Toronto Legends

1980 Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist and Team USA Captain Mike Eruzione talks about The Miracle on Ice, Al Michael’s legendary call alongside the late Ken Dryden, the two movies made about that 1980 Olympic hockey journey (with Coach Herb Brooks played by Karl Malden and Kurt Russell), hanging out with 5x Gold Medalist Eric Heiden, meeting The Great One Wayne Gretzky at centre ice of the 4 Nations championship game, President Jimmy Carter sending Air Force One to deliver the team to the White House, meeting Charlie’s Angel Kate Jackson, where all his super-valuable memorabilia ended up, and why he’s proud to return to his alma mater the Boston University Terriers! For everything Mike Eruzione, please visit https://www.mikeeruzioneshop.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CBC Morning Live host David Common talks about his Winnipeg roots, his ‘lightbulb moment’ in high school arising from a Peter Mansbridge interaction, reporting from over 90 countries around the world, his interactions with Barack Obama & Penny Oleksiak, his radio time on CBC Toronto’s Metro Morning, his pro tips for being camera-ready by 6am, and his all-time career highlight interviewing Elmo! CBC Morning Live airs weekday mornings from 6am-10am on the CBC News Network; full info at https://mediacentre.cbc.ca/program/cbc-morning-live TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most versatile sports broadcaster in North America Kenny Albert talks about learning by osmosis from Dad Marv and Uncles Al & Steve, working alongside 'The Great One' Wayne Gretzky, taking over for ‘the Vin Scully of hockey’ Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, the confusion about how John Tavares pronounces his own name, working 37 days in the Edmonton NHL covid bubble, how close he came to NOT meeting his future wife while working the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals for NHL Radio, why the controversial ‘FoxTrax’ glowing puck was actually ahead of its time, his love for ‘The World's Most Famous Arena’ Madison Square Garden, and why the Jose Bautista bat flip is the single most asked about call from his 30+ year/3000+ game broadcasting career! Kenny Albert’s A Mic for All Seasons is available at https://www.triumphbooks.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman talks about his 33 year (and counting) reign at the NHL, his time at Cornell University and NYU Law School, working under David Stern at the NBA, moving over to the NHL in 1993, and his candid thoughts on Snoop Dogg, Don Cherry, Wayne Gretzky, Ron MacLean, Ken Dryden, the 50th anniversary of Darryl Sittler’s 10 point night, the FoxTrax glowing puck, his portrayal in the BlackBerry movie, fans booing him at the annual Stanley Cup presentation, and why we don’t have a second NHL team in the Greater Toronto Area! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In case you missed it, from March 2023: Hollywood Macher Paul Reiser talks about casting Helen Hunt as his Mad About You wife with his actual wife’s approval, stumbling into his breakout role in Barry Levinson’s ‘Diner,’ seeing George Carlin/Robert Klein/David Brenner/Robin Williams/Billy Crystal/Rodney Dangerfield live in the local NYC clubs, sharing the set with Carol O’Connor/Carol Burnett/Mel Brooks, using his son as cultural canary in the coalmine to accept the role of Dr Sam Owens on ‘Stranger Things,’ writing the Mad About You theme song with the legendary Don Was (with Lyle Lovett INITIALLY taking a pass on singing it), why 40 years later people still come up to him and say “hey, that’s not my locker,” throwing a bone to Eddie Murphy by appearing in all 4 of his Beverly Hills Cop movies (originally meant as a vehicle for Sylvester Stallone!!), and why Yoko Ono creatively (and correctly) suggested that we all give peace a chance! For everything Paul, please visit ⁠http://paulreiser.com/⁠ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Toronto Raptor Acie Earl talks about playing in the franchise's first game ever (at SkyDome!), living in the SkyDome hotel and simply taking an elevator to games, managing Oliver Miller’s fruit baskets and McDonalds runs, dealing with Marcus Camby’s duffle bag of candy, learning from The Chief Robert Parrish in Boston, hanging with Samuel L Jackson, Wesley Snipes, Will Smith, Spike Lee, Mike Tyson, Whitney Houston, coming