Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - David Alter: Toronto Mike'd #1445
Episode Date: March 5, 2024In this 1445th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike catches up with David Alter talking Leafs, U2 and more. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Ho...me, The Advantaged Investor podcast from Raymond James Canada, The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Team and RecycleMyElectronics.ca. If you would like to support the show, we do have partner opportunities available. Please email Toronto Mike at mike@torontomike.com
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Today, returning to Toronto Mike's, is David Alter. Welcome back, David.
I love that sound effect. Is there a three timers club?
This is my third time.
This is your third time.
It feels like it's been more because I think we talk about you a lot on like, you're a
frequently you come up and we can do and then McFridays merged over to a new thing.
Yeah.
Toast.
You don't listen to toast.
I just always know you have a lot of time on flight.
You know, when they do rebranding they always you always
Remember what it was originally called of course you could toast is hard to remember because toast is so generic
so right it's it's like I I
Associated with other things in my can I blow your mind and tell you that stew and cam have not been on toast in
Over a year now Wow, that's how
Cam is a big way now. I
Find now because of my job in his job. We actually have more business
Communication and what isn't he focused on again?
We won't disclose too specific a detail because he gets really nervous, but I would think he would deal more with like
5g yes deal more with like 5G.
Yes. And less with like, uh, M L S E. It's true,
but there are situations where that brand
and the brand that I cover have merged.
And because that brand literally owns 37.5% of the brand that you cover. It's true. And you of course cover the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club,
not to be confused with the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club.
I see the tie in though.
You see, in fact, okay, so we have a lot of ground to cover
and I want to find out why you're looking so damn good right now.
Like I can't stop staring at you.
You look chiseled.
So you're going to tell us why you look so good there's questions that came in I have music I have an
enormous quantity of gifts for you it was worth the drive here to New Toronto
even though you were probably down the street I was I just put up an article
and then made my way down here so wow and then we're going to talk a little
bit I want a little bit of Leafs talk. We rarely talk about the Maple Leafs on this program.
We're gonna do a little bit of that before I set you free.
But we mentioned Toronto Maple Leafs.
So right off the top here,
Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club.
This is a kick-ass book on the history of that franchise
that plays at Christie Pitts here.
Have you ever been to a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball game?
Not only have I been to a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball game? Not only have I been to a Toronto Maple Leafs baseball game,
I've covered Toronto Maple Leafs baseball games.
My mind is blown.
Any fan 590 alumni that you probably get
that would be around my age has probably done that
if they were interns there.
Because it was part of the assignment
when you were learning how to report
or they would find opportunities for you you know of course
back then in days of yore yeah the belief there was a fan 590s got to be at
everywhere and so they made sure that there was a body present to cover
whatever it was and yeah I've never seen that I'm jealous.
The Scott Metcalfe gave this to me like wow that's why I've never seen that. I'm just met calf gave this to me like wow. That's why I've never seen it. There was a special episode 1430 of Toronto
Mike to where we had a, I did listen to that. Okay. So he gave it to me to
correspond with episode 1430. That's fantastic. I have every fan flash that
there is with the exception of that one. And here's the one that predated that
was a smaller one. So JCL for that's crazy. Those are are great. Should be the museum, right? Okay. So we're
going to get you back to Christie pits this summer. That's going to be my agenda. I'm
going to get David Alter back to Christie pits, but that's my off season. So it'll be
no problem at all. Well, we're going to make it happen. So I'm giving you that book and
I'm also giving you a fresh craft beer from great lakes brewery. I know that's why you're
here. It's right beside you. And of course a lasagna from Palma Pasta. It's delicious.
It was a great meal last time.
You're going to get another great meal. And if you come back to Great Lakes Brewery in
Southern Etobicoke on June 27th, that's TMLX 15, the 15th Toronto Mike listener experience,
6 to 9 PM. You've got to be there, David Alter.
Yes.
Okay. That's a commitment.
June 27th. Oh, actually June 27th, I believe is the NHL draft. So I
might be in Vegas, which is, I'm sure you're going to bring up later in this episode, but
we'll see. Who knows what I'll bring up. You know, if you, now that I'm disappointed, you
won't be at my birthday party. It's, it's, it's the draft. It's like the one of the things
that let your say, he said draft Schmaft. That's true. Okay. I say, you're Cliff and
one more gift and then more gifts later
But I'm gonna get to the meat of this program, but that is a measuring tape from Ridley Funeral Home pillars of the community
Oh, there's some sound effects from David Alter. I love it. Okay, so Michael Traykos
Do you know this guy?
Maybe aware I may be aware of Michael Traykos
It's funny how my career and his have intertwined, but yes.
Shout out to Michael Trakos, FOTM. How many credit cards do you own?
Way too many.
That's his question. So you have more than one. You don't need more than one.
I have a lot and it's people think, oh, Dave's got credit issues. It's not like that. I actually
have a newsletter. I have a newsletter about this, how I learned the art of churning to keep my travel costs down and I did that early
early like butter
Kind of but basically it's the art of signing up for a credit card
To take advantage of a welcome bonus to offset your travel costs and I was doing that
early in my second coming of as being a leaf reporter doing this as a business. And so it remind us where we can.
You mentioned you posted something just before you came here.
Where can we read?
I'm the Leaf site manager editor for the hockey news now.
It's kind of funny.
I started with the hockey news in 2021, then went to SI.
SI and the hockey news have a partnership and now it's rebranded as the hockey news
again, but the website is still the same thn.com slash Toronto. All the content on that microsite is all me and another gentleman
by the name of Nick Barden that I've brought on and we're expanding and growing. And so
that's where we can find that we just hit 1 million visitors for the first time in a
month this past February. Okay, congrats to you. I love these David Alter updates and you know, we all root for
you in the TMU, the Toronto Mike's universe. We root heavily for you. Why you looking so
damn good handsome? What's going on? You look chiseled.
Yeah, so it's actually, I got a shout out, a guy who's followed my career. His name is
Minaj. Parapat, I believe is how you say his last name. I can't remember,
but you know, he, he'd followed my work. He's also a big YouTube fan like myself, and he
invited me out to take a golf lesson. So I took a golf lesson with him and I did the
golf lesson.
Is it M-A-N-O-J?
Yes.
He, he sent in a question for you. I might ask it now and you can, as you tell us more,
but why you're looking so good.
Yeah.
Cause his question is about, he wants to know, uh, if you would, can what,
what you would consider a successful season for the Detroit lions next year.
So just keep that in the back.
Yeah, no, I will definitely answer that.
But, uh, basically I went out with them for a golf lesson.
The golf lesson went the way it was, but they film you, right?
And I saw how I looked at them.
Like, well, I'm letting myself go.
There's a problem here.
And I was working out a lot.
Uh, I just, my diet wasn't under control, but I was working out a lot. I just, my diet wasn't under control,
but I was working out a lot and my body wasn't changing.
I got into, I saw GSP, you know, Jor Saint Pierre.
I saw him do this interview on a podcast
about when he started doing intermittent fasting
when he was coming back for his fight
with Michael Bisping in 2016.
