Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Rod Black: Toronto Mike'd #1457

Episode Date: March 22, 2024

In this 1457th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with Rod Black about being forever indebted to him, his MLB prospect son, Toronto Maple Leafs baseball, the humble Winnipeg beginnings and more. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail]

Welcome to Episode 1457 of Toronto Miked. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery. A fiercely independent craft brewery who believes in supporting communities, good times and brewing amazing beer. Order online for free local home delivery in the GTA. Palma Pasta. Enjoy the taste of fresh, homemade Italian pasta and entrees from Palma Pasta in Mississauga and Oakville. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. The best baseball in the city, outside the dome, with eight championships since 1967. RecycleMyElectronics.ca, committing to our planet's future,

means properly recycling our electronics of the past. The Advantage'd Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, valuable perspective for Canadian investors who want to remain knowledgeable, informed, and focused on long-term success. And Ridley Funeral Home, pillars of the community since 1921. Today, making his return to Toronto-miked is Rod Black. Yes. Mr. Black. Mr. 1457.

Get that tattoo somewhere. 1457. You're the Cal Ripken of, good to see you Michael. Can I call you Toronto Michael? Please call me Toronto. Call me anything. Just don't call me late for dinner. I haven't been here in, I don't think a couple of years.

Last time I was here was with, what's his, what's his? What's his face? What's his face? That handsome guy. Yeah, Leo. Zoolander, Leo Zoolander. I miss him. Nice to be here.

I didn't hit my head yet. I was going to bring my helmet. Look, if Leo doesn Nice to be here. I didn't hit my head yet I was gonna bring my helmet look of Leo doesn't hit his head. You shouldn't hear Yeah, okay, so that was July 2022 so So is that like have you you bumped into Leo since then I know yeah We talked quite a bit I don't see as much of them as I like to or maybe it's probably good that I don't

Because I've stayed out of jail, which is nice but I miss him and I miss working with him for sure I love the guys like a brother to me. Uncomfortably handsome though right like yeah you know a couple of my kids look suspiciously like him so So, um, no, yes, yes. He is a, he is Dolph. Uh, what's his name? Dolph Lundgren. Yeah, he's Dolph Lundgren. Yes. I will blame you.

Uh, but he's such a pussy. I mean, he is such a pussy. Like for a guy who's six, seven or whatever, six, eight, and, uh, you know, at this towering physique and everything, he is so soft and he is, he's got an ass that just doesn't stop farting. And, you know, we are like Schwarzenegger and DeVito. I'm Schwarzenegger, he's DeVito. And he is, he just, I will tell you what,

my nostrils have never been clearer because I haven't felt the stank of that guy. And I feel sorry for Kate Burness and Jack Armstrong and Sam Mitchell because I know that, well, they have no nose hairs, that's for sure. Like a rocket, man. I love it here. So I got to set the table a bit, but first there's-

Set the table by the way, your table's much busier than the last time. Is there more swag in front of you? Oh yeah, lots of swag. I didn't have any swag last time. Is that right? Yeah. I, you know, I, see, I don't believe that. I don't believe cause I'm certain.

Give me some pasta. It was fantastic pasta. I didn't give you any. You gave me a coffin. It was nice. Cause that your funeral home. It was nice. Thanks for that. You're getting some more swag today, but first, uh, there should be a cold, a lager in front of you from Great Lakes. Okay so do we? Yeah in front of the drink like so this is just like being a TSN. Right in front. Yeah you know there we go this is just like being a TSN this is what we do every time before we get on the air we have a beer or actually we do shooters. Jack loves his Great Lakes

lager. Is that ever good? Yeah it's good, right? Really good. So they brew that five minutes away. That's fresh. Well, the lake's right here. You just go down. That's the great, in my opinion, in my unbiased opinion, the greatest of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario. So Great Lakes Brewery made that and you're bringing some home with you.

Oh, I like it. Fantastic. Stove or wherever the hell you hang your hands. I won't have a lot because I have to work tonight, but that's all good. Well, you know, I have a couple of steps of that is delicious and Just let me do get this out of the way. So palma pasta has a lasagna for you Rod. I'm sure you got a lasagna last time Italian food and this was this little green. Okay, that is a measuring tape We got to measure you for your coffin. That's great. That's from Ridley. If you were going I got to measure you for a car fan

Okay, good. That's good Really thank you. That's for you and I'm the book I'm gonna hold on to cuz I'm gonna do I'm gonna tell the listenership sure like the ongoing history of Rod Black. So Excluding you did kindly you did show up Like remotely for a tml X event when we were closing down the pandemic Fridays. Oh, that was fun. You got a bunch of musicians and guys and yeah.

And you said, I'll come on for 20 minutes. I think I stayed for four hours. You were amazing. You came by that was for a pandemic Friday, but here's the official Rod Black appearances. So you made your debut, you were milestone episode 800. That was a big deal. So that was 657 shows ago. Long time ago.

Yes. February, 2021. And here's what I wrote. I wrote a description. Uh, Mike chats with TSNs cause at the time you read TSN, you remember being at TSN? Uh, vaguely. Mike chats with TSNs Rod black about his mustache. Oh, I'm fixated on that. I'll get back to that later.

His sports media start in Winnipeg. I actually have some follow-up questions for you today about the Winnipeg. Working the 91 Canada cup Olympics, blue Jays, his relationship with Charles Barkley working for Canada. AM. Yeah, I love it. I remember that well, yeah. I love it. I got more on that too. Working on Canada AM, working for Canada AM on 9-11. Yeah.

Get serious for a moment. Raptors. Yeah. And more. When they were good? Yeah. They're like, I can't remember, they're underdogs at home by the most points ever in the history of the franchise. Like not good times. They're reloading. Reloading, rebuilding, rejuvenating, refurbishing. But hey, we still have a championship and there are teams that have none,

including a hockey team in this city that hasn't won since 1967. Look, flags fly forever. I was talking about this yesterday. They can never take that away from us. 2019 champs. We were there. Wow. That was fantastic. I still think about it all the time. It's, it seems, I know this sounds crazy. It seems like yesterday, but it seems a long time ago as well. It's like stuck in the ether, but I often have, uh, I don't know if it's dreams about it. I, I, I, I kind of, you know,

go in this kind of matrix mode and go back to those days when we were watching this team. I would even say before they became champions and they were building to become a championship team. Then they got Kawhi Leonard. And I don't care what anybody says. We're not winning a championship without Kawhi Leonard. Who's saying that? There are people, there are people saying, Oh, you know, no, no, no.

Two things, three things. If they don't have DeMar DeRozan, they never win a championship because they could never have traded for Kawhi Leonard. If they don't have Kyle Lowry, who I, at the time, I never take credit for anything, but I'm gonna take credit for calling him the Groot, greatest Raptor of all time.

If they don't have him, they don't win. Right. And they had the perfect coach, a Nick Nurse at the time, and everything conspired. And plus, Kevin Durant got hurt. And they still, with Kawhi Leonard, would have been very difficult to beat the Golden State Warriors if Kevin Durant had been healthy. But there's my say, we have a championship in Toronto that we always will have. Will they win one again within the next 26 years? I wouldn't bet on it. It'll be very tough.

You'd have to get a generational player or make a trade for the generational player in the game today and that's Victor Wimbenyama who is phenomenal and they will win a championship there. Before the Raptors will. Before the Raptors. I wouldn't take that bet. So that was episode 800. Sorry, I went off on a real tangent. I like it. I like tangents. Okay, Rod, go nuts here. But that was February, 2021. We had that 800 and it went so well, but then you had to go. And I was like,

I'm only halfway done with you, Rod. You came back the next day. You know that? I do remember that. It's the only time in the history of this podcast. What was the date again? It's February 20th. Why didn't I have to go? I, nobody was doing anything. We're in the middle of a pandemic. You were some, I probably had to go take a dump. But then, so episode eight Oh one, there's a new description. Now Mike chats with TSN's Rod Black about Joe Carter, Pat Tabler, pinball, the Raptors, his chat with Kawhi, the CFL. We didn't want to forget the CFL, the 2010 Olympics. Wow. That was a great one. And his impressions we did.

You did lots of impressions that day. So you went back to back. Now let's fast forward during the pandemic. Well, you, you know this, obviously nobody could show up for your second day. So I filled in again. Well, you, uh, obviously, nobody could show up for your second day. So I filled in again. You didn't have enough pasta there to give to people. Do you remember the phone call you took from me the day you announced that you were leaving? Uh, my departure? Uh, yes. When was that? October, 20, 2021, 21. So that was episode nine 32. Literally we had like a 15 minute phone call. Wow.

Where you basically held your cards close to your chest and just sort of said, you know, everything comes to an end. Well it did, but it didn't. I mean, yeah, yeah. That was that, yeah, I do recall that. I was on my, I think I was on my porch that night contemplating my next few chapters in life.

But it was actually, I think if you remember the show, I mean, a lot of people were kind of melancholy in that, thought that I was going to be, and I wasn't. I was actually excited about what was next. But it was also during the pandemic still. Although everything was kind of, we were getting out of it at the time, remember? And sports were resurfacing, we still had to test,

we couldn't fly, we had to line up for things, but yet we could go into the LCBO and touch people. So it was a different time. But yeah, so that was, is that the last time I was on? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, then I was with Leo. And then you came on with Leo so that was that was that was my those were the my last phoners yeah well you know this is only your second visit to the basement yeah but those were the last phoners that was the last phone and

then I said Rod's gotta make rather be here because I then you get the swag because I know you promised me swag on the phone owners and I never got any no but you never showed up at a tmlx event. I take care of you. Yes. By the way, June 27 stick this in your calendar. June 27 from six to nine PM. TML X 15. That's the 15th Toronto Mike listener experience. It's at great lakes brewery here in Southern Etobicoke. Palm of pasta will feed you great lakes will buy you a beer. That's an invite, man. I need broad black. It's also ready for this. Right for this. It's also my 50th birthday. Oh dude, I'm coming for sure.

Like give me the, make sure you bring the date though. I'm ready for this. It's also my 50th birthday. Oh dude. I'm coming for sure. Like get me the, make sure you bring the date though. I'm coming. June 27th. Anyway, should I, that's my outside voice. No, I'll bring Leo. Bring everybody. Leonardo. Yeah. Oh, well happy 50th man. Well, it's almost here. It's a June 22, June 27th. I'm 50 Celsius. Are you, are you, you're comfortable now.

You're enjoying your Great Lakes. You're comfortable now. Yeah, I am. So I want to give it to you a little bit here. Okay. All right. I want to take credit for something. I deserve this credit.

