THE TEAM 990 SHOW HOST BLOGS

Tuesday September 9 9:00 PM

Missing Larry King for this? (I’m full of admiration for what Larry King has accomplished in his career-he knows just enough about a lot of different topics to get by-and his timing is impeccable. But if CNN really wants to out-slug Fox shouldn’t they hire somebody who doesn’t have to read his questions off a sheet of paper? )

Sorry I haven’t updated for awhile. I did try last Friday but as I entered a pic of Oliver Crowe of The Stills defeating Guy Carbonneau in an arm wrestling match I suddenly lost everything.  Or my dog ate it.  So , just in case you get to the bottom of this blog without seeing that picture, trust me it exists.  A great moment in Montreal music/sports history.

Mats Sundin? One of the reasons I haven’t blogged-been waiting on the big guy. Good to see Bob Gainey say he actually does have a deadline. But I love all those talking heads out there who say there’s no way the Habs should consider signing him once the season starts because it might mess with team chemistry. As if Carbonneu and Gainey wouldn’t drop Steve Begin or Tom Kostopolous or Guillaume Latendresse or Kyle Chipchura from the line up should Sundin be available.

How about Britney Spears cleaning up at the MVA’s? She should have kicked Russell Brand off that golf cart at the end of the show. But just when you thought it was safe to start cheering for Britney again, here comes Montrealer Ian Halperin to set the record straight. From PAGE SIX of the NY POST

Meanwhile, Spears is the subject of a tome by investigative reporter Ian Halperin, the author of “Hollywood Undercover: Revealing the Sordid Secrets of Tinseltown” and “Bad and Beautiful: Inside the Dazzling and Deadly World of Supermodels.”

Halperin, who plans to offer “Stalking Britney: Under Siege with Britney Spears” to publishers next week, reveals “details of at least two suicide attempts by the troubled star,” as well as allegations by a drug dealer about her substance abuse.

www.ianundercover.com

I’ve already blogged quite a bit about Don Matthews over the years so as he takes over the Argos I’ll just add this. What seemed like a lock for the Alouettes to appear in the Grey Cup just got a little less certain.

http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/thesnap/default.aspx

It was great to see Ryan Adams open for Oasis at Bell centre Friday night. Just like his last appearance with The Cardinals at Theatre St. Denis, Adams was in fine form singing and playing guitar beautifully.  A shame a few idiots (Oasis fans) in the crowd managed to cut his set short. Can’t understand why anybody would go to a concert to razz an opening act. As John Prine recently sang, “Some humans ain’t human” .

Just a couple of years ago it didn’t seem like Adams or Oasis would ever be able to make new music again. Suddenly they tour Canada together and had a great time until some mental midget in Toronto tried to take out Noel.

http://cave.cardinology.com/

Have to say I was a little worried for 61 year old Iggy Pop back in august at Osheaga when he invited everybody on stage during his blistering and thrilling 60 minute set (first time I got a chance to see Iggy & The Stooges). Fortunately for Iggy, Big Joe was among those working security. Who’s Big Joe? You don’t want to meet him in a dark alley while yelling “Koivu sucks!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFfnAvqf1pw&feature=related

One of the most underrated singer-songwriters from Austin, Texas-or anywhere for that matter-is Alejandro Escovedo. The guy is brilliant. Never fails to put on a great show. Should be a bigger star and might have been had he decided to change his name. (Want an example? How about John Cougar?) Anyway, Alejandro, a big baseball fan while growing up in San Fransisco, blew the roof off Club Soda at the end of this year’s Jazz Festival. He’s touring in support of his new CD, the career defining “Real Animal”(**** ½), a history of/and tribute to Iggy and the North American punk movement of which he was a charter member. Escovedo almost died from hepatitis a few years ago. Thank goodness some rock industry heavyweights including Jon Landua and Tony Visconti are big fans. Don’t miss Escovedo the next time he hits town!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiziSrOQfZA

So Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement. And he hits Montreal this weekend for a major cancer fundraiser. Last time I paid attention Jack Todd accused Armstrong of cheating his way to cycling history. Fair enough. Much greater minds have done the same. But I always believed the accused should be given the opportunity to face their accusers. So how ‘bout it Jack? Step right up this weekend, drop some of the heavy money you’ve made from writing that book, sooth your soul, and then ask Armstrong face to face what you’ve been writing about for years, from the safety of a keyboard thousands of miles away. Or will you prove once again that even with testicular cancer Armstrong has twice as many balls as you do?

http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/news/item/?item_id=101074

Coming soon (I know you can hardly wait), photos from our trip to Nashville, Bonnaroo and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the meantime, here’s that promised pic of a thoroughly defeated Guy Carbonneau

 You can see Crowe and The Stills on stage at Cabaret on Saturday Sept. 27th.

 http://www.myspace.com/thestills