And a lot of what he was saying was making sense
and I kept hearing more and more about intermittent fasting
and because it was the off season
and because I'm not much of a breakfast guy,
I decided to try it.
So since early August,
and I've maybe cheated four or five days since that time
with travel and everything,
every day I go exactly 18 hours
without ingesting a single calorie. and I eat all my food in
a six hour time window. Sometimes it's shorter, sometimes it's longer.
Which six hours have you chosen to do?
So my lifestyle is such where I can't really choose it. I'm in different time zones all
the time. So my strategy there is when I'm done my dinner for tonight, I will start the
clock on my iPhone timer at 18 hours and I
will not ingest any calories until then.
Interesting.
This is so this is just basically a trick to reduce the number of calories that you
know, it's not just that there's other medical benefits to it too.
Because when you when you get into those final two, three hours of your fasting, your body
goes into what's called autophagy
and you literally get a new form of energy where you're not hungry because you're not
some. Yes. It goes back to the caveman. Why they look the way they did. So basically how
do they look? We didn't have cameras back then. Well, you could look at artists renditions,
but they look like they look like muscly bound guys or whatever that just like, you know,
went days without eating
But then when they eat they'd eat a ton and so bad and you're literally using your stomach fats to fuel your body
Okay, and that's and that's what happens in those final hours looking good lately is the great stewstone. We mentioned him earlier
He's been doing it too. He well. He's not doing intermittent fasting fasting. It's hard to say that he's doing like something
He's never done in his life,
which is regular exercise. Oh, well, I was doing that,
but I wasn't getting the results. I want you to want to be cut.
You don't want to just be, you don't want to be healthy as much as you want to
like be cut. What is this? Like you want to be able to grate some cheese on
those? Yeah. So here's what I love about this. Okay. I've done other,
like I did some keto as well and I've done all this other stuff,
but here's what I love about this
I'm at the point now where
Because I'm in this strict rule. Yeah, I can eat whatever I want in those six hours and will not stay with me
I'm because of the 18 hours and it's just food right like you can still have caught black coffee, right black coffee water
I sometimes cheat with diet drinks, which is a bit controversial But my argument is it's not proven scientifically to spike your insulin
So it's okay because that's the whole thing you're going 18 hours without spiking your insulin
And that's where your body is now
Going into your stomach fats to fuel the rest of you and that shrinks
I was barely fitting into a 32 34. I'm a 30 and I have space in my pants, you know, whoa
Yeah, that maybe that maybe was a bit too emphatic into a 32, 34, I'm a 30 and I have space in my pants. You know, whoa.
Yeah, that maybe was a bit too emphatic.
Well, you know, that's why you have
the Ridley funeral home measuring tape.
We can find out how much space there is.
Yes, we can measure.
And there's, oh my God, I'm so glad you're here.
I'm learning so much.
I'm now doing my math. I'm glad to be here.
I'm thinking like, okay, six is tough for me,
but I'm thinking, but I actually think.
You could do eight.
Like that's another form too.
But you know, here's the thing, let's say this, okay. So I wake up in the morning and I'm going to walk through my
life now. So I wake up, I'm doing whatever, whatever.
And then I love to have my French press. I have a black coffee and it's pretty big.
So I drink my black coffee. Now I'll tell you, to be honest,
I usually add like a banana or something. Let's pretend I'm doing your thing.
Right? So I can see, I can not eat at about noon. I like to go for a bike ride.
So even if I haven't eaten and I'm still fine to go for a bike ride. So I would go for a bike ride at noon.
It's actually encouraged to try and work out toward the end of your fasting period.
So now I'm back at approximately 1 30 now, 1 30. I'm now hungry. I just did a good 30 K I'm hungry.
So 1 30, I'm going to have a meal. So if I started eating at 1 30, I could eat till 7 30 PM. I never
eat after 7 30 anyways.
David, I can do this.
Yeah. And you don't, but the most important thing is do not snack.
Do not do anything that interrupts that 18 hours.
Have lots of water.
No cheating.
No, because I talk to people all the time when I explain what I do and they're like,
Oh, I do that too.
Or whatever.
I'm like, but you have coffee now.
Yeah.
But I put some cream in it while you just just I'm a black coffee man. Yeah. Well, I just got into black coffee with this because I was a
almond milk or whatever. I cut sugar out of it 10 years ago, but then I couldn't have black coffee
unless it was iced. Like it was really weird. So I'm like, okay, for this, I have to go black coffee.
So I did the same thing. I started making French press at home and I love it. I'm out of beans,
which is why I've been kind of going for the to go lately. And that's a good reminder just because it's a busy
time of year. I see you got a Timmy's there, but now you're in your six hour window, right? So yeah,
that's probably black anyway. No, I'm eating. It is black anyway. Yeah, I just wolf down a BLT to
get here because I literally went more than 18 hours. I went 19 hours without
eating and you'll find as you do this, you can get used to that.
Like your body adjusts.
Let me make a commitment to you. I will for fun, for shits and giggles, if you will, hopefully
not literally.
But you look pretty good too. Like you may not see the, like the advanced results that
like for me it was like a massive change.
Okay. So I noticed right away I could see you were chiseled in the face and I could
see this guy's lean and mean right here.
I hope he's not gonna beat me up here,
but I'm glad to hear it's working for you
and you're feeling good, right?
Cause that's the thing that you don't want to.
And I can eat whatever I want.
Every other diet, I felt like I was depriving myself
of food I love.
That's what I like about this.
It's very easy.
You know what?
I might give it a go and just report back.
Like I might for even for content for the show,
like I will give it a go just because I actually now realize it would be pretty easy, I think, to get to 130 without eating.
And I don't have any interest in eating after 730 anyways.
So I feel like I have a six hour period to eat.
I think it could work wonders for you.
Wow, David, I'm going to report back.
You'll feel more focused too.
Like there's other benefits beyond just how you look.
Like I feel more focused in my work and less distracted.
Okay.
If I were any more focused, I'd be dangerous okay but Minos did you want to ask like
he I know you're a big Lions guy and I finally had a decent season yes they did
what do they got to do next year to be successful they've got they've got to
shore up their secondary that was a real problem for them in the playoffs and
toward the end of last season as well.
So they got to get a safety maybe another corner and just shore that up. I like everything
else. My only fear is Jared Goff had a good year, but I'm not convinced that him being
a long term solution. So my only fear is that they commit to him for longer than necessary
and then it becomes a problem.
We've got the quarter of lines talk on the program. So very good.
Now he also wants to know what was your, what was your off ice non hockey related highlight
from the Leeds trip to Sweden last fall?
Did you get to meet Jason Priestley?
So no, you know what, you know what the highlight was?
I met the base.
I met the basis from Europe.
Yeah, it was so, it was so random. We were at this, but how did you know. Did he have a name tag? No, he mentioned it. He
co-owns the bar. He has to mention it. We went into this place, Kevin O'grana, the Toronto Star
recommended it. It's called Brodurnas Garlic and Shots. And we had garlic in our beer. That's what
they were known for. It was kind of gross, but we tried it just cause when in Rome, right?
