Episodes
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie look at the night that Shohei Ohtani created the 50-50 club -- 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season. Was it the greatest night by a hitter in the history of baseball? Has Shohei become must-see TV? How likely was it that anyone could hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in the same season? The boys discuss that and a whole lot more, including Sidney Crosby signing an extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins for $8.7 million per season until the end of the 2026-2027 campaign. They also examine the longevity of the great Ja...
James Earl Jones passed away on September 9, 2024. He was the consummate actor, the pro's pro. His IMDb page is extensive when it comes to the sheer numbers of credits he amassed over a sixty year career. Yes, he provided the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars. But there are a few of his movies that have great significance to sports fans. In The Great White Hope, he portrayed the great Black boxing champion Jack Johnson and the racism that Johnson was forced to deal with in the early 20th century. In The Greatest he played civil rights icon Malcolm X in the movie about the great Muhamma...
In this edition of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie discuss former NFL players that their listeners have named on their Facebook page as perhaps being forgotten. The list of names is wide-ranging and you might know them well. But others may not. Names like many from the 1960s Green Bay Packers to stars from the 1970s and '80s are thrown around here and the boys examine their lives and careers. We hope you enjoy this walk down memory lane.
On the evening of Thursday, August 29, the lives of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew were taken when they were struck by a car as they were riding bicycles on a road in Oldman's Township, NJ. They had just attended the wedding rehearsal and dinner for their sister and her fiancee and were to be groomsmen at the ceremony the next day. Tributes began pouring in immediately upon the news being broken. The Sports Lunatics, Shawn and Howie, look at the night and the careers of the brothers, and discuss their own feelings about the events that unfolded in New Jersey that night.
Joey Votto's baseball career came to an end last week. Shawn and Howie look at how it went down, Votto's brilliant career and whether or not he'll be a Hall of Famer or not. Aaron Judge reached 300 homers faster than anyone in the history of the game. Can he break his own American League record for roundtrippers? Shohei Ohtani joined the 40/40 club -- that is the players who have hit 40 homers and stolen 40 bases in the season. Can he become the only member of the 50/50 club? Danny Jansen became the only man in baseball history to play for both teams in a single game. What do...
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, we've compiled a trio of interviews with some of our favourite guests. But really, anytime we can talk to CFL people, it's a good day. Canadian Football League people are always so nice. Howie got to speak to Jo-Anne Polak, the first woman to be the general manager of a North American professional sports team. She was the Ottawa Rough Riders' GM from 1989 to 1991 and her stories and experiences are incredible. Jed Roberts played thirteen seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos and played every position on the defensive front seven as well...
Are you a sports enthusiast with a passion for history? Tune in to The Sports Lunatics Show with Shawn Lavigne as he takes you on an exhilarating journey through the incredible history of sports play-by-play on the radio.In this special episode, Shawn delves into the golden era of radio broadcasting, highlighting the pioneers and trailblazers who brought the excitement of live sports to millions of listeners. From the early days of crackling AM signals to the crystal-clear FM broadcasts, these iconic voices have left an indelible mark on the world of sports.Join Shawn Lavigne as he celebrat...
As we approach our one-year anniversary of managing our own podcasts, Here's a small collection from past episodes to give you an example of what our show is all about. Shawn and Howie introduced or re-introduced themselves to the Ottawa market in their debut show on terrestrial radio on CKDJ-FM in Ottawa. Howie broke Mick Kern's heart by asking him about the 1981 Montreal Expos. Howie and Shawn discussed the demise of the Expos and the heyday of minor league baseball in Canada in the 1990s. And Howie talked with hockey historian Liam Maguire about the life and legacy of the great...
The audio quality of this Sports Lunatics Show episode was not top notch, but the overall quality and importance of this date in history remains unquestionable. Shawn and Howie go through all the important points of the day, from the final US Open round of Arnold Palmer's career, the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup parade, the opening of the 1994 Soccer World Cup, Ken Griffey's chase for the fastest 30 home runs in baseball history, Game Five of the NBA finals, they were all overshadowed by the police chase through the streets of Los Angeles of O. J. Simpson. What did it mean a...
