Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Devin Heroux: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1681

Episode Date: April 28, 2025

In this 1681st episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Devin Heroux, cross-platform reporter for CBC Sports and News covering the Olympics, Paralympics and beyond, about covering the 2019 Raptors title, Summer McIntosh, Penny Oleksiak, and being an openly gay man covering sports. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Silverwax, Yes We Are Open, Nick Ainis and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

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sponsored by Fusion Corp Construction Management Inc. and Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Joining me today, making his highly anticipated Toronto Mike debut, it's Devin. Hiro! Can you say your last name for me, Devin?'s Devin. Hiro. Can you say your last name for me, Devin? You're close. Hiro.

Hey, everybody needs a hero. There's a hero. That's Mariah Carey. Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun de- We're finally here. Well, we're somewhere, but say your last name for me. Haru. I didn't do it. I don't think I was even close. You were close. I said Haro, it's Haru. I apologize to you. Why not change it, like Anglicize that so it's just hero.

Oh, you gotta ask my Saskatchewan family about that. You know when people- But there's no French people in Saskatchewan. Well, there are in Prud home. Where's Prud home? Spell it for me. P-R-U-D-H-O-M-E. H-O-M-M-E. Oh, Prudhomme. I'm 0 for 2. I'm not having a good afternoon here. Devin, tell me, so this is a French part of Saskatchewan? Yeah, I think there were a lot of people who's French-speaking people who settled in Saskatchewan and and so prude home and Prude home like we don't consider Saskatchewan a hotbed of

Francophone activity we do not Once upon a time I was speaking French fluently. I was in France Spoke French in high school went on a French exchange and then had nobody to speak French with in Saskatchewan. And you lost it. I've lost it. Because you were the only French speaker in the entire promise. I was not in Prudhomme. We're given a lot of love to Prudhomme today, Mike.

Two M's in Prudhomme, by the way, in case you were curious. Hey, so Devin, I'm excited to have you here because I am a massive Olympics fanatic. Amazing. I watch everything in the Olympics, even events I would never consider watching like through the rest of the four year cycle or whatever. Right. I'm glued to during the Olympics. Yeah. So of course, if you're an Olympics fan in this country, you're a Devin fan. Oh, that's amazing. It's like they go together. I love it. I love how my life, Mike has evolved to this point where I get to be

Inextricably tied to the Olympics because how'd you pull that off? How'd you pull that caper off? I honestly wake up with a fear of God of what am I gonna do today every single day? So I think maybe that's how I pulled it off. Do you have imposter syndrome? I do every single day Is that right? Yeah, cuz I think I got a bit of it this morning. Oh, okay, so This morning at about six 20 AM, I'm down here. I'm connecting via Webex to CNN this morning. That happened today. Yeah, today. So that was this morning. And I'm connecting and I'm like, Oh,

this is like the second time in six weeks or something. I was the official Canadian correspondent to talk about Trump's threats to make us his the 51st state. Right. And to talk about the election today. Yeah. And I have this moment of basically and I think it's a pretty rational moment, which is how the hell did I end up getting this call? Like you're better to get this call. No, you are. Tell me why. Because you are perfectly situated for this moment in time because of your one thousand five hundred and seventy nine. One thousand six hundred and eighty one. That is extraordinary.

How did it take us so long to make this happen? Like, I feel like because I'm never here. Yeah. OK. So much to discuss, but I can't get into it all yet. Like, we're going to talk about how you ended up at CBC doing this like amazing. I think you have one of the greatest jobs in the world. It's really cool. Like when was your last international trip? Well, just a few weeks ago.

Where'd you go? TD Garden in Boston for the World Figure Skating Championships. Did I think my life would take me to the World Figure Skating Championships? No, but do I love figure skating? Do me to the world's figure skating championships. No, but do I love figure skating? Do I love the drama of figure skating? Who won? Like who is the male and the female? Tell me who won.

It was a massive success for the Americans at a time when the Americans needed massive success. I don't want them to have massive success. Well, listen, Alyssa Lu, 19 years old, retired a year and a half ago. Are we are we dinging? Are you? That's you. I don't ding like that. Like I know my ding. That's embarrassing. That's a that's a never have that on. That's a devin ding. You know, everyone knows their own dings, right? So when you're out and about, you don't even react. I never have my ding on. So I can't believe that happened. I don't think I heard that ding when you were poolside, okay, talking to you know summer macadam.

Well summer is swimming in Fort Lauderdale at the TYR series this weekend and I'm predicting that she might be posting some of her fastest times ever because she's just coming off a three-week altitude training camp in France. Few people know that that when you will now lots of people know now many cats out of the bag cats out of the bag and when you come back to earth from altitude, you feel like you're flying and she is already on cloud nine. So get ready for summer. I for okay, well, you know, we're kind of all going forward

and I know where I want to start and we're going to get to summer even pulled a clip and everything. But she's an Etobicoke gal, right? She is so far from here. No, so, uh, I mean I didn't need her to be an Etobicoke gal I would love I loved rooting for Penny. I root for the greats. Yeah I just said the word penny and I remembered a recurring bit on this very podcast where we talked about Do you know Jane Sibri? I don't know that name. You don't know, okay, Jane Sibri, you know why you're young. Am I allowed to ask your age or? December 27th, 1986.

86, you're an 86 guy. Okay, so there was a big hit before you were born. Yeah. Jane Sibri, it was 1984. Should I be embarrassed that I don't know this? No, because you're born in 86. Like to me, this would be like some Canadian hit from 1972. I'd be like, I'm sorry I missed that,

but I wasn't around, okay? So in 1984, before you were born, Devin, Mimi on the Beach was on, Mimi on the Beach, Mimi on the Beach. So it was kind of a big CFY hit, kind of a big song for Jane Sibri. The gentleman who directed the video for that song, Penny Oleksiak's father.

What? Yeah, in fact, now I react to that while I see if I have the clip. No, I know a lot of Penny trivia. This is a shocking reveal. This is really why I'm here today. Well, I'm now, see, oh, I have it. You ready?

I have it just because I have like a sound. Well, I'm impressed with your producer, switcher, anchor, host, all of the CNN correspondent. Remind me to get back to the CNN thing, okay? And then we got to talk about my shirt and we got to talk about how significant this day is for our nation's history. And then we'll get you to Saskatchewan

and we'll get you get up to date. And it it's gonna be like a wonderful like 90 minutes or whatever good but this Is kind of a famous moment in Toronto Mike history when I had Jane Sibri on the program. So she joined me Remotely and I don't actually do that for many people but I'm like I want Jane Sibri. We're gonna do this remotely I wouldn't do it for you. For example, that's not no, I'm like, I want Jane Sibri, we're going to do this remotely. I wouldn't do it for you, for example, that not know if no, I'm like, I'll wait this. I'll wait 10 years. You did. And I waited you out and I got you. I got you. Yeah. Got you. Okay. So Jane's on and I'm about to drop this mind blow on her about Penny Alexiax dad. And I expected her to be mind blown as well. Here's what happened. Do you, Jane, remember who directed the video for Mimi on the Beach? Yes, it was Dick. I think Dick is some name that I can't remember. I'm sorry, but... Okay. Well, let me jog your memory just because I was watching it recently.

And I saw the last name, Oleksiak. So, Oleksiak, and then I did a little Googling because I know an Oleksiak. I know a couple of Oleksiaks. One happens to be the most decorated Canadian Olympian of all time. And then another is an NHL player. But it turns out the director of that video is the father of Penny Oleksiak, the Olympic swimmer. Wow. She wasn't born when we needed a Mimi. No.

For the surfboard, that's too bad. No. But that's kind of a wild little coincidence, right? It's kind of wild that the person who directed your biggest, well it's debatable, but your first big single was eventually would father the most decorated Olympian in the history of this country. Okay. I don't find it that interesting. No. Okay. Okay. It's moderately interesting, but not a huge thing. I wouldn't say. So there you go. I was so, uh, blown back by how disinterested she was. And what I thought was a very fun fact. My jaw is on the floor. You handled that beautifully because you had this jam and this moment in the buildup. And then there was, right, and the buildup and then there was silence. There was silence.

Silence. It was silence. All silence and I'm waiting for a reaction. And then she had to come clean, which is she doesn't find it that interesting. How were you feeling inside? Like, what was happening? Well, I was I was kind of like, I wanted I think later in this episode, I stopped down and walked through it with her to try to understand how that can't be.

Even if you don't enjoy sports, even if you don't watch the Olympics. It's a fun fact because at the time at this is when we recorded this, the most decorated Canadian Olympian of all time was Penny Alexiak. So the fact that the director of her biggest video, her most popular song would go on to father Canada's most decorated Olympian, it blew my mind. I find it fascinating. It's at least a fun fact. It's a fun fact. Well, Jane did not agree. She was not impressed. Not impressed at all. How long was that interview by the way? Well, the interview, these things go 90 minutes, but that little clip there was like a minute. No, but did it go 90 minutes? Yeah, it went. You know what? She, she is, she's an artist, like she's a true artist.

And I found my conversation with Jane Sibri to be fascinating. But she's just, I wonder if she would feel the same or if it would be, I don't even know if she'd remember it to be quite honest. But if I do bump into Jane, I'm going to ask her if she remembers this, this moment here. So ask me about my shirt, Devin. Tell me about your shirt, because as I was walking up to the house, I didn't know if it was if there was construction working workers. You needed to wear your shades for this. Okay, before I tell you about my shirt though, I'm going to crack open a Great Lakes beer. All right. I'm drinking the summer session IPA. It is called Sunnyside. It is my favorite through the summer months. Wow. Okay, so I cheers. Cheers to you. Okay. So this shirt was gifted to me by a listener

who was working for TV Ontario in 1976. And there was some kind of a cons, uh, an agreement, some kind of a, uh, a deal made between TV Ontario and CBC to cover the Montreal Olympics in 1976. And these shirts were handed out to people that were part of the staff, I guess, in Montreal. And this is a genuine 1976 CBC shirt from the Olympics. I believe it's highly flammable. And I wore it for you. It looked, first of all, did you iron it? Well, no, you couldn't because it would, because it might light up. It'll burst into flames. It looks perfect. Where do you keep it? I don't say only wear it when you CBC heads come over like I'll break it out I don't know Diane's Diana Swain. I wore it for her. Did you Jill Deacon? I wore it for hers

Dwight Drummond I wore it for you Tom Tom's retired. I know Tom is almost done. He might be done actually I think he might have been. He might be done actually. I think he might've been done at the end of March, but he was great. He talked about being on the Tommy Hunter show where he was a singer and he did a little singing. And he did a lot.

