Ron MacLean surprised me at the start of the latest edition of brioux.tv: the podcast. The Hockey Night in Canada anchor and host of Battle of the Blades (airing Thursdays on CBC) was asked, as is every guest, just why the heck he was talking to me on the podcast. I ask this each episode
I’ve heard of playoff beards, but this is ridiculous. I tuned in to Sportsnet Tuesday for the resumption of NHL hockey only to see that commentator Elliotte Friedman had turned into San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton. They both need to see Bill Barber! As for the action on the ice, for me, the empty
The new CTV series Transplant stars Hamza Haq as Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed, a Syrian refugee who fled in hopes of starting a new life in Canada. Bash’s second chance comes at Toronto’s York Memorial Hospital, where the foreign-trained MD must repeat his residency in order to work in the emergency department. The actor who
First, Hockey Night in Canada got rid of The Coach. Then The Leafs got rid of their coach. Both moves seem to have a winning feel so far. Week Two of Hockey Night in Canada PC (Post Cherry) saw a slick, speedy and timely approach to how the first intermission segment can add value for
On Tuesday, I posted a ratings report pertaining to last Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada telecast. I’ve been challenged on some of the data, so, with an assist from the Sportsnet numbers crunchers, I’m taking another run at them here. Reporting on HNiC ratings is a bit tricky as the audience can be seen as
There are two things Canadians are usually very good at – hockey, and saying sorry. Ron MacLean tried to combine the two Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada following the dismissal this past Monday of his long-time pulpit mate Don Cherry. There were mixed results. MacLean, smarting from a week of sleepless nights, stickhandled
Don Cherry often boasted that his first intermission segment on Hockey Night in Canada drew higher ratings than that week’s actual game. How true that statement was over the many years is a matter for Numeris to verify. One thing is for sure, however — it will be true this Saturday night. Curiosity is building
I have a great fondness for Don Cherry. The Hockey Night in Canada icon has granted me some memorable interviews over the years, dating back to my days at TV Guide and The Toronto Sun. We would talk about his vintage Lincoln Mark VI’s, Bobby Orr, and my dad’s stint in the Provost Corps during