Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Rod Black Exit Interview: Toronto Mike'd #932

Episode Date: October 14, 2021

Mike calls Rod Black to find out why he's leaving TSN and CTV.

Hello? Stouffville Rod is... Is this Stouffville Rod? Sorry, man. It's okay. Toronto might care. I've been a little under siege, so... Well, can we talk about this?

I know you don't have much time for me, but... Yeah, no, no. Yeah, for sure. In the words here of Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, say it ain't so. Say it ain't so, Rod. What's going on, buddy? It is so.

It's been in the works for a while. I'm going to let the world know that since I didn't get the Jeopardy job, I am now officially going to join the Toronto Mic'd podcast. Let it be said that I am going to be the new engineer for the Toronto Mic'd podcast. Oh, engineer. I was thinking co-host.

No, yeah. Maybe someday down the road. No, you know what? It's a sad day, I think, because I'm going to miss a lot of friends and colleagues, and it's something I've been doing. Gosh, it's secondary only to breathing for me over the last 40 years. And, you know, 30 at CTV with the CTV family and at TSN. But, you know, trust me when I say this, I'm not retiring.

I'm really kind of pivoting and moving in a different direction. And I have for a while, I think I talked to you before about it, we talked about, you know, the direction and I have for a while I think I talked to you before about it we talked about you know the the other interests I have and you know everybody who knows me knows that I I love I love the the art of storytelling I love the art of writing I love the production and all of those things and that's what I also want to get into but I also love to broadcast so you know I I do think that there is an opportunity and a couple of opportunities down the road um to to be involved I mean it's it's opportunities down the road to be involved. I mean, it's not going to be like it was where I was doing every event

and, you know, probably saying no to nothing. You know, this is the way I can pick and choose now. And I'm very grateful. I'm grateful to the CTV family for the three decades. I'm happy that I actually feel really excited about the next chapter and that's what it is. They all say all good things come to an end and yeah they do and then there's great things around the corner and I'm looking forward to that corner. Well firstly I just want to say I'm glad that you're not dead.

I'm just glad you're... It seems like that. I am overwhelmed, and I do want to say, I know today it's been crazy. I didn't anticipate that. Again, this has been in the works for a while. This is not a sudden, by the way, sudden decision. This has been in the works for a while.

In fact, we looked at the date, the exit date, and it was earlier this week. And looking at all of that, I, you know, and then working through, you know, the inevitable knowing that I was going to, you know, kind of write off it, you know, I didn't think that, you know, I'm overwhelmed by the support for sure. And the thanks from my colleagues for sure.

I can't imagine what you're getting because I know what I'm getting. Because you've been on Toronto Mike four times in 2021, my phone... Friends of Toronto Mike. I was talking to Jeff Hutchison when the news broke. I will tell you, I love that man. I love that man. He and I shared, I guess, three or four, maybe five years together.

We shared a lot of studio time together. We shared a lot of laughs together. I will tell you, he's like a brother to me. I just wish I'd see him more. I wish I saw him more, and I don't anymore, but I will. I know now I've got some time to reach out. One of the hazards of this job is that I've always been busy. The only time I ever have time off, I'm on the Toronto Mike podcast. I love that show. But at the same time, I love him and we share it a lot.

Hutch has taught so many people to me. I'm sure I've set a Guinness Book of World Records for the most people ever worked with by a broadcaster because Hutch is one of the many. I will tell you, he's near the top of the list for sure. Well, he loves you too. He mentioned you because we were talking about Canada AM and then I mentioned to him what I just saw fly across my computer screen,

which was your tweet earlier today. And I'm telling you, my phone was blowing up with people reaching out to me about you leaving Bell. So just to, again, I wish we had 90 minutes, but we don't. And I just want to make sure I understand this. This has been in the works for a while. This is not a sudden thing. They didn't tap you on the shoulder yesterday and say,

your last day is tomorrow or something. No. I prefer not to talk about the inner workings of it. You can put two and eight together and get ten, whatever, or six. I will tell you, though, that I'm really grateful to the CTV family

because of the way that we played it out. And it's the reality, Mike, of the situation. You work with a lot of guys who, you know, have had to pivot to podcasts because of the way the world works. Maybe that's one of my next moves that could be. But it's reality. And, you know, I'm not stupid enough to not understand

that that's kind of the way our industry is moving right now and everything that we're doing and I do think COVID had a lot to do with it the pandemic had a lot to do with it because let's face it a lot of people, and by the way

I'm a broadcaster and there are a lot of people out there who lost their jobs along the path during this pandemic that, you know, could really use a lot of help, and they needed help at the time. I'm a broadcaster, and yeah, I love doing what I'm doing, but at the same time, I understand, you know, it's not an easy time, and I think, you know, for companies and organizations, it's not easy either. And so it's tough. It's a difficult decision. But there was a mutual agreement. And again, I'm happy with it.

And I'll move on. And I've always said, I think on one of your shows, I've had that CTV and TSN tattoo on my butt. I've got to get some room for whatever the next logo is if I'm going to get a tattoo or maybe some tattoo remover. Right. Because we got hit with three in a row here because Michael Landsberg left TSN.

He was there longer than you. Jim Hewson, it was a very sudden, like, Jim Hewson retires, right? Oh, yeah. I don't think you have to be a mathematician, right? So like it's, um, but Hey, it's, it's also, I mean, if somebody told me that, you know, I'd get 40 years, uh, still broadcasting, by the way, I'm, I'm not done. Um, I would say, you know, whatever that might be, I wouldn't say it was with one company.

