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31 episodes with ed willes
3 episodes with ed willes
6 episodes with ed willes
2 episodes with ed willes
2 episodes with ed willes
2 episodes with ed willes
2 episodes with ed willes
2 episodes with ed willes
Thursday's 4 Nations hockey game final between Team Canada and Team USA is carrying the weight of political hostilities between the two nations. Sports writer and author Ed Willes joins the show to discuss the tensions in the game as we ask our audience what's at stake for them. Next, B.C.'s health ministry announced an end to the province's take-home safer supply program Wednesday, making it mandatory for a pharmacist to be present when someone is consuming one of the drugs. We hear from drug user activist Gerth Mullins on how this will impact people using the program.
There is one show where insiders share their secrets in this city. One person that they trust and respect. Opinion, reaction and the highest level of informed sports talk in Montreal. Melnick in the Afternoon, with Mitch Melnick.
Every hockey fan knows how it always ends for the Vancouver Canucks — no Stanley Cup — but Ed Willes digs in the corners to poke at the why, with a wry perspective. The veteran journalist (Regina Leader-Post, The Province) presents a case study, with novelistic detail, about the West Coast NHL franchise. Weaving a thread — one of instability at the top — through the history (and prehistory) of the team, Willes explains why the Canucks have fallen short of winning the Stanley Cup, but have never been boring across five-plus decades of torment. Relying on firsthand research and contemporary accounts from fellow Vancouver sports journalists, Willes provides painstaking details about the life-arcs of stars such as Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Pavel Bure, Markus Näslund, and Todd Bertuzzi. The author also playfully teases out the franchise's many what-ifs. Willes is also author of “The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association” (2005) and “End Zones and Border Wars: The Era of American Expansion in the CFL” (2013).
Today the guys chat about Ian Clark's future with the Canucks after reports have linked him to the New Jersey Devils. Also Donnie and Rick discuss the Canucks pre-season game tonight in Seattle and Lions return to action.Joining the show is Thomas Drance (18:33) and Ed Willes (49:07).
Matt and co-host Jeff Paterson talk Canucks storylines on the verge of training camp while looking back on a 3-0 Young Stars tournament for the home team. Topics include Brock Boeser following up his career year and GM Patrik Allvin saying he should've scored 50. They talk goaltending, who should play with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk, Arshdeep Bains making a bid for the big club after a terrific prospects' tournament, Jonathan Lekkerimäki's future, where Aatu Räty fits best, and the potential of big Vilmer Alriksson.Ed Willies joins to talk about his new book on Canucks history. Ed tells us who participated in the book, who didn't, his favourite chapter, and the bumpy route to getting an NHL team in Vancouver.Cam Robinson stops by and shares his thoughts on Boeser's game and what to expect. He tells us about PTO goaltender Dylan Ferguson, Bains' road to NHL work, and the futures of Lekkerimäki, Räty and Alriksson./ sekeresandprice / sekeresandprice / sekeresandprice / sekeresprice / sekeresandprice
Matt and co-host Jeff Paterson talk Canucks storylines on the verge of training camp while looking back on a 3-0 Young Stars tournament for the home team. Topics include Brock Boeser following up his career year and GM Patrik Allvin saying he should've scored 50. They talk goaltending, who should play with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk, Arshdeep Bains making a bid for the big club after a terrific prospects' tournament, Jonathan Lekkerimäki's future, where Aatu Räty fits best, and the potential of big Vilmer Alriksson.Ed Willies joins to talk about his new book on Canucks history. Ed tells us who participated in the book, who didn't, his favourite chapter, and the bumpy route to getting an NHL team in Vancouver.Cam Robinson stops by and shares his thoughts on Boeser's game and what to expect. He tells us about PTO goaltender Dylan Ferguson, Bains' road to NHL work, and the futures of Lekkerimäki, Räty and Alriksson./ sekeresandprice / sekeresandprice / sekeresandprice / sekeresprice / sekeresandprice
