first impressions of some of the other teams around the league, including the Blue Jays, as the three discuss baseball on this Thursday installment of the podcast.

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.

Have we been too hard on the Toronto Blue Jays? That could be the case as Richard Deitsch joins the show to talk about his and the public’s changing opinion around Canada’s baseball team.

The three admit that they might have been a little too critical on the Blue Jays not even 20 games into a 182-game regular season, noting the pressure placed on this team to succeed in the first half of the show.

After the break, conversation shifts to the abrupt retirement of longtime Yankees play-by-play announcer John Sterling, which sparks a broader discussion focusing on the intricacies of sports broadcasting and the impact an announcer can have on a team and the sport.

Glenn Healy, Executive Director & President of the NHL Alumni Association, joins the show to kick off the week of sports talk with Bob and John.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs are set to begin on Saturday - before the finalization of matchups, Bob and John bring Glenn Healy onto the show for a playoff preview and to set expectations for front-runners like the Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and, of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Richard Deitsch joins the show to end the week rather than start it this time, as the three react to the passing of O.J. Simpson.

After the break, the three talk Blue Jays and Raptors. With both teams not living up to expectations, Bob, John, and Richard take a look at how they got to where they are and what they can do to improve.

Host of Jay’s Central, Jamie Campbell, joins the show today to talk about the Toronto Blue Jays with Bob and John.

The three try to find a semblance of a difference between this year’s Blue Jays and last year’s... and they have some trouble. Jamie and Bob analyze the team’s roster and wonder, among many other things, if the lack of consistency in lineups and positions will prove to be costly for this team.

With just a day before The Masters at Augusta National, Ian Leggatt and Richard Zokol Join the show to talk about it with Bob and John.

The foursome takes a look into how the projected weather could impact the field’s play today before setting expectations for Tiger Woods and his performance for this weekend. Bob, John, Richard and Ian also talk about the rising star that is Scottie Scheffler before taking a broader look at the field and much more on today’s Masters Preview.

Could Kevin Weekes be the most tapped in analyst in the NHL? After breaking the news about Gary Bettman meeting with representatives from both Atlanta & Houston about expansion in the NHL, Kevin joins Bob and John today to talk about it. 

Kevin gives Bob and John reasons for both cities to have an NHL team while sharing his opinion on where he thinks the fit would work best before the three shift their focus from expansion to re-location. Why is there still an NHL team in Arizona?

After the break, the three break into a discussion about this year’s Hart Trophy candidates and debate on Kevin shortlist of 5 players he thinks deserves the award. 

J.P. Morosi checks into the show today so he, Bob and John can check in on the Toronto Blue Jays. 

It is far too early in MLB’s regular season to make predictions but that hasn’t stopped us before, right? The three take a look at the Toronto Blue Jays today as Bob, John and Jon give their first impressions on the roster, the teams performance and more on Opening Day in Toronto.

Kenny Wiebe and Bruce Garrioch help Bob and John end the week with some hockey talk on todays show as the foursome take a look at some of the strongest teams in the league and debate on topics such as the best coaches in the league & the dying interest in hockey fights as we approach the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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.

Kevin Sylvester makes his debut appearance on the Bob McCown Podcast today as the radio broadcaster for the PGA Tour stops by to talk some golf with Bob and John.

With Scottie Scheffler dominating, the talent pool on the PGA Tour looks rather shallow. Bob and John discuss with Kevin the perceived lack of depth on Tour as he shares some names to look out for this year and much more on today’s golf-focused podcast.

Pierre McGuire checks into the show for some puck talk with Bob and John.

If you don’t know Pierre by now - the man has an answer for everything and anything hockey-related, so Bob and John put him to the test. The two grill him on hypotheticals about some of the biggest stars in the NHL, get his opinion on the franchises stuck at the bottom of the barrel, and much more on today's show.

Steve Simmons joins the show today to discuss baseball and a little bit of hockey with Bob and John. Is it time to panic when a pitcher with fewer than 10 career starts throws a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays? Steve says no. The three delve into the Blue Jays' 2-3 start to the regular season, offering their initial thoughts on the team.

After the break, the focus shifts to hockey, with Steve sharing his opinion on where Auston Matthews ranks in the conversation of the best goal scorers of all time. The show concludes with some general hockey talk.

Happy Easter & Happy Deitsch Monday!

