The Sports Lunatics Show
Shawn Lavigne, a longtime Toronto radio producer, and Howie Mooney, Ottawa television sports personality and author, discuss sports and sports history and delve into why what happened in the past is relevant today. Fun sports talk, lively interviews and always a good time.
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Episodes
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Mar 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Rodger Brulotte, His Career and His Legacy
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
In this Sports Lunatics Show episode, Shawn and Howie talk about Rodger Brulotte, the Montreal Expos' broadcaster, his career and his legacy as the great person he was. The boys share some stories and talk about their memories of the Expos and broadcasters they enjoyed listening to in years past. It's a fun episode.
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Mar 2025 - Sports Lunatics - A WBC Strike 3 And Other Calls That Changed Games w/Mick Kern
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
On March 15, 2026, a bad call on what turned out to be the third strike that ended an exciting World Baseball Classic semi-final game between the United States and the Dominican Republic was made. After the game, Alex Rodriguez said on the Fox post-game show "a ball that's about four inches down, you just hate to end a game that big...on a pitch that's not a strike." Howie and guest Mick Kern from SiriusXM's NHL Network Channel talk about bad calls and missed calls by officials from the worlds of baseball, hockey, football - both Canadian and NFL - basketball and soccer. Mic...
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Mar 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Radko Gudas, the Hits, the Fallout and Other Hockey Villains Through History w/Mick Kern
Friday, March 13, 2026
On March 12, 2026, Radko Gudas went knee-on-knee with the Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews, injuring the Leafs' centre. Given the way he forced Sidney Crosby out of the Olympic tournament, Howie asked guest Mick Kern, of SiriusXM, about Gudas and the fallout from those hits. This was recorded before the NHL's Department of Player Safety ruled on any suspension, but Mick was on fire discussing Gudas and so many other NHL 'bad guys' from the 80s, 90s and beyond. It's a fun conversation and one that is sure to evoke a ton of memories.
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Mar 2026 - Sports Lunatics - The Life and Career of Lou Holtz
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Howie drives the bus in this episode and he looks at the long life and career of Lou Holtz. The longtime college coach was best known for his national championship while at Notre Dame in 1988. Along the way there were highs and lows and controversies just like in pretty much every life. (30 minutes)
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Mar 2026 - Sports Lunatics - The Late Bill Mazeroski and the Anniversaries of the Losses of Chris Schultz and Walter Gretzky
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
In this episode, Shawn and Howie discuss the passing of Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski. He's famous for his walk-off hone run in the seventh game of the 1960 World Series but there was more to Maz than just that. The boys also look back on the lives of former Dallas Cowboy and Toronto Argonaut offensive lineman Chris Schultz and Canada's Hockey Dad on the fifth anniversary of their passings. They also look at the necessity for community and the importance of old rinks like the Weston Arena in Toronto and the old Forum in Halifax.
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Feb 2026 - Sports Lunatics - The Fallout and Hangover From the Gold Medal Mens' Hockey Game, 2026
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
On Sunday, February 22, 2026, the men from Canada and the United States met in Milan to play a hockey game to decide the gold medal winners. The game was incredible, with Connor Hellebuyck stealing the show and the victory for the Americans. The game was intense and the fallout was emotional as the game was not decided until Jack Hughes scored in overtime. Social media buzzed for days after the game was decided for many reasons. Shawn and Howie discuss the game and some of its many ramifications in this Sports Lunatics Show episode.
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Feb 2026 - Sports Lunatics - The Miracle 1975 New York Islanders - From Doormat to the Pages of History
Saturday, February 21, 2026
The 1974-75 New York Islanders were a team in their franchise's third year of existence. They had been a team that had been mediocre at best. But with Al Arbour as their coach and Bill Torrey as their general manager, the team shocked their rivals, the New York Rangers, in the first round. Then, when down 0-3 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their second round series, they defied history and rose from the ashes to defeat their seasoned opponents in that seven-game series. Next up was the defending Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers who quickly took a 3-0 lead in that series onl...