In hour three, Mike & Jason chat with retired long-time Canucks reporter Ed Willes (1:35) about his new book on the team titled "Never Boring", plus the boys tell us what they learned (27:00). This podcast is produced by Andy Cole and Greg Balloch. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Young Stars revealed! The Canucks release the roster of prospects that are headed to the Okanagan this weekend, and Matt and Blake dive in to see who has something to prove. The guys look at the expectations of Jonathan Lekkerimäki and whether anybody has a chance at making the big club. Plus, news from around the NHL as camp rosters begin to take shape. TSN's Frank Corrado stops by with his takes on Quinn Hughes shooting for 20, Debrusk shooting for 30, and what it's like being a Young Star cover boy. Then it's Canucks Army reporter Dave Hall on the YS roster headed to Penticton, and his favourites and dark horses to show well in front of Canucks brass. All that, plus an update on the Lions, Whitecaps and C's!(13:30) Canucks announce Young Stars rosters(22:00) The guys discuss, Ed Willes new Canucks tell all book "Never Boring", coming out next week. (Ed will join us on the show next tuesday) (25:38) Jacob Markstrom's comments on Spittin Chiclets(45:00) NHL announces schedule, including the upcoming break in the season for some 'Best on Best' (70:45) Frank Corrado joins Matt and Blake to talk about his Young Stars experiences, Demko, Hughes and everything Canucks(93:36) #hashtags#(106:00) Prospect analyst Dave Hall goes deep on the Canucks rookiesPowered by @bet365 | Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today & use promo code: VANBONUSVancouver Canadians | https://lnk.to/SPVanCYellow Dog Brewing | https://lnk.to/YDBrewingFollow host Matt Sekeres | @mattsekeresFollow host Blake Price | @justblakepriceWatch @rinkwidevancouver for LIVE POST-GAME showsVisit @Canucks_Army for the latest on the Canuckshttps://www.sekeresandprice.com/https://www.rinkwidevancouver.comhttps://canucksarmy.com/Powered by The Nation Network. Reach out to sales@nationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us | https://thenationnetwork.com/#Canucks #VancouverCanucks #NHL #Hockey #Vancouver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Young Stars revealed! The Canucks release the roster of prospects that are headed to the Okanagan this weekend, and Matt and Blake dive in to see who has something to prove. The guys look at the expectations of Jonathan Lekkerimäki and whether anybody has a chance at making the big club. Plus, news from around the NHL as camp rosters begin to take shape. TSN's Frank Corrado stops by with his takes on Quinn Hughes shooting for 20, Debrusk shooting for 30, and what it's like being a Young Star cover boy. Then it's Canucks Army reporter Dave Hall on the YS roster headed to Penticton, and his favourites and dark horses to show well in front of Canucks brass. All that, plus an update on the Lions, Whitecaps and C's!(13:30) Canucks announce Young Stars rosters(22:00) The guys discuss, Ed Willes new Canucks tell all book "Never Boring", coming out next week. (Ed will join us on the show next tuesday) (25:38) Jacob Markstrom's comments on Spittin Chiclets(45:00) NHL announces schedule, including the upcoming break in the season for some 'Best on Best' (70:45) Frank Corrado joins Matt and Blake to talk about his Young Stars experiences, Demko, Hughes and everything Canucks(93:36) #hashtags#(106:00) Prospect analyst Dave Hall goes deep on the Canucks rookiesPowered by @bet365 | Whatever the moment, it's Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today & use promo code: VANBONUSVancouver Canadians | https://lnk.to/SPVanCYellow Dog Brewing | https://lnk.to/YDBrewingFollow host Matt Sekeres | @mattsekeresFollow host Blake Price | @justblakepriceWatch @rinkwidevancouver for LIVE POST-GAME showsVisit @Canucks_Army for the latest on the Canuckshttps://www.sekeresandprice.com/https://www.rinkwidevancouver.comhttps://canucksarmy.com/Powered by The Nation Network. Reach out to sales@nationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us | https://thenationnetwork.com/#Canucks #VancouverCanucks #NHL #Hockey #Vancouver Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