I'm not going to take credit for something I don't deserve credit on, but I'm going to lean in a little bit and we're going to talk about this. Do you remember the text in which I introduced you to Keith Stein? I do. Okay. I can't, I can bring it up.

Do you have it? Okay. So do that. And while you do that, if you have it there, while you do that, I would like to just set, just let everybody know that Keith Stein, who owns the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, Keith Stein, a huge fan of Toronto Mike, me and him became buddies. I did a Padel, a Padel League podcast for him. We had many conversations and we were chatting one night and he was talking about buying the Toronto Maple Leafs.

And he said, Mike, and he, you know, he values my opinion because he can recognize, uh, an ace when he sees one. Okay. So we're chatting. he's like, Mike, all these FOTMs, I'm looking for somebody who is good with the media, has baseball connections, is universally beloved. And he said, Mike, I want you to recommend somebody and connect me with this person. And I take this request very seriously, Rod. I think about, there's hundreds and hundreds of FOTMs,

but I have this strict criteria. Who am I looking for? And I say to Keith Stein, I said, Keith, I want you to have a conversation with FOTM Rod Black. And I explained these five or six reasons why I think you're, this is true story. You can talk to Keith about this.

And then whatever, did you find the text? I did. Okay, so it's December 3rd at 8, 11 PM, December 3rd, 2023, 2023. Okay. What does it say? I think it's 2023. No, it can't be 2023. 2022 2022. Right. Yeah. 2022. I just had an awesome chat with Key Stein, thought I'd send you a note to say hi and that I'm very glad I connected you to. So that actually, you know what? That what that's the that's that that's the follow-up so that wasn't too far after that one and the other one I think you put sent to my DM so I can't okay okay so essentially I sent a note to you said I said you were the connector. Yes just curious do you remember me being

the connector? I remember you being okay Ron this is I'm just gonna let you know. Is Keith not? No Keith remembers. No. Keith gives me full credit for this. I remember you the the original text said something about Keith Stein's interest in a baseball team I thought you'd be perfect for it yada yada yada what you just said and I had met Keith years ago when he was with Magna yeah And I used to host events there, the Tiger Woods event, and they had some other golf events that were televised. And I met him through, and I really liked, I thought he was a really impressive guy, and I hadn't seen him in a couple of years.

But then when you did connect, it was a match made in heaven, baseball heaven maybe, because I really liked the guy a lot obviously, and I liked Andreas Kloppenberg who's also on the crew and we have a bunch of other people and I know what you're getting to is the fact that. This is what I want you to tell us, tell the listeners.

Well yeah, that phone call led to Keith asking me to become part of the ownership for the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. Wow. And I hesitated for probably a millisecond. And I said, as you probably know, based on the fact that you talked to me two days in a row and on my exit day at TSN,

that I never say no to anything. I really don't. And so I said, I couldn't, and I had been to a couple of Maple Leafs games, only two, but I honestly had talked to Jack Dominico when he was alive, probably three times. It'd be wild if you talked to him after he died. Three times, yes, you're right.

I've actually had some conversations as well. Shout out to Ridley Fenton. Yes, thank you. I've had a few conversations spiritually since that time. But I would say that Jack used to call all the time, and he called every member of the media if he got your number. He was relentless, tireless, pain in the ass,

trying to, and I'm a network announcer at the time and he's calling me with the Toronto Maple Leaf scores and Inter County baseball. Right. Right, I just want to give you the score tonight. I'm sitting at my desk and I wasn't really working that night, I was getting ready for the weekend show. I said, okay, Jack, well I'll send it over to Lance Brown

or Joe Tilly. Oh no, I just called them. I was like, okay, well I'm glad you got that because I don't think it's getting on CTV. Anyway, went to a couple of games. And now getting involved with this, having kids, one boy who's a professional baseball player, one who's knocking on the door and playing college baseball,

seeing a lot of minor league parks, having a passion for baseball coaching, playing at a high level when I was in Manitoba, all of these things maybe conspired, plus I probably just watched Field of Dreams again for the hundredth time. I just thought, you know what? The romanticism in baseball is unlike any other. I love the game.

I, as I do many other sports, but, and, and to get involved in this was just a natural, I immediately said, yes, uh, I love what they're doing. They bought the lease, they paid a pretty penny for it. Could have probably bought the whole league. I think it's the, I think that the team is, you know, my, my thing is too, I'm, it's just not about, you know, the promotions, getting more people down there, the passion play I love. And you've, you've gone to games clearly. I know you're going to be doing some stuff.

I'm going to be there May 12 for the opener. Will you be there? Opening day. I'm not missing it. I'm going to record live. I'm going to bring some people like, I'm going to bring Rick Emmett from Triumph. Oh gosh. Yeah. I'm going to bring a Steven'm gonna record live. I'm gonna bring some people like I'm gonna bring Rick Emmett from triumph Oh gosh. Yeah, I'm gonna bring a Stephen Brunt. It's coming all the way from the hammer. Of course, Hebsi is gonna be there I just talked to Mike Apple from breakfast television. He's gonna be a crew I can tell you Rick Vibe is gonna throw out one. We might set a record for the most opening pitches. We've got Yeah, we should talk about this. Former Maple Leaf hockey players who will be there. We got some ex Raptors, some ex Blue Jays. So it's going to be an incredible day. We're

going to do it upright. The bottom line is, and by the way, anybody who's listening, just, I guess you can email, do people email anymore? DM you, text Toronto Mike. Mike at Toronto Mike.com. Mike at Toronto Mike.com and Mike will get you free tickets. Everybody, oh wait, there are free tickets. It's free. It's free. And that's the beauty of this is we want to make this at Christie Pitts. I said, if I'm getting involved, I really want to make this like a, you go to a party and a baseball game breaks out. and so we get more kids

Yeah, so a kid from the inner city which very few have made it beyond Joey Vato I think from the inner city Yeah, a kid from the inner city can make it someday a boy or a girl playing there And being there and just being around something that's good clean fun on a Sunday or a Wednesday night And so that's that's really why I got involved. I really wanted to be involved in something like that. I love the passion of the ownership group. Like I said, here's the other one though.

What people think, I think, even Keith thinks that, you know, I'm there to help with the publicity, to help with the promotion, which I am. Maybe I'm see a couple of things to a broadcast. I'm there for that. Get some of my friends down there like you. I'm there because I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. I want to win. You're in it to win it. You don't get involved in sports. Even if you're a broadcaster, right?

You don't get involved in sports unless you like to win. And there's nothing like that championship, even though we're just broadcasters, but I also broadcast the CEBL, the Scarborough shooting stars. Uh, and you know, this team, and I know we're not supposed to say we, but we won a championship last year, second year, you know, it's not a book. And again, I don't, we don't play, but it's cool to be part of something like that. And now as an owner, I don't know what kind of, I don't know if I'm on more lean more to Mark Cuban

or George Steinbrenner or, or Harold Ballard. Or Harold Ballard. Well, you know, or Jack Kent Cooke who actually owned this team at one time. And by the way, there is a curse that exists from the Toronto Maple Leaf baseball team that exists. Can I guess when they tore down the stadium.

When the team left, right? And then they came back. I believe Harold Ballard had a chance to buy the team and did not or said something about it or wanted the team name. By the way, this Maple Leafs baseball team has the name before the hockey team. Yes, sir.

They have the name because in it, and by the way, the hockey team also had the name before the flag before the Maple Leaf was even before people thought about Canada with the Maple Leaf. Right. The Toronto Maple Leaf baseball team has been in existence before 1897. It was 1896. It was my first year broadcasting. Babe Ruth played against them for the Providence Grays and hit a home run on September 5th, 1914. Yeah. Pitching. On the island.

And that, the history of this team is incredible. Beyond all that, I mean, I'm jacked, I'm excited, but I want to win. We want to win. Okay. I'm now part of that we, you understand. So we're basically now, right? Who saw this future coming when Toronto Mike and Rod Black would be in business together? Well, I am. So I will give, I reach over and give you a hug, but I can't right now. Thankfully, I couldn't give you, I can give you a hug now because I couldn't during our last time because we were locked in COVID. But I will tell you that's, life is about connections and knowing people and getting people involved. And our ownership group, we've done that as well. Rob Godfrey is involved. The group of people is so passionate about the game and

really caretakers of the team. They want this team to succeed, yes win, but they also want to make it part of the community. Anybody like, no, the Bushmen who are famous and infamous at the same time who go to the games and they've got great chirps. I've met some of them just before Christmas with the manager Rob Butler who is a World Series. Who's my guest on Monday? Is it? Oh he's... Listen, tell him that he's got so many great stories. I would also say my son Tyler who's a prospective big leaguer. He's knocking on the door. You're stealing my thunder. We're gonna get to that. He's knocking on the door. He's probably not a big leaguer without Rob Butler. So we'll get to that in a sec. But so Butzi and I went out and saw the Bushmen and I think a lot of people said,

well new ownership they're going to try to change. We're going to change things. We're going to absolutely change things. We're going to make it better. We're going to get a better sound system in there. We're going to have great promotions, a lot of giveaways. We're gonna bring the Savannah Bananas here, which are the the carnival barnstorming baseball team. Right. Likely. Roger Clemens? Is Roger Clemens involved? I didn't know that. He pitched for the Bananas a couple of weeks ago. Oh I didn't see that. Yeah. So Ryan Kellogg, who Rob Butler also coached a long years ago, is on the team. I don't think we're gonna get them this year because they are suddenly so So Ryan Kellogg, who Rob Butler also coached years ago, is on the team. I don't think we're going to get them this year because they are suddenly so popular,

but I do know we'll have them for next year. We're going to do things different. We're going to make it so much fun that every Sunday you do not want to miss it and you're going to go home with a smile on your face, win or lose, but I'm going to tell you, we're going to win. Love it, Rod. Now, you probably have a copy, but there is actually underneath that, there is a, this is a wonderful book,

The History of Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team. I do, and it's a great book. And here's another thing I think I know secretly they want, they got me involved, because we are gonna do a documentary on this team. Really? And we wanna- Who's the director, Stu Stone?

What's going on? I don't know. I gotta talk to Keith about that. We've talked to Scorsese. Well ask him where the SCTV dock is. Christopher Nolan. Christopher Nolan is interested. We're not sure who's going to play.

