The Puck & Hoop Podcast

My apologies to announcer extraordinaire Bruce Buffer for appropreiatiing his catch phrase - but yeah it's time. The Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics arer set to tee off in the NBA Final. Compelling match-up? You bet! To that end this is an all hoops episode of the Puck & Hoop Podcast, hope you enjoy it. We'll give Puck tehsame treatment with Episode 53 coming up soon.

The Sheldon Keefe Era is over in The 6. So what's next? Oh and apparently all that matters in Toronto is winning the Stanley Cup. Plus Play-off lessons in Puck & Hoop and Keith has Lebron/Bronny jokes. All that and more in Episode 51. Enjoy.

This isn't all about the Leafs... BUT... It's ALL about the Leafs. Ok, not really, but it's the same old song and dance for us Leafs fans. There's always next... I'm not even going there. Changes are coming? You bet? As for the rest of the Puck and Hoop world? We're on to Round Two.

Soooo... I dropped that 10$ word in the title for this episode for a reason: per·e·gri·na·tion/ˌperəɡrəˈnāSH(ə)n/ noun LITERARY•HUMOROUS plural noun:  peregrinations a journey, especially a long or  meandering  one. Maybe not so long and meandering for the Leafs. But as always the only thing we Leafs fans have is HOPE. And that may be about to run. At any rate Episode 49 is ALL about the Leafs. Ju...

Not a whole lot to say other than... this is what we've been waiting for. Well maybe not EXACTLY if, like me, you are a Leafs Fan. But you get my drift. The podcasts will be coming fast and furious because play-offs right? Enjoy 48, 49 soon come.

Nice season Montreal. That improvement groove bodes well. Tough season Raps. Be careful San Antonio is watching. I say ( write, type, input?) all of the above just to get to this: It's TIME Leafs! This regular has been about one thing and one thing only. So yes, get ready, finalize those lines, get those D-pairings straight and get your minds right. 'Cause from here on out - LITERALLY ever...

No this isn't some Doomsday prediction! But yeah, the end is near - of the regular seasons in both Puck & Hoop. So the Raps and Habs are already looking ahead to next season, but for the Leafs? The moment of truth is nigh. And I for one can't wait! So dig in and enjoy Episode 45. Oh by the way, Lebron James is pretty good. Zach Edey. Zach Edey. Zach Edey. 'Nuff said.

...PLAY-OFFS!! Hands down the BEST time on the sports calendar, because for my money the first rounds of the PUCK & HOOP Play-offs are the most entertaining, intense, awesome - through any adjective you want in there - spectacle in sports. And they are just around the corner. How great is that? Enjoy Episode 44.

Hey everybody Episode 43 is here for your listening pleasure. And can you believe it... we are in the stretch run of the Puck & Hoop seasons! Now for my money this year is shaping up to be the most competitive run for a Championship in both leagues in a long time. Which means the Play-offs will be something to behold. We may not be quite there yet... but they are close. Enjoy Episode 43.

I don't. Hate. Refs. Lets just leave it at that. But I do think they leave a little - well maybe a lot - of room for criticism of their performance. Particularly in the NBA. Where it is shaping up to be a hell of a playoff season. The same can be said in Puck as well. Including that comment about the refs as well. But I guess when it comes to Puck & Hoop you have to be willing to take the...

Every once in awhile you to have focus on the things that really matter. So while we are all about all things Puck & Hoop, when it comes down to it it's the Habs, Leafs and Raps above all. That's just the way it is for us and likely for you too - since you are listening to this podcast. Don't worry though, we'll be taking our usual look at all things Puck & Hoop in upcoming...

I told you it was coming right up. And no we didn't HAVE to include The Bruins. We'll save them for Episode 41. If you listen you will know what I mean. Enjoy.

...There it is! We thought it was asking a bit much for you to have listen to 3HOURS of Puck & Hoop content. So we took it upon ourselves to break Ep40 into a two-parter. And to make it even more of a twist... Part1 - as you can tell is all about sitting back realxin' and getting into your hoop-sphere. Enjoy the chat. I know we did. Part2: Puck is coming up!