[We celebrate eminent North-of-the-border sportswriter Ed Willes' selection to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame's media wing last week - with a June 2018 archive re-release of one our most popular episodes!] As Johnny Manziel's pro football comeback journey wraps up a promising pre-season with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, we take a moment this week to reminisce on the approaching 25th anniversary of the CFL's bold, but ultimately ill-fated attempt to bring its exciting brand of pigskin south of the border in 1993. When the NFL put the brakes on its two-year World League of American Football experiment in the summer of 1992 (which included a franchise in Montreal, dubbed the “Machine”), an economically wobbly CFL sensed an opportunity to fill the gap in US markets newly comfortable with the notion of pro football, as well as a potential growth path for the tradition-rich Canadian game to expand outside the Provinces. In fact, two WLAF owners, Fred Anderson (Sacramento Surge) and Larry Benson (San Antonio Riders) "crossed over" to the Canadian League and were awarded newly rechristened franchises for 1993 – Anderson's Sacramento Gold Miners and Benson's San Antonio Texans. While the Gold Miners were the only ones to make it into the following season's expanded CFL schedule (Benson literally – and ominously – left the league at the altar by bowing out the day of the league's press conference announcing the expansion), the door was open to a wild three-season adventure that brought the wide-open Canadian game to far-flung American outposts in Baltimore, Las Vegas, Shreveport, Memphis, Birmingham, and, ironically (via eventual relocation from Sacramento), San Antonio. Longtime Vancouver Province sportswriter Ed Willes (End Zones and Border Wars: The Era of American Expansion in the CFL) joins the podcast to discuss the league's short-lived American expansion effort, which then-commissioner Larry Smith had hoped to eventually encompass ten US teams in a fully expanded 20-team league. Among the misadventures, Willes recounts: the 1995 champion Baltimore Stallions (who operated as the nickname-less “CFLers” the previous season in a trademark dispute with the NFL over the “Colts” moniker); the woefully attended Las Vegas Posse (who practiced on the Strip in the Riviera Hotel's parking lot and were forced to play their last “home” game in Edmonton); the Memphis Mad Dogs' unique approach to fitting the longer/wider CFL field into the Liberty Bowl; why football-mad Birmingham couldn't draw flies for Barracuda games once college and high school seasons started; and the “Great Tucker Caper” – featuring the infamous brothers Glieberman and their attempt to steal away the Shreveport Pirates to the greener pastures of Norfolk, VA.
The WHA was formed in the early 1970s to directly rival the NHL as the top professional hockey league in North America. It lasted for 7 crazy seasons and left a unmistakable mark on the NHL and hockey forever.
BC Sports Hall of Fame curator Jason Beck joined The Sport Market on TSN Radio to look back at the career of recently-retired Vancouver sportswriter Ed Willes.
Hour three of The Night Market with Tom Mayenknecht features BC HOF curator Jason Beck on the retirement of Vancouver sports-writing legend Ed Willes, we'll hear from Ed himself, and hockey analyst John Shannon.
Donnie and Moj are joined by Ed Willes.
Ben Kuzma and Ed Willes talk about Brock Boeser’s return to the ice, Jake Virtanen’s changing role with the club, and how the spread of COVID 19 is impacting the hockey world.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the final stretch of the Canucks season. They wanted meaningful games in March, they’ve got them, and depending on the results, Ed suggests nothing is off the table for GM Jim Benning or coach Travis Green. They also talk about the surprising role of Jake Virtanen and Ed suggests that Green has cards to play to jolt the team into life that he’s not playing and that it could cost him in the long run.
