Jim Brandstatter
Episode 168: Tom Izzo: Coach of the PISTONS?!
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I think he regrets not taking that job.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- Eli’s on vacation so veteran sportscaster FRED HEUMANN joins us with some big opinions and stories!
- Casey Mize makes his LONG-awaited MLB debut! MOST of us thought he did well. NOT Denny!
- Al Avila says on a Friday that Mize and the other kids are NOT ready. By MONDAY they ARE?! Bob thinks he knows why.
- Thom Brennaman commits the ultimate TV/radio sin: not so much WHAT he said, it’s the cardinal rule he FORGOT!
- Fernando Tatis Jr. hits a grand slam on a 3-0 count with his team up by SEVEN in the 8th inning — and the feces hits the fan!
- The NFL is now considering a postseason “bubble” which has worked for the NBA and NHL.
- Most of COLLEGE football is not going to play at all. Players, parents and one prominent medical expert are VERY unhappy.
- A potentially GREAT Michigan O-lineman has already seen enough. HE’S heading to the pros!
- One of the legal world’s greatest truisms: how much “justice” can you afford? In Robert Kraft’s case, a LOT!
- Those stories, “This Day in Sports” — just for Denny McLain, YOUR mailbag and much more right here.
Episode 167: SO Many Good Questions for RICH STRENGER!
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You’re not going to get me to say anything negative about Bo.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- U-M star, NFL vet AND an attorney? What better person to ask about EVERYTHING going on than RICH STRENGER!
- How TERRIBLE are the Tigers? NOT so terrible that they can’t easily make the playoffs, especially WITH Casey Mize.
- Covid-19 in MLB? The Cardinals are FINALLY playing again — WITH a convoy of 41 rental cars on the roads!
- The NBA Playoffs start(ed) Monday night. NO COVID issues there so far. Eli gives kudos to Adam Silver for that.
- College football already slammed by COVID. The Big (14) won’t play — unless players and parents have THEIR way.
- Tuukka Rask of the Bruins has called it quits DURING the 2020 NHL playoffs! Bob says he quit on his TEAMMATES.
- Kelly Stafford walks back her criticism of Colin Kaepernick. Eli and Denny laud her. Bob: Who cares what SHE thinks?
- A BIG 80% of Packers ticket holders say they will NOT go to Lambeau this year! Eli and Denny: Would YOU go to a game?
- Another week, ANOTHER Denny McLain scheme. Wait til you hear what he’s going to do now — AND with WHOM!
- Eli has “This Day in Sports History,” Bob has YOUR mailbag — and MUCH more right here!
Episode 166: DICKIE V is BACK, Baybee: a TRUE “PTP-ah!”
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Big fella, give us some hope!
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- DICK VITALE joins the boys again for A LOTTA laughs and memories. The REASON he’s back couldn’t be more serious.
- As expected, The Big Ten (14!) has canceled its upcoming football season. Perhaps UNexpected? HUGE pushback!
- U-M football star, NFL Pro Bowler, Hollywood actor! Now the amazing life of Dwight Hicks takes a different turn.
- The Tigers are in playoff contention, or at least WERE before a spate of injuries. Is it time NOW to call up the kids?
- Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer has a strange match-up in the White Sox’ lineup. Think Denny versus Bill Freehan!
- Astros hitting coach Alex Cintrón suspended twenty games(!) for his role in a big brawl. What did he say that was so BAD?
- A SIX-HOUR NHL playoff game with a goalie making HOW MANY saves?! Tampa eventually beat Columbus.
- But the NY Rangers had a much bigger win: the Alexis Lafrenière sweepstakes. OUTRAGE in hockey circles follows!
- Eli has “This Day in Sports History,” Bob’s got YOUR mailbag — and we’ve got much more right here!
Episode 164: The Amazing Baseball Odyssey of Jim Essian
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Crisscrossing America for 17 years!
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- Just say “no” — to BO?! To ARA? To DUFFY?! How one of Detroit’s greatest all-around athletes, JIM ESSIAN, did it!
- The PGA Championship is underway! With NO fans — AND with Eli asking a good question about two top stars.
- While MLB is a mess, the NHL and NBA “bubbles” seem to be working. But hockey and basketball in AUGUST?
- And Bob sez, “C’mon, how much does ‘Black Lives Matter’ REALLY mean in the NHL?”
- Imagine! College football players to coaches: “Here’s a list of demands or we’re not playin’!” THIS is happening NOW.
- Why this CRAZY Big Ten schedule!? M v OSU in OCTOBER? Producers Brandon McAfee and Marc Fellhauer think THEY know.
- Kelly Stafford is furious at the NFL for Matt’s false-positive COVID test. Have OTHER testing mistakes been made?
- Is our P.C. society SO nuts that a coach can’t even QUOTE someone dropping an “N-Bomb?” Black players USE it!
- We MUST support local journalism in our free country. But Bob wonders how much we’re willing to PAY to do so.
- Those stories, “This Day in Sports,” a tribute to Denny in YOUR Mailbag — and much more right here!
Episode 163: MISTER MICHIGAN: Brandy himself!
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A very timely guest!
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- What did Bo know and when did he know it? Just one of MANY topics for us with U-M football voice JIM BRANDSTATTER!