Zach Edey, the 7’4” Canadian center, just dropped 40 points and 16 rebounds in his team’s Elite 8 win over the weekend. But why isn’t his draft stock higher? The three discuss the peculiar case that is Zach Edey’s draft stock and argue over where he should go in this year’s NBA Draft. They also discuss the Toronto Blue Jays' start to MLB’s regular season, the idea of adding a WNBA franchise in Toronto, and more on today’s show to start off yet another week of podcasting.

Paul Jones & Doug Smith join the show today for some Raptors talk to end the week.

Coming off of a massive 44 point loss to the Knicks, the Raptors don’t look good… the foursome talk about the direction the team is seemingly heading in and the hot water their centre, Jontay Porter, is currently in on this Good Friday episode. 

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.

We are taking a look at the human side of hockey on the podcast today as Bob and John have a conversation with Jay Harrison, and then Kelly Chase.

Bob and John talk with Jay about his “First Line Initiative” as he works with the NHLPA to not only reduce the stigma of mental health among hockey players but also provide resources to help teammates support each other.

After the break, Kelly Chase joins the show to give us an update on his fight with leukemia and inform us about his “Puck Cancer” event in St. Louis on April 5th."

I've added commas before "and then" for clarity and changed "leukaemia" to "leukemia" for consistency with American English spelling. Additionally, I've capitalized "April" and added a period after "5th" for consistency and clarity.

The Daves are on the show today as Perkins & Hodge need to let off a little steam before Thursday’s start to another MLB Regular Season.

The foursome address the elephant in the room that is Shohei Ohtani & MLB’s investigation into the illegal sports betting by his interpreter before taking a look at the Toronto Blue Jays and Bob, John, Dave & Dave’s expectations for the team this year."

Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations of the National Hockey League, Colin Campbell, is on the podcast to talk to Bob and John about the NHL’s recent GM meetings in Florida.

The three go over some of the rule changes that were decided during the meetings, with Bob throwing some ideas of his own around before the conversation shifts to Gary Bettman’s persistence in keeping the Coyotes in Arizona, Colin’s opinion on how the game has changed, and the playoff format on today's show.

MLB’s Investigation Into Shohei Ohtani, His Interpreter, & Illegal Sports Betting with Richard Deitsch.

Like any other Monday, Richard Deitsch joins the show... unlike any other Monday, one of the biggest stars in sports is under investigation for illegal sports betting.

While Shohei Ohtani’s lawyers claim the newest Dodgers star was a victim of a “Massive Theft,” others think it could go deeper than that. With the Japanese Superstar set to address the situation later on in the day, much is still unclear... what we do know for sure, though, is that Ohtani and his longtime interpreter are at the center of an investigation into massive sports gambling debts.

Bob John and Richard dig into the situation at hand and speculate on what could come next as the three take a look at all of the angles in a case that, so far, has provided more questions than answers.

The Nashville Predators have gone 14-0-2 in their last 16 games and look pretty comfortable in the first wild card spot as we near the NHL playoffs.

Their General Manager, Barry Trotz, comes on the show today to talk with Bob and John about the team’s stretch of good play, what spurred it & his thoughts on his first year as a General Manager in the NHL after spending over 20 years behind the bench as a Head Coach.

There hasn’t been much hockey talk this week, so Bob is making it up to John by bringing on a couple of hockey pucks in Daren Millard and K.P. Dupont to talk some hockey today.

Is it possible for the Boston Bruins to be bad? Apparently not as Bob, John, Daren, and Kevin discuss the Bruins’ recent success before talking about the problems the NHL has with their Overtime and Playoff formats, Video Review  and some other storylines surfacing throughout the league.

Bob and John are honoured to be in the company of Curling Royalty, as Brad Gushue checks into the podcast from Newfoundland today.

The first man to skip teams to six national men's championships, it’s not tough to make the case that Brad Gushue is the best Curler in the world, let alone Canada. Now, as he prepares to represent Canada at the World Championships in Switzerland at the end of the month, Brad talks with Bob and John about the tournament, the increasing interest in the sport, and the work he still wants to do to grow the sport’s popularity on an international level.

Is there a team in Chicago that is actually good? George Ofman comes on today’s show to figure that out with Bob and John as the three breakdown the head scratching Justin Fields trade, the poor play from the Chicago Blackhawks, the state of the cities facilities and more in a not so encouraging podcast for any Chicago Sports fan listening. 

Richard Deitsch is back for Deitsch Monday with Bob and John to start the week.

