Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Stu Stone: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1808

Episode Date: November 28, 2025

In this 1808th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with the remarkable Stu Stone. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, Nick Ainis, Blue Sky Agency, Kindling, RetroFestive.ca and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at [e-mail].

Toronto, Mike, let me talk to you about a lot of things, but primarily I want to talk to you about the fact that your name, what is your name? Your name is Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Toronto, Mike, correct? Correct. Toronto Mike is your name. That's right. And I came on your show a few months ago, Mike. You're doing this now.

Well, I just want to let people know what they're in for right now. because this is called Stu Stone, Hall of Famer Stu Stone, coming back on the Toronto Mike show with receipts. I was here a few months ago, Mike. Toronto, Mike. Correct. And we were talking about a baseball team

called the Toronto Blue Jays, also known as the Toronto Blue Jays. I'm only pronouncing the T because there's people listening outside of the city, you know, when I come on the show, you know. Right. Because you're international. Exactly. The audience expands where people still pronounce that second T.

We were talking about Toronto Blue Jays baseball. Were we not, Mike? We were talking about Blue Jays, absolutely. And you were saying you're out and you don't believe and you're not in and it's all BS and wait until this and they've done not that and it's not going to be this. And you had a real sour Skittles type of face when it came to talking about the Toronto Blue Jays, correct? Yeah, to be discussed, you're right. When it came to talking about believing and jumping above. board something special that I said was happening, that I said was happening, Mike.

Right. You did say so. You did not wish to jump. Correct. You did not wish to jump. You were stubborn. You were, uh, uh, uh, uh, you know, too cool for school, so to speak. I took the regular season off. Uh, you just basically, you did more than that, Mike. You broke a lot of hearts. And the only thing more disappointing than the Blue Jay's not finishing the job this year. Was you, was you, and you, you were more, just as disappointing as that, and I cannot wait to lay into you today on this very special edition of the Toronto Mike show. Woo! Coming in hot.

Love it. Love the passion. I'm in Toronto where you want to get the city love. I'm from Toronto where you want to get the city love. Okay. I'm a Toronto mic. Welcome to episode 1,808 of Toronto Miked, proudly brought to you by Retrofestive.C.A., Canada's pop culture and Christmas store. Great Lakes Brewery, order online for free local home delivery in the GTA.

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Today, returning to Toronto Mike, it's the remarkable Stu Stone. Remarkable. Remarkable. Hey, wait a minute. Using my own words against me. I see what you did there.

Right off the bat. Fair enough. Speaking of bats. Good to be back, Mike. It's sad that I have to be back under, like in these type of conditions, where I have so much anger towards me. You, but it's not necessarily anger. You know, when I would cause trouble as a youngster, Mike, and I'm sure you've gone through this as well. You know, it's not so much when your mom is angry with you.

It's more that she is disappointed with you. I'm going to give you the, I'm not angry with you. I'm disappointed with you, Mike. And I was disappointed with you back when we last spoke during my last visit. I was, I think I laid it in to you pretty thick then, if I'm not mistaken. Right. Using some not so nice words. And I threw them at you like darts at a dart board.

And, you know, I couldn't get you to change your ways. I couldn't get you to change your thinking. And it's not just you. You know, I want to call out a couple other folks, too. You know, you got your Mike Wills. Wilners out there who I've heard on this show. You got your Scotty Max who have been on this show. Other people who have doubted, who have questioned, who have, you know, tried to discredit

what was happening. That was so special in the city of Toronto. But you, Mike, I believe that you are on the top of the list of people who, you know, your name is Toronto. I feel like when something special that can. rally the city together, such as that team that I told you, Mike, months and months and months ago was on the precipice of doing special things. That was not just fandom or hyperbole.

That was actual eye test, ear test. All the senses were being covered by that something special was happening here, Mike. And I recognized it very early. Welcome to you aboard, but you refused that ticket. Why? Why did you refuse that ticket? Do you regret it? When they made the playoffs, Mike, the tributt.

Toronto Blue Jays. Did you hop on board? Were you, because I kept texting Cam Gordon saying, I hope Mike's not watching. He better not be cheering right now. So were you, uh, did you eventually inevitably hop on board? 100%. Oh, you did.

I was there for every playoff game. You were there? Not there. I was there in front of my, uh, sports net, uh, broadcast. I was there watching with my, my children and my wife. I was watching every minute of Blue Jays playoff action. You were encapsulated by it, correct? 100%.

Okay, so when the Blue Jays faced the New York Yankees and they beat the New York Yankees, how did you feel? Elated. You felt elated. Did you feel like, oh, my God, this is different. This is remarkable. I am thoroughly entertained by this ball team. And, you know, because we went into this thing like, oh, they've never won a playoff game.

I'm glad he doesn't show up and all that kind of stuff. Was that out the window at the New York Yankees? Yeah, it was clear this team had captured lightning in a bottle. This was a very special team. Again, these are things that I actually said to you. I even used lightning in a bottle

when I mentioned that to you, right? But you weren't interested in that bottle. You were more interested in Great Lakes, brewery, tall cans, than you were in that Blue Jays bottle, correct? That is correct. At that time, I was not interested in that particular bottle.

Then the Blue Jays faced the Seattle Mariners. That's a rematch of PTSD. Right. Right? That was a, that was, and we're going to break this down a little bit harder, right? We're going to go into this. But I just want to know, when George Springer hit that home run to take the lead in game seven, were you cheering, Mike?

Were you happy? Were you elated? It's possible. I fell, I collapsed to the ground in peer joy and maybe even shed a tear or two. Really? I was all in on the 2025 Playoff Toronto Blue Jays Then they get to the World Series, Mike

Game one of the World Series What a game that was, correct? You had the Grand Slam, you had heroics, you had a big win. How'd you feel then? I was thoroughly enjoyed by this, I was thoroughly impressed with the Toronto Blue Jays I saw in the World Series in 2025.

They go to Los Angeles, you know? They go 18 innings. It comes down to their worst pitcher versus our worst pitcher. We'll get into it. But game two, Davis Schneider, Vladimir Guerrero, go back to back to open the game, or game three, I should say, or game four, I guess it is,

but it's the second game in Los Angeles. Were you elated, Mike? When Vladian David Schneider went back to back, Did you feel this is actually happening? I considered growing a mustache for Davis Schneider. Absolutely. I actually said those words. Is this happening?

Is this real life? Obviously, the story ends with some heartbreak. But again, we are going to do a deep dive on how we got there. I want to know, Mike, how heartbroken were you when the Blue Jays did not, when they were robbed by the baseball gods, which we will get into. And I'm not just teasing to get people to not to tune out or tune in or stay tuned. should stay tuned regardless, because when Stu Stone and Toronto, Mike, get together, it's explosive content anyways. Right.

How sad were you, Mike? It took me a long time. I'm still kind of getting over it. I almost feel this conversation might be triggering me somewhat because of the way we lost in seven, I found it devastating. Heartbreaking. My heart was broken. Devastating was a great word to use. Remarkable.

It was remarkable. That was really tough to take And you want to know why it was so hard to take Because that's how good these guys were, Mike And likable I want to just throw that in Because it's one thing to be good And we all root for winners, right?

But what a likable team I wish you could check the tape, Mike Because I used those exact words To describe this team Do I own it? Do you? Because have you admitted it before right now? I'm not hiding the... Here's the facts.

I did for the first time in my... The life I can remember which probably starts in 1983 for the first time I can remember I decided consciously to take the 2025 regular season, regular BlueJ season off. Like I didn't watch

until the last weekend actually. I didn't watch any games. I didn't listen on the radio. I only consumed what kind of was in my blue sky or what was on the WhatsApp group for FOTMs. So I kind of had a sense we were having a good year at some point.

But I consciously decided if they make the playoffs, That's when I'll jump on and I'll skip the regular season. And you did come over and tell me I was making a huge mistake because you, for years now, you have believed in Ross Atkins. And the front office in general. Well, the GM is Ross Atkins, right?

So the buck stops there. Yeah, well, I mean, would you say... Buck Martinez. Would you say that Ross Atkins did a pretty good job? Again, this team was not only... exciting to watch in a good team. It was a likable team, and whoever is responsible for that,

and the buck stops of the GM, right? Gets kudos from me. I wish he was here right now. I tell that to his face. Good. Is he in the driveway? He's coming out right now. Ross, come on out.

Say hello. No, he's not here, Mike. You want to know why? Because he's skipping the regular season of the Toronto Mike show, waiting for the playoffs. He'll be at TMLX 21. Now, with how likable that you said that this team was

and how much fun you enjoyed it, Now, do you regret that you missed out on months of that fun and months of that likeability? Because you were invited, Mike, to participate in months of fun, in likability and lovability. And you just, it was like, you know, and it was like an invitation to Bobcats to come on this show. You just left it, you just left it on red. Is he in the driveway? No. The first public address announcer in Blue Jay's history.

Oh, is that a fact? In 1977 at the old exhibition stadium. The PA announcer before Murray Eldon was Bob McAllen. Didn't know that, but did know that you were extended that invitation. Much like Jane Arden was given an invitation to join the Toronto. I love these references, man. You know your shit. I just want to know if you regret it, because I don't know whether Bobcat regrets not coming on.

He should. Okay, so do you want me to be honest or do you want me to continue with your... No, I want you to be honest. Okay, so I consciously took the regular season off. I literally tuned in Sportsnet for the first time since the Oilers lost in, was it, six games to the Panthers. So I hadn't watched any live sports since then. I took the summer off from all live sports. And I, the last weekend of the season, I knew I was going to be jumping on the playoff bandwagon and we were winning the AL East.

So I definitely tuned into a couple of games that weekend. And then I was all in on the playoffs. But here's what I think I've learned from 2025. And I'm being very sincere and honest with you. That you were the jinx in previous years? that's well I was also watching all the regular season games I could in 92 and 93 and I'm wearing this jacket because those two teams actually won the World Series now I'm not nothing against this team surprised everybody I talked to Dave Hodge about this yesterday we'll get back to him but what I think I've learned about Toronto Mike let me speak about myself in the third person I think I learned that I'm a high stakes guy and 162 regular season games I don't feel I need to be there because what I learned this year is that I could take the regular season off and I think I I would so quickly know the cast of characters, learn about their personalities,

what are they good at, you know? And I feel like this is the life hack I've been looking for. I'm a playoff guy. Yeah, that's rude. I'm just being honest with you. You represent a lot of people with that sort of sentiment. Although the dome was full most of this season. I went to a game of my daughter, my oldest daughter,

which they won. Which we won, but not only did we win, it was a full dome, I think, what does it fit now, 42,000 or whatever with the renovations and stuff. But it was completely full and there was an energy in there and a passion. And I will say that game I was at with my daughter, I said to myself, what a entertaining product.