Peter Jackson. But we are going to do a dock on this and not only this but the IBL. The goal I think for all of us in the Inter-County Baseball League, it's an Ontario League, nine teams, great act, great calibre of baseball, former pros, aspiring pros, college players. The goal I think is to get this thing to a national level where we can have some national broadcast perhaps at one point and then also have a national championship with other senior baseball. I played senior baseball in Manitoba and we did go to a Western Canadian. Let's get the IBL involved in that as well. Love it all so much but now

that you owe me large Rod, okay I have three requests. Here's what I got. Here's what I'm gonna give you Mike. I have a Toronto Maple Leafs book, I have some pasta, I have a measuring tape to measure your car. I actually documented, so Rod, I have a Toronto Maple Leafs book. I have some pasta. I have a measuring tape to measure your car. I actually documented it. So Rod, I have three requests of you. You ready? I'm going to go one, two, three. Okay. I don't know if I should. Okay. Number one. Yes. At some point at his convenience, I would like the legendary Joe Carter on Toronto Mike. Oh yeah, that'll happen. So you're one for one here.

So you're one for one. So then what's going to happen on June 19th. Okay. You are going to do your podcast at Glen Abbey golf club. Should I be taking a note here? Luckily I'm recording this. Take a note and you will not only have Joe Carter on your show. You will have Dan

Marino. Whoa! You will have Jeremy Ronick. Whoa! You will have Wendell Clark probably because he's this guy right here, right here in the studio, Wendell Clark. Well your studio will be Glen Abbey because I... That's okay, I have... I can try. I'm Joe Carter, golf classic, I'm on the committee, I host the event, and you bring your gear down I have signed a deal you have carte blanche to show that day. You know, this is binding I recorded every word you just said June night before you can do it. You can also do it June 18th as well or 19th Okay, this is awesome early in the morning though and you can you's early in the morning though. And you can promise me an audience one on one

with the legendary Toronto Blue J Joe Carter. Yes. Okay. Yeah, absolutely. Touch them all. Touch them all, Mike. I have two more requests. You'll never hit a bigger interview in your life.

I'm just gonna play that clip and just over and over again. Okay. And when you have talked to Joe, ask him about the night that my my oldest son was born. Just write that down. I won't tell you the story now. Tell him then. He's got a different version. But this is Tyler. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. We'll get back to

Tyler. So okay. This one's a bigger, a longer one. This one might not be in person. I don't know. In fact, I'm watching March Madness and I'm seeing him. I'm wondering, will Charles Barkley ever do a zoom or a call with Toronto? I don't know. In fact, I'm watching March Madness and I'm seeing him. I'm wondering will Charles Barkley ever Do a zoom or a call with Toronto Mike? I don't know. You know, Mike. I'm Mike. I'm y'all Rob black my favorite guy, you know, um, I'd only do interview with him and subway, you know subway but Toronto mark I know that you know mark Mike Mike mark whatever I think that, you know, Mark, Mike, Mark, whatever, I think that no. No, you know what?

I will tell you. That's a tall order. Here, I will tell you. No, half binding, 50%. Okay, 50%. So Charles could be at that golf event, which means then yes. Oh my goodness. Okay.

So there's a chance. And if he doesn't, he usually comes in and plays some golf with me during the summer. Right. I will make sure. Maybe you two together. I will travel somewhere. Yeah Mike, I love you man, I love you. He ain't coming out of this basement. Troll, man, man, I'm big in Canada. I'm big everywhere. I ain't coming to your basement. I'm coming to do an interview in your coffin. No, he will not do, he will not come down here. But I will tell you, yes, that's gonna happen.

That'll happen. I like that you're real with me, man. Two of two, he ain't coming. Now the third one. Charles, Charles, one time we were golfing, this was on my honeymoon as a matter of fact, in 1998 we were in Vegas, this was on my honeymoon, as a matter of fact, in 1998, we were in Vegas. This is Charles Barkley.

We have a golf game at the Hilton Golf Course. We are staying at the Hilton. He got a limousine to go 100 yards. So do you think Charles Barkley's coming to your basement? Good effing luck. Love it. Okay, the third request, let me just look at you for a moment, drink you in.

Okay, this is a big one. I would like you to grow back. This is the mustache. I would like you to grow back your mustache. I can't, cause it's one of Leo's eyebrows. So I'd have to rip it off his head. No. Okay. Yes, I will. You gotta know what?

Okay, I will. What do you want me to grow up for? Give me a date. I'm flexible. So I'll see you a lot this summer. Maybe way too much. Maybe too much. But I'll see you at one of the games.

How long does it take you to grow that vintage classic, rod black mustache? Three days. That's it? One day I got it. But the big one, it's so cheesy too. And I had that big, I looked at some pictures of it. I was looking at you in Winnipeg the other day.

Oh, some bad ones. You know, you should actually look when you have Butzi on, Rob. Take a look at the video of Rob Butler and I. I'm interviewing Rob, 1993 World Series. And that's when I really kind of got to know Rob when he played for the Blue Jays, and we became just fabulous friends at the time.

And that interview to me is still one of the most favorite interviews I've ever done because it was so raw. He was screaming, screaming out his brother Rich and then he doused me with so much champagne and ruined his suit. And you know what's so crazy? I think my mustache never got wet, but that mustache was, that was grotesque at the time. But I will grow it back for you. Mike, for you, that's three for three, that's a hat trick.

Okay, it was worth it. So are you gonna put some money on this thing? So if Keith Stein, I'll tell you what, if Keith Stein donates, if he donates 500 to $1,000 to Special Olympics Canada, I will grow it back. Keith, you've got your marching orders. Keith's listening right now. And Keith is full of cake, man. He's got so much money. He burns money.

I'm going to increase my rates. He gets a good tip. Yeah, I know. He's a good, good man, a great leader, and he's going to be a great owner of this team. Love it. I'm going to play a clip. You kind of alluded to this, but let me ask you please to listen for a couple of minutes here. Up next, the Brewers at 33. With the 33rd pick of the 2021 MLB draft, the Milwaukee Brewers select Tyler Black, a second baseman from Wright State. The Tampa Bay Rays have the next pick. He joins Sal Frelick out of Boston College as first rounders by the Brewers, 6'2", 190

pounds, burst onto the scene at Wright State in 2019. He was the Horizon League Freshman of the Year. Finished with more walks than strikeouts. He struggled a bit in 2020. Had a shoulder injury. Had surgery. He had his labrum. They shut him down. But Jim Callis, he hit for much more power this year. What kind of player are the Brewers getting in Tyler Black?

They're getting an offensive second baseman, Greg. He's another one of these hitters like Trace Sweeney. Small school hitter. Small school college hitter. Had a lot of helium as the draft approached. He was in the first round mix for a couple teams. You're getting a guy who's got good exit velocities, puts the bat on the ball very consistently. I think it's probably going to be average power, 20 home runs, you know, kind of average run, average defender at second base. You're getting a really good bat with 20 home run potential. You got to ask Tim

about this guy. They opened the season against Vanderbilt. He doubled off Kumar Rocker on day one. Tim, you want to talk about it because you saw that up close. Yeah. Thanks for that, Jim, too. That was an O2 pitch actually that was down and in. He scooped it and hit it right center field. I'll tell you who he is. Not who he is, but he's from Toronto. Joey Votto was from there. 6'2". He's solid, plays second base, plays some third. There's a great story behind Tyler Black. This guy can really, really hit. The metrics and the numbers on him are really good.

More walks than strikeouts, but he is. He's a hitter that can hit for power. And in that regional against Tennessee and some of those other teams, he played so well and hit the ball so well. So you like to pick a lot. It's a good pick. All right, the Brewers take him at number 33. know, against Tennessee and some of those other teams, he played so well and hit the ball so well. So you like to pick a lot. It's a good pick.

All right. The Brewers take him at number 33. We have three picks left on day one of the MLB draft, which continues live right after this. Yeah, that's, that was a special day, boy. That was a special day. I'll give credit to a topper who had this question, but I already had this question topper topper wrote curious to know how his son's ball career.

And we'll talk about both sons. So this is Tyler. We're going to talk about them. We're going to talk about Brody. But curious to know how his son's ball career is going. First round draft pick in twenty one by the Milwaukee Brewers. So congratulations to you, Rod. That's amazing.

I know we talked about it briefly last time you were here. But now that we're in twenty twenty 2024, please talk to me about Tyler Black and his major league prospects. Well, you know that clip is exact, is very prescient because that's exactly who he is and he's become, although his position has kind of changed. He plays all over. So, you know, it's not like hockey where you get drafted and you get to the big leagues right away. It takes a while. It's a bit of a journey and it still currently is for him, certainly because he got hurt the next year as well. He broke his scapula diving, made a great catch in South Bend, Indiana. I feel like that was happening

when you were here with Leo. Yeah, he broke his scapula. So, but he recovered. Then he got to fall league and he was all healthy. And then, you know, we go out to watch him in Arizona and he hits a double and he slides into second breaks his thumb. So you're gonna have surgery on that. So you're gonna get hurt. But he's, we just came back from Arizona. My wife and I were down watching him at spring training

big league camp for the first time. It's gonna start the season with Nashville. It looks like. Triple A. You know, from what I read and hear, and I guess what my eyes see, you know, as a dad, everybody, you know, as a parent, you think, well, obviously, but I'm, you know, your kids should be here or this or that, but I'm pretty objective because I broadcast sport at a high level,

and I've been around great players like Joe Carter and Tony Gwynn and Hank Aaron and Pat Tabler and you know you down the list and I've got to learn from them and and see what kind of players Are really good hitters. I You know, I have a feeling you know If he stays healthy that he's gonna get there sooner or later and it's a dream come true That the Brewers want him there They got a lot of young players, and they're trying to put them into all these different positions.

And they're trying to win another central division title. Ty probably could have played there last year, but he was the minor league player, co-minor league player of the year last year on his team with Jackson Churio, who is this phenom as well, who is actually going to start with the brewers. But he's got an opportunity.

He knows it. People always ask me, obviously my wife's a very good baseball player. But honestly, they say, well, I have a feeling that Tyler, he just had that kind of passion that whatever sport he picked when he was a kid, he would have been doing what he is now. But baseball was just a love. I was doing the Jays games. He was always at the games. He talked to the players. He loved it and then had to make a choice. He was a really good hockey player, made a choice in 13-14. Had some great schooling from Rob Butler, as I mentioned, joining a travel team.