He's a legend. He's a legend. But you're on your way to being a legend. So we're talking about the shirt and I wore it for you. Thank you. I wore my CBC socks. So let's, okay, let's do this real quick. And I don't know how much you can say, but that's your problem, not mine. Like I can say anything I want.

That's why CNN calls me. As I thought about all the questions you might ask, I predicted this one, but fire away. Because I think I'm prepared for this. I can preface, I can basically keep you out of trouble by saying, this is a, you know, there's only, you know, even though we're not a two party system, for this particular election, and it's election day, if you're listening

in the future, it's April 28th. It's 4 11 PM. We don't know who won this election yet, but there are only two options. Uh, essentially it's going to come down to the liberal party of Canada or the conservative party of Canada. One of which has pledged has promised to defund the CBC. I have multiple questions, but one is, how does that make you feel as an employee of the CBC? Well, I mean, I'll start by saying, and I told you this before we came on, that this

morning when I chose to put on my CBC socks on election day, I looked at my partner and I said, am I going too far? Is this too much of a political statement on election day? I did anticipate this question. He's wearing them people. I've taken a lot of heat, Mike, on social media about not being more proudly pro-CBC. The internal dialogue I had and where I landed is that as long as I continue to tell truly Canadian stories, that should be enough to speak for where I stand on all of this. That's that's sort of how I felt. I don't think there is another place in the country that tells stories of Canadian athletes like CBC and I don't think there's ever

been. We are the home of the Olympics. We are the place where on any given day you're gonna go to cbc sports.ca and you're going to read about a Bob's letter that you never knew about. And you're not going to see that anywhere else. And you know, I just hosted an election special. I came from downtown CBC where everybody's getting ready. The rehearsals are underway. The security is everywhere. And there isn't much in this country that brings us together

like in a great Olympic moment, a where were you when moment. And we do that. The CBC does that. And it's easy to be critical of the CBC. I've been critical of the CBC at times. But on matters of national significance, of where were you when moments I think were our best? I can hear Don Whitman right now. Donovan Bailey is pouring it on. You've got to love Saturday Nights in Georgia, right? Or Bob Cole or...

Oh baby! Everything is happening. Right, you know? And so that's where I land. Listen, my family's in Saskatchewan. We have complicated conversations. When I go home, sometimes the radios aren't on CBC radio. Really? Okay, okay. So Saskatchewan, by the way, because I am the official political correspondent from Canada for CNN, I can tell you it's a very conservative province. Yes, it is. So, listen, everything is in the gray area. It's always been in my life. I

love dualities. I love sifting through complicated things and I think this is one of them. But I am 10 toes down with my CBC socks on about the significance and the importance of CBC. And we'll find out how Canadians decide on that. But I think the CBC has been and always should be an important part of the fabric of our country. Well said, Devin. Now, I wanna ask you about the separation, church and state, of sports and news, okay? Sure.

So you are in the sports department, but let's say you were Tom, I know he's retired now, but I'll pick on him anyway. But you're in the news department. Would you be more careful with what is all but an endorsement for the Liberal Party of Canada? I don't think I would. And here's why I was with news. I was in CBC News for 10 years. I started my career in news because I thought if I went straight to sports, nobody would take me seriously.

I had imposter syndrome. It was like being a weather person in a newsroom. You were fluff. You lack substance. You're a sports guy. And so I went to news, although I've always loved sport. And I actually believe contrary to what a lot of people think, that sport journalism done well is some of the most compelling journalism.

And so, you know, I worked my way through news, but I've always believed that I think, I think why we see such a lack of trust in mainstream media today, is that we don't particularly speak to the audience in a nuanced, thoughtful way. And I've always believed that if we could be honest and upfront about some of our biases,

and I have many because I'm a living human being, everything I do in my life has shaped the way I approach a story. And I've always believed that if I can come into that with all of me and be honest and upfront about that, I actually believe we get further in moving the conversation forward. And I think we've failed to take a more nuanced analytical approach where we're not blatantly saying this is this is where my political stripes are and this is how I feel and now I'm going to tell you what I think it is. But I think Mike, I will talk to both sides of the story and I will

sift through what might be fact and what what might be fiction. And I'm here to tell you what I think it means for you. And I don't think we do that. I don't think we do it enough. So I don't think I would give you a different answer today because I think anybody that knows I'm an employee of the CBC and I'm answering this question is probably going to know where I stand. But okay. I, I love what you're saying, except if you were in news, let's say Rosie Barden. Okay. Let's say Neil Herland because Harrington's retail

Herland not retired Herland and I worked in Calgary together. I didn't know that. Yeah, okay Did you have you talked to him since you booked this or no you haven't told no I haven't okay He's actually supposed to come back this June. So Neal if you're listening You're supposed to come back in June. He promised to come back in June to kick out the Pride jams for Pride Month. Like this is a Neil Herland pledge to kick it. Apparently he loves the clubs and the jams. That doesn't surprise me. But if you're a news reader or a news host at CBC, you can't have this presumed bias because it will taint the reporting.

Like, isn't that everything? This is why Steve Pakin plays it up the middle and you have no idea how it's politically. It's like, well, his wife I know. I know his. No, but this is important. I don't know Pakin. Pakin's been very careful not to,

he's been very careful throughout his career to remain optically unbiased In my opinion optically, right? But I think anybody who knows these people know their thoughts and so you're actually hammering home my point. I Think the audience when they watch things inherently have already made up their mind based on everything they've read or whatever echo chamber they're on on social media or whatever. They've already drawn their own conclusions. So they're going to gravitate to the media outlet or independent journalism that best aligns with them. And if they do stumble upon a Rosemary Barton,

they're already going to look at everything she says through whatever lens they've applied to her. So are you suggesting that the Pierre Poliev supporters already deem Rosie and the CBC crew to be biased for the Liberal Party of Canada? I think if... I'm trying to get you in trouble here Devon, how am I doing? I know you are. I'm not afraid of these conversations. I think if you go on social media and I'm scouring

social media all the time, not because I'm doom-scrolling, because I actually like to see where people are at and I think to answer your question, if you go and you look at the comments, I think there's a resounding answer that yes, people fundamentally believe that the CBC is a mouthpiece of the government, and that Rosemary with with everything that has developed in her career would be aligned in that way. And I'm not here to put judgment or analyze any of that. I just think people already, the landscape has changed, Mike, to a point where you don't sit down with your dinner set at 6 p.m. and what happens on your TV

is the only way you're getting the news. Everybody is their own producer, consumer, they cultivate their own experience. But being in the sports department does give you a little leeway in this regard, I think. I've had many a sports journalist who is called at the toy department and yeah, there are important stories. There's inspiring stories I love sports. I I think that I think the toy department people are the beat writers of old They're the old guard. Shout out to Steve Simmons. They're They're the old guard

Should I leave it there? Okay. I'll put that list. You know, I can be spicy They're the people who looked at me as a gay man and walked into NHL locker rooms and went, who the hell is this guy? And why is he asking a question that might make somebody feel something? Because we don't do that here. That is spicy. So did you feel a, uh, some homophobia? Oh, absolutely. My goodness. Yes. So can you elaborate? Give me some names. And how many of them are FOTMs? Because I'll talk to them. I'll talk to them. I got like zero tolerance on this. You have no idea. I have always said, I've always found it interesting when I go

into some of these bigger pro events. And if I never cover another pro event or pro sport in my career, I'll be very happy with that. It's all smoke and mirrors. It's all make believe and nobody is really speaking honestly. Let's just be real about that. Right. I agree. It's laced with cliche and I don't really know what I get from a pre-game or post-game NHL interview.

I could do it right now for you. There's no value. Okay. You be Austin Matthews. Okay. Game five tomorrow night. You're at home. How important is it to wrap this up at home before going back to Ottawa game six? I like what we've done so far.

If we get pucks in deep and we play the way we're supposed to play, if we stick to the game plan, I think we're going to be where we need to be. You got to give 110%, right? 110%. We love playing at home. We feel comfortable. I know my way into the building. It'll so and then and then what happens and why I think people have have sort of found their way to my journalism and why I think it's different is because I'll never know what it's like to shoot or score or pass like Austin Matthews. But there's probably something in his life, Mike, that makes him relatable to me about learning what it's what it's like to win or lose or have something I care about or mean something to me. And that's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to tap into that when I cover sports. Well, you're you're humanizing these athletes and you're tapping

into their humanity. We're doing the same thing. We're doing the same thing. I do it for CNN, you do it for CBC. I see you. I see you. You are getting me in trouble here. No, man. I love the out of the bat, out of the gate here. Also, I want to read a note from the live stream because we're live at live.torontomike.com. And I see Tyler has already pointed out the obvious, which is that you provided the reaction that I was hoping to get from Jane to the fun fact about Mimi on the Beach

and Penny Oleksiak's dad. So if you have any inroads with Penny, I want Penny's dad on Toronto Mic just to talk about directing Mimi on the Beach. So if you have any contact there, that could be like an assignment for you. I still can't get over that. We've double sourced that it is in fact.

Wait till I tell you. Well, yes. I mean, I did. It was his name. Yeah. And I will found out through I think IMDB that he has done such a work in the past. I'm going to ask Penny about it. I want you to. Yeah. And I need you to like I need you to be on. I'm going to ask Penny about it. I want you to. Yeah. And I need you to like, I need you to be on. I'm going to make this. I'm going to be team Toronto Mike. And now you don't know you're trying to get me in trouble on election.

Well, no, I haven't. I haven't even tried to get into now. I'm going to try because I need it. I need a prediction. So again, like literally no, no predictions. There are no predictions, but you have a preference. This is so obvious. Like you obviously are hoping for a liberal majority tonight.