Your friend Ross Atkins has built for this city. And I realized, oh, no wonder Blue Jays fans get on board for the regular season. This is a lot of fun. But again, I didn't jump on board beyond that until the last weekend of the season and then, of course, into the playoffs. Somebody who just jumps aboard during the playoffs, Mike.

Yes, sir. That's like a bandwagon type of scenario that, like, I just viewed you as better than that, you know? I just viewed you as... Well, you were wrong about me, too. I held you in high regard. I had you on a pedestal, Mike, that I feel like you've not...

You've jumped off of the pedestal. I didn't push you off. Because it's like people who in the 90s were Yankees fans or Chicago Bulls fans. That's what you are. I suppose if you want to apply a label to this, you could say bandwagon jumping, but I actually have never had a problem with bandwagon jumpers,

and I think that is often the way to go. But your name is Toronto Mike. So you're different than Liva Famca. Absolutely. You're different than other people who are more than welcome to jump on and off as they please. You represent the city. You gave yourself the moniker Toronto Mike.

Well, Rogers doesn't cut me a check. to promote their ways. They shouldn't need to. Your name is Toronto, Mike. So if something in Toronto that is happening that is special, that is bringing the community together because Mike, not to get serious, but there's so many things in the community

tearing it apart these days. You're right. There are so many polarizing things happening on the streets of this city. You're right. That are ripping the city apart, making people against each other. How long was the playoffs?

A month? I'm talking about, at least a month. Like, that was a month. There was a whole summer of love. there was a whole summer of love that you missed out on because you're stubborn and I hope you learned your lesson and if that's my goal

is to get through today's program Mike in an amicable way because I do love you and I love you too I know that we love each other and sometimes parents fight and it's not about the kids right right I want to leave here knowing

that you are all you are not hopping off that whatever goodwill that the Blue Jays have gotten from you you have learned your lesson, Mike, and you will never hop off because the city needs you as an ambassador to the city as a guy who goes on CNN

representing the country. We need you in our corner. I shouldn't have to beg you. So that's what I'm hoping for. And by the end, I'm going to ask you at the end of this broadcast if you're on board for 2026. Like I deserve these lumps I'm taking right now

and I don't even think they're lumps. I think this is accurate. statements. See, I'd rather you were mad at me than disappointed in me. Like, this is how you get me. And I'm wearing, I just want the listenership to know if they don't look at our photo by Toronto Tree. I'm a little toasty down here, uh, shadowed to Rob Pruse and, uh, Bob Willett. I'm a little toasty in this Blue Jays world series jacket. I'm wearing and I'm wearing this for you because I will tell you, I was wrong about the 2025 Blue Jays. I was wrong. Words, the remarkable one is incapable of saying, I say it to you now, Stu Stone. I say it to you now, Stu Stone.

was wrong. Clip that. Because that is historic. I've been wrong before. Not this wrong. I was very wrong about the 2025. I had this chat with Dave Hodge yesterday. In April, when I decided to opt out,

I didn't think this team would make the playoffs. Yeah, I did. You did, but you also were bullish on this team the previous, for all of the past decade. No, but like specifically this year. We won our first playoff game in 2025. When I went on Wilner's podcast, this, this, last winter.

Yeah. That's when I really was like, okay. So what was different? Here's my question for you, because you were a believer. And I need to disclose. You do have a good personal relationship of the GM.

I think that's irrelevant. You have to disclose that. I'm a journalist. Sure, but it's irrelevant to my opinion. Okay, I'm just disclosing that, okay? Because I did see him at your wonderful movie premiere. Fair enough. And he does a great job, but it's a, my,

me liking Ross has nothing to do with that. So what was different about the 2025 team versus the 2024 team that had you believing this team could win a World Series. Well, I'll tell you what. He's rolling up the sleeves. I'm rolling up to sleeves because, you know, we're going to get into it now, okay? Okay, we'll start now.

So if you're not, if you're not into deep dives on the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays World Series run, this is not an episode for you. Right. Okay. Right. This is for those of us who did fall in love with this team early. Right. Even for some of the bandwagoners out there who I have love for that are listening right.

That's Leve Fumka. She's actually on the live stream admitting I am a bandwagoner. And I love her. And I love being in the same camp as her. Well, I don't think that you deserve to be in the same camp as her. Because her name is not Toronto Liva Femke. That's you. North York Levee.

Yes. I would like to say that we're going to heal together. Okay? I too have PTSD. I am triggered just thinking about the brutal way in which we were rug pulled. But it wouldn't hurt that much. much if we didn't love it so much you know what i mean if i wasn't so in love with what and so invested in it and had so much passion for it it wouldn't hurt at all so the fact that it hurts

just exemplifies that we bleed blue jays blue and the people who are hurt and have the pt PTSD they can relate so to i'm hoping mike although we've gotten off on the wrong foot here and i've been you know quite um aggressive with you yes my plan is to leave here and be more powerful passively aggressive with you, and to be more on the same level of, you know, we're going to leave here with some kumbaya, with some love, and with some understanding that we all went through this together, even you, Mike. I was on board for the entire playoff run. I understand they say rip the Band-Aid off, but we're not going to do that, Mike,

because the Band-It's still on. We're going to peel it off slowly. It's going to hurt. But by the time this episode is over, hopefully the Band-Aid is off, and we're ready to move forward into the future. with new starting pitcher that they just signed. Yeah, huge. With a big exciting news that came first.

This is a different thing now than it was at the beginning of last year. Now, the first inkling that I really truly believed in this team, okay? The first inkling, it goes beyond the hyperbole when I'm in the winter with Wilner. And I'm saying the Js are great and, you know, blah, blah, blah. That's fan. Because 2024 season, let's remind the listenership, We were in the last place. Disappointing.

Correct. Didn't make the playoffs. No. But that happens. What was different in the 2025 squad? Because many of us, and maybe you were different, many of us thought George Springer had aged out of excellence and was basically done. There were a couple of factors that were different going into this season.

I'm listening. One of the main factors, they got a new hitting coach. They brought in a new hitting coach, which maybe they should have done sooner, Mike. But there's a loyalty that, that, that, the front office has to folks. And God bless them for that. God bless them. I wish you were as loyal to the Blue Jays

as the Blue Jays were as loyal to some of their coaches. Well, they're compensated better, but keep going. Fair enough. They brought in a new hitting coach. So that was an interesting thing. Boba Chet was healthy. He wasn't last year, or 2024, I should say. Right.

You know, the real thing that really made me feel like there's, like some 2015 energy here, was when Yankees pitcher, Garrett Cole, was injured for the season. That happened in the spring. When Garrett Cole was injured and the Yankees lost their ace, that's like a five-game swing. That's like he would have won them at least five games, if not more.

Right. There's your shot right there. I knew that the Red Sox, they just brought him pregnant. But you still have to execute, right? I know. I should get out of the way. Tampa didn't really do anything to improve. The Orioles got worse.

The Blue Jays, even though Santander got hurt. But going into the season, the Blue Jays had some, they got better on paper. They got better on paper. But there was still some disarray. I think once that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. deal got signed, we turned a corner because there was this cloud of negativity, hanging over the team around the front office. And even reluctantly, if the front office reluctantly got, you know, put in a corner to make that deal happen from ownership, from fans, from fans, from people who don't know as well as they do, whatever the case may be, the deal got done.

Reluctantly or not, the deal got done. Instantly, you know you now have Vladimir Guerrero for 14 more years. Now, people at that point were saying, oh, what a terrible overpay, Vladdy can't win, and the people like you. I did not say this too strong. Let's be fair. This guy's a double-play machine. Let's be fair.

Vlad, he's not even that good. How dare you? That's what people were saying. Maybe not you specifically. Maybe other people, not me. People who were saying that they know who they are. They know who they are. Listen, Addison Barger wasn't on the opening day roster of this team.

Ernie Clement was a role player that, like, I happened to know that the Blue Jays were very high on him for years. But he had been cut a couple of times, right? And those are two names I'm glad you mentioned, because who saw that happening with Barger and Clement? Well, I know Russ saw that happening, that's for sure, especially with Ernie Clement. because he could have traded Ernie last year

into 2024 and decided to hang on to him knowing what a ball player that guy is. You had a real one through, well, the entire roster chipped in on this thing, Mike. Throughout the regular season, everybody stepped up and had moments. Miles Straw, who was a throwaway insult. Yeah, Cajouplea player.

A guy who they were like, oh, they should fire everybody for making that deal. Wilner wrote it in the Star. He did. Miles Straw was a savior for a lot of this season When Dalton Varsho got injured Who was playing beautiful defense Getting timely hits, making stuff happen

Throughout the season Miles Straw was a valuable player for the Blue Jays And that's a guy that Basically exemplifies the entire run of the team There was a chip on our shoulder That we wanted to prove to people Like maybe you But the haters out there

Sure Prove them wrong There was a lot of dogs on the Blue Jays and that's something that the Toronto Maple Leafs are missing right now there's a lot of dogs

on the Blue Jays Nathan Lucas another good example Davis Schneider Ernie Clement Barger See in April those are just guys Those are just guys

But they're dogs Mike And you didn't know it yet No I didn't But the whole world knows it now We'll get to that Right George Springer

What a Renaissance I know George Springer what a renaissance The last time Remarkable played like this that people were hitting trash cans. It's true.

This guy is something else. And what a player. And I think it has to do with like the chemistry in the team. I mean, you had guys that were not playing as individuals. They were playing for each other. Everybody got in the lineup, Mike. I mean, I know during the playoffs you saw it,

but during the regular season, Mike, there was no bench players. Everybody played almost every game. That's pretty amazing. and like that's a that speaks to an organizational depth that speaks to a manager that believes in every one of his players

everybody got in everybody was a part of it and everything broke right like there is I'm again all due respect to the wonder that is your friend Ross Atkins who did a great job of course but like everything had to break our way

and if you look at it all the things that had to break our way like I'm talking about like a Treyia Savage like was he projected to be part of a playoff run in 2025 Trey is the man Okay We know that now We were told

We were told The Blue Jays have no farm system The Blue Jays do a terrible job drafting You've had guests on this show Say those exact words Mike The Blue Jays have nothing in the cupboard Right What a terrible job this front office has done

With the prospects Right Trey is a one of one This guy looks like he came Mike this guy broke records I don't untouchable. I was watching.

Now, who knows if that's going to continue, one would hope. But boy, oh, boy. Listen, for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s sake, this guy could bat 1-10 with two home runs in the regular season if he's going to do that in the playoffs. This guy had a historic... Reggie Jackson is blushing, looking at the postseason that Vladimir Guerrero had.

