How close we came to Zapruder–2

TORONTO (July 14) — Whether you like Donald Trump; despise Donald Trump or don’t particularly care (and relatively few occupy the indifference category), one fact is indisputable: the former and potentially future president of the United States came within centimeters… Read More

Toronto Sport Has Gone to the Pits

TORONTO (July 10) — It’s true: We play small ball here in the Big Smoke. As the Toronto Star detailed, this week, in a marvelous chain of essays that should win literary awards, we are, without question, a City of… Read More

Damien Was Only Half–Right

TORONTO (July 6) — When we covered the Maple Leafs at the same time in the 1990’s and 2000’s — he for the Toronto Star; yours truly for The FAN–590 — Damien Cox and I didn’t often see eye to… Read More

Solid Day’s Work by Treliving, But…

TORONTO (July 1) — At last, it appears the Toronto Maple Leafs have regained vision while considering the 100 feet of ice behind the center red line. During the administrations of Mark Hunter, Lou Lamoriello and, especially, Kyle Dubas, it… Read More

Edmonton Is Toronto’s Daddy

TORONTO (June 23) — There are conflicting emotional repercussions to the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup final. In the Alberta capital, nothing is sane at the moment. How could it be? The Oilers — Wayne Gretzky’s team —… Read More

Pelley’s Integrity At Stake – Already

TORONTO (June 20) — It was a sentence that eluded widespread observation. Even if from a largely unassailable source. Yes, Darren Dreger of TSN spilled a cauldron of beans on Tuesday with this fairly significant remark about the Leafs and… Read More

The Morning After: May 3, 1967

TORONTO (June 17) — Rummaging through my large collection of newspapers and sports publications is an ongoing pursuit… and probably will be until I’m beneath the grass. Most items were purchased (or given to me) in the 1980’s and 90’s,… Read More

You Think Marner Is The Problem?

TORONTO (June 14) — With the longest–ever Stanley Cup drought guaranteed (next May 2) to reach 58 years, the Toronto Maple Leafs, today, have only three defensemen of National Hockey League caliber under contract. None will threaten to win the… Read More

We’re a Bush League Sports Town

TORONTO (June 10) — Maybe the Argos can offer to pay Uber fare. Or, gas and depreciation. Anything, in fact, that might allow at least one of Toronto’s three daily newspapers to assign a reporter to BMO Field. Way, way… Read More

So, What Is Mitch Thinking?

TORONTO (June 7) — Nothing about the apparent strategy of the Maple Leafs, beginning next month, should come as a surprise to beleaguered star Mitch Marner. Whether he accepts the strategy is a different matter. Timing, economics and a tepid… Read More

It’s Elementary: Marner Has To Go

TORONTO (May 31) — I will emphasize the point once more, primarily because, since 2021, I’ve been close to 100 percent accurate about the Corpse–4 of the Toronto Maple Leafs. That under no circumstance could the Leafs prevail in the… Read More

What Are These People Saying?

TORONTO (May 26) — Nothing in sports media should surprise me anymore. Not after writing or speaking about the Toronto Maple Leafs for the past 35 years. But, I have to admit: I’m astonished at the number of reputable correspondents… Read More

No Chance Mitch Marner Will Waive

TORONTO (May 23) — It was just more than 16 years ago, in March 2008, that fans of the Maple Leafs briefly turned on franchise scoring leader Mats Sundin. Responding, as it were, to Sundin exercising a provision that allowed… Read More

What Is Rogers Waiting For?

TORONTO (May 22) — With the Maple Leafs (we think) committing to a seismic shift in philosophy, when might the Toronto Blue Jays acknowledge their own mismanaged structure? Or, is this all about putting lipstick on Rogers Centre? The… Read More

Is That The Best MLSE Could Do?

TORONTO (May 17) — In the eight days since firing Sheldon Keefe, the Toronto Maple Leafs had every living, breathing human to choose from as a coach that would guide Auston Matthews and William Nylander during their biological primes in… Read More

What Are The Argonauts Doing?

TORONTO (May 15) — My favorite professional sports team; in fact, the only team for which I maintain an emotional attachment, appears to be imploding before our very eyes. Or, at least partially imploding. How else can we explain the… Read More

Again, Leafs Fans, There’s Only One

TORONTO (May 13) — I’m going to begin by asking a question for which there is no logical answer: Why would the Maple Leafs, in their pursuit of a coach to replace Sheldon Keefe, look anywhere but in the direction… Read More

Actually, the Leafs Did It Right

TORONTO (May 10) — After the Maple Leafs fired Sheldon Keefe on Thursday, the headline to my blog read ALWAYS THE EASIEST PATH FOR MLSE. I would therefore consider myself an insufferable hypocrite if I began this column by piling… Read More