I think I am on the side of CBC. Okay. And that's why I'm wearing this shirt today because I'm a big CBC fan, but CBC aside, I'm not a fan of, uh, I'm allowed to be opinionated. I don't work for the CBC family, but CBC aside, I'm not a fan of I'm allowed to be opinionated. I don't work for the CBC. Okay. I work for CNN so I can tell you that I think that's like saying that again, and possibly let me ask you something because I feel comfortable asking questions as well.

I always, I always get a little uneasy when I'm on the other end of questions. It seeps into my personal life as well. And then I'm reminded by friends and family. You're not interviewing me. Do you do that as well? Sorry, uh, do I uh interview family members and stuff? Yeah, where normal conversation becomes somewhat of an interrogation because Yeah, because i've done this thousands of times usually 90 minutes or so at a time And i'm very good at knowing what I want to get and how to build the blocks I know you are. So I know, for example, I can't ask you about homophobia

in the NHL dressing room in the first two minutes. We need to develop a better rapport. Seven minutes. I need seven minutes before we go there, okay? Okay, but let me ask you. So when you are representing the country on CNN, do you feel like you have to be a more charged up version of yourself?

No, it's no. In fact, if you go to Toronto Mike dot com, I posted the YouTube clip because I get I get the video. Yeah, you can watch me and I didn't get much time. I think I got three, three minutes and change or something. Realist. I don't know. I don't know.

I had four and a half minutes last month, so I feel like they're stripping my time. Next time I'm on it, it'll be 60 seconds and then they'll just have me wave and then Audie will say hello. What did you say? Cole Snouts. Okay, so that's his... What's your prediction for tonight? What do you hope happens?

I hope and my prediction is that there will be a majority government for Mark Carney and the Liberal Party of Canada. And you believe a majority. Yeah. I believe it on a couple of fronts. I guess it's not just wishful thinking. I believe that what's going to make that happen is the almost complete collapse of the NDP. So true. Traditionally, we had a very strong, you know, third party, if you will, and would, you know, if you were left of Conservative Party you had some going green you had NDP had Liberal Party

It's so completely collapsed this this particular election where it's almost as if all Canadians decided to vote on one single issue Yeah, who is best to stand up to the American president? To regarding these threats to make us the 51st state and these tariffs. Who do you want? Yeah, do you want? Do you want Poliev there or do you want Mark Carney there? And I think a whole whack of traditional NDP voters are like, this is too important. I'm voting for Mark Carney this time. Yep, I agree with everything you just said.

And then I look province by province. So my wife is from Alberta and you're from Saskatchewan. So those two provinces are very blue. So and my my daughter's in Montreal and I get we have a lot of chats about what's going on there. But if you go east of Montreal, sorry, east of Quebec, yeah, very liberal, very, very liberal, very, very, not a lot of seats, very pro CBC. Yes. You go to Newfoundland in Labrador. If you work for the CBC, you are a literal rock star on the rock on the rock. You know what? This is why you got that gig man. We're

aligned. If you're ever sick or something and you need somebody to shut up summer at the side of the pool, just let me know. Okay. So now we Quebec. Yes, there's still some block votes going on there, but it's going to be pretty heavy liberal because when you think about it, right, because we say, Oh, like I'm old enough to remember when the co when Quebec wanted to separate from Canada, it was freaking close that referendum. I'm old enough to remember that vividly. Yeah. But what would be worse for Quebec? The deal they have now with Canada where they have the language rights and all this, or being the 51st state where it's like, sorry, bro, this is an English province now.

I'm telling you, things are better in Canada than in America and they know it. And I think Quebec will come out and vote liberal. Do you think the post by Trump this morning, doubling down on the 51st straight, did that help the liberal cause? Big time, huge. I think I put on Blue Sky that,

or somewhere I put that Carney should send Trump flowers. Like really, honestly, it helps immensely because he's basically saying vote for Paul, you haven't become the 51st state free defense, all this gobbledygook nonsense. That's very, very unpopular. So let's get to Ontario. Okay. Okay. Where do you live? Toronto, Toronto. Okay. Well, when I'm here, where do you vote Toronto Toronto? Right. So Toronto, there's, I think there's only one riding I'm unsure about because the junction has this one. There was the, she was the MPP. Her name is Butea Carpoche. Very good MPP. I've met her many, I met her at the Terry

Fox run at High Park. I bumped into her a bunch of times. She's not in my riding, but I quite like her. She decided to move into federal politics. So she's running for the NDP and then Nardisi, I believe it's his name is running for the liberal party. That one I can't call. Like I don't know. Maybe NDP actually wins a seat. But other than that writing, I think this entire city is slam dunk liberal. So that's, that's Toronto.

You don't think it's going to be as close as, as is not in Toronto The polls were suggesting over the wheels the Toronto polls don't don't even give me a sense It's gonna be that close now when you leave Toronto in the 905 now you start picking up blue, right? And then a lot of Ontario outside of Toronto goes blue, but a lot goes red as well. So then yeah, we got some problem I cannot believe I provinces then you're in BC BC will have their fair share of red going on there Yeah, and I believe what is it 172 you need a hundred and seventy two seats to form a majority government Mm-hmm. I think they get 200 and again, I Was on humble and Fred this morning and I said I want the Dewey defeats Truman moment, right?

Do we defeats Truman was printed and course, Truman won that election. I don't care if I'm wrong. Like this is a prediction. I don't have any crystal ball on this. This is the vibe I have as I speak to you right now at 4 31 pm on April 28. We would have had no idea there was going to be an election on this day when we made repeated attempts to have a conversation. Yeah, I know how it worked out. My goodness. Yeah. Now, now I'm, you've got me saying things, saying things that now I'm playing back going, no, don't come back. Don't play back. You know, you, you weren't CBC socks because you work for the C you should love where you were and you should deem the CBC to be an important institution in this country. I think it is. I don't regret it.

How is that controversial? Well, you said it Devin, I didn't say it. Okay, so we'll get you out of trouble. Bob Willett, who's on Indy 88 saving terrestrial radio. Okay, he's doing his best. We love Bingo Bob on this show. Bob Willett says, I love Devin. He has no idea who I am, but he answered a random

tweet of mine to him. So Bob just Bob says he loved the fact you replied to his tweet. Oh, that's fantastic. Hi, Bob. Are you still tweeting on that note? I am. So I'm going to quote Mike Wilner. Okay. I'm going to, I'm going to bust your jumps from in here because I'm guilty of this. I loved Twitter when Elon bought it. I loved it a great deal less. And when Trump was re-elected for a second term in November, I basically like, oh, I became a cesspool. I hate, I just couldn't stand Twitter, but I still kind of pasted my blue sky stuff there. Yeah. Until I sat down here with Mike Willner. Do you know Mike Willner?

Covers Blue Day. I know of him for sure. Yeah. And he goes, Mike, let's put Mike Willner here, okay? His girlfriend just made me a pie. And I got to like send, it's not a tweet because it's on Blue Sky, but I think it's the dirtiest Blue Sky thing I ever sent, which is basically, Mike Willner, your girlfriend's pie was delicious. I just, you know, is that dirty? It's true. His girlfriend's pie is delicious. Okay.

You're smart to stay quiet on this one. Okay. So Mike Willner said, Hey, Mike, let's pretend there was a bar that you love to go to and drink your Great Lakes beer. I'm like, yeah, I like this bar. Let's say a Nazi bought the bar. Do you still go to that bar? And I said, no, fuck no.

I'll find another bar. And he goes, then why are you posting on Twitter? I never posted one more to say I'm out and I never posted again. Yeah. I mean, that was a gut punch. I'm trying to recruit you to. I know you're going to look and now I'm going to look and see this might be my last tweet ever. Just say Toronto Mike talked me out of Twitter. I'm just saying. I mean, I've got a big following there.

I'm on Blue Sky. I'm on threads. I copy paste. I do the things I'm I was doing that too. Quite frankly, I actually my my relationship with all of these platforms is very complicated these days, because I'm trying to understand what the currency is. So what is the currency now with the audience? Because you know, I did start at CBC when we first decided that audience feedback, Facebook posts, comments, comment on this, da da da da. That was a big part of our programming back when it was hot, right?

Yeah. And then it just got really ugly. But it's really ugly. In fact, one of my pet peeves of CBC is that they don't, Blue Sky. Like I'm trying to, I'm doing everything on Blue Sky, loving it, but there's no official you know, I see account there. TBO is there.

I'm not going to speak for anyone, but I think it was literally because it got so toxic that the CBC went. Why would we even go into any of this space? Because I'll push back. Do you really find blue sky to be a nicer version? Like everybody I personally can only speak for you know your, you really do night and day. Yeah. Really? If I post the same thing on X as I do on blue and I won't do this test now, but in the past there are going to be some just like trolls looking to enrage

me on, and I won't get that on blue sky. So that's my experience. They're, they're coming. Okay. Well they're're coming. I hate to I hate to birth. It's everywhere. Get CBC on blue sky. That's my request. Okay, so you are if we've, you know, I'm gonna give you a gift right now. And then we're gonna get it. We're gonna get into this. So I want to talk a little bit about Saskatchewan. So I'm giving you this gift. And you're gonna say, Mike, what do you talk about Saskatchewan for? Well, okay. gift and you're gonna say Mike what do you think this guy's going for? Well, Menaris sent over this wireless speaker for you, Devin. This is fantastic. But it's not free of charge. You have to subscribe and listen to Yes We Are Open, which is an award-winning podcast

from Menaris hosted by Al Grego. In this latest season eight, Al went to Regina. He went to Regina. I know he's a Toronto guy. He's not. He works in Toronto. He's up in like a Hollins landing or something like that. Impeccable timing that he went to Regina when I'm here. But he's back now. He's back. He recorded. He came back. He's dropping these episodes now.

