Career Award to Lorne Rubenstein
Lorne Rubenstein was the recipient of last year’s prestigious George Gross Career Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to sports journalism. Rubenstein is the preeminent figure in the world of Canadian golf journalism and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. For over 35 years he has been writing and speaking about golf in magazines, newspapers and on television and radio. His experience and passion for the game has made Rubenstein one of Canada's richest resources when it comes to the game of golf and its lessons for life. The George Gross Achievement Award ...
Gianni Merlo Looks Ahead
When we celebrated International Sports Journalists’ Day last year I thought again of the importance and significance of our profession. Having witnessed the enthusiastic youth of the world participating in the Belgrade FISU Summer University Games opening ceremony, I was even more convinced that we as chroniclers of sporting endeavors - no matter how significant they may be, no matter whether on the local or international stage - can make a positive contribution towards breaking down the barriers which lead to conflict around the world, because we are part of the culture ...
‘BoniBlog – Catching up with our president
Athletes and coaches aren’t the only ones who aspire to reach the Olympics. By working on-site for these Olympics, Steve McAllister has fulfilled one of his professional desires. Aside from his sidelight role as president of Sports Media Canada (with perks such as a seven-figure annual salary and private villa on the French Riviera), Steve is now just over two months into his role as managing editor of sports for Yahoo! Canada. Please note, I was kidding about the salary and villa but he does get to relish our annual awards luncheon each October. Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, his ...
Rogers Cup Well Covered
Toronto, August 20 -- The men's Rogers Cup staged in Montreal this year was an 'artistic' and financial success. A great field (all the best in the sport) contributed to a week of tennis of as high quality as any men's tournament this year and fan response set a new attendance record for the event. The women's Rogers Cup brought the cream of the Sony Ericson WTA Tour to the Rexall Centre in Toronto this week and where the men's event concluded with the all of the top 8 seeded players making it to the quarter finals (a handicapper's dream) early ...
Sports Media Canada Achievement Awards Presented
The Canadian Sports Executive of the Year Award was instituted seven years ago to identify and honour leaders in sport who have made a notable contribution to the improvement of sport in Canada and who have demonstrated an unusually high level of understanding of sports media and its role in the development of sport at all levels in this country. The 2009 recipient of the award, Bob Boughner, twice named Coach of the Year in both the Ontario Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League and bench boss of the reigning Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires, has a long and ...
‘BoniBlog – O Canada, what a night!
[caption id="attachment_1703" align="alignright" width="200" caption="John Iaboni represents Sports Media Canada at the Vancouver Games, working with AIPS to support and assist world media covering the event."][/caption] At just past 11 p.m. Friday night, the Gabriola Press Conference Room at the Media Press Centre was oozing with super stardom. There before me were the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, Ashley MacIsaac, k.d. lang, Donald Sutherland, Rick Hansen, Nancy Greene, Measha Brueggergosman, Garou … I mean, like, how real was that? Only a short time before, they were part of the Opening Ceremony; now they were together on a platform, all ...
What's Happening
‘BoniBlog – MacLeod Legacy: Like father, like sonBy John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent Rex MacLeod was a sports writer I read during my youth in Toronto. I then had the good fortune of working the Maple Leafs hockey beat with The Toronto Sun during the time Rex was still with The Globe and Mail and then when he moved to The Toronto Star. His career with The Globe began in 1953... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – From Teacher to Practioner
By John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent When I first started in this business some 42 years ago, I could never resist the urge to come into the office and eagerly relay the information I’d uncovered. Invariably, George (The Baron) Gross would say: “Don’t tell me about it, kid, write it!” John Lott of The National Post... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Espo: Still shooting from the lip
by John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent — now reporting from Blue Jays spring training in Dunedin, FloridaJohn Iaboni at the Blue Jays camp One thing about Phil Esposito, he’s never been one to conceal his feelings. His emotional outburst with Johnny Esaw (a Sports Media Canada Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in 1997)... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Larry and me — “lifers” in this racket
By John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent Larry Millson checked into Spring Training this week, covering the Blue Jays as a freelancer for The Canadian Press. He’s been a solid pro in this business for a long, long time. And it was Larry who gets credit for opening the big door that changed my life forever.Larry Millson “I apologize,... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Marathon Man for MLB.com
By John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent Sunday, February 28 marked the final day of the Vancouver Olympics and it was also the day that Jordan Bastian, who covers the Blue Jays for MLB.com, earned a medal.Jordan Bastian No, no, no … it wasn’t an Olympics medal but rather a keepsake for completing the 26.2-mile Tampa Bay Gasparilla... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Defining Jerry Howarth
by John Iaboni, Sports Media Canada special correspondent. Jerry Howarth and I first crossed paths in the early 1980s and with it came a cherished friendship. He says I taught him a lot about hockey; I say he took my affection for baseball and elevated it even more. He still does — because whenever I hear his broadcasts of Blue Jays games I’m... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Canadian feel to opening of Grapefruit League
The weather: Sunny but frigid for Florida – 48 degrees Fahrenheit, with a cold north wind clocking in at 21 miles per hour (that’s nine degrees Celsius and 34 kilometres per hour for us Canucks).Jays (on the first base side) and visiting Tigers at Dunedin Stadium The crowd at Dunedin Stadium: Dressed as warmly as possible, many sporting Canada Olympic... [Read more]
‘BoniBlog – Taking a shot of Fred Thornhill for a change
Stunned might be the way to describe the look on photographer Fred Thornhill’s face when I told him to smile for the camera, in this case my mini Canon PowerShot A75. There he was, on one knee with his massive 400 mm sports lens zeroing in on the Blue Jays for their final workout at the Bobby Mattick Complex on Tuesday before their move to Dunedin... [Read more]
Read More Posts From What's Happening