Rob The Hockey Guy

Every Tuesday, Canuckz.com profiles a Canadian sportscaster. Sometimes they’re sportscasters we like, sometimes they’re ones we don’t. Today’s sportscaster is someone we love to hate: Michael Landsberg.

Landsberg first broke onto the national scene as a reporter for TSN’s Sportsdesk in the 80′s (I still think they should call it Sportsdesk, but that’s another story for another day). He was my favourite anchor when I watched Sportsdesk in the early 90′s when he got his current gig as host of Off the Record. That’s when my opinion of Landsberg changed.

Off the Record, for those that don’t know, is a sports talk show that combines celebrities, athletes and sportscasters, talking informally about the sports news of the day. The only problem for those that don’t live in the Greater Toronto Area is that guests are often Toronto sports personalities/athletes and/or talk about the Leafs, Raptors, Blue Jays, Argos a ridiculous amount of time. TSN is never more the “Toronto Sports Network” as when this show airs.

No doubt, Landsberg has a huge ego, he’s not very likable, but I have to admit, he’s entertaining. He was on the Blake Price Show on Team 1040 when he was in town for the Junos in March. He was so cocky, but totally entertaining. He had no problem talking about himself or how great he makes his show, but he didn’t give the standard run-of-the-mill answers.

So do we like Michael Landsberg? I’m still not too sure, but we keep watching him, and I guess that’s the point.

One of the best episodes I’ve seen of Off the Record (amazingly it had TWO Canucks and NO Leafs/Raptors/TSN anchors/Toronto Community Channel personalities/etc.). Find out how Kevin Bieksa “punted” Shane O’Brien…