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Feb 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Red Barber's Birthday, Maple Leaf Gardens & Three Rivers Stadium Anniversaries and Passings
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Howie drives the bus and covers a lot of topics dealing with the third week of February, 2026. It was the legendary Red Barber's birthday on February 17. The last NHL game at Maple Leaf Gardens took place on February 13, 1999. Chris Paul retired after a Hall of Fame career. Three Rivers Stadium was demolished on February 11, 2001. Justin Verlander signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. And the world lost Robert Duvall and the Reverend Jesse Jackson.
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February 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Mike Ross & Howie Discuss the Losses of Jim Robson and Vince Malette
Thursday, February 12, 2026
As Shawn has often said, our show has sometimes become a forum for remembering the sports figures that we've lost. This show is no exception. Toronto Maple Leafs public address announcer and long time radio man, Mike Ross, joins Howie to talk about the passings of British Columbia legend Jim Robson and Ottawa hockey coach Vince Malette.
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February 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Mick Kern & Howie Talk About Darryl Sittler's 10-point Night 50 Years After
Thursday, February 5, 2026
When SiriusXM's Mick Kern comes on the show, we can figure on a lively conversation and this one is no exception. Mick and Howie discuss that momentous night fifty years ago, February 7, 1976, when Darryl Sittler scored six goals and had four assists in an 11-4 win over the mighty Boston Bruins, and many of the things that surrounded it. They talk about unfortunate Boston goalie Dave Reece, weave in and out of the topic and even get some CFL talk in as well. It's truly a fun conversation and Mick and Howie share a bunch of laughs.
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Feb 2026 - A New Documentary on The 1980 Miracle on Ice & The Passing of Mickey Lolich
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
It's February and the Winter Olympics are in our collective consciousness and so our thoughts naturally float to a couple of weeks back in 1980 when the sporting world was focused on what was happening at the hockey venue in tiny Lake Placid, New York and what a group of college kids were doing by upsetting the vaunted Soviet Union juggernaut. There's a new Netflix documentary and Shawn and Howie discuss it and the 1980 tournament and the players and personalities involved. They also take a look back at the life and career of Detroit Tigers' great pitcher, Mickey Lolich.
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Jan 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Belichick Snubbed by PFHOF On First Attempt! - A Sports Lunatics Reaction Show
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
On Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026, it was reported that Bill Belichick would not be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Reaction was swift and intense. Tom Brady said, "I don't understand it!" Other athletes and observers were equally shocked. Shawn Lavigne and Howie Mooney discussed the snub in this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show.
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Jan 2026 - Sports Lunatics - What We Missed About The 1970s
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
In this freeform episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie look back at the things they loved about the 1970s (and some things they didn't). It's kind of a wild show and the boys go back and forth on a whole bunch of topics that were perhaps peculiar to the 1970s. You might remember a bunch of the topics they discuss here as well.
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Jan 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Glenn Hall, Guy Chouinard and the 50th Anniversary of Philly-Red Army
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Another legendary NHL goalie has passed away. On this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie examine the career, life and legacy of Hall of Famer Glenn Hall. They also look at the career of the first ever 50 goal scorer for the Atlanta Flames, Guy Chouinard. The second week of January also marked the 50th anniversary of that infamous match between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Soviet Red Army team back in 1976. The guys close the show by talking about the little consolation speech by reporter Lynn Jones to Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen.
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Jan 2026 - Sports Lunatics - The Twenty Worst Teams In CFL History with guest J.C. Abbott from 3downnation.com
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Howie sat down with J.C. Abbott from 3downnation.com to discuss a piece he wrote for the website on the twenty worst teams to ever step on a Canadian Football League field. Abbott explains how he chose the teams and the two men talk about some if the teams. The conversation is interesting and this episode is a must-listen for CFL fans. Go to the Sports Lunatics Facebook page to make your feelings known on the whole subject!
