The FAN Morning Show Sportsnet
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- Sports
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Start your day with Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning in the mornings! The guys tackle everything Toronto sports and beyond live on Sportsnet 590 The FAN weekdays from 6am-9am ET.
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How Sustainable is Varsho’s Offensive Surge? w/ Dan Shulman
On Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show, Ben and Brent are joined by Frank Seravalli, NHL Insider and President of Hockey Content for DailyFaceoff.com, to discuss the Leafs’ public messaging – or lack thereof – regarding William Nylander’s absence from the lineup, the NHL’s current protocols for injury reporting in the post-season, how Nylander’s absence has altered the Leafs’ first-round series against Boston, and Sheldon Keefe’s tact in drawing attention to Brad Marchand’s gamesmanship in Game 3. Later, Blue Jays play-by-play voice Dan Shulman stops by to chat about yesterday’s lengthy rain delay in Kansas City, John Schneider’s frustration with the umpiring crew’s handling of the situation, the hype surrounding this weekend’s series against Shohei Ohtani and the LA Dodgers, how landing Ohtani could’ve altered the Jays’ offence, and the sustainability of Daulton Varsho’s recent offensive surge (26:03).
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. -
Leafs Special Teams Woes + Commander Chris Hadfield
Hour 2 of The FAN Morning Show kicks off with Ben and Brent discussing the Maple Leafs’ current special teams woes, who bears the most responsibility for the team’s lack of power play production, Mitch Marner’s quickness since returning from his high-ankle sprain, and Ilya Samsonov’s leash heading into Saturday’s Game 4. Later, the guys are joined by Commander Chris Hadfield (24:47), Canadian astronaut and noted Leafs fan, to chat about his Leafs fandom, his assessment of the team’s performance through the first three games of their series against Boston, his experience meeting the late Bob Cole, his fantastic tale of descending from space during the Leafs’ Game 7 loss to Boston in 2013, and if human civilization will ever walk on Mars.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate. -
Remembering Bob Cole + Ohtani Visits T.O.
Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning begin the show by reflecting on the passing of broadcasting legend Bob Cole and discuss his lasting impact on the hockey world. Then, the guys weigh in on Elliotte Friedman’s latest reporting regarding William Nylander’s migraine issues and Nylander’s potential role should he rejoin the Leafs’ lineup in Game 4. Afterwards, Ben and Brent chat about the Blue Jays’ rain-shortened loss in Kansas City on Thursday, John Schneider’s frustration with the handling of Thursday’s prolonged rain delay, Shohei Ohtani’s visit to Toronto this weekend, the reception Ohtani might receive after spurning the Jays in free agency, and how the Blue Jays’ starting rotation stacks up against the Dodgers’ potent offence (32:06).
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate. -
Has Swayman Become the Leafs’ Kryptonite?
On Hour 3 of The FAN Morning Show, Ben and Brent are joined by Devan Dubnyk, former NHL goaltender and current NHL Network analyst, to discuss Ilya Samsonov’s performance in Game 3 against Boston, the Leafs’ defensive lapse on Brad Marchand’s eventual game-winning goal in the third period, the Leafs’ power play struggles, and if Jim Montgomery will be tempted to stick with Jeremy Swayman for Game 4. Later, Luke Gazdic, former NHL forward and current Sportsnet analyst, stops by to chat about the Maple Leafs’ track record of offensive struggles in the post-season, Brad Marchand’s mastery of drawing penalties, his personal experience playing against Marchand, and the atmosphere inside Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night (27:55).
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates. -
What’s Ailing the Leafs’ PP? + Toronto Crowd Culture
Hour 2 of The FAN Morning Show begins with Justin Bourne, co-host of Real Kyper & Bourne, stopping by to discuss the Maple Leafs’ current power play struggles, the team’s lack of shooting threats outside of Auston Matthews, if Max Domi merits a look on PP1, Morgan Rielly’s limited offensive presence thus far in Round 1, and Brad Marchand’s beneficial whistle in the Bruins’ Game 3 win. Then, Ben and Brent weigh in on the atmosphere at Scotiabank Arena last night and if the crowd bears any responsibility in creating a material home ice advantage. Afterwards, the guys weigh in on the Oilers’ Game 2 loss to the LA Kings, the current wealth of parity in the NBA, and Tiger Woods receiving $100 million in equity for his loyalty to the PGA Tour (35:12).
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate. -
Marchand’s Shenanigans + Barger’s Debut
Ben Ennis and Brent Gunning discuss the Maple Leafs’ Game 3 loss to the Bruins, Ilya Samsonov’s performance, Brad Marchand’s strategic gamesmanship, the questionable officiating in last night’s game, the controversial Marchand-Bertuzzi melee at centre ice, the Leafs’ continued special teams woes, and Mitch Marner’s lingering offensive struggles. Later, the guys chime in on the Blue Jays’ 3-2 loss in KC on Wednesday (39:38), Addison Barger’s promotion to the Big Leagues, the Blue Jays’ curious decision to deploy him in left field, the team’s ongoing offensive struggles, and Alek Manoah’s latest rehab appearance with Triple-A Buffalo.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliate.
Customer Reviews
Bit worse, still good
The show is basically what it’s always been. Smart, wide-ranging, good chats. Toronto-focused, but not exclusively.
But it’s missing something without Brunt or somebody *like* Brunt. Get a writer type, longform thoughtful person; not a stats guy, or another news guy. You need a good conversationalist that can take the conversation to another level.
Couple minor gripes: the mix isn’t good (it’s quiet, while the ads are super loud), I have no idea why you break up the show into two files (very annoying), and a lot of your guests have crap connections and don’t do basic things (Buck often has an echo because he doesn’t use headphones. What gives?). A lot of easy fixes to make the show better, but for some reason you don’t do it.
Simple
Ben is great Brent and the constant fill ins are terrible
New intro
The new podcast intro is worth 5 star rating alone