Juwan Howard

Episode 174: Doug English: a True LION on the Field

Doug English

One of the league’s true warriors.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

  • He didn’t win a Super Bowl. No Detroit Lion ever has (or will?), but guest DOUG ENGLISH remains one of the most popular players in team history.
  • It’s opening week in the NFL. Coaches upset over no fans at their home games, the threat of BLM and National Anthem protests. What a kerfuffle already!
  • Oh, and Bob wonders what the league will do if/WHEN a player tests positive for COVID-19. Would they panic and cancel a game on a Sunday morning?!
  • Few teams have the long tradition of the Detroit Tigers. So when they set a new low for futility at Milwaukee THAT was really saying something!
  • Now what to do with struggling Matthew Boyd? Denny: TRADE HIM. But why wouldn’t the Tigers call Denny —  or Lolich or Tanana — to at least pick their brains?
  • Eli says the quality of the NBA Playoffs has been stellar, but Bob is among the pissed-off millions who haven’t watched a single game yet.
  • As if the NBA needed MORE controversy, the Stephen A. Smiths of the world cry (surprise!) “WHITE PRIVILEGE” over Steve Nash’s hiring.
  • The NHL Playoffs have been excellent too — for those few outside Dallas and Las Vegas who find the Stars vs the Knights in summertime compelling.
  • Eli has “This Day in Sports History,” Bob’s got YOUR mailbag segment — and much more right here!

Episode 172: Shep: LIVIN’ THE DREAM!

Matt Shepard

It’s a blast…every single day.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

  • So how do you get to be an MLB play-by-play announcer? Guest MATT SHEPARD had a VERY unusual path to the Tigers!
  • The sports world mourns the death of one of the greatest pitchers ever. The boys reminisce on Tom Terrific.
  • The Tigers’ win streak ended at six. With five games against the Twins now on tap, is this the season’s telling point?
  • Looks like Eli’s suddenly started to watch the NBA playoffs. He did NOT like what he saw from one game in particular.
  • Bob on the NHL Playoffs: Is the great Zdeno Chara finally finished at 43 — or just finished in Boston?
  • Get ready, gamblers! Denny has his pick on Saturday’s Kentucky Derby for you — NOT! 
  • Legal sports gambling rages on. Denny updates us on what the Cubs are doing — and WHAT’S that about MJ?!
  • Big Ten(14!) football after all? President Trump will want to take credit IF that occurs — but would he deserve to?
  • MSU’s Kirk Cousins raked over the coals by the media for his ideas about COVID-19! Denny and Eli to the rescue.
  • How much would YOU pay for a presence at FL’s games? “ZERO?” Producer Brandon McAfee sez $100 but he does have limits.
  • Eli with “This Day in Sports History,” Bob’s got YOUR mailbag segment and much more right here!

Episode 165: Tigers Fan Fave Steve Kemp: What MIGHT Have Been.

Steve Kemp at bat

I was confident, but I wasn’t arrogant.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

  • Just ONE hit away from Cooperstown? Maybe. One ACCIDENTAL “hit” in the EYE! STEVE KEMP joins the boys.
  • The Tigers were rolling after a sweep of the Pirates — despite the struggling Matt Boyd. Denny breaks down his problems.
  • Did MLB even consider this: can a team still go the playoffs if COVID-19 cancels a BIG part of its short season?
  • By the time you hear this show, college football may be canceled — at least until next spring
  • And programs will be so cash-strapped they’re now begging season ticket holders to donate anyway.
  • Another week, another big-time recruit escapes from right under Jim Harbaugh’s nose.
  • NOW Jimmy’s also upset his top rival who vows ugly REVENGE whenever Michigan and Ohio State do play!
  • Collin Morikawa wins the PGA Championship at 23 and the golf world has its LATEST “New Tiger!” But Bob has a reminder.
  • Eli has “This Day in Sports History,” Bob’s got YOUR Mailbag and — dig THIS: Denny invites ALL OF YOU over to his house!
  • Those stories and much more coming up right here!

Episode 156: Darn Right: He IS “THE MAN!” He’s Tom Izzo!

Tom Izzo

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

Hall of Fame, national title, even unofficial Mayor of Lansing. TOM IZZO joins us on his great career, COVID-19 and MORE!