And we're back! In a BIG WAY. This is - I believe - our longest SINGLE podcast to date. And would you believe we are just talking about the Leafs, Habs and Raps? But what can I say? There was certainly a lot of grist for the meal. Look it up and you'll see what I mean if you don't get that one. So yes this is a LOOOOOONNNNNGGGG one. So settle in - or listen in chunks. We are on to 40....

Winner. The NBA In-Season Tournament. Winner. The L-A Lakers & LBJ. Winner. The Edmonton Oilers & Conor McDavid. Winner. Zach Edey playing at Home in Toronto What made all those things winners? Each realized Great Expectations. Check out Episode 38.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself agreeing with Keith and I, that Lebron James after 21 seasons - just let that sink in for a second - is still a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. Consider me gobsmacked! That's just one thing we picked out of the Worlds of Puck & Hoop - at least to this point in the season(Editors note: lol, inside joke), that has left us amazed, intrigued or...

You after all the years I have spent in and around the World of Puck & Hoop, you think it would get easier to withstand the ups and downs that occur within the respective seasons of both sports. It doesn't. Believe that. You get overly excited when the team you love is rebuilding and starts to look like they just might have... "IT". On the flip-side you get crushed beyond recogni...

Ask any professional athlete whose team gets off to a slow start and at some point somebody, somewhere will say: "Y'all better get a move on, 'cause it gets late early." It does. In both Puck & Hoop a slow start - hello Maple Leafs - or a disastrous start - you can't hide Edmonton Oilers - can derail a season. But if you can right the ship before "it gets late early&...

...I want to be reminiscing. I want o be sitting here revelling in the fact that I was alive to bear witness to the greatest season in Leafs' history. Why not? It could happen. As for the Habs? Get ready for some more growing pains but, I - and I'm pretty sure Keith agrees - think serious strides are about to me. Now about yours and mines fav hoops team. This could be such a fun season to...

Yeah I know, it's the good ol' Summertime. But that doesn't mean things aren't happening in the World of Puck & Hoops. So dive into Episode 33 and take a listen to a few things we had to chat about. And hey, how about our Men's National Basketball Team?!

And no that isn't a typo in the title of this Episode - #32 - of The Puck & Hoop Podcast. It's a pun-nish commentary on just what Summer is for those who live in the World of Puck & Hoop... particularly if you are Raptors or Leafs fan, becaUSE CHANGES ARE COMING. Just wait & see. As for expectations? Well we just happen to be at the outset of what could be the most revolutionar...

If you are musically inclined you may have gleaned there is a semi-solid reference to a classic Stevie Wonder album in the title of this episode. But that's a topic for another podcast down the road. And speaking of roads, we have reached the end of the PLAYING roads in Puck & Hoop. Shout to the Denver Nuggets and the Vegas Golden Knights. Worthy Champs both. And a special mention goes out...

And no, the title of Episode 30 is not just a lame play on the Miami NBA franchise's name. It's actually kind of the underlying theme for this episode of TP&HP. The heat IS on for the Nuggets, who are the favourites but find themselves in a serious dogfight with the Pitbull-esque Heat. As it is for the Florida Panthers who face the daunting task of digging out of 2-love hole to the mam...

Those who notice these things will catch which one's which in the title of this episode, but yes we FINAL-ly have the combatants for Lord Stanley's Mug and The Larry O (thank you Kwahi). And yes it sure looks like So. FLA is the place to be for the next few weeks with both the Heat and the Panthers in the midst of epic runs. Too bad the teams they are both facing are playing at their respe...

It must be something in the water. Or maybe it's just having franchises that at the very core is a steely determination backed by relentlessness and toughness... means you are bound for play-off success. And maybe a championship. Or two. The Miami Heat are manhandling the Boston Celtics and the Florida Panthers are up 2-0 after winning both games in Carolina. Two So. FLA franchises who scraped...