Joe Bowen and I coached him when they were kids and, you know, it was kind of weird. Joe was at third base and going around and he was coaching Tyler for a couple of years. You know, holy mackinaw or holy something else. And then Rob Butler, and then he went to the Toronto Mets travel team. And again, just you progress, you progress. the Toronto Mets travel team and again just you progress, you progress. Again, in Canada it's really hard to make people aware of where you are in the baseball ladder. Not many, even as Joey Votto, I mean people just kind of ignore Canadians because we were hockey players. Then he went and played St, played St. Andrews College high school ball, but then he went to Wright State, got scholarship there and it kind of changed him too. And then

people started to believe in him. He believed in his game and he is where he is. He's got a really good opportunity. It would be, you know, that draft day, I remember so well. It was again, during COVID. But I'm trying, because I I have secondhand pride just sitting in the same room as you. And on the live stream, there's a bunch of comments who can see it in your eyes. Like absolutely. The fatherly pride. And I played that clip. I think it was fatherly pride cause he might be finally off my payroll. He's became a millionaire that does a flip. Like, do you go on his payroll now?

Yeah, no, I stopped paying for some of his shit. I don't know what it is. But no, he looks after his money and he's, you know, he's, you think about him is, you know, some guys would get into big league baseball to look after that, to try to find that big contract or to become a big leaguer. Ty wants to, I think he wants to get there because number one, he wants to be a big leaguer. Ty wants, I think he wants to get there because number one, he wants to be a great ball player. Number two, he wants to win a world championship, be an all-star, be an MVP.

He's never been satisfied with just being status quo. So when you have that in you, it may never happen. You never know, injuries, you know, you get blocked, whatever. But he's just got this Internal clock and desire all my friends who've been around it in the broadcasting Industry have seen it. He Robbie Alomar saw it when Robbie was working with them at a young age He said, you know, well, he's gonna be a big league ball player

and Yeah, you you really want to temper expectations because it's unlike hockey. Hockey can be an 18 year old. You can get to the National Hockey League. But to get there and even to be compared to Joey Votto because I do think there are some legitimate comparisons about to ball. But he just works so hard. He works so hard and he's a really good teammate. And he's a good kid, so that's what we're most proud of. Okay, so Tyler's your oldest son, but your youngest son Brody, right?

Middle guy, actually. Middle guy, okay. We got lots of kids. And again, the two that look like Leo. I have more kids than you do. I got four. Okay, I'm tied with you then. There we go, time, we're going over time.

So I go to overtime. I got a vasectomy during the COVID pandemic, if i beat you well then one of your kids is gonna look like leo too so it's not gonna be so how would you know the difference yeah so uh he's taller yeah so brody is a couple years younger the year and a half younger than tyler and he goes to coppin state uh it's a hbcu yeah hbcu historically black college in Baltimore, uh, his final year. So he's going in the draft league and, uh, I guess when the season's over, uh, again, it's been a journey for him, but he could really good ball player, too different than Tyler. Uh, Tyler's more fire and he's more ice,

but you know, he's committed to and passionate about the game. And you know, I think wherever he lands, I think, you know, he's going to be doing something in baseball. Amazing. Amazing. I'll say this, like my nine-year-old plays house league hockey at Mimico Arena. That's the most important thing, by the way. Trust me. Which part? No, kids playing sports. And in fact, we had our last game last weekend and I'm like, I'm going to miss it. The old soccer starts very soon, but he loves his soccer even more. So can I tell you that that is the most

important thing like people might say well you're you know you're hoping your kid my dad was on was a great junior hockey player almost made it to the NHL with the Rangers my father-in-law played for the Boston Bruins so you'd think that you know genetically there might be something there and that you know know, parents would push, push, push that your kid's going to become a pro. I never ever had any grand illusions. This is such a nice bonus that these kids are getting a chance to live out a dream. The most important thing is that you get a chance and especially being a dad or the moms out there or guardians or brothers and sisters, go watch, go participate, go be part of sport

because there's nothing more important. And now my daughter, like I have another boy, Jesse, who's I think he could probably be- Named after Jesse Barfield? No, you know, no. Although Ty, I think was named after Ty Cobb. Brody, we kind of found that name. Jesse, I don't, he was named, no, he was named after Jesse after breaking bad.

Jesse, Jesse, no. And then my daughter Sienna was an actress singer. So they all played sports and my wife and I divided in Concord and we all went, I miss watching them so much. I never had a chance to watch Ty during college because it was during COVID and that Brody was away. So Jesse finished playing hockey, maybe the most gifted athlete in our family, but never really had a real strong passion for sport. I used to go watch at midnight his

buddy's old-timer beer league as a dad because he just, he'd go, why are you coming to watch? I know this feeling. And then my daughter, her last game of hockey was last year like I hope she plays more but as and she was if she played up in Aurora with the Panthers Central Central Central York Panthers and You know again I had tears in my eyes after realizing that was you know I'm not gonna get a chance to see her play that again at that competitive level whoever's out there go see your kids

I always say to people I said this to Tessa Benalm last year And because I missed so much Mike I will tell you if I have one grit and regret and broadcasting and I have none Except this is that I was away so much to see my kids play and I miss that I've missed that so much And I miss so many games and I tried to make it up and you know You try to and I was there a lot during the week because I could be there for five days a week But at nights I was doing games of every different sport in every part of the country or the world So tessa was asking me she was a new mom and she said I said, you know

You're going all over the place. Whatever you do Don't miss your kid's stuff Because this stuff what you're doing is not worth it. It might be worth it. You may have to pay the bills, but there's other people. If you're good enough, they'll fill you in. Don't miss your kids stuff. Great advice. And I brought up my nine year old playing house league because when he scores a goal, I celebrate like this is the, you know, the golden goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

I am so proud. I stand out. I'm just, I almost cried. Do you videotape it? No, I don't because I'm watching it. So here's the thing. Yeah, but yeah, but that's good. But take, take your time because phones now,

I never had video. I played a high levels of every sport. Never had, I didn't even have a Polaroid picture. I mean, nothing. Somebody sketched you. They took a cartoon strip. On the side of a cave. But no, there's nothing.

Take some, like, I know it's a pain, but you might catch that magic moment that you have forever. Well, he scored precisely two goals this past season, so it's like you really have to do a lot of video taping to get it. But the pride I feel with a goal in house league hockey, I can't imagine how you felt when your son Tyler was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft like that's got to Be next-level pride. So just I just want to say again Congrats to you and Tyler and yeah, my wife Nancy was there again

She's been a rock right? She's been we've had to drive all over he she's going next week. I'm busy Doing all Canadian games up in Orangeville, which was the bio steel game. So I'm doing that next week and I can't go see, we try to go as much as we can, like Tyler last week in Arizona, Brody's, we couldn't go this week. So she's going to drive down to Syracuse,

watch and play cause they're playing there. I'll probably come back and then I'll drive somewhere. And I don't mind driving the eight, nine hours. Cause I figure by the time they get to the airport and everything, and again, we missed so much during COVID. They were playing, they were in the States playing, but we couldn't get over the border. We couldn't get over the border, my goodness.

Okay, so you have a lot in common now with FOTM Andy Frost. Shout out to Psychedelic Sunday. Do you do an Andy Frost impression? Maple Leaf goal scored by number 34, Austin Matthews. I feel like for him, we need like a number 13, Matt Sundeen. Or his own kid, why, yeah. Well, that's where I'm going with this. Number 13, Matt Sundeen.

Two legendary broadcasters with children who will play pro. Do you know that we were broadcasters in Winnipeg together? Put a pin in the Winnipeg talk. I'm gonna get the Winnipeg super suit. Andy and I go back alive and talk to him in years. We used to be talk, see each other. Roderick, Roderick, how are you? And I'd say, Frosty, and then it's so cool to see his kid

because his kid played in the same area and I followed his kid and it's so cool. I kind of miss Andy. I loved Andy's PA at- Oh, sure. Or Air Canada Center when it was that. Absolutely. Yeah, but he's proud of him and his family

and what his kid's doing. Morgan? Yeah, Morgan's a- I've got a Morgan too. My Morgan is a young girl, but Morgan's one of those great names. But Frosty's a classic man. He's a good dude.

And he worked at a rock and roll radio station. I think it was the first rock and roll radio station in Canada, even before Q107. I think it was 92CityFM. Brother Jake, Andy Frost. Both FOTMs. Yes, wicked. I used to do stuff on their show with them because I was a young broadcaster at CKY.

Okay, you know what, you know what? Okay. The Winnipeg, I'm gonna do a little, before we say goodbye here and take our photo by the Toronto tree as it was anointed by- Are we done? Dave Thomas, no. But we're gonna do a Winnipeg, I'm gonna do a little before we say goodbye here and take our photo by the Toronto tree as it was anointed by- Are we done? Dave Thomas, no. But we're gonna do a Winnipeg segment.

I have a Winnipeg clips. I wanna dive into Winnipeg cause you have such a long career. We've talked about it all. People can go back in the archive, but I wanna focus on Winnipeg. But a couple of anecdotes. One is that Dalton Pompey, former Blue Jay,

much like Rob Butler, he did play in your IBL very recently for the Guelph Guelph Royals, they want him but it's tampering but he's a It's a police officer cop now, right? So I don't know if you know this if we've ever talked about do you know the Dalton interest in Pompeii is a hell of a ball player but Dalton interest in Pompeii's father. Do you know he's the legendary cowboy dancer from Electric Circus Do you have any knowledge of this? Okay.

Electric circus, which I remember the cowboy dancer. That's the dad, the cowboy dancer on electric circus. 100% is Kay Pompey, Kenrick Pompey, father of Dalton and Tristan Pompey. I think I bumped into him once. I don't know him, but I've seen some interviews with them and he's a compelling dude He's been on Toronto might you can listen to a he's an FOTM But on 1236 no, no, because I'm 1457

So I feel like a prisoner with that number so he was the are you kidding? No, I wouldn't kid about something and he also released a 12 inch single called summertime summertime And if people google it they might see what I wrote about it on Toronto Mike dot com. Throw it up there if you can. Unbelievable story of Dalton Pompeii and Tristan Pompeii's dad, Kay Pompeii, the cowboy dancer on Electric Circus. I wonder if I could, I'd like to get, we'd like to get Dalton, but again, I think he, hey Dalton Pompeii was around when I was doing the Jays as a youngster and Tristan and tremendous great Canadian ballplayers who by the way wore the Maple Leaf with

pride yes when they played and they were overlooked they were overlooked players I remember that but they weren't and so they got a chance to play and the beauty of these guys is what they've done afterwards in the way they've been able to pivot especially Dalton to become a member of the police force in Hamilton, right? Yeah, I'm not sure. Hamilton. But anyway, congratulations to him. So he does want to run at him. If you get him on the blue J, that's tampering. But I wouldn't listen. He's a no, he's a free agent. So you know what, don't if you're if you're listening, I know your shift is probably maybe late night shift. Hey dude, if you're in the back parking lot at the station,

get one of the constables to keep throwing you balls. Because it's by the way, baseball is like golf. You have to hit every day. You have to field every day. Right. And then the or hey, if you don't want to play, just come out and do security. Well, get Dalton Pompei on the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. And here's a rumor I tried to spread just hours before the Blue Jays announced he was

getting his tryout. Joey Votto, Toronto Maple Leaf baseball player, because Joey Votto clearly not done with baseball, wants to play. He wants to play at home, but until the Jays caved in basically and said, we'll give him a tryout, it didn't look like they were particularly interested. Which is ridiculous. Joyvato should have been that goes to show I believe there has been some collusion that has gone on in baseball. First of all the money in baseball is way lower because of regional sports networks not in Canada

but around the United States so there's a everybody thought Shohei Otani you know the both of they're opening up the pocket. No, everybody else with the exception of a few signed for, you know, probably market price. Joey Votto out there for a long time at that, first of all, nobody wanted to take the risk. Secondly, they were all waiting to get a fire sale on Joey. Joey Votto, you can record this right now, will be a Toronto Blue J this season.

