The Bob McCown Podcast

Bob and John start the week with Richard Deitsch as the three focus on the Toronto Blue Jays and the team’s grocery list of problems before ending the show with an Olympic wrap-up now that the Games are officially over.

Paul Jones checks back into the show a little earlier than expected, as he, Bob, and John react to the disappointing loss to France in men’s Olympic basketball action. With expectations of at least competing for a medal, what does this loss mean for Canada Basketball and its future? Bob, John, and Paul try to answer that question and more on today’s show, taking a look at how the tournament’s format did not lend Canada any favors in their return to the Olympic Games after 24 years.

Mary Ormsby, sports journalist and frequent guest on Prime Time Sports, is on the show, and there are plenty of things to talk about. With the 2024 Summer Olympic Games wrapping up in a few days, many storylines have arisen, some of them not too good for Canada. From the disappointment on the basketball court to the drama surrounding our women’s soccer team, the three break down everything they have seen so far—leading to a deeper conversation about Canada and its history of cheating in the Olympic Games. Is Canada just an easy target, or do things need to change? The three break it down while also learning a bit about Mary’s new book, World's Fastest Man: The Incredible Life of Ben Johnson.

Last time Bob and John spoke with Mike, the Stanley Cup-winning coach was getting ready to take over the Italian Men’s Hockey Program, but sometimes life gets in the way. With open-heart surgery and other health issues in his rearview mirror, Mike Keenan is ready to get back into the thick of things. He joins Bob and John today as the three talk about Mike’s recovery, his take on international hockey, and his time as a head coach and GM in the National Hockey League.

The Toronto Blue Jays have not lived up to expectations. The “movie” promised to fans by their players has been a dud, and the patience upper management has benefited from is running out. With a farm system full of question marks and a front office with years of experience but not much to show for it, the Toronto Blue Jays are in a hole that might take years to get out of. Richard Griffin joins Bob and John for the first half of the show to talk about the team and theorize about what will happen to them going forward. From one disappointing team to another, Bob and John try to look on the bright side by bringing George Ofman on the show as the pair get to hear firsthand about a team worse than the Jays: the Chicago White Sox. With the team on track to have the worst record in MLB history, George talks to Bob and John about where it has all gone wrong for this storied franchise, dedicating the day to some of MLB's worst.

It is just over a week into the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, with just under a week to go as we bring Richard Deitsch to recap much of what has happened and more of what is to come. With Richard covering the Games for the United States through the eyes of NBC & Peacock, Bob and John start the conversation by comparing Canada’s Olympic coverage with that of the United States. The three discuss the significance of the Olympic Games for both countries, pointing out the variance in impact winning a medal has on them both. Before they say goodbye, among other things, the three touch on the absence of Russian athletes, the diminishing quality of color commentating, and the lack of focus Canadian media is putting on their athletes as Bob, John, and Richard get ready for the final week of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

With boots on the ground in France, Paul Jones joins the show after Canada’s win over Spain, and the gentlemen end the week with an Olympic basketball update. Paul shares his thoughts after 3 games and 3 wins from the Canadians as the three look at what is to come and debate where they think the team could finish now that they have entered the knockout rounds of the tournament.

There are many things the Toronto Blue Jays need, so where do they start? Gregor Chisholm joins Bob and Jay for some Jays talk. The three set expectations for the rest of the year and assess all of the moves made by Toronto at MLB’s trade deadline a few days ago. It is becoming more and more clear: the Toronto Blue Jays are entering a rebuild.

One of the busiest general managers in the NHL is on the show today as Barry Trotz joins Bob and John for some hockey talk as he and the Nashville Predators get ready for the 2024/25 NHL season. With many new faces added to the organization over the summer, the two talked to Barry about the moves and his expectations for the team after a surprising playoff run last year. Barry also shares his experience as a general manager after so many years of coaching and much more on today’s episode.

A good friend and voice of Canada Basketball on TSN Radio, Rod Black, joins the show today. Having been a part of his fair share of Olympic broadcasts, we get to hear Rod’s unique perspective on the games themselves before shifting focus to some basketball talk as our Canadian men’s basketball team looks to medal for the first time ever in the Olympics. After the break, it’s more Olympic basketball before we spend some time talking to Rod about his son Tyler, who made his MLB debut for the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this year in April.