I have a lovely note about the new episode. OK, yes. Al visited Tracy. I'm going to butcher this last name, Tracy Bosch, the owner of Zippity Zoom Toys in Regina. Tracy shares the inspiring story of how she started the toy store in 2009, juggling a newborn in a new business. And she talks about the evolution of the store, her background in retail, and her passion for toys. So you can hear that episode of, yes, we are open. Enjoy that wireless speaker, Devin. Awesome.

Can you say a few words about Regina? So you're a Saskatoon-er, right? Oh, this is a lot of booby traps here when you got a Saskatoon person talking about Regina. You don't like Regina, do you? Tell me about Regina. You're gonna have me drinking this craft beer by the end of this.

Well, it's there for you. Oh, you're taking that craft beer home with you. Thank you, Great Lakes Brewery. Thank you. I have no issues with Regina and that I think alone is a hot take because when you're from Saskatoon, you're supposed to hate Regina. But I did a degree at the University of Saskatchewan. I did a degree at the University of Saskatchewan. I did a degree at the University of Regina, my beloved rough riders.

That is something I am. Unobjective about they are the best CFL team in the country. Um, and, and I have covered the CFL and people have gotten mad at me about my bias towards the beloved rough riders, but my time in Regina cheering on the Rough Riders, in fact, I'm doing my bachelor party at a Rough Rider game in June. What day in June am I going to be at this bachelor party? June 5th home opener against the Ottawa Red Blacks, because that was the only place I wanted to go for my bachelor party.

There was. That's it. That's that's where you want to go to Regina. To Saskatchewan. I love Regina. I love Saskatchewan. I love being from Saskatchewan. And you couldn't do this gig from there, like you can't you can't because you need to be near. You got to be a warm body in the in Toronto HQ. And my family didn't understand that.

But I made the leap. Didn't have a job here I was I was a staff reporter at CBC, Saskatchewan, okay? Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket Mike like people people ride this thing for 30 40 years And I could have done that but I knew I wanted to be here and I knew I wanted to go to the Olympics So I left that that staff position in Saskatoon, CBC Saskatchewan, came here and made a pitch. Wait, so you didn't have the gig before you came here? You came here without the gig, but you had a gig in Saskatoon?

Where is that Regina? Saskatoon, but I was a provincial correspondent. Real news. Yeah. And then you said, I want to go there because you wanted to cover the Olympics? I wanted to go to Pyeongchang and it was a year and a half from Pyeongchang.

And I said, I walked into the boardroom which has now become a digital studio. And I said, send me to curling. Send me to the Scotties and the Briar. And I'll be candid with you. I don't think those men in that room that day particularly thought I could succeed or maybe didn't want me to somewhere in the middle. I don't know. Is that because you're a proud gay man?

There might have been some of that. I find this interesting that in, you know, in this, and this is not 2025. This is, uh, earlier. It was 2017, but still, but also I'm, I'm one of few openly gay national sports correspondents in this 2025. Without a doubt. Tell me another one. I don't know if you'd call this person a national sports correspondent, but Scott MacArthur was covering, uh, was doing was doing sports media for years. And he came out while on the job, so he came over to talk about that. It's fascinating. I'm a big Scottie McFannock. So am I. I was on a panel with him. I adore him. I think he's got a kind

heart and has meant a lot and literally saves lives. I don't think I'm being hyperbolic in that because I wondered what my life was gonna be like in this space growing up in Saskatchewan. And my friend Zoe said, you know, some of my first interviews, Mike, were with like Brian Taurus, the head coach of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football program who had more wins than anybody

and was this daunting, rough, tough man. And I had to find my voice and I had to figure out who I was and I was chameleon like in all of these different spaces but there are hints of that and it's not overt but it's there and it's always there and before I knew who I was and before I knew I was okay with who I was, that was a really hard space to be in. You know, I'm hearing you talk and I'm wondering, is there another openly gay man covering sports in this country?

I don't think so. I don't think so. Yeah. Yeah, so it, it, that has been, it has been hard. There is a personal toll to all of that because when there are issues of LGBTQ plus issues in sport, I'm the person they turn to. I will say my colleague, Anastasia Boussus,

is openly lesbian. Diana Matheson is her spouse. And Anastasia and I have talked a lot about the fact that there are two queer people that are key figures in CBC Olympic coverage. And we are incredibly proud of that. And I would say that my being gay has influenced my journalism in ways I could have never imagined and it is a blessing and a gift because I've had to sort through all of my stuff to be able to get to this point where I am now to stand across from an athlete and see all the parts of them in me and the hopes and the dreams and the fears and go,

I think I might know what you might be feeling in this moment when you didn't live up to what you wanted to do in this moment. Very interesting. You're an interesting guy. No, seriously, a lot of times I do this a lot. Like a lot of times guests are here and you get the answers and then it's almost like they're recalling this from their, you know, their brain, but I feel like you're actually like answering questions like from the heart. And this is, this is from the heart and it actually... Why do you have your notepad out with all the... Right? No, I gotta admit it makes me, it makes me a little uncomfortable, but I'm learning to lean into that more and more. My mom always said, boy, you picked a really interesting career

to be somebody who hasn't always been okay with who they are, because I've had to grow up in front of a camera and a microphone. And do you think now again, I'm gonna be one of those Toronto assholes who makes assumptions here, but I would think it's easier to grow up a gay boy

in Toronto than it is in Saskatchewan. Yeah, I think it's why so many of us leave. I mean, my plight is a very similar plight for a lot of gay men who grow up in Saskatchewan because the gay bar I went to in Saskatchewan because the gay bar I went to in Saskatoon called Divas, the only way you could get there is through a back alley that was sort of obscure and hidden, right? Like out of sight, out of mind. And so yeah, it is. I mean, I've had experiences where homophobic slurs have been hurled my way

on the streets of Saskatoon. Wow. I'm not saying that can't happen in any other place in the country, but there is much more of a community. Mike, I can tell you the first time walking down Davie Street in Vancouver and Church Street in Toronto,

at a time when maybe some people question these areas in cities, villages, gay villages, when I was 18, 19 years old, that was a safe space for me. It was in a way that I never saw in Saskatoon. So yeah, and and and I'll tell you just to close a loop on all of this is speaking from the heart. Yeah, I've always said that and and I came out publicly. I don't know if you know that but I was a sports editor at the University of Saskatchewan newspaper. Okay. And I wrote a coming out

article as the editor. That was my. So you're at but you're so you're young, you're going to university. I was eight I was 18 years old had just turned and you came out in a in an article or a column or whatever you wrote in publish the chief the chief newspaper longest. So why did you decide to do that? Because and it's the same reason why I speak about it on right now to you is because if there was one person out there that read that, that went, Oh my God, there's somebody like me out there and I'm not in this alone.

Then it was worth it. And I received a lot of hate mail because that was at a time when people were, they were still writing letters. That was 2007. And but I also got a lot of notes. I got a note from a guy whose dad was an RCMP and he didn't want to tell his dad about his being gay. And he told his dad and they they started to build a relationship in the wake of that article. And I still have people to this day who come up to me and thank me for that article all these years later.

You only need to hear one story like that to validate everything and that be so glad you did that. Yeah, right. Just one story like that. And people will see reflection of themselves in you. I hope they do. And I hope they I hope that it can be it can be an entry point to have a conversation because my family in Saskatoon,

making them sound out to be a bunch of hicks. They're not my that's a university town. OK, my first wife was from Saskatoon. Yes, there's not hicks in Saskatoon. It is a it is a bump in city. The John Deaton Baker. Exactly. And I give my family a lot of credit and I would say that we have all been on a journey together and I am so proud of how

open-minded they've become and how much they've challenged some of their limiting thoughts through my experiences. Love to hear that. Yeah. Love to hear that. Oh gosh, man. So I'm now reminded quickly of a story and then we're gonna get back to your career arc here. But her name is Ariana, transgender woman. She's an FOTM. You're by the way, an FOTM,

that means friend of Toronto, Mike. You're now in this esteemed club, Devin. You're an FOTM, okay? Finally, finally. It took us, but wait,'re now in this esteemed club, Devon. You're an F.O.T.M. OK, finally it took us. But I think it took us years to put this together. I don't know. I'm working on Devin forever. I'm like, I'd watch the Olympics and I like I want that guy. And then I'd write a note is like, oh, I'm going to be in Japan. They're going to be in China.

I don't know. You're all over the map here. And it's like, I don't know how to get this guy. It's been a long time coming here. But Ariana, I remember her story in that she, she heard or she read about Scott MacArthur and she reached out to Scott about cause cause cause cause Ariana was covering the Blue Jays for a digital platform. I can't remember the name of it right now, but she talked to Scott who gave her the courage to come out because she was afraid she would not be accepted by the baseball fans as a transgender woman. And really, so you being yourself is creating, I don't want to say a blueprint, but it's

a path for there's a somewhere there's a young gay man who wants to go into either as an athlete or as a journalist who wants to be in the world of sports and because you did it they will now feel that they can do it too. Thank you Mike I believe that I really do and to the young I think about the kids and to the young people I've always said there is a massive place in sport for you. There absolutely is. And I just think about how many times I went into

scrums, um, when I wasn't okay with who I was and I wanted to shrink, I wanted to be small. I wanted to be invisible. And that was such a hard time. I dressed differently, I acted differently, and I thought about how it affected my performance as a journalist in my ability to do the job. And then I think about athletes, and I go, wait a second,

if athletes can't be authentic in the field of play, there has to be a performance metric in not being able to show up at the field of play and being their authentic selves. And I think that if I can actually be somebody that they speak to in a post-competition conversation, it might affect their performance. And weirdly enough, because I'm not objective when it comes to our Canadian athletes, conversation, it might affect their performance. And I, and

weirdly enough, because I'm not objective when it comes to our Canadian athletes, I'm such a proud supporter of them, right? I am with them in Paris, and Pyeongchang and Tokyo, I am with them. And when they come to speak to me, I want them to feel seen and supported and feel like in that moment, they can be all of who they are. And I actually believe in Paris, something changed. And I think athletes felt like they could do that.

And I think they were all watching each other. And I think what we're doing collectively is making this ecosystem where people can show up. And I think Canadian athletes might just perform better because of it. I'm convinced of that. Okay, got you know, love Mike, you know, I know I put I produce a podcast for Donovan Bailey.