With March Madness ready to go, the three start the show with a discussion on college basketball as they try to figure out the reason for the apparent lack of interest in the tournament and the sport in general.

After the break, Bob, Richard and John shift focus to the ever growing popularity of the Professional Women’s Hockey League and end the show with some talk about the Toronto Blue Jays.

Formerly with The Sports Business Journal and now writing for The Puck, John Ourand joins the show today to give Bob and John a business perspective on what’s going on in the world of sports right now. 

With streaming being the latest trend in TV distribution, it’s no surprise that more and more sports are finding a home on these various platforms… but how will it make money? Will it succeed? That’s what we talk about with John today as we take a look into the never-ending world of Sports business. 

It’s an end of an era in Buffalo - For 18 years Howard Simon was the voice sports fans in the Buffalo woke up to each morning, and now he is finally able to sleep in. Howard joins Bob and John for some NFL talk on today’s show.

The three start the show with a focus on the Buffalo Bills. With many key players leaving the team and a re-structuring to Josh Allen’s contract, it’s safe to say the team will look different next year, but will they play different? Howard shares his opinion on the matter before the conversation shifts to the rest of the National Football League and the money being tossed around so far. 

Even with a roster full of injuries, it isn’t often that an NBA team’s longest tenured player going into a game is a 20 year old rookie, but is it cause for concern?

Bob and John talk to Jack Armstrong about exactly that and more on the Raptors on todays show as the three do their best to understand where this basketball team is at and what direction they are heading in as it is still unclear what the team’s goal is for the rest of the NBA season - Make the “Play-In” Or try to secure a lottery pick this year’s draft.

After taking some time to let it all sink in, Bob and John are ready to talk about the moves that were made before the NHL’s trade deadline last week.

Mike Futa joins them to share their thoughts on who got better and who got worse. Amidst their deadline review, Bob, John, and Mike try their best to address what they believe is a flawed playoff format in the NHL before returning to a deeper dive on the Canadian teams in the league as they prepare for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It’s Deitsch Monday! Richard hops back on the show to kick off another week with Bob and John.

The three take a look at three different sports leagues today, briefly touching on the Steelers’ commitment to Russell Wilson before shifting focus to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Bob, John, and Richard discuss the apparent demise of what was once a good hockey team.

After the break, baseball is on the mind as the three react to the Toronto Blue Jays' recent signing of Joey Votto.

Before he became a staple in the NFL universe, before he captivated football fans around the world with his weekly "Monday Morning Quarterback" column, Peter King answered a call from Bob McCown, and the rest is history.

After 44 years as a sportswriter, King is hanging up the pen. While attending 40 consecutive Super Bowls would be reason enough to take a break, there were other factors that went into his retirement. Having been in the business for so long, Peter has seen what it once was and has an opinion about where it's going. Bob and John reflect with Peter on his career but also delve deeper into why he's worried about the future of not only NFL reporting but the landscape of sports media as a whole.

There isn’t a man more tapped into Major League Baseball than Jon Paul Morosi.

MLB Network’s go-to baseball reporter, closet hockey fan, and the podcast's unofficial beat reporter for the Toronto Blue Jays joins Bob and John today to temper Jays fans' expectations in light of the team's underwhelming performance so far in Spring Training.

With Bowden Francis showing signs of competency, J.P., John, and Bob start with the Blue Jays’ never-ending pitching problems before sharing their opinions on the rest of the team's roster, setting loose predictions on their win output this year, and much more as we get ready for another season of Major League Baseball.

it’s that time of the year, folks, as Ray Ferraro hops on the show to discuss the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline.

The trio breaks down some of the deals that have already been made, while Ray shares his thoughts on which players could be moved and which teams might be looking to upgrade their roster for a Stanley Cup run.

As a former player, Ray also provides unique insight into the effect a trade can have on the athlete and their family as we prepare for Friday’s deadline

The Boston Bruins are coming off of a commanding win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Celtics are clear favorites to take home the NBA title... do things ever change?

Bob Ryan joins Bob and John today as we try to get to the bottom of Boston’s stranglehold on success in professional sports and, more specifically, their superiority over their Toronto counterparts.

However, that isn’t why Bob is here today. After the break, Mr. Ryan shares some behind-the-scenes tidbits on his new article for the Boston Globe, detailing the end of his journey attending a sporting event in each of the 50 states of America.

It’s Deitsch Monday as Richard joins Bob and John to start the week.

