Episode 151: “SUDDEN Sam McDowell?” SCARY Sam!

Something of a terror on the mound.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- SAM McDOWELL: I worried about killing a batter my entire career. Sam has an amazing life story and he joins the boys!
- We have a winner from the Belmont Stakes — DENNY! Others say ANYBODY coulda picked Tiz the Law.
- Eli (GULP!) went OUT to a restaurant Saturday night and almost NO ONE was wearing a mask! He’s still with us — so far.
- Many athletes have tested positive for COVID-19, not that they’ll have symptoms. Should sports just go away at this point?
- Controversy over the Confederate flag NOT going away for a while — but a NOOSE hung in the garage of a black NASCAR driver?!
- Muhammad Ali Jr. says his late father – and Eli’s hero – would not have supported BLM. Eli pooh-poohs him.
- The Pistons hired – WHO? – Troy Weaver as GM. Bob only wonders why there’s an extra executive ABOVE him.
- The DH is FINALLY coming to the National League! When you hear Mr. McDowell talk about HIS HITTING, you’ll know why.
- Two statues of well-known former team owners REMOVED. NYC even removes a statue of Teddy Roosevelt!
- When the Tigers DO play again, don’t be surprised if THEY remove the statue of TY COBB from Comerica Park.
- Those stories, YOUR mailbag segment and much more right here!
Episode 150: The TWO Comebacks of Ratso!

You’re going to do what’s called upon you.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- Average pitcher. Heart attack at age 27! Then lights-out reliever — ex-Tigers star JOHN HILLER’s got GREAT stories!
- Eli says Colin Kaepernick has gone from kryptonite to Man of the Year! NFL owners only wanna know if he can still PLAY.
- With no fans allowed, the PGA Colonial had its best TV ratings in 16 years. But were folks THAT interested — or just BORED?
- We run down some of the NBA’s RIDICULOUS COVID-19 rules for resuming its season in a bubble.
- And if THAT’s not comedy enough for you, Kyrie Irving wants to start his own competing PLAYER-owned league.
- MLB players/owners continue to make a mockery of what Denny claims IS “our national pastime.” He gets big pushback on THAT!
- And now the two GREEDY sides may at some point institute soccer-like advertising on uniforms?!
- The first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown will finally be run Saturday. Denny has a hot tip! Bob: CAVEAT EMPTOR!
- Meanwhile, the insanity continues in society. Statues are coming down or vandalized from BOTH political sides.
- Long-time MLB hurler Lary Sorensen writes us in YOUR Mailbag about ONE HOFer he used to EAT UP. (Hint: believe it or not, it was our most recent guest!).
- Those stories and much more right here!
Episode 149: The GREAT Rod Carew

No easy out.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- Baseball Hall of Famer ROD CAREW joins the boys to talk about his amazing career, amazing new HEART & more!
- So Jim Nantz began Saturday’s PGA telecast with a tribute to George Floyd? Bob asks where the Tour’s BEEN all these years!
- Is Rob Manfred going to save MLB’s season by FORCING the players and owners to (finally) get started?
- The NBA has a plan to come back, but Kyrie Irving says it SHOULDN’T until “Black Lives Matter” is accomplished!
- No word from the NHL on its restart as one star coach asks how an NFL comeback’s possible with “social distancing.”
- What if Gibby’s World Series homers had been played in EMPTY STADIUMS?! Eli on board with Bob: there MUST be fans!
- ESPN’s doc on the steroid-laden 1998 home-run race premieres. Why are McGuire & Bonds welcome in MLB but not Sosa?
- Mr. Z always has terrific stories about Allen Iverson who just turned 45. You won’t believe what happens when he turns 55!
- What happened 55 YEARS ago? Denny: ROD CAREW broke in? Uh, NO, Denny! He finally got the answer.
- Those stories, YOUR Mailbag segment and much more right here!
Episode 148: How on EARTH Did Polo Do It?!

He had a huge heart.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- Was he, pound for pound, the best fighter in NHL history? Ex-Red Wings fan fave DENNIS POLONICH joins the boys!
- Eli fesses up: as a New Yawk guy, he LIKES hockey but just didn’t grow up with it. He likes most hockey players even more.
- The Tigers take slugger Spencer Torkelson #1 overall in the MLB draft. Bob cautions about getting TOO geeked.
- Commissioner Rob Manfred: baseball WILL be back in 2020. Where he got THAT info, who knows? But Denny agrees.
- NBA players are beginning to balk about resuming their season in Orlando with no family, no friends allowed to visit.
- NASCAR has made the decision to ban Confederate flags at race events. But how will they enforce it?!
- Allen Iverson just turned 45 this week and you can always count on Eli for some GREAT stories about A.I.
- The PGA Tour is BACK! No fans, of course — and already some of golf’s biggest names are complaining about that.
- Those stories, YOUR weekly Mailbag and much more right here!
Episode 146: Campy Russell: An American Success Story

What a career!
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- The boys welcome ex-Michigan and NBA star CAMPY RUSSELL to the show, who says the NBA’S “show” MUST go on!
- As if COVID-19 weren’t enough of an issue, society’s racial unrest is suddenly tearing apart the sports world.
- The controversy’s also caused a long-time NBA announcer to lose his job while one NFL coach is trying to hang on to HIS.
- And will a Florida State football star lose his spot on the team after publicly calling his head coach a — WHAT?!
- The MLB season is in serious jeopardy over the usual millionaires vs billionaires squabble. DENNY sets a deadline!
- The NBA and the NHL WILL return — but at this point, how many people even care anymore?
- And how many brave souls would turn out in the brutal South Florida summer to watch Major League SOCCER?
- Eli talks with former guest, attorney DAN WALLACH, then says Duke’s Zion scandal will NOT be a big problem. Bob’s not sure!
- Denny asks why it seems like SO many sports figures are now dying. Wes Unseld, Pat Dye and Johnny Majors just this week.
- Lenny Dykstra has lost a defamation lawsuit against an ex-Mets teammate. Why? TRY to stifle your laughter.
- And YOUR mailbag segment NOW has nearly sent Eli into apoplexy. Those stories and much more right here!
Episode 141: Jimmy Carson: NHL Star to Business Star!

“I get to help a lot of families.”
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- “Sorry, we just traded you — for Wayne Gretzky!” JIMMY CARSON, the only OTHER teen to score 50 in one season, is our guest!
- So Denny, tell us about, ya know, that OTHER time you were almost arrested — and you had your LIFE threatened?
- It was a VERY busy weekend for Eli. His beloved golf is back — well, kinda — AND he broke a Michigan law!
- But Eli’s on edge. So are a LOT of people in Michigan self-quarantining. Now the FAMILY DOG seems to be on edge too!
- What’s MLB gonna do now? We’re all waiting, while a big college baseball program falls victim to COVID-19.
- If MLB does play this year, we know who its highest-paid player will be. Trout? Max? JV? NO! Wait’ll you hear.
- And whither college football? Bob has the SECOND-worst scenario next to NO game: U-M v MSU a controlled scrimmage!
- The once-beautiful Phyllis George has passed away. Eli and Denny lament but BOB points a finger!
- Denny STONED for the first time ever? He STILL thinks the Packers will trade Aaron Rodgers to his treasured Bears.
- And what kind of show would this be if we didn’t run down the NFL’s weekend rap sheet for you?
- Those stories, YOUR mailbag featuring a certain ex-organ player warbling plus much more right here!
Episode 140: The Greatest Legend in MLB HISTORY?!

The No-Hitter in Yankee Stadium was really special.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- How did JIM ABBOTT do it?! Born without a right hand – yet became a star pitcher at U-M AND in MLB?! Jim joins the boys!
- Sports are slowly coming back — but maybe not MLB. WAAYYY too many money issues, as we’ve reported previously.
- So that begs the question: do people NEED sports or do MORE people HATE sports? Eli has some passionate thoughts on that.
- But there’s plenty to do and watch without sports — as Denny found out during an impromptu stroll down Memory Lane!
- What about the NFL? Bob details a LOT of issues that may keep IT from opening too. No more TAILGATING?!
- Not guilty! A judge has dismissed the charges from the Nassar Nightmare against former MSU President Lou Anna Simon.
- Meanwhile, there’s surprising news about former Spartan star linebacker, the late Mike Labinjo.
- Ohio State and Michigan SCARED of a football rival? MSU, Penn St and Wisconsin too? Not YET, at least, but maybe soon?
- Joe Tessitore and Booger McFarland (mercifully?) blown out of the Monday Night Football broadcast booth. NOW what?
- Our producer Brand McAfee makes a SHOCKING confession about his childhood — and STILL can’t let go of it!
- YOUR Mailbag may now have a theme song! You, uh, might NOT want to hear it as warbled by DENNY McLAIN, though.
- Those stories and much more right here!
Episode 138: NOLAN and FRANK — Oh, MY!!!

The best 1-2 punch since Spahn and Sain and pray for rain.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- From booze and broads in L.A. to “rebirth” in his hometown, Detroit’s own FRANK TANANA is our guest!
- As they used to say: VCR ALERT!!! A THREE-HOUR TV special JUST on the new NFL sked! (Yippee)
- There ARE certain pro sports underway in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Desperate enough yet to watch them?
- Michigan and Michigan State football: Who needs EITHER? — as one famous coach seems to be implying.
- Eli has more on the sex abuse scandal at U-M. A listener asks, “How is a ‘retired’ sports reporter scooping the CURRENT media?!”
- Pete Rose selfish and reckless for still signing at sport shows? Bob says “B.S.!” Pete corked his bats? DENNY says “BFD!”
- Eli has a confession: he actually listens to local sports radio “guy-talk!” But he still makes fun of it.
- NBA issues: WHEN it returns there may be a big drop-off in play AND is K.D. still paid $$$$ if his Nets are not ALLOWED to play?
- Will ESPN’s “Last Dance” NEVER end?! NOW we go from EVERYONE hating on Isiah to Sir Charles and M.J. hating on each other.
- Bob details how and why Giants quarterback Phil Simms said an emphatic “NO!” to playing golf with Michael.
- Eli said “YES!” to HIS golf game with comedian Tim Allen. THOSE stories, YOUR mailbag and much more right here!
Episode 136: Dave Bing, THIS is YOUR Life!

Let’s refresh some people’s memories.
It’s the latest No Filter Sports Podcast with Eli Zaret, Denny McLain, and Bob Page!
- DAVE BING could have been INFAMOUS in Detroit sports instead of one of its most BELOVED figures. The Mayor joins us today!
- So ya wanted Denny’s big MLB “scoop” he promised recently but never delivered? We’ve got it NOW — from another source!
- MORE lawsuits involving alleged sex abuse at Michigan State, this time a big one against the NCAA itself.
- It’s official: college sports’ “student-athletes” are now finally allowed to make money on outside endeavors!
- Looks like Shea Patterson WON’T be making any money in the NFL. Details of his stunning fall from grace.
- Quick now, Denny: if’n NASCAR come back, which good ol’ boy gonna win the CO-Cola 600? Denny: UH, who’s IN it?
- Further ugliness from the Bulls-Pistons rivalry being displayed on ESPN. WHAT is Isaiah NOW claiming?!
- A listener takes exception to Eli’s comments about Ernie Harwell. Eli defends himself — and Bob riffs on “the meaning of Ernie.”
- Stevie Y signs two top young Swedish goalies. If STEVIE likes ’em, WE like ’em too. After all, can we FULLY trust Bernier?
- Listen up, all you single gals out there! Guess who’s being BOMBARDED on a dating service now? Hint: NOT Eli. NOT Bob.
- Those stories, YOUR weekly Mailbag segment – soon to be SPONSORED by YOU? – and much more right here!