That's why I shouted out Don Whitman earlier because every episode we have the anchor league where I play that call. Yeah. So it's like tattooed in my brain but love the Canadian athletes just as I said off the top love the Canadian athletes just as I said off the top, love the Olympics. Part of the Paris of May is that even as a spectator, there was something about having to go through the pandemic and then come out the other side where I feel like so much was suppressed. So much of what we love about the Olympics was was suppressed during the pandemic.

And then in Paris, we were post pandemic. And what a party. Yeah. It was a party. And it's Paris for God's sakes, right? And I still don't know how Celine Dion hit those notes because I had just seen a documentary on her where she was having seizures.

Yeah. She's got that terrible disease, stiff body disease or stiff person's disease. Yeah. And she's hitting these notes live in Paris. I'll never forget it. I was at the base of the Eiffel Tower with the rain coming down that night.

The only day it rained, I know organizers would have loved the rendering shot, which was this golden glow of the sunset over the Seine as the boats in the parade. But I gotta say, the rain and the lights and Celine and the moment, I'll never forget Never it's like when Prince did the halftime show at the Super Bowl and the rains came down for purple rain Yes, this is all

Universal it is celestial it is greater than us Mike So wait when you come to Toronto without a gig because you're at CBC Saskatchewan, covering provincial politics, what are you covering? I was our beat man. I covered the biggest story, the top story of the day, just like I did at CBC Calgary live at five, five 36 and 11 o'clock for three years every single day on breaking news.

And that was after, because I guess I want to get you to Toronto, but I don't want to miss anything interesting. 2012 to 2015, Calgary. Calgary. And that's where you meet Neil Herland? Yes. We were doing nights.

He was doing radio. I'm Neil Herland. I do an impression of his CBC updates. I'm Neil Herland. Neil and I had wonderful times in the newsroom at night. Some massive stories. So I said, when I was in Calgary, I covered the floods. I was in High River every single day for a month. There were some horrific stories. I'll never forget

a story. Nathan O'Brien, a five-year-old who was with his grandparents, they were killed in the middle of the night. I covered this manhunt and searched for them for about a month. Stories of scandal, political scandal. Adrian Arsenault and I broke a massive story about a bunch of Muslim men radicalizing in a mosque at eighth and eighth downtown Calgary. I did it all. I did hard hitting news. Yeah. That's not the toy department. No, it wasn't. And then I went to CBC, Saskatchewan, and then I went, wait, I got to get back to Toronto. I got to get back to Toronto I got to get back to sports and so I came here made the pitch

cobbled together a couple of casual shifts a week with CBC sports and then a couple of casual shifts with CBC Toronto and the national on the weekend and Then finally about a year out from Pyeongchang and and I went here remind me which wait year is Pyeongchang 2018 but now it's 2017, Scotties and Briar. I go to the Scotties in St. Catherine, I go to the Briar in St. John's, they both pop off. Rachel Holman and Brad Guzziwin, Guzziwin's first ever Briar in St. John's, my stories popped off.

It was undeniable and a later, I was a full-time employee of the CBC Sports Department in Pyeongchang, working with Mike Harris and Joe McCusker from the 1998 Nagano teams that I grew up and fell in love with. And there I am with them in Pyeongchang. Is curling your favorite sport? I don't know if it is. Listen, I watch every single curling game imaginable. I love it. It is cathartic. It is it makes me feel like I'm home. Tonight, there's another game that I will have on the sound of a rock sliding the sound of

granite crashing is like home. So I was born here. Yeah, that's how pathetic I am. I'm like, I was born at St. Joe's. I could probably bike there in 10, 15 minutes. Who knows? That's amazing. But I feel like that's the reason. Cause as a kid, as a teen growing up, when I loved sports, by the way, loved sports, zero interest in curling. And I feel like if I had been born in Saskatoon, I would be like you right now. Yeah. I feel like a lot of it, like, okay, well, I'll take like you right now. Yeah. I feel like a lot of it. Like, you know, OK, well, I'll take it. Come on.

I'll take it. But you know how you like now you're not far from Mimico here. And now I'm learning about this like great lacrosse culture in Mimico because I wasn't raised in Mimico. It was another part of Toronto. And I now now that I live down here and I see, oh, there's lacrosse is a big deal down here. I never saw lacrosse.

What is it called? And the net, what is it called? You know, you're the CBC sports guy. You're going to be in trouble for this. But that paddle or stick or whatever, we'll call it a stick. The stick. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know, because there's like a net on the end. The scoopy thing.

I never saw one until I moved here in my 40s. Really never saw one like in the person. I never saw one until I moved here in my 40s. Really never saw one like in the person I never saw one like I never saw a kid at high school carrying their lacrosse stick. It's an Olympic sport now. I know and I'll watch in the Olympics and I'm not anti lacrosse. I guess it's a long-winded way of saying that if you're raised with the sport sure and you love it as a young person It gets in your blood and you love it at all. I think it might be tough Outside of the Olympics. We're all watching. I'll watch Luge. Okay. I've never tuned into Oh skeleton I've never tuned into skeleton inside of the Olympics. You know the difference between loose and skeleton

Yeah, like and in every four years, I'm reminded of all the differences. The difference is, oh crap, I can't remember. What is it? So here's how I remember it. Skeleton your head first because that's just crazy and skeleton and it could equal death. Head first. Skeletons are dead. Right. So that's head first on your stomach. Looch, you're on your back. Feet first. Skeletons are dead. Right. So that's head first on your stomach. Looch, you're on your back. Feet first. Okay. And I remember, I do remember the tragedy in the training runs in the horrible segue. Yes. Yeah, that's, I know, I know it's a terrible thing. But

here's the thing. Here's the thing about being in the Olympic world is you are, I have covered every single one of these sports and I have never pretended to be an expert on any one of them. And that's how I approach everything I cover because all of these knee sports have the most diehard loyal fan base you'll ever come across. And if you walk into that world thinking you're about to tell them something, you're about to get bombed with criticism and hate. So I just go in,

I reflect the excitement and the awe and the wonder of a quad axle or whatever it is. And they love me. And I think they love me because I'm being sincere about the fact that I'm not the expert, but this is what I just saw. No, I mean, the passion is palpable, as I say that from, you know, two feet away from you here. So I want to ask you about something that's not Olympics related. And I pulled a clip just to put us in that time frame here.

So let's listen to this. Gotta be aware of the inbounder here. If you're filling it's off the letter defended by Simmons is this the 15 fourth quarter points by Kawhi Leonard. And the game winner, 41 points. How about the bounce? And look at the fans in Toronto. They have had a lot of misery the last few years. And how about the validation for Toronto? Kawhi Leonard, I did you know I was gonna pull a clip from the game six against Golden State and I'm like no that's the clip I want to pull. That's the moment. Like we didn't get a moment in game

six against Golden State. No and actually it was weird. It was a weird ending. I was there in Oracle Arena and... So you covered the Raptors 2019 championship run. And guess what? I wasn't at that game. You know what? That's amazing you're at the Toronto game seven second round. How come you weren't there? I wasn't there. I was in Saskatoon. I actually think that... Get out of my basement. I think that... Get out of here. I, but I was at every other game after that. Okay. Okay. Partly because I think like any Raptors fan, we were all waiting maybe for it not to go the right way. And finally the ball bounced the right way.

And again, reminding the listenership that we're tied when he takes that shot. We're not losing. No, because it would have went to overtime. We would have won. You know what? What I will say, that was the pivotal moment, of course. But I also think. The second pivotal moment in the moment, that allowed, can I guess?

Game three against the Bucks. Yes, 100 percent. You are you are so well point. I was so, I loved, I loved that team firstly. So you're covering that team. We're going to talk about you being a game six in a moment here, but I went to, so the first game against Orlando, we lose.

Yeah. And everybody's going, you know, here we go again. My son and I, my son's a big Orlando, I'm sorry. My son's a big Raptor fan and we were both like, Oh, it's we're Raptoring again, even with Kawhi for this one year. Oh my goodness. We never win game one, but game two. Yeah. I was lucky enough to score two tickets to the, uh, I guess it was Eric Canada center at the time in 2019, right? Right. Anyways, I got two tickets. I can't remember actually when they turned into, I think, is it okay? 2019. Okay. So

I get two tickets to see that and we blow them out and then the rest is history. But you're right. We win. Like that's that, that clip I just played at the four bouncer, which I bought a t-shirt with the four bouncer on it. I love that. That moment in Raptor history. That's the moment. Kawhi Leonard four bouncer to eliminate Philly in round two. But you're right. We lose the first two games against the box to the box and we go down three, nothing. It's over. None of it happens.

And what do you remember about, were you at game three? And Hawaii, if, if people remember correctly was hobbled, he was hobbled. Uh, he had played so many minutes, but he literally took that team on his back in, in not only late in the fourth quarter, but the first overtime and then the second overtime. And if he doesn't do what he does, it's over. It's over.

And that was a turning point for the entire thing. And I remember vividly, so that double overtime win in game. Yeah. Which what a like what a must win game and what what an effort by Kawhi and to win in two so close. It crushed the box. They were done after that. They knew it. They knew it. The very next morning. I had Mark Hepsure here for Hebsi on sports. Yeah. And then as he left Leo Roudens came by. Amazing. The next very next morning, he had a coffee in his hand. He was kind of blurry eyed. It was a very late night, as you can imagine. Yeah. And we were talking about that game three. And then because now we can talk with this

wonderful hindsight that we win the NBA championship, spoiler alert, you're going to tell us about game six in a moment being there. But that game three against the Bucks, that was the most important. I mean, that was everything. It was a win that game three and it was double overtime and we just pulled it out. It was as close as the Raptors were for it all crumbling. I always felt like they were going to beat Philly, whether it was the bounce around winner or time. I always felt that was a foregone conclusion. I didn't feel that way about the box. And they were hanging on the cliff

from it all evaporating. And then they win four straight. And then they take on the mighty warriors. The mighty hobbled warriors. Sure. And still- I'm not putting an asterisk. I never will.