So about tasting him out, I wouldn't want that.
Well, I mean, I didn't care at that point, but I tried it.
So the bar wasn't busy,
but you see all these passes hanging from the roof and it's got a 90s metal kind
of or 80 like all these like music, 80s hair metal. Yeah.
Like, but all kinds of stuff over. And then, so he comes up to our table.
He was like, Hey, how are you guys doing?
And, you know, just started a conversation and like, hey, so so yeah,
we're rocky reporters. That's why we did this.
And then he bought us like from his bar, like actual beer that he likes from there.
And then he says, you know, he's we're like, oh, are you a big music fan?
How's this like, what's the theme?
He's like, oh, I'm I'm a touring musician.
I call in this bar.
He's he was the bassist from Europe. And like, you know, phones, you Google it and like, what's the theme of these? Like, oh, I'm a, I'm a touring musician. I call in this bar and he's,
and he was the bassist from Europe.
And like, you know, phones, you Google it and like,
holy shit.
Yeah, it's, he's actually the bassist from Europe.
And, and we were talking about all kinds of stuff.
I'm a big wrestling fan and, and so, so it's Stu, right?
So, so I'm, I'm looked it up and I'm like, okay,
I remember in an AEW show, they just sold the rights
to final countdown to one of the wrestlers there and they used it at the wrestling show
I went to this summer.
Like it was a big deal because Joey Tempest never wanted to sell it.
So I said, Hey, I wonder if you made a pretty penny on this.
And he's like, no, I didn't have songwriting credits.
So he didn't get anything.
And then he's like, how the fuck did you know that?
Like shoves me. It was like so he was so caught off guard about how much I knew about that situation Wow
Okay, he wasn't expecting it, but that was probably the craziest thing
Amazing so you didn't meet Jason Priestley because he was there on that trip. No, I didn't yeah, they did the
But I've seen Jason Priestley before but if you can press this flash like I don't mean that in a dirty way
But if you shaking hands giving a hug, yeah
I think I've been yeah the fan he's come for a previous junkets when I was there and I think I interviewed him for
Stuff I was a 90210 fan, but I was in hardcore. Yeah other people, you know, Stu is in 90210
He played David Silver's friend when they went to the gap. There's an episode
Okay, I'm gonna have to rewatch that episode and remind me again because I know you I know you're connected to cam Gordon because yes
Work with him at Twitter. Yes, that's true. But how are you connected to Stu?
Well, I'm only connected to Stu by him railing over my love for disco tech
So it's through this show for some reason. I thought maybe you had another
No, but then you are but then we raise you up all the time, but then we we stay
I can't remember if we're connected any other way.
I think there's,
oh, you know what?
I think he did some stuff with Megan boys too.
And I have friends who did stuff with them too.
So I think there might be that, but I don't remember.
But we've since tech, oh, you know what?
It is Bowdog.
Bowdog.
Okay, now we're talking.
Where's the Toronto Mike sponsorship by Bo dog. Hey,
where is that? Well, hook you up. Well, we'll get you talking to the right people. But,
but basically, so, so we did post games the last two years, we did a live on Twitter chatter
X I guess now, right. Pre game while I'm at the building, uh, promoting that's okay. I
knew there was some, but that's probably reminding me, but David, if I may take credit for that,
that connection there is probably my doing because
cause Stu and gets get knows about David Alter because of,
you know, discotheque on pandemic Friday.
He was probably the biggest critic of me liking discotheque
over anyone I've ever met.
Put a pin on that.
Well, maybe, maybe I could beat him. Okay.
So we'll hold onto that.
Captain oblivious wants me to ask you, uh, well, he says it would be great.
I assume, you know what? I just designed, I have a bad habit. I assume gender on captain
oblivious. I think it's because it's my gender that I identify as. So when I don't know gender,
sometimes I just assume they're like me, you know, but captain oblivious doesn't have to
be a male. That's just, uh, could be any gender. Okay. But Captain Oblivious writes,
it would be great to hear David's true feelings about the Eglinton cross.
Oh my God. Wow.
I don't know how he doesn't know my true feelings or maybe not he,
but I don't know how you don't do today. Don't assume.
But I don't know how you don't,
I how anyone who follows me doesn't know my I think he's probably he's probably he knows being sarcastic
Yeah, they know so anyway, so listen
I moved into the young and Eglinton area when shovels were in the ground as a 26 year old man
But I'm a 41 soon to be 42 year old man
Well lives right now to right next to Mount Pleasant station,
and it's still not open.
So if there's a reason why my anger is more amplified,
it's that reason.
Like, I mean, I have the young station,
it wasn't the only thing,
but having that train would make my life
and a lot of people's life a lot easier.
And there's no other city of this population
would accept this lack of accountability. and it's one of my biggest
Well, I peeves that you know allow this to happen. It is it's a huge embarrassment
Like it's a massive clusterfuck, and I know what I also know Toronto is a city only response to embarrassment
That's why I'm so relentless on social media about it. I usually am NOT this crazy
I've actually had colleagues be like hey Dave you got a layoff about the Eglinton LRT. I'm like, no, no, I don't because we live in the most reactionary city in the world
where they only react and do things fast if they have egg on their face about it.
I think you might be right. Like I was doing, making, I was shaming bike, not bike. Who's
responsible for the bikes that people rent in the city? Is that the city? That's it. Yeah. It's green pea, isn't it?
Doesn't green pea have a-
I think you're right.
I think you're right.
So anyway, I, I, we had an issue with the lack of bikes during the winter at a lot
of these places, like there was nothing there. Anyway, we were right.
You have to shame people to get results. Like things are happening now.
It was literally brought up in Olivia Chow's office because I made a stink about
it. Like you got to kind of complain and make a stink and be embarrassed. And then maybe there'll be action. That's how it works made a stink about it. Like you gotta kinda complain and make a stink
and be embarrassed and then maybe there'll be action.
That's how it works.
That sucks, right?
Okay, Ben Rabie.
Yes.
Do you know Ben Rabie?
I do know Ben Rabie.
I'm a fan of Ben Rabie's.
Who is Ben Rabie?
Cause that's a great name, Ben Rabie.
Ben Rabie, he grew up in Montreal.
He actually interned at TSN.
You know his whole resume, okay.
And he went to Syracuse, I believe,
for media and he lives in DC.
Okay, shout out to Leo Rydams.
I've actually gone to a couple of U2 shows
and some tennis stuff with him.
Well, here's where he's going.
So Ben Ray B writes, first time, long time.
For Dave, which U2 track, this is,
we're gonna do a segment here.
I'm gonna break things down.
Okay, so you got here, we did a little intro.
Now we're comfy. I gave you some gifts. Now we're gonna do a little U2 track. This is we're going to do a segment here. I'm going to break things down. Okay. So you got here We did a little intro now. We're comfy. I gave you some gifts
Now we're going to do a little love you to segment then we'll segue over to leafs
Which you to track best represents?