The three start with a brief discussion on the NHL Trade Deadline as they delve a little deeper into the idea of moving Sidney Crosby from Pittsburgh.

Before the break, Bob, John, and Richard then remember legendary NFL writer Chris Mortensen, who passed away at the age of 72 on Sunday.

The three end today's show with a deep dive into the Toronto Blue Jays as Richard shares his thoughts on the team, the fragile temperament of Blue Jays fans, and the future of the team's General Manager, Ross Atkins.

With the NHL Trade Deadline a week away, Scott Burnside and Eric Duhatschek come on the show to talk about it with Bob and John.

The foursome start the podcast by going over some of the deals that have already happened throughout the NHL. Bob, John, Eric, and Scott also speculate on the Calgary Flames’ plans for the immediate future as all signs point to a full rebuild for the organization.

Conversation then shifts to the teams that are gearing up for a deep playoff run as the four break down their expectations on potential moves for some Stanley Cup contenders.

Just when you thought he was hanging things up, Scott Moore signs on as the CEO of the 2025 Invictus Games. So Bob and John brought him on today's show to talk about it.

Who, What, Where, Why, and How? Scott answers all of those and more with Bob and John as the three break down the details of the Invictus Games and learn why Scott is so excited about the new opportunity.

After the break, Bob, John, and Scott start a discussion on their old co-worker, Keith Pelley. Scott gives his opinion on what Toronto sports fans should expect from Pelley, who is set to begin his tenure as the new president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.

Nick Kypreos joins Bob and John for some hockey talk on today’s show. 

The three focus much of their discussion on the Toronto Maple Leafs today as Bob, John and Nick try to set realistic expectations for this hockey team as they approach the NHL’s trade deadline and Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

They also manage to fit in a conversation about Kyle Dubas’ bumbling Pittsburgh Penguins and the possibility of them trading one of the best hockey players to ever play the game in Sidney Crosby. 

The Toronto Raptors have won three games in a row so that means they’re good now…. Right? 

Doug Smith and Paul Jones come in to answer exactly that as Bob, John, Doug and Paul debate over the legitimacy of this team, their roster and their players' potential to become stars in the NBA.

It’s Deitsch Monday as Bob and John Welcome Richard Onto the show to start another week of podcasting.

Curling is on Richard's brain after watching Ontario's Rachel Homan reclaim the Canadian women's curling championship seven years after her last one with a 5-4 win over Manitoba's Jennifer Jones on Sunday in Calgary. This sparks a conversation about the sport before shifting focus to this summer's Olympic Games in Paris.

With today marking exactly 5 months until athletes around the world convene in Paris, Bob, John, and Richard discuss the decline in the general public’s interest for the games and try to theorize why it has gone downhill before ending today’s podcast with a conversation about the Toronto Raptors and what their goals should be for the rest of the NBA’s regular-season.

Doug Armstrong, General Manager Of The St.Louis Blues, joins the show today to end the week off with some hockey talk with Bob and John.

With the trade deadline right around the corner, that’s where the conversation begins today as we get some insight on Doug’s philosophy when it comes to deadline day. The three also get into Doug and the Blues decision to let go of their former coach Craig Berube before ending the show with a conversation about the GM's involvement with Team Canada in the 2026 Olympic Games in Italy.

Zooming in from their Spring Training facility in chilly Dunedin, Florida, Post Media’s Rob Longley joins Bob and John to talk about the Toronto Blue Jays.

From cryptic press conferences from upper management to little to no confidence in the team’s stars, Jays fans and even broadcasters aren’t feeling too optimistic about this baseball team and Rob Longley is no different. 

With a lacklustre off-season and very little information to use as hope for a successful 2024 MLB season, the three question how on earth the organization could be a better baseball team than they were the year before.

One of Canada’s foremost sports sponsorship experts with over 25 years in the industry, Brian Cooper joins the show to talk to Bob and John.

The three start with the NBA’s underwhelming attempt at an all-star weekend and use that to kick-start a conversation on All-Star Games in professional sports in general as the three try and decide whether these events should be a thing of the past. 

Given the fact that Brian serves as a board member of Canada Basketball, Bob and John make sure to spend some time on that swell, with both of Canada’s Men’s and women’s teams set to compete for a medal at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.

Acting as interim General Manager amidst the firing of Jarmo Kekäläinen, the President of Hockey Operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets, John Davidson joins the show today.