to Toronto via the Smiling Assassin Isiah Thomas, playing against Michael Jordan Shaquille O'Neal Kobe Bryant, his 8 year/12 country overseas playing career, and his initial coaching gig in Tijuana Mexico! For everything Acie, please visit Venom Sports Training at https://www.venomsportstraining.com/coach-earl/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author and Journalist Dan Robson talks about the miracle of The Athletic (and its takeover by the subscription-driven New York Times), the differences between a ‘book’ and a ‘feature’ piece (spoiler: feature equals a book chapter), his books on (and subsequent friendships with) the Killer Dougie Gilmour, Buck Martinez, Nazem Kadri, Dave The Hammer Schultz, his features on Eugene Melnyk, The Great One #99, Vladdy Jr, having to cut off Wayne Gretzky at Fenway Park, Doug Gilmour’s key to his own private bar, and some speculation on how Maple Leafs fans will eventually look back at Mitchell Marner! For everything Dan Robson, please visit https://danrobson.ca/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist/Author Oren Weisfeld shares his debut book The Golden Generation: How Canada Became a Basketball Powerhouse and talks about the 25 Canadians currently in the NBA, the significance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s commitment to the Canadian national team, his thoughts on Vince Carter, Jamaal Magloire, Steve Nash, Aubrey 'Drake' Graham, Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, Andrew Nembhard, RJ Barrett, Rowan Barrett, Sherman Hamilton, Jay Triano, Samuel Dalembert, Jack Armstrong, Leo Rautins, Bill Wennington, Nick Nurse, Masai Ujiri, Isiah Thomas, Kelly Olynyk, Eric Smith, Larry Tanenbaum and his optimistic expectations for Team Canada at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games! For everything Oren Weisfeld, please visit https://www.orenweisfeld.com/ For Oren’s new book The Golden Generation: How Canada Became a Basketball Powerhouse, please visit https://ecwpress.com/products/golden-generation TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sportsnet Broadcaster and Author Ken Reid returns to talk about his 15 years and counting hosting partnership with Evanka Osmak, getting his start as radio DJ Rip Tide playing disco requests, golfing with David Amber & James Duthie, his extensive sportscard collection, his latest (8th!) book on hockey scouts (and the progress on his 9th book), the holy trinity of hockey broadcasting Danny Gallivan Bob Cole Dick Irvin, his memories of the first time he held a Hockey Night in Canada microphone at the Montreal Forum, and he takes us behind the scenes for a typical Sportsnet Central broadcast! Ken’s 8th book The Next One: Hockey Scouts, Remote Rinks and Hidden Talent is available at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/The-Next-One/Ken-Reid/9781668045589 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Toronto Raptors Broadcaster/Author Eric Smith talks about this 21st season of radio coverage with Paul Jones, his day in Burlington with the actual 2019 NBA Championship trophy while rocking his Championship ring, Kobe Bryant covering him in rosin dust during his 81 point outburst (he got the box score autographed!), spending time with Jack Black, Sting, Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Alvin Williams, Jack Armstrong, Matt Devlin, the relative importance of super fans Drake and GloRilla, Masai Ujiri’s legacy, and why he asked the (arguably) GROAT Greatest Raptor of All Time Kyle Lowry to write the foreward to his book! Eric’s new book We the Raptors: Thirty Players, Thirty Stories, Thirty Years is available now at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/We-the-Raptors/Eric-Smith/9781668069202 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mr TSN James Duthie talks about 27+ years at The Sports Network, his deft handling of Hot Dog Phil Kessel’s being chosen dead last during the live televised 2011 NHL All Star Game Fantasy Draft, how Sid the Kid acquired his lesser known nickname of Darryl, his friendships with the late Gord Downie and Darren ‘Dutchy’ Dutchyshen, the post-hockey relationship between legendary Toronto Maple Leafs Darryl Sittler and The King Borje Salming, his letter to the Clemson University football program in anticipation of eventually going pro with the San Francisco 49ers, interacting with Jennifer Hedger