In this episode, Shawn and Howie discuss the Chicago White Sox after they had lost their 90th game of the season against just 28 wins. They discuss the possible motivations of Jerry Reinsdorf and the possible movement of the club to a location in downtown Chicago. They also talk about other long losing skids in baseball involving the 1969 Montreal Expos and the 1988 Baltimore Orioles. They also talked about the day in August of 1982 when the quick thinking of Boston great Jim Rice saved the life of a 4-year-old boy who was hit in the head by a line drive foul ball during a game at Fenway Pa...
This was a fun episode to put together. Howie hosts and talks with 13-year Edmonton Eskimos' veteran Jed Roberts about the passing of star wide receiver Waddell Smith and the great run the team had not only winning five straight Grey Cups from 1978 to 1982 but their playoff streak of 34 years from 1972 to 2005. Jed is such a down-to-earth guy and shares little details of life in pro football, CFL style. Shawn joins Howie in the second half of the show to talk Paris Olympics and the passing of golfing legend and personality Chi Chi Rodriguez.
In this episode, Shawn and Howie tackle a few topics. They start by examining the 2024 Canadian soccer program and the drone incidents, their effects on the team, the reactions to the team, the penalties, the suspensions and FIFA's possible sanctions in the future with regards to the 2026 World Cup. They then look at the life, career, accomplishments and legacy of Murray Costello, player, administrator and former head of Hockey Canada. Shawn asks Howie about some of his memories of the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, their legacies, both good and bad and some of the great moments of those g...
It's summer...the dog days.....and Howie and Shawn talk about mascots and sports entertainers they have seen or experienced through their lives. Everyone from Mr. Met to the Philly Phanatic to Youppi to Gritty and other personalities like Barry Bremen, the Great Sports Impostor and Morganna, The Kissing Bandit. It was a fun and sometimes funny episode!
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie discuss the life and career of Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda and they also examine the greatness of football and baseball star, Bo Jackson. A lot of great memories in this episode.
In the latest episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie discuss their levels of happiness with the outcome of the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals, Connor McDavid's decision not to come out to receive the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Hockey Hall of Fame selections for 2024. They don't necessarily agree on everything either. It was a spirited and interesting discussion.
On June 18, 2024, Willie Mays passed away at the age of 93. Mays was unquestionably one of the greatest ever to play the game. So many tremendous exploits and highlights in his career. He played with Birmingham in the Negro Leagues and had the opportunity to play with the Red Sox, but ownership and upper management didn't want a Black player on their roster. At a major league game in Birmingham, held the same week as Mays' passing, Reggie Jackson talked openly on FOX-TV about the spectre of racism that hung over the game and the country at the time Mays (and Jackson) came into the...
Due to circumstances beyond our control, life has taken both Shawn and Howie away from doing what we love, and that is talking about sports history. NBA great Jerry West passed away as did Chet Walker. The boys talk about the two men and their basketball legacies.Â
June 2024 - Sports Lunatics - Reggie Jackson's Response to Alex Rodriguez' question on MLB on FOX about coming back to Birmingham, Alabama, where he played his minor league ball. His response is frank, honest and he talks directly and openly about the racism he encountered while there.
This is long overdue. A rebroadcast of the interview Howie did with the 13-year veteran of the Edmonton Eskimos, Jed Roberts. Jed was a defensive end, linebacker and special teams stalwart through his CFL career from 1990-2002. He is incredibly frank as he discusses his time in the league. He talks about teammates and coaches like Henry "Gizmo" Williams, Randy Ambrosie, Signor Mobley, Rod Smart, also known as 'He Hate Me' from original XFL fame. He also talks about former coaches Ron Lancaster, Don Matthews and Kay Stephenson. He talks about playing during the "American Experiment...
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn asks Howie about Connor McDavid's legacy in getting to the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals and the Oilers' possible victory. The boys assess McDavid's place among the all-time greats at this point in his career. They also discuss Major League Baseball's decision to integrate the statistics from the Negro Leagues of Baseball with those of the National and American Leagues and the furor that erupted from that decision. Lastly, they talk about the life and career of one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history, Larry Allen ...
