Birthplace:

Hamilton, Ontario

First media job:

Pop music critic, The London Free Press

Career highlight:

Taking my kids to visit Muhammad Ali at his farm; meeting Nelson Mandela at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; interviewing Mike Tyson as an 18-year old; having a private audience with David Beckham before his final game in Madrid; interviewing Sir Alex Ferguson; meeting Garney Henley; everything about Vancouver-Whistler 2010.

Special interests/hobbies:

Music – especially Canadian indie music; fly-fishing (or “fish murdering”, as McCown calls it); serving as the founding organizer of Writers at Woody Point (writersatwoodypoint.com)

Bio: Understanding that my musical career was going to be unfairly limited by a severe lack of talent, I turned to writing about it instead. Later, the Globe and Mail hired me as a general assignment news reporter, and eventually I got a chance to cover several election campaigns – which are not unlike covering sports, except that the quotes are worse. When my hero Trent Frayne retired as the Globe’s sports columnist in 1989, I applied for his job. So sports hasn’t exactly been a lifelong vocation, though I’ve always been a passionate fan – loved the Ticats and Red Wings, hated the Argos and Leafs, saw my first hockey when Eddie Bush was coaching Jr A at the old Hamilton Forum. Turns out sports writing was a way to see the world, eat good food, drink good wine, and tell good stories Who knew? Have dabbled in books and documentary film. As far as broadcasting goes, I learned everything I know about radio from you know who. Proud to be president of the Canadian Sidekicks Association.