Joey Votto will be a Toronto Blue Jays this season. Joey Votto will be a contributor this season. He will spell Guerrero at first base occasionally. He's a guy who on a bet with a bad bum shoulder last year still hit 20 home runs or whatever it was. He can still hit. He has not lost that tool even at 40 and here's what I love best about Joey Votto. He has become a personality. When I was doing the games, Joey was a really kind of reclusive kind of dude at the time. Went through a lot of stuff in his life.

Dealt had about a depression and then just took off as a player. And now he is, he's a future broadcaster, podcaster. He's a funny guy. I love the guy. I think he is going to be, he's exactly what the Toronto Blue Jays needed in the off season.

And I think everybody was waiting. I cannot believe that Cincinnati, if they could have got him for what the Blue Jays paid, wouldn't have kept brought him back. I'm with you 100%. The New York Yankees. Right. That field.

I mean, a left-handed bat, Joey Votto is a Hall of Famer, a great Canadian, and probably grew up not too far from this basement. You're right, topical guy. And yeah, best, well, I mean, him and Larry Walker, 1A, 1B, best position players of all time this country's ever produced. And it's a no-brainer to me, but it does seem to me like Blue Jays management super hesitant to bring Joey on board. Joey had to phone them. Which it's a Hall of Famer. Again I think people are also thinking there's might be some buyer beware because he went through

surgery is he gonna be the same player? At low risk. Yeah exactly father time is undefeated by the way you know for a couple million, even if it was 5 million, for what they spend on other players, or here's the other thing, you know, say, okay, so they, what'd they get them for like two? Possible with another two added bonus. How about spending another 40, 50,000 and put your radio announcer on the road with the team?

Like, stop- Ben Shulman. Yeah, like, for one, like, even though I'm a Brewer fan now, I guess, I'm a Blue J guy. Cheer for both? Yeah, I cheer for everybody. I cheer for great players. But I also like to see that because I was the host and I was the announcer for a long time, was the host when they won the World Series in 92, 93. Sure, I have a Blue Jay tattoo on my heart. But, you know, like the last few years, even though they've been climbing and climbing,

I have a lot of respect for Mark Shapiro. I really do. But they've been climbing and climbing. I'm not sure how much respect I have for the parent company that owns the team. But I do, will tell you, the parent company who's, by the way built a Refurbished the inside of the stadium which looks fantastic

But needs statues outside to honor the great players like Joe Carter and Robbie Alomar and Roy Halliday and maybe even Joey Votto Someday instead their statue is of Edward. Is it Ted? Ted Rogers is out there Oh listen so much it by the way, yeah Thank you may not have baseball if it wasn't for the Rogers family. But what you're saying there, look outside the Scotiabank Arena and you see there's Mats there. The history. Yeah, you see everybody's there. Bauer's there, all these... Daryl, Sitler, Wendell.

Sure. But you could do that. You can do that in Toronto. And by the way, Toronto's a great baseball city. They fill that dome. I would argue that, okay, so 81 games. So go for the Toronto Maple Leafs have 41 regular season games at 20,000. 81 games averaging 35 to 40,000. Tell me who makes more money.

And the first statue should be of a future FOTM Joe Carter. He's one of my best friends. Yeah, he's one of my best friends but I would even say the first maybe statue could be... Dave Steve? George Bell? Dave Steve? I would even go even further like honor someone like Doug Ault from that opening day and you know that and have the bring that history back and then Dave Steve and George Bell you know that whole outfield Mark Barfield Mosby Robbie Alomar I know they're not gonna do that a grad he's not gonna be

there but Roy Halliday obviously right Joe Carter jumping up and down Jose Bautista you know that bat flips gonna going to be there someday. Get Johnny Allerud. Yeah, there's so many. There's so many iconic, iconic. And then you could do Carlos Delgado, of course. By the way, Carlos Delgado, in my mind, still one of the greatest Blue Jays should be in the Hall of Fame. Somebody asked me the other day, you know, who the greatest Blue Jays, it's hard to put pitchers with hitters, but my,

the all timetime greatest blue jay, without a doubt, is Robbie Alomar. Correct. And I'm going to say, even though people would say Joe Carter, and I love Joe again, I'm not putting him there yet because I would probably put Carlos Delgado there with a amount of home runs with what he did on a crap team at times. In a crappy uniform. Well, I was doing games at that time. I really had to bite my lip. He was done dirty buddy.

That logo was terrible. Joe's certainly up there, Paul Molitor's one, even though he was here for such a short time, Kelly Gruber in his time was a great player. There's so many great blue jays. Although he's persona non grata too. Yeah, and maybe. For lesser reasons than Robbie. And here's the thing too. Yeah, and maybe for less, you know, for lesser reasons. Yeah, yeah. And here's the thing too. I hate to say it, but it shouldn't be how you get along with people in the media or what you do. It should be about you. What's goes on on the diamond? I mean, goodness gracious, the Hall of Fame of baseball is full of miscreants, some murderers, and people that, and yet a guy who I believe still should be in somehow

I think that I know I'm going to get off it on another tangent, but I do think baseball's Hall of Fame I finally come to the realization that they should allow Barry Bonds that they should allow Alex Rodriguez Roger Clements, but there's got to be a separate wing or there's an asterisk on it because it was during so The baseball Hall of Fame is a museum It's not a shrine and it's not this You know apocle Cathedral it's To to document the history and chronicle the history of baseball that means Pete Rose is an obvious choice to be in there

Especially a guy who whatever how he bet and how the hypocrisy of baseball right now Says you know and if you go in a baseball locker room that it still has that You walk outside you can't tell your Tony stories break in this week by the way. There's a lot to that I mean again baseball can't can't can't put his head in the sand here because you know what's happened Baseball has come to dance with the devil. So if you're you know you look at games now Bally's was a

the regional sports sponsor their bet 365 fan duel whoever it is Draft Kings all of those you you watch a game. So you okay? You're not allowing betting in baseball or gambling, but you're allowing these ads on, and so what does that say? Right. So anyway, back to the hall, I think they should allow these people, maybe it's a wing, a steroid wing, a betting wing, but to deny, there has to be in my mind a better way. And maybe they're not, maybe it's just a plaque, because people would

say, well then, hey, everybody's going to start cheating again. By the way, there are people cheating, but not as much, not as was during that steroid era. And certainly the blight that Pete put on that at the time. Interesting hot takes from Rod Black. Okay. I'm going to pepper you with a few questions from a listenership when they heard you were coming on this one tongue in his cheek very funny but 40 and dunking says will you do a jersey swap with Grady dick because he's you know you know where that's from so you don't even have to dwell on it we can move on. So big Grady energy?

Although I was thinking your name like your first name is also you know you could you could just flip your name right? It could be a condom flavor. Brady says serious question. OK, I was interested in this question. As a non Toronto person, I'd wonder why his commentary always seemed to be pro Toronto teams. Is this personal bias or direction from the producers at TSN? Can you speak to this? Did you ever get a memo from TSN to say because you are the home broadcaster for the Blue Jays?

I would think you would have a little bias there. I think every it doesn't matter who was in this chair whether it was me It was Dan Schulman. It was Matt Devlin if it was Gord Miller Chris Cuthbert they all we've all had that question I would say first of all for the Blue Jays as Canada's team. So certainly you have a rooting interest. You know more about the team You know, I'm when I say rooting interest in terms of you know, the team the team does well ratings are better We know more do we get more excited? I wouldn't say so. I mean I the Raptors clearly I mean, they're the only team in Canada. I would think it'd be weird if you didn't

Yeah, it's a difference. It's different It's changed a lot by the way if Chris Cuthbert is calling a national hockey team in Canada. But I would think it'd be weird if you didn't. Cause here's the difference. It's different. It's changed a lot by the way. If Chris Cuthbert is calling a national hockey night in Canada game and it's the Winnipeg Jets versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, I would expect Chris Cuthbert to be objective and to have the same enthusiasm for both sides. But when Joe Bowen is calling a regional broadcast

in the Leafs, he's a homer. And you know, I don't think, you know, when we watch Sportsnet who has all the Blue J games now, there's an expected, not that, you know, I don't think, you know, when we watch Sportsnet, who has all the Blue Jays games now, there's an expected, uh, not that, you know, Dan Schulman still gets up for a big home run by the opposition or whatever, but I think there's an expectation that this is catered for Blue Jays fans. Yeah. And I think that, so that, that a reverse question would come. Why, why, why do you, why are you so hard on the Blue Jays? I mean I will tell you, and I love Carlos Delgado so much, he's such a, and we've become great friends through the year, and we come close to

the players. I'll never forget when he came up to me before a game once, and trust me, we are, I call the game, we call what we see. Do we know some players better than others? If the crowd goes crazy during a Blue J game, of course you're gonna add a little more emphasis on your home run call. I was, there's some dude out there, I don't know who he was, used to always say I was a Yankee, I was a Yankee, someone a Yankee. I'm going, dude, what?