I never will. No. That's just bullshit. To go into Oracle in that building in a place where the warriors just don't lose and to beat them in every game there was remarkable. In fact, when I got on that plane to go there, I fully expected a split, fully expected a split that we'd be coming back to Toronto tied two-two.

And they went into that hostile territory. And I'll tell you what, Mike, the place was so old and so storied. I mean, just history dripping from the rafters and other things dripping from the rafters. They didn't have enough place in the room in the press box. They had me seated in the middle of the fans. It was an experience I will never forget writing my game story with these fans on top of me, heckling as I type. I remember, so I, I still remember watching that game with my oldest, who was a diehard Raptor fan still is.

And I remember we didn't get that moment, you know, when you win a championship and you have a moment. It wasn't, there wasn't, it was weird. What happened to game? There was a, they called somebody a violation of some sort. and so there was like one of those things like where it was over But it wasn't over and we had to play out the reason the clock and then they throw the ball in the air And no it was weird and so then in the middle of the stands. I have to make my way down to the locker room Well, thank goodness. I had former Raptor Chris Bosch

room. Well, thank goodness I had former Raptor Chris Bosch to guide me down as if out of nowhere Chris Bosch arrives and him and I fight our way through the crowd and I slap him in the back. I said, Bosch, can you believe this? He was so happy. It was such a beautiful moment to share in Oracle, making our way through these fans as he bodied his way through and made room for me to the locker room. And then the crowd and the anthem and the party in the locker room and champagne and cigars.

And then for us in Toronto, that parade, and we've been deprived of a major parade since 93 that parade was bought Oh, yeah, I went to the Lakeshore side. Yeah, which in fact with Hepsey Hepsey and I went to the Lakeshore line It was amazing, but then I had reports from people on the other side Not so amazing. No, it all depended on which part of the parade you attended I knew there were issues with the parade because we went big on CBC. Heather Hiscox and I started our coverage at the start and when the parade started and it took about 45 minutes to make it a block I knew we

were in trouble because I then made my way to our CBC studios for what was supposed to be a two-hour special which went on for five hours. So, but incredible. The city was electric. It was one of the greatest moments of my career. So, Snow is in the calendar for next Monday. Informer, composer, rapper Snow. Okay, so when Informer came out, it was 1992,

and the Blue Jays won the their first World Series. And then there was this famous Daddy Yankee kind of a cover and interloping of I can't remember what they called it Spanish words. I can't remember right now for Informer, which had snow and that was 2019. And then the Raptors won their first championship. Snow was making his Toronto Mike debut in 2025. And you know what that means, right? Leaves the Toronto may believe your 2025 Stanley Cup champion. Book it there. That's another prediction I'm making. Listen, people call me a bandwagoner, but I grew up in Saskatoon. We don't have a hockey team. So we grew up on Saturday nights. We grew up on Wendell Clark

and Doug Gilmore. Wendell's there. Doug's in the washroom. And I saw that and I made note of that. We lived and died for the Maple Leafs growing up. Every Saturday night we had a natural fireplace in in our house we would roast hot dogs over the fire and we'd watch hockey night in Canada and we cheer on the Leafs no wonder you love Bob Cole Bob Cole and Harry Neil Saturday night that was mine that was it and that run was it ninety four ninety three ninety four ninety four yeah ninety two ninety three and ninety three ninety four with you a conference final and and they stole my heart and broke my heart

simultaneously. Bob Rouse. I'm thinking that defensive core. It was tremendous. Yeah. The whole team was great in your Dave Anderchuk was on Dave Anderchuk was on that team and pop in and and there was something about about the garden and the sight lines and it was just this Gilmore was just playing over his head.

He needed here. So he's not a big guy. Yeah, he's like my size and he's playing whatever, how many minutes a night they had him going during that playoff run. Yeah, he had to eat so much palma pasta to keep some meat on the bones. He was skin and bones. So he had to eat as much palma pasta. Carb load as he could. So I'm just going to let

you know, Devin right now I have in my freezer upstairs, a large frozen lasagna from palma pasta. That is yours courtesy of Palma. I need to car bloat for this leafs run. Tomorrow night, buddy. We're gonna win that we're gonna beat sends in five and then we'll go from there. That was another time in leafs history that I absolutely loved. Stumpy Thomas winning in overtime, the one handed overtime winner. I thought Bob Cole was probably at the prime of his career calling those games.

Yannick Perot winning in overtime against the Penns. I loved that team. Sergey Berazin. No, he's passed away Sergey Sergey Berzin. Kooja. No, he's passed away, Sergey Berzin? No. I know. People don't, people are surprised.

He wore 94, did he wear 94? Yes, 100%, yeah. He didn't pass very often. He tucked in the jersey? I can't remember if he tucked in. Or was that Ryan Smith? I can't remember if he, well, Ryan Smith was the oiler, but I know.

They were both 94. You're right. Now, Berzin, I remember he they were both 94. You're right. Now, Barre's in, I remember he, he loved to go one man rushes. I know it was a lot of great distributor of the puck. No, but, but I loved those teams and Pat Quinn, God bless him. I just, you know, I remember watching that Eastern conference final Sunday and tied it to force overtime artists, Urbe

Gary Roberts was on these Gary Roberts like loved those guys. It's Gary Velk on these teams. Yes, yes, yes. Absolutely. You know what you're bringing back some nice memories here. My goodness gracious. So how would covering something like the NBA championship in 2019, how would that compare to the Olympics? I don't know, watching Canada's four by 100 meter relay. Oh, that's hard. Were you at the four by 100 meter? I was there. I interviewed, I talked to our guys. I know this. I'm testing you. Yeah, I know. I know. I'm glad you are because I had an out of body experience because what happens is, I think Mark Lee, by the way, is an outstanding commentator

to be able to work with him and that athletics crew was remarkable for me because I think Mark Lee just meets the moment. We all rode to stud de France that night and we talked about their chances. We didn't like their chances, but I informed them all in the vehicle. Like Americans can't get a baton transfer. If you ask my partner who is American, for a year, I said Canada would beat the United States in Paris because they can't get the baton around and he will go on the record and say that I was with those guys in Bahamas at the world relays I was with those guys in Bahamas at the World Relays and I knew that quartet was ready. If they had a ticket in the final, they had a chance. They were in the outside lane.

I'll never forget it. You're watching it and as it's going, you're going, oh my God, like these guys are still in the lead and then DeGrasse gets a baton and I was not professional in the mix So you know there's no cheering in the press no, but there was so dn Sauvage who has since retired but the great radio Canada colleague and our crews were right side by side and we're High-fiving and whooping it up and then all of a sudden we go shit We've got to do this interview and they're coming to us live. And because we're the national broadcaster, we get them before anybody,

before NBC, before BBC, before Olympics, they're coming right now. And I'll tell you, Mike, it took every fiber of my being to compose myself because really all I wanted to do was just scream and high-five them all. You're like Joe Bowen right? Bless you boys! I just wanted to like I'm so my heart is pounding I'm so proud chested yeah and and and now I have to be coherent because I remembered Donovan and the boys moment in Atlanta and it was Ron McLean doing that interview

and I went, shit, this is going to live forever and I have to be coherent. And you know what, it was probably the interview I loved the best. It was, I felt like something came over me where for six consecutive minutes of live television, I went to Aaron Brown, to Jerome Blake, to Brendan Rodney, to Andre Degrasse, Andre Gain, and then back to Aaron Brown. And I said, you've always said each race is like a blank canvas. And this was a masterpiece. And he said, hang it in the Louvre. We're immortal.

And I'll never forget it. I will never forget how I felt and how the light was hitting Stade de France on a sold out night. This is why I think you should be getting the call from CNN when they want to talk to a Canadian correspondent. That's why I feel like an imposter. No, because look what you're doing over there on the world stage. My goodness. It was beautiful. It was a great night for Canada. Canadians will remember that moment and it's what gets me going back to the venue time and time again because there is a promise that something magical might happen next. Okay so speaking of magical things that

happened and happened in Paris here, this is not Paris, but I'm going to play just a little clip to let the audience hear how it might sound. America's record, Canadian record, world junior record, and you've defended your title. What a proud moment for you. How did you do it? I mean, going into this race, I knew that I was, I got world champion last year and I was, that's kind of unexpected for me. And I was just trying to have fun, the most fun as possible and kind of get the best of

it. And I was just trying to have fun, the most fun as possible and kind of get the best of it. And I was just trying to have fun, the most fun as possible and kind of get the best of it. And I was just trying to have fun, the most fun as possible and kind of get the best of I mean going into this race I knew that I got world champion last year and that was kind of unexpected for me and I was just trying to have as much fun as possible and race as hard as I could and try to hold on that second half. It's so hard to fly but overall I'm happy with what I accomplished tonight. Your mom told me before the race you needed to have fun and you needed to be fearless. Were you both of those in this race? Yeah, for sure.

I think 200 Flies all about being fearless is probably one of the toughest events there is, but at the same time, if you manage your first half well, then you know that you'll be strong in the second half. You just gotta trust the training and I think I'm confident tonight. You've become only the second Canadian ever to win three gold medals.

You were rewriting the history book, Kylie Moss the Other. What does that mean to you? were rewriting the history book, Kylie Moss the other. What does that mean to you? It means everything. I mean Kylie is someone that I've always looked up to since a very young age and now knowing her on a very personal level. She's one of the nicest and sweetest people you ever meet and she's accomplished, grown the sport of Canadian swimming so much. So I've always looked up to her and I continue to do so and just to be a part of that is really special. All of these medals are going to mean different things to you.

The other day you told me it's not about how you fall it's the bounce back. You're back with a gold medal. Yeah I mean after that four free I knew that I had to turn things around frequently as I had so many other events that I was really looking forward to and I wasn't going to let it get me down. So I was just really excited because Winter Fly is definitely one of my favorite events. So yeah, I think it's all about mindset, especially at these long meets. Last question, you got a moment finally with mom and dad. Brooke back home has already posted on Instagram. So many Canadians are waking up celebrating your World Championship gold medal. A moment to shout out to them.