But I digress. This is true. These guys did it, and I think I told you this last time, with no real superstar performance. right Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn't have some MVP type

season. No, I'd say Springer was better in the regular season. Springer got seventh place MVP votes this year, but you didn't have you know, there wasn't somebody that was head in a, like there was no Otani, there's no Aaron Judge, there's no Kyle Schwerber, there's nobody that's just Cal Rally,

there's nobody that's, there's no pitcher that's, you know, there's nobody. It's a team that is doing this, Right? That's why I said that this Blue Jays team might have been the best one I'd ever seen. Because it wasn't built with stars like that. You know, the 93 Blue Jays, Ricky Henderson and Paul Moleter and the list goes on. Dave Stewart, et cetera. This was a team of dogs, Mike.

Don't forget Robbie Alamar. Robbie Alamar, for sure. This was a team of dogs, Mike. and the Yankees hung around all the way till that last weekend but when it came down to it, the Blue Jays got it done they got that home field advantage. Now, let's get into the playoffs here real quick

because we don't want to stay here all day. But I believe, Mike, that the playoff or the baseball gods as they were, do you believe in God, Mike? Of course not. But you do believe in the baseball gods. No, but I do believe we were awfully unlucky. otherwise we'd be talking about the 2025 World Series champion from Blue Jays.

I believe if we were supposed to win the World Series this year, there was five or six times that it would have and should have happened, and it just wasn't supposed to be us, for whatever reason that is, because so many things, especially in game six and seven, happened that have less than a 1% chance of happening, Mike. I play in this so-called nerd league that Wilner calls it, which is we play this really intense, analytical baseball league that I'm in with Wilner

and Scotty Mac and some other... Yeah, and Scotty Mac went into some detail about this league. And I love those guys, by the way. I don't... I know that... Well, he's listening right now. Hello to Scotty Mac, a beloved FOTM. And a beloved friend of mine.

I will say that... I know. I'm reading the comment that came in, McGowan. The chances of a lot of these things happening, Mike, in that nerd baseball game, you would have like a 1% chance of rolling the dice to get these types of outcomes. A bizarre role, we would call it.

It's almost like it can't happen. That happened to the Blue Jays over and over and over again. Let's go back to, just in general, I know that everybody knows this because they watch the game, but if case they're casuals, and they just want to relive this together so that we can get over this together, that's the goal, to get over this pain together

and move forward together, Mike. all the games that the Blue Jays won against the Dodgers in the World Series, they handily won those games. The games that the Dodgers won were squeakers that they shouldn't have even won. If we look at that 18-inning game, Mike, which I brought up earlier, where it came down to Toronto's arguably worst pitcher against their worst pitcher, and their worst pitcher decided to be Sandy Kofax that night, we could have won that game.

Absolutely. We should have won that game. Yeah, absolutely. Davis Schneider got sent home and slid in the home, but there was plays that could have gone one way or another in that game. They continue to haunt me. So that's that. But let's get to game six and seven,

where we really should have had this happen. You know, I want to look at a couple of plays that weren't as famous as some of the others. You know, you have twice. You have George Springer and Bobachette, both getting caught on the base when the umpire had a delayed strike three call that could have been ball four.

It's funny I remember that for Boba Chet, but I don't remember a delayed strike three call that was called a ball. I don't remember that for the Springer pickoff. Well, it's... I actually just had this chat with... I've had it with many people since it happened, but George Springer, a veteran who has won a World Series

is 30, what is he, 35, 36 years old. That guy knows baseball. It's game seven of the World Series. It's bizarre. me that he got caught making a mental mistake like that. Well, I think he read what the batter was doing, which was that it was ball for, and the batter was heading

to first base. But you will admit, that is a... That's a mental error, sure, but it's still something that doesn't happen. You're right. George Springer having that brain fart, that's a 1% chance of him having that brain fart. You're right. You know, not to mention other sort of key scoring opportunities where balls were lined directly

into gloves of players, where Boba Shett could have scored had he not had an injured knee from when he was running in the game. And that all comes down to some... He was slower than Kirk in that series. That all comes down to a send in New York where he was sent to try to score a run against the Yankees a month earlier. We're going to ignore all of that stuff and get into the real nitty-gritty of first of all how game six ended.

Are you going to talk about the wedge? Well, first of all, that wedge. What are the chances of that happening? Have you ever seen it before? I have not seen it like that happened before. I mean... I had Dave Perkins. oh no this hadn't happened yeah so that was game six of wedge right yes okay so i think it was the eve of game six

i had so never mind this except i have talked to many people who have seen many a game at the dome and nobody can remember seeing a wedge like that i mean we have seen there's highlights that have surfaced online since that happened of it happening against the blue jays where the blue jays it got wedged in the wall against the blue jays not at the dome see that's the difference yeah at the dome but i'm just saying the ball was wedged and the the Blue Jays outfielder sort of put his hands up and the umpire Kamens was like

No play the ball That didn't happen here Right The chances of that ball Hitting that spot Come on Mike No I know That's unbelievable

The chances of a game ending On that double play Right That has not happened Since 1962 I think they said That that that double play Has ended a game

In a World Series game like that That just does not happen that their outfielder, Kiki Hernandez, ignored his coach's instructions and played shallow there despite them telling him not to do that. And somehow we get a bad read on that. It sounded like the ball got barreled, but Barger got a bad read and it got thrown out of double play to end that game.

That was, first of all, both games ending on a double play. And that's never happened, I don't think. Both six and seven ended on double plays. Unbelievable. Game seven, I mean, listen, if ICF is an inch taller, IKF is an inch. Yeah. You're talking about an inch.

I say centimeters, but yeah. Remarkable. That's unbelievable. That's unbelievable. Let's talk about the ninth. When Vladimir Guerrero Jr. comes up in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied and he unloads on a baseball and sends it to center field.

Mike, there were six hits in 2025 with that speed off the bat. And that launch angle off the bat, okay? Four of them were home runs. One of them was Vladdy's pop-out. So that means only one other time was a ball hit like that where it was not a home run in the entire season. This exercise, which I want you to complete, is torturous. It is torturous.

I couldn't listen to this episode. But at the end, we're all going to realize that, like, I have an angle here to tie it all together nicely. Did you talk about Clements hit? We haven't even gotten there yet, Mike. The hip check, as I called it? The fact that Dave Roberts made a defensive change right before that brought in the center fielder who had to travel from Kipling and Kennedy all the way to the other side of town in Rush Hour.

I don't even know how he made that catch. That should have ended the game right there. The fact that he literally, literally, Alph Samuelson's his own player, Mike. Scott Stevens, his own player, Mike. I'm trying to come up with the reference that really hits you. Right on Lindrosse, yeah. It's unbelievable that that was caught.

It's remarkable. Unbelievable. The fact that Alejandro Kirk, one of our best contact hitters, his bat breaks on the final swing of the season. Imagine that. His bat breaks, Mike. a broken backgrounder that Dan Shulman telegraphed

on the broadcast which I wish he hadn't but that's you know sometimes how it goes these are all things that just don't happen man they just don't happen and they did happen of course and the fact is because there were some rumblings

after this game that oh what a likable team what a great run we should have a parade anyway I don't know your thoughts on that but my initial gutter all reaction is, no fucking way are we having a parade because you have a parade when you win the championship. And as exciting as this was, and as close

as it was, we are not the champions. But I do think that, you know, you look back at 2015 and people remember the Jose Baptiste, a batflip home run. Sure. What a moment Toronto was back in the saddle. Right. Blue Jays didn't make it to the World Series that

year and you think about that team with such high regard. This is a team that should have won the World Series. I mean, this is like 1985 jays against royals this is like 1987 jays against Detroit Tigers but more this is a team that took

the Los Angeles Dodgers as you can't go any further you cannot play more base you would have to play extra any second longer in baseball exactly you cannot push the defending champions

further than what the Blue Jays did and at the end of the day Yamamoto did things that, again, 1% chance type stuff. You know, Jack Morris, we remember historically pitching the 10 innings when he was with the twins. I don't know if you remember that. Of course I do. I'm older than you, Stu.

Of course, but I don't know. Maybe you were taking the year off. You know, people remember Randy Johnson. Yamamoto is pretty remarkable that he was able to pitch the next day, et cetera, et cetera. The fact that the Dodgers didn't, they went to their bullpen mic three times from their starter in game seven and only used their starting rotation.

They did not use a relief pitcher, a traditional relief pitcher at all in game seven. They dumped their whole payroll of pitching onto the Blue Jays, and we still took them to arguably what should have been a winning game seven. Not arguably, they should have won. Do you think Dave Roberts outmanaged John Schneider? I think that like he got, it's like that baseball god's luck, you know, because we've seen. Yeah, but you do know there are no baseball gods. Well, there are.

There are. There are, Mike. See, that's the problem. Eventually, you're going to have to believe that. There's hockey gods. There's hockey gods. There's baseball gods. But what are they did?

They watch and then they say, let me fuck with Stu Stone? Not Stu Stone specifically. But, you know, they know that we're all watching and we're all invested. And, you know, it's just more fun to label that. I think it's more of a term than it is an actual thing. This is what we like about live sport. This is what we like about sports in general is that, you know, things will happen that you didn't see coming.

Dave Roberts has had plenty of games where he makes those same decisions and loses. eight out of the ten times that those happen, okay? Every team has the same issues. And I think I said this to you again. Like, I'm not trying to sound like repeat because I was on this show before. I'm a Hall of Famer, Mike. I've been on the show many times.

You're an FOTM Hall of Famer. But I will say that if you, you know, when I was in Los Angeles or I was traveling, which I have, which I'm still leaving again to go travel, you know, and I'm watching local sports coverage of the local baseball teams throughout the year. Sure. Every team has their closer blow games.

Every team has the manager make a wrong pitching change or calling for a bunt or making a wrong call. Every team goes through this. It's like how do you come back from it? The Blue Jays were able to bounce back from adversity over and over and over again, especially on that playoff run, that even when Jeff Hoffman throws a not his best pitch against their number nine hitter. Oh, Rojas. Who has a 125 career average against that pitch with zero home runs. What are the chances of that guy hitting a home run there?

Yeah, last we forget, because, you know, you're doing what I'm doing. And I have my kids, I had my 9-year-old and my 11-year-old fully invested, and we're watching. And I'm like, you guys are going to witness something I got to enjoy as a teenager. You're going to watch the Blue Days Winter World Series. And I will say, we're counting down the outs. And just yesterday, they both told me, oh, maybe it was two days ago, they both told me that apparently when we entered the ninth we got the first out so there's two outs to go and we're world series champions right so but at that moment and then back to you uh that moment apparently i start running around the house of my hands in my air like this going oh this is happening this is happening they both were very excited to remind me i had no memory of this but apparently this is happening and then rojas goes deep and then the rest is history back to you so it is your fault yeah i'll take the hit on that one sure my point is even after hoffman gave that up we didn't lose hope the bottom of the night the jays came up they loaded the bases mike right they could have you know

it's just like anyway i'm gonna i'm gonna use a wrestling analogy because that's what i do right that's how i explain life's complicated uh intricacies to you mike i use wrestling right and i've you know what i've been talking to friends leading up to this appearance saying and testing this out and saying like i'm gonna go on i can't wait to go on toronto mike And use this on Toronto, Mike. I also have some Oasis stuff I want to say later, too, because I went to that concert. Yeah, I want to hear about it.

