Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Donovan Bailey: Toronto Mike'd Podcast Episode 1536

Episode Date: August 15, 2024

In this 1536th episode of Toronto Mike'd, Mike chats with one-time fastest man in the world and 100m world record holder Donovan Bailey about Michael Johnson's recent comments about him and Canada's gold medal performance in the men's 4x100m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Toronto Mike'd is proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Palma Pasta, Ridley Funeral Home, 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 [e-mail]

A clean exchange, and Donovan Daly is pouring it on! Donovan Daly, how you doing buddy? I'm good man, I'm good. How are you doing? Good. I watched you on the CBC last week. Great job as always. How was the Olympics for you? The Paris Olympics? Oh, phenomenal. I mean we saw, you know, obviously a couple of performances that I expected I didn't get, but this has nothing to do with me. So, you know, as a fan and also, you know, as a broadcaster, you know, we saw phenomenal,

like phenomenal performances, the 100 meters. Men's was epic, the 100 meters. Women was epic. The 200 meters, you know, like, I probably can name, you know, five, six, seven events, eight events that were epic. So it was great. The broadcast team that I work with at CBC was also fantastic, the best in the business.

So yeah, man, it's been fantastic. Did you enjoy a Great Lakes beer with Ron McLean? He's a big fan. Ron McLean is one of the best, like Ron McLean is one of the best dudes ever. Ron McLean is a good buddy, my neighbor, and one of the very best journalists ever. One of the very best broadcasts to present to ever. Ron makes life very easy for me by just being Ron. I'm a big Ron head here. So this is a very

brief episode because we just recorded. So if people want to hear Donovan Bailey's take on all the, I mean, the hundred, the 200, the four by 100, all the major track events that took place in Paris, 2024 at the Olympics that just, uh, just passed. It's on the most recent episode of Donovan Bailey running things. You and Jason Portwondo just recorded about 45 minutes It was very in-depth and entertaining and I'm gonna share that with the universe now so people can pause this Go listen to the latest episode of Donovan Bailey running things. I'm gonna play you mentioned this race I'm just gonna play this race and then ask you for your Reaction to this in real time because I

watched you react to it and then I'm gonna take you back okay I'm gonna take you back so you're gonna go to a time machine but let's just listen to this call in the lead. Down the straight they go. Can he hold them off? Yes! Canada wins the gold in a massive upset here in Paris. 37-50, a seasonal best. Okay, Donovan, I need to know your reaction in real time and looking back, how much of a shocker is this? I mean, you won gold in the 4x100 meter in Atlanta. Right. And that was sort of, I feel like that was, okay we have the fastest man in the world,

he's got the world record time. I felt like that was less of a surprise than this. Right. It wasn't a surprise, well first of all winning in Atlanta wasn't a surprise to me at all. I mean we were going in, we were the number one team. I was the number one sprinter had the world record had all the titles. So, so, so for me, so for me to help to motivate the guys to motivate the guys to get ready. I mean, I mean, the only thing was that that we were in Atlanta, we're in America, we're at their house. But yeah, there wasn't it wasn't surprised that we won in Atlanta. But here, I

mean, you know what, it might've been a surprise to some people, but here's the thing. These four athletes are very familiar with each other. They're very comfortable with each other, and they were all extremely hungry. There's a whole lot of pressure, because none of them had gone and in their individual events to even the finals.

And that was a standard and that's been the standard for a few uh for a few competitions so yeah it was a surprise to me you know it was i mean i was i was a little you know you know definitely there's some deep thoughts about what glenn were going to do um oh dude i'm being honest There's deep thoughts because of how the four guys were running individually. I mean, and I know that there's a couple of young guys that were on the team and I was thinking, man, was Glenn, we're going to substitute those guys in for the finals or not if they made it through. But I got to tell you, man, you know, motivation and pressure, you know, there's a pressure bus pipe and at the end of the day, I think that um,

Them being comfortable them not Doing anything. Um in their individual competitions and by the way track and field is an individual thing, but I think all of them Were extremely disappointed in their individual competitions And I think that collectively they decided man I gotta leave Paris with something I gotta leave Paris. I mean, I'm just saying to that if I was if I was in that room I'd have been like yo, yeah, we are not leaving here unless we get something right and I think that that's what I think that's what Aaron and Jerome And Brandon and Andre decided and good on on them, man. I mean, welcome to the club.

They're now Olympic champions in the relay. You raise a good point. I can't remember a four by 100 meter relay gold medal team that didn't have a single member of the team that made the 100 meter final. Correct. Like that's unbelievable. And how many of the, no, the Americans butchered

the baton exchange. Again. Again, the, no, the Americans butchered the, the Baton exchange. Again. Again, right. They're known for that. Now, I think what, three of those guys were in the finals? Am I right? I mean, Noah Lyles did bail out. That's right.

He was sick. So, Noah Lyles. Well, you had three guys, you had three American guys running nine eights or faster. So do you think if the- Well, they had nine, nine was the slowest American guy. If the Americans don't butcher the baton exchange, do you think Canada has silver in that race?

Well, we'll never know, Mike. We will never know. Canada has gold. But you know everything, Donovan, come on. Canada has gold and that's all that matters. No, listen, I mean, on paper, the US absolutely was faster, but also Japan was very good. Italy was reigning Olympic champion. I

mean China was running very well. The South Africans have a like they have like they have three nine three nine eight guys right so I'm just saying to that you know if the race was run over who knows but who cares. The Canadians are the Olympic champions and And that's that. And no one can take it away from them. Do you remember the date? June 1, 1997. June 1.

June 1, 1997. It was a Sunday. There was a 150-meter race that took place at Skydome. Do you remember this? I think I remember, yes. Kate, I know when you had your Toronto mic debut, we went pretty in depth. I played the call. We set this up, but in an, in an essence, we always talk about the a hundred meter champion in the Olympics. We always say that's the fastest

man in the world. Right. In Atlanta, everybody knows this, but in Atlanta you ran nine eight four world record time. You won the gold medal. You, Donovan Bailey were the fastest man in the world alive fastest man alive yeah right world record holder the fastest man of all time if you want to get technical right Michael Johnson was the 200 meter champion and he started is it he just started calling himself the fastest man in the world is that what happened there well I mean it's definitely self-imposed for sure I mean Michael's Michael's a fan. He's a fan of one. Right. You know, because I mean, somehow we're, somehow, you know, your lying ears or lying eyes is

being determined by someone who says that he is the fastest person in the world, 21 miles an hour, but the guy who runs 28 miles an hour is not that fast. So nonsense, because we are all of us. All of us sense of people. It's great marketing for Michael though. It's all good. Well, great marketing for you too. In the sense that you had this race on June 1st, 1997.

We all tuned in. Okay. Please show me your accounting slips here. How much money did you take home from this race? Couple of bucks. Couple of bucks. What's my cut of that? None, I guess.

Okay. So you guys decide, okay, we're going to make some noise here and have a 150 meter race to determine who's the world's fastest man. So you guys decide, okay, we're going to make some noise here and have a 150 meter race to determine who's the world's fastest man. Now it's at Sky Dome. Like I mentioned, you're the hundred meter champ from Atlanta. Michael Johnson is the 200 meter champ and he also won the 400.

But again, he never won the hundred meter. He wasn't in the finals, but you guys run 150 meters. I played it in your Toronto Mike debut. Everybody knows Michael Johnson kind of pulls up lame and doesn't even, I don't think he finishes that race, but you blow him out of the water. You won that race. By a mile, yeah.

By a country mile. May I play for you a recent clip that CBC talked to Michael Johnson. May I play this and just get your, I want your honest reaction. I don't want the CBC reaction, okay? I know what that's like. I want the Toronto Mike real talk. Let's listen to Michael Johnson here.

Country remembers very well your rivalry with Donovan Bailey. What is the status of your relationship with him? Absolutely not. Donovan said what he said after that race. He didn't pull up, he's a chicken. He said what he needed to say and I did what I needed to do. Went ahead and kept winning gold medals and left Donovan where he still belongs. Thank you, Michael appreciate. We remember Michael Johnson clearly the rivalry is still very fresh. How would you like to respond here? I'm not responding Mike. I don't think, you know what's

really funny? I actually don't, let me tell you this. I don't think, number one I'm not competing, right, today. No. We competed against each other when we were in our utmost prime, right? Right. The race was over in 10 meters, okay? No, I'm just saying this is fact. No, I watched it, you're 100% right. This is facts. The race was over.

