Le Journal de Montreal tells very sad stories of former Expos players

Le Journal de Montreal has an outstanding, yet disturbing look at a number of former Montreal Expos who have experienced very hard times. Pick up the February  23rd edition of the paper if you can.

Ron LeFlore

The main feature, by writer Jim Hawkins, is about Ron LeFlore. His life story was made into a TV movie while he was with the Detroit Tigers, depicting his move from prison to the ball field. LeFlore joined the Expos in 1980 and stole 97 bases. Ironically, the one-time speedster had one of his legs amputed a few years ago in 2009.

Besides Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter, who lost his battle with cancer last year, the story focuses on a number of other ex-Expos: pitcher Pascual Perez, murdered last November; outfielder Ivan Calderone, murdered in 2003; pitcher Hideki Irabu, took him own life on July 27, 2011; outfielder Carl Everett, arrested for conjugal violence; pitcher Carolos Perez, accusations of sexual misconduct; pitcher Lary Sorensen, multiple drunk driving charges sunk his marriage and career as a broadcaster forcing him to seek work at a McDonald's restaurant; pitcher Terry Enyart, alcoholism led to him hitting his wife with a bottle, attempting to strangle the family dog and ultimately committing suicide; shortstop/outfielder Wil Cordero, conjugal violence, blew away millions of dollars and now works in a deli for $8.25 an hour; pitcher Ugueth Urbina, imprisoned on attempted murder charges after using a  machete  to attack five men he found on his ranch.

These days the best Expos coverage can be found Monday evenings on TSN 690 Radio on the Kaufman Show --with host Dave Kaufman. Matthew Ross and his Game Points on Sundays and Tuesdays also falls into this category.

Y basketball players show 26 acts of kindness

Last Sunday a special event took place  at the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre. Members of the Y Wolves basketball teams  showcased 26  acts of kindness (dedicated to the shooting victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut)  and their love of hoops.

 

The YM-YWHA Wolves Basketball program strives for much more than winning games and championships. “I had no idea what I was in for when I tried out and made the Wolves team," said 13 year old Ari Blanshay of the Bantam Boys team. "Our team practices twice a week, we are also expected to come to optional workouts, complete preseason conditioning and to attend study hall twice a week. Our coaches always tell us that success on the court means nothing if you‘re not succeeding in the classroom and that being a good player is not nearly as important as being a good person.”

The latter quote sums up what the Wolves program stands for. Program coordinator and coach Julia Peress explained that being a part of the Wolves program means striving for excellence both on and off the court and caring about your community enough to want to change it. 

When Peress first heard about #26actsofkindness, which suggests that one random act of kindness to commemorate each of the 20 children and six adults that were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown Connecticut, she was immediately inspired by the campaign and insisted that the program follow suit.

The Wolves in action.

Over the past few weeks, Wolves coaches were promoting #26acts and encouraging their players to be kind to and considerate of others. The players embraced these lessons and took them to a whole new level, surpassing all expectations. “When we first introduced the idea the players thought that every act needed to be huge; they were going to soup kitchens and retirement homes," said Peress. "They soon realized that opportunities to do good deeds are everywhere and they don’t necessarily need to be planned. Some acts thus far have included: organizing a clothing and shoe drive for Haiti, visiting and participating in a program at a senior’s residence, volunteering at MADA, helping younger siblings with their homework, saving their money and donating it to charity and several others. "

The 26 messages.

Last Sunday, the Wolves teams had a chance to showcase their acts and commemorate the victims in a ceremony in which they also unveiled a #26 jersey that the players will sign and send to Sandy Hook at the end of the season. “It was really something special, and to see these kids embrace kindness with such passion and motivation is truly inspirational," commented coach and former Wolves player Melissa Szilagyi.  

Bantam Wolves player Tomas Caprera said it best.  “I don't plan on stopping these acts of kindness because I think that we should do them every day.”

The Wolves players have surpassed their goal of completing #26acts and are committed to continue spreading kindness and good will within their communities.

Here is the clip from CTV News.

Having "a ball."