That was already a long time ago. And that. Yeah. But real quick, let's use this wrestling analogy. You have a mid-card act. Someone who's like not... Special delivery Jones. No, that's an enhancement talent.

Is it? Yeah. Middle of the card sort of act. Like someone like a Chris Jericho. or Mick Foley, Mankind. You've heard of these guys? Yes, I've heard of both those guys, yes. Jeff Hardy, you've heard of the Hardys?

No, I don't actually know the Hardy. But you know Mick Foley, Mankind. So let's use him as an example. Mick Foley, a great act, beloved wrestling figure. But somebody who was not in the main event of any company's plans, you know, just a guy that would do exciting things, Daredevil, give the fans their money's worth, not a guy that's closing out the card.

Even his infamous Hell in a Cell match, Mike, that we did a Dark Side of the Ring episode on last season, which I encourage everybody to watch on Crave. Absolutely. We did a full documentary on this match I'm talking about, hell in the cell, where he faces the Undertaker and gets thrown off the cage. You might know this.

Do you have any recollection of what I'm talking about? No, like, remember, I tap out in like 88 or something. Fair enough, but there's this just monumental match that Mick Foley has against the Undertaker. It's a Hell and a Cell match where Foley gets thrown off the top of the cage, thrown through the cave, cage, slammed on the thumbtacks.

Just crazy stuff happens in this match. Mike, that was not even the main event of that show. But do you know what happened after that? Even in losing that match to the Undertaker, mankind, Mick Foley, became a main eventer. He was elevated even in a loss, Mike. He was elevated to become a mainstay. Six months later, he was the WWF champion.

Now he's a Hall of Famer. he has gone on to become one of the most infamous professional wrestlers in the history of the business, Mike. All because of when he had a chance to shine and face main event competition, he lived up to the moment. And not only did he lose that match, but he actually won. Sometimes when you lose, you really win, Mike. And I'm going to tell you in baseball, especially in Toronto, when we are the forgotten stepchild of the, of the big, bad baseball world. We are sort of like laughed upon.

We are, you know, our goal. Well, the only team that's not based in the United States of America. Correct. And so Americans have a fun time with that. And convincing players to even go to a different country. We do have the fifth highest payroll. Sure. But we still, that doesn't, you know, the Raptors,

other than the Toronto Maple Leafs, which even they have trouble nowadays, free agents don't typically come to Canada. That's correct. When the Raptors won the championship, Mike, they didn't sign Kauai Leonard. They forced him to come here You're right And when they tried to get him to stay

That didn't happen Right You know Brandon Ingram The Raptors are a wagon by the way You should jump on now So Brandon Ingram is a guy that wants to be here Vladimir Guerrero is a guy that

Anyway there are people like that that exist But the Blue Jays Even in losing to the Dodgers Have won in many other ways They have earned the respect Of the baseball world Not only are they main event mentors now. Any free agent that you hear about where we used to be laughed at, we're now

mentioned. You name a free agent. Dylan Cease. We signed him. But I'm saying like, back in the day, they'd be like, oh, showe Atani or Juan Soto, the Jays are in on him. The Jays are in on the Jays were in second place, third place. Oh, the Jays are in on this guy. The Jays are in on everybody. But now the Jays are really in, and players will actually want to come here because they just saw. They just saw the fight that this team just put up, the fan base That was so electric, Mike. That was so a building that it was shaking. Yep.

Shaking, Mike. They saw love in a clubhouse. They saw Max Scher, who's a fucking maniac. Even he said, this was the best experience of his baseball career. You had Chris Bassett crying that he may not be back again. Ernie Clement crying that he just wanted another hour with these guys. Love that guy. This is a special thing, Mike, that people will want to be a part of now.

Now, you have mainstream sports media, not just Wilner in the Canadian writers. They all know who Vladimir Guerrero is now, if they didn't before. They all know Ernie Clement's name now. They all know who Trey I Savage is now. Shane Bieber opted out of a chance to make hundreds of millions of dollars to stay on this team another season, Mike. There's something special happening now. And unless you live in Los Angeles,

most people were cheering for the Toronto Blue Jays to win that. World Series and beat the evil empire of the Los Angeles Dodgers. I understand we have a big high payroll, but perception is everything. We are underdogs. Our best signing, Anthony Santander, was injured. We had replacements. We had lovable scrubs, Mike. Dogs that came together to form Voltron.

Grab them cakes. To grab them cakes. I would say that a lot of good has come out of this. The Blue Jays are on the map in a major real way. We are legit. I would be shocked next season. There you go. I would be shocked, Mike.

If the dome is empty, even a handful of times next season. That's how exciting this is. And for us to start the day before American Thanksgiving with assigning a seven-year commitment to one of the game's premier strikeout pitchers, a guy who's led the league in starts over and over again, a workhorse coming off

probably not his best season but these guys know what they're looking at they know what car they're buying Mike they know what's under the hood

I'm about to handle my business and the morning I'm a beg for the Lord's forgiveness and we are celebrating

but the Blue Jays are here Mike the Blue Jays are here and they're here to stay I'm never going to doubt you again, Stu Stone

you got 14 more years of Vlad Mike you got five more more years of Alejandro Kirk at a bargain. Andres Jimenez, who people were shitting all over, arguably is taking Bo Bichette's job at shortstop. Do we re-sign Bobichette?

I'd like to, but I mean, if Bo wants to play shortstop, it might not happen here. What do you think about that? I think if he signs here, he has to move to second base. Yeah, so I don't know that he wants to do that. And I feel like if Boe signs with the Yankees, he'll get booed. He'll be Bubbichette. The Dodgers have Mookie Betts playing short. They could put Bo there.

But, yeah, I'm very excited about this team. I'm bullish on the Blue Jays. I don't know if they're going to win the World Series next year, Mike. I want them to, but I think they're going to be in the mix for years to come. Not just days. I'm talking not just months. Not just, I'm talking years. This is going to be a team that is in the mix for years to come, Mike.

Of course, you're listening to Kid on Christmas. And there you go. Anyway. Listen to that flow. Move over, Bobichette. There's a new flow in town. You know, you look at other sports, too. Like, you know, guys, people get to the championship.

They lose. They come back stronger and they win. You know, like, it's all about how you get up off the mat. And the Js have proved that they could get. up off the mat over and over again. Why should this be any different? I'm disappointed in the Jay's not winning the World Series. I'm equally as disappointed in you for not believing that they could do it. So I hear. But I will say, Mike, that I do feel I've gotten a little bit of a weight off of my shoulders here already. Just in coming and confronting you in person

has been healthy for me and my mental health towards this team. And just pointing out the fact that there are positives. It's not silver lining here. This is platinum lining. that the Blue Jays have so much goodwill right now, not only with the city of Toronto in the country of Canada, but in the world of baseball, people don't want to see the Yankees and the Dodgers. They want to see the Blue Jays. Do you agree with that?

I think if you're outside of New York and outside of L.A., I think it's easy to hate those two big spending. But do you think that there's a lot of goodwill now towards? Yeah, I think a lot of America was rooting for the Blue Jays because they're likable team, they're not the Dodgers, and they're fun to watch. Let's talk about what a prick Rantz Molinix is. Excellent, because Rance was a great guest. He was.

He was on the show just last week. He's not a prick, but I did listen to Rance, and I did listen to Hebsy, and I've listened. I'm on the road, and I'm exercising, and I listen. That means a lot to me, because I don't know if Stu Stone is tuning in. I tune in when there's an appetite and somebody's on there that I'm like, oh, I can't wait to hear this. Did you hear the Dave Perkins, Bob Elliott, Primer? It was Halloween, so I thought we were going to win the series in six. I really believed in this team finishing in game six,

and I had Dave Perkins and Bob Elliott in the basement just prior to that. I thought that was appropriate because they were beside each other in the press box the last time the Js won the World Series. Wow. So this is, again, it's your fault. You like really, you hopped on the bandwagon late and just infused all this stuff. Everyone listening, Stu, has the same question for you. you. I did give you. I waited 51 minutes before asking you this big question, but I want to

credit Hey ref on the live stream for being the first to ask it. But everyone is thinking this. Will we see Stu Stone tomorrow at Palma's Kitchen for TMLX21? Sadly, you will not. But I will definitely, I mean, I'm here now. And I love seeing you, man. I just want you know, I love it when you drop by. This is the warm up for that event, which is going to be. You have a good excuse for tomorrow? Yes, of course I do. There's nowhere else I'd rather be Mike.

I'd rather be... Because Hebsy will be there tomorrow. And Mike Richards. And I also love listening to you to say the word Zeta over and over again on the Hebsy episode talking about his... Oh, yeah. Because I read his book and his Zeta was a bookie. His grandfather, the bookie.

But it's nice to hear you say Zeta. Shout out to Hebsie. Rance Malnix. Let's talk about that for a second. Sure, go ahead. You know, can you imagine... If you were to ask me if like Bob Willett should be in the Toronto Mike Hall of Fame. Right, right, which I was going to ask you.

And I would so bluntly just say no. I know. That was a moment. I'm like, whoa. Are you kidding me? But that tells you what a jerk Dave Steve was. Was he? According to Hepsey, he was.

I didn't know that. Yeah, apparently not a nice guy. Is that a fact? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, he wasn't nice to reporters. Anyways, ask any reporter who covered him. We're okay with them, but people like Hebsy will tell you he was an asshole. I can make him bring this up tomorrow at TMLX 21.

Tomorrow I'll be perfect? Yeah, well, he was a great pitcher and he was a feisty competitor, but I don't think. I don't remember reading it, but I definitely. Do you have a copy? It seems like that should be something that's like right there. He should be here, I know. And it's like him and I think he's got like a jacket. I was with Cam Gordon earlier in the week and he reminded me of the cover.

Oh, Cam, I got to ask you a question from the live stream. Okay. A gentleman named Sean Pasternak. Sean's the man, yep. Does Stu still have quote-unquote heat with Cam Gordon over the overtime sports talk brouhaha of 1993? Yeah, I've gotten over that heat. Can you tell us what we're talking about?