This era this current era of leafs
I'll hang up and listen says ben rabey. So I thought about this because I I did because you saw it on the x I did see it
um says Ben Rabie. So I thought about this because I did see it but it didn't take me very long to
come up with it and there is a track that you two have been touring off the Acton Baby album,
which is one of their best if not the best, called So Cruel. And I think that track sums up
the Leafs' fate. Is it because such promise, but we're all left disappointed
at the end of the season. There's that it's, it's more so kind of a relation to the fan
base and the cruelty towards the fan base for having to endure what they've seen and
the bad luck that comes along with being a leaf fan too. The Toronto Maple Leafs baseball
club is having some fun with their tongue in their cheek by talking about it. In fact,
I wrote it, I said it in the intro, but you know, eight championships since 1967.
So of course these are not comparing apples to apples here people, but it's just a fun
little line.
But we are, you know, you and I, I'm older than you are, uh, never seen our team in the
Stanley cup finals.
I mean, it is really pitiful and it, every year we add another year, 1967.
Leave the stat that I saw that's been going around for the youngins is that they've never
won three rounds in any particular playoff.
Oh, because that was Pat Quinn era.
Well, because early 2000s that was that was when they got to three rounds.
And before when they won the Stanley Cup and they've never been to the final, it was it
was just two rounds, right?
It was the semifinals and finals.
So they've never won three rounds.
I thought you were saying because I know my son who's 22 has no memories of, yeah,
as a plane in three rounds, like we haven't played in three rounds since 2002 or 2002
is the last time they've played in three rounds of playoff. So I mean, now you've got people
who are 22 years old. My son being an example of 22 year olds have no awareness.
The year that happened.
Right, right.
He was born just before he won gold in Salt Lake City.
So he was around for that.
But yeah, so now, yeah, really since then,
you can look at a couple of times
we won a single playoff series.
We haven't won two playoff rounds since then.
That's absolutely pitiful. But you're a Detroit Lions fan like this
Yeah, sort of uh, did I ever talk about that? Like why I was a
Reminder remind. I was a big Barry Sanders fan growing up and I didn't believe in the whole geographic
You have to be a bill so we don't have a team. Oh, yeah, I don't believe in that either
I don't believe in that either. That's so team. We don't have you but in 2008
I honestly thought my career was gonna be pivoting to become an NFL reporter.
I was covering the Bills as part of the Bills Toronto
series at the fan.
Right.
And it looked like economically that Toronto was on its way
to getting another NFL team.
It didn't happen.
I love football.
I actually like football more than I like hockey.
Okay.
But it just didn't happen.
But Detroit is where I get all my fandom out.
It was actually great.
I watched the last playoff win in Seattle before the Leafs played the Kraken at a bar just before going to work.
Well this was an exciting season for you guys. Oh it was exciting yeah I feel just the outpouring
of positivity. I went to a game this season when the Leafs were off in DC. I went to go see them
in Baltimore. They were five and one and they got smacked.
I left in the third quarter, they were down 35 nothing. And it was like, it was like cruelty.
I was like, I can't believe I finally go to a game here and this happens, but meeting
all the Lions fans and seeing how many Lions fans made their way to Baltimore made the
trip worth it for me.
Okay. Beautiful. By the way, there's an episode for you to listen to. It was last week. It was Bob Stella.
Okay. And there's a lot of insight into the whole, you know, buff. Oh, sorry.
PR extraordinaire. Yeah.
There's a lot of discussion about the Toronto bills, like that whole experience.
I'm definitely going to put it back in the old Bob was involved in that.
So we did talk about it. The Toronto bills experience there.
Love when there's like a callback.
Oh yeah. It was only last week too. And I really did. I like the Bob Stalick episode
because we get to talk a lot of Harold Ballard. We can talk about, you know, his, you know,
his brother and the, the court for Cornell trade and all that jazz. And we can talk about
Maple Leaf gardens. And then, uh, you can even throw in some Toronto bill stuff there.
Beautiful.
That was last week. Do you manage your own financial investments, Mr. Alter?
Or do you have a person?
Well, I had, no, I have a, I have an accountant for the final different.
Yes.
No, I do.
I do my own, I do my own everything else.
Okay.
I have, I have a podcast for you.
Okay.
It's called the advantaged investor podcast.
Raymond James, limited Raymond James. Yeah, absolutely. Raymond Jamesor podcast. The Raymond James limited. Raymond James.
Yeah, absolutely.
Raymond James.
And who plays at Raymond James Stadium?
That's the Tampa Bay plays at Raymond James Stadium.
I think so.
I think so.
I think Tom Brady was there.
Okay.
The Advantage Investor provides the engaging wealth management information you value as
you pursue your most important goals.
So you get to get some great advice from financial advisors and you get
to hear my good friend Chris Cooksie's voice. So that's what you're going to do. Subscribe
to that podcast.
I love that stuff. That's one of my passions outside of hockey. Well, that's managing finances
and really everything I do now is as a business, just like yourself. I know where you have
where you have to, you know, I cover all my own travel expenses, but I get my own revenue too.
So like it's, it's worth it. It's totally worth it.
No other way to go. If you can do it, you should do it. Okay. So listen to the advantage investor
and bookmark this site, recycle my electronics dot CA, because if you have old electronics,
old cables, old tech, and you don't, you don't want to throw that in the garbage,
they got a lot of those ends up in the landfill. So go to recycle my electronics dot CA and they'll
say, Hey, David, drop it off here, man. And then you drop it off there.
And then it gets properly recycled. So the chemicals do not end up in our landfill. You
got it. We'll do you to time just for a bit. We're going to do a little you to segment
and then we'll get back to course. So just to refresh memories, it was in May, 2020 when
I put out a call and I'm like, FOTM is around the world. Like what's like, what's your
favorite song of all time? Like tell me about it. This was a
pandemic times as you might recall. Anyway, let's listen.
And it's a little quiet in the mix as I look at it. But let's
see if we can hear this.
All right, I'm gonna go a little bit off the board here. But a
song that I absolutely love and had a huge influence in my life is
Disco Tech by U2. A very controversial single from the 1997 album Pop. They kind of went
experimental and kind of danced and kitsch and a lot of diehard U2 fans hated it but I was
15 at the time or turning 15 and it just, I could not
get that song out of my head.
I thought it was weird at first, but then I just listened to it and watched the music
video on my VCR nonstop.
And that kind of sprung an obsession with me and that band where I went on to see them
like 30 times so far. I saw them in
Berlin in 2018 but like I just loved the riff. It was so addictive and yeah I really love that song.
Okay so that was the moment we played that clip on Pandemic Fridays. Wow. Me, Kam, Stu, all three of us.
My audio is terrible, by the way.
I'm embarrassed there, but it's OK.
I boosted it when I put it on.
No, but I just didn't have the equipment.
Now I have like...
It sounds fine.
I actually use lav mics for all my appearances now.
Look at you. You've come a long way, baby.
I have.
OK, so next time you submit something.
We are collecting audio for a new FOTM KOTK.
Just say the word, I'll make sure.
OK, it's songs that make you think about spring
So a song you dig that reminds you of spring and I'm putting together the spring jams
So I'll tell you later not now, right?
