Another week, another guest on the “What’s Up With U? Podcast!”

This week Casey and Ben are joined by TSN 690’s Moe Khan, who also provides Play-by-Play for various McGill sports teams. Following the interview with Moe, Justin Levine joins Ben to talk about the recent U SPORTS men’s hockey players who have signed professional deals in the ECHL.

With Moe, we focus on the U SPORTS ruling to not allow 25-year-old football players to return next year, as well as how he would have liked to see this citation played out. We also discuss the possibility of an RSEQ football season, that maybe, just maybe, could involve some non-conference schools.

Transitioning from the football age ruling, the three discuss McGill’s decision to drop the “Redmen” name in 2019, and how the situation and pressure they went through then is similar and dissimilar to that of the Edmonton and Washington professional football teams.

SHOW RUNDOWN

00:00- 10:50: Moe Khan on U SPORTS football age cap

10:50-20:00: Moe Khan on McGill name 

20:00-FIN: Justin Levine on U SPORTS and the ECHL

SHOW CONTRIBUTORS: 

CASEY DOBSON: @caseyy_dobson

BEN STEINER: @BenSteiner00

JUSTIN LEVINE: @JustinLevineHBS

MOE KHAN: @MoeKhan19

Vancouver, BC- There’s something about Saskatchewan. Canada’s flattest province is the beating heart of the CFL, it has the nicest hockey arena in Canada West, and the people are dedicated to sports that don’t tend to get the attention in the larger cities.

Rod Pedersen speaks Saskatchewan, and as the former play-by-play voice of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, he knows what makes his province special. While he’s no longer behind the mic at Mosaic Stadium, he’s still on the air every day on “The Rod Pedersen Show.”

He joins us to talk about what university sports mean to the province, as well as the state of the CFL and junior hockey. 

Make sure to follow Rod on social media @RodPedersen.

This week on the What’s Up  With U podcast, we introduce you to our host format for the foreseeable feature. Ben Steiner, Justin Levine and Casey Dobson are now the three permanent personalities on the show, as Justin has returned after some time off.

But what’s the show actually about? The three talk about the 2020 U SPORTSAthlete of the Year Awards and share their thoughts on whether Aboubacar Sissoko and Kesley Wog were really the best options. Following that, the discussion shifts to racism and hazing in U SPORTS, specifically taking a look at the former McMaster football player Fabion Foote,  and the comments he made regarding his time as a Marauder, following a video posted by the school.

Ending the show for the first time in three weeks in the “Cross-Country Skate” recapping everything that has happened in men’s hockey. This includes over-analysis on recruiting across the country, as well as a look at a  possible exhibition season for university hockey in Alberta.

There are less than 30 weeks until U SPORTS could be back! Week by week, we get a bit closer to the return of sports, and week by week,  we here at 49 Sports continue to give you the What’s Up With U? Podcast.

This week’s show is hosted by Ben Steiner and Casey Dobson, and they are joined by 49 staff writer Keirsten Spade in the opening segments. The show begins with a Hockey Hall of Fame discussion, and the induction of former McGill Martlet hockey player Kim St-Pierre, followed by a look at some of the new faces heading to Laurier’s men’s hockey team.

The back-end of the show is all football. Ben and Casey take a look at what the Canadian Junior Football League could do for U SPORTS players, how players could flee for the NCAA, and how Guelph’s Tavius Robison didn’t get the warmest of welcomes when he was announced by Ole Miss (NCAA) earlier in the week.

If you’re missing the Cross-Country Skate with Justin Levine, he will be back on next week’s show with everything U SPORTS men’s and women’s hockey.

Show Rundown:

00:00- 7:00 - Hockey Hall of Fame

7:00- 12:50 - Laurier Golden Hawks Top 3 MHKY recruits

12:50-FIN  - CJFL, NCAA, Tavius Robinson transfer

In this week’s episode of the What’s Up With U? Podcast, we have a new host! Casey Dobson joins Ben Steiner, filling in for Justin Levine. Ben and Casey talk about U SPORTS football, how U SPORTS affects the Canadian Football League, and specifically how the Montreal Alouettes could have an advantage in scouting this year. Other than football, the two compare the best stories through 49 Sports’ reflection series so far and share some stories from the past season. The episode is topped off with an interview with St.Mary’s Huskies men’s hockey scout Jonathan Gilhen, who has worked alongside the recently retired Trevor Steinburg in building a successful team in the AUS.

Show Rundown:

00:00-20:00 Ben and Casey on CFL and Reflections Series

20:00-FIN: Jonathan Gilhen Interview

This week on the What’s Up With U? Podcast, it isn’t a very happy episode. As most of our readers know, U SPORTS is cancelled outside of Quebec until the beginning of 2021, and that’s the focus of today’s podcast.

Other than lamenting about lost moments and breaking down what’s to come, we chat with Trinity Western Spartans hockey broadcaster Bailey Broadbent about what the season delay means for the Spartans. Bailey and Ben also share some of their lighter moments from broadcasting hockey games over the last few years, so you don’t want to miss that.