The three take a look at the state of the Jackets, who sit near dead last in the NHL at the time of recording, as Bob, John, and John try to figure out how the team got to the point they are in now.

We also take a brief look into the future of the organization, which boasts a strong core of young talent, and look forward to their own outdoor game next year at Ohio State.

It’s Deitsch Monday so you know what that means… It’s Richard Deitsch on to start the week off with Bob and John.

With the NBA’s All-Star Weekend making headlines for all the wrong reasons, the three dedicate the first half of the show to brainstorm ideas on whether or not an All-Star game and it’s weekend of events is worth the time and money of the league, players and its fans. 

After the break, the three discuss the Toronto Blue Jays and the team’s plans as we near the start of another MLB Season. 

Ending the week off with a classic Friday Roundtable as Bob and John bring on our baseball experts in Dave Hodge and Gregor Chisholm.

With the Toronto Blue Jays’ having not done much this off-season, the four search for things to talk about with this team. They break down their expectations for the Jays young stars and wonder if Alek Manoah is going to be ready for the Big Leagues again come opening day.

We also fit in some general MLB talk too as we take a look at some of the big names who have yet to sign with a baseball team as pitchers and catchers begin to report for Spring Training. 

Another guest who knows how to talk is on today as Rod Black joins Bob and John.

With a long history of working together, the three reminisce on various moments their paths have crossed throughout their career while also discussing some current topics as we get to hear Rod’s opinion on the Raptors, Blue Jays and more on todays show.

When you have Scotty Bowman on the show, it’s best to just let him talk, and that’s exactly what Bob and John do on today’s episode.

It’s like talking to a hockey encyclopedia as we listen to Scotty rattle off legendary hockey stories from just about every decade.

The three transition from talking about Connor MacDavid to Bobby Orr and much more in-between on a special episode of The Bob McCown Podcast with one of the greatest coaches the NHL has ever had.

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 Richard joins Bob and John to de-brief Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on todays show.

Doug Smith joins Bob and John For The First Half Of The Show to discuss everything the Raptors got up to yesterday during the NBA’s Trade deadline. They take a look at the deals that were and weren’t made while also spending some time on some of the other transactions made within the league.

For the second half of the show, Doug makes room for Arash Madani who is zooming in from sunny Las Vegas to preview Super Bowl LVII this Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs & The San Francisco 49ers.

Footy is on the mind today as we bring on two of our go-to Soccer experts, James Sharman & Craig Forrest. 

With Canada hosting 13 games in 2026 for the FIFA World Cup, James, Craig Bob and John go over everything from the choice of stadiums to what the team will look like in 2 years before digging into the state of soccer in Canada right now and we we have to look forward to, leading up to the tournament.

Brian was supposed to come on the day after the Edmonton Oilers extended their win streak to a record tying 17 games… But the Vegas Golden Knights have other plans.

Instead, the three are forced to discuss the measly 16 game win streak the Edmonton Oilers went on as we take a look into what the effects of a long stretch without losses could do to a team. We also spend some time on the disappointing season from the Minnesota Timberwolves and argue over the idea of the Arizona Coyotes staying in Arizona.

It’s that time of the year again… It's less than a week away from Super Bowl LVIII, so we’ve got one of the best producers to ever broadcast a football game, Fred Gaudelli, on the show to give us an idea of what the big game is like behind the scenes.

From the number of cameras used in the broadcast to the pre-game preparations, Fred shares a perspective that many don’t get to see on today’s show. The three also manage to fit in some thoughts and predictions for this weekend's game as the Kansas City Chiefs get ready to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII.

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 Eddie O to end this week of shows with some hockey talk.

With the NHL All-Star Weekend upon us, the conversation starts there as the three share their opinions on the new format and, as always during this time of the year, debate on the overall relevance of the game. They then move the discussion away from All-Star Weekend to focus on the league itself as the three talk about the upcoming trade deadline, potential re-build situations for various teams and  more in this hockey focused Friday conversation.

In years’ past, The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am signified to many that Golf Season is back… but now with all of the Drama surrounding the PGA, LIV and various investment groups, it feels a little different this year so Richard Zokol comes on the show to talk about it. 

Bob John and Richard react to The Strategic Sports Group’s $3 billion investment to partner with the PGA Tour  and wonder what that means for the agreement with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to create PGA Tour Enterprises. 

NBA Talk with Paul Jones is on the docket today as Bob, John and Paul break down the identity of the Toronto Raptors and debate whether making a push for the Play-In spot could help or hinder the teams development.