Cause technically I had been with one company at CTV for 40 years. You know, that's, that's, that's a pretty good record. And I would say that track record is, you know, not just by performance, but I think it's because of, you know, the relationships and teamwork that we've all developed through the years. And by the way, the trust that you have from also the most important people in broadcasting that we never talk about, and that's the viewers and the listeners. And, you know, become your friends to them

you become um conduits for them you become um you become their messenger and and you become trusted and and that's what i you know too i think through through these 40 years i've come to understand and you don't understand it when you're first in it you understand you just think i know it's all about me and i'm doing it that that takes you about a year and then you get you get over that and you go wow i love working with this crew i loved and by the way i love doing the games and that's what also was my juice i still love going to the games i still love going to the arenas and the diamonds and the stadiums and you know to to go talk to the athletes so even though we can only do it on Zoom now. Those are all the things that I love. And I still love the moment of the game.

And something we've chatted before, I said, you know, is that sports, you cannot write endings. And anytime, everybody would say, well, you must have seen it all. Well, I have. But guess what? There's stuff this week that I never saw before that happened in sports.

So, you know, it's like this unbelievable, never-ending jigsaw puzzle that is always missing a piece. That has kept me, that's fueled me for such a long time. It will fuel me into my next chapter for sure. What does Charles Barkley have to say about all this? Rob Black, I'm telling you, he's my guy. It's just terrible, terrible. But it's all good.

I was on the NHL last night with my boy Wayne Gretzky, for sure. I talked to Charles yesterday. I reached out to a lot of my closest friends in the business, you know, just before. I wanted them to know before this all came out. So, you know, and he was certainly near the top of the list. And, you know, wow, congr out. So, you know, and he was certainly near the top of the list. And, you know, he goes, wow, congrats. Okay, let's move on.

You know, he's been down that road before too. But he's a piece of work. We saw that last night. He's one of my best pals and he will always remain. That's when the great thing is you work with, you know, you know, Leo and Leo's one of my closest. He's in my backyard next week. I was thinking you should join him back there. Yeah, well, maybe we will. You owe me about, I think about 36 cases of beer. I've got it for you, buddy.

And I will, you know, and the beauty of this is that, you know, the funny thing is I see Leo every single day. The season ends and I don't talk to him until the next season. We're best friends. And now, you know what? We get a chance to talk more and be around each other more, which is probably not good for my nostrils. Honestly, I got to say this because I get that. I will say this because I get that. I will say this. I think you found out today with the outpouring of

gratitude and sincere well wishes you received today, but you're an absolute beloved member of the FOTM community and your four appearances on Toronto Mic'd were all each one better than the last. I just want you to know... Hey, listen, I got a lot of time on my hands now

so you look out. I might have to make a few more. Well, you know my. Hey, listen, I got a lot of time on my hands now, so you look out. I might have to make a few more. Well, you know my number. Not only would I be, like, honored to produce a podcast for you, but even having you on Toronto Mic'd on a regular basis, you just make a podcast better. And I'm just glad to hear you're okay with all this.

Like, that's my main concern. Yeah, no, I am. And I'm really excited. And thanks to all the listeners and viewers. And, you know, thank you, Canada. Like, you know, it's I'm really excited. And thanks to all the listeners and viewers. Thank you, Canada. It's been a great ride. And like I said, it's not over yet. It's turning a corner. I'm young, man.

I'm the world's oldest teenager. Look out. I'm glad you're taking this approach because I've talked to media veterans who have had similar situations that we won't delve into who kind of spin it like they're retiring, but they actually have no interest in retiring.

And I'm glad that you're saying here that you're not even 60 yet. You're not done. You've got lots more to give, and it's just going to happen somewhere else. Yep, 60 going on 18. But at the same time, again, it's going to be different. I know that. There's not a doubt. But at the same time, and it certainly is going to be life without TSN,

which has been, again, they've been counted as sports leader, but I'm a competitive guy. And I'm moving on, and I want to be part of that juice again. And that's what I love. Yeah, I'll be a fan. Of course, I'm a fan all the time. Yeah, I will probably slow down a bit. Yeah, but that's okay you know but yeah i i you know i i'm still looking forward to that that that next one i you asked a question i think maybe podcast one you said what's the greatest

game you've ever done and i said it's the next one you know it's the next one and that's my thing it's always the next one because you don't write endings. You don't write endings. And guess what? I'm not writing this one. I'm so excited to find out you're the new morning man on CHFI. That is a tremendous. Actually, I was going to join the morning show with Steve Carell, but that didn't work out either. So Jeopardy didn't work out. I'm thinking about maybe joining a boy band. I might also be working at your local car wash. But one last serious note. You know what would be kind of cool is I should actually work in Tim Horton's drive-thru one day.

I would like to do that, but that is way beyond my skill level. That would be like way too much work for me. Grow the mustache before you do that. Oh, that might do that. I might bring the mustache back. You never know. Would you relocate to the States, though? That's the big question. Would you work in the States?

You know what? That's not out of the question, I would say. Certainly not out of the question. But I will be a Canadian forever. That's the thing. That's certainly not out of the question. Well, long live Rod Black. Thanks for this. Just to let everybody know how you're doing because man, that news hit me like a ton of bricks, but I'm glad you're doing fine.

Yeah, it's all good, brother. All right, brother. Peace and love to you. You're a good FOTM. Love to you too and your listeners. Take care, bud. All right. Bye.