Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Toronto Mike'd #48

Episode Date: August 16, 2013

Mike and guest co-host Mike Muzzin discuss Muzzin's heroic decision to give his father a kidney, their mutual love of The Great One and how close Muzzin was to being invited to Mike's wedding.

Welcome to the 48th episode of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything, often with a distinctly Toronto flavour. I'm Mike from torontomic.com. Joining me this week is Mike Muzzin from iTechs. And hosting this audio file are the good people at Core Fusion. And hosting this audio file are the good people at Core Fusion. From one mic to another. How you doing, buddy? Doing great. How you doing?

You have a great name. I love that name. It's a great name. It's a legendary name. Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson. Michael Joseph Muzzin. Also, Michael Joseph Jackson. No relation.

No relation because you have a resemblance. Of course I do. But you're not related. We share actually, on an off note, and you can see this but listeners can't, we share the same skin condition. Vitalogy. Vitilio. Yeah, that one. Close enough.

Oh yeah, Vitalogy is a Pearl Jam album. That's right. Which is great. Oh yeah. On my desk right now is a Pearl Jam book. I love that yeah it's uh i mean they're great in their own right absolutely spin the black circle so what's new with you mr muzzin you were a guest uh once before on the mighty toronto mic podcast and then i got suspended and you got suspended it's an off-ice suspension and then since that time i've been working crazy and then

i just got back from california it was a great trip and it was all good it was uh business or pleasure in california it was both actually the first part was business the second part was in fact pleasure so you're gonna write it off uh part of it yes part of it's a write-off doesn't that's what i mean i go to work i'll go to amsterdam for work but then it's like before i come home we got to go to italy or something i did last year into paris and dublin because you're going to be paid to go to europe and you're paid to come back from europe so while you're in europe spend a few bucks and see what's going on that's right europe doesn't mind their economy is so good you know oh you're italian

descent do you want to know i'm going to like floren And I'm going, you ever heard of Florence? Maybe once or twice. Why? What's the one of the gondolas? Venice. Venice. And we have a short visit to Pisa. So it's like we're only there for like a few hours. So I'll check out that leaning tower so I can say I saw it.

And then Rome. Wow. And then on the way back, there's some deal in Iceland where you can stay as long as you want or something. And there's these thermal pools. And it's like, I'm going to be swimming outside in Iceland. I'm going to stay there for a couple of days before I go home. When are you going for this? October.

Wow, very cool. Wow, I'm jealous. You want to come? Like just the two of us? Because I don't know if our wives would... I promised Monica because I told her the Rome stuff, the Italy stuff is actually a honeymoon. So I might... I'm going to have you sleep on the couch.

I'm cool with that. Cool. I'll let Monica know. So I have a question. Do you ever take... You have a young son. Have you guys ever... Do you own a cottage or do you rent a cottage or do you have a friend who has a cottage?

Do you have a cottage? Okay. Well, first things first, i commuted for a long time so i lived in caledon kind of most of my life so long story short the answer is no because i don't like the idea of sitting in traffic on a friday or sunday so i don't have a cottage but i do like to go up to you know resorts now and then up in northern ontario because i love that experience okay i just spent last weekend near Huntsville, sort of on your way to Algonquin, I guess. There's White Birches Cottage Resorts, and I stayed there, and it was the best weekend

because you have Lakefront Cottage for the weekend, and you can get it for longer, obviously, and you have access to all their stuff. You can just take their canoe whenever you want or the kayaks. I hours on the kayaks we all went on a canoe trip that's the life i'm telling you man a beautiful lake up in muskoka just on a kayak there's nothing better yeah it's it's a fantastic experience i love like i said the resort aspect i love doing that and grabbing the kayaks and going and there's you know the trails and there's nothing like that Northern, just like what you're saying, that Northern Ontario, it's very Canadian. It's very part of being in this country.

It's such a great experience. Do you have a camp? I like a camp, like a site. Like tent camp, like where you drive to a provincial park or something. Sort of anti-camping. So why are you anti-camping? I love camping. I've camped. I camped as a young man and then I stopped for a bit. And then when I had kids, I started camping again. So I've camped like 10 years in a row. Why do you not enjoy camping? Because I think I've switched gears.