February 20 concert: My chat with legendary drummer Jerry Mercer

Renowned Montreal musician, founder and director of the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir and MUHC cancer patient Trevor W. Payne is teaming up with the Cedars Cancer Institute once again to put on an unforgettable benefit concert to help the fight against men’s cancers.  A Night at the Music Hall will take place on Wednesday,  February 20 (7:30 p.m.)  at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall at Concordia University’s Loyola Campus (7141 Sherbrooke West) and feature a fabulous lineup of local artists such as the Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir Buzz Band, featuring Jerry Mercer and Breen LeBoeuf from April Wine and John McGale from Offenbach, 12-year-old piano sensation Daniel Clarke Bouchard  and other great acts. 

John McGale, Jerry Mercer and  Breen LeBouef

I caught up with legendary drummer Mercer last week over the phone . The Verdun native now resides near Kingston, in town called Bath. He spent 38 years with April Wine, leaving four years ago after locking heads with band mate Miles Goodwin. “There was a situation I could not resolve with Miles,” he said. “But two months ago they came to perform in Brockville, not far from where I live now. I said to my wife, ‘I have not seen them in four years. I’d like t o go.’ So we did. I did not advise them in advance I would be there. During the encore the drummer now in place called me to the stage. I went up and kept the vibe. It was okay. It was fun. The bottom line is that I love to play.”

The Buzz Band was actually started back in 1984. Both April Wine and Offenbach had ceased operations, albeit it turned out temporarily. Mercer, Leboeuf and McGale decided to come together and do some concerts. In 1990 they even produced an album. “What basically evolved was that the  Buzz Band would unite about once a year,” he explained. “We take a gig, which we’d never rehearse for. It just always worked out.”

Proceeds from the February 20 concert will go towards the Trevor W. Payne Men's Cancers Fund at the Cedars Cancer Institute as a means for Payne to give back to what he calls his “dream team” of medical professionals at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) who successfully treated his prostate cancer in 2009.

“I cannot thank the medical team at the MUHC enough for their kindness, support, and for helping me find the services I needed to help me get through that difficult time,” Payne said. “My goal is to help raise awareness about men’s cancers, which can sometimes be overlooked, and help other cancer patients have greater access to services and support to get them through it.”

This is a cause close to Mercer’s heart. “I had a serious case of prostate cancer 15 years ago,”  he says. “I did not get examined every year after I tumed 50.  When I was 58 they found it and I had quite a battle on my hands. Thank goodness the treatment worked. As for Trevor, the two of us go back a long way. We played R&B together for five years some time ago.”

Check out a Mercer drum solo below:

Dr. Armen Aprikian, chief of the MUHC’s Cancer Care Mission and the physician who personally treated Payne says, “A Night at the Music Hall will not only bring together a wide variety of musical talents, but it will bring the community together in support of a cause that touches so many men in our community. On behalf of the doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals at the MUHC, I can’t thank Trevor enough for his personal efforts to ensure our psychosocial experts have the resources they need to continue addressing the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual, quality-of-life and functional aspects of cancer.”

“Once again, Trevor is lending his good name and extraordinary talents to a cause that is very important not only to those of us here at the Cedars Cancer Institute, but to all men who have been and who will be faced with cancer,” said Bruce Shadeed, president of the Cedars Cancer Institute. “It is heartwarming to see Trevor take the compassion he received from the caring staff at the MUHC and continue to pay it forward many times over through his efforts in the battle against men’s cancers.”

Info: cedars.ca/events. 

The power of TSN 690's Tony Marinaro

For those who read my column and blog, you know what a big fan I have beeen of TSN Radio 690 (nee TSN 990, nee THE TEAM 990) from the day it first went on the air. I  was among those who expressed great dismay when word came down that  Bell Media planned to transform this  dream come true for local sports fans into an all French sports station. Fortunately that did not happen.

TSN 690 is a classy organization, starting right at the top with hard working general manager Wayne Bews. He wears a lot of hats in this organization and they are all a perfect fit.

While THE TEAM 990 carried the final years of the Montreal Expos and had the rights to the Montreal Impact and Montreal Juniors games, it was the seven year deal signed with the Montreal Canadiens prior to the 2011-2012 season which really put this station on the map.  Of course, the talent pool in the  main programming slots has also been strong. Elliott Price, Ted Bird and Shaun Starr in the mornings; Tony Marinaro's Montreal Forum 10 a.m. to Noon; the Intermission with Marinaro and, until recently Randy Tieman; veteran Mitch Melnick with the Drive Home from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and a cast of many others. John Bartlett and Sergio Momesso, of course do a masterful job calling the Habs games.

