Rogers Communications

Columbus Dancing With Mitch

TORONTO (July 13) — To sign or not to sign? That is the question. With apologies to the Sweet Swan of Avon, Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner could soon be offered pen and paper by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Aaron… Read More

Was It Worth Our Prostitution?

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

Call it “Burkie’s Drive”

“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

McCown The Biggest Casualty

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

Still Not Convinced

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

Leafs Will Have to Make History

TORONTO (Apr. 3) — No team has won the Stanley Cup after losing more than 14 games in regulation time on home ice during the regular season. The Toronto Maple Leafs, therefore, would break new ground by ending their 52–year… Read More

Are We In For A Media Love–Fest?

TORONTO (Oct. 2) — Circumstance, over the past half–decade, has severely hampered objective coverage of the Toronto Maple Leafs by local and national media. That the Leafs are 75% owned by Bell Canada Enterprises and Rogers Communications presents the most–blatant… Read More

Rogers Needs to Sell the Blue Jays

TORONTO (Aug. 9) — Through much of the 1980’s, a haunting refrain could be heard with respect to the pitiable Toronto Maple Leafs: The club would never win anything of consequence until Harold Ballard died. Once that event occurred —… Read More

The Silence Is Deafening

TORONTO (Aug. 4) — This will not be the worst season, by record, in the 42 years since the Toronto Blue Jays joined Major League Baseball — a distinction that belongs to the 1979 club, which compiled a mark of… Read More

The Leafs Would Have to Trade

TORONTO (June 29) — Isn’t it deliciously coincidental that the home of the Maple Leafs, on the very day that John Tavares could choose to ply his trade on Bay St., changes title from an airline to a bank? Yes… Read More

The Tavares/Matthews Conundrum

TORONTO (May 21) — Thinking logically, one would have to assume that any overture the Maple Leafs are considering for John Tavares — should he opt to leave the New York Islanders as an unrestricted free agent this summer —… Read More

Smoke and Mirrors Around Here

TORONTO (May 8) — Perhaps never in the professional sports annals of this city has a pair of clubs — 12 nights apart — rendered the six–month–long regular season so thoroughly pointless. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, after… Read More

Only Burke Can Replace Cherry

TORONTO (Apr. 28) — Let’s assume, for a moment, that Don Cherry is unlikely to be a mainstay on Hockey Night In Canada for another 38 years. Though Donald S. seems indestructible — in our livingrooms each Saturday since 1980… Read More

Freddy Needs Rest, Not Rhythm

TORONTO (Mar. 4) — There is no attempt here to jump on a bandwagon with the Maple Leafs in their first minor funk since mid–January (0–2–1 on a four–game road trip that concludes Monday night in Buffalo). This is still… Read More