SIMMONS SAYS: Barkley ‘disappointed’ at friend’s exit from Sportsnet

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I didn’t expect Charles Barkley to call back.

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He doesn’t know me. But he knows Christine Simpson. And he returned my cell phone message because he cares about his good friend.

Simpson was let go by Sportsnet the other day in a move announced first by her and later confirmed by the network.
On the phone Friday, Barkley admitted in rather quiet and unlikely tones he was shocked and saddened to learn that Simpson, the longtime hockey broadcaster, sister of two former NHL players, was shown the door by Sportsnet.

“I’m disappointed,” said Barkley, the voice of basketball in America and maybe all over the world. “I’m disappointed for my friend. She’s a tremendous talent and a just a wonderful person and a great friend.”

Barkley first met Simpson in Las Vegas more than 20 years ago when she was on a trip with Wayne Gretzky. Barkley and Simpson, along with Canadian broadcaster Rod Black, became close friends over the years. Almost every time Barkley mentions Canada on television, he somehow references both Simpson and Black.

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“I don’t know the circumstances of what happened,” said Barkley of Simpson’s departure from Sportsnet, where she has been prominent in hockey coverage — and in particular individual interviews — for the past 26 years. “I think she has to be in shock.

“But I do know this: To have a Canadian woman talking about hockey with her connections has to be a bonus for any network. Any network would be wise to hire her.”

When it was suggested to Barkley that ageism might have been a factor in the parting because it has happened at other networks with other broadcasters in one out of sports, he wasn’t sure how to respond. Simpson turns 60 next month. “I can’t answer that question personally because I don’t know,” the usually outspoken Barkley said. ‘I don’t talk about s— I don’t know about. All I can tell you is I’m surprised and disappointed for her and for those watching.”

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Simpson is the latest in a long line of well-known broadcasters let go by Sportsnet over the years. Among them: Don Cherry, Glenn Healy, George Stroumboulopoulos, Doug MacLean, Scott Morrison, Damien Cox, Bob McCown and, most recently, Jeff Marek.

THIS AND THAT

I want to believe that Bowden Francis is for real. I really do. But he’s 28 years old and has been kicking around the minors for a decade. Still, he’s now flirting with no-hitters, was pitcher of the month, and I hope for Blue Jays fans, he’s a late-developer who has suddenly found his way. A scout I know says his stuff “is good but not great. Back-of-rotation stuff.” Hard to know what to believe for the future of Francis … A Jays rotation that would start next season with Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Francis, Chris Bassitt and Yariel Rodriguez might be the deepest in the American League East … Ex-Jay Yusei Kikuchi has started eight games since being traded to Houston. The first-place Astros are 8-0 in those outings … The Blue Jays are a playoff team when Berrios is on the mound, as hard as that might be to believe. The team’s record in his 29 starts this season is 20-9. When Berrios or Gausman aren’t starting, the Jays’ record is 34-56. That’s .620 baseball when Berrios and Gausman start and .377 when they don’t … The closer it gets to the playoffs, the worse the Baltimore Orioles seem to play … Chad Green had an earned run average of 1.98 in July and 1.59 in August. His ERA this month: 22.86 … And can you say the Jays miss Jordan Romano? … The first five hitters in the Jays order have combined for 96 home runs. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto — hitting 2-3 in New York — have 93 … Remember when cleanup hitters mattered? … I’m old, so this impresses me: Luis Arraez is about to win his third straight batting title, with three different teams. That’s never been done before … And, yeah, I’m loving the Shohei Ohtani chase for 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in the same season and, in my mind, I’m cheering for him. We have to remember that we’re watching this extraordinary athlete in real time … George Springer is the fifth highest-paid outfielder in the AL behind Judge, Soto, Mike Trout and Giancarlo Stanton. Statistically he ranks somewhere between the 43rd and 53rd best hitter in the league. That’s not exactly value purchasing.

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HEAR AND THERE

I’ll believe William Nylander playing centre for the Leafs when I see it in a regular-season game for more than a faceoff. Until then, I’ll just consider it a wonky rumour that makes little sense … New Leafs coach Craig Berube wants to build what he calls an identity line in training camp. He doesn’t call it a third line, but that’s basically what it is. On his St. Louis championship team in 2019, he had Oskar Sundqvist centring Alex Steen and Ivan Barbashev. They were invaluable in that title run. Just as Tampa won later with Yanni Gourde centring Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman. Berube wants to create something similar to that in Toronto. Question is, does he have the right people to do so … Berube has settled into his new home in Yorkville, which from the outside seems unusual. He doesn’t strike me as the beautiful-people Yorkville kind of guy … True story: My wife and her friends had a night out at TIFF doing the usual searching for celebrities. The only celebrity they found: Former Jays manager John Gibbons … Is there a better name in hockey than Maximillian Koldena Pacioretty? Or, for now, you can just call him Max … Strange thing about Pacioretty accepting a tryout in Toronto. He had contract offers to play elsewhere, guaranteed, but chose the PTO with the Maple Leafs instead … Here’s my bet on defenceman Jani Hakanpaa, signed by the Leafs more than two months after they first tripped and announced it. His injured knee remains a work in progress. Will he be able to start the season? Unlikely. The Leafs are betting that Hakanpaa will be ready to play late in the season and that way they can add him off their injured list rather than having to acquire a defenceman at the trade deadline. It’s all a calculated gamble but general manager Brad Treliving, who wants to do all of his shopping for players at George Richards, loves the 6-foot-7 frame Hakanpaa brings … Berube believes Max Domi can score 20 goals. He wants him to get into more dirty areas around the front of opposition net when the season begins. Domi scored just nine goals last season.