Because Leve Fumka wants to know, what are we talking about? Yeah, because, well, you know, Cam Gordon, myself and Ryan Pasternak, and Sean, who's a overtime sports talk. Any relation to Courtney Pasternak, who is married now to Ralph Ben Murgie? I wish. But I don't think so. I think Sean would have mentioned. Sean, let us know if you're related to Courtney Passman.

But Sean, a great guy also, a talented writer, reporter, musician in his own right. But he is referring to an incident where there was a heated argument on the air between myself, Cam, and Ryan, that led to almost some wrestling-type antics that got a little to... Was it a work or a shoot? It was like a work shoot. Okay. I've had a few of them. Where Steve Kersner, who you've had on the show this year as well. He had the sock.

It was too much for him. And he put us on suspension. That's wild. Because we got a little bit too chaotic there. This is that Newton cable? This is a Newton cable with the Bruhaha. Legendary. Got a little too crazy.

I believe there may have been someone hit with a chair. Some wrestling type of performative work there. Don't piss off Cam. He looks like because he seems so calm, right? I feel like if you just push him over the line, that guy's going to snap. So, yeah, Rance Mullinix doesn't think that, well, listen, Dave Steve's personality shouldn't have anything to do with. Whether he's in the Hall of Fame or not.

I agree with you. But that's like that scene in Philadelphia where he goes, we don't see sexual preference in this courtroom. And then he goes, unfortunately, we don't live in this courtroom. Like, the fact is,

people hold grudges and I don't like that prick, and then that's what they think about. But he didn't, he, when you asked him that, he didn't say, well, he was a prank. No, no, of course not. And this is,

and Rance Malnix, by the way, the type of guy that pronounces is his H's in words that start with W, like he's like, like, Hank Hill. What, Will, and why. Like, he's one of those type guys,

which I totally respect. Yeah. He's just like a guy that I'd love to, like, play chess in the park with type of demeanor. Right. But, uh,

Rance, he didn't say, uh, he's a jerk. He said that the numbers don't support it. No, not enough wins. Yeah,

that's crazy. You would think that somebody that's like, you know, I did push back a bit. I'm like, well, the modern thinking is we overrated.

Yeah, I saw you did. You pushed back, but he wasn't buying what you were selling. I was a little, it was a little shocking to hear

It was a little shocking to hear Rantz say that. I got to be honest. A little off-putting. That was the moment. By the way, Sean Pasternak has chimed it to say, no relation to Courtney, although we were randomly in the same class at Thorn Lee Secondary School.

What were the odds? I had a nice dinner with Courtney, Pastornak, and Ralph Ben-Murgy. Better chance of a ball getting wedged than Sean and Courtney being in a class together. Hey, and Hey, Ralph wants to know where was the Newton Broadcast Studio? It was in like the Bathurst Manor

kind of area. We're like, you know, Finch and Bathurst sort of area, if I recall. Because we had our own Cable 10 here in, I was on the other side of the Humber when I was growing up, like Jane and Dundas area. And they had a location on Scarlet Road. Like we're kind of where Dundas and Scarlet Road meet. There was a cable 10. Well, before we had the overtime sports talk show, I was about to sneeze. Gizintight in advance. Thank you. Cam and myself and Ryan, we went to the fan 590 to try to pitch a radio show like four kids by kids kind of vibe to nelson millman i don't remember who it was that we pitched to but we went into the studio we recorded like a little like teaser i know cam did it again without me in the future uh who replaced you he didn't

so much as replaced me he just like did it with someone else because like overtime sports talk had already happened probably bacon or do begin or something right uh and we made the mistake i think we would have booked the show right then and there, but we made the mistake as young, you know, teens would of running our mouths in a way that was not great. Like, there was a guy named Jim Hunt. You remember Jim Hunt? Shaky. Shaky Hunt.

Often a co-host of primetime sports with Bob McKeown. Yeah, so we were very critical of Shaky Hunt as youngsters. There you go. Thought that he had lost, you know, it had passed him by. And I think that they thought we were. arrogant for saying that. Maybe that's why we didn't get that job. But we ended up going to Kersner

over at a Newton cable with our idea. We had the sponsorship from some of the local baseball card shops including my dad at the time. Yeah, sluggers. And we went into the studio and Kersner gave us a shot. And we lasted, we were

on there for a while. I would dare say we were pulling Wilner ratings. Yeah, he had let's talk sports with Aaron Give me a second here. Erin. Near Wilmington, yes. Near Wilmington, yeah, that's for Hayref.

Aaron Lobel? Does that name mean anything to you? It doesn't sound... Okay, I believe... I used to watch on Cable 10 a show called Let's Talk Sports of Mike Wilner and Aaron Lobel. Hmm.

Yeah. This is all... I love this stuff. Okay. So tomorrow at TMLX, you're going to have Hebsy versus Perry... Elfco? Oh, Lefco, yeah.

In the Battle of the Bulls? books? Well, Lefco will probably, right. Okay, so it's going to be great because Hebsy's going to be there and he's going to be signing books, but there's a whole if I told you the people, like we're going to have a 1993 Blue J's World Series champion is going to be there? Say that one more time? A 1993 Blue Jay World Series champion will be at

TMLX 21-20. I'm not, I won't spoil it, but I know who it is. And you would be correct on that front. And he can't wait. He loves his Palmipasta. But I mean, the cast of people who say they're going to be there, Pete Fowler, do you know this I mean, I need him there for security. It's going to be bananas. Elvis is my co-host because this is interesting.

I can't get former or present toast slash Pandemic Friday co-host to show up at this thing. I can't get Stu Stone. Well, I understand why I can't, but why can't the others? I don't know. Cam Gordon won't be there, but he's in town. I know that. And I know that Bob Gillette might have a good excuse

and that he might be on the air at Indy 88, which is a damn good excuse. And Rob Pruse is busy on Broadway. which is a good excuse as well. What's he doing on Broadway? Mama Mia. Holy shit. But he does the music.

That's amazing. It is amazing. Wait, on actual Broadway? The real Broadway, yeah. So how does he do toast? Well, his mom, so a key detail here is his mom lives in Burlington. So once a month he does a road trip from where he lives, I think, in Queens or Brooklyn. I don't even know.

One of those two. Burroughs, he makes the road trip to Burlington to see his mom, and then he comes and does toast. So once a week, he's in the basement, even though he lives in New York City. Wait, so he, that's crazy. Yeah. Talk about commitment. Yeah, no, he's, uh, by way, should he be in the, uh, Toronto Mike Hall of Fame? Rob Pruth?

Just based on what you just said, yes. You know what? You're right. I got to think on all this stuff because, uh, at some point, Rob Proust does, he made the new closing theme, which you'll hear at the end of this episode. I've heard it. I love it. Okay, yeah.

I mean, Rob Pruss, if he doesn't get in the FOTM Hall of Fame, like, who does, right? Like, it's a place for the greats, and he's absolutely one of the greats. Can you give us the entire, like, list of Hall of Fame? at the moment that currently exists ranked from best. I'll do it from memory, yeah. Ranked from best to worst. Not best to worst, but from first to last, okay. The first FOTM Hall of Famer.

And can I comment on each one? Yeah, Ed Conroy from Retro Ontario. Okay, well, that guy's a Hall of Famer in life. By the way, just unbelievable. He is remarkable, and he will be on Toronto Mike for an annual Christmas Crackers episode, and I'm here now to tell everybody that Ed Conroy, Retro, Ontario, Christmas Crackers

will record, in fact, I even know Is he bringing up, is he bringing up like... The 22nd of December, he'll be on the show. Is he bringing up, you know, retro Christmas pop culture moments? See, he will decide the theme, but I really do hope it is that exactly. So, might I suggest you take a look at a film called

St. Nicholas and the Children? St. Nicholas and the Children. Worth checking out. Okay. Second FOTM Hall of Famer was 1236, his own Mark Wiseblot. Now, you know, Mark Wiseblot probably would have Rance Mullinixed me, but I won't do the same to him.

He's a big stewhead, he should be, he should be, he should be in the Hall of Fame, definitely. Well, he's in it. Yeah, no, I'm saying like he, that's deservedly, so. And there's a guy who's an asshole to the press. Yeah. He's the Dave Steeb of, of, of the Toronto Mike universe, but he's in. That's a good analogy. So I will tell you that it's kind of sad to me that for the first,

first year, I got to go back in the archives, when was the last calendar year that we did not hear Mark Wiseblood's voice on an episode of Toronto mic? Really? 2025 was Wise Blot list, but 2024, he came on the mic during a recording I did at Christy Pitts for the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. Why was he not here? He has an open invitation and what's happened. Do you guys have beef? God, no, no. He's in the FOTM WhatsApp group. I chat with him every day. Like a guy like him can't stay away from a microphone. How did you get him to stay away He had a tough exit from the Canadian Jewish news. Oh, really?

And I think he's... Sorry to hear that. Yeah, he needs some time, I think. Fair enough. But in 2026, I'll do everything in my power to get Mark Wiseblood back in his basement. Maybe, you know, he was going on the hypothetical walk that he goes on when I invite him to my screenings. Yeah, he does that, right? I think he is on a...

He didn't want to come into the theater to watch the movie, so he came, said hello, then went for a walk. Yet he's a Hall of Famer. That's a good callback. Okay, I'm going to wrap up. these Hall of Famers real quick. You and Cam went in together. So Cam Gordon Stu Stone were next into the FOTM Hall fame.

But we probably would have been individually recognized irregardless. Oh yeah, 100% of course. So you got 100% of course. I wouldn't be here if not for Cam. Then it was, I got a little story about this guy. Maybe I can tell it now.

But Peter Gross went into the FOTM Hall of Fame. Deservedly. There's a guy that shows up. He's here. He's a dog. He's a dog all right. And he will absolutely be at TML X21 tomorrow.

So finally a Hall of Famer at TMLX. But also another Hall of Famer who will be at TMLX tomorrow, Lievee Fumka. You know, there you go. It's about time that Lieve A Fumka was recognized. It was quite a sausage fest. She should be in the Hall of Fame because of the support that she, unwavering support.

Also, she found a secret path into the Hall of Fame. How? Get sick. Well, I don't know. But she's, I'm going to see her tomorrow and she will give us an update on her health. But she sounds and looks amazing. because I saw her at Tamo. Well, she always sounds and looks amazing to me.

But I'll say this about her. You know, there is the definition, Mike, that you need to learn from her from this Hall of Famer loyalty. She didn't hop off. She didn't write off the Toronto Mike season and wait for the playoffs, Mike. She sat through a lot of drek to get to episodes like this, Mike. Right. She had to sit through a whole year without 1236.

And she's still here, Mike. that is something that's sports in general. People say, oh, why is sports useful? Sports is a waste of time. It's not a waste of time. Because you learn life lessons. There's teachable things that are impressionable people need that only sports can teach you.