Well, just you record it on your own and just send me the file just I will do there and then I'll you'll be part
Of any anyone listening can do the same thing Mike at Toronto Mike comm
Talk about a song that reminds you about spring.
Talk about it for like 30 to 90 seconds and then send it over here. Okay. Let me brew
this in the background. And there are many mixes to this. This is the Mike Hodges mix
and it might not be a preferred mix.
It's definitely not.
So this is the one that went on the best of, right?
Right. It was released many years later. It was on the, uh, like a great, I need a 2000.
Okay. So I'll just put in the background discotheque, but I, we,
it's much of my line because even people like me who I consider myself a YouTube
fan, I was there for early YouTube and I was a big fan and, uh,
Irish roots and all, but discotheque even just kind of sucked to me. Like,
Oh, this isn't very good, but it's your favorite.
Yeah, it's definitely my, it's definitely one of my favorites.
They haven't really played it in a long time.
I think 2005 was the last full.
Well, what does that tell you?
They're not proud of this song.
No, they they snippet it.
They sneak like they want to like listen to that bass riff.
Yeah, but they have they have a wealth of material that is superior.
Like they are not. of material that is superior.
This isn't Imagine Dragons, this is U2.
No, but that's what U2 is about.
They pushed the boundary of sound, especially in the 90s.
The whole Actong Baby album was them giving an FU to their 80s sound.
And it was controversial at the time.
Yeah, but that album still had one on it.
But that was a third single it took three singles for them to add to get the critic critical acclaim
The first one was the fly which was the most different out of all of it
And now that that song is celebrated
So tell me why is it that you think that got a question from Cambrio Cambrio says hey
Did David Alter go see you two at Sphere?
Yes, three times.
Three times.
Cambrio points out that they, he says, I don't think they played discotheque even once.
No.
Well-
But what is that?
Let's have a frank discussion here.
Now, this is subjective.
If you love this song, there's no metric to say you're wrong.
You love what you love, right?
So the belief is Bono likes the song a lot edge likes
The song a lot Larry doesn't love the song the drummer
And there's mixed feelings there and also when they put the album out it wasn't finished
They were kind of rushed to kind of get an album out before their tour had already been committed to and it's something that they
Haven't done since is it possible that they just realize hey
we have 40 better songs we have 50 better songs we have 60 better songs. I don't know about that I
think it's just they they know the reaction and there there is there is a premium on their time
for songs right they don't like it's an Actual Baby Tour so you know 12 songs are already reserved and they only play
22 or 23 songs in a show so it doesn't leave room for a lot else they played atomic city that new
single which i like a lot too i don't know if you've heard that one um but uh that song is really
amazing live and what i love about U2 is you'll hear that but the way they performed this song live was even better and
like that's the magic of U2.
A band that's-
But it's been almost 20 years.
And they still play their songs better live than they do online.
I know I meant since they played Discoteque live.
Oh yeah, 2005 was the last full appearance.
They've done snippets.
They did a snippet of Discoteque on this tour too.
So they always tease it but they just don't do it.
Is there anything more annoying in the universe than somebody telling you your favorite band or your favorite song sucks? Like that's the worst. I don't care. It makes it unique. I'd
rather be in a smaller Venn diagram than be a part of the collective majority, let's put it that way.
and be a part of the collective majority, let's put it that way.
What is your favorite, so you kind of mentioned it,
is that your favorite U2 album, Akhtung Baby?
I think Akhtung is my favorite, Pop is a close second,
Joshua Tree, probably third.
And another album that got critically panned,
which I think was really good,
it just had its anniversary recently,
15 year anniversary of No Line on the Horizon, which was really great. It
reminded me a lot of 90s U2. The only problem with that album was Get on Your
Boots was the first single, and that song was nothing like the rest of the album.
And there's a song on there called Moment of Surrender, which they do
constantly snippet all the time. I think Lars
Alrick said it's probably the third best YouTube song they've ever created. The only... Brian Eno
pushed for them to make it a single but they didn't because it's seven minutes long and they
couldn't figure out where to shorten it. That music you heard when you first put on the headphones
that was there for the live stream that was Brian Eno. A little fun fact. Brian Eno is awesome.
I have gifts for you. This came courtesy of David Kynes, who works at Hollywood Suite.
And if you subscribe to Hollywood Suite, you can stream many a Stu Stone directed movie, including
Vandits. So, and maybe Faking a Murderer and other movies of that ilk. Okay. David Kine sent over a bunch of great stuff
and I put these aside to give to David Alter.
David, you know, it's funny, you're even even this appearance, which was very of the
moment. We didn't have this in the calendar very long. It's because my guest at two o'clock
today was scheduled to be David Marsden and David Marsden is not well right now and couldn't
make it. So we're thinking of the great David Marsden,
the legend that is David Marsden,
but we're talking about David Kines, David Marsden,
and now David Alter.
There's a lot of Davids.
I thought there was a lot of Mikes.
There's a lot of Davids.
There's definitely a lot of Mikes.
There's a lot of Davids.
There's a lot of Davids.
Common name.
David Clarkson.
It spans many faiths as well.
David Clarkson, have they retired his number yet?
What's going on over there?
I don't think they're ever retiring his number.
71, right?
71, that's right. Cause it was like the reverse Wendell Clark. Well, that
was a bad idea off the hop there. Oh my goodness. Poor, poor Mimico boy. Okay. So I'm going
to give them to one by one and make a little noise here and you can tell me if you can,
you can always gift them to somebody else if you already have all this, but this is
a DVD called you to go home. Great one. It's a great one. It was the only, it was the only
a one of two outdoor shows on the elevation tour cause it was an all arena tour.
And then they've in slaying castle.
I think the country law was that they can only have one concert there every 10
years or something like that. It's like, uh, cause it's like,
uh, it's this landmark. Like it's not something like they usually do croak park
for the big shows outdoors, but youling Castle, so they actually were given two shows and one of the
shows, I don't know if it was this one or the other one that they filmed for DVD here,
the openers.
I need some music while we talk about this.
The openers, there was one act that had Coldplay as the second last opener, then Red Hot Chili
Peppers, then U2.
That would have been a kick-ass bill.
Okay. Well, I got more great stuff for you.
This is called U2 18 Videos.
It's a DVD.
Beautiful. I love this one.
Okay. This one is U2 05,
live from Chicago, the Vertigo Tour.
Another great one.
Okay. Look at this.
And you kind of knew this was coming, but I've been holding onto these for like over
a year for you to come.
By the way, you know, I think the big reason you like discotheque so much is because you
are 15 fucking years old and the song that hits you when you're 15 implants itself and
it's there for all eternity.
Is that historically proven?
I think it's almost proven.
I bet you there's science behind this.
So I'm playing a song I loved, and I don't hear anyone ever talk about it
But I loved rattle and hum because I picked it up when I was about 15 years old
I suppose if I do the math it's because the movie itself sucked see the album. So it's good
You got it's a great album and they have this live version
With the choir which you know, I'll bring it up later when the choir gets going, but it gives me fucking goosebumps.
It is a good one.