I've now gone to the resort aspect. But don't get me wrong. What if I said you could have an air mattress? Because this seems to be the big deal with old guys like you and I. I am not old, but okay. What if I said you could have an air mattress in your tent that changes things it does and it doesn't and i'll tell you why because the last three times i have gone camping nothing i'm a big man but that air mattress has deflated

to the ground so i wake up with sore back and it does deflate like every every night i have to re so what's up with that i don't know it's they only make them so well but uh i find if you sleep with somebody the problem is like i i just slept with monica on an air mattress and she weighs like nothing she's like 100 pounds or something so it's like i she rolls into me because i'm like the heavy side the heavy side and i'm not a big like yourself you know i'm not a big guy i'm like 150 pounds but i'm a lot heavier than she is. And she rolls into me all night. Like it's tough to keep the air mattress firm.

Yeah, but that's not exactly a bad thing if your wife's rolling into you all night. No, it's not a bad thing. Especially because you're newlywed. We are a newlywed. Yes, it was a wonderful thing. I don't mind it at all. Sometimes she does it on the bed here and it's fine, you know, just. She does what on the bed?

She'll roll on me. Oh, okay, okay. And I'm totally cool with it. Okay, so you're not a camper and you like the resorts. I prefer the resorts. I'm not sure if people have heard or I'm sure they have. Delawant Inn, I'm sure lots of your listeners have. And it was a fantastic resort.

I use the term was because it just closed up this year. What? Yeah, but it was a great place. I worked there for a summer when I was younger. It's a tremendous place to go and spend weeks or weekends. And it's a lot of fun. And how are things professionally with iTex? Last time, I don't think we ever referred to what iTex was.

Do you want to do a brief little rundown? Tell us what iTex is. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. iTex stands for International Trade Exchange. It's the largest barter company in North America. And I have a franchise here for the Ontario market. And basically what we do is work with small businesses and help them transact for themselves or for their business without spending cash by trading their goods and services. So that's kind of it in a nutshell. And our job all day long is to enroll

new members and businesses and then help them create transactions for themselves or for their business without cash. I did some work for the great Humble and Fred once and they paid me in iTex dollars. And I have used these dollars for the wedding. We rented those chairs. How were the chairs? They were so beautiful and comfortable. And we got the flowers.

I think it was flowers. Yeah, the flowers. Yeah. And now that we're real estate tycoons, just bought a place, we are using these iTex dollars for real estate lawyer stuff. Perfect. I know. Perfect example of how to properly and usefully redeem your iTex dollars.

Absolutely. And I did my wedding as well, or portions of it anyway, and it's a great experience to use i6 dollars. It saves you, you know, a lot of money. And especially if you have like a great service or a product that you have that's, uh, you know, idle or, you know, uh, you have some inventory that you can move. It's a tremendous tool for business to use and, and yourself, you've used it perfectly. So it's great.

Thank you very much. I do my best. Hey, we, there was a big story i wanted you to tell on the last episode you appeared on and then okay we never got to it but i want you to tell this story now you know the story i'm talking about right it's probably the if i'm thinking it is it's the biggest story of probably my life yes tell can you you tell a good story, Mr. Muzzin? I want you to paint a picture here of why this selfless act was required and why you did it and how you feel about it. Now, tell us about this. Occurrence? Occurrence, yeah.

This act. Talk to me. Okay. Well, anyways, uh, I guess back in early 2007, um, my parents called a quote unquote family meeting. So we showed up at, uh, at the house and, um, we had, uh, everybody was there and significant others were there and so on. And, um, my, my parents, uh, together decided to announce that my father was suffering from kidney disease. That's what it's called? Kidney disease? Kidney disease, yeah. It needs a better name.

It probably would be nicer if there was another name, but I guess at the time, that's what it is. And so at that point, obviously, we were in um, after what we were just told. And, you know, he, you know, he's emotional of course. And he was, um, you know, I think obviously pretty sad and, and, you know, a lot of uncertainty in terms of what the future held at that point. And, um, I guess, you know, and my dad and I are pretty tight and, specifically, I took it, I think, probably the hardest. And, you know, I guess I don't want to take away anything from my brother and sister, but I think I took it the hardest. You know, I was pretty upset about it. And it turned out that he had been living with this for many years and didn't disclose it to us, I guess, just because he cared about us and didn't want us to worry about him.