Rod Smith Bob McKenzie Keith Pelley Gino Reda Jim Van Horne, being 30ft away from Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and getting recognized on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and in the taxis of Qatar! Bonus: an unlikely Horst Bulau reference! James’ latest book Certified Beauties More of Hockey’s Greatest Untold Stories is available now at https://www.harpercollins.ca/9781443474702/certified-beauties/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1988 Olympic Gold Medalist and Worlds Fastest Man Ben Johnson talks about Charlie Francis, Dr Jamie Astaphan, Carl Lewis, Diego Maradona, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi's son Al-Saadi, nearly joining the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, his upcoming 6 episode television series, and a complete breakdown of his blazing 9.79 100m Gold Medal winning run at the 1988 Seoul Olympics! For everything Ben Johnson, please visit https://ben979.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rocker Broadcaster Hockey Host Tara Slone talks about covering the San Jose Sharks (the future is Teal!), her not one but two shows on SiriusXM, her rockstar lifestyle with the Juno-nominated band Joydrop, competing in front of millions of CBS viewers on Rockstar INXS, her 8 years of Rogers Hometown Hockey with Ron MacLean, her relationships with Michael Landsberg Christine Simpson Scott Moore George Stroumboulopoulos, and the surreal nature of hanging out with Jane Goodall Ken Dryden and Lanny McDonald! Join Tara on Friday November 14th at Koerner Hall when she cohosts the Make Music Matter fundraiser for Matthew Perry House...tickets are available now at https://www.rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/make-music-matter-and-matthew-perry-house-present Catch Tara live at her Rockstar INXS reunion shows including Saturday November 22nd at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts...full details at https://tickets.rhcentre.ca/Online/default.asp TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1996 Atlanta Olympics Gold Medallist Glenroy Gilbert talks about that epic Saturday night in Georgia, his teammates Donovan Bailey, Bruny Surin, Robert Esmie, Carlton Chambers, his 1994 Lillehammer Olympic bobsledding experience, trying out for the San Francisco 49ers by catching passes from not future Hall of Fame quarterback Elvis Grbac, his ongoing relationship with teammate Ben Johnson and his rival Carl Lewis, meeting Prime Ministers Chrétien & Trudeau, LeBron James, Ronaldinho, Venus Williams, hanging out with Don Whittman and Brian Williams, and his ongoing coaching of Andre De Grasse and our Olympic athletes at Athletics Canada! For more on Glenroy’s recent induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former NHLer and Author Steven Finn talks about his memoir Lafleur The Legend, playing in the NHL alongside the Flower, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, roomate Joe Sakic, current Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, memories collected about Le Demon Blond from Marcel Dionne, Scotty Bowman, Gilbert Perreault, Larry Robinson, Chris Nilan, Serge Savard, Gary Bettman, Vladislav Tretiak, Ken Dryden, playing in the Montreal Forum, the Quebec Colisee, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Chicago Stadium, going from practice to the beach during his time with the LA Kings, those epic Nordiques vs Habs playoff battles, spending 30 hours in the penalty box over his NHL career, visiting with Madame Lafleur in Guy’s boyhood home, the end result benefits of the Eric Lindros draft debacle, and why his favourite t-shirt said ‘If You Want to Give Blood, Fight Wendel!’ (later his teammate in Quebec City) Steven’s memoir Lafleur The Legend is available at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Lafleur/Steven-Finn/9781668204061 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of the 2025 World Series, Blue Jays 1993 World Series Champion and East York Legend Rob Butler shares his memories of growing up at Main & Danforth, playing for his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, winning that 1993 World Series championship, playing with Rickey Henderson, Robbie Alomar, Paul Molitor, John Olerud, Tony Fernández, Alfredo Griffin, getting his World Series pinch hit off of superstar Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling, his