The morning show, particularly with the addition of  Bird, is fantastic radio. This trio has great chemistry and they have a lot of fun on the air, bringing all listeners along for the ride. Melnick is simply the best in the business: smooth, experienced and respected.

Tony Marinaro

Marinaro is ball of fire, never afraid to express his feelings.  I was recently looked at his Twitter numbers (close to 20,000 as of this writing). His following rivals some professional athletes.  As part of my own campaign to get to 1,000 followers, I shared this with Bews. He in turn discussed it with Tony, who invited me to co-host his February 7 show and promote my mikecohencsl Twitter handle. While I did not quite get to 1,000 during my two hours on the air, Tony  did indeed bring me from 793 when I woke up that day to 927 when  I called it a night.

The two hours with Tony just flew by. He was ably assisted by producer Amanda Stein and intern Jiancarlo Aimone. Simon Tsalikis, host of the Habs This Week, has been one of the personalities filling Tieman's vacant slot. Tsalikis is a real estate agent by day, covering Laval, the West Island and other territories. I stepped out of the studio for him to join Marinaro.

Jiancarlo Aimone

Marinaro started off the show with an excellent analysis of the previous evening's 2-1 Boston Bruins win over the Canadiens. Without even looking at a single note, he covered all of the bases and naturally got the tongues wagging of listeners who immediately began to Tweet, email and call in. Tony also works the Habs post game show with Conor McKenna and Mitch Melnick. He knows his hockey and I must say is quite addictive to listen to.  Last year, with the big Pierre Gauthier mess, he was the "go to"  guy. Even the francophone media tuned in to see what scoops he broke. Perfectly bilingual, Tony has appeared on the popular RDS TV show Anti Chambre. It has been a while since they put him on the air, which is a real shame. Hopefully they will wake up and give him a call as it is nice to have someone other than PJ Stock representing the anglo media. Plus, when he is on their ratings go up from the English side.

Amanda Stein

Marinaro brings on a number of special guests. This includes basketball analyst  Peter Yannopoulos. When he came on the show I asked him about pro basketball in Montreal and how much I enjoyed the days when the Montreal Matrix/Royal played at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau. Well excuse my ignorance, but I was completely unaware that a team called the Montreal Jazz from the National Basketball League of Canada started up here a few months ago, at the same home as the Matrix/Royal. They were originally supposed to play in Laval, but Yannopoulos explained how the league had to take the franchise over. Dubbed the Jazz, they were relocated to Montreal and new owners are now being sought.

Tony had a writer covering the Buffalo Sabres on, to set up that night's Habs encounter, took some more calls and before you knew it noon struck. I appreciate his support of my Twitter campaign. Radio is magic when it comes to attracting followers, especially with listeners able to sign on instantly with smartphone in hand. I will never reach his level, but getting past the 1,000 mark will indeed be a milestone.

For those of you who did not listen to the show and would like to do so, thanks to chief engineer Chris Robitaille here it is in four clips. Just right click on the segment you want to hear. 

Oh yes, and do not forget to please follow me on Twitter @mikecohencsl.

Mose Persico joins Mike FM team

There is now another reason to listen to 105.1 Mike FM. I have been enjoying the return to radio by Paul Zakaib and his alter ego Tasso Patsikakis.  This was especially the case when Patrick Charles ran shotgun for him. Dino Sisto, best known for his years on CJAD, is also pleasant to listen to in tbe mornings.

Mose Persico

Now comes news that CTV entertainment guru Mose Persico, will make his 105.1 MIKE FM radio debut on Monday, February 11, with daily appearances on Patsikakis' popular drive home, leading up to Mose's World, Persico's own 30 minutes culture and entertainment show, airing each Friday at 6 p.m.

From 2001 to 2008, Persico became the cultural voice of CTV as co-host of Entertainment Spotlight, a half-hour television show, covering a potpourri of entertainment related news, from lifestyle to fashion, leisure, music and food. Viewers will still be able to follow Mose at the Movies, Persico’s popular weekly film capsules, as well as his Sunday night movie segment on CTV.