Ed Willes and Patrick Johnston join Paul Chapman for the to talk about the team’s resiliency in coming back against Montreal, the genius of Quinn Hughes, the fabulous first impression of Tyler Toffoli (and what it will take to keep him in Vancouver) as well as the loss of Jacob Markstrom.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the plight of the current Canucks. Is the trade for Tyler Toffoli a wise move for the franchise? Ed is not sour on the deal, but having spent a lot of time watching Tyler Madden last year, he feels the kid has a lot of potential. They also get into the injury and the issues plaguing Brock Boeser, the team MVP candidates, and revisit Sedins Week and talk about the ups and downs of the 2000s as part of the Canucks at 50 series.
Ed Willes and Patrick Johnston join Paul Chapman to talk about the Vancouver Canucks current run. They get into the depth of the Canucks and if the team can withstand significant injuries down the stretch. The trio also kick around the growing stature of rookie Quinn Hughes. With it being Sedin Week, they give answers on who should be next in the rafters for the Canucks.
In a very special episode of The White Towel podcast, Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk all things Henrik and Daniel Sedin heading into the Vancouver Canucks honouring the twins during "Sedin Week".
Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to discuss the state of the Canucks as the team creeps up to the trade deadline. Was the loss against Boston a one-off or are there louder alarm bells sounding with the continued decline of the power play? The trio also talk about the impact of Quinn Hughes, the ways the Canucks can protect Elias Pettersson, and the sweet spot coming up in the team’s schedule. They also discuss the plight of Brock Boeser.
Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the Canucks All Stars. They also talk about some notable incidents in past All-Star Games, what adding women to the weekend mix means for hockey, and why we should just enjoy the exhibition as a celebration of hockey. They then talk about the outlook for the Canucks after mid-season break and what the odds are on them making the playoffs.
In this week’s snow-delayed White Towel podcast, Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the Canucks heading into the All-Star break. Among the topics discussed, how do the Canucks match up in the stacked Pacific Division? In a playoff series, which team would actually be the best? Are the Canucks using Jacob Markstrom effectively? Ed and Paul also revisit the old Patcast and remember some great Jeff Paterson and Jason Botchford travel stories, and revisit the 1990s Canucks and Pat Quinn’s skill as a general manager. And, finally, Ed talks about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations and tries to compare bands to great NHLers.
On this week’s edition of the White Towel podcast, Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk about the Vancouver Canucks' meltdown in Tampa that brought the team's seven-game winning streak to a screeching halt. How much do the Canucks rely on goaltending to compete? The trio delve into Jacob Markstrom’s leverage in negotiating a new contract with the club this summer. They also talk about which Canucks need to step up their game in the second half of the season, what the new front office structure means and how much the Canucks have improved off the ice. The podcast wraps with Ed and Ben telling stories about the 50th anniversary series and some of their favourite anecdotes from the hotel bar and other places covering the Canucks on the road in the past.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman for the final White Towel Podcast of 2019. The Canucks’ current struggles are examined, and the pondering over the job security of general manager Jim Benning and coach Travis Green has begun. Who is in more peril? Ed also explains why he thinks the Canucks are stuck in the same spot they’ve been in the last three seasons after seemingly upgrading their defence, bringing in a true top 6 piece in J.T. Miller and having a full cadre of young stars. Lastly, they discuss the place in history Trevor Linden takes with the franchise. Ed talks about his recent interview with Linden that will be featured as one of the Top 50 Moments in Canucks history.
In this week’s White Towel podcast, beat writer Ben Kuzma and columnist Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to discuss the Canucks “microcore” and the challenges they face going into the rest of the season. The group also looks at the job Jim Benning has done, the increased social media presence of owner Francesco Aquilini and whether that places any extra burden on Benning, as well as the dilemma of what to do with the goaltending situation looking ahead to the off-season. The podcast finishes off with a look back at the 1982 Canucks team that caught fire and rode it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.
