Advertise on podcast: The Cannon Balls Podcast

S1 E31 The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, the Alec Baldwin of the Cannon Balls podcast, is back to talk about a struggling Columbus Blue Jackets team with host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com. Sure, it's early. But can fans ever trust this team? The Jackets are coming off back-to-back losses, including an embarrassment in front of their home crowd, and coach Rick Bowness has been using practice time to whip the special teams into shape and try to wrench some emotion out of his players. The forward lines have been shuffled. Wherefore Luca Del Bel Belluz? Is Denton Mateychuk talking extension? Will Kirill Marchenko get booed upon his return to Nationwide? #cbj #torontomapleleafs #nhl #floridapanthers

S1 E30 Columbus Blue Jackets television analyst Jody Shelley joints host Michael Arace of The Disrespected on the latest Balls. We talk about the front office effort to get fans to lodge complaints with DirecTV. Mostly, though, Jody has insights into the #cbj "extended training camp," the formation of the forward lines, and establishing chemistry. And so forth. How will Big Val and Matthew Knies impact the offense? And so forth. A crackling conversation.

S1 E29: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic rejoins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com the morning after the Columbus Blue Jackets opened their season with a 6-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at the Nationwide Arena. Matthew Knies, acquired in a blockbuster deal from the Toronto Maple Leafs that had Kirill Marchenko going the other way, had two goals and an assist in his CBJ debut. Porty and I get into the training camp that was, what may be ahead, and much more. #cbj #torontomapleleafs #leafs #sabres #nhl

S1, E28: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic joins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to talk about what the Columbus Blue Jackets/NHL have conjured after the death of regional sports networks -- the Blue Jackets Hockey Network. Also, and once again, we pose the question that ends every #CBJ conversation these days: When will the Adam Fantilli contract be done?

S1 E27: The contract negotiations between the Columbus Blue Jackets and top center Adam Fantilli are still crawling along. The Jackets are saving money by getting rid of their radio voice because it's a trend. How long will Elvis Merzlikins be out after shoulder surgery? Good question. ... Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is back with host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to finish up with the summer housework. #CBJ #NHL #TheDisrespected

S1 E26: The Athletic's Aaron Portzline is back with host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to talk about how the Columbus Blue Jackets, as an organization, are taking a dive into a pool of bad juju. Most of the conversation surrounds the soul-damaging axing of longtime radio voice Bob McElligott, and how it fits into an evolving sports-media landscape. We also pay homage to CBJ insider Jeff Svoboda, a true ambassador for the team, who also got axed