And loyalty is one of them, Mike. Well, there's another FOTM Hall of Famer, speaking of loyalty. His name is, well, I call him the VP of Sales. He calls himself the VP of no sales. He has another name, Tyler Campbell. He's in the FOTM Hall of thing. he should be too, despite the fact that early on in his tenure,

he didn't even credit my appearances as official appearances. No, you're confusing, guys. That's Al Grego. Oh, that's Al Grego? He used to do the best of episodes, but best stuff have been replaced by FOTM cast. Yeah, that's what I thought. So I'm sorry. Then I mistakenly...

Yeah, please. I mistakenly... Your beef is with El Grego. My beef is with Grego. Right, well, so I want to... But Tyler should be a Hall of Famer for sure. He's driving me to Palma's Kitchen tomorrow. What about Tim?

Oh, yeah. Well, I saw... I just went to a concert in Guelph. I saw Hawksley Workman with Ian. How was that? Great. Yeah, it was a great little venue in Guelph, and I enjoyed myself.

I went backstage. There was an intermission, and I got invited backstage to hang with Hawk. So, let me just do this really quickly, and then we'll get to Oasis, and I have a thing about Pearl Jam, and we're going to just wrap up some more things here. But I want to make sure,

because this is my last chance to do this, and I kept this off of the Dave Hodge episode, which, by the way, Levee Fumka does listen to every episode, but she did privately tell me yesterday she's not big on the Dave Hodge episodes. Really? Why? I don't know. Maybe tomorrow when she pops on the mic, we'll ask her what her beef is with Dave Hodge,

the living legend. But the Hodge 100 dropped yesterday, and I want everybody who hears my voice right now to know if you listened early enough, there's still time to show up at TMLX21 at Palma's Kitchen, which is November 29 from noon to 3 p.m. We're talking 2025, everybody,

if you're listening in the far off future. Who knows? But not only does everybody eat for free, thank you, Palma Pasta, but I'm going to bring fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Brewery, and you can drink, if you're over 19, you can drink for free.

And last but not least, retro festive is going to give everybody, well, the first 75 people. I always joke, we won't get eight people. But the first 75 people will get a gift from Retro Festive. And Stu, you can save 10% right now at retrofestive.ca with the promo code, FOTM.

Oh, what am I saving on? You're saving on, like, pop culture stuff and Christmas stuff. If you want a leg lamp. You know what? This would be really a great time for me to go on that site live, and they would probably appreciate that. You do that. How do I get there?

Retrofestive.ca, and then you go there now, and then later you can go to Recycle My Electronics. dot CA and find out where you drop off your cables and electronics and everything so it's properly recycled and then maybe you should subscribe to a cool site yeah right well tie the christmas guy he brought a rifle to the last tmlx at palma's kitchen uh you know the baby gun from a christmas story how come you didn't get the role of ralphi is that name ralphi do i have the right name yeah christmas story why didn't you get that role i think i was too young mike but i ended up becoming the better Ralphie.

Right, on Magic School Bus. Yes. Oh, absolutely. And if people are like, who's Stu Stone? Because I didn't even give you a proper intro because you went on a roll. But I want to let, there's a lot of great Stu Stone episodes in the archives, maybe find the first one to get the A to Z. But this man, as discussed when Hall Cogan died, this man played Jake Gillenhall's best friend. Or Jake Gyllenhaal.

Is that how you say it? Yeah. Okay, I'm more of a Maggie fan myself. But if you go and if you watch Donnie Darko, you've seen Stu Stone, if you've seen the Magic School Bus, you've heard Stu Stone. If you've listened to Toronto, Mike. Living Legends, so absolutely. So quick wrap up here, you can subscribe to these podcasts.

Life's Undertaking, which is Brad Jones from Ridley Funeral Home. We love... Hell of a pod. Hell of a pod. Heaven of a pod. Heaven of a pod. Right, right, right. I absolutely want to shout out Nick Ieini's and his fine podcasts, which is called Building

Toronto Skyline and Building Success. Your friend Keith Stein was a guest on Building Success. Oh, really? Have you heard from Keith lately? No. Okay, no Gene Simmons conversations then? No, but I do like him a lot. Well, I have a story about his wife, but I'm saving it for tomorrow's event.

His wife and I had a, something's happening there. I do. And something's happening with Peter Gross. These things are happening. Maybe I'll share the Peter Gross one with you, and then I'll get back to the Melissa Stein one. But last but not least, I know you enjoy your cannabis. Shed out to Canada Kev, who's on the live stream.

He loves his cannabis. Shopkindling.com.ca, if you order your cannabis, There. It is delivered to you in under an hour. You could do that now. Shop kindling.ca. I should have ordered at the beginning of the episode and see you think God here. We got an hour and more to go. So, and shout out to Leslie, whose cousin Janow just co-hosted a show with me that featured Michael Sadler of Saga. Are you a saga fan?

I mean, I know Saga, obviously, is a pandemic Friday guy. Right, right. Okay, but let me wrap up this loose end here, which is that not only is your cannabis delivered in under an hour. hour, but you can track it and it's discreet. So much love to shopkinling.ca. And last but not least, if you Stu Stone are looking for dynamic and creative work environments, the man to chat with is Doug Mills.

You are, I know you are. You're a creative and dynamic man. So you would want to talk to Doug at blue sky agency.ca. Wow, Blue Sky. That's the social media platform that Wilner's on. And I'm on it too. Wilner and I are like the Twitter refugees that are hanging out there. line. His wife and I, there's something

happening there. Oh, apparently that's a great tease Tobias Vaughn says, and yeah, I got praise that properly. So, thank you to Doug Mills and Blue Sky Agency and get it yourself a privacy pot or two. So, here's a quick Peter Gross story, and then I'm saving the Melissa Stein story for tomorrow.

Okay, that's a treat. Maybe you can tell me off the record? Maybe I can, yeah, absolutely. I was asked to be, this is true, okay? I can't believe it's true, but it's true. I was asked to be the Grand Marshal for the Atobico Santa Claus Braide. Really?

Like, I'm not, none of this is being no bullshit here. I'm not even, I was asked. And I actually, humbly, my first instinct was we can do better. This is my instinct. We can do better. And I actually pitched a few people, including Arashmadani. My friend Arashmedan. Because he lives in the hood

and he's a famous person. Sure. So I pitched a few people. Mary Berg, Arashadani. These are people that live in the hood here. Do you ever run into Arashamedan? Danny in the neighborhood? Yeah, he ran by me once on a bike ride and I pulled him over and chatted him up a couple times. He lives very, very close.

He's very close to Ridley Funeral Home. I feel like he's like five streets over. You got it. Good math on that. Okay. So I pitched some bigger names, but they came back to me and said, we'd like you to be the Grand Marshal, Toronto Mike. And I said, okay, but I have a condition.

I want the living legend that is Peter Gross by my side for this parade. Oh, wow. And they went to a committee, and they came back, I know, some committee. And they came back and said, okay, but you're on the banner, and Peter Gross is part of this. We think this is a great idea. So tomorrow when Peter Gross is at TMLX21, I'm going to let him know that the next Saturday. Assuming he doesn't listen to this. Well, right, that's a fair assumption.

The next Saturday, which is like the fifth or something, he has to meet me at 9 a.m. Because this parade starts at 10, starting on a street called Dwight or first. So what, did they parade around? It's on Lakeshore. It starts at first. And I think it goes to like 33 or something. So we don't get a Blue Jays parade this year, but we get a Toronto Mike Peter Gross parade.

Yeah, so that's 100% right. And in this parade, as luck would have it, is Great Lakes Brewery. Like, they're a sponsor and they have a float. So I'll be drinking Great Lakes beer as I, yeah, this is happening. That's exciting. It is exciting because I'm going to, Peter Gross, I'm going to tell them live tomorrow at TMLX 21.

Now, are you guys walking or are you guys in a car waving a convertible? I believe we're walking, but here's the funny thing. They send me a note of the detail. I think we're walking. So you walk from first to, I think, 35th. street. Okay, we get numbers in South Atopico. Then they, the parade's over at 35th, but they don't actually give you a ride back to first. So basically, Peter Gross and I, we might even hold hands, but we're going to walk

Lake Shore back east to where we started, which is at like First Street. So this is happening on the 5th, but I digress. So much ground I want to cover with you. Tell me about Oasis. Yeah, I went to the Oasis concert, which happened in Toronto, uh, seems like a hundred years ago now. My brother was there at one of the shows. I got, I wanted, let's talk about that for a second. Not your brother, but let's talk about the OASIS show.

I don't think I was here since that OASIS show. So this would be still a fresh take. Let's hear it. I got caught up in the, uh, Oasis mania. Right. That was taking place. The hype train.

The hype train. And an opportunity to go see the band. You know, I had seen them previously back in the day. not only in Toronto when they were just upstarts but then again when they were supporting Neil Young on a show at, I want to say at Moulson or Barry, Barry. Oh, the Moulson Park and Barry.

Not to mention, you know, just, you know, I was alive in the 90s. So I know all about Oasis. And I remember, I still remember, hearing Supersonic on 102.1, the edge and being like, oh, wow, I like this. And then going to HMV and buying the, album and being an oasis fan from that first album and then I remember oh they're back again

and then you know wonderwall happens right so I'm I'm I'm the perfect demographic of somebody who's trying to relive some nostalgia to get that dopamine hit and to sort of reminisce and feel young and excited again so this is in my wheelhouse whether or not the oasis is my favorite band or not, it definitely... Definitely maybe. It definitely maybe checks the boxes for my age of somebody, you know, like you with Hulk Hogan. Right.

You know, Oasis was Hulk Hogan. You were born in the 70s. Yes. Despite what I've read online. Depends what website you're looking at, Mike. But yes, I'm age appropriate for an Oasis concert to be like, wow, I should go to that. So I went and I bought a ticket. and I paid probably too much.

Can you tell us the number? I think it was like 400 bucks. Too much, but not, you know, for this experience. Not a thousand bucks. Yeah, yeah, no. I can see 400 bucks. But still, like, just to be frank. Who's on the live stream?

Hello, Frank. I wouldn't normally spend $400 on anything that's a ticket unless it was a Blue Jays. Game 7. You know. Were you at Game 7? I wasn't at Game 7, but I went to all the games that I was in, that I was able to. attend i went to six of the games are you a guest of ross sometimes can you get another guest

for the next year's playoffs no it was hard enough to get my own understood uh you know just to be able to be considered to be on that list is uh shows what kind of a great guy he is uh but he is the best but anyway can you get him on toronto mike probably not um but i will say that uh because he's not a guy that's a private guy not like you and I Mike public figures but I will say that

going back to this Oasis thing and I ran into a lot of familiar faces there was probably some of Toronto Mike listeners there for sure sure that's the demo yeah Chen Xers from the GTA absolutely

I hope that people listen to this episode long enough to get to this part Mike but there are people on the live stream still Andy is still lit green. Well, then Andy, let's talk about this. Oasis. There's clearly a formula to Oasis, which I'll get into in a second.

