THROWIN’ ELBOWS WITH BRENDAN MCGUIRE
1. WHY WE DON’T NEED LIVE SPORTS ON TV: Ever since we got our first cable television subscription on the farm when I was in high school, I’ve been a creature of habit: Whenever the TV is on, sit there and stare at the mindless loop of sporting highlights. Not anymore. This shutdown thing has made me branch out. I watched a movie this week. I watched the news. I even turned the damn thing off and read a book. I even did some housework. It wasn’t all bad. It felt even … good. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t wish these last few weeks on anyone. But the lack of live on-air game entertainment hasn’t been all that bad.
2. DR PHIL: Did you know he’s not even a licensed physician anymore? I heard a certain Saskatchewan radio station owner complain over the weekend that this shutdown is unnecessary as Dr. Phil says COVID-19 is no worse than SARS was. I’m going to suggest that if you think SARS is the same thing as COVID-19, then you probably aren’t paying very close attention.
3. BEST SPORTS ON TV TODAY: The retro baseball has been the best. But the classic Montreal Expos on TSN games are the bee’s knees. That MLB on TSN jingle is a nice blast from the past from watching games in my grandma’s basement before we got cable. I miss live sports but I miss the Expos even more.
4. GREY CUP WE SHOULD GET: Since 2020 isn’t happening, let’s be real folks, then 2022 should be our target year. It’ll be easier for everyone around her to get their crap together and let the league stick with their scheduled plans to host in Hamilton for 2021. And besides, waiting an extra year on top of this one will make it that much sweeter to host in the new play pen.
5. ANTHONY LEBLANC TO OTTAWA SENATORS: The leader of the CFL’s bid for Halifax moving to the Ottawa Senators tells us two things: A) Eugene Melnyk is running out of friends and fast. B) This CFL-to-Halifax thing is going nowhere fast. Hope I’m wrong but I think I’m right.
6. WORST SPRING-TIMES IN A GENERATION: Humboldt crash in 2018 and now this in 2020. Just a miserable couple of springs just 2 years apart. Just pray to whomever you pray to that this will mostly be over in a few more weeks and that these things don’t come in 3’s.
7. HOW TO START MLB: Huddle everyone up at the spring training facilities down in Florida and Arizona, if they aren’t already. Draft up a reduced schedule of Cactus and Grapefruit League, play the game in empty stadiums and put them on TV. Bingo bango.
8. HOW TO START THE NFL: You actually can practice physical distancing while stretching and doing drills. But once training camps start, sequester everyone into college dorms and stay there for the season. Again, put the games on TV. Granted, the people running the NFL aren’t rocket scientists but luckily, they don’t have to be. It ain’t that complicated.
9. BEST PART OF SHUTDOWN: Not being inundated with Maple Leafs propaganda. Could you imagine if they had made the playoffs again? I feel like we dodged a bullet.
10. MORE BINGE-WATCHING FOR SELF-ISOLATION: THE LAST DANCE about Michael Jordan’s last year with the Chicago Bulls is pretty good through 2 episodes but my favorite has been all games from both the ’92 and ’93 world series. MLB Network’s MR OCTOBER explaining the legend of Reggie Jackson in New York is pretty sweet, too and you can watch it on Sportsnet. But most of this stuff on YouTube, anyway and let’s be honest, who needs cable anymore, right? Especially right now.
(Follow Brendan on Twitter at @brendanhowardmc)
2. SARS IS one of the family of coronaviruses. And belugas & killer whales are both whales but hardly the same thing. 4. Don’t see how the Cup goes to Regina in 2021 when it’s already spoken for so, sure, go for 2022. Besides the East could use the cash etc after being so hard hit. 7 & 8. Actually, yes, it is complicated. No need to get into all the reasons why. But if you let sports do it, there’ll be lots of reasons to let others do it. Sports writer, owner, player etc alert. Yes, you are a… Read more »
I got a call from one of my buddies who knows I post here who thought I was insensitive to those who have lost their jobs due to sports being shut down. Let me be perfectly clear. It is governments in Canada & elsewhere who have deemed sports to not be one of the essential services – not I. I can’t offhand think of one country hard hit by COVID19 who have not shut down sports along with a lot of other services deemed non-essential. It’s pretty much universally agreed. And the federal government has billions in packages to help… Read more »
I enjoy your youthful takes on life. 1) Technically all we need is air and water, a little food. Life is made up of a lot of experiences and outlets, and sports on TV is a lot of fun. It can be a welcome distraction from other things. It’s all about moderation. Sitting in front of an idiot box can have detrimental effects. On the other hand I grew up with a Satellite dish and had WTBS in the 1980s. If you are a HOF baseball voter – do you know how many people missed the boat not putting Atlanta… Read more »