Which speaks to him and to my parents and how my mom and my dad are as people. And so, you know, there was some adjustment in terms of understanding what was happening, what was happening to him and what would happen to him in the near future. So one of the very first things I thought of was, hey, I have two kidneys, I want to donate one. And of course, my father, you know, my mom mom being the way they are, they were like, no, you're not doing that. You know, he'll go on dialysis. So my dad said, I'll go on dialysis and we'll get through it. And I said, no, I'm donating. I'm donating, donating. And after repeated attempts of no, I ended up just showing up at one of his doctor's appointments and they were shocked to see me

there. And I went to the doctor and I said, look, part of the reason I'm here is to support my dad, but also that I want to, you know, you to kind of tell him to say, look, your son wants to donate, so let me donate. So the doctor looked at me and looked at my dad and said, if your son wants to donate, it's because he loves you and he wants you to get better. So my father relented and agreed. So then at that point became the process of me going through the testing period, if you will, to see if I was a candidate to donate. In the end, I was. And on December 13, 2007, this year will be six years. In fact, or we in fact had the operation where I would remove or they would remove one of my kidneys and deposit it into my father. So how is he doing now? So after six years, he's in tremendous health.

His health is excellent. And doctors are pleased and happy with everything that's transpired. His meds are reduced dramatically. And he's living really well. So we're all very happy and pleased. That's awesome. And are there any negative effects to giving a kidney? I have no idea.

Like, do you suffer at all for this selfless act? Other than the slice me open aspect, no. I guess at the time, you know, when you're recuperating after the procedure, it's, I guess, more difficult on the donor as opposed to the recipient. Sure. So as a donor, my recovery time was like six weeks in full and they did it. Um, uh, they, they do it, um, forgetting the medical term right now, but, uh, oh my God, I'm trying to blank. But anyways, it was, it was less invasive than a, than a direct slice open where the kidney would be and taking it out. Would you like to see the scar?

Yeah. What do you think I'm going to say? Of course. I'm now... He's practically... Can you see it? The light? Can you see it here?

Okay. Yeah. I now see the scar. So it's like you got your appendix removed or something. Bigger than that, maybe. Little, because appendix aren't really necessary, but a kidney is. So my left kidney, for those that are... No, listen, I'm not...

I called it selfless twice. I'm just joking. I can honestly tell you, first of all, you give me a great idea. First of all, as soon as my son's like, I don't know, 25 years old, I'm going to have a family meeting and tell them that I have kidney disease

just to see if he will offer his kidney to me. Don't you dare do that. You're going to put your family through that? I'm going to find out whether my son loves me as much as you love your dad. I'm sure he does. James is a wonderful boy. It's a good idea, right?

I would not do that. But I think the theory is good. But maybe you could just ask him if he loves you. The thing is, I like this story because I don't have... You know, you're so tight with your dad, you gave him a kidney. So first question I have is like at Christmas or at his birthday, like, do you still give him a gift?

Or do you like, I gave you a kidney six years ago? Well, let me tell you something really interesting though. Yeah. During the procedure, we found out afterwards that like typically what happens is when the kidney is, I guess once it's removed from me and once it's put in my dad, typically in most cases when that happens is it takes prompting.

In my father's case, there was no prompting. It started working immediately as soon as it was, uh, as soon as it was surgically implanted in my father. So he, uh, doctors were shocked, but yet obviously very happy and pleased that there was no additional prompting required to start working immediately. So I think it was a testament to, you know, uh, that it was meant to be so to speak. And, um, so. But you're off the hook. You're like a lifetime of Christmas and birthday gifts. You're off the hook. I can see you're tied into the gift thing. Um, you know, I look at it like if you hand him something like

a shirt or something, like, is he like, thanks for the shirt, but you gave me a kidney. You know, to be honest with you, he is that way. In many respects, he is that way. And he does send me a card and he constantly says... How does he give you a decent gift? Like, what is he giving you? Like a high five stereo, a new car? No, you know what?