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SCENE AND HEARD

Who are any of us to tell Tua Tagovailoa what to do next with his life? Maybe he won’t be able to play quarterback anymore for the Miami Dolphins because of the three concussions suffered. Or maybe he’s able to live and play with it the way Troy Aikman did. The decision, when and if it will be made, is purely personal and exceedingly difficult … Who cares who Taylor Swift is endorsing for U.S. president? If you change your vote because of a celebrity endorsement, that says more about you than it does about the celebrity … Brock Purdy is 18-4 as a starting quarterback for the 49ers. As great as Tom Brady began his career, he was 15-7 after 22 starts with the Patriots … How did they come up with the name Toronto Sceptres? Did somebody lose a contest? I don’t mind the logo though. I just don’t like the name … First thing I thought about after Jamal Murray signed his four-year $208-million contract with the Denver Nuggets: Were the Nuggets watching the Olympics? … Not long ago, NFL people were telling you that the running back had become obsolete in the league. Quarterbacks are paid $50 million or so, Saquon Barkley signed for $12 million a year, Joe Mixon for $9 million a year. So, what happens in Week 1 of the NFL season? Mixon ran Houston to victory, Mixon’s previous team, Cincinnati, lost, and Barkley scored three touchdowns for Philadelphia. At the same time, touchdown passes were down considerably … I thought $8.50 for a bottle of pop at an Argos game was expensive until I saw the price for tickets at TIFF. When did going to the movies become a mortgage payment?

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AND ANOTHER THING

I wish the Canadian Football League, and by extension the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, had more money to do its Hall of Fame weekend up right with greater pomp and circumstances. The inducted players deserve more and the fans deserve more. It’s too quiet and too hidden in today’s big production world … My bet is that maybe one of Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Addison Barger, Leo Jimenez, Will Wagner, Joey Loperfido or  Nathan Lukes will be in the Jays’ starting lineup next season. That’s a lot of bodies, just not a lot of sure-thing A-prospects … The Leafs begin training camp with goalies Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz, who combined have won 28 games in their best NHL seasons … Berube won his only Cup in St. Louis with Jordan Binnington in goal. Binnington had not won an NHL game prior to that championship season … Stolarz began his career in Philadelphia, where he was a draft pick of the Flyers. Among those who oversaw him early on: Berube … What Berube learned from Mike Keenan: Short practices. “I think he was the first coach to do that. His practices were 30-35 minutes, very high tempo. At that time that was something new.” … What Berube learned from Hall of Fame coach Ken Hitchcock: “Hitch liked chaos. He liked operating in chaotic situations.” He thinks some of that will help him in Toronto … Berube wasn’t drafted into the NHL although he did play more than 1,000 games. His junior general manager Russ Farwell and his last junior coach, Doug Sauter, recommended Berube to the Flyers. The decision to sign Berube was made by Bobby Clarke and Paul Holmgren. All these years later, Berube is still good friends with Holmgren … Finally, the Argos looked like the Argos of last year. That was an impressive win Friday night in Vancouver against the Lions. Finally, Chad Kelly looked like Chad Kelly. Is that one game, or is it season-changing? … This has been a great year of CFL football-watching with one strange twist: There’s not a single candidate of consequence for the Most Outstanding Player award … DeMar DeRozan is delusional if he believes the Raptors would have won a championship if they hadn’t traded for Kawhi Leonard. DeRozan is a terrific guy and a fine player — who was never much of a playoff closer with the Raptors — but his belief that he would have won a title here without Leonard is rather quaint … I apologize for my brain on occasion but every time I hear the name Kamala, I don’t think presidential election. I think of the old WWE wrestler … Not sure where Nick Robertson will fit in with the Maple Leafs if Matthew Knies and Bobby McMann end up as the left wingers on the top two lines and Pacioretty finds his way on to the third. Robertson is caught in a strange place: He’s not accomplished enough to play on the first two lines and doesn’t have the kind of game that translates to a third or fourth line … Bobby Witt Jr. is having a sensational season with the Kansas City Royals and sometimes you can have that kind of year and still finish second to Judge in MVP voting … Arraez’s career batting average is .324 at a time when hardly anyone who hits .300 anymore. His batting average numbers after seven seasons are equal to those of Joe DiMaggio … Happy birthday to George Chuvalo (87), Dan Marino (63), Joel Quenneville (66), Patrick Marleau (45), Jimmy Butler (35), Pete Carroll (73), Teddy Long (77), Larry Brown (84), Tim Wallach (67), Dennis Schroder (31), Alex Killorn (35) and Orest Kindrachuk (74) … And, hey, whatever became of Mike Kitchen?

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