Elevation 2001, this is live from Boston, U2, another DVD for David Alter.
That's a great one.
That one in 2001, there's a thing they do there.
They were the first, that's the first ever tour where they had fans inside the stage.
So Vertigo carried that forward, but this one, they had a inside the stage so Vertigo carried that forward
but this one they had a heart and and like it was like a catwalk and fans can
go inside the heart and then after you two did it in 2001 every award show
started doing it they what I love about them is they're really innovators
okay you to zoo TV live from Sydney. This is beautiful. I love this show.
This is my older brother.
It's his favorite.
And everyone who went to go see U2 at the Sphere,
if they were old enough, remembers this tour
because that's essentially what they kind of reenacted there.
And it's Bono with the fly glasses and everything.
It was 90s U2 at its purest.
Listen to this!
🎵You'll pick your own wonder home🎵
🎵He'll be the shelter from the storm🎵
Notes I will never hit.
🎵I believe in the inner cause🎵
I'm gonna bring it up for the big finish. Okay, how to dismantle an atomic bomb?
special limited edition CD album DVD and book and never
This one this is the moment everybody do know there's getting such swag. This is unbelievable
Special limited edition album. This is fantastic. This is never being open. That's for sure
And I mean, I know you have this but you might want another copy. This is simply a
best of 1990 to 2000.
Do you remember the single that came? Like you two is always of the mind that they can't
do something that's like a pass without a single.
They got to put a new thing on it.
They got to put a new thing. Do you remember what the new song was on this?
Num.
No, no, no. The song he wrote for his wife, right?
No, that was in the 80s to 90s one called The Sweetest Thing.
In 90 to 2000, they had a song that was for a movie center called Electrical Storm.
I don't know if you remember that.
I do have vague memories of Electrical Storm.
It's fantastic.
And one more here.
Hold on here.
I don't have this either.
This is speaking of vinyl.
This is speaking of vinyl.
Seven inch vinyl?
I'm not sure what it is. I'm not sure what it is. I just had a pack a box. It looks like a seven inch fun
It is okay. This is a seven inch vinyl. This is desire. Oh, it's a desire single. Yeah, that's something Wow
Okay, so drink all the way here. She comes be beside
Let's let you to remember these sides
Listen, I'm older than you are listen listen son I'm
pushing 50 over here okay you don't look at look thank you you're gonna do the
time-restricted eating which is another term for intermittent fasting okay but
you know you really don't need it you have a good body composition here's what
we're doing I'm actually gonna drink this in man I'm having a great time with
you you got some gifts there I'm gonna let you two take us home here and then
we're gonna talk some leaves. You ready? I can't! Oh, I can't! Oh, I can't!
Oh, look, your voices are real.
You know I can't!
I can't believe it!
I can't believe it!
Oh, I can't believe it!
I can't believe it!
I can't believe it!
I can't believe it!
I can't believe it!
You know I can't! I can't believe it. I believe it. You know I do.
What I see, I see.
I'm looking for.
I'm looking for.
Searching, looking, hiding.
What I see, I see.
I'm looking for.
I'm looking for.
I'm looking for.
I'm looking for.
I'm looking for. I'm looking for. I'm looking for. We need a big finish here David.
Take me to church, let's go. I'm searching high and low across
Looking all down
All the way down
Wow. See, that's a religious experience right there, man. That's my religion. Hook that to my veins.
See, that I like.
And that would be, that is to me what discotheque is to you.
I love when you put it that way.
Yeah.
Well, it depends.
It depends how you hear discotheque and stuff.
But yes.
Now it's, you know, you'll be sad to know, I don't think they really did that song on
the Sphere tour.
They did do. No, that Joshua tree staple never made it to know
I mean granted they played the entire front about where the streets have no name that
Okay, so because I went there without you or oh that takes me back to grade school dance
But here's the thing in 2017 when they did the Joshua tree tour redo. redo, and then they resumed their arena new album tour
the following year, they made it a point
to not play a single track from the Joshua Tree tour on it.
And they were like, listen, we played it to death.
Okay, well they're the boss.
This is our way to add some new music.
And that's how Acrobat finally made its debut.
That was one song on Act Home Baby that they'd never performed live before
that fans have been screaming for.
So that's that when you have a band like you two, it's you know, obviously,
you can say this about the Rolling Stones.
You could probably say that this about Pearl Jam, maybe.
But when bands have that deep a catalog, yeah, like sure.
The fans like I'm thinking now I'm thinking Pearl Jam, like, yes,
the fans expect to hear even flow.
Okay, there's certain songs that they probably feel obligated to give their fans because they, you know, these are staples, but they actually have such a wealth of good content they can pull from.
Like they could do 10 shows and have 10 radically different set lists.
They could, but they don't because they know fans are coming for a certain track.
And it's tough because I wish they were like Bruce where they would play three hours.
I'm going to see Bruce for the first time in November.
Okay.
So apparently he performs like three hours.
This is what I hear.
I can't wait.
I can't wait to see Bruce.
I haven't seen Bruce either, but I wish you two would do that.
A live act I did finally get to see for the first time of that similar era was Depeche mode in the fall. And that was a fantastic show at that show as I recall. Probably. Yeah.
Probably. Okay. It was great. It was a great show. They played all the songs I wanted to
hear. Sounds amazing. Okay. Again, Toronto, Mike, people like you come on and I'm so interested
in catching up with you finding about finding out about your intermittent fasting, talking
you to and stuff. We never talk Leafs, okay?
So again, what's that URL people can go to right now
at the hockey-
THN.com, that's the hockeynews.com,
but at THN.com also works, slash Toronto.
That's where you'll find the hub of all Leaf content.
So if you take nothing else from this conversation,
if you're at all interested in Toronto Maple Leafs hockey,
then go there-
Trade deadline this week.
Trade deadline this week.
Trade deadline this year.
So tell me what's going on, man.
I, uh, I do watch, uh, here and there I follow, but I don't really give a shit till playoff
time.
Okay.
So basically this season they got off to a bit of a worse start than maybe in previous
years.
Now in previous years they got off to a bad start, but they were able to nip it in the
bud early, uh, for a while, you know, but they were able to nip it in the bud early.
For a while, you know,
instead of just kind of being cemented in second
or third place in the division,
they were just kind of pushing in and out of a wild card
spot, so we didn't know what was gonna happen.
Now this past month in February,
they went on a seven game winning streak,
which is their longest since 2003.
If you can believe that this team has done
what it's done and has not had a winning streak more than six games until this year. So they
did that. They got themselves back in striking distance of second. They're probably firmly
planted in Florida.
Okay. So it's Florida and Boston and then us in our division.
Yes.
Okay. And they just played Boston and Boston and then we're then us in our division. Yes. Okay. And they just played Boston
and I sound stupid here, but just remind us. Okay. There's two divisions in each conference.
They changed the format in 2014. What the current format is, is it, you gotta be top three and
otherwise you get a wild card. Yeah. So they went back to divisional format in 2014. Remember it
used to be one to eight in the conference. I prefer, but I do too. Trust me. No one insulted me.