Let me back up. Did he buy you that nice house? No, let me back up a little bit. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my parents and you're obviously the same and all the listeners are the same. So I think I've lived a good life and I've been blessed

and I'm always appreciative of that. Having said that, I wouldn't be able to have or be able to do the things I've done if I wasn't given life by my parents. So for me, it was by far and away the easiest decision I could ever make and that's an all-honest okay so you love your dad like i obviously i would give my son a kidney if i could

i know you would i have a question where's your line like if humble howard needed a kidney let's say you had both your kidneys well howard might need a liver but you can't give a liver how many livers you got you can actually give a piece of your liver to grow back would you give humble howard a piece of your liver it depends on how Would you give Humble Howard a piece of your liver? It depends on how much money he's going to give me. Okay, so you'd sell it. Okay. I just want to know where the line is.

Like, would a sibling, you said you had a sister. Would you give your sister some of your liver? I'd give my sister and my brother anything they needed. Yeah, okay. So your brother and sister and your mom and dad get whatever they want. Yeah, I'm out of kidneys, though. I can't give another one. No more kidneys.

But what about the next level? Like, would an uncle get a part of your liver? Yeah, absolutely. Especially like my uncle Carl. He's been a tremendous influence in my life. What about me? Maybe in a few more years. So, because we've only started two years. I actually was doing the math today because Humble and Fred's podcast started in October 2011. And I started coming around just before that. Right. So, i must have met you like almost exactly two years ago yeah that sounds about right yeah um so you have to put in some time but i didn't go to your wedding no but so where's the threshold so you you'll get a wedding invite before you get a kidney that's actually a fair point that's a fair one and uh i think if my

wedding was in two years i I think you would be there. Just two years? Maybe another six months. That's better. You were close. You were close, man. I was on the cusp. I was on the bubble.

We had these levels. You were so close. I can't tell you how close you were. I really appreciate being so close to you. Actually, there was no one at the wedding that I picked from my side that I have known for as much time or less than I've known you. So if you look at it, like everyone there, I knew a minimum six or seven years was like the minimum, I think. That's fair. I can appreciate that.

And it's not like I'm just letting you know. It's not like I invited any of those other goons at work at 30th Street or anything like that. Humble and Fred were the only two from that world. It's not like Kinder showed up up or whatever that's true because he would have kicked open a window and he he's just aggressive so kinder kicks that window because they let him go since then so we shouldn't speak ill of the dead i liked kinder but he's not doing other things but i thought it was funny to bring up the fact that kicked the window so he so i don't know has that story been told i don't know it hasn't been told you know what i don't know the story in its entirety. I know a bit of it. I was there that day, but I came later, and the door was, like, broken.

And apparently, yeah, he kicked in this, like, fire exit or something. Well, from my understanding, the door was rather stuck or jammed. So to give it a bit of, quote-unquote, push, he jammed his whole leg through it and cut his leg open. They should send him a bill for fixing the door. That would be like insult to injury. For what it's worth, I think they sent the bill to the quote unquote goons at 30th Street. So I think you're...

But which goons? Because I like some of them. So Humble and Fred, did they get the invoice? I don't know if they got the actual bill. We should find out if they got an invoice. I'll find out. I'll send an email. Okay, so the kidney story is inspiring.

I'm glad you have this relationship with your dad because i have no relationship with my dad i'm sort of aware of that and i don't know nothing he wasn't at the wedding either look at the bright side muzzin you and my dad got the same level of invitation to my wedding or non-invitation correct correct so i think i love your story and i'm i'm so happy to hear your dad's doing well after six years and you have no ill effects after that recovery. This is a great story and I love it. Some people ask me what was the best barter deal I ever did and I jokingly refer to that story because my father gave me life. I gave him life back. I know, but his life was like two seconds of pleasure. There's your life. You know what I mean? You had to go through this whole cut me open, take something out, wait six weeks.

