TORONTO (Apr. 24) — I suppose the cheapskates at Rogers and Bell did not learn their lesson two years ago, when Joe Bowen mistakenly credited a series–winning overtime goal in Tampa to Morgan Rielly. The long–time Leafs broadcaster was watching Game 6 on a TV monitor here in town when John Tavares spun around in the slot and beat Andrei Vasilevskiy for the club’s lone playoff triumph of the past 21 years. For whatever reason, the Sportsnet feed quickly zeroed in on Rielly, prompting Bowen, quite naturally, to determine that the defenseman had eliminated the Lightning. Once the humiliation made rounds on social media and in mainstream print, the tall thinkers at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment dipped into their paltry resources and flew Bowen and Ralph to Sunrise, Fla. for road games of the second divisional series. As expected, no farther mistakes were made.

Fast forward 24 months and the kooks that run MLSE are at it again. The multi–billion–dollar communications behemoths could not scrape up enough petty cash for Bowen and Ralph to travel all the way to Ottawa. So, the veteran broadcast duo will again be forced to call Games 3 and 4 off a TV screen at the Sportsnet studio. What a complete travesty. There is cheap… then there is something like this, which doesn’t warrant an adjective. It ranks among the most–preposterous decisions in Canadian sports media annals. Baroness Rogers, wife of Ed the Conqueror, probably spends more each day on cosmetics than the company would shell out for hotel fare to accommodate Bowen and Ralph. Even though MLSE would be a Mom and Pop Shop without the might of the Leafs logo. I would absolutely love for Bowen to call a press conference and offer the finger to his frugal superiors. To stick it up their arses and boldly resign after 43 years as a result of MLSE’s continuous nonsense. But, it won’t happen. Joe and Jim are loyal employees — even if Rogers and Bell covet no person on the company payroll that does not play hockey or baseball. Everyone else in the ivory tower is an employee number, not a human being.

I worked nine years for Rogers at The FAN–590 and can pinpoint the genesis of irrational media decisions — shortly after company founder Ted Rogers died (Dec. 2, 2008) of heart failure. Evidently, he was the last executive in the company with any heart. Papa Ted left a brute in charge of the radio wing and Paul Ski merrily ended countless media careers so that his bonus figures could go through the roof. His reign of dismantlement terrorized the entire FAN–590 staff and newsroom for the better part of two years. But, not until he tore the proverbial wings off a fly by forcing the boss, Nelson Millman, to let go our proudest colleague, Stormin’ Norm Rumack. It was a cruel and unnecessary move that nearly ruined Norm’s life. Which, I’d imagine, still brings a smirk to Paul’s face.

The silent executioner cowardly remained out of sight during much of his pogrom. I remember attending a company Christmas party in 2010 when Ski and his cohorts felated one another for matchless leadership. Most employees in the room would have barfed had dinner been served beforehand. But, I get a kick out of Paul, today. He is so sore that I expose him dreadfully (and accurately) that he goes through the process of sending insults via the Comments section of this blog. First having to log in, then post his remarks. It’s actually quite hilarious. Today, he called me a “slob”. Very hurtful. Neither can I tell a lie. It sends my Dopamine levels soaring when I know I’ve gotten under that monster’s skin. Whoever is currently making the Ski–like decisions about Maple Leafs travel should also rot — these gazillionaires with their robes, pipes and designer slippers watching personal bank accounts increase every time they lop off another unsuspecting employee with a young family and mortgage.

It was — and is — beyond lamentable.

THE BANE OF TORONTO SPORTS RADIO, PAUL SKI, LIKELY FELATING HIMSELF AND HIS COHORTS.

In the meantime, every Leafs fan should hope that Bowen is coerced into another disastrous playoff call. His wretched employers deserve nothing less. Imagine MLSE not being able to find perhaps a thousand dollars for Bowen and Ralph to be with the Leafs in the Stanley Cup hunt. Consider for a moment that Rogers and Bell combined, in 2024, to earn $44.47 billion. That thousand bucks would surely demolish MLSE’s tax bracket, huh? Remember, these are the same clods who decided that Leaf ticket prices in the nosebleed sections of Scotiabank Arena must be unconscionably increased. Not even that financial windfall — again, totally spinning off the Leafs logo — would allow MLSE to pony up for Bowen and Ralph to properly execute their roles.

It began with the barbarous Ski after Ted Rogers died. And it continues, unabated, today.

Apart from Larry Tanenbaum, who owns 20% of MLSE, a host of despicable people run the Leafs at the top.

Which is sad… and truly pitiful.

EMAIL HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM