Norm with Mike Augello Post Bruins, Pre Habs

Norm with MikeInBuffalo by TheHook

Lots of fight

We're dodging baseball teams and ducking bananas while making way for the Machine and a Prince.

Tonight's radio show at am980.ca has a serious focus on the fight game. Canada's top featherweight mixed martial artist, Mark Hominick will check in to discuss his upcoming scrap with Korean Zombie. Mark and the Adrenaline crew appear back on track now. The death of Shawn Tompkins hit'em hard. Fellow UFC 140'er, Claude Patrick will make his debut on the program. Like Mark, he too fought at Toronto's first UFC show, going on to beat Daniel Roberts in unanimous fashion that Saturday night in April. "The Prince" is the number two ranked Welterweight in Canada.

Dr. Faisal Rehman will be by after 9PM to talk black-ties and black eyes. He's heading up tomorrow's big Gala'esque kickboxing event in London, "The Showdown in the Downtown". London champion, Brad Fowler is co-headlining the card. He's up against Mike "Mad Dog" Morello in what he says will be his retirement fight (More on that, tonight CTV London at 6:50). PS: I'm the MC for the Showdown event, tux and all.

After 9:30PM, we'll connect with Mike Augello of hockeybuzz.com for our weekly chat on the Maple Leafs. The season starts Thursday. They'll get the Wing this weekend. Do the Buds all of a sudden sport some depth? We'll discuss amongst ourselves. Hopefully you can listen in. The Hook starts at 8PM at am980.ca.

Radio show

The Hook on AM980 and at AM980.ca returns this Friday night, September 16th at 8:00. Confirmed guests on the program: UFC Canada head man, Tom Wright, Clayton Hansler of LeafsTV and Mike Augello from hockeybuzz.com. We'll size up the Leafs rookie event and look ahead to training camp with Leafs boys. Tom and I will discuss UFC140 and it's growing list of Canadian content. Who knows, Tom might even have an announcement to make in regards to Mark Hominick and Chan Sung Jung? Listen.

Bob Elliott and Mike Augello

Norm with Bob Bob Elliott Jays by TheHook

Norm with Mike Augello Leafs by TheHook

Mike and Me

New Leafs

I'm happy with the new guys coming in. Versteeg and Armstrong on the roster easily make the Leafs a better team. They're not intended to be 1st line players. They were brought in to be good players. I doubt highly they won't fulfill the obligation.

Unfortunately there's not a lot left out there to sign through free-agency, so the other, better, more intriguing avenue of improvement is through trades. Of course Tomas Kaberle is the bait on this end, but who would the Leafs be fishing for? We know a top 6 kind of forward, but who exactly? Just anyone?

Interesting idea Mike Augello and myself were talking about on The Hook Friday night is a Leafs/Kaberle deal with San Jose for Joe Thornton. Yes, it's pure speculation and would probably require more from Toronto's end, but the essentials could fit for both clubs. Each has little term remaining, millions to move, and could use a change. Kaberle might thrive with more talent around him and less pressure on his shoulders. Thornton, who apparently loves the California lifestyle, needs a kick in the pants. He'd certainly get it in Toronto through the challenge of his career: helping the Leafs return to the playoffs. With recent guest of The Hook, Greg McKegg now in the fold, why not a pair of St. Thomas boys wearing Blue and White come the fall?

Having witnessed Brian Burke's ability to make jaw dropping deals out of the blue, this kind of scenario isn't so far fetched.

Hookin' it up

Another killer with some ol' friends on Da Hook Friday, June 18th..

Mike Boothman on the World Cup. Sure hope England win because we might not get much out of him otherwise.

John Surla on the Mustangs. Life as a leader. Can one man, any one thing prevent the type of nonsense that had been going at Waterloo?

London's Cheryl Finn on One Run. It's a week away. Therese Carriere is as determined as ever to connect London and Sarnia, all in the name of breast cancer research and awareness.

Mike In Buffalo will also stop in. Is Ilya Kovalchuk to the Leafs as much of a non-starter as Brian Burke wants us to believe? Plus more rumours as the NHL draft approaches.

It goes down Friday, 8pm, am980.ca

Oh, check out London City marksman, Tom Beattie. So deadly from Danger. .


vs. White Eagles June 11

Wedding Crasher

Me with the brother of the bride. A dynamic, disastrous duo

Yes, I attended a wedding over the weekend. And as you can see, YES I was totally "that guy". Too little food, and a wee too much beverage. As it all comes back to me 36 hours later the only real shame I feel is that I didn't make it onto the dance floor with my wife. I guess we could have tried, but the way things were rapidly developing (or deteriorating) thanks to the flow "proprietors choice", one of two unfortunate scenarios most likely would have unfolded. In fury over my state, Melissa might have mopped the floor with me. Or worse, mopped up after me. It was probably best we bailed before the real fun began. Ah, we're parents anyway. Early to bed. Early to rise. And on Sunday with a f***in' headache from hell. Hey, every wedding usually has one, and it was my turn to be him.

Congrats again to the amazing bride and groom. And Melissa, I owe you two now.

I'm thinkin' the Canadiens' improbable but impressive run ends tonight. I don't believe the Jays will suffer the same fate. Based on momentum, they've got a few more in 'em heading into Fenway this evening. Now, reading the Boston papers, you'd expect a Red Sox sweep of the Red Hotz was imminent (Boston has dominated Toronto of late). The idea: the Sox are going to leapfrog the Jays in the standings at some point, why not get that train in motion now. I don't disagree that'll happen, but not yet. The Jays are still too good at the moment. Good pitching and really good hitting will keep these guys competitive, standings wise, for at least another few weeks. More importantly, that very same blend of youth, resurgence and renaissance will make the Jays fun to watch for the entire season.

Grey Cup Champion, Andy Fantuz didn't make Friday's Radio show, but everyone else did. That includes Ryan Ellis, Mark Hominick, Jason Wyatt, Mike In Buffalo, and more. Have a listen...

May 7th Da Hook Podcast

There's always tomorrow

chillin'... home today with this villain of a headache. Hopefully good to go in time for tomorrow's 6'er.. and radio show to follow.

Jason de Vos checks in on Da Hook. The Canadian soccer legend covers Toronto FC for CBC and GolTV... unfortunately right now. The Reds are a questionable product at the moment. It's early though. Plenty of time for a revival... right?

Stangs' LB, John Surla will drop by... in studio... in da flesh. "Sur John" is the reigning OUA defensive player of the year. Should he have been tops in the nation? No doubt he'll comment.

Plus AM980's Scott Monich in da house from 9 pm 'til 10 pm.

And we'll see if can't track down the Prince of Genesee county, Mike Augello. His Sabres and Habs are really rollin' right now.

Oh, Rangers in 6... unfortunately.

Stuck on the couch

Started feelin' crumby Sunday...been out of action since. I can say I'm in better shape than the Leafs right now, but that's not saying much. My hope is to get back in the game on Wednesday.

Coming up:

We have our AOTW. We'll go back to the high school gridiron to meet him. Here's a hint: his team won over the weekend.
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I'm scheduled to make an appearance on Leafbuzz with Mike Augello at hockeybuzz.com tomorrow night, 7:30.
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On the Hook Friday night, 8:00... working on something with Michael Del Zotto, plus Soccer, TFC talk with unabashed United supporter, Mike Boothman and Liverpool fanatic, Ian Clarke of rednationonline.ca.
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Of course, I'm hoping I feel MUCH better before I can get at all this stuff. Fingers crossed.
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Have I mentioned that Jonas Gustavsson will save the Leafs season?

Leafs in a shootout

...so says Mike Augello. It's gotta happen sometime, right?

Thanks to Craig Needles, Mike and Ryan Gauss for their availability tonight. My Hat's off to the Queen's Gaels for getting it done when it counted. The Gaels, 27-26 winners over their rivals from Western securing 1st place in the OUA and a first round playoff bye. Danny Brannagan, you truly are the game's best. As well, Mike Faulds. He's in the conversation for Canada's best university QB and proved again why this afternoon in Kingston. He's a great guy, great quarterback, Western's greatest for sure. He showed guts coming back from a knee injury in the second half leading the Stangs to within a minute of a win over mighty Queen's. Mike, it's a pleasure watching you play. Get healthy so we can see more.

Ryan Gauss, do you really want to sell London City? If not, why even bother announcing that you do? That organization is in you, man. Step back and make something good happen. For yourself, the club, the city...and your father.

J-Ho, you da man. Listen to Da Hook next week..

Stangs by a field goal

Gotta feelin' the defence will have it's day in Queen's. Gotta say though, the Gaels are a confidence bunch, smelling blood running from what they perceive is a wounded animal out of London. TJ Leeper, Gaels linebacker and Lucas grad says games mean just a bit more to him when they're against the Mustangs. He told me so on the radio show Friday. Michael Faulds wants to have fun Saturday afternoon. He should. Not just because he'll most likely surpass the 10,000 yard passing plateau at Richardson Stadium, but it'll be his second last OUA regular season game. He's finished when the 2009 campaign concludes. Enjoy these times he must. They're almost over. The question is: when does the 2009 campaign conclude for Mike and Mustangs? Two weeks from today? Or November 28th in Quebec City? We got both sides of the Western/Queen's debate Friday on the Hook. Thanks to TJ and Mike for their time.

My favourite OHL'er is Ryan Ellis. Not just because he joined us on the program, but because he's a whale of a player. He says it was a "told ya so" type of moment for him when he walked the stage in Montreal this past June as the 11th overall pick in the NHL draft. He's 5-foot-nothing, but carries a big stick. That's why he's the best powerplay point man in the Junior game. We'll bare witness again this Christmas when he's terrorizing the World Junior tournament for the second straight year. This time he's old enough not to be wearing a cage. Ryan's out with an injury right now. When he gets back into the Spitfires line-up he'll most likely be joined by Kenny Ryan, who has left Boston College to play in the OHL, and whomever Spits' management can bring back in a deal for disgruntled defenceman, Jesse Blacker. Ryan and Blacker are both Leafs second round picks.

Thanks to Dave Blackwell and the crew from the Southwestern Ontario Women's charity cashspiel. We learned Friday on Da Hook that their event has grown leaps and bounds since it's beginning 13 years back. Future olympians are even part of the draws this time around. Bingyu Wang of China is here. Wang is also the reigning World Women's curling champion. Mirjam Ott of Switzerland is competing in the cashspiel this fall. The Ott rink has been touring Canada the past few weeks getting used to the Canadian game, if you will. It's all in preparation for 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Both Ott and Wang will be there.

Love the chats with J-Ho. Lot's of fun. Zipperboots, Fords, Wrestling costumes and turkey carcasses. You've gotta listen to learn WTF I'm talkin' 'bout.

Da Hook's on again Saturday night... 5:30. I've got Craig Needles, Mike Augello and Ryan Gauss dropping by. We'll break down the Stangs and Gaels, preview tonight's 7th straight Leafs loss and talk London City Soccer. Is the thing up for sale or what?

Peace.