Yeah, I understand. But again, when I look at what my parents have done for me and they gave me life, it was really an easy thing to do. Although he really said no. I really had to push for it. I'm like, please, let me donate an organ. He's a good guy. He's a good guy. Now, did you go to the the cne as a kid a couple times you're not a cne guy i'm not a cne guy so you won't be going there this summer i probably won't but once my son gets older

i'll probably want to go take him to the midway or whatever yeah all that stuff smell it and part of again part of torontonia and it's something to do in August in Toronto. Absolutely. I worked at the C&E for three summers. That was a great picture. Yeah, that's the only picture I have of me working. I managed a booth called Papa Ball, which is no longer there. And I did it for a company called Astro Zodiac Enterprises.

So it wasn't Conklin. It was one of the smaller groups. And it was the best time. They'd give you a season pass. So you'd be there. The X used to be 20 days. You'd have to come all 20 days. You worked all 20 days. There's no days off. You work all 20 days. You make great cash for a summer gig like that before you go back to school. I did it when I was 15, 16, and 17. And it was the best memories. And I wrote about them on my site if anybody wants

to read some of my CNE memories. But every year at this time, it all floods back to me. some of my CNE memories. But every year at this time, it all floods back to me, you know? Yeah, it's, I mean, I know it's part of being in Toronto at this time of year. And look, at the end of the day, it's a good experience.

I don't know about some of the eating type of dishes I've heard about. Like the 1600. That's a new phenomenon. Like we didn't have that. Back in the day, you had shopsies and they had just regular kind of, the 99 cent spaghetti was always popular or whatever.

Yeah. Now it's 1600 calorie donut sandwiches. I think that's because that's what gets attention right now. That's funny. That's what gets attention. I would never partake in those silly diet things. I'll still go to the food building and I'll grab maybe a 99 cent spaghetti or some of the tiny Tom donuts or like, or maybe a whatever, something, you know, but I don't, I don't

go for this crazy cronut. That's the new one. Is that what it's called? What's the CRO part of it? What is that? Oh, shoot. It's like a croissant donut or maybe it's a croissant meets a donut. I should look into that. I just see the name cronut, but that's what I would guess.

Okay, okay, okay. Fair enough. So you have no C&E stories. Sorry to draw nothing there for you. What I have noticed for the past two years knowing you, i i really like you i really i really like you too i won't i would we just winked at each other i love you but uh what i noticed is you you and i have something we have a lot that we disagree on but there's something we totally agree on and that is the great one okay i grew up like you did i'm sure in oh you're a little younger but not much younger

but in the 80s it was like there was not a lot of Maple Leaf stuff going on. You had a couple of little playoff runs to get you going, but there was a lot of disappointment in the Norris division. That's very true. We sucked. We sucked. We had Wendell Clark. We had Rick Vibe, and then we had Wendell Clark.

And we had Gary Lehman and Vince Domfuss and Olchuk. Yeah, Eddie Olchuk, who I met at the X one year I was working there. But okay, so what we, I don't know if you and I have the same story, but what I did was I adopted a second team through the 80s. Okay, so I had my Leafs were my team, and I adopted the Edmonton Oilers in about, I watched Gretzky hoist the cup for the first time when they beat the Islanders and they won their first cup. I was at my grandmother's house. I watched it on CBC.

1984. 83? 84. 83? 84. 83, 84 season. Yes. We're both right.

They hoisted in 84. Sure, yeah. Probably in May. Sure. That's back in the good old days when it was over before June. But I loved Wayne gretzky i used to read books on wayne gretzky and i would just like i idolized the great one like he could do no wrong and i would read about he'd be like a 10 year old and he'd score like i don't know

390 goals in a season or something and i'd be reading about in this book and i would be at swansea i played at renny park and i i would i remember i ended one season with two assists no goals and it was like my most prolific offensive season. I didn't have your scoring touch. As an adult, I can score. But as a kid, I didn't score. I never scored. I was the same way. I can score now. Although I didn't play this last

winter, my first winter, I didn't play in a long time. But I want to play next winter. But when I play now as an adult, I have more of a scoring touch, like an instinct. And I have better hands. And I know how to make a move and how to deke. I'm better. But as a kid, I have more of a scoring touch, like an instinct. And I have better hands. And I know how to make a move and how to deke. And I'm better. But as a kid, I couldn't put it together.