No, so now they have an even amount of divisions, four of eight teams. The top three are seated
one, two, three, and they do divisional playoffs.
And then four and five are wild card spots based on the remaining two in the conference.
Right. So, okay. So, so they don't have to come. So basically the top three teams in
the division are from the division are good. And if there's two divisions like that in each conference, I take care of six teams. The last
two spots go to the best point producing teams of the rest of that conference. So the final two,
it could be. So like, for example, when the Leafs were struggling where they were, if they have the
first wild card spot, they actually would have been flipped over to the other division, play the
Rangers in the first round.
Oh boy. So, okay. We played Boston last night and it was a four one.
What was the final score?
Four one was a final.
Okay. So we look pretty firmly last night checked.
We looked pretty solidly. We're a third place team in this division.
That's probably where we end up, right?
Yeah. I mean, there's still six points back. Um,
maybe more now with Boston getting those two
points.
So eight, it's going to be tough, but they could still slide and still go down to the
wild card spot.
So they still have to defend their spot.
I think the worst thing that could happen for the Maple Leafs post trade deadline is
that they don't have anything to play for because that's been their problem the last
few years.
My argument is that they get to the trade deadline and then they know
they're either going to play Tampa or host them last year for sure right? We knew what was going
on in like December or whatever. It's the worst. It's that's why I hate this format. But then we
won a series. See it worked. Well but Tampa was actually that much worse but I actually have this
theory and it's proving true that how a team plays outside of getting your playoff position, getting
a points, everything is bullshit till after you play after the deadline when like you
really have to start playing your peak performance hockey.
So what is the win? It matters. So I'm going to, so let's go this way. Okay. So out of
curiosity, if you finish third in your division, which we are right now, and it looks like,
well, probably I'm going to predict we end up finishing third in this division. First round is against a number one seed. How does it work? Can you
remind me? Sorry, say that again. So if we finished third, let's say yes, the number two
team in that division. So that's Boston. Yes. Well, we're fucked, right? We're not getting
boss. I mean, it's been, it's been five years since they played Boston. Boston's not the same
Boston team. They used to know, but they still look, I mean, you're right. I mean, it's been it's been five years since they played Boston. Boston's not the same Boston team they used to be. No, but they still look I mean, you're right. Boston lost to Florida
in the first round after finishing with the best record in history. So there's a lot that could
happen. Really, the one thing you have to look at is when the season ends, look at the remaining
playoff teams and see how well they played March or yeah, March 8th and onwards.
The teams that play best in that segment of the season are the teams that perform really well in the playoffs, typically.
So how would you assess our goaltender situation as we approach the deadline and then, you know, we'll be in the playoffs.
What is it? April?
No clear number one, but both very capable.
I mean, Ilya Samsonov stole around,
he stole a couple of games for them
in that series against Tampa.
You could argue Tampa should have won that series based on-
And he had a nice rest, right?
We gave him a nice breather.
Yeah, they had to figure out what was going on with him,
but he seems to be in a right head space right now.
And so they worked on it and he's back.
Joseph Walls, two games back now from an injury. Yeah, they've got
Martin Jones on the roster. They seem to be pretty set there. But I mean, it is a trade deadline. Who
knows what's going to happen between now and Friday and forwards. I mean, always our strength,
I suppose. But in Austin Matthews, any chance he wins the heart trophy this year? I think for
him to win the heart, he's got to get 70 goals
and he's at he's at 53 I believe right now. He's kind of slowed the last few games but it's kind of a joke that we're saying that because he's got 14 goals more than the next guy or 13 more than the
next guy. So it's tough it's it's really um like goals don't necessarily mean you're the best. It's voted on. I get a vote.
But when he got 60 and he was MVP there,
it's kind of hard to not argue that he shouldn't get it if he gets 70.
It's wild. This franchise, which has been around a very long time,
it's wild to think of how heads and tails he is above any other goal scorer
that we've had in franchise history.
Like he's so much better than whoever you'd put as your second greatest goal scorer in Maple Leaf.
Super, super talented. Like unbelievable talent and and plays the full 200 foot
game and is still able to put up those amount of goals. It's really something
else. We're lucky he's at Toronto Maple Leaf.
Pausing for applause there. Okay So defense now I have a question for
you. It's from Hildeby or not to be that would have a great handle to be okay. Hildeby is
Dennis Hildeby is a fourth goaltender. See something, you know what I watched just now
now that I don't have sports anymore, I don't know what's going on, but he didn't play yet
this season. They were a lot of people were hoping he would get in a game, but it didn't happen.
Is Lilligran on Leafs roster game one of the playoffs?
I think yes. He's going through it right now, but the Leafs don't have a lot of options.
I think they're going to need him. So yes, maybe the third pair, third pair on the right side for Timothy Lilligran.
How are we sure? You know, this is what wins championships, right?
Goal, 10 in defense, multiple defensemen too. They need like nine.
Cause there's injuries. So this is the case. When is the trade deadline?
Friday, Friday, March eight for those listening in the past.
So I suppose we have to go out and get a couple of, you know,
well they don't have a lot of cap space right now. Like they,
there's little to no cap space
They need I don't want to go too deep in the weeds for listeners
But like if you want to get guys at the minimal salary
You've got to have a third party trade partner to get the cap hit down to really minuscule number
Why you think that would be a little bushkin? You don't think my listeners are smart enough to know I just it's not that it's just
It takes an article of explaining explaining the salary cap. It takes a Raymond James sponsored financial
advisor to actually figure out the the cap calculations about what what can and can't
work. You're good at this. Okay. So tell us what you expect to see done by it was a Brad
Travilling my Saint is last this last? Tra-living.
Tra-living. Okay.
Yes.
I remember his dad from Dragon's Den. Okay.
Yeah. I love that show.
What is the, what do you hope or what? No, you're not. So this is the other thing too. Like
you're not allowed to cheer from the press box. You're covering the team objectively,
but were you, were you raised a Leaf?
Yes, I was.
So is there any part of you that when, I, I dunno, if let's say we go to game
seven against the Bruins and let's say in overtime, Austin Matthews gets a goal,
you'll catch yourself in the press box. Like you'll stop that.
I'm so like,
I might smile at the moment or I might smile for a bunch of other reasons,
but you're like, Oh, what a great story. I'm very,
I'm very desensitized to it. Like in that regard, it wasn't worth it though. I know you're more of an NFL fan,
but like we, you're lucky in that you're covering the Maple Leafs, which means you've never
had to worry about there being a moment. Like what do we have? Gilmore's wrap around in
game two of the second, I remember where I was for that against Cujo. We all do. Uh,
actually in the boss room, I have a autographed picture of Doug Gilmore there's a red
there's a burger joint near me I took a photo of it on on X I guess the other
day let's call Twitter okay yeah and it was like the old-school Felix pod van
poster yeah like and then a pride of the Leafs and all that stuff I was like why
we see this Wendell picture that's in the studio well that's from 93 I know because of the patch he's that was the 92 93 centennial season of the Leafs and all that stuff. I was like, well, I haven't seen this Wendell picture that's in the studio. Well, that's from 93. I know because of the patch. He's that was
the 92 93 centennial season of the Stanley Cup. Right. And he's got the C on there and
that's a cap before I was traded for. Yeah. Matt said, I think I told you this before,
but he Wendell Clark is the answer to my favorite NHL trivia question. Okay. Why are you getting
the answer? Did you? Yeah. I just said he said he was the but I told I think I told you this before
He has the longest gap between NHL all-star appearances ever. That is a good one. That is a 86 and 99
Do you know in his rookie year? They had a Bob Stelick was telling this story
There was a like an attempt a campaign to get him the Calder trophy in his rookie year Wendell Clark
Just a fun fact. How many assists do you think Wendell Clark had in his rookie year, Wendell Clark. Just a fun fact. How many assists do
you think Wendell Clark had in his rookie season?