Who are you? Then I found out he was some teacher somewhere and then I found out he was an absolute diehard Blue J. And I don't even know the guy was but I said whatever you got it so and we're also you know there's these media critics out there are these typists that all they do is watch and they criticize everything you make and then I then I met some of those guys and I realized okay I really care because they can't ask a question anyways that's why they're doing what

they're doing all you got to do is call the game as you see it if somebody feels that I can understand it it's Saskatchewan if I wore a blue tie the Rough Rider fans would go you get all these oh see you're an Argo supporter you're a blue bombers no and I so let me just for the record if the Argos were playing the blue bombers in a SPIG CFL matchup and you're calling the game, did you have it? So you would play it up the middle. You just react to what happens on the field.

Absolutely. I would hope I would. I hope I would. And you know, there's stories- But you'd be more of a blue bomber fan than an Argo. You're born and raised in Winnipeg. And that's the saddest thing that's happened. And all of the guys I mentioned previously and the women who broadcast as well.

One thing that's happens, especially when you get to a national level, a network level, is you lose your fandom. You don't lose your fandom for the games. You lose your fandom for the teams. I grew up a Winnipeg Jet fan, a Winnipeg Blue Bomber fan, a Winnipeg Whip fan. That was the X-Bow's farm team. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, and so then I moved to Toronto in 1990, and then all of a sudden, like, Maple Leafs are going off,

they're on the verge of a cup perhaps, and Blue Jays went back to back. I'm thinking, boy, I'm in a winning city here, this is incredible. You lose that, you have to lose it, because you have to be objective, particularly at a national level. And God love Joe, I will tell you,

the reason that Joe Bowen is the icon that he is, is because of that affection that he has for the Maple Leafs. And so... Bless you boys! Yeah, bless you! Holy mackerel! He wears it on his sleeve, you know. So that's, I would say, for the tiny percentage that would say, oh, you're a Homer, they're not probably Maple Leaf fans, it is completely outnumbered by the majority who say,

well, Joe, you be Joe. I've been with Joe at events and Maple Leaf fans love Joe like they like Wendell Clark. Wow, you know, and Joe politely declined his invitation to come on Toronto Mike saying he doesn't do podcasts. So if you ever hear of Joe Bowen doing another podcast, let me know. Because Joe Bowen said that to me. Oh, Joe can't get out of his cave because he's probably, if you asked him, he's probably a guy that's doing a game that night or the Notre Dame fighting Irish or the Green Bay Packers are playing.

Joe's a really good dude. We'll work on him. Work on him. How about that? Put that into rule number four. I love it. Mike Hanifin. Do you know the name Mike Hannifin? Yeah. Why Mike Hannifin is a broadcaster. He was a broadcaster. Now he's retired in British Columbia. So Mike writes, it's going to take a bit of catch up on the podcasts as I've been busy and I'm

trying to watch Jays games, NCAA, et cetera. But I will get to them, especially Dan O'Toole. Please say hi to Rod Black for me. It doesn't have to be on air, but please say hi We had lots of fun back in the day. So Mike just wants yeah. I remember yeah travel when I was to play see FNY and I used to see him a lot nice guy really good broadcaster. So hello Mike I think he's the official scorekeeper for the Vancouver Canadians. Yeah, and unfortunately became a serial killer.

But Mike, so, no, no, no, he's a good dude, good dude. Allegedly, I have to throw that in. Or Lauren Hornickman tells me I'm gonna get sued. By the way, were you friendly? Have you been sued yet? I've had a couple of close calls, but I do have several lawyers on speed dial. Let's try to get sued today.

Let's try it. Were you friendly with Dan O'Toole at TSM? Casual. I will tell you. So this is, I'm sure even Dan, is Dan on your show or was on? He was on my show. He's been on twice, but he was on as recently as Tuesday. Oh, yeah. Really good guy. To talk about everything. He opened up about everything. He's become so... Yeah. You know, obviously I think his departure was sad and, you know, obviously I think his departure was, um, was sad and, uh, you know, troubling I think for sure for him. And, uh,

I even think for the network at the time, but I would say about for Dan, really good guy, funny guy, I bump into people like, I'm sure he would say it. You don't, when they ask about your colleagues, unless you directly work with them, like people ask me all the time about some anchored. I really don't when they ask about your colleagues unless you directly work with them like people ask me all the time about some anchor I really don't know them no like Joe Carter or Pat tabler these guys you can talk about that and I or Leo Redden and I'm really wasn't at the network very much I was always at and remote when I was in studio more you get to see the camera people the real hard workers the directors producers and camera people and you get to bump into

you bump into them always. I remember I used to bump into even Duffy for a while. I really didn't know James for a long time. Then we started hanging out more at bigger events. Yeah, he's a great guy, a great broadcaster, great guy. But you don't really, I don't chum with any, even like probably Leo, I don't really, very few of us in the broadcast industry,

maybe Dan and Jay, because they were so tight, but very few are like best buddies. Because I think, you know, we work with each other so much that we probably couldn't stand each other. You need a break. You need a break. Yeah, exactly. I love this question, okay?

Now you're comfortable here. We're really, should I start recording now? Okay, so Scott Lowe, did Rod Black used to date Gabriella Sabatini? No, no, I didn't. Is there a rumor out there about there was a babe, right? I'm not sure she's still a babe, but I did not. I did not. Now you got to get a friend. I became a good friend, uh, because I was doing, cause you were friends doing tennis. Okay. And she was attractive.

You're attractive. People try to put you together. Yeah, no. Okay. I dated Leo Routens, that's absolutely true. Love it, okay. So we're gonna go back to Winnipeg for a little bit before we say goodbye, but I would love to give you a little bit of advice, Mr. Black,

you have some investments, I'm sure you're already spending Tyler's money, so you probably have somebody who manages your financial investments or maybe you're doing it yourself. What do I know? That's private business Mike, don't even ask him. But regardless, the advantage investor... Elon Musk handles my stuff. You're in trouble, it's gonna be all crypto. It'll be all crypto by the end of the night. Yes. Crypto. Did you ever buy any crypto? No. You know, I didn't understand it, so I stayed out of it.

I still don't understand it. And I know of a lot of athletes who invested, got their contracts, including one of the most famous on the planet, Tom Brady, who had a ton of his money deferred to Bitcoin. Because his wife made all the real money. Yeah, exactly. But I am going to recommend a podcast for you.

It is hosted by Chris Cooksey at Raymond James Canada. It is full of good advice, best practices, good investment advice. It is called the Advantage with a D, the Advantage Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada. So you're going to subscribe to that. Mr. Black, did you like that? Martha Stewart also did some of my bookkeeping. and James Canada. So you're gonna subscribe to that. Mr. Black, did you, like that's- Martha Stewart also did some of my bookkeeping. Shout out to Snoop Dogg.

Wasn't Snoop Dogg was trying to buy the Ottawa Senators. Yeah, great. You know who was part of that bid? My good friend and my client, Donovan Bailey was part of that bid. Oh. So Donovan Bailey was part of the bid. They didn't get the team.

He's a good man. But Donovan Bailey was part of the bid. They didn't get the team. He's a good man. But Donovan records his podcast here and has become a dear friend. In fact, he took me to, I can't afford to go to fancy restaurants, Rod. Okay. I go to like, I go to Palma pasta. Okay. That's where I go. But Donovan took me to a fancy place, not far from Sherway gardens.

And it turned out the Somalia there. Is Joey Varoados mom. Correct. The Allegro. And yes sir. Okay. So I'm there now. That's my son Tyler's favorite restaurant. I think it's cause a Wendy Vado works there. Probably. But can I give you another fun fact? This is a fun fact. Laura Deichen, you know, Laura, her husband works there.

Oh, you know what he died. He came up to me one time. I remember that. I love that place. Everything's connected. Via, but if they're not sponsors, they're sponsors now. Via, Via Allegro. Huge wine cellar. Best sommelier in Canada. I don't belong there. I'm dressed like this in my, you know, I'm dressed like a, like I dress and I'm in there and I'm like, I can't even afford to be in this place, but Donovan paid.

So I don't know. Well, Donovan is, he was the world's fastest man. Now he's the world's fastest spender and drinker. Yes. He loves his wine. He loves his wine. So we're there and then I'm talking to Joey Votto's mom and she's talking about how this is about four, maybe pre-pandemic, no, not pre-pandemic, but a few years ago.

And she's talking about how badly her son wants to finish his career at the Toronto Blue Jays. Like we're having a long chat about this. I think she told me that one time. Yeah, she said Blue Jays management at the time had zero interest. So that's why I started the rumor, Joey Votto Toronto Maple Leaf.

Yeah, well, I've been talking, I thought Joey, they should have made the move years ago before Vladdy moved to first base. It just made sense. It's, there's some things that are deigned to be Joey Votto and Toronto, but I bet you Alex Anthopoulos would have done it. Yes, I think he would have.

Okay, and not, and again, they, they're gonna, the Blue Jays is gonna be, it's gonna be a really difficult season because the Yankees are good, Orioles are good. Yeah, everybody got better. I don't feel like we're better today than we were a year ago. I think the Blue Jays are marginally, well, with Vado,

if he goes off, they're marginally better. They're pitching. So last year they were all pitch no hit. This year they're going to probably be more hit. Okay, but Chappie's gone. I mean, I don't see them as a better team today than they were a year ago. And they're going to have a nicer stadium.

And at the end, and they're going to have to make some really big decisions soon because they got some big, big contracts that they're gonna have to sign. Will it be- And by the way, let's get some perspective, nicer stadium. Okay, so they changed the angle of the seats, right? Yeah, it's a baseball stadium now.

Yes, and this is great for all of us, except for years I've been going to the Dome and I never, I will tell you, maybe it's because I'm an idiot, Rod, but I never had a moment where I'm like, what a shitty angle this seat is at. Like, I guess I just don't know what I'm missing. I was born blind, right?

You've been to so many baseball stadiums. Well, I will tell you, so many people bash, I still call it Sky Dome. Yeah, go ahead. So many people bash that place, but they don't bash it when that roof opens on a beautiful starlit night and you're looking down from the top.

It's a special place. It's got history, and they've really polished it and massaged it. There's lipstick on that pig. Yeah there is and I guess is it a concrete, big concrete mammoth structure that they don't make anymore? Yeah. And we can go to the game on a rainy blizzard day and not worry about whether... We would not have won a World Series without that dome. And it comes back to your business partner, Mr. Godfrey's father, who was big on that dome pursuit back in the day. Yes, Paul Godfrey.