I start one meter on the inside and I catch you in 10 meters. So at the end of the day, I don't have to respond to anything. I mean, I think that, you know, Michael, again, I'll always respect Michael as one of the best speed endurance guy, which is a 400 and a 200 meter guy. I'm actually, in fact, I'm actually still surprised that Frankie Fredericks and Otto Bolden

didn't adapt my race model, which would be to get out of the blocks because you know you're much faster and you have much more power than your opponent. So to get out of the blocks and like crush them in the first 30 40 50 meters I'm actually surprised that Otto Bolden and Frankie Frederick's didn't but it is what it is They run mark they ran Michaels race and Michael won but dude I like I mean I think that Ariel

Ariel is it's amazing. Ariel is one of the best reporters out there I mean, he doesn't he doesn't care and certainly a little bit of a shit-disturber. But at the end of the day, whatever Michael is saying right now and whatever it is, I really wish him the best. And ultimately, for me, I want to be supportive of the league he's starting because the league he's starting is exactly the business model off the one 50. It's ex we had the best of the best competing against each other for more money than they've ever made. So again, I know it well. Uh, you know, I was,

I was the, um, integrate part of, of planning, uh, for this. But at the end of the day, man, I, I just, I didn't think, I mean, I think I said, I didn't think that I was living rent-free still in Michael's head. Well, that chicken comment is still ticking him off. It's still, you could tell. Yeah, I think Michael's probably a very sensitive guy. Michael's still a very sensitive guy,

and at the end of the day, like for me, my wins are my wins, my losses are my losses, I own all of it. I'm still one of the greatest men that ever walked the face of the earth. One of the fastest men that ever walked the face of the earth. And my responsibility at this age is to plate forward,

cheer on all the young cats that are out doing amazing things like Tobogo and Kishane Thompson and Loa Lows. Like, who am I? Like all of these my my jobs to play forward i i'm losing absolutely no sleep or have i ever lost any sleep about you know winning a race or losing a race okay before we say goodbye again you just finished the uh great recap of the olympic track events on donovan bailey running things you do that with jason portuando people can find it on your YouTube channel

or you can find it wherever you get your podcasts. I'm literally gonna drop that as soon as we finish this last couple of minutes here. But at the time watching the 150 meter race, it looked like Michael Johnson knew he was cooked and bailed like he just said, I'm shutting this down because I'm gonna look foolish getting blown out of the water in a 150 meter race.

So it looks like he does pack it in, he chickens out. That's my eyes at the time, okay? He claims he was genuinely injured. What say you all these years later? Does it matter or, cause you know, your chicken comments I think are fair if he's bailing because he can't compete with you Donovan. Well dude that was that was um that was resolved then I mean and if he said he was genuinely

genuinely injured that's fine because I mean he also we also competed in Europe a week later two weeks later uh you know so whatever the injury was and again if he was injured then hey man you know um I'm glad that you got better. Michael had a stroke a year ago. Oh, did he? Yeah. I'm sorry about that. Yeah.

I mean, so I always look out for someone's well-being. But at the end of the day, for me, like I said, I'm running nine-eight. I'm the world record holder. On his greatest day, he runs 10-one. It's not a rivalry. I mean, it's not remotely close. There's no debate. Right. So at the end of the day, if I run 9-8, then someone runs 10-1. So at the end of the day,

if I have 50 meters to go, let's just say I did that. If I have 50 meters to go, I'm still 20, 30 meters ahead of you. I can run backwards. Right. Now it's worth noting that Michael Johnson got a half a million dollar appearance. Yes. Great pay, greatest payday for him. So you know, he's like a boxer, right? You can just take the dive and take the money and run or whatever. You should be thankful. You should be like, Hey, this is great. Mr. Bailey, you got me half a million bucks.

Love it Donovan again. I loved your coverage on the CBC and I love your podcast Donovan Bailey running things and I'll see you next week, bud. See you next week, Mike. Have a good day. And that brings us to the end of our 1,536th show. Listen, subscribe, enjoy Donovan Bailey Running Things with his co-host, Jason Portuando. It's a TMDS production recorded live in my basement once a week

The YouTube video we record is pure fire. Here Donovan's takes on what's happening in track The Paris 2024 recap is now live Much love to all who made this episode possible. That's Great Lakes Brewery Palma Pasta, RecycleMyElectronics.ca, the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team, and Ridley Funeral Home. See you on Monday when FOTM Hall of Famer

Peter Gross drops by. We'll see what's cooking with Peter. We'll see what's cooking with Peter. If it's my UI check, ask, just come in, ah, where you been? Because everything is coming out rosy and gray Yeah, the wind is cold, but the snow's so warm, it's me today And your smile is fine, and it's just like like mine and it won't go away Cause everything is rosy and green