TORONTO (July 8) — Perhaps never in North American history has a proud, diverse city “gone down” on a person as Toronto did Kawhi Leonard during his apparent struggle to choose between re–signing with the Raptors or fleeing to Los… Read More
TORONTO (July 6) — While our city slept on Friday night into Saturday, Kawhi Leonard chose to join the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent. This occurred only after the Clippers acquired star forward Paul George from the Oklahoma… Read More
TORONTO (July 3) — What’s all this drivel about the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Stanley Cup “drought”?
Why do people keep referring to 1967?
Anyone paying attention would know the Leafs have now won consecutive National Hockey League titles…… Read More
[Kyle] Dubas — according to whispers — has inquired with Colorado about veteran Tyson Barrie. At least one established, formidable defenseman must be added to the roster before any person can reasonably expect the Leafs to improve on their playoff … Read More
TORONTO (June 29) — Among the myriad issues that again restricted the Toronto Maple Leafs to one playoff round in April, the reliance on a single goalie ranks near the top. Which is hardly a new subject — in this… Read More
TORONTO (June 25) — On the 10th anniversary of John Tavares being selected first overall in the National Hockey League draft — and Nazem Kadri going seventh to the Maple Leafs — perhaps it’s fitting that Toronto’s most–glaring deficiency is… Read More
“I do thank you… the people here at Rogers and, mostly, the people who fill out those little ballots and tell us how many people are watching or listening. Thank you for allowing me to occupy this seat for the … Read More
TORONTO (June 21) — Sometime early in 2010, I gathered with colleagues and fellow employees in the Velma Rogers Theatre within the building, at 1 Mount Pleasant Rd., that houses the Rogers Communications empire. For 22 years, I had been… Read More
TORONTO (June 19) — The question was inevitable and rhetorical: Would a Stanley Cup parade in our city either match or exceed the monstrous gathering for Monday’s basketball blowout in the downtown core?
First, no sports commemoration will ever top… Read More
TORONTO (June 15) — In recent years, lots of stuff has happened for the first time in awhile on the local sports scene… or the first time ever, such as Thursday night’s monumental basketball triumph in Oakland.
The Maple Leafs… Read More
TORONTO (June 12) — To this point, Sean Avery’s “sources” here in the Big Smoke are akin to his former conduct on and off the ice — lousy. But, the National Hockey League’s bad boy of the new millennium did… Read More
TORONTO (June 9) — Let me begin today by going out on a limb and suggesting the Toronto Raptors will not lose three consecutive games to the Golden State Warriors. Though our city has seen its share of sporting collapses,… Read More
TORONTO (June 7) — Earlier in the week, I posted this opinion on Twitter: “We are again seeing why the Leafs, as currently made up, aren’t suited for the Stanley Cup final. They cannot remotely match the level of physical… Read More
TORONTO (June 1) — Predictably, it took no time at all for the most–sophomoric angle to emerge from the Toronto Raptors brilliant playoff run: Has basketball become more popular in Toronto than hockey?
Such a challenging question on the day… Read More
TORONTO (May 28) — The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors will make history in a couple of ways when they meet for the 2019 National Basketball Association title. It is, of course, the first appearance of a Canadian team… Read More
TORONTO (May 25) — Long before this became a basketball city from April to June, hockey ruled the sporting map into late–spring. I know… it’s been awhile and, therefore, difficult to fathom or remember. But, there was a time when… Read More
“… and the sign said the words of the prophets are written on the subway walls…and tenement halls… and whispered through the sound… of silence.”
— Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, 1965
TORONTO (May 22) — If not for… Read More
TORONTO (May 18) — I have neither information nor a particular reason to suspect the Maple Leafs aren’t “all in” on Mike Babcock, as cryptically noted, last week, by general manager Kyle Dubas. But, something is gnawing at me with… Read More