Wow! This is one from the archives! A show from the first few months of our podcast. It's from April of 2020 and we talk about Henry Aaron's 715th home run versus Barry Bonds' 756th and other records. We talk about Jackie Robinson Day and what it means to us, and we also discuss some of the heroes we lost from that time. At the beginning of the show, we talk about some of the new platforms we were on at that time and the dawning of our then-new Facebook page. There are a few things in this one that date it but it's a compelling (and fun) classic episode of The Sports Lun...
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie look at the life and career of Bill Walton. Walton was an amazing basketball player, a one-of-a-kind broadcaster, and a man who was so loved by everyone who met him. Shawn and Howie engage in such a spirited conversation and Shawn employs his skills as a producer to include so many great audio clips. This episode will leave you with goosebumps. As Shawn said, "I'd want to run through a wall for Bill Walton." As Howie said, "As we pass away, all we are are the stories that people tell about us." If that's the case, Bill W...
It's NHL Playoff time and conversations generally turn to which great star has yet to win a Stanley Cup. In this edition of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie discuss a few great players who went through their careers without ever sipping from Lord Stanley's Mug. In this particular episode, you'll hear stories about Marcel Dionne, Jarome Iginla, Dale Hawerchuk, Mike Gartner and Peter Stastny. Enjoy the show, everyone.
In the spring of 2022, Bodog put out a list of what they thought were the Top 10 Canadian athletes of all time. Immediately, Shawn and Howie took issue with the composition of the list. They discuss the integrity of the Bodog list and which athletes might be valid and which are not as well as who they thought were missing from it. It was a fun and a lively episode.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs' forward Ron Ellis, one of only five men who have played over 1,000 games while wearing the blue and white, passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2024. He was 79. He played his entire 15-year career with the Leafs. Ellis was a stellar defensive forward while at the same time, scoring twenty goals in eleven different seasons. In this edition of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie examine the life and career of one of the most popular Maple Leafs ever.
In April of 2023, I got to sit down with Lisa Bowes. Lisa was a field reporter and sports anchor for The Sports Network in Canada. She is now a successful author. Her Lucy Tries Sports series of children's books is not just a story of success though, it's also a story of persistence and never giving up on a dream. Enjoy this classic Sports Lunatics Show rebroadcast!
After yet another gut-wrenching Game 7 loss in the opening round of the NHL Playoffs, the eternal question looms large over Toronto: Are the Maple Leafs cursed? It's been 57 long years since the franchise hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1967, and with each passing season, the weight of expectation seems to grow heavier. The Sports Lunatics' Shawn Lavigne and Howie Mooney delve deep into the tumultuous history of the Maple Leafs, exploring six decades of organizational missteps, playoff heartbreaks, and the tantalizing prospect of a new era in Toronto.
In Part 5 of their series on NHL Forgotten Stars, Shawn and Howie go over another group of names that were submitted by members of The Sports Lunatics Show's Facebook group page. In this episode, they discuss Danny Gare, Terry O'Reilly, Craig Janney, J.C. Tremblay and a couple more players that some may have lost track of over time.
We lost Bob Cole on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. In this Sports Lunatics Show episode, Shawn and Howie look back at Bob's life and career, from his trip as a 23-year-old who went to Toronto to meet Foster Hewitt unannounced to play his audition tape to working on Hockey Night in Canada to becoming their top play-by-play man. They also discuss many of the amazing things Cole did outside his work as the preeminent personality on Canadian hockey broadcasts for more than four decades. When you think about the principal men who have called games on Hockey Night in Canada - Foster Hewitt, Dann...
On April 22, 2022, former Montreal Canadiens great Guy Lafleur passed away after a battle with cancer. Howie sat down with the noted and often-published hockey historian Liam Maguire to talk about the life, career and legacy of The Flower. Liam talked about what made Guy Lafleur so great, so revered and so admired. It was a spirited and a visceral conversation. Liam had been asked to do many media requests in a very small window of time and we were thrilled to be able to have him on the show.