Jeff Blair Show

The Jeff Blair Show is off the air, but you can still hear all the great sports talk and interviews you've come to know from Blair, Richard Deitsch and Stephen Brunt on Writers Bloc. Subscribe to Writers Bloc here: https://podcast.sportsnet.ca/writers-bloc/

Jeff discusses the Canadians drafted to the NBA (0:29); Raptors TV analyst Leo Rautins on Mfiondu Kabengele's rise and potential and RJ Barrett's fit with the Knicks (3:33); Leafs Morning Skate's Anthony Stewart on the Mitch Marner contract situation, the new rule changes, and his NHL Draft experience (27:45); ESPN's Jeff Passan on the proposed Montreal/Tampa Bay Rays split, and the chances that Montreal gets a full-time team (46:42); TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie on the potential of an offer sheet for Mitch Marner, NHL video review & coach's challenge changes (1:13:52).

Jeff Discusses the depth of Canadian basketball ahead of tonight's NBA Draft (0:36); Sportsnet NBA insider Michael Grange on the expectations for the NBA draft, RJ Barrett and what the Raptors need on their bench (4:46); Sportsnet chief soccer reporter John Molinaro on Canada's women's team being composed on their back line and the overall quality of play in women's soccer, in addition to the Canadian national men's team's Gold Cup loss to Mexico (25:12); Canadian country star and former Vancouver Canucks draft pick Chad Brownlee on going from being a hockey player to being a musician, what it was like to be drafted and similarities between being an artist and an athlete (41:45); Canadian NBA prospect and guard for Arizona State Luguentz Dort on his comparison to Russell Westbrook, and what got him into basketball (57:54); Co-host of Leafs Nation pre- and post-game Gord Stellick on the load management in the NHL and the Mitch Marner contract (1:04:43).

Jeff starts looking ahead to an uncertain off-season for the NBA Champion Raptors (0:53); Raptors radio analyst Paul Jones on the Raptors' summer (9:33); Toronto Police Service No. 52 Division Unit Commander Superintendent Michael Barsky on Monday's Raptors Championship Parade, and the criticism that followed (27:38); Hockey Central Saturday's Nick Alberga on what to expect ahead of the NHL Draft and free agency (46:00); CBS Sports HQ MLB analyst/Former Miami Marlins President David Samson on the MLB Umpires Association's public disappointment in the Manny Machado suspension, and Marcus Stroman's future with the Blue Jays (1:12:50).

Jeff discusses the poor planning surrounding the Raptors' championship parade (0:45); Raptors play-by-play voice Matt Devlin on the parade (and his role in de-escalating the tension following the shooting at Nathan Phillips Square, and how the Raptors should approach the off-season (8:46); We hear from attendees of the Parade, and their experiences Monday (23:48); Hockey Night In Canada's Elliotte Friedman on what to expect with Mitch Marner's restricted free agency, new contracts for Erik Karlsson and Braydon Coburn, and the Jacob Trouba trade (49:09); More reaction from the Raptors parade (1:01:58).

The Toronto Raptors are NBA Champions! (0:57); We check in with an assortment of guests and fans, including ESPN's Tim Legler (8:39), Sportsnet's Faizal Khamisa (52:34), Sportsnet's Michael Grange (56:58), The Carroll (Iowa) Daily Times Herald's Brandon Hurley on Nick Nurse's path to NBA glory (1:19:17), Tim & Sid's Sid Seixeiro (1:34:36), long-time Raptors play-by-play voice (and current Chicago Bulls voice) Chuck Swirsky (1:52:28), and SN 590's Paul Jones (2:01:17).

The Raptors have another shot at winning the NBA Finals tonight! (0:44); NBC Sports' Pro Basketball Talk's Dan Feldman on Raptors-Warriors ahead of Game 6 (7:35); What's one word to describe how you're feeling ahead of Game 6? (17:42); Leafs Nation Pre- & Post-Game's Gord Stellick on the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues and their Game 7 win over the Bruins (47:49); Truman State University head men's basketball coach Jeff Horner on his time playing for Nick Nurse, and what he learned from Nurse as a coach (1:13:51); "Inside the Green Room with Danny Green" co-host Harrison Sanford in-studio on The Finals (1:29:25); Bay Area News Group columnist Dieter Kurtenbach on the Warriors (2:01:20); Sportsnet's Michael Grange on Raptors-Warriors (2:13:38); The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds on The Finals (2:36:51).

Jeff discusses the unprecedented amount of Canadian interest in the Raptors (0:53); Former Canadian national team member Dwight Walton on the NBA Finals, and how the Raptors fandom has made its way to Montreal (7:31); Former NBA guard Nick Van Exel on Kevin Durant's decision to play in Game 4 of Raptors-Warriors, and on the mentality of an NBA player to play through injuries (22:13); TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie ahead of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Bruins and Blues (37:45); Yahoo! Sports' Ben Rohrbach on the NBA Finals (51:36); Sportsnet's Shi Davidi on the Blue Jays, and the possibility of an imminent MLB debut for Bo Bichette (1:09:18); Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Director of Operations Scott Crawford discusses this weekend's upcoming induction ceremony (1:24:10); Basketball Central's Alvin Williams on The NBA Finals (1:35:32); The New York Times' Sopan Deb on The Finals, and what Kevin Durant's injury means for the Knicks, in light of the season-long rumours surrounding the two parties (1:5

Jeff discusses the Raptors' crowd's controversial reaction to Kevin Durant's injury in Monday's Game 5 win for the Warriors (0:30); SN590's Paul Jones on Game 5 (9:05); What stood out the most from Game 5? (33:41); Sportsnet's Leo Rautins on Raptors-Warriors (46:18); InStreetClothes' Jeff Stotts on the Durant injury (1:21:08); NBA Analyst/Former Assistant Coach Steve Jones Jr. on how Game 5 played out (1:31:45); Tim & Sid's Tim Micallef on Game 5 (2:04:41); Former Raptor Tracy Murray on the series thus far, and his memories of being on the original Raptors squad (2:20:55); What stood out the most from Game 5 (2:32:02)?