As publicist extraordinaire Leeja Murphy tells us, Persico's new MIKE FM show and drive-home segments will keep listeners at the forefront of local and international entertainment news, with his trademark mix of blockbuster events and intimate, yet equally relevant, Montreal stories.

Born in Sorrento, Naples, Persico immigrated to Canada in 1965 aboard the ship Cristoforo Colombo with his parents and two sisters. He is a graduate of Cardinal Newman High School, Champlain Regional College, and Concordia University, where he received a BA in Communication Studies with a minor in Broadcast Journalism.

Bravo to owner Marie Griffiths!

Skating with the Habs: new community rink opens in N.D.G.

Here I am  with Brendan Gallagher

In my role as communications and marketing specialist for the English Montreal School Board I had a pretty exciting experience. As part of its BLEU BLANC BOUGE program launched back in September 2008, the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation unveiled its fifth outdoor multipurpose and refrigerated community rink at Confederation Park in the N.D.G. on February 5. To mark the official opening, 50 children from the area took to the ice and skated alongside a few players from the Canadiens. 

This included students and staff from  Royal Vale School.  I was with them in the dressing room when a Canadiens officials asked us all to sit down and prepare for a surprise. Seconds later in walked in players Brendan Gallagher, Travis Moen and Francis Bouillon. In the room across the hall, Lars Eller, Josh Gorges and Colby Armstrong surfaced. Also suited up in his former number 36 jersey was Sergio Momesso, a native of N.D.G. who grew up playing baseball and swimming in this very same Confederation Park.

Josh Gorges shares a moment with me.

 

The players were wonderful and down to earth, signing lots of autographs. Gallagher told me he just signed on with Twitter in January and already has 21,000 followers. Asked whether he was on Twitter,  Bouillon said he has no intention of doing so.

Francis Bouillon told me he is glad to be back with the Habs.

Built in accordance with NHL standards and dimensions (200 feet by 85 feet), the artificial ice rink features a quality of ice that matches the highest professional rinks standards. The skating season is scheduled to take place from the end of November until mid-March, while various types of ball games, such as soccer, and in-line hockey as well as a variety of different sporting activities will take over for the spring, summer and fall months.

“There is no doubt that sports play a key role in the healthy development of our children and we are convinced that the construction of this fifth community rink in the Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grace borough will provide children from the area with an state-of-the-art facility for them to use and enjoy while being physically active,” said Geoff Molson, President and CEO of the Montreal Canadiens, who was also on hand with General Manager Marc Bergevin,  COO Kevin Gilmore and Alumni president Rejean Houle. The golden voice of public address announcer Michel Lacroix graced the ice for the opening ceremonies.

Habs mascot Youppi was jointed by his Montreal Police Department counterpart Flik. Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum, whose political career began two decades ago when je complained to City Hall about the state of some outdoor rinks in the area, was elated with the turn of events.

“I am pleased to know that a new rink will make it possible for the youth of the borough, particularly those of the District of Loyola, to enjoy ice sports," said Applebaum. "This additional tool will help promote a healthy and active lifestyle as it will further enhance the opportunities provided by the Notre-Dame-de-Grace Sports Centre and the Notre-Dame-de-Grace Cultural Centre,  all the while contributing to improve the quality of life of our residents. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who were involved in this project coming to fruition and more specifically the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation."

 Added Borough Mayor Lionel Perez: “By improving our equipment and recreational infrastructure, we are meeting the needs of the citizens, which continue to be the priority for this borough. Indeed, creating public gathering places like this one encourages intergenerational exchanges, all in a spirit of recreation and fun."

 

The initiative is part of BLEU BLANC BOUGE, the Foundation’s flagship project whose objective it was to build five outdoor multipurpose and refrigerated community rinks to accommodate various sporting activities in less privileged neighbourhoods in the Montreal area. Eager to provide high quality infrastructures, the Foundation reached a five-year partnership with the FTQ (Fédération des travailleurs du Québec), Fonds de solidarité FTQ, City of Montreal blue collars, FTQ construction workers and local entrepreneurs who all contributed to the project by providing financial resources, materials and manpower. The Foundation also worked closely with W. Graeme Roustan, Chairman of Bauer and Arena Design Services, a leader in the area of arena products and services, in the implementation of this type of playing surface.

