COVID-19 You Suck!!

COVID-19 You Suck!! 
By Naomi Ashkenazy

Remember a time

Not long ago

We‘d hug and shake hands

With people we know

Sharing a laugh

Over coffee or tea

Carelessly kissing

How reckless were we

The theatre, a concert

Singing with a crowd

Cheering for a sports team

That made us feel proud

Going to school

Playing in the yard

Studying for finals

We thought life was hard

We went to weddings

The mall, or the gym

We were never afraid

Of rolling up the rim

When did toilet paper

Become something to hoard

And buying more purell

Then we’re able to afford

Working from home

Using FaceTime or zoom

Afraid of leaving

The safety of our room

Shopping for groceries

Is a thing of the past

We stare at our pantries

Wondering, will our food last?

Milk, eggs and veggies

We order online

As long as we’re nourished

We believe we’ll be fine

Nourishing each other

We must not forget

We all need support

Don’t lose hope

Not yet..

Just keep your distance

A meter  - or six!

Wave from a distance

And this world we will fix

The world that feels broken

Poisonous and cruel

Yet never so low

Have been the prices of fuel!

To lift up our spirits

And brighten our mood

We have to keep busy

So we don’t sit and brood

Virtual yoga

Meditate to keep sane

While our grey roots start showing

And weight we all gain

Wave at a neighbor

Just don’t pat their dog!

So many rules

My head’s in a fog

What can I handle

My newspaper, my mail?

This virus is sneaky

But will it prevail?

It’s trying to outsmart us

We worry all day

Is it lingering on surfaces

How long does it stay?

Lysol and javel

We wipe and we scrub

Singing the alphabet

While each finger we rub

Our skin is dissolving

And dry to the bone

Now don’t touch anything

Especially not your phone!

Except to text message

Or FaceTime a friend

Or check news updates

Of which there’s no end

Sore throat and fever

It’s become a catch-all

You can have different symptoms

Or nothing at all

We want to be tested

To put us at ease

But stay away from the hospital

Unless you can’t breathe

Can you help us Justin?

Arruda? Legault?

We turn to our leaders

Experts who must know!

Closing borders

Providing EI

Cancel all travels

No one should fly

Total lockdown

What is the deal?

Everyone stay safe

This is for real..

We can defeat this

Be smart! We know how!

And go hug your loved ones…

With emojis, for now 🤗 

Montreal Sports Talk Radio: Sports & Much More!

In this piece, published both on All Habs and on The Barnstormer, I delve deeply into The Kaufman Show, a sports talk radio program on Montreal's TSN 690. In highlighting the backgrounds of the show's creator and host, Dave Kaufman, and Kaufman's co-host, Jay Farrar. the piece explores the dynamics of delivering sports talk that transcends sports with its inclusion of the politics, culture, and social issues that shape sports industries and fan life today. The piece also gives a glimpse into the competitive radio industry in today's digital media environments and reveals the challenges of breaking into sports media.  

The Kaufman Show: Deadlines to Meet

By Avi Goldberg

It’s two hours after a Montreal Canadiens victory and only minutes after midnight in the early morning of what will become opening day for the Toronto Blue Jays. With the Arkells’ song, “Deadlines,” having heightened the collective energy of those present in the studio, Dave Kaufman, host of the The Kaufman Show on TSN 690 radio in Montreal, is interviewing Toronto Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos shortly after his plane landed in Toronto fresh from spring training.

It’s unclear whether Montreal sports fans can really embrace Major League Baseball, let alone the Toronto Blue Jays, after suffering through the loss of their beloved Expos. Kaufman, a lover of the game, knows the dilemma his listeners are surely living.

When Anthopoulos endorsed a plan for Expos fans to converge at a Blue Jays home game this July by remarking that the Rogers Centre was a great environment compared to the Olympic Stadium, Kaufman delivered a shot on behalf of those whose backs may have gotten up over the not-so-subtle diss delivered by the former Montrealer and Expos employee.

“Another way that the Rogers Centre has it all over the Olympic Stadium, Alex,” Kaufman retorted, “is that there’s no more baseball at the Olympic Stadium.”

The two men shared a hearty laugh, and the GM of the team that was favored by many to play in the World Series understood Kaufman’s move to set the record straight. Toronto has the team, the downtown ballpark, and the resources to build a contender, but none of that strips value from Montreal and the city’s relationship with baseball.

Speaking the truth about sports and life is in The Kaufman Show’s DNA. Dave Kaufman and his co-host, Jay Farrar, wouldn’t think of having it any other way.

You can continue to read the piece in its entirety on All Habs here.

You can read The Barnstormer version here.