Yeah it means everything to support, especially my family they mean the absolute world to me. Seeing my parents during the medal ceremony was really special and I know my sister is cheering back home but all my friends, family, everyone on Instagram that supports me. It really means the world and I can always feel their support. What's your relationship like with Summer Macintosh? She seems to really trust you. My partner says I'm like her uncle now. I mean, I've documented every big race in her life since she has bursted onto the scene.

And that's a lot of races. It's a lot of races. And that was Fukuoka, by the way. And she came in fourth place in the opening night and she was massively disappointed. The New Zealander out touched her, I think mainly because Summer was so stunned at her performance in the 400 free on opening night.

And she reeled it back in. And then of course she wins the 200 flight, which is the same race that her mom, Jill McIntosh, Jill Horstead at the 1984 Olympics in LA competed in. And I, you know, to have a front row seat, to watch the who I believe is going to be the greatest athlete ever in Canadian history, and it's not even going to be close greatest athlete ever in Canadian history and it's not even gonna be close. And to have her trust me and send me notes. And yeah, I know that when she walks over

and she walks by everybody else and isn't gonna do an interview, but always stops for me. I think that's important. And again, like I was saying earlier, Mike, where I'm not overly objective when it comes to our Canadians. I want Summer, when she's at the pool, I want her to feel like she doesn't have to worry

about what might be coming her way from me. I'm gonna ask her tough questions if she has a poor performance, but those are few and far between. We are in the presence of greatness and it's my hope that Canada can start to appreciate in them in not every four years all the time how truly remarkable she is and I can tell you right now she's about to add another event to her program. She's going to win five gold medals in LA.

You heard it here first five gold medals in LA. Yeah. It's going to blow up that clip I have of Jane Sibri of course already blown up obviously because because because Shum summer is already the most decorated Olympian in Canadian history. Am I right? Not yet. Okay. Where who has that title right now? It's a tie now between Andre Degrass and Tammy. Yeah, I just couldn't remember who caught Penny. Yeah, Degrass caught Penny. But summer after LA will have that title. Yeah. Assuming she stays healthy. Yeah. It, it, she will win five gold medals and it is looking, I'm giving you some insights. I love this. I know Olympics head here. It is, it is looking like she is getting closer to make a decision to join Bob Bowman,

Michael Phelps, former coach. And you can only imagine how crazy that's going to get. If there's anybody that knows how to handle a program the size of the one summer is building for LA, it is Michael Phelps's former coach, Bob Bowman. That's what's going to happen. And she's going to win five gold medals in LA. Let's hope we're not at war with the United States. It'll blow up the whole plan, right? They won't like her. They might try and make her American. Oh, don't you're getting me angry here. It won't happen. Summer Summer is a is a generational talent. Yeah, I will be I can tell you now you're the first to learn this publicly. I will be in Singapore this summer at the World Aquatics Championships, the first one since Fukuoka

2023 and summer will win five gold medals there. Summer's killing us. Remember this tragically hip song? Yes, I just want to hear you continue. I know you don't trust me. Careful what you wish for. Okay, so you're unbelievably interesting and easy to talk to, which is a very high compliment, but it means I just glanced over and so I've already taken 80 minutes. So I will cook with gas. Okay. Rapid fire.

You know what I got? I was watching the Conan O'Brien show in 1993 and he said, cooking with gas. And it just somehow implanted in my head where I've been saying it ever since. I think I don't even really know. Fire, but cooking with gas. Yeah, I don't even really know fire, but cooking with. Yeah, I feel it. I know Conan likes the old fashioned. I love it. Expression.

So I've been using it. I don't quite understand it, but I love the expression cooking with gas. Okay. Cook. So rapidly, we're going to do this. Okay. I'm going to tell the listenership that the promo code Toronto Mike 10 at silver wax dot C a saves you 10 percent

silver wax makes pro-grade auto care and cleaning technology easy for everyone to use they have kits for beginners experts or professionals so if you want a nice clean car and if you think cleaning is a bit of a hassle trust me silver wax is the solution they're Canadian, just like Devin and I, proudly Canadian. So use the promo code, Toronto Mike 10. Speaking of proudly Canadian, shout out to Ridley Funeral Home. Devin, this is a measuring tape courtesy of Ridley Funeral Home. That is going to be put to good use because I'm trying to renovate.

Oh! Well, not really. Well, you're doing something handy. Decorate. You gotta, you can decorate. Decorate, renovate, come we're splitting hairs here. You know, it's all the same thing. Recyclemyelectronics.ca. That's where you go. If you have old electronics or cables, you don't throw it in the garbage. You go to recyclemyelectronics.ca, put in your postal code, find out where you can drop that off to be properly recycled and building Toronto skyline This is a podcast from Nick I Ene's I get to kind of co-host this thing

It's kind of fun and every couple of Fridays Nick comes over we record a couple of episodes I urge you to subscribe and Listen, I have a question Devin from moose grumpy. Actually, it's a comment Listen, I have a question, Devin, from Moose Grumpy. Actually, it's a comment. She says, he seems like such a great guy. So let me just tell Moose, I think he is a great guy. Like I've spent like 80 minutes with the guy. I think he's a great guy.

Moose Grumpy again. Athletes are so excited to see him after their events. He really seems to make a connection. Maggie McNeil always has him hold her glasses while she swam. Yes. That is true. Yes, that's cool. I love that. Thank you for that. I want them to feel that way. I want them to want to talk to me in the good and the bad and and the ugly and and the ugly and let me tell you, the night the men's four by 100 meter relay team won, Sarah Mitten bombed out in the shot put. And we went there thinking it would be Sarah

in her golden moment. And as a journalist, you think about all the things that might happen, and I didn't expect that to happen. And then all of the sudden, I have to be there with her in this crushing moment for her. And she delivered this most beautiful interview

and it makes me cry. It actually makes me cry at the Olympics. And I go home at whatever time it is on whatever few hours of sleep I got. And I cry because they are so giving of themselves and they want it so badly. And then they're so vulnerable with me. And it's, that's all I would ever want.

So thank you. You make them feel safe so they could be. Yes. I try to do the same thing, but you have to do it in two to five minutes. I get 90 minutes to get you so comfy and not knowing what's going to happen. What you're doing is much more difficult and you're doing it in front of a millions of passionate Canadian sports. I just never want to screw those moments up. I, I have so much respect and fear all at the same time. You know your shit and you're a

you're an empathetic human being so it would be difficult for you to screw it up. I thank you thank you. That's what I lean on. That's prepared. I try to be prepared. You came to the right place. I'm here to pump your tires. Thank you. Mike from Kdub wrote in, the way Devin provides a voice and a spotlight for our amateur athletes is an example of the CBC's important role in telling Canada's story. Can you please ask him if there's a favorite interview or segment he has done to introduce an otherwise unsung hero to his audience? It would be Marie Wright, a wheelchair curler from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, who in 2018

made her Paralympic debut. A mother of four, her husband left her after she became quadriplegic and he left her high and dry in a wheelchair with four young daughters. She said, I would, I thought I would never amount to anything in my life. And there she was in Pyeongchang with the daughter she raised, cheering their mom on. And she won a bronze medal, a beautiful smile. And she's an example of somebody I think Canadians should know. I love your passion for the Paralympic Games, which seems equal to your passion for the Olympic Games. And I only wish that were true for all citizens of this sovereign fiercely independent nation.

Listen, to me, the Paralympics are the ultimate in what it Paralympians are, what it means to be a champion. They had a story in their lives that they thought was gonna go a certain way. It didn't, they pivoted and they reimagined what sport and success can look like in their life. A message to all of us when the story doesn't go the way we think it will, Mike, we have a choice. They chose greatness. Wow, man, I'm going to tell CNN to call you next time. Okay, so hazardous. I just said,

Hey, do you got a question for Devin and hazardous? I don't know the gender of this person says all curling 60 minutes of local curling club reviews from the granite club in the bridal path. Granite granite. Thank you. Obviously, they don't let me in the bridal path. They're like they take a look at my I was gonna let it slide but there are granite curling clubs all over the country. Not granite, okay I'm an idiot. I'm obviously not a curling guy but from the granite club in the bridal path to Royal Canadian across from the old jillies location. Now you're talking my

language okay. You don't have, we don't have 60 minutes for this but you want to shout out a local curling club that you enjoy curling at? Yeah. The Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon, which is about 10 minutes from my parents place. It has some of the best ice in the country and it usually is home to either the Briar or Scottie's representative in Saskatchewan. But I think I do agree if I had more time I would go from coast to coast to coast and I would do a review because curling rings are

The church are the party place are the places where there were weddings where you gathered after funerals where you gathered for birthdays They were the heartbeat on the speckled Prairies the frozen tundra, they were the gathering places. That's what a curling ring is. And lest we forget, when Dave Hodge flips the pen, because he's so frustrated that CBC is going to, I guess, the National instead of broadcasting, the overtime. Earlier that day, the same thing happened with The Briar, and he was watching with Bob Cole, as Bob Cole rooted for his beloved Newfoundland club,

Newfoundland team. Bob went to the Briar. I went, yes. Twice. Bob was a great curler. I almost had a phone-er with Bob and it didn't quite work out, but I, oh baby, I love my Bob Cole.

Jammed, I thought, man. I was so upset that Rogers, cause he didn't retire on his own. Roger said, I remember I had Scott Moore over to talk about it. Scott Moore retired him. Yeah, he wasn't done yet I know let me die. I want to be you know I wrote a letter to Bob Cole when I was in grade 7 letting them know how much I adored him I know we gotta go He never got back to me. I don't hold it against him He's a busy man

but then I was I was with him for one of the last playoff series he ever called sins and and and Pens and I went up into his booth and we had a chat and I said it should be a great night He said it shouldn't be anything We're gonna find out what happens here tonight, but it shouldn't be any I'll never forget that I never say it should be a great game tonight anymore since that in that back and forth because you don't know what you might. You don't know. You don't know. Why should it be? It could be a blowout. Why it shouldn't be anything. Little pedantic, but I get the side. I don't know. If it wasn't

Bob Cole, I'd be maybe what an asshat. Come on. Okay. So Al Gregor, who of course hosts. Yes, we are open. You already get a subscribing. listen. Yeah. He just says, tell Devin I got a private tour of Mosaic Stadium. Amazing. It was impressive. It is. It is our cathedral on the prairies out of that Prairie dirt rose, this gathering place for diehard rider fans. I'm so glad you got there. It's of course where I'll be at for my, my bachelor party. Yeah. We're going to close with a little bit about that. Absolutely. I'm going to ask you again, we're going to go back to you being a proud gay man because I mean this, uh, as an ally, thank you. When the NHL had, uh, they would have, uh, was it a pride night? Pride night.