In this week’s edition of the White Towel podcast Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the burst of offence the Canucks have received this season. While the most prolific players are Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller has been the most important offensive key for the team this year. They also discuss owner Francesco Aquilini going ‘scoreboard’ on critics of the Miller trade, the importance of Quinn Hughes to the Canucks attack, and finish with a lengthy discussion on the inquest into hockey culture which has now centred on former Canucks coach Marc Crawford. Download or stream the White Towel podcast and subscribe via Apple Podcasts to get the insight of our Canucks writers every week.
This week in anguish: - Tristan asks what kind of a team we have this year. Ardella weighs all the evidence and comes to a heartening conclusion. - That can't be the last Moment of Sven, can it? We are far from neutral on this issue. Biased. Partisan, even. - All aboard the Gravy train as Ardella better gets to know Tyler G. - Our beloved Cory Schneider has been sent to a fate worse than New Jersey: Binghamton. - We get historical and put the 2019-20 Canucks powerplay into context. - The Canucks Time Machine takes us back to Gino Odjick's first call-up in 1990, Tony Gallagher feeling bizarrely positive in 2000, and Ed Willes prematurely tearing into the 2010-11 Canucks blueline. - How Did We Not Know that we shouldn't get quiiite so excited about Nikolay Goldobin's AHL scoring, once we look at who is sitting one place behind him. Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, tell a friend. You can find us on Twitter as @thisweektristan and @thisweekardella.
This week’s White Towel Podcast sees Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the recent Canucks struggles, the potential for a goalie controversy, the job security and possible moves for General Manager Jim Benning, and the furor caused by the Canucks wearing their black “Skate” jerseys and whether that’s really noteworthy or just social media fluff. Listen to the White Towel podcast every week by subscribing via Apple Podcasts.
The latest edition of the White Towel podcast is super-sized: Host Paul Chapman is joined by Canucks beat writers Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma plus columnist Ed Willes. The quartet take a look at Quinn Hughes’ ongoing growth as an NHL defenceman, the fact the Canucks keep scoring in buckets and the pressures they’re going to face on a big road trip to close November. Plus, there’s no avoiding Don Cherry; all three writers found themselves covering the departure of the outspoken broadcaster this week, each in a different way.
Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk about the amazing offensive roll the Canucks are on. The writers get into what has made such a big difference on the team, who the difference makers have been and what fans can expect to see over the next month and beyond. Why is this team on such a tear, and how much can coach Travis Green and GM Jim Benning take credit for in this version of the Vancouver Canucks? Listen to The White Towel podcast every week by subscribing to us via Apple Podcasts.
In the movie Draft Day, the Cleveland Browns' owner takes the GM to an amusement park and tells him he wants to make a "big splash". Is the same scenario in the offing for Jim Benning and the Canucks? Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes take a look at the state of play with just over a week to go until the NHL Entry Draft.
Ed Willes and Paul Chapman look at which Stanley Cup finalist, the St. Louis Blues or the Boston Bruins, provide the most salient roadmap for the Vancouver Canucks to follow on the path to winning a Cup. Ed’s opinion on this may surprise you. They also discuss Raptors hysteria and how much interest in Vancouver there is in the NBA and if Canucks ownership has any interest in returning a team to Rogers Arena.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about all the chatter surrounding the Canucks front office on this week’s version of The White Towel podcast. Compared to most other teams, the Canucks appear to be missing people in key front-office positions. Ed talks about how this impacts the plan to build a winner in Vancouver. The pair also talk about the playoffs and compare what the Canucks would have to do to see a path like the Avalanche, Hurricanes, Blues or Blue Jackets are travelling this season.
In this week’s White Towel podcast Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the exit of the Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and how the Canucks can look at the teams who have advanced in the playoffs to shape their rebuild. They also talk about the Canucks presidency position, what they need in that role, and which formerly-fired Canucks executive has been sounded out about a return to office.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the NHL playoffs and how the Canucks' prospects compare to the other teams in the playoffs. Willes says the Canucks seem miles away from being able to get into the playoffs and compete with the top teams in the NHL.
