Deadline Deal
TORONTO — In a shocking, cost-cutting move, TSN traded hockey analyst Bob McKenzie and host James Duthie to The Score for the rights to regular season CIS basketball games.
The deal, which is still pending confirmation on whether anyone actually watches CIS basketball in this country, was made just days before the two hockey know-it-alls were about to settle in for another rousing National Hockey League trade deadline action.
The two networks also agreed to swap their out-dated studio sets. Both were expected to toss those in the dumpster as soon as they arrived.
With the NHL their focus, the move took everyone at TSN by surprise — including McKenzie.
“I didn’t feel my Blackberry buzzing,” he said, near tears following an emotional embrace with Gord Miller. “I was hoping for a flurry of trades this deadline. I’ve made a living off of the precarious nature of the professional athlete…I just didn’t think I would be a part of the meat market.
“It really hurts. I’m not sure what I’m going to do now.”
When asked if he would report to The Score, McKenzie shook his head and deflected all questions to his representatives.
“You’ll have to talk to my agent,” he said. “I don’t even know what The Score is.”
Duthie was also in shock, but understood he was no Jim Toth. The longtime annoying studio host said he found out about the trade when he was watching Rogers Sportsnet “for a good laugh.”
The news was on the ticker at the bottom of the screen.
“One minute you’re jock sniffing at the bar with Dutchie (TSN ‘personality’ Darren Dutchyshen), the next minute you’re working with Steve Kouleas,” Duthie said. “I betcha (CFL host Dave) Randorf was behind this. That weasel!”
A source at TSN said the network is a definite seller as the deadline approaches and that more moves could be coming in the next 48 hours. Names like Pierre McGuire and Michael Landsberg have been rumoured to be on the block for weeks now.
“The problem,” said the source, “is that there isn’t much of a market for those guys.”