But you know what they did a really good job of, Mike? They did a really good job of making this feel like a must-see TV that this is a big deal like you've got to be here, right? And when you get to the stadium and the show is beginning, they play this sort of like three-minute sort of mini documentary that like sort of tells you how we got here. goes into the hole they broke up never again it's not happening hell free zone and then you see and then you kind of it's it's such a great hype video it's almost like it's produced by the

wwee to lead to like a wrestlemania match amazing it was so well done that like by the time that first note hits and they walk out holding hands and you have goosebumps mike because they've done such a good job of painting this picture and telling this story that you are now feeling like you're a part of history so i'm going to give them a 20 out of 10 on a on capturing that feeling and making me as a consumer feel like, holy shit, I should have paid $4,000 for this. I've got goosebumps. I can't believe I'm seeing them.

They're back. They're together. Okay? That happened. 20 to 10. 20 to 10 on that. First of all, the venue's pretty cool, too, that pop up Rogers Stadium or whatever it was called.

It's pretty cool. You got to walk to get there, a bit of a schlep. You should be biking there. A little bit of a schlep to get to the, gate and back out of the gate but overall I was very impressed and also what a fucking money they're printing money over there at this Oasis

concert apparently Rogers had a good year oh my god at that not only was everybody paying at least $400 a ticket to be there if not more there you got beer tents and American Express tents just selling a Oasis merch it's not the same as going

to a concert and seeing like a merch table selling you know sticks t-shirts or something like that They have like full-on pop-up like Macy's stores where people are lined up at the show and they're spending everybody spending hundreds of dollars on merch. You're cettled and now they can extract. Boy, oh boy, I'm telling you, Mike. There was a lot of money that was being spent at this show.

A lot of money. I got to give away this credit for something. It is very difficult, as I know, being as someone who has dabbled his foot in the music industry, history. It is very difficult to write a song that connects with people, let alone a song that transcends. Okay, well, there you go. Just a taste of a song you wrote. Yes.

And shout out, by the way, I heard Decisive on the show recently. It was one of my co-collaborators. He loves you, man. I love him. Yeah, me too. Okay. Back to your oasis story. Circle, Circle.

It is very difficult to write a song that connects with people. But it is another thing to write a song that transcends life, pop culture. Wonderwall is a song that is a hit song that is as big as any song, literally. There is not... Monster song. There's not... I mean, maybe kids don't know it, but like there's not... No, I think everybody knows it.

There's not a reasonable adult in any corner of the civilized world knows Wonderwall. there's not a campfire where somebody hasn't picked up a guitar that can't play Wonderwall that's another thing about Oasis that their music's very easily accessible because it's easy to play which we'll get to.

So I give them credit for Wonderwall for sure and to do it more than once they have a couple songs like Live Forever and Don't Look Back in Anger These are big songs, Champagne Supernova. They got four or five times Big radio singles. They have smashed it out of the

the park. But there's clearly a formula that you don't really pick up on until you see them play 20 songs in a row. It's the same drum fill. Like a drummer needs to come on and break it down. It's the same drum fill. It's a signature oasis drum fill. You want to borrow these? No. That happens in every song almost, literally. Like there's a signature drum fill. There's about five chords that they put in a boggle thing and they shake it up and like we're going to put them in this order for this song let's shake it up we'll put them in that or it's literally you know it's very very accessible by design i'm sure and of course the vocals are great you know they have that formula is a is a winning formula once twice three times four times five times

but 20 times It's It's used You know what I mean I do That's a song Do you know what I mean? Yeah there you go

So the seventh song Every song is like Oh no I know They all have the same Sort of familiarity to it That is comforting For people who are OASIS fans

I suppose But it's like The way that these guys are on a pedestal And I'm not insulting them because I do respect the hell out of Oasis. I spent money and went to the contract. Two great albums. Sure, but my point is that they are considered by certain people

and maybe in their own minds as like Beatles type of guys, right? Right. And I'm just saying the songs are not as prolific as, and there's not an evolution. You're saying Oasis is overrated. I don't know if they're overrated, but it's just not as prolific as people think that it is. That's all I'm saying.

And it's just like there's not an evolution, like the Beatles, if you listen to the first album to the last album, there's a clear timeline where it's evolving and the sound is changing and they're trying different things and their Oasis is sort of like this is our brand and this is what we do. God bless them for that. Right. But see, they're not like Radiohead. I literally, that was the band I was going to use. They're not Radiohead. Right. Now Radiohead does have four or five songs that anybody can pick up the guitar and play creep. Of course.

But Radiohead doesn't pick up the guitar and play creep when you go see them live. No, they hate that song. Yeah. So it's like Oasis doesn't have that. They don't have that. Like, there's not a musicianship that's happening on stage at Oasis that doesn't make me or probably other people in the audience feel like they couldn't get up and do that. But so much of this hype machine was related to the fact that the brothers hated each other.

For sure. And they sort of built that up for years. It almost feels like they did it on purpose. It almost feels like it's like a wrestling. Yes. Yeah. It almost feels like that. You and I kindred spirits, Mike.

Oh, my goodness. A good analogy is Canada Kev compares Oasis to ACDC. Sure. Like they do this one thing and they do it well. They do it well. So to sit through, to stand through, you know, the 20 songs set, it was like, I was excited for those four, five, six hit songs. And I respected the other songs, but there was just like something that was very like, wow, it's the same song again. Interesting.

And it's the same song again after that. went to the first night of Oasis. He says it was an amazing night. And it's the most expensive concert he's ever gone to, but it was worth every pay. It was. It really was. And when they sang the big fucking songs, boy, oh, boy, that was great. And to be in a place where there's people who were so obsessed with Oasis, so to be in their home, you know.

To be here now. To be here now, to be in the bubble with those folks. And it brought it to a whole other level. I give the concert high grades. And I would do it again. But I think your point's valid. Like, I actually didn't have a, and I'm also from the 90s. I just feel like they're not as great as they say they are.

I mean, I can call up a couple of guys will tell you, blur is the superior band, right? But in here in North America, when it comes to the bigness of a band, Oasis is the easy winner in that boat. Like I said, writing a hit song is impossible, and they did it many times, many times. But there's all, I got to just, to your point, and again, I wasn't at the concert,

but if I was gifted a ticket, I absolutely would have gone. In fact, I'm a little upset. my brother didn't give me a ticket, come on, or at least sell me at face value, but okay. But they had two big albums. I feel like we do tend to over, a lot of it was the brothers hating each other and fighting and then they got back together

and Snowballs Chance and Hell and all. But only two, like only two albums that critics and rock fans will point to and say, those are great albums, only two. Like, that's not a long, excellent career. Because the third album, if I remember correctly, the lead single was, do you know what I mean? don't believe there was a lot of other

big hits coming off that third album. It was a bit of a disappointment. Listen, it's hard to write a good book. Stephen King is an anomaly because he did it so many times. It's hard to have that same voice, right? Same... The Beatles were the best at this. Right. And so it's like it's very difficult to do that.

So it's like, I have to give Oasis credit for doing it over and over and over again. But at some point, the formula loses some of its lesser... Listen, I went to a Guns and Roses concert at the Skydome. I was there. And they played every song they've ever written.

I was there with Elvis. So it's like even that. Like, you know, they don't leave you wanting more. They played everything. They don't. And they should leave you wanting more. But they don't. And in a way...

They drain the swamp. And in a way, it's remarkable. In a way that... Remarkable. You know, it's... It's not the best experience because of that. Like, you're overservicing. Now, the Oasis concert, I give it.

Again, high grades. I had a great time. I loved it. Like, you're not shitting on Oasis. Not at all. You're just saying. I'm just saying they're not radiohead. They're not radiohead.

They're not even close. Not even close. As far as like musicianship. Can I ask you about another, well, the band's still going? Oh yeah. And the video stage show, like Mike is saying the same thing. The production was incredible. There's Pearl Jam.

Yeah. Do you mind if I, you know, leverage your 90s rock talk? Sure. Because this ties into my visit yesterday with Dave Hodge. Yep. But her hands flew from her side. You have to buy like a compilation at HMV. You're reading my mind here.

So I loved this song as well. I would hear it on CF&Y, 102.1 The Edge. And I loved it. I was already a big Pearl Jam fan. But I had to buy Sweet Relief, a benefit for Victoria Williams. So this song was written by Victoria Williams. Again, the compilation had some other great songs, too. I remember that Soul Asylum song,

A Summer of Drugs. A lot of good songs on that sweet relief, actually. But I bought it for this song. Crazy Mary. If you ask Dave Hodge, who also loves Pearl Jam, what's your favorite Pearl Jam song of all time, Dave Hodge? He'll say this cover. Fucking love it, okay?

So we started talking about this yesterday because I also madly love this song. I always believed it to be just a cover of a Victoria Williams song that's on Sweet Relief. Did you own Sweet Relief? I did. Do you remember that Soul Asylum song,

A Summer of Drugs? I do. I fucking love that song. I think I saw them play it live at Kingswood Theater. Okay, in that background there, that is Victoria Williams. Yes.

So we get a bit of her here, hold on. Last a day around. That's what you hear. I feel like One night Thunder Crash Mercy back outside of a window sill

I wanted to do a duet with me I'm fucking loving the song right now but Dave Hodge yesterday tells me that he's looking into the song like Victoria Williams obviously wrote it

but he tells me he learned somewhere online he couldn't remember where that a guy named David Pake. Oh, yeah. Do you know the name David Pato?

Well, that's why we're talking about this. So this is the keyboard player for Toto, right? Pianist, songwriter, keyboard, sure. And his brother is? Isn't it? Porcaro, his brother? No, no. Procaro's not his brother, but the Pocoro brothers are in Toto.

Steve and Jeff Pocoro. So you're my Toto man. Jeff is the drummer. Steve Pocoro was a keyboard, sometimes bass player. So I find all this. I'm starting to search this. Did they write this song? Well, okay, here's the thing.

I know what Dave Hodge is talking about. You know, I'm not going to question the legend that is Dave Hodge. But the only source for this total keyboard player, David Pake, writing this song, Crazy Mary. The only source is from songfax.com, and you can find it in searches, but actually they've been removed from the actual page. You have to look at a cached version of the page, and you do see it in Google searches, but you can't see it on the actual page. So that's the only source for this information. It's interesting because it doesn't sound like a song that they would have written. But it wouldn't surprise me because the versis...