The show finishes off with some basketball coaching updates, and as always, the Cross-Country Skate this week focused on the Western Mustangs and other OUA recruits.

Yes, the music choice is related to our feelings about the fall sports cancellations.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

00:00-11:00: U SPORTS FALL SPORT CANCELLATION

11:00-23:00: TWU AND BROADCASTING WITH BAILEY BROADBENT

23:00- 25:00: COACHING UPDATE

25:00- FIN: CROSS-COUNTRY SKATE (WESTERN, QUEEN'S, BROCK)

This week on the What’s Up With U? Podcast, we touch on a lot. This week has been so different in the world and in U SPORTS. As most readers/listeners know, U SPORTS parted ways with CEO and President Graham Brown after five years with him in the position, and that is a topic of the show, however, far from the most important. The show begins with Ben and Justin discussing Brown’s leaving of the position, and also get into some ideas of what they would do if they were the incoming president.

After the presidential discussion, we get to the most important part of the show. Ben and Justin speak with Ryerson University student and 49 contributors Kernel Purrier about the recent events in the United States of America and around the world, his experience in sports as well as what people can do to force change in today’s world unrest.

Following the talk with Purrier, Justin chats with former Laurier Golden Hawk goaltender and current PWHPA member Liz Knox about her experiences in U SPORTS,  the CWHL and the FISU Winter Games.

The episode is finished with a tweaked cross-country skate. Rather than going over the week’s newest recruits, Ben and Justin take a look at the other side of U SPORTS hockey and those players who are turning to the professional game.

There was a lot in this week’s episode, we hope you enjoy it.

SHOW RUNDOWN:

00:00-10:00 : Ben and Justin on Graham Brown leaving, and what they would do if they were president. 

10:00-19:00 : Kernel Purrier discusses the world's event and how we can all change for a better world. 

20:00- 42:00 : PWHPA goaltender Liz Knox on U SPORTS, CWHL and FISU

42:00- FIN : The reversed Cross-Country Skate

This week we welcome Ilya Orlov to the show. Ilya is the Head Coach for the University of Toronto Soccer men's soccer team and just finished his first season in the role. Prior to coaching U SPORTS soccer, Orlov played for Toronto rivals, the York University Lions.  He recently published a study of how goals are scored and how it can affect the way he coaches his teams, that study can be found on his Twitter @Ilyao88. Orlov talks about the Varsity Blues, his goal study, the Canadian Premier League and more with Ben Steiner and Alex Gague-Ruzic. 

The conversation with Orlov can be found at the 13-minute mark of the sho, following the weekly "Cross-Country Skate with Justin Levine."  

Also in this episode is the aforementioned Cross-Country Skate, where Justin Levine catches you up with everything there is to know in U SPORTS. men's hockey from the past week. This portion of the show is from the beginning until the 13-minute mark.

TWITTER: BEN (@BENSTEINER00)- -ALEX (@ALEXGANGUERUZIC)- - JUSTIN (@JUSTINLEVINEHBS) -- ILYA ORLOV (@ILYAO88)

SHOW RUNDOWN:

00:00-13:00: CROSS-COUNTRY SKATE W/ JUSTIN AND BEN

13:00- FIN: SOCCER TALK WITH U OF T HEAD COACH ILYA ORLOV

A very big episode this week, as we welcome York Lions Director of Advanced Performance Rachel Doerrie to the show!

With Rachel we talk about everything from pizza, to recruits and how advanced hockey analytics helped the Lions this year. 

A bit about Rachel Doerrie: 

She is a graduate of the Laurentian sports management program, has worked with various U SPORTS and OHL teams, as well as Hockey Canada and one year with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League. Away from coaching and tracking, she formerly wrote for various outlets, including  The Athletic and currently hosts the "Staff and Graph Podcast" with current writer for The Athletic, Ian Tulloch. 

Aside from the chat with Doerrie, Ben and Justin update you on all the latest happenings in U SPORTS, as well as reflect on some of the ideas of how U SPORTS could take place in a school year burdened by Covid-19.

THE RUNDOWN:

00:00-11:30: A look at the U SPORTS Athlete of the Year Award

11:30 -35:50: Rachel Doerrie on hockey analytics, pizza and referees

35:50-FIN: The Cross-Country Skate + some news and notes

What a perfect time for a show!

 Ben and Justin have a heated conversation about the Canada West shortened season schedules that were published Monday, and talk about whether or not this is a move other conferences will/should make. 

Following their conversation on funding and schedules, they are joined by Kyle Bollers, one of the newest recruits to the Ryerson Rams, and the Ontario Junior Hockey Leagues leading scorer from 2019-20. 

The episode finishes off with the Cross-Country Skate, where Justin and Ben take a look at all the news and recruits in men's hockey from coast to coast. 

THE RUNDOWN:

00:00-12:37- FUNDING/SCHEDULES 

21:40-31:40- KYLE BOLLERS INTERVIEW

31:40-FIN: CROSS- COUNTRY SKATE