We also discuss Milwaukee’s surprising dismissal of their former Head Coach Adrian Griffin and bounce around various other topics in the NBA.

The Underwhelming Off-Season From The Toronto Blue Jays, The NHL All-Star Game & The Maple Leafs With Steve Simmons.

It’s Toronto sports talk with Steve Simmons on today’s episode. With Josh Turner signing a one-year, $13 million contract with the Jays, we talk to Steve about the impact he will have on the team heading into the season before taking a wider look at the rather underwhelming and unfulfilling postseason for a baseball team that many believe needed to make significant upgrades to their roster.

We also make sure to have a brief discussion on this year’s NHL All-Star Game in Toronto before focusing on the Maple Leafs as we set our expectations for the team’s push for the Stanley Cup.

Richard Deitsch joins Bob and John today as they take a look at the NFL’s two Conference Championship games that took place over the weekend.

The trio analyzes the games from a broadcast standpoint first, then delves into the gameplay as Bob, John, and Richard dig into all of the events and decisions resulting in the February 11th Super Bowl matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The landscape of Los Angeles Baseball has changed since the last time we spoke to Bill, so that’s where we start. We get his perspective on the Dodgers and their active off-season as we delve into Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract while briefly touching on what the Angels will do now after losing baseball’s biggest star.

During the second half of the show, the three discuss potential landing spots for some big-name free agents who have yet to sign, the 2024 Hall of Fame inductees, and more as Bob, John, and Bill end the week with some baseball talk.

Leave it to Richard to provide us with a unique perspective on every day sports talk as we welcome him back onto the show with Bob and John. 

Focusing on football first, we talk to Richard about his experience at last Sunday’s Chiefs Vs. Bills Divisional matchup and his recent article with the Athletic on the game - “Behind the scenes with the NFL on CBS: How stats and graphics get to your TV”.

We also spend some time previewing the playoff games that are still to come and get some insight on what the future holds regarding NFL Games being broadcasted on Streaming Services opposed to Network Television. 

Later on in the episode, the three get into the recent coach hirings and firings within the NBA and touch briefly on Matt Chapman’s contract situation with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Zooming in from Cooperstown, J.P. Morosi joins Bob and John to chat about the three newest members of the Baseball Hall Of Fame for the first bit of the show before we welcome Ray Ratto on to end it with a discussion about the two Conference Championship Showdowns in the NFL set to Kick Off this weekend.

The NHL Trade Deadline is just three weeks away and it seems like every team in the NHL is looking to add to their roster.

Darren Pang joins us today to talk about what’s going on in the NHL on and off the ice as we break down the Edmonton Oilers signing of Corey Perry amidst a 13 game winning streak, talk about the surprising play from the Detroit Red Wings and end the conversation by looking at some of the teams who might want to make a few trades before a playoff run.

It’s Glenn Healy to start the week with some hockey talk as we talk about some of the most recent news to come out of the National Hockey League this weekend.

With Patrick Roy now the Head Coach of The New York Islanders we spend the first chunk of conversation there before discussing the Edmonton Oilers and their new addition of Corey Perry to their roster. We then take some time to break down the Toronto Maple Leafs and try to figure out if this is simply the same old team Leaf’s fans have grown accustomed to.

There’s nothing better than a classic roundtable talk on a Friday as Eric Duhatschek & Scott Burnside join Bob and John for some hockey talk. 

With Jim Rutherford getting a contract extension and the Vancouver Canucks topping the NHL standings we start the conversation in Vancouver before jumping from headline to headline within the NHL from the quality of Goaltending in to the surprising play from the Philadelphia Flyers the four leave no stone unturned with some puck talk to end the week.

To start the week off, Mike, Scott, Bob & John discuss the second half of the NHL season and the NHL Trade deadline as we are only a month away.

The four talk about Jack Eichel's return and the strong Western conference before shifting over to the topic of the trade deadline on March 21st. The four debate about why a team should or should not push for a trade this late into the season and what teams will be buyers and who will be sellers this month on todays episode.

It’s been just over 24 hours since Pascal Siakam was traded to the Indiana Pacers for three first-round draft picks, Jordan Nwora, Bruce Brown Jr., and Kira Lewis. With a full night’s rest to think about it, Bob, John, and Jack Armstrong sit down to discuss the trade.