- So why would Bo allegedly allow sexual abuse by his own team doctor to go on? Eli’s sources have an explosive theory!
- How could Michigan lose a five-star tackle from right under their noses? The kid’s own father wants to know that too.
- Seven-inning games?! Eli’s so upset with MLB’s silliness he cries, “START THE DAMN GAME IN THE THIRD INNING THEN!”
- And now MLB is one-sixth through its season. Not weird enough? As of Monday the Tigers would be in the playoffs!
- Long-time sportscaster Jamie Samuelsen has died at just 48, joining a host of Detroit media members already gone too soon.
- Denny’s got figures on the NFL players who’ve opted out of the season. Bob asks again, “didn’t anybody PLAN for this?”
- The NBA is back! NHL too! Both leagues started off with showy Black Lives Matter displays. Has BLM gone too far now?
- Bob with a bold prediction for Michigan State basketball, which just went through a VERY eventful week.
- Those stories, “This Day in Sports,” YOUR mailbag segment and much more coming up right here!
Episode 134: The Controversial Life of an NBA SUPERSTAR!
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The first star player to defy the reserve clause and jump to the ABA.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- “The baddest white boy EVER on a basketball court?!” That might just be RICK BARRY, our guest on the show today!
- The NFL draft starts/started Thursday. WE have to wait til Monday to comment. The NFL has to wait til ??? to actually PLAY.
- Do brains matter in sports? Some of the top college prospects score, uh, “stupidly” low on their Wonderlic tests.
- Gronk is back, joining Brady with the Bucs! Hopefully HE won’t be booted from any Tampa-area parks — as Tom was.
- U-M’s president says it’s headed for BIG financial trouble over COVID-19? Just wait til the sex-abuse suits are decided!
- It’s Eli vs Denny for high school football star Rocco Spindler. Will he pick Eli’s alma mater or Denny’s beloved Fighting Irish?
- The latest on the NHL resuming: Bob says “Pipsqueak Bettman” is now just throwing stuff on the wall to see if anything sticks.
- (GASP!) Did Denny just physically threaten Bob in YOUR mailbag segment?!
- Wearing a Coronavirus mask these days? If so, we’ll tell you how to look sharp in it!
- Those stories, news of other big-name guests coming up on the show and much more — right here.
Episode 78: Unhappy Michigan Football Fans: HARLAN HUCKLEBY is One of You!
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We Don’t Seem To Have The Dominance Up Front
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page.
- Michigan and Iowa waged one HELLUVA defense battle Saturday. Boring? Eli says YES! Bob says NO!
- Ex-Michigan star Harlan Huckleby has PLENTY to say on Michigan AND about Jim Harbaugh. His comments will surprise you!
- Bob repeats HIS comments from MSU’s too-narrow win over Indiana: Lewerke is overrated and so is State’s defense.
- The MLB Playoffs are heatin’ up and Denny’s NOT thrilled over what he’s hearing on radio and TV from “Jessica Somebody.
- Meanwhile, he made another of his sports-show appearances last weekend and lassoed PETE ROSE. Pete joins us Thursday!
- Penalty flags AGAIN are flying all over the field in college and pro football. Can you imagine if this stupidity happened in baseball?
- WOW! Anthony Mantha with FIVE goals in the Wings’ first two games, FOUR of ’em Sunday night!
- As legal sports gambling is exploding all over the nation could we someday have another Black Sox-like scandal?
- And will Michigan beat Kansas on high school basketball phenom Isaiah Todd? Bob guarantees it — cuz the Jayhawks are in BIG trouble.
- Those stories, YOUR thoughts in our mailbag segment and much more right here.
Episode 62: “Student-Athlete!” And He’s Being Punished for It?!
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How can you punish scholarship???
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page.
- (GULP!) $30,000,000 a year — and it’s (GULP!) not enough dough?!
- Eli seems fascinated by the new season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” Bob is decidedly not.
- After just one pre-season game the NFL’s list of seriously injured players is already high.
- Plus, helmet controversy, replay on pass interference — and will YOU be able to legally gamble on football soon?
- Even small local newspapers are ganging up on the Toothless Tigers now!
- And how’s this for a switch? A great prep football player ruled ineligible because he STUDIES too much?!
- Those stories, the boys with some more of those old baseball stories for you and much more right here!
Episode 40: The Zen of Bill Buckner: Different Strokes for TWO Different Folks
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A career comes down to one play.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page.
- Buckner’s untimely demise hits home with Eli, who waxes poetic on what Bill’s life was really all about.
- Meanwhile, Denny GOT waxed gambling on “The Buckner Game” in prison. He lost WHAT?!
- The sports world has also lost Bart Starr, unleashing a wave of nostalgia from the boys.
- The Tigers say they’ve “bolstered” their bullpen — but lotsa seats are empty in Comerica. Is it Casey Mize time?
- MSU lands a new president AND a hot-shot player for Izzo.
- Uh, and btw, where’s Juwan been lately?
- Bob rants on the bogus “Michigan Sports Hall of Fame” and on creeping “hip-hopism” in sports.
- Those stories, controversy over the upcoming Detroit Grand Prix and much more right here!