I remember in 92... See what a small world it is? Look at your good segue guy. 1992 World Series, first two games in Atlanta. We came back, game three and game four. Yep. And I'm hosting. And I had this idea, well, and it was a terrible night out. It was in October obviously and I said well you know I

got to do these hits because we I was hosting we did the pregame live but then CBS at the time yeah did the broadcast Sean McDonough and Tim McCarver. Of course. So we let them obviously they did the game and I was kind of this host that came in between commercial breaks whatever so we went out and we taped a hit from exhibition stadium that night and it was coming down snow everywhere. And I was just sad. Remember, I can't remember what exactly, but could you imagine this game would be canceled? They're not playing there tonight. Right? We would not have won a world series without it because there's so many cold

days, so many cold games. you couldn't play a World Series. Yeah, little do they know climate change would take care of all of this. Except for today. What the hell? What the hell is going on today? I am so glad I didn't take my snow tires off. By the way, good segue, guy. Imagine how good I'd be if I wasn't brain damaged.

Okay, Ron. So let's go back to Winnipeg. Oh, I did want to shout out RecycleMyElectronics.ca because, Ron, if you've got a drawer in Stouoville or where the hell you're from, you've got a drawer of old cables, old devices. I got a, I got a bin. Well, listen, don't throw that in the garbage. Rod, those chemicals end up in our landfill. Go to recycle my electronics dot CA and put in your postal code and they'll be

like, Oh Rod, drop it off here. And they'll be properly recycled because it's been accredited by the EPA. I didn't say that. Okay. Right. I don't know. You have to negotiate your own. I didn't say that. Okay. That's a good idea though. Give me that because I got so many.

Recycle my electronics.ca. Tell them Mike sent you. Okay. I want to go back to Winnipeg before we say goodbye. I think I told you let's do an hour and then I just want you to know we've blown past an hour, but we're going to go to Winnipeg. Okay. Before I set you let's do an hour and then I just want you to know we've blown past an hour But we're gonna go to Winnipeg. Okay before I set you free here, by the way this uh, I drink burst from Great Lakes Brewery You know, it's an IPA. Yeah, and I quite like it. It tides me over until the Sunnyside Pale and sorry Sunnyside IPA shows up The Sunnyside is my summer GLB beverage of choice And I love it very much and it's coming soon.

It comes every summer. Shout out to sunny side, but okay. Let's go back to Winnipeg. Shout out sunny side. Can I do one for mine? What is it again? You got the premium lager. Premium lager.

That's it, there's no more. Premium lager, Great Lakes Brewery. Always filling, always light, always makes me feel good. Great Lakes. Great Lakes, where we want you to drink beer every single day. Great Lakes, where we will keep you on your coach watching NFL football every Sunday. Great Lakes, where it's really tough to swim because they're polluted. Oh, sorry. Coming up in the next 30 minutes, we'll take you down the road to the Stanley Cup with

Game 2 in the Campbell Conference Divisional Finals. Team Canada is on the road to the medal round at the World Ice Hockey Championships in Moscow. A good day on the diamond for the Montreal Expos but another tough one to swallow for the Toronto Blue Jays. Fuzzy Zeller was stellar again putting his way into the winner's circle at the Heritage Golf Classic and Larry Holmes says enough is enough after failing to recapture the world heavyweight boxing championship in Vegas last night. That and more on the slate tonight.

Stick around. We'll start it off with playoff fever and our NHL report up next. Those were my days when I was on some heavy cocaine. No, no. It was the 80s. Everybody was. Shout out to Peter Gross. Yeah. Oh yeah. And John Gallagher. Yes. I was the 80s. Everybody was. Shout out to Peter Gross. Yeah.

Oh yeah. And John Gallagher. Yes. I've heard the stories. What was this one? It's brought to you by Molson, North America's oldest brewery with nearly 200 years of brewing actually. Sorry.

Brought to you by Great Lakes, not Molson. Oh, my one pet peeve, my one bone to pick with Keith Stein is that I learned the official beer of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team is Left Field Brewery. Ted Peave, my one bone to pick with Keith Stein is that I learned the official beer of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team is Left Field Brewery. You know though, Left Field, great place. I went there the other day. I went there the other day. Listen, I don't argue with you, you know your beer.

Listen, I've never been to that establishment before and I will be honest with you, I'm not the biggest beer drinker, that's why I really like light beers if I have any nothing against beer but Leftfield what a great restaurant we did a thing there the other night with Rob Butler who's gonna be your guest shortly Monday and Mike Willner has been over many many times it's have you been to Leftfield no because I'm so loyal to Great Lakes brewery so this no no but it's a restaurant. Okay, where is it exactly? It's in Liberty Village. And I didn't know what to expect.

I thought it was gonna be like a little tiny sports bar, musty, you know, because I used to have a sports bar in Winnipeg and they're musty and they had a smell of sweat. Wait, you had a sports bar? Yeah, a bunch of bombers and jets and myself. We had a sports bar and we made no money. That was not a good investment.

We should have had a good investment person. Our manager drank us. We needed a Keith Stein. Yeah, it was called Bleacher's. It should have had a good investment person. Our manager drank it. We needed a Keith Stein. Yes, it was called Bleacher's. It was a good spot, but we drank it until oblivion. Anyway, this place, I go into this restaurant the other night and I went, it blew me away. You've got to go. It is so nice.

Well, now that I'm in bed with the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, I'll make my way there. But I did also just to wrap that thought up is that ideally in the perfect world is I design it. And you know, I'm like the marionette like I'm pulling all the string I'm gonna put Rod Black. Yeah, we're gonna do this. We're gonna do that I'm gonna get Rob Butler on and then I'm gonna get Joe Carter on and then I'm gonna get Charles Barkley on I'm doing All these things so in a perfect universe Great Lakes Brewery would be the beer for Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team

But it is left field and you have good things to say about them so I look forward to visiting. Yeah it's a great honestly great restaurant and Mark Murphy and I think his wife Mandy I only had a chance to meet them that night and we're gonna have our press conference down there to announce the team and the the season in April and again I food was fantastic even Bra bra was saying like I go to sports bars I like you I've got a lot of them like the real sports is kind of that that incredible Parthenon of freaking sports. Well location is everything. Yeah and left field's not far behind it's got beautiful monitors brick walls and real

taste of history like the everything in it I just like the place and so thank you to left field They're gonna be a great sponsor with us this year. Okay, so I look forward to checking it out I will shut out the GLB brew pub at Jarvis and Queens Key because they got a special there I'm gonna go there every yeah every time the Blue Jays Show them out to if you come there and say you're here because you're gonna watch the Blue J game or whatever You get a $20 deal where you get a fresh GLB pint of beer. And I'm trying to remember the deal, a burger and fries, I think it is. And it's 20 bucks and it's a great deal. And they got TVs there as well. So come out to Jarvis and

Queens Key, check out the GLB Brewpub. But okay, let's get back to Winnipeg here. So this is CK. Tell me what I'm listening to. Let me hear a little more. Tells a story all night. Both teams not afraid to rough it up. The Leafs take the lead in the second period. What proves to be the be the winner Greg Millen couple of stops with Peter in a check puts it in it's one that's all they would do brother Rures log in it's gonna be like 88 89 86 really so what do you remember about so CK just give me I know we've visited your first appearance but you're in Winnipeg this is called CKKY Sports Sunday. So Sports Sunday, we kind of started one of the first Sunday sports shows.

Nobody really had one across. Two things that we started at CKY that nobody really had in Canada. One was Plays of the Week and we did it differently. We had it with movie clips and all of this. Wait, so you mean Canada or Manitoba? No, Canada. Nobody else. What about Sportsline?

No, we were actually ahead of them, I believe. Well, we've got to talk to Hep C about this. I think we were a little bit ahead, might have been about the same, around the same time. I know we saw them as they came into our market because they were on the local global feed, but we also had, we started Sports Sunday. It was really modeled after, both plays of the weekend, Sports Sunday were modeled after George Michael's Sports Machine. I used to watch that. Love that show. I grew up, I was a big fan and George, George was hilarious.

And he was kind of like to me, I just thinking about it. It was like, it was kind of a mentor to me. I'd never met the dude, but I, if I probably mimicked anybody, I wouldn't say delivery, but the way they broadcast is probably from, cause the guy had no notes. He didn't type anything out and so he would just do play-by-play like you know he would just and the Washington Capitals tonight are taking on the Boston Bruins and there's Ray Bork. Ray Bork has the puck. Ray Bork

will shoot the puck and Ray Bork will score. You know, he didn't know anything about anybody else but I believe George has passed. I'm not sure if he has passed. We've lost all of our George Michael. Yeah that show was a jewel and so anybody else but I believe George has passed I'm not sure if he has passed all of our George Michael yeah that George that show was a jewel and so that's what we did I was probably so that's 86 I was 24 at the time and hoping and dreaming about national stuff I guess a great mustache though it was well I had it since I was five so but that was also the time, like, like beards are now, beards are so popular, facial hair is popular.

Is it Magnum P.I. that made you have to get that? So I wouldn't say Magnum P.I. but everybody at the time had a mustache. They all look like Darrell Hall. Is it Darrell Hall or is that John Oates? I can't remember. Who's has the mustache? That is Oates, I think.

Is it Oates? Okay. So, yeah, it's Oates. It's Oates. So everybody had that kind of mullet and mustache. Freddie Mercury had it. I'm trying to- Tom Selleck. And so even CKY, which was a CTV affiliate,

they ran promos, you know, what's upcoming in the season in their shows. And they made me mimic Tom Selleck with a little grin. Same thing, the little eyebrow twitch Hawaiian shirt. I was so much ridiculous at the time. But anyway, that was, mustaches were popular. And you know, I looked like either a cop or a porn star. Or both, why not both?

Yeah, yeah, porn star cop. Well, you're bringing it back. That's number three on our list of things you owe me here. So Winnipeg, I'm going to play another clip here. We got to be patient and stay disciplined and keep skating. We just got to get more offense. We just didn't test Vernon enough. And if we're going to win the last game, we got to score goals.

Man, I know that voice. I think the big key is to stop the Howard Truck line. They're definitely very talented, and they're going to score a lot of goals. And I thought we played pretty good defensively last night, not giving them very many chances. We capitalized on them, fortunately, last night. Hello everyone, I'm Rod Black and welcome to the NHL playoffs. Last night the Calgary Flames simply blanketed the Winnipeg Jets top line. The goaltending story was a difference

and also the absence of Randy Carlisle made a big difference in George Kingston Who's joining us again tonight last night Carlisle wasn't here, and he's not here again tonight He will not be playing and Paul McClain will be sitting out as well Well, I think it's gonna be a very tough night for the Jets But I think that the key is gonna be how their forwards respond what about now the team itself They have to regroup obviously and get back to Winnipeg with his split this team However, it looks like it's ready for golf season Well, I thought they did last night

But I think that tonight's a new night and I expect they're gonna be a much better physical game tonight from the forwards particularly We look forward to your analysis George tonight now with their thoughts on tonight's hockey game the rest of our playoff team Here is Russ peak and Doug Smith Wow, thanks a lot a lot done. So anybody who thinks that I'm a homer should listen to that. Ready for the golf. I think I got some grief. John Ferguson was the GM at the time of that team I believe. What are you talking about?