Each of those community rinks is known as an animated gathering area for sports and physical activity that provides youth from these backgrounds to discover the advantages of a healthy and physically active lifestyle. To ensure the success of this program, the Foundation formed a dynamic partnership with Québec en Forme and shared the ultimate goal of improving the health of children living in underprivileged areas. As an organization promoting the well-being of children, Québec en Forme works closely with the Foundation in selecting the district and the community partners towards the development of an efficient activation of the facilities and to assess the impact of the program.

With phase one of the project successfully completed with the construction of five rinks in underprivileged boroughs in the greater Montreal area, the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation will be looking at extending its mandate further to bring its healthy lifestyle program to areas outside of Montreal in the coming years.

Over and above the infrastructure, the borough benefited from the generosity of Bauer who donated 100 pairs of skates, helmets and sticks to create a bank of supplies to fill the needs of various local organizations working with children.

Here is a link to a video of me with the Habs produced and directed by my friend and colleague Daniel Smajovits.

Tchang Kiang by Yangtze attracts a new following

If there is one subject that continues to result in a flurry of emails and comments to this blog, it is the Tchang Kiang by Yangtze Restaurant at 6066 Sherbrooke Street West in N.D.G. I have been there a number of times since the unfortunate fire on December 4, 2011 forced the permanent closure of the landmark Van Horne Avenue location. Owners Marco and Bobo Yau acted quickly, with the help of business consultant Mel Leitman. Tchang Kiang  had shut its doors, but the dining establishment was in beautiful shape so the brother and sister team pounced on the opportunity to keep the egg rolls going.

 

Marco, 22, and Bobo, 29, grew up in the business. Their dad Brian was a previous owner of Yangtze. They were on the verge of enacting a major facelift to the menu and staffing plan when the horrible fire occurred. The move to N.D.G. was effectively a merger of the Yangtze and Tchang Kiang menus. There were growing pains. People showed up expecting the same old Yangtze. When the food did not taste exactly the same, they got angry and folks like me ended up feeling their wrath.

Bobo and Marco Yau in front of their new menu board.

Well, it turns out that the former Tchang Kiang regulars were just thrilled. And I have heard from many of them. When I dropped by for lunch the other day, I met a number of people I know. One mother and son go there regularly and love it. Noted travel agent Stephen Pickford, the host of the syndicated Travel World Radio Show, was sampling the cuisine for his first time and he liked it.

 

The only way I can really judge whether the food is good or not is to taste it. So, I made an order and let me say everything was absolutely delicious: the won ton soup, with some crispy homemade noodles; the crispy egg rolls, a little plumpier than the original Yangtze with a sweet plum sauce; pineapple chicken; fried rice; and the Tchang Kiang signature kou tien (pan fried dumplings with pork and vegetables inside).

No, this is not the exact same Yangtze from Van Horne. So some people simply will not be won over. In the West End of Montreal there simply are not a lot of good Chinese restaurants to choose from.  While some of the older generation will continue to frequent this spot, it is attracting a new clientele as well.
 

Egg rolls here are so popular that places like Metro grocery stores and REAL Bagel are selling them wholesale. Mitch Kadanoff of Solly the Caterer is the distributor.

Marco told me that he stopped ordering vegetables from suppliers and now he goes directly to the market himself to make the purchases.

 

There is talk that the legendary waiter Tiger may soon be making a guest appearance. In the kitchen we found Tony, a veteran chef from Yangtze on Van Horne. There is also Jun from Tchang Kiang and Brian, who worked at both restaurants

Business, says Bobo, is good. On weekends the 70 seat venue is often packed. Pickups are steady and there are four delivery cars out at the same time. The restaurant is open every day but Monday. You can see the menu at http://www.tkyangtze.com. Just last month they put up a large chalkboard, which includes specials of the day and alcoholic beverage listings.

 

I think Mel Leitman put it best. "This is an old/new restaurant or a new/old restaurant," he remarked. "It is not the old Yangtze, but has all of the items from their menu. An enormous amount of work continues to go into listening to the customer comments. We continue to adapt. Some people complained about the plum sauce, for instance, so we made changes. Now the comments from that are great. We are evolving as a new entity. But the tradition continues."