TUESDAY RUNDOWN: THE MIKE BABCOCK INTERVIEW

Who’s kidding who – the focal point of Episode #426 of The RP Show was the Hour 2 interview with new U of S Huskies mens hockey coach Mike Babcock! Read on for the rundown and the most-poignant quotes:

• RP and Dupes led off with The Warmup for Four Seasons Sports Palace covering these Quick Six show topics: 1) Monday’s NHL leftovers (the Leafs were undermanned in a 3-0 loss to the Flames, 2) We’re not touching the Artemi Panarin story!, 3) In defense of the CFL — they’re doing all they can, 4) Scotties talk (Rod wonders what happens to the championship banner if a Wild Card team wins?), 5) Okay Blue Jays! Toronto faces the Yankees on Sunday, and 6) Warriors GM Alan Millar steps down to join Hockey Canada but will stay with Moose Jaw for at least the next two months.
• Longtime Blue Jays first base coach Tim Leiper had to re-schedule so Team Dunstone second Kirk Muyres joined the show from the Calgary bubble. He analyzed some sloppy curling over the first four days of the Scotties but figures it’ll stabilize by week’s end. Regarding a Wild Card team winning the Scotties, Kirk figures the banner would go to their home curling club. He’s not concerned about rust for Team Dunstone when the Brier opens. Ontario’s Rachel Homan is in her third trimester of pregnancy, hadn’t thrown a rock since November, and is unbeaten in Calgary!
• Telemiracle committee chairman Brian Angstadt joined the show to preview this weekend’s Telemiracle 45 on CTV and encouraged Saskies to buy 50/50 tickets at www.telemiracle5050.ca
• In Hour 2 we re-upped the Quick Six and then were joined by Winnipeg broadcaster Brian Munz. Munzie said Winnipeggers are getting onboard with the Jets whom are solidifying a playoff spot. He feels it’s too early to declare a winner in the Laine/PLD trade. Regarding the start of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose season, Brian feels they’re a solid club and it’s been a huge benefit to the Jets to be sharing a facility with their top farm team, especially in these pandemic times.
• And finally, the interview we were all waiting for. New Huskies coach Mike Babcock joined the show from Colorado and said he took the Huskie job primarily because it was a chance to come home. Regarding the last year and a half since being fired by Toronto, Babs said it’s been tremendous. Regarding why he chose now to break his silence, Babcock said, “I really appreciate being on. I took a long time … the people in hockey when I got fired said ‘Hey Babs don’t say anything’ so I just, to be honest with you, went hunting and skiing, but after awhile, you get tired of hearing some of the things. I think it’s important you get to say some of the things, your piece, but I also think it’s important … none of us are perfect and we’re all trying to get better. You embrace lifelong learning. That’ll be another great thing about going back to the school. And you try to get better. That’s all you can do. I’m excited to come back to Saskatchewan, like I said, family’s so important, my in-laws, can’t wait to be around em. The U of S program that I’m pumped up about, it’ll be fun to get involved!”
• The daily Capital Auto Mall/Universal Collision Centre poll question was: Where will the Blue Jays finish in 2021? At press time, 2nd place was leading with 51% of the vote.
  Tuesday’s show is available for viewing now on our Facebook page, you can catch the replay at 4:00 pm ET on Game+, listen to the podcast by clicking on the CONTENT tab at the top of this page or listen anytime to our 24-hour live audio feed at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive.
• See you at 11 am CT/12 pm ET Wednesday on Game+ and YouTube/Facebook Live!