Yeah, I didn't become a better hockey player until I was about 17, 18. But Gretzky had it going on. Gretzky was playing at two. Yeah, his dad, Walter in Brantford, would have an outdoor rink for him. And I mean, I recently went to the Hall of Fame and there was like a Gretzky wing and it was like, it was just amazing to be there. So I just wondered, why did you adopt Wayne Gretzky? Is it just what us Canadian kids did? I think that's part of what led to it. I mean, you know, we didn't have the influences of things like internet or internet video or things like that. But I think at the time, and hockey in many respects is made up of this,

you're talking about legendary type stories. And so you heard about this kid from Brantford who was piling up two, three hundred point seasons and it got obviously national attention, not just provincial attention. But that's before our time. I don't know, since you're younger than me, I can probably guarantee that you weren't hearing

about 15-year-old Wayne Gretky's uh prowess in real time uh at 15 no no i wasn't but i mean um you know now you did like like for example with sydney you heard yeah i was sitting you did as soon as you heard he did 14 15 you heard about this kid named sydney crosby from i blogged about harvard 15 because gretzky apparently said he was the next one when he was 15 because he was breaking records and I'm like okay that's the guy to watch

like these guys you'd watch like Tavares Stamkos like even Lindros was like the first one really that in my lifetime

he was the guy you watch because I kind of miss Mario Lemieux too like him as a I didn't catch his junior career well with Mario playing in the queue

is different but with Lindros playing you know for Oshawa then you know you could easily go see him play a junior so okay so but Gretzky is just uh just like my son today likes Sidney Crosby uh it's just because he's your Canadian hero of the day well I think the the differentiation with Sidney is is that you know you know he's only ever played in the US in terms of professionally, but also he scored the golden goal for Canada. He has now become part of that Canadian hockey lore. And he's the best player in the world.

And by a country mile as far as I'm concerned. I don't think it's even close. I'm with you. I'm with you. He's such a joy to watch. Some of the things he can do, people just don't even know how to comprehend. He can catch a breakout pass with his skates and kick it up to the top of the stick.

And he works at it, and you know it. He's not one of those... Ovechkin, I think he had this talent, and I think for a little while, he thought his talent could carry him. I don't think he put into his game what Crosby did. Crosby, you get the idea, you see it in that 24-7 documentary.

He won't go to the club that night. He'll kind of get an early sleep so he can wake up and do his drills or whatever. his game what Crosby did Crosby you get the idea like you see it in that 24-7 documentary like he won't go to the club that night he'll kind of get an early sleep so he can wake up and do his drills or whatever like he's always working on his shit you know what's funny with Crosby I think in many respects he understands his place in Canadian hockey and he understands the value that he represents and so I think he has the knowledge and understanding that, hey, I'm looked upon as, you know, what's the best way to put it? I'm looked upon as a role model by young Canadians. I'm going to say boys and girls.

He gets that part, that he's a role model. And I don't think anybody's really gotten that since Gretzky, to be quite honest. So I think that kind of sets him apart as well. And so when you take that into consideration, you really have to, you know, appreciate what Crosby's both done for Canada and done for hockey are very, very good things.

Nothing to be said negative about him. Did you have Gretzky sheets as a kid? I don't think I did. I think I had NHL sheets as a kid. But I have a tremendous amount of Gretzky memorabilia now. I collect as much as I can without spending too much money. I recorded his last game

to vhs i still have a video did you i did yeah i have gretzky's last game on vhs i threw it out about a week ago no you didn't i did i was like what's the point why am i gonna keep this thing i can watch this online yeah i i haven't reached the point like i have a few like i have the very last game at exhibition stadium on vhs like i recorded these certain moments. So I have the last game at exhibition stadium in which George Bell ends it with a Homer. It was a great game. So I have that. Yeah.

And I have the last game of Gretzky's life and I have a few other, I have a wrestling match. I participated in high school, but we won't go there. What was your nickname in wrestling? The great one. Are you kidding? No,

come on. Same nickname I have nickname in wrestling? The great one. Are you kidding? No, come on. Same nickname I have today. The not so great one. but back. So Gretzky, Gretzky is a true Canadian hero and I, I have great memories of him and, ready for this fun fact.