Now, those are musicians that have versatility. That, you know, you hear Steve Lucas are on so many different styles and songs and he can do it all. David, page is like that too. Page, so not fake, it's page. Depends what country you're pronouncing. What about Canada? Page.

Pasta or pasta? Pasta. is in Canada, but pasta is... Okay, I'm doing it wrong. Okay. Yeah. Pasta.

Andy Petrillo came on and said she doesn't know a single Italian who would say pasta. They would all say pasta. Yeah, of course. So when in Rome? You know, just getting... Just to conclude this like Oasis thought

of the thing that draws a lot of people to Oasis and like hit sort of rock bands that are being referenced in the live chat. It's like the accessibility of like you can pick up a guitar and anybody with a couple guitar lessons can play in Oasis song or a Green Day song or a Kiss song

you know It's accessible It's accessible Unlike radio head Yeah So there's just like a level of That makes them more popular Just based on the fact that

You were writing songs That other people can play And like that's smart That is a smart intelligent sort of chess move To do when you're in the music Business And you're trying to sort of sell

You know Well they call it show business Stu Stone Yeah so it's like It's good on on the Gallagher's for writing that type of music. But again I just feel like there's this vibe that they are like

on the level of, you know, McCartney-Lennon or Keith Richards and Mick Jagger or whatever. But they're more on the level with Bush. They're more on the level with Bush. I agree. But Bush is good. So, so is Oasis. And Wonderwall, of course, like, people wish they had

written that song, you know? Bush X, I believe. prefer, by the way, over Bush. I actually was excited that early little things, I think, was being played a lot on 102.1, and I bought 16 stone by Bush, and I was excited to get it saying Bush because I knew it had been

re-released as Bush X because there was another Bush. But then they changed back to Bush, and my Bush was like the regular, like, I should have got the Bush X. You know what I mean? You got a trim, Mike. You got a trim. Quick little wrap up here. This is the version Victoria Williams,

but here's a mind blow for you, Stu Stone. Okay. So, South side of the town, on the wrong side of the drive. Victoria Williams, who did write this song,

doesn't release this version until after, until after Sweet Relief. So Sweet Relief, a benefit for Victoria Williams, which has Pearl Jam's cover of Crazy Mary. That is 1993, shortly after Joe was touching them all,

okay? Joe Carter, F-O-T-M. Sounds like she's sort of doing a cover of Eddie Vedder's interpolation of the song. So this is 1994's album Loose, Victoria. So it's interesting that we would all assume that this came first. Right. But Pearl Jam

came first. But I can't find any good source on the David Peake speculation that Dave Hodge was spreading on Toronto Mike yesterday. You have other examples of this type of stuff. You know, I believe

Prince, I want to say, there's like print songs that other artists Nothing compares to you He released after Manic Monday maybe Sure There's some other examples too

That I'm sure if we really dug in We could come up with reverse covers Yeah where you write a song That's a good toast episode You're 100% right You write a song It becomes a hit And then you play it

Like did Patty Smith Because the night Yeah Right I don't know Again I don't want to sound like an ignorant But I feel like maybe that's an example Yeah it's Bruce Springsteing

Yeah But I don't think he released it first I think she did, and then I think he subsequently then recorded it. Very possible. All very interesting. You're very interesting, but I don't want to say goodbye to you until we get a little update on your life. Okay, so obviously we did, you know, and then you got to go. So just do you mind telling us like what you've been up to, how you're doing?

Are you still working out? I am. Because you look amazing. Really? Give me a kiss, big guy. M-a-ya. I will say that I'm still exercising. I've changed, I've evolved.

I've evolved in my exercise. Okay, tell me. Yeah, because I used to be all about like that treadmill mic. And I would be posting all like social media updates. Right. But I got called out on that. Who called you out and what did they say? Just like people were making fun of me in a way that I deserved it.

And I was just, I deserved it because it is, you know, when I was first posting the selfies of me exercising, It wasn't necessarily for me to be like, oh, everybody, look at me. It was more like for myself to be like, I can't believe it. Look at me because like anyone who's known me for however many years they've known me would never consider me as somebody that does a shred of exercise. So it was more just like the shock to my system that I can't even believe I'm becoming this person. And that it was a pride thing of like, yeah, I'm still doing it. I'm still doing it.

So I stopped with that because. You got all the hits here. So I've changed my approach, but I'm not on the treadmill as much as I was. I'm lifting dumbbells. I'm doing push-ups. I'm doing pull-ups. You evolved. It's not just cardio, because this is what I need to do.

Yeah. I need to evolve. I just bike. Yeah. I got to lift weights too. So like I'm doing dumbbells, I'm doing push-ups, and I love pull-ups. I couldn't even do one pull-up a year ago, and now I'm doing sets of five. You're a regular Peter Gross now.

I'm loving the pull-ups. And I also, like, I'm watching what I eat a lot more than I used to. You know, I don't drink sugary drinks anymore. I used to be known as somebody that travels with a vitamin water or a snapple. I would never even show up at a place without my own drink because I just was that guy. I don't do that anymore. Good for you, man. I'm drinking coffee black.

But will you still take your pharma pasta lasagna with you? I will. How's Trudy doing? She's doing great. She's got a boyfriend. She's doing well. She's going to Florida, snowboarding with him. Is she there now?

She'll be there next week. Will she be at TMLX21? She might. Send her over because I got the song loaded up already. You covered this song for your mom. See, I wrote it first, but then I released it afterwards. I made that joke to my 11-year-old yesterday. I said, I thought it was a Leonard Cohen song.

I didn't know it was a Stu Stone. There you go. I will say, though, like professionally, things are going well. Yeah, like give us that update. Working on Dark Side of the Ring, season seven. Yes, season seven. That started since I last saw you. That wasn't a thing that we were doing.

Amazing. And I've been on the road for most of the last four months. We're filming new episodes of Dark Side of the Ring. So a whole new season is coming. Do you want to tease anybody that we can look forward to? Friend of the show, John Pollock. Oh. He's on the show.

Love that guy. He's probably listening right now. John, get your ass to TMLX 21 tomorrow. Now, here's something funny. When I was with John Pollock, interviewing him for this season, he said to me, oh, you're a big deal. I hear you on Toronto mic all the time. So I was like, wow.

You know, that's actually how I find out if someone's a real listener. Because if they're excited about Stu Stone coming on. Then they're a listener. Then they're a real listener. Yeah, I agree with you. Yeah, I met this guy who I only know was Mr. Merrick because he once taught my youngest son in school. But I met him yesterday I was picking up a soccer practice

And we were chatting And I said Because he loves the Dave Hodge episodes And he's looking for the Dave Hodge 100 I said Stu Stone's on tomorrow And he got really excited And I know it's because

That man never misses an episode There you go So he might be at TML Major shout out there You know It's And then you know A Rashmadani

He mentioned to me He mentioned to me Oh my Your name came up on Toronto Mike I'm like That's amazing So it's like

It's really It does I'm waving the Toronto I don't take a season off, Mike. Regular or playoff. I'm waving the stew stone flag. Regular season and playoff. And I know you do.

So I just want you to know the feeling is mutual. I wave your flag and I'm a proud representative of this universe that you have built. And I feel like I've laid some bricks and not shot some bricks, but I've laid some bricks. But happy to be a part of it. And looking forward to a great baseball season ahead of Blue Jays. But another year of the Toronto Mike show. And I'm looking forward to coming back to the basement over and over again next year. And for years to come, Mike, because I just love being here.

And I love having these conversations with you. And I appreciate that you allowed me to come in here and beat you up verbally for your Blue Jays. And I feel like I accept your apology. I deserve it. Are you saying I'm sorry? I never really apologize. You should apologize to me, though, for like, you know. For doubting you.

Yes. I apologize Stu Stone for doubting you. I did not believe you when you told me the 2025 Blue Jays were going to be something special. I accept your apology, Mike, and hop on because it's going to be a wild ride moving forward. And we only know each other, Stu Stone, because of the great Cam Gordon. Yeah. He came on, and he pestered me for years. He came on, and he said, you need to meet my friend Stu Stone.

He was right. He was right. And I think your first visit was when Hebsy was here. Yeah. And you crossed past. I couldn't believe. I was so starstruck by Hebsy. I think I felt, man.

So I think you alluded to the community. So I'm going to take this chance now, this opportunity. if you will, to just say I don't know how to fuck it happened. I couldn't recreate it if I tried. But here we are with this amazing community, this TMU, as I referred to it.

And these people in the TMU that means so much to me. And I know I won't see you tomorrow. I'm happy to see you right now. We're going to take our photo by Toronto Tree. But the fact that so many of these people, I'm going to see their face tomorrow. That's exciting.

I could cry. I have FOMO. That's all I ask. Get a little FOMO for me, Stu Sto. I have FOMO because... And you hang out with Patrick Swayze. I hang out with Peter Gross, Canada Kev. Yeah.

Andrew Ward, Andy Pandy, Stephanie Wilkinson, all the grumpy, Levee Fumpfell, Brian Dunn, Jeremy Hopkin. Good, look at that, Legends, you're naming. The Who's Who? The Who's Who? Kate, well, I was going to say Canada Kev, but I always said him. Hey, Ref, hopefully, we'll be there.

Like, these people mean a lot to me. And me, too. And there's people like Tyler Campbell and Camble. Gordon in the Stu Stone, who I consider friends, who I only know because they, because I started a fucking podcast. Yeah. And I'm so happy you did. And that.

And that. And that. And that. Do you notice I hit it hard because of you? Yes. And that. Pull that clip. I hit it hard because of you.

And that. And that. Brings us to the end of our 1,800th show. Did you listen to Episode 1800 from Casaloma? No, but I saw you biked over there. Yeah. That was impressive. Thank you very much.

Go to TorontoMike.com for all your Toronto mic needs and get your ass to Palma's Kitchen tomorrow. Or today, if you're listening on a Saturday. If you're listening on Saturday, November 29th, it's today. Get your ass to Palma's Kitchen in Mississauga, noon to 3 p.m. We're recording live, taking over the second floor. Come hungry, darling. Merry Christmas.

It will feed you. Happy holidays. Happy New Year. Thank you Retro Festive for those gifts you're bringing tomorrow. Can you name this one? Wait, this is a different one than the last time I was here? He changed it. Holy shit.

He belongs in the Hall of Fame. Thank you, Great Lakes Boor. Wait, I want to hear this. Okay. Poked dot door. Okay. Degrassi. Zitz.

Zit remedy. This is so fun. Wow, black, enough about black cars. Can we get off black cars already? This is awesome. That's the polka dot door. Yeah. The other one was Mr. Dressup.

Mr. D is I call him. Thank you, everybody. Kinling, Nicaynees, Recycle My Electronics.ca, Blue Sky Agency, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you tomorrow, Palma's Kitchen, TMLX-21. Thank you.