The three take a look at how this helps both teams before focusing on the new-look Raptors, their roster, and expectations for the team going forward.

Richard Deitsch joins Bob and John today as the three bounce around various subjects throughout the sports world. 

We first tackle the NFL’s Divisional matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. The three preview Sunday’s game and share predictions before a brief side bar on broadcasting. 

Bob, John and Richard then discuss the Toronto Maple Leaf’s apparent free fall after blowing yet another lead Tuesday night against the Oilers. 

To end the show, we talk about Pascal Siakam’s situation in Toronto. As this episode was recorded before Pascal was traded to Indiana, the conversation centres around what Bob, John and Richard think a fair selling price for the forward is. 

Was it their QB or Their Coach? That’s the question we toss around with Bob Ryan as we take a look at Bill Belichick’s departure from the New England Patriots and theorize on the possible destinations the esteemed coach may end up in before next season.

We also spend some time discussing other Boston sports teams like the Celtics and the Bruins with Bob before we go into today’s Boston-themed show.

Without question, The LA Dodgers signing two of Japan’s top Baseball players in Shohei Ohtani & Yoshinobu Yamamoto & the early success the Professional WOmen’s Hockey League have taken over the headlines within the sports world, and they both have at least one thing in common…. Stan Kasten. 

And that’s exactly who we talk to today as we welcome the president and part owner of the Dodgers, as well as a member of the PWHL’s Advisory Board to the show. 

Stan gives us some insight on how on earth his Baseball team managed to lock down two of the most sought after free agents in MLB this year before we shift our focus to the PWHL.

We get a brief glimpse into the vision Kasten has for the league and gather some insight on what the Professional Women’s Hockey League has in store when it comes to expansion, media access and more in todays show.

Cassie Campbell-Pascall, a Canadian Hockey Icon, joins the show today to talk to Bob and John about the start of the PWHL Season, the leagues expansion goals and expectations moving forward. 

Given the fact that Cassie has done so many other things within the hockey community, we also spend some time talking to her about her playing days, broadcasting and what it was like working in a male dominated profession. 

Adnan Virk joins us today to bring us up to speed on the latest happenings in the world of baseball, specifically the Major League Baseball Free Agent market.

Bob, John, and Adnan dissect both the infield and outfield of the Jays as they assess how much the team should be willing to spend, especially with the approaching end of some of their young stars' contracts.

Before Adnan departs, the trio spends some time outside of Toronto discussing the improvements or lack thereof from various other teams across the league.

We’re talking basketball with Doug Smith on today’s show as Bob and John start the discussion with our guest on the questionable foul calls in last night's game between the Toronto Raptors & Los Angeles Lakers.

We then break into a conversation about Pascal Siakam and wonder if a future in Toronto is realistic for the star forward before taking a more general look at the team as we break down the roster and set expectations for the club's success as we near the NBA Trade Deadline.

If you’re a hockey fan, chances are you know his voice… If you’re a Winnipeg Jets fan… you’ve probably seen him at the grocery store. Dennis Beyak joins Bob and John on the podcast today to tell us some stories and take a look back on his 53 year career as a broadcaster, General Manager and all around “Hockey Guy”.

It’s McCown, Shannon & Deitsch starting the week with some sports talk as they take a look at some of the more compelling headlines swirling around the Toronto sports world and break down the end of the NFL’s 2023 regular season.

William Nylander has re-signed! But is an 8-year, $92 million contract extension too much? That’s the question the three try to answer to start the show today before they take a look at the newfound Toronto Raptors and their surprisingly good play as of late.

 Bob, John, and Richard also spend some time discussing the National Football League as they take a look at some of the most recent coach firings and preview the playoffs now that the schedule is set.

We're ending the week with a classic roundtable talk featuring two of our main baseball experts, Perkins and Elliot.

The foursome dedicates the first half of the show to analyzing everything the Jays have or haven't done this season as they react to the recent comments made about the team by Ross Atkins. We then move on to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame Voting process, chatting with Dave and Bob about how they have approached the duty in the past and learning who Mr. Elliott put on his ballot this year.

It’s Bob, John, and George McPhee on the show today as we take a look at the NHL's New Year's Day Outdoor Game between George’s Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken.

We get some behind-the-scenes looks at the game and get George’s opinion on Outdoor Games in general before we shift gears to how the Golden Knights have been playing lately after a strong start to the season. We also engage in conversations with George about the growth of hockey in Vegas and get his take on the idea of the NHL adding an 'in-Season Tournament' similar to what the NBA did this year.