In this week’s White Towel podcast Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to put the whole Canucks season on a slab. From the disappointing draft lottery results to the priorities in free agency, Ed talks about the direction the team must go in the offseason. Ed also talks about Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson.
After Quinn Hughes debut for the Vancouver Canucks, Ed Willes and Paul Chapman are wondering if the elite prospect can survive under the microscope. Talk turns to the impending draft lottery, the Canucks' offseason strategy, Jake Virtanen's future in Vancouver, and Jim Benning's draft prowess.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about Canucks general manager Jim Benning's job security. Has Benning done enough to be given the mandate to go forward or are there some big names out there that may spur the team into a move? Ed gives insight on the job Benning has done and what other factors may play into the decision.
In this week’s White Towel podcast, Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to delve into the debate over Brock Boeser being a great young player or merely a good piece. Other topics include: pressure put on young players, underperforming journeymen veterans, and whether Utica is the best place for young players to develop. Finally, the podcast covers if Vancouver is a more toxic market than others, with news that Dahlen had to delete his social media accounts because of abuse from Canucks fans. Does Vancouver have an especially angry fanbase?
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman on the White Towel podcast to share his dissertation on the Vancouver Canucks performance at the NHL trade deadline. The guys try to figure out what went wrong for Erik Gudbranson in Vancouver and if he can be a valuable piece in Pittsburgh for the Penguins. Ed also talks about the holes left on the Canucks blueline, the Jonathan Dahlen trade, and what the rest of the season holds for the Canucks.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to discuss the litany of Canucks injuries. Is this a product of bad luck or are the Canucks doing something wrong to have so many players on the IR, with Jake Virtanen being the latest. With the looming trade deadline they also examine what to expect from the Canucks and GM Jim Benning at the trade deadline. They then examine the Canucks blueline and are Erik Gudbranson and Derek Pouliot scapegoats or really that bad? Ed has some thoughts on how Gudbranson can be used to still be of value to the Canucks, and he also expounds on how much Quinn Hughes changes the whole equation for the Canucks next season. Ed also illuminates on the Canucks gameday experience, and if what the reaction would be in Vancouver if they participated in the post-win antics that are causing such a fuss in Carolina. Download, listen and subscribe to the White Towel podcast covering all things Canucks on Apple Podcasts and give us a rating.
Rider Monday with Ballsy, Luc and Abou ahead of tomorrow's CFL free agency. Ed Willes, Sam Hurl, @ZEvans92, @kirkmuyres, and the voice of the Stamps @Markonfootball
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman for the White Towel podcast where they delve into the Canucks playoff hunt and how much benefit it will bring the team in the long run. They also examine the case of Nikolay Goldobin, and how many more chances does he have to prove he can be a contributor to the Canucks beyond this season. Ed was encouraged by Goldobin’s play recently when placed on Bo Horvat’s line, but the question is, can he bring that night in and night out? Also covered in this week’s podcast are Erik Gudbranson and Derrick Pouliot. Are they scapegoats or really below-par performers who have no place in the Canucks plans? Ed also gives an assessment of the Jacob Markstrom and coach Travis Green and the odd relationship between the Canucks and the Super Bowl winning New England Patriots is also discussed.
Ed Willes and Paul Chapman talk about what the All-Star Game meant to Elias Pettersson and how the experience of a young player being included with the game’s greats is often overlooked. The podcast also covers what the trade market will be for the Canucks now that the Leafs and Kings have set a bar for the rest of the market, what the second half of the season holds for Brock Boeser, Jake Virtanen and Bo Horvat, and if the Canucks will still be in the playoff mix come March. And last week’s “Pricklygate” podcast, which touched on the interactions between Pettersson and the media, and the ensuing social media fallout is addressed—especially the impact on Ed’s Sunday dinner. Lastly, talk turns to Rogers Arena, is it an ‘armpit’ and would Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini need to upgrade the team’s home to entice the NBA to return to Vancouver.
