tommybiden's profile

tommybiden
7631
Name: Thomas
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Gender: Male
Social Media Account: thowden@rogers.com (AIM)
Member since: January 30, 2006
Last visit: May 13, 2025

tommybiden has posted 418 links and 4,376 comments to SportsFilter and 0 links and 278 comments to the Locker Room.

Sports Bio

I have two favourite sporting events. One as an adult and the other as a child. The most entertaining sporting event I ever saw as an adult was January 9, 1986. Toronto Maple Leafs at home versus the Edmonton Oilers, 99, Mess, Coffey, and the rest of the boys. At this point in my life I had seasons tickets for the Leafs, I lived in London Ontario, about 2 hrs west of Toronto and as a result sold most of my seats to friends who lived closer to Toronto. I kept tickets for 5 or six games that year and thankfully that was one of them. The Leafs led 5-1 at the end of the first period. The Oilers tied the game at 6, and early in the 3rd, Edmonton led 8-7. Final score 11-9 Toronto! We almost blew the roof off the Carlton Street Cashbox that night. When I was only 7 years old, living near Toronto, my mother and father threw us kids into the car, drove us to Malton (now Pearson) International Airport. From there, we flew to Montreal, Mom, Dad, my 3 sisters, my brother and I. We watched the Expos play the Astros in a double header. We picniced in the park outside Jarry Park before the games, went for a swim in the pool just beyond the right field fence, and most importantly got Rusty Staub's autograph. I still have it! We flew back to Toronto the same night, we even got to go sit in the cockpit of the Air Canada jet. That's something that wouldn't happen today! It was the first time any of us, my parents included, had been on a plane. Way too cool. I've seen the Leafs 4 times at the Air Canada Centre, each time as the guest of friends in their private box. It's the only way to fly, if you can afford it. I've seen plenty of NFL games in Detroit and Buffalo, C.F.L. games in Olympic Stadium, Frank Clair Stadium, C.N.E. Stadium and Skydome(Rogers Centre). My family had seasons seats for the Blue Jays for the first 8 years of their existence. I could only guess at how many games I attended, maybe 350? I go to Rogers Centre a couple of times a year for Jays games now, and Comerica Park to see the Tigers at least once a season. I've been to a Toronto Rock lacrosse game, entirely too much fun and entertainment. I've seen 2 N.B.A. games live, the Raptors home opener in MoPete's rookie season, and at The Palace of Auburn Hills, against the 76'ers, on the night the Pistons honoured Chuck Daly. My two sports loves are the Toronto Maple Leafs and the late, lamented Montreal Expos. May The 'Spo's rest in peace. Damn you Jeffrey Loria, Bud Selig, and the rest of you baseball bastards.

Recent Links

Utah Hockey Club has a new name. Here’s everything you need to know.: The mammoth is back roaming around Utah. This time, though, it is in the form of an NHL franchise. Smith Entertainment Group announced this week that “Utah Mammoth” is the official name of the team it acquired in April 2024. The group was called “Utah Hockey Club” for its inaugural season; that name will now be retired with the launch of the permanent branding.

posted by tommybiden to hockey at 10:20 PM on May 07, 2025 - 3 comments

Blue Jays, Vlad Guerrero Jr. agree to record-breaking 14-year extension : Not only has Vlad Guerrero Jr. taken a step to be a Toronto Blue Jay for life -- a desire he has expressed frequently -- he is about to sign the richest contract in Canadian sports history. The 26-year-old first baseman has agreed to terms on a $500-million US, 14-year deal with the Jays, a ground-breaking contract both for the team and in context of sports in this country. The contract is pending a physical.

posted by tommybiden to baseball at 09:45 AM on April 07, 2025 - 5 comments

‘Our staff made a mistake’: Toronto Blue Jays fan tossed from Rogers Centre for sporting ‘Canada is not for sale’ hat: Etobicoke resident Dan Begley was supposed to be at the Rogers Centre on Thursday afternoon watching the Jays home opener with two of his buddies. Instead, the longtime fan said he was “escorted out of the stadium by two big security guards” just moments after the game began due to his choice of headwear. For today’s game, Begley, who is 70, wore a Blue Jays hoodie and a red ballcap with the slogan, “Canada is not for sale.”