front row seat to watching the Joe Carter walk-off World Series-winning home run, managing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the IBL, and why his most special memories were playing alongside his younger brother Rich! For everything Rob Butler, please visit http://robbutlerprobaseball.com/ For the complete Rob Butler story, please enjoy his first Toronto Legends podcast interview at https://www.torontolegends.ca/world-series-championformer-blue-jay-rob-butler/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Toronto Raptor and NBA Champion Tracy Murray talks about the Smiling Assassin Isaiah Thomas bringing him to Toronto, playing in that very first Raptors game in 1995 (in front of Cindy Crawford/Samuel L Jackson/Geena Davis), shoutouts to his OG Raptors teammates Damon Stoudamire/Acie Earl/Carlos Rogers/Jimmy King/Oliver Miller, living in the SkyDome hotel alongside neighbour Robbie Alomar and simply taking the elevator to get to games, hanging out with Hulk Hogan/Mats Sundin/The Undertaker/Tie Domi/Pinball Clemons/Roger Clemens, clubbing at The Roxbury with Dr Jerry Buss and Earvin Magic Johnson, educating Toronto fans on the correct use of ThunderStix, beating Michael Jordan and his world champion Chicago Bulls (with an off-court assist from John The Spider Salley), dropping 50 on the Golden State Warriors while with the Washington Bullets, coming full circle as both a teammate and coach for The Black Mamba Kobe Bryant, a very harrowing winter car drive up the Don Valley Parkway to Scarborough, and why he was nonplussed to have Barney the Dinosaur’s theme song played during road games! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympic Silver Medalist Figure Skater Elizabeth Manley talks about pivoting from Trenton’s hot chocolate scammer to Canada’s Sweetheart, the epic story behind her Calgary ’88 Silver Medal skating performance, getting personally congratulated by Michael J. Fox and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, the 7500 congratulatory letters that were delivered by a non-striking Canada Post to her Mom’s mailbox, her relationships with rivals Katarina Witt and Debbi Thomas, a life-changing interaction with Canadian Olympic Hockey Coach Dave King, chugging Labatt Blue beer to get through the post-competition drug testing, her interactions with Steve Yzerman/Brian Orser/Brian Boitano/Toller Cranston/Dorothy Hamill/Christopher Plummer/Gene Hackman, why the Girl with the Cowboy Hat is big in Asia, and how her Olympic skating outfit was so petite that it got mailed back to her in a regular-sized envelope! Elizabeth Manley and her fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran talks about his new unauthorized biography on Auston Matthews, AM34’s very unconventional path from Arizona to Switzerland to NHL superstardom in Toronto, the off-ice incidents (the 2019 ‘mooning’, the 2020 Covid-disclosure, the 2024 awkward Captaincy transfer), who will replace Mitch Marner (and his ‘Mitch-isms’) on the top line, why he loved dealing with Sundin/Gilmour/Clark but picked on Vesa Toskala, where he sits in the gondola press box to cover games (under the ‘H’ in Foster Hewitt’s name), and why the dream is alive for a Connor McDavid/Auston Matthews Maple Leafs partnership down the road ! Full info on Kevin’s debut biography Auston Matthews A Life in Hockey is available at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Auston-Matthews/Kevin-McGran/9781668063095 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curling champion Glenn Howard talks about working with Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, getting confused for his older brother Russ (and vice-versa), moving from competing into coaching both his kids and the Swiss national team, his 38 year association with The Beer Store allowing him to have two successful careers, his TV appearance on CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie, his positive interactions with CBC Sports’ Mr Curling Devin Heroux, how The Curling Group is revolutionizing the sport and moving it away from its association with smoking and drinking, just missing an Olympic medal while coaching Great Britain at 2018 Pyeongchang, and why winning The Brier/Canadian Championships was super hard whereas winning World Championships was super important! Glenn and his fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices