Eli Zaret

Episode 159: Dombro’s NEWEST MLB Challenge

Dave Dombroski

Nashville!

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

  • What REALLY happened to DAVE DOMBROWSKI with the Tigers AND the Sawx? The long-time top MLB exec joins us!
  • Canada just says “NO” — to the U.S.! But if the Blue Jays can’t play at home does it matter — with no fans at games anyway?
  • What are MLB games like now without spectators? Bob reports on his Yankees-Mets experience of the weekend.
  • And the PGA Tour experience with no gallery? Eli says he loves golf so much it’s STILL good. Denny and Bob disagree.
  • Now, boys, BEHAVE!!! ANOTHER COVID-19 melee breaks out — but don’t worry, folks. We kept it short.
  • Ditto the latest from the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Eli suggests what they SHOULD have named it.
  • No young black man’s gonna “snitch” on other young black men murdering black men, yet the NBA now has a “snitch line!” 
  • Is the NFL REALLY going to play its violent, contact sport in the new NO-contact world of today?
  • What about college football? Even MORE, what about all the workers who make their livings from football games?
  • “HETEROsexual discrimination?” One of hockey’s biggest names is claiming just that in a new lawsuit!
  • Those stories, “This Day in Sports” PLUS “This Day in NO FILTER SPORTS(?)” in YOUR mailbag — and much more!

Episode 158: SUPER-Sub Johnny Grubb!

Johnny Grubb batting

Everybody understood what our roles were.

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

  • 1984 Tigers hero JOHNNY GRUBB joins the boys on his long MLB career, playing for Sparky AND Duke Snider — and more!
  • What’s NEXT in this wacko P.C. world? One of the great powers in college basketball forced to change ITS nickname too?!
  • Chase Elliott has won the NASCAR All-Star Race before 20,000 REAL fans! Bob asks why the major sports can’t have fans too?
  • Would it help your enjoyment if ALL sports teams used fake crowd noise and fan cut-out figures in the seats? You GOT it!  
  • Is playing on the PGA Tour without fans EASIER? Denny says NO. Everybody in golf seems to say YES!
  • Excited about phenom Casey Mize pitching for Detroit this year? Denny sees a BIG potential problem for him already!
  • The NBA’s “Bubble” apparently has a big hole in it now — but only if you’re a hot 20-something young woman.
  • Eli has This Day in Sports which includes one of the worst collisions ever seen in baseball.
  • Those stories, You-Know-Who on the Hammond Organ in YOUR mailbag segment and much more right here!

Episode 157: Kenny Holland Looks Back and AHEAD!

Ken Holland

I live in the business.

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

  • How the HELL does a guy who oversaw THREE Cup champs become so controversial? We’ll ask guest KEN HOLLAND!
  • We don’t know what they WILL be yet, but the Washington “Redskins” are no more. Overreaction or about time?
  • Now if only they had a league to play in! One NFL player rep warns, “We do NOT have a deal.”
  • The Big 13 + Rutgers won’t play ANY non-conference football games this season. Bob explains why he doesn’t like it.
  • College basketball? The intra-Michigan WAR is ON between Tom Izzo and Juwan Howard — and it’s fun to see!
  • WHAT did you say, Eli? S.I. has a transgender swimsuit model?! Three old men try to wrap their heads around THAT!
  • WHAT did you say, Eli? The degenerates actually bet on — HUH?! And WHERE?!
  • Former No Filter guest John Smoltz talks big, then bets on HIMSELF. How did it work out for him?
  • Bob eulogizes one of his boyhood Tigers heroes while Denny tells tales of another great Tiger from Alabama.
  • Those stories, this day in NO FILTER SPORTS PODCAST history(?!) in YOUR mailbag and much more 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 155: Dead Milkmen? Tinfoil WHAT? Ask Scott Lusader!

Scott Lusader at bat

He was a different cat, that’s for sure.

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

  • What a pair Jim Walewander and SCOTT LUSADER made as young Detroit Tigers! Scott joins us with HIS Baseball Journey.
  • Bryson DeChambeau bullied the Detroit Golf Club AND his fellow pros over the weekend. Will he change golf itself?
  • The Indians and Redskins are considering changing their names with the P.C. mob all over them. The boys take it on.
  • Now Florida’s “Gator Bait” cheer has been banned as “racist!” Seriously.
  • Yes, Black Lives DO Matter! But to whom? And now Bob’s predictions about white racists pushing back is coming true.
  • Are sports REALLY going to resume with so many MLB, NBA and NHL players dropping out over COVID fears?
  • “YAY! I’m the biggest, most disgusting SLOB in the entire world!” Did ya catch my act on ESPN?
  • Eli caught something else on the all-sports network: a concert by the Eagles! THIS is what sports programming’s come to?!
  • Mr. Z has This Day in Sports, Bob reports what YOU have to say in the mailbag segment and much more!
  • Oh, and be SURE to tune in next show too - tell all yer pals! - when MSU basketball coach TOM IZZO will be with us.

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 153: NFL MUST Go On — but with Eric Hipple’s Solution?

Eric Hipple in Lions uniform holding a football

I’m going to be controversial. Quarantine and isolate. You don’t have to see your family during the season.

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

  • QB ERIC HIPPLE had it bad enough just PLAYING for the Lions, but what he suffered after was MUCH worse. Eric guests!
  • Eli and Denny spent their weekends watching - what else? - GOLF. They seem okay with its current state. Bob’s NOT.
  • The NBA playing in empty arenas and now with P.C. social messages on the backs of unis?! Had enough of pro basketball yet?
  • The FANS, the FANS! Bob says there are no sports and no sports media without YOU — so why play ANY games this year?
  • Even as Bill Belichick pays up for cheating — AGAIN — he brilliantly delivers what COULD be a big blow to other teams.
  • What does M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E spell? “THE NHL!” The league’s idiotic draft set-up screws the Red Wings.
  • Johnny Manziel has put football behind him: “I just want to be happy for the rest of my life.” WE have a suggestion!
  • More CRAZINESS everywhere. Kansas State’s football team boycotts; says THEY will control who’s enrolled at the university.
  • Statues being illegally torn down or replaced. How far will it go? Two American ICONS may be next — for very different reasons.
  • Eli provides “This Day in Sports History,” Bob rolls out YOUR Mailbag and much more — right here!

Episode 152: Ah, the Life of an MLB Reliever!

Todd Jones

A closer is a really thankless job.

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

  • Guest TODD JONES pitched for EIGHT MLB teams, the Tigers TWICE! LOVED Detroit; doesn’t miss the pitching part.
  • So MLB IS coming back? Eli has a LONG list of all the changes that’ll be made. Fed-up Bob: Include ME out!
  • Denny says a change the TIGERS should make is to put Casey Mize & the other top kid pitchers in the rotation — right away.
  • The FL’s have a WHAT? A “new” owner? Roger Daltrey would say: “Meet the new boss — same as the old boss!” So would Bob.
  • As the boys duke it out over COVID-19 again, a “blame game” has now begun in sports: who gave it to whom?  
  • Should you HAVE to wear a mask for protection now? According to ONE U.S. county — only if you’re WHITE!
  • Playing career over, he had two job offers: vacuum cleaner salesman or entry position in hockey. Ken Holland chose right!
  • Read all about it! P.C. Posse Pummels PAW PAW! Local legend Charlie Maxwell, MR. Sunday Home Run, has yet to comment.
  • Those stories, YOUR mailbag and much more — right here!

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

Sam McDowell pitching

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!

John Hiller in Detroit Tigers uniform

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!