Yeah. Thank you. I was trying to remember, do they play a special, I'm trying to remember what, do they wear special uniforms? I couldn't play, was it just in warmups? They had, well, it was sometimes it was warmups. Some, some people didn't want to wear it. Some people did want to wear it. So that's where I'm going. Yeah. I, I was a big James Reimer fan. Yeah. Okay. I had a t-shirt, Optimus rhyme that I wore of great pride. We had a 401 lead in that game seven, but we won't talk about that. Right? Wow. But I love James Reimer just loved him, even though. Yeah, it didn't work out

for that leaves team. But okay. Reimer on religious grounds refused to participate in pride night because it was against his religion. So as an ally, I was so pissed I never I throw the t shirt. I never wore the optimist rhyme shirt again, not touching this fucking t shirt. How did you because you talked earlier, but I said get off x or something. He says like a punch to the gut. What's it like when you learn that James Reimer's not even gonna don a Jersey and support? Yeah, it's hard and you know what even even Provarov from the Flyers

There was all of that and then John tortorella went and and and made space for him and made it Okay, it is hard. It is really hard and you know what is it has been challenging to be an openly proud Gay sports reporter. I get a lot of hate mail. I get a lot of awful DMs in all of my social platforms and emails. And yet we march on. We march on because there were many, many, many before me that had a much harder road than I have today. And so I am heartened and emboldened to go forward,

to know that I believe we're going to be on the right side of history, but it is hard and it affects me. It affects my mental health and depending on where I'm at emotionally, Mike, depends on how much I'm able to engage in that. And it can help because statistically speaking, there are gay men playing NHL hockey tonight. Yeah. Oh, for sure. Zero are out of the closet or public about their sexuality. And I know, I can see why. I can understand why.

No, I can see why too. But how do I put this? You know, you got to break some eggs to make the omelet. You got to come take, you got to come out. So others will coming up through the ranks will feel comfortable that they too could be themselves. Everybody just wants to be themselves. Yeah. It's horrific that people have to hide their true selves in order to be accepted in their, you know, field. I think the last piece of, of that, you know, because there's this conversation,

when is a first El Pro gay person gonna come out? And I think the last piece of that is the business model around that. And I actually think it falls on corporations and private enterprise and owners supporting that. Because I think, if you look at Michael Sam, his NFL experience, where is he now? Right.

He was swept aside. Nobody wanted to touch that or be a part of that. Because I think, I still believe it actually affects the bottom line. And when money's involved, that's where it ends. That league is a particular tire fire when it comes to such enlightenment. So it hurts my heart and I can understand why nobody wants to be the example. But on the sports media side, you know, you and Scott MacArthur, who Scott, I not even active in

sports media right now, as far as I know, like he had a podcast with Richard Griffin on Blue Jays, but he stepped down from that. So I know he, he did tease me with a, I have something coming up and I'll come on and talk about it, but it hasn't been announced yet. So I don't know what his next venture is going to be, but I don't believe he's active in sports media right now. So you're the only Canadian gay man, openly gay man To be reporting on sports in this country as far as I know and i'm not going anywhere. You're not going anywhere Okay, so you are going somewhere. I'm gonna kick you out soon. I know it's election night. We're almost done. Okay, last last so Uh, I just had andrew scott on uh, he's the drummer for slone

So I just had Andrew Scott on. He's the drummer for Sloan. And Banjo Dunk, who's a great FOTM himself, was telling me that he played hockey for a decade with Andrew Scott and only heard him say two sentences in the entire decade. And he couldn't believe I got 90 minutes out of him. So I'm just curious, because we heard how open Summer is with you. Like she was so open in talking to you. Have you ever had that athlete after their performance that basically you were like, uh, trying to squeeze lemon out of that juice? Like, uh, weren't very talkative. No. And, and do you want to know why? Tell me because I do this thing that I don't think many sports journalists do. I'm never out there to play gotcha with them. When I can see that an athlete might give me a one or two word answer,

before we go on the air, I say, do you want a minute? I think, I think you want a minute. And I let them just take a breath and I go, I think, I think you want a minute. And I let them just take a breath. And I go, I like, I know you're disappointed. And then all of a sudden there's a trust that happens there. Yep. Because the only, the only way you're gonna get somebody that, that doesn't respond is when it's been a shitty performance. And so you, you know, right there I'm showing them,

I see them, I know what they must be going through. And then what it does, Mike, it actually gives me some creative license to go in a little bit more with them. I never want to tell them how they're feeling. But I'll glean on something that I watched in the 30 seconds from when they completed that event to when they get to me. And I'm, I'm basically reading everything about what they're sharing through their body language. My superpower is being energetically aligned with every athlete I speak to. And within 30 seconds, I'm exactly eye to eye and right there with them.

Well, that's why you're very, very good at this. Very good at this. So last three quick hits. One is a Hayref on the live stream wants to know if Penny is done. Will we see Penny in LA? Penny wants to go to LA. Whether Penny can make it to LA

is a completely different question. So it's a good one. You will see her also competing this weekend. I just saw the psych sheets, the heat sheets for the TYR Pro Series in Fort Lauderdale and Penny is competing. I haven't nailed down which events, but I saw her name. Penny does like to register for these things and sometimes we'll do one or maybe none at all. So I'll, we'll, we'll see when she's in the pool, but Penny wants to continue to swim.

And I still believe that Penny is one of the most naturally gifted athletes in our country's history. If Penny gets serious about swimming and I'm not saying she hasn't always, but there have been times when she, it hasn't been the priority and she shared that with me. If she gets serious about it and really hones in on her training, I think Penny could play a crucial role

in our relay teams in LA. Well, good, we need her to get back to being the most- We do, we really need her. Sounds like summer's coming anyways. No, but we are relay teams. Relays, right. We really need her. Sounds like summer's coming anyway. So we are relay teams. Really great. Right. Right. Right. Love it. Okay. Second last thing. Would you say a few words about Scott Russell who you'll no longer be working? Yeah. Well, listen, you talked about my love and support of the Paralympics. I think before anybody was caring about the Paralympics, it was Scott who told us that Paralympians matter, Paralympic sport matters.

I'll never forget watching Scott do a live opening to the Briar in 2004 at what was called Sass Place. I was a CBC intern and I watched Scott walk up the middle of the ice with that big CBC sports intro that we learned to love and I watched Scott and I went, I want to be him. And all those years later, I was working beside him and it was, it was a privilege to watch him do his craft and it was a privilege to watch Scott work, toil away, and write on flashcards. My God, I've never seen somebody write on flashcards more than Scott. And he, that's why he knew everything.

He knew everything. He had an anecdote or a fact about any European runner back in 1958 in the Rome Marathon. And it was, and it's because nobody outworks Scott. Well, you're the heir apparent, you know this, right? I don't know. But that would be... I do, I do, okay. It would be an honor.

Stay tuned for how our crew will look in Milano-Cortina. We're less than a year away from another games and perhaps the stakes have never been so high with nationalism at an all time high on election day in Canada. We got a taste of that at the Four Nations Cup. I think we might see a repeat. That was bananas.

Okay, well I'll be tuning in. I'll be checking you out. When is the wedding day? I gotta remember. August 29th, but we're gonna go to City Hall. Do it at City Hall, August 15th, and then have a big party at the Great Hall on Queen West. On August 29th, two days later,

we're honeymooning in Tokyo. This is a good guy you're hooked up with? Yeah, he's amazing. Well, listen, he puts up with me. He keeps me sane and keeps me sharp, holds me accountable and I can't wait to celebrate our love. Well, he's a lucky man and congrats to you. Thank you, Mike.

Enjoy this bachelor party in Regina. You're going to see CFL football because you're going big. Hey, there's no place like home. Well, that's where your heart is. Home, that is, my heart is always in the prairies. Sounds like a song. We should write a song. My heart is always in the prairies. Sounds like a song. We should write a song. My heart is always in the prairies. Devin, you were amazing. You notice I have been afraid to say your last name since the intro because I'm like, can't. Heru, heru, heru, heru,

heray, heray, heray for Devin. Heru. Thanks for doing this, man. You are so good. You are so good. I'm really glad we made this happen. Your shirt's incredible. 1976. Do you know the men's four by 400 meter relay national record still dates back to the 1976 Olympics? That's how long that record has stood the test of time. Well that tells me it wasn't good enough to win a gold because nobody did that Olympics. It wasn't. That's unbelievable by the way of all the facts in this country at the Olympics the most wild to me is that we had to host a third time to win a gold medal. No golds in Calgary, no golds in Montreal. It was bleak. That's

unbelievable. And now look at us. Now we're world beaters. I think we are becoming a summer sporting nation more than we are a winter sporting nation. That's my hot take. And that brings us to the end of our 1,681st. Is that right? Yeah, 1,006, cause I dropped a CNN behind the scenes thing. So my numbers all got messed up, but this is absolutely episode one thousand six hundred and eighty one.

Go to Toronto Mike dot com for all your Toronto Mike needs. As we speak, Instagram, well, Instagram won't go away, I guess. D R Haru. H E R O U X. Just find them there. And you're still on Twitter until I talk you out of it. That's Devin underscore. And then that last name I butcher every time. Thanks to all who made this possible.

That's Great Lakes Brewery. That's Palma Pasta. That's Minaris. That's Silver Wax. That's RecycleMyElectronics.ca. That's Building Toronto Skyline. That's Ridley Funeral Home. See you all Wednesday when my special guest is CHFI Radio Veteran, Paul Fisher. See you all then. Music