posted by tommybiden to baseball at 09:25 PM on March 27, 2025 - 4 comments

George Foreman, heavyweight boxer who became lovable champion, dies at 76: George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight who lost the “Rumble in the Jungle” to Muhammad Ali before his inspiring second act as a 45-year-old champion and a successful businessman, died Friday night. He was 76.

posted by tommybiden to boxing at 09:24 AM on March 22, 2025 - 6 comments

Canadian soccer coach Marsch tells Trump to 'lay off ridiculous rhetoric' of Canada as 51st state: Canada soccer coach Jesse Marsch waded into politics Wednesday, telling United States President Donald Trump to "lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being a 51st state." The 51-year-old Marsch, a former U.S. international who was born in Racine, Wisc., made his comments at a CONCACAF news conference at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the site of next month's CONCACAF Nations League Finals featuring Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Panama

posted by tommybiden to culture at 06:07 PM on February 27, 2025 - 1 comment

Recent Comments

Dallas Mavericks Get No. 1 Pick Despite 1.8% Odds

And, Raptors fans sigh.

posted by tommybiden at 06:31 PM on May 13, 2025

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

Florida Panthers exec appears to post vulgar rant on X, calling Canada 51st state ... "Eat s*** 51st state anti-semite loser. Israel now and forever. Until ever (sic) last Hamas rat is eliminated,..."

posted by tommybiden at 01:01 PM on May 13, 2025

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

PWHL playoffs, Ottawa at Montreal, it is late in the 4th overtime.

The 2nd longest overtime game in Montreal pro sports history.
Trailing only a Montreal Maroons game from 1936.

posted by tommybiden at 07:40 PM on May 11, 2025

SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle

Article today in The Athletic on the (relatively) sparse crowds for the Seattle/Toronto series.

The stadium looks to be somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3 full. In the before times, western Canadian fans (usually estimated ~20,000) come down for a chance to see 'their' club live, resulting in sellouts, or nearly so. Some are there, but not anywhere close to the normal numbers.

I suspect the same will happen when the Blue Jays visit Minnesota.

posted by tommybiden at 11:33 AM on May 11, 2025

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

I'm with you, NoMich.

My brain nearly exploded when I saw the news.

posted by tommybiden at 08:40 AM on May 09, 2025

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

Anaheim Ducks hire Joel Quenneville

posted by tommybiden at 08:03 PM on May 08, 2025

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

Sam Bennett will not face discipline from his elbow to the head of Anthony Stolarz.

posted by tommybiden at 11:27 AM on May 06, 2025

Gregg Popovich Hangs Up His Spurs

Pops. The. Best.

posted by tommybiden at 08:09 AM on May 05, 2025

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle

Daulton Varsho, ladies and gentlemen

posted by tommybiden at 01:24 PM on April 30, 2025

What in the Shedeur Sanders Is Going On Here?

Shilo has signed as an UFA with Tampa.

posted by tommybiden at 12:00 PM on April 27, 2025

Vladdy Jr gets tossed under the bus

John Schneider is a terrible in-game manager, in my opinion.

Toronto's video guy is usually sharper than that though.

posted by tommybiden at 03:03 AM on April 17, 2025

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

Jackie Robinson Day: MLB finds itself in crosshairs of DEI purges.

posted by tommybiden at 03:02 PM on April 15, 2025

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

Or he sold his controlling stake in SpoFi to Patrick Dumont.

I heard rcade and his friends made $2Billion, $2Billion ++ in the sale!!

posted by tommybiden at 08:08 PM on April 11, 2025

SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle

Bye America, say Canadian sports fans. They'll miss their teams but are staying home.

posted by tommybiden at 07:01 PM on April 10, 2025

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle

You are not incorrect, beaverboard.

posted by tommybiden at 05:07 PM on April 09, 2025