Jeff entertains the possibility of the Raptors ending the Warriors' dynasty on Monday night (0:37); SN590's Eric Smith on the Raptors and Warriors heading into Game 5 of The NBA Finals (7:17); How confident are you in the Raptors' chance of closing out the Finals in Game 5 (26:52); Basketball Central's Sherman Hamilton on The Finals (47:03); Sportsnet 650's Corey Hirsch on the Bruins topping the Blues in Game 6 to push the Stanley Cup Final to a Game 7 on Wednesday (1:19:59); Warriors TV analyst Jim Barnett on the Warriors heading into Game 5, and Kawhi Leonard's future after The Finals (1:33:17); ESPN Radio Finals voice Marc Kestecher on the Raptors & Warriors ahead of Game 5 (1:52:12).

Jeff discusses the swift reaction of the NBA to the incident between Kyle Lowry and Warriors part-owner Mark Stevens (0:59); Canada Basketball President/CEO (and former Raptors GM) Glen Grunwald on the Raptors and The Finals, and the impact of this run on Canadian basketball (9:45); ESPN's Howard Bryant on the Lowry/Stevens incident (31:33); Sportsnet's Stephen Brunt on Christine Sinclair and the Canadian National Women's Soccer Team ahead of the Women's World Cup getting underway, and on settling into the fact that the Raptors have a legitimate shot at winning the NBA Finals (47:46); Hockey Central's Jeff Marek on the Blues' 3-2 Stanley Cup Final lead over the Bruins, and the much-discussed Game 5 officiating (1:18:41); Sportsnet/ESPN's Dan Shulman on the Raptors and the Blue Jays (1:34:39); Basketball Central's Alvin Williams on Kyle Lowry's handling of the Mark Stevens confrontation, and on Raptors-Warriors (1:55:07).

The Raptors top the Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to take a 2-1 series lead (0:50); NBA TV's Stu Jackson on the Finals (8:52); What to make of Nick Nurse's recent coaching job? (27:02); TVA Sports' Renaud Lavoie on the Stanley Cup Final ahead of Game 5 (49:45); MLB.com's Mark Feinsand on the Yankees' season thus far, and Craig Kimbrel's signing with the Cubs (1:03:27); SN 590's Paul Jones on Raptors-Warriors (1:14:57); Bay Area Legend/Deadspin's Ray Ratto on the Warriors (1:32:35); Sportsnet's Michael Grange on Raptors-Warriors, and the revelation that the fan who pushed Kyle Lowry is actually a part-owner of the Warriors (1:49:36).

Jeff discusses the significance of Kawhi Leonard's return to Oakland tonight (0:11); "The Soul of Basketball" author Ian Thomsen on the Raptors and Warriors ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals (3:19); Toronto Mayor John Tory on ways to persuade Kawhi Leonard to stay in the city, and on the passion the city's shown for the Raptors (19:33); Sportsnet's Faizal Khamisa on the Finals (38:50); Hockey Night In Canada's Chris Johnston on the Stanley Cup Final, and on the off-season rumours being in full swing, including in regards to the Maple Leafs (1:06:55); Sportsnet's Shi Davidi on the Blue Jays' win over the Yankees (1:33:21); San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ann Killion on the Warriors ahead of Game 3 (1:48:06).

Jeff feels it's tough to overstate Klay Thompson's importance to the Warriors (0:59); Former Canadian Men's National Team player Dwight Walton on Raptors-Warriors off of the first two games (5:46); We gauge the temperature of the Raptors' fanbase ahead of Game 3 (25:11); City University of New York tenured law professor Marc Edelman on Kawhi Leonard's lawsuit against Nike (52:29); Leafs Nation Pre- & Post-Game's Gord Stellick on the Blues evening up the Stanley Cup Final with the Bruins, and Nikita Zaitsev and Patrick Marleau's futures in Toronto (1:06:20); At The Letters' Ben Nicholson-Smith on the Blue Jays' first night of the MLB Draft, and the club's continued struggles as the Yankees come to town (1:29:31); Former NBA referee/Director of Officiating Ronnie Nunn on how the NBA Finals have been called thus far (1:55:08).

Jeff feels the Kyle Lowry-Stephen Curry matchup told the tale of the Warriors' Game 2 win over the Raptors (0:25); SN 590's Eric Smith on the Warriors' win (8:18); How does Raptors-Warriors go from here as the teams head to Oakland? (31:52); NBC Sports' Dan Feldman on the Finals through two games (44:17); Sportsnet's Leo Rautins on Game 2 (52:39); NESN's Andrew Raycroft on the Bruins' 2-1 lead over the Blues heading into tonight's Game 4 (1:12:42); Sportsnet's Arash Madani on the NBA Finals (1:31:15); Tim & Sid's Sid Seixeiro on Raptors-Warriors, and the passion of Jurassic Park (1:53:51).