Coyotes Ugly: Day Two

Here's the Globe and Mail's live blog with David Shoalts

Here's the TSN live blog as well...

Let the haymakers begin...

An interesting sidebar from yesterday, on "PrimeTime Sports" with Bob McCown. The Bobcat went toe-to-toe with new Balsillie advisor Doug MacLean...

McCown took issue with McLean's apparent change in allegiances on Thursday.

"I think what you’ll find is, I think a lot of people have lost a lot of respect for you,” McCown said near the end of an often raucous interview.

MacLean was not impressed.

"You’re a long way from the judge and jury," MacLean said. "For you to make a comment like that, I think you’re way out of line, bud.”

During the calmer moments of the session, MacLean acknowledged his previous criticisms of the Balsillie bid's methods — "Yeah, I was critical. No doubt about it" — but said those criticisms are what prompted the co-CEO of BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion to approach him.

"I think I can be a great bridge to bring this thing together," MacLean said. "Because I’ve been on the [NHL] board of governors, because I’ve sat in with [commissioner] Gary [Bettman], because I know him, I’ve got good relationships with him. I see it as a positive. I hope they see it as a positive that now the Balsillie group have an NHL guy in their group that can help bridge this an make it work.

"As a matter of fact, I had two owners today email me and wish me luck."

MacLean acknowledged his desire to return to the NHL motivated his decision to join the Balsillie group.

"You’re right. It’s hard to get great jobs in the NHL," he said.

His previous experience with a pair of expansion clubs weighed in his favour.

"If Jim is successful, they had to have someone in place to hit the ground running," MacLean said. "Now, if the ruling goes their way, I’m prepared on Monday to hit the ground running. They needed somebody in place to put the operation in place. The fact I did it in Columbus from scratch with the start of a franchise, that I have that experience building a franchise, they thought it was a good fit.

“I stand by my criticisms. It’s what happens going forward that I’m concerned about.”

MacLean took exception to McCown replaying clips of the former GM being critical of Balsillie's strategies in the leadup to the interview.

"What you did is you took two hours of potshots at me so that you could drive your ratings and get me on in the last 10 minutes so that you got a full house. That’s your game.”

After the interview was over, McCown declared he would never have MacLean on his show again.

Here is "said interview..." thanks to our friends at the Fan590 in Toronto...

We'll keep you posted...