But you know the first voice you heard brings a tear to my eye because it's Dale Howerchuck and became a dear friend. I got into the business in his rookie year. He was a golf announcer and analyst for me in Winnipeg when we did some golf, Manitoba open Canadian tour stuff. His foundation was was huge. He did so much to help so many people. He was just that ordinary superstar, hall of fame, never won a cup cup never had to win a cup And of course we lost him a couple of years ago to stomach cancer

And he was I will tell you rates just and Mike. I don't know if you ever a chance in your 1457 episodes but if you would have He was just one of the most genuine dudes I've ever been around He was just one of the most genuine dudes I've ever been around. We all miss him. I was just recently with Dave Elliott, some of the other guys on one of our little tours around Ontario, we go and play hockey and raise money for Easter Seals. And it always comes back to Dale.

It always comes back to him. And you've talked to anybody who was around him. He was just a special person. And again, more than a hockey player, but just gone way too soon. Well, my condolences. I knew him as a hockey player and what a hockey player. And I remember the hype around him before he was drafted.

Like this was a phenomenal prospect. Oh, he was incredible. So he was such a great prospect that in Winnipeg when I was growing up Bobby Hull was signed and I was a young nine or ten year old was one of the first kids got a chance to meet him as a matter of fact and was incredible and they brought a Brinks truck down to Portage and Main and they opened up the Brinks truck there was Bobby Hull because they signed him to the highest contract in hockey history and when Dale

signed, the Golden Jet, yeah when Dale signed they did the same thing they brought a Brinkstruck and he was even bigger than the Golden Jet in Winnipeg. Dale Havrchuk, there's a statue there now, I wish I would have been there for the ceremony but I went saw it last year and again I just couldn't help but my eyes were watering that day seeing seeing that statue and knowing what he did He I know the Jets left after he left but that was an ownership situation and all that Dale Howard Chuck really put NHL hockey for Winnipeg on the map. Do you miss Winnipeg? I do miss it every day I mean I miss it, but I love this city. I love Toronto. I miss my, you know, being the, I miss the, the,

the comfort. You know, if you and I wanted to go golf and if you said, hey Rod, you want to come do my podcast, I say, when are you going to do it? I'm two hours. Okay. Now you know how it is to arrange somebody to come down here. Herding cats. Yeah. Golfing would be okay. Well, when do you want to golf? Ah, well, let's get your calendar. Let's go two weeks. Okay. How about in, I got August 5th. How about August 5th? No, six. Let's go two weeks. Okay. How about in, I got August 5th. How about August 5th? No, 6th, let's go 6th. That's four months from now.

I go, hey, you want to golf? Yeah, we'll see. See you in the course in an hour. So I miss a lot of, I miss, I do miss, I miss the summers. I don't miss the winter so much. How are the mosquitoes? Cause I hear legendary stories about mosquitoes in Winnipeg.

I've never been to Winnipeg. Good Joe Carter story actually. When I used to have a tournament out there, my own golf tournament, I'd bring one guest in every year. Joe was my guest one year. Right, the famous St. Charles Golf and Country Club elite posh, kind of like, I guess, Rosedale here. And we played two holes and we had to, we actually had to give into mosquitoes and it was a beautiful 28 degree day and they were just swarming it. So you can have days like that.

And then you can also spray as much as you want. And then there's summers that they're not as bad. I would say after rain, they can be bad. They get pretty large. But at any equal, listen, as bad as as the mosquitoes I've been up in Muskoka during black black fly season that's the worst black flies and they get itchy it hurts yeah but I will tell you Muskoka the beautiful beautiful lakes in Muskoka and all the surrounding area Manitoba has those lakes too and uh in the Canora just in just into Ontario Canora, but West Hawk Lake, Falcon Lake, and Grand Beach,

which is a hidden jewel in Canada, which is this incredible, I think it was nominated the number one freshwater beach in North America. My Playboy magazine. I gotta get my ass to Winnipeg. And it's incredible. Do you want to do Winnipeg with me? Yes, I will go.

Let's do the podcast from there. And the best pizza there, Dell's Pizza, I'll shout them out. And my buddies in Mona Lisa, I miss that. And High Steakhouse. But I do get back to go to do games now with CEBL. And of course I did it with the Bombers. But yeah, I do miss Winnipeg. But I will tell you, I love Toronto. I love this city. And you've been here a lot. I mean, in the GTA anyways, you've been here a lot longer than you were in Winnipeg.

Yeah, actually. Yeah. So I let, well, you know, it's almost even. I left there just as I was turning 30. Just, and no, you know, you're right. I've been here longer. I'm always right, Rod, come on. You are right. So, and then plus now I love this city so much. Hey, I went and bought a baseball team.

I should have closed on that note, but I'm going to play a great Toronto band, Lois of the Lo, to play us out but first I want to just quickly shout out some great Winnipeg bands. Okay so recently I had Randy Backman on the program. Oh. We were talking about the Winnipeg music scene so have you met Randy Backman? Yes and his brother was my dentist. Is this because he lost a couple of brothers. Yeah I mean maybe. I don't know he's got a bunch of brothers. Yeah I met Randy only a couple times. Burton Cummings, let me go through them. I'll go through all the great Queen of Fame musicians. Kenny Shields,

Streetheart, guess who? Guess who should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by the way? I'm with you. Harlequin, Streetheart, Tom Cochran who's from Lynn Lake, Manitoba. Are you friendly with Tom? I know he's a very good. Yes. I just texted him this morning. I love him. I'm not a name. I'm not a name dropper. I hate name droppers. I said that to Justin Bieber this morning. I do the same line, but I always say I was, I was talking to Robert De Niro about that this morning. Can we please add a number, a fifth item to the things you owe me?

Cause you owe me everything. Rod there, you know, no Cleveland, no Bowie, no Toronto Mike, no Rod Black. Can we please get Tom Cochran on Toronto Mike? You know, he said he's into it. So he's going to sing the anthem at one of the games this summer. So there we are. What a wonderful episode this has been.

And Tom is- I love that guy. Great golfer, great man. I've done a lot of events with him. We actually, one of the most memorable was in Trenton at Eight Wing and I didn't even know, Tom's, you can look it up. Tom has a history in the, with the military

and the Air Force. His father was in the Air Force. He was a pilot. He's crashed a couple of planes and he's lived to talk about it. But I'll never forget, it was almost haunting to me. We had all these Eight Wing commanders and pilots and in the mess hall in Trenton and I was hosting it with, with Tom and Mark McCoy was there as well.

And Tom went up and did an acapella version of big league that absolutely melted the room. He did that for Humboldt after that tragedy. And it was a, you know. You love Tom Cocker. I already do. We're going to get Tom Cocker on trying to make, what about more recent bands?

I'm just curious. Like, can I shout out my good friends, the Watchmen? Oh, I love the Watchmen. I love the Watchmen. Yeah, they gifted me the- Oh, did they? They are, they're one of my favorite bands, actually. I keep forgetting that they were kind of getting big

when I was leaving Winnipeg. Mid 90s. Yeah, yeah. Right, exactly. And another one again, The Weaker Thans. Okay, and they have the great song, I Hate Winnipeg. So you can dig into, go to YouTube or whatever, you can check out The Weaker Thans.

But just shouting out, and Crash Test Dummies are Winnipeg. Oh yeah. Yeah, I was gonna say Queen City Kids, but they're Regina. Yeah, Crash Test Dummies. Who's the lead singer? Brad Roberts. Who is the only guy who has a deeper voice than you? Silent Night.

That Silent Night version, the Christmas song? No, it's the First Noel. Oh, First Noel. You're right. Sorry, sorry. Come on, I know my Crash Test Dummies. They're FOTM's. Oh, he was that.

What's their most famous song? I should know it. Oh, they have a few, but they have the mm-hmm, the mm-hmm in Superman song. Oh, Superman song. One of my favorite songs. You want to try to sing it with Brad Roberts voice? Superman never made any money. See, not deep enough.

You got to go deeper. Blaming his words all of in grande. Sometimes I just feel. I can't do it. Yeah. Dude, I got to tell you this. Because now we're in business together, you're going to have to make more frequent Toronto mic'd appearances.

Absolutely. From the park. Can't wait. I'll be there May 12th. May 12th, anybody in the Toronto area, come out. You got free tickets on me. I might even buy you. No, they're on me, Rod. Exactly. And it's going to be a fantastic season. We're going to win a championship and you will not be disappointed. Bring your family, bring your kids,

bring your relatives, bring your mother-in-law even. Actually, it's Mother's Day, so you should bring your- Exactly, Mother's Day is gonna be fun. I told Keith we should give out pink roses to all the mothers who come out. I think we're gonna have some special things for the moms. We're gonna give every mother a brand new card. A card, Mother's Day card.

Oh my goodness gracious. Thank you, Rod Black. You're on your way to the FOTM Hall of Fame if you keep playing these cards right. And if you deliver on those five items I've assigned to you, I'm going to put you straight into the- What's it? June 27 again? June 27, 69PM. I recorded that, you know, and where is that again? Great lakes brewery. It's not in your backyard. No, it's not in my backyard. Cause I come into your backyard and it was Charles. Charles Barkley might come to actually Great Lakes brewery.

I can't believe Charles won't come into the basement. He's too, too big for that. Too good for that. I'm going to have to go to him, but you tell me where he is and I'll be there. Okay. That's where we are with Charles Berkeley. We're going to get Charles Berkeley on Toronto Mike yes sir that'll happen it'll happen mark I'm telling you and that brings us to the end of our 1457th show you 1457 ladies and gentlemen you can follow me on the year I was born goal scored by number 13, Matt Sundeen.

You can follow me on Twitter and blue sky. I'm at Toronto Mike. Much love to all who made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery, Palma pasta, recycle my electronics.ca Raymond James Canada, the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you all Monday when my special guest is Rob Butler! Oh please he's the best. Budsy! Touch em all Rob! and it won't go away. Cause everything is rolling in gray. And your smile is fine and it's just like mine and it won't go away. Cause everything is rolling in gray. And your smile is fine and it's just like mine and it won't go away. Cause everything is rolling in gray.