  • After all MSU’s star recruits of late the question is if there’ll BE a basketball season this year. Or any OTHER season?!
  • Bob MAY be coming around to watching sports without fans — but still gives us an example of how it’ll suck anyway.
  • What’s left of The Palace of Auburn Hills to be torn down Saturday. Eli reflects on his many years covering the Pistons there.
  • “Children should be seen and not heard.” Two idiots in sports show us that some JOCKS should be seen and not heard!
  • When he’s not busy slamming the U.S. Colin Kaepernick likes it here just fine, thank you. The dough’s ROLLING in!
  • More pressure on the Redskins and Indians to change their nicknames, but the Blackhawks join the Braves in saying NO.
  • Ex-Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski is moving to Nashville in an attempt to bring MLB there. Denny LOVES it.
  • Eli has This Day in Sports, Bob has YOUR mailbag and much more right here!

Episode 154: GREAT boxer. Greater GENTLEMAN!

Boxer Hilmer Kenty

Detroit’s first champion since Joe Louis.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

  • Ex-world champ HILMER KENTY joins us to discuss his career, Emanuel Steward, the Kronk, the current state of boxing and more!
  • A big 50th anniversary this week for Denny AND for Bob who reminisce about the night he came back from his MLB suspension.
  • And just to set the record straight, Mr. Giacalone, what did you DO to poor Denny to help end his career? Oh? REALLY?!
  • The Tigers have done WHAT? PARTNERED with a gambling sports book?! Denny: “I was SUSPENDED for doing the same thing!”  
  • Baseball, uh, “spring training” has resumed, but Eli says we STILL don’t know what the season sked looks like.
  • P.C. Madness: we now learn from The Lunatics that “Honest Abe” apparently WASN’T so “honest.” HIS statue must go too!
  • Tag! YER it — or maybe yer NOT! Conflicting COVID tests all over now allow one PGA tour player into this week’s Detroit stop.
  • Ya say it doesn’t matter? Ya say prep superstar Emoni Bates won’t ever actually PLAY for MSU? Bob explains why it DOES matter.
  • Our Detroit radio affiliate WDFN is gone, suddenly changed to another format. Denny and Bob: sorry to hear it. Eli: SCREW radio!
  • Mr. Z also has This Day in Sports and a SHOCKING statement about YOUR weekly mailbag segment. It’s all right here!

Episode 132: YOU asked for him! You GOT Dan Petry!

Dan Petry pitching

The perfect gentlemen.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!

  • Great guy! Great guest! Ex-Tiger Dan Petry joins us to talk about HIS career, son Jeff’s NHL career and more!
  • What day is it? Who knows? Temper-temper! The boys get nasty again over their opposite thoughts on COVID-19.
  • Bob asks, “Is this woman a NUT?!” over Michigan Governor Whitmer’s shut-down of almost the entire state!
  • Why no GOLF?! In FLORIDA, pro wrestling has now been deemed an “essential business!”
  • Think it has to do with a Dem running Michigan and a Republican running Florida? Denny says NO. Bob says YES.
  • The NFL has it’s first Covid-19 diagnosis as MSU alum Brian Allen tests positive. He’s just fine, thank you.
  • What’s that, Mr. NFL player? You DON’T wanna play for the FL’S? Golly, why NOT?  
  • The moment we’ve all been waiting for: BASEBALL is underway again! Uh, in Taiwan AND with fake fans!
  • Long-time pilot Denny gives us his take on the disturbing new report re Roy Halladay’s plane-crash death.
  • Can U-M athletic director Warde Manuel survive his gaffe in the Wolverines’ own sex scandal? MSU redux?!
  • Eli tells us there’s trouble for Michigan basketball too. Juwan suddenly loses his top two recruits!  
  • Those stories, a rising NASCAR driver turns into a pariah, YOUR mailbag and much more right here!

Episode 130: AL KALINE 1934-2020

Young Al Kaline in uniform

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page!

‘They’ve got their blankies, their pacifiers and they’re quivering under their beds in fear! NO! Not from COVID-19!

  • Fox Sports Detroit and owner Sinclair Broadcasting are afraid of the BOYS and what they MIGHT ask Dan Petry!
  • No Peaches? No prob. Who better to talk about the death of Al Kaline than great buddy and teammate Denny McLain?
  • Been watching those MLB rebroadcasts of the ’68 Series? WE have too. Denny relives some of it with us.
  • Oh, and the Tigers’ legendary pitching opponent in that long-ago Fall Classic has some good news.
  • So the MLB is secretly planning a May start-up? REALLY? Bob wants to know WHICH “May” that is: 2022?
  • The battle rages on about Noah Syndergaard’s Tommy John. NECESSARY surgery or not? Denny SEEMS to change his tune.
  • So Melo thinks he would have won MULTIPLE NBA titles if the Pistons had drafted him?! Eli’s got some thoughts on THAT. 
  • A big makeover continues for Michigan basketball. Wuzzup with all THIS, Juwan?
  • The newest sports P.C. contro won’t go away. African-Americans ‘n Mississippuh? ALWAYS combustible.
  • No Mailbag last week? OUTRAGEOUS! It was NOT the fault of Eli, on his best behavior for a LONG one today
  • Those stories and much more right here.

Episode 127: SO GREAT! SO What Happened?!

Drew Henson in U of M uniform holding a footback

Sports can very, very cruel.

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page!

  • And a happy (albeit belatedly) 76th birthday to Denny!
  • Hard to believe that maybe the BEST all-round athlete in Michigan HISTORY is now 40!
  • We’ll ask DREW HENSON about his two-sport career and WHY the former U-M QB never made it in the pros.
  • Eli and Bob, old pals, actually start YELLING at each other over - what else these days? COVID-19.
  • It’s OPENING DAY in Detroit! But instead of REAL baseball we have - huh? - a simulated game?
  • Sports still going on: soccer in a couple foreign nations. How many 1-nil matches so far? We’re STILL counting!  
  • Thank goodness the NFL Draft WILL happen. It’s giving fans and media pundits something to TALK about.
  • “The rich get richer.” In THIS case the old saw means Ohio State versus Michigan in football.
  • Jim Wynn and Curly Neal have died. Bob & Eli recall playing AGAINST Neal WITH the late Mark “Doc”Andrews.
  • Those stories, YOUR mailbag and much more coming up here.

Episode 120: A CANDID Tim McCormick Opens Up!

Black and white image of Tim McCormick in U of M basketball uniform

My real passion is broadcasting

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page!

  • Fed up with his LATEST sideline temper tantrum, MSU grad Bob rips Izzo a new one! Eli and Denny rip Bob right back.
  • Does every big college basketball team cheat? Eli and Denny actually believe that. Bob calls “B— s—!”
  • U-M’s OWN sex abuse scandal is growing larger — but c’mon, man! Can you actually compare it to MSU’s?
  • One of MLB’s top pitchers MIGHT be done at 30. Denny can relate — and says Chris Sale has nobody but himself to blame.
  • Are big league baseballs still messed up? Will Jacoby Jones EVER gain the stardom many predicted for him?
  • The Pistons coulda had Caris LeVert! Eli takes us through MANY bad decisions from the Pathetic Pistons’ recent past. 
  • Legal sports gambling IS coming to Michigan — but as early as NEXT WEEK? One reporter claims it’s true.
  • Knicks Nut Spike Lee is feuding with Madison Square Garden boss, James Dolan. Bob knows something about THIS!
  • Those stories, YOUR weekly mailbag and much more right here!

 

Episode 119: Ex-Tiger Makes Good on HIS “Plan B!”

Detroit Tiger Jon Warden

We welcome him as the professional comedian he is!

It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain and Bob Page!

  • You’re a young MLB pitcher but you hurt your arm and suddenly have to retire! Oh, no! What now?
  • Denny’s ’68 Tigers teammate JON WARDEN became a comedian/banquet speaker and leaves us laughing in the aisles.
  • What a weird basketball season it’s been for U-M and MSU. Now that it’s March, guess which one is peaking at the right time?
  • To make matters worse for Michigan, the Zavier Simpson police report is out — and it’s not pretty.
  • The Palace of Auburn Hills is coming down. Eli waxes sentimental, though DENNY didn’t when Tiger Stadium was razed.
  • Bob rips the “Keystone Cops” of spring training and says it looks like Miggy has lost his reflexes.
  • Denny broke what all-time MLB record? How much does he remember about that? Well, it WAS a long time ago.
  • What in Sam Hill is ol’ Garth doin’ in a Bernie Sanders shirt up there in DEE-troit?! It jes ain’t right!
  • Tony Romo makes his decision: NO to ESPN, YES to CBS — at $17 mill a year! Does that money for an announcer make sense?
  • Plus, Meeting Maria and more in YOUR mailbag segment. It’s all right here.