This week in anguish: - Tristan's tenure as a one-week season ticket holder ends with a whimper. He saw one Petey goal and a couple very pretty Petey passes, and brought home a mixed bag of opinions as a souvenir. - We hold a funeral for Erik Gudbranson. He's perfectly healthy, but he's dead to us. - Tyler Madden takes us on a kayak tour of the Northeastern seaboard, and Ardella continues her quest for Canucks originality. - The All Star weekend made the Alien look a bit human, and we love him for it...no matter what Ed Willes says. Thanks for listening! If you liked the show, tell a friend. You can find us on Twitter as @thisweektristan and @thisweekardella.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman for the latest edition of the White Towel Podcast. In the pod the boys get into where the Canucks really stand in the Western Conference. Is a playoff chase an essential part of their development? Ed also believes this is where we will really see what the Canucks are now they finally have their full set of forwards healthy and ready to roll with Brandon Sutter back and Elias Pettersson on the verge of a return. They also get into the state of the blueline, the Canucks prospect group and reflections on other key pieces, Quinn Hughes and Michael DiPietro and what Ed took out of their performances at the World Juniors. Finally, Ed gets into the standing and stature of Roberto Luongo who just visited Rogers Arena, and where he ranks as an all-time Canuck.
Paul Chapman is joined by Ed Willes to talk about the progress made by the Vancouver Canucks this season. After a game in which they physically answered the bell after an opponent had injured a teammate, they talk about the maturation of the young Canucks team and how they are learned to stand up for each other. There’s also talk of the chemistry between Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson and of the blueline, what do the Canucks need to go with last year’s number one pick Quinn Hughes to take the next stage of development as a team that can compete in the playoffs. Ed also assesses the job GM Jim Benning has done, and he talks about the city of Seattle as a hockey market as he prepares for a visit to Washington State this weekend to get the puck potential in the Emerald City. Subscribe to the White Towel podcast via Apple Podcasts and give us a rating and let us know what you think.
Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman for this week. They dive into the discussion of the two coaches fired in the NHL this week and examine what the impact of an NHL coach really is. Do superstar coaches like Mike Babcock really have the impact they're supposed to in today's NHL. Topics also kicked around this week include the super rookies of hockey, and how impressive is it when a first-year player steps in and is not only able to negotiate the bright lights of the big league, but handle the physical attention they get on ice with ease. The Ottawa Senators Uber disaster is also a point of the podcast as well as the role of the enforcer, Milan Lucic's NHL hearing and the surprise success of Montreal's Max Domi.
Ed Willes of the Province Sports suggests the Aquilini’s pattern of impetuous, anxious moves is being noticed in the hockey world. Ed says season ticket renewals show Canucks fans are willing to be very patient and were buying in to the rebuild
Guests include Ed Willes.
Fresh off of kicking pro basketball’s establishment in the teeth with the launch of the upstart American Basketball Association in 1967, inveterate sports entrepreneurs Dennis Murphy (see also: World Team Tennis, Roller Hockey International) and Gary Davidson (World Football League) turned their attention to an even riper target of opportunity in 1971 – the monopolistic and monochromatic 12-team National Hockey League. Their broadside against the NHL was the audaciously aspirational World Hockey Association – a seven-season 1970s-era wonder that brought a rollicking brand of ice hockey to no fewer than 27 markets across North America (not including four announced teams that relocated before even playing a game) – leaving in its wake a bevy of bounced checks, fractious lawsuits, and defunct franchises from San Diego to Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Amidst the league’s traveling circus of the weird (the Chicago Cougars’ 1974 playoff run ended by Peter Pan), and wonderful (the Houston Aeros’ Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe teaming for the first-ever father-son[-son!] combination in pro hockey), the WHA undeniably became the vanguard that dragged the sport kicking and screaming into the modern age by: ending the NHL’s monopoly grip on the pro game; freeing players from its reserve clause; allowing 18-year-old players to be drafted; introducing top-tier hockey to the US Sun Belt and the interior Canadian provinces; and opening up rosters to an exciting array of European talent in numbers previously unimagined. And, by the end of its run in 1979, ushering four new clubs – the Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and Hartford Whalers – into a merger-expanded NHL. Sportswriter Ed Willes (The Rebel League: The Short and Unruly Life of the World Hockey Association) returns to the podcast to discuss the brief but impactful legacy of hockey’s “rebel league” that gave up-and-coming stars their big-league debuts, others their swan songs – and provided high-octane fuel for some of the most spectacularly memorable moments in the history of professional hockey. Please check out our great sponsors Audible, SportsHistoryCollectibles.com and Podfly!