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Jan 2026 - Sports Lunatics - Remembering David Branch and Bob Pulford
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie look back on the lives and the legacies of two hockey giants - David Branch and Bob Pulford. Branch was the commissioner of the Ontario Hockey League for 45 years and the president of the Canadian Hockey League for 23 years, all while being one of the most personable executives that anyone ever met in hockey. Bob Pulford was an all-star and a Stanley Cup winner as a player in Toronto and Los Angeles before moving on to coach the Kings. He then went on to become the coach of the Chicago Blackhawks before taking on the role as the t...
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - 2025 Year In Review
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Shawn and Howie look at the sports year that was 2025 in this episode. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl; the Florida Panthers took the Stanley Cup; the Oklahoma City Thunder was the NBA Champion and, in what some have called the best World Series they had ever seen, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. The NHL, in what would be its All-Star break held a 4-Nations tournament that turned out to be everything they wanted it to be. The Luka Doncic trade? What were they thinking? There is more too! Enjoy the show!
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - The Festivus Episode
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
We have reached that time of year. It's Festivus. That includes the airing of the grievances. The time went by so quickly that Shawn and Howie didn't get to discuss all their points. But it's an absolutely lively conversation and the boys hope that Toronto Maple Leaf fans aren't too angry with them. They cover the Leafs, the way the Kansas City Chiefs season is arriving at its end, the movement of franchises, the pricing out of some families when it comes to pro sports and how the Canadian Football League went about their upcoming rule changes this year and how will they...
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - The End of Eras - Mahomes, Rivers, Cena, Dick Van Dyke (and Babe Ruth?) and Remembering Rob Reiner
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
In a wild and bizarre weekend the Kansas City Chiefs lost Patrick Mahomes to an ACL tear and lost their game to end their quest for another NFL playoff berth, ending a run of success that was incredible. That same day, 44-year-old Philip Rivers came out of retirement to almost lead the Indianapolis Colts to a win over the Seattle Seahawks. But poor clock management resulted in Seattle having enough time to kick a field goal and pull the game out. On the Saturday night, John Cena appeared in his last wrestling bout as he tapped out against the Swiss giant, Gunther. On the cultural side that ...
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Baseball HOF Eras Committee Votes - Who Got In?
Monday, December 8, 2025
The Contemporary Eras Committee voted for their Baseball Hall of Fame candidates this week. Would Don Mattingly finally get in? Dale Murphy, maybe? Nope. Neither. One man was selected to be inducted in 2026 from this vote. Jeff Kent. Shawn and Howie discuss the selection and what they thought might happen. It's a lively and wide ranging conversation and they bring up a lot of names and comparables for the men on the ballot.
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - December 8, 1980, The Night John Lennon Died
Monday, December 8, 2025
On December 8, 1980, as we were watching Monday Night Football, Howard Cosell informed us all that John Lennon had been killed outside the Dakota Hotel. Shawn and Howie discuss their memories of that night, the following week and the impact that Lennon's death had on them and the world as they saw it at that time. Some illuminating audio accompanies their conversation.
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Dec 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Colleen Jones, Fuzzy Zoeller, Griffin's Double Heisman, The Dolphins Ruin The Bears' Undefeated Season and The Night St. Patrick Walked Away From Montreal
Thursday, December 4, 2025
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie cover a lot of ground. First, they remember the lives and legacies of the great Canadian curling giant, Colleen Jones, and 1979 Masters winner, Fuzzy Zoeller. Then they look back at three sporting anniversaries. In 1975, Archie Griffin won back-to-back Heisman Trophies. He's the only man ever to achieve that NCAA Football feat. In 1985, on Monday Night Football, the undefeated Chicago Bears went to South Florida and pulled the Nine of Hearts against Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins. It was their only loss of that 1985 season...
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Nov 2025 - Sports Lunatics - A Look Back - Guertin Arena, George Foreman, August 12, 1994 and Ken Dryden
Sunday, November 30, 2025
In this episode, Howie put together a compilation show of pieces from four different episodes. There are highlights from an interview Howie did with Ken Warren about the demolition of the Bob Guertin Arena in Hull, a show that Shawn and Howie did on the life of George Foreman, a short episode on the importance of August 12, 1994 and 1976, and a piece from an interview Howie did with SiriusXM's Mick Kern on the passing of Ken Dryden.