40?
11.
Oh my God. How many goals did he have?
30 something.
Oh, okay. Well.
Well, he didn't win the, he didn't win the Calder that year.
No.
Gary Souter won the Calder that year.
Probably fair.
Who would go on to hurt Wayne Gretzky as I recall. But okay, let's look down to cover here. So what do
you, what do you expect that the Maple Leafs will do in the, at the trade
deadline this year? I don't know. I think it's like probably gonna get another
defensive body and maybe a depth board and maybe someone gets removed from the
roster to get that happen or they, they trade a prospect or something. But it's
not gonna be very big. Unless something crazy happens to this team that opens up
space. There's no space we've painted ourselves into a little quarter.
There's a lot of space next year but there isn't this year. Okay who's coming
off the book next year? That's a lot of defensemen. The Leafs only have three
defensemen on the books for next year. Riley, uh, Timmons, who I just wrote about
today and uh, Jake McCabe. That's it. Everyone else is gone. Well, not, not gone, but everyone
else is not under contract.
Man, you know, the salary cap really, you know, I know every team has to work with the
salary cap and that's the whole point of it all to get some parity or whatnot. But like
when you think about the fact we have to say goodbye to a Zach Hyman because we can't even, uh, you know, shore up a guy like that. But then what you
end up doing is you end up with this, this top heavy team. Right. And how do you push
that team forward built like this when you have like a few guys making a, whatever.
Look, they could have done it. Like they've had money available and they've signed other
guys like Michael bunting was a replacement to, right to Zach Hyman for a couple of years
now it's Max Domi uh Tyler Tyler Bertuzzi got five and a half million for one year this year so there
is money there it's just a matter of do they feel they can commit to these guys because Kadri and
Hyman are a couple of guys i know Kadri had those two brain farts in a row in the playoffs
how much do you hear now you wish you had a guy like Kadri for the playoffs? I think in Kadri and
Hyman are a couple guys I always look at and think,
yeah, well, Leafs could use a player like that. Oh yeah, we had those guys and then we,
we let them kind of go. Yeah. Okay. So how do you, when you put on your, uh, your,
your goggles there and you look into the future, how do you see the leads doing that? I'm not
going to hold you to this because there is no crystal this year. Yeah. It's hard for me to say only because I really do feel how they play after March
8th is going to be the true indicator. Like, um, I'm one of the only media people on record
that picked Florida over Boston in that first round. It was correct. So that, and that's
based on my, that's based on my thing that, that how you play up until now outside of
getting the playoff position is kind of bullshit. Like when the trade deadline ends and you don't
have that over your head and your team is your team, how you play at that point
on is a true reflection of what your team is. You can also put that
forward the argument that it's all bullshit until the playoffs. I don't
think that the team has peaked yet and I think that's a real positive for the
Leafs. Like the style of play in the playoffs different than the style of play in the regular season.
Yeah, and I think they have more of those guys. I think Tyler Bertuzzi fits the playoff
like mentality.
And he has started scoring goals lately.
But I don't know if Max Domi is a second line center right now above John Tavares is enough.
Like they may need to shore up that position.
So we'll see what they
do there. Okay, look, I'm staying tuned. I'm going to be reading everything you write about this. And
I'm a diehard day one earnter when I became aware of the Maple Leafs. I fell in love with this team.
You know why? Because they play for the city I was born and raised in. That's literally the,
unlike you and the Detroit Lions, I'm only a Lee fan because I was born and raised in Toronto.
I was also born and raised in Toronto. So there you go.
We didn't have an NFL team for you to say goodbye. You know what? I don't understand.
Maybe you can.
Born in North York.
Why shout out to North York?
Well, now, now part of the mega city. So technically Toronto, right? Mel Lassman, uh, mega Mel
shout out to Ridley Funeral Home.
Where am I going with this? Oh yeah. Okay. What I never understood was my buddy Mike, who was born and raised in the junction. Okay. Cause I went to school my first years in the
junction. Loved the Boston Bruins for no real good reason. We were all Lee fans and he decided,
nah, my team's the Bruins. And to this day, he's a diehard Bruins fan.
You're going to get more of that now. Like your kids and stuff.
Oh my, I can tell you that my kids who love hockey, which for what, not because of the
reason they're boys, for whatever reason, my boys love hockey and my girls don't seem
to care about sports. I don't know why. I tried to make it the opposite of anything,
but my boys love the Leafs. My boys love the Raptors.
Okay. So then- My boys love the Leafs. My boys love the Raptors. Okay. So then boys love the Jays.
Then that's good. But like you're, you're seeing a lot of fans now because of
social media and how they fall in love with sports differently are a lot of
times more often fans of other teams and their local one for other reasons
outside of it's just a hometown.
Maybe when the playoffs arrive and it's time to set the table for the first round,
maybe you should swing by after that's a great idea and we should do this again. I think that's
a great but I might not have any more U2 DVDs for you when you come back. Is that okay?
We'll make an exception in this case. Maybe you'll have a Blu-ray.
I'll give you a link. You can, you know, I'll give you a YouTube download. Yeah. You can
download the MP3s and that brings us to the end of our 1,445th show. You can follow me
on Twitter and blue sky. I'm at Toronto Mike and I know Mr. Alters on the app formerly
known as Twitter. He's at Dalter
D-Alter because I follow you and I'm gonna tag you and I drop this in 10 minutes
Much love to all who made this possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery. That's Palma pasta. That's recycle my electronics dot ca
That's Raymond James, Canada. That's the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club
And Ridley funeral home. I can't wait to take a photo with David in a moment.
I'm wearing my brand new Toronto Maple Leafs baseball shirt.
I like that shirt.
Thank you.
I think it looks cool too.
And I just put up a new signage.
I see it.
Enjoy your book on the history of Toronto Maple Leafs baseball.
Shout out to Ridley Funeral Home.
See you all tomorrow when I'm talking to Peter Kent
about Brian Mulrooney
Tune in then And I'll play this guitar just the best that I can
Maybe I'm not and maybe I am
But who gives a damn because
Everything is coming up
Rosie and Grey
Yeah the wind is cold but the smell of snow
Warms me today
And your smile is fine, it's just like mine
And it won't go away
Cause everything is rolling great
Well I've kissed you in France and I've kissed you in Spain