As Johnny Manziel’s pro football comeback journey wraps up a promising pre-season with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, we take a moment this week to reminisce on the approaching 25th anniversary of the CFL’s bold, but ultimately ill-fated attempt to bring its exciting brand of pigskin south of the border in 1993. When the NFL put the brakes on its two-year World League of American Football experiment in the summer of 1992 (which included a franchise in Montreal, dubbed the “Machine”), an economically wobbly CFL sensed an opportunity to fill the gap in US markets newly comfortable with the notion of pro football, as well as a potential growth path for the tradition-rich Canadian game to expand outside the Provinces. In fact, two WLAF owners, Fred Anderson (Sacramento Surge) and Larry Benson (San Antonio Riders) "crossed over" to the Canadian League and were awarded newly rechristened franchises for 1993 – Anderson’s Sacramento Gold Miners and Benson's San Antonio Texans. While the Gold Miners were the only ones to make it into the following season’s expanded CFL schedule (Benson literally – and ominously – left the league at the altar by bowing out the day of the league’s press conference announcing the expansion), the door was open to a wild three-season adventure that brought the wide-open Canadian game to far-flung American outposts in Baltimore, Las Vegas, Shreveport, Memphis, Birmingham, and, ironically (via eventual relocation from Sacramento), San Antonio. Longtime Vancouver Province sportswriter Ed Willes (End Zones and Border Wars: The Era of American Expansion in the CFL) joins the podcast to discuss the league’s short-lived American expansion effort, which then-commissioner Larry Smith had hoped to eventually encompass ten US teams in a fully expanded 20-team league. Among the misadventures, Willes recounts: the 1995 champion Baltimore Stallions (who operated as the nickname-less “CFLers” the previous season in a trademark dispute with the NFL over the “Colts” moniker); the woefully attended Las Vegas Posse (who practiced on the Strip in the Riviera Hotel’s parking lot and were forced to play their last “home” game in Edmonton); the Memphis Mad Dogs’ unique approach to fitting the longer/wider CFL field into the Liberty Bowl; why football-mad Birmingham couldn’t draw flies for Barracuda games once college and high school seasons started; and the “Great Tucker Caper” – featuring the infamous brothers Glieberman and their attempt to steal away the Shreveport Pirates to the greener pastures of Norfolk, VA. Be sure to check out our great sponsors SportsHistoryCollectibles.com, Audible, and Podfly!
Ed Willes of the Province Sports, who's covering the Comets-Marlies AHL series, discusses how Lukas Jasek and Jonathan Dahlen have looked, along with Kole Lind and the Comets defensive standouts
Guests include Ed Willes.
A special edition of Oil Spills at this year's NHL trade deadline: Host Paul Chapman talks with Postmedia hockey writers Jim Matheson, Ed Willes and Michael Traikos about the upcoming NHL trade deadline.
Guests include Wally Buono & Ed Willes.
Guests include Wally Buono & Ed Willes.
Moj is joined by Ed Willes and Giulio Caravatta.
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