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Nov 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Randy Jones, Joe Theismann's Leg, Baseball's New TV Deal, The Grey Cup and More
Thursday, November 20, 2025
This episode is a bit of a random mish-mash of topics all over the sports history map. Shawn and Howie start off by discussing the passing of the first great pitcher for the San Diego Padres. Randy Jones won the Cy Young Award in 1976, winning 22 games and completing 25 of his 40 starts. He pitched 315.1 innings that year to lead the majors. But his 1975 season might have been even better. Howie explains why. The boys examine Major League Baseball's new agreement with ESPN, Netflix and NBC is back in the baseball business too. They talk about the good old days of the NBC Game of the We...
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Nov 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Remembering Lenny Wilkens, Paul Tagliabue, Mel Bridgman and Leon Stickle + A Bit More
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
The sports world lost a few luminaries and Shawn and Howie do their best to remember them all. NBA All-Star player and one of the greatest coaches who ever walked the sidelines, Lenny Wilkens, passed away on November 9, 2025. He was 88. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue suffered heart failure and lost his life on that same Sunday. He was 84. Mel Bridgman, who was the first overall selection in the 1975 NHL Draft and played 977 games in a 14-year career, died on November 8. He was just 70. Leon Stickle, who worked as a linesman in the NHL for 30 seasons from 1969 to 1998, in an era when...
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Nov 2025 - Sports Lunatics - The Greatest World Series of All Time?
Thursday, November 6, 2025
On this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn and Howie do a post-mortem on the 2025 World Series. They examine it from a number of points of view and eventually pose the question of whether or not it was the greatest World Series ever played. It was a series that even Alex Rodriguez said that it was awful that one team had to lose. Howie brought up the 1975 World Series and the epic sixth game of that year. It's a lively back and forth and in the end, they both agree that it was, at least, the greatest World Series in the last fifty years.
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Nov 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Shawn Interviews Howie About His New Book, An Unlikely Story
Monday, November 3, 2025
In this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, Shawn turns interviewer and Howie is the subject as they discuss Howie's latest book, An Unlikely Story, about the season for the 1981 Ottawa Rough Riders which culminated in an appearance in the Grey Cup. Despite being 22 1/2 point underdogs, the Riders gave the reigning champion Edmonton Eskimos all they could handle. In the dying minutes though, a referee's call takes the Riders' hopes away and the Esks eventually kick a game-winning field goal with just seconds remaining. The Ottawa CFL Alumni Association called the book "a hea...
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Oct 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Shawn and Howie Examine The New Netflix Documentary on the Montreal Expos
Monday, October 27, 2025
Netflix recently released a highly anticipated documentary on how the Montreal Expos met their ultimate demise and who might be responsible. As Howie says in this episode of The Sports Lunatics Show, there was a blame pie with a number of responsible parties. The guys discuss the documentary and provide some historical analysis that accompanies the narrative of the documentary. You may agree with some of the things they say or you may not. Feel free to weigh in on the show on The Sports Lunatics Facebook page.
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Oct 2025 - Sports Lunatics - The Blue Jays Head to the World Series!
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
After an incredible seven game series against the Seattle Mariners, the Toronto Blue Jays are headed to the 2025 World Series to take on the highly favoured Los Angeles Dodgers. Shawn and Howie discuss the wild finish to that seventh game, how things have gone for the Blue Jays and their prospects against the vaunted Dodgers. They also look back fifty years to the sixth game of the 1975 World Series and Carlton Fisk's game winning homer against the Cincinnati Reds.
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Oct 2025 - Sports Lunatics - Montreal Expos Memories
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
With the anniversaries of so many fall baseball accomplishments and the coming of a new documentary on the team, Shawn and Howie decided to take a look back at the life and memories that were created by the Montreal Expos. The team still holds a place in the hearts of many and the guys reminisce about some of the ups and some of the downs and a few of the wacky moments that took place in the 36-year history of the club.