I'm going to pay my first visit to Edmonton at the end of the month. Oh, are you really? Wow. I have a wedding in Edmonton and it turns out there's, this is, I don't know. I don't want to bash Edmonton because I married a wedding in Edmonton and it turns out there's, this is, I don't know. I don't want to bash Edmonton because I married a girl from Edmonton and she, she agrees. There's actually nothing to do in Edmonton. So we're actually going to fly to

Calgary and drive to Banff. Okay. Because there's things there like Calgary and then Banff and Jasper and stuff. You'll love it. Like there's actually things to look at and beautiful things. But once you get to Edmonton, it's, they call it the the locals call it deadminton oh wow that's not good and i know i hate to say this because everyone loves their hometown and if i was born in edmonton i'm probably be edmonton mike and i'd probably love it but it's like there's highways and there's like a big mall and you got a place where the oilers play and but you don't have anything to hook into yeah i mean i mean, I mean like... Like as a tourist.

Like internet? Okay. No, I've been there. I went there actually in 88, the summer he was traded. 25 years ago. Yeah, yeah. Did you talk about that at all recently?

Yeah, I did, yeah. And, you know, so I was there the summer he was traded and it's a great area to go to. I love the whole Banff Jasper experience. It was great. The Calgary Stampede, we did all that. So that was a lot of fun.

Well, I won't be doing the Stampede, but I will get to see the Jasper Banff stuff. Here's a question though, with regards to the great one. Is the statue still there? Better be. Because you're going to take a picture with it? I'm wondering, I heard there was something about the statue no longer being there,

but I don't know if that's incorrect or not. I will let you know. I'm there at the end of the month. I hope it better be there. I'm wondering, I heard there was something about the statue no longer being there, but I don't know if that's incorrect or not. I will let you know. I'm there at the end of the month. Yeah, I'm sure. I hope it better be there. I'm pretty sure it is, but I heard that we can have Ted Rogers here. They better have the great one in Edmonton. Yeah, good point.

You know what? Maybe what I'm thinking is when they build a new arena, are they moving the statue? Maybe that's what I was thinking of, but I'm not entirely sure. But yeah, I definitely will check it out and let you know. But speaking of Wayne Gretzky being a Canadian hero, another Canadian hero who I grew up admiring was Terry Fox. Yeah. And I just want to let people listening know that I am running

in the Terry Fox run on September 15th at High Park. And on my site, there's a link. If anybody wants to pledge my run, I would like to raise as much money as I can for this excellent cause as I run for Terry. Well, congratulations. It's a tremendous time of year to pay homage to Terry Fox and what he did and his sacrifice.

And it's funny when you look back, although you appreciated what he did, you really get a better appreciation as time has gone on as far as I'm concerned. A marathon a day on one leg. Yeah. I mean, people don't really understand the scope. A marathon a day on one leg. Yeah. I mean, people don't really understand the scope of what he did. And, you know,

I love watching a Terry Fox movie and I'll definitely show that to my son and future children. Oh, I praise Terry. My kids, I praised him

from the get-go. Yeah, speaking of great role models, like talk about bravery. Like this guy's 20 years old. Yeah. People don't realize that. They don't, you know,

they started with some guy who ran across Canada on one leg. No, it's way way more than that so he got halfway there and then he only stops because his cancer returns and he has to stop and then he passes away shortly thereafter it's there's a hero for you yeah he really really is and you know we're actually blessed in canada as far as i'm concerned with respect to you know how many great role models we have had and there's a long list of them and terry fox is you know, how many great role models we have had. And there's a long list of them. And Terry Fox is, you know, probably top five, you know, same as Gretzky or, you know,

others that have made their mark. And, you know, those people are great role models for our kids, for sure. And Eugene Levy. And Eugene Levy. No question. And that brings us to the end of our 48th show. You can follow me on Twitter at Toronto Mike and Mike Muzzin at Michael Muzzin.

At Michael Muzzin. I got to. Yeah, I was waiting for more. Too many Mikes. There's no dot com at the end. So at Michael Muzzin. See you all next week. Thank you.