After dipping our toes into the waters with Paul Jones yesterday, today, with Matt Devlin joining Bob and John, it’s time for us to dive right in. 

We delve into Raptors talk, taking a closer look at how their recent trade for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley will impact the team's future success. The three also engage in a debate on whether or not the Raptors are actually any good, exploring whether vying for a play-in spot would be better than settling for a lottery pick.

We’re starting off the New Year with a bang as we have the one and only, Bob McCown back on the show to take over as co-host for today’s show with John.

We talk with Paul Jones first as we delve into the recent trade made by the Toronto Raptors. Afterward, it's puck talk with Billy Jaffe as the three of us catch up on what’s going on in the National Hockey League

President of the Vancouver Canucks and longtime friend to both John and Dave joins the show today for our last podcast of 2023.

We talk to Jim about his team and get his thoughts on the Canucks’ roster, their play and more as we end the year off with some classic Hockey Talk with a hockey great.

Another two-for-one for you today, with Booger McFarland joining John and Richard for a much-needed check-in on everything going on in the NFL to start the show. In the second half, it's J.P. Morosi's turn to talk as we welcome him to discuss MLB's free agency and address the tweet involving Shohei Ohtani and a plane to Toronto that he was never on

Two guests for the price of one podcast today as we call on Bruce Garrioch to talk to us about the coaching conundrum the Ottawa Senators have found themselves in before spending some time with Paul Jones on how the Toronto Raptors are looking so far this season. 

Gord Stellick & Damien Cox on Their New Book, 'Revival: The Chaotic, Colorful Journey of the 1977-78 Toronto Maple Leafs.'

The year is 1977, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are 11 years removed from their last Stanley Cup win. The team is in disarray. Under the guidance of coach Roger Neilson and GM Jim Gregory, the Leafs deliver a remarkable season, marking a significant turning point in the team's history... and Gord Stellick & Damien COx wrote a book about it.

John and Richard get a look into some of the stories included in their novel as they give us a sneak peek into their writing process before spending time on the present-day Maple Leafs to end the show.

Well… John Gibbons has a job now, so this may be the last time we talk to the new Bench Coach for the New York Mets, John Gibbons.

We talk to John about what he expects from his new job and new team in New York as we get to the bottom of what a bench coach actually does and much more in today's conversation with Toronto’s favorite manager.

It’s safe to say that if this podcast had been recorded a month ago, we would be having a different conversation about the Edmonton Oilers. However, after winning 8 out of their last 10 games, things are looking good for Ken Holland and his hockey club, so we felt it was the right time to have him on the show.

We talk with Ken about the current state of the Oilers and find out if they’ve finally managed to put their struggles behind them. We delve a little into their new coaching hire, the inconsistent play from their stars, and even grill him on the team's polarizing new sweater design as we end the week with some hockey talk with one of the greats.

With the Shohei Ohtani drama out of the way, there are still other things to consider for the Toronto Blue Jays, so we brought on Rob Longley to discuss them with John and Dave.

The three examine the not-so-clear future for the Jays and their roster as they discuss potential moves that could help. They also explore the future for both Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., while delving into what transpired in Nashville during MLB’s GM meetings. Additionally, they ponder how the massive amounts of money being tossed around will affect the future of the league.

After the details of Shohei Ohtani’s 700 million dollar contract became public, many of us, including John and Richard, were left a little confused, not only by the deferments but about how the heck the LA Dodgers could afford to pay the Japanese baseball phenom that much money.

Luckily, Brian Cooper hops on the show to try to make it make sense. We break down the details of his contract as Brian shares with us how athletes’ likeness and cultural impact can be leveraged into even more money for a professional franchise before we switch over to some basketball talk as we discuss the Toronto Raptors and the team's shorter & long-term plans with Doug Smith.

It doesn’t matter what you throw at him; Steve Simmons can hit the curveball, and he puts that skill on display today as he joins John and Daren for some general sports talk on today’s show.

We start things off by discussing Shohei Ohtani’s monster deal and the intricacies of the contract before figuring out just how close the Toronto Blue Jays were to getting the Japanese phenom north of the border. We also get into the voting process, of which Steve was a part, for the Northern Star Award for Canada’s Athlete of the Year before shifting our focus to media distribution in Canada. We take a look at one of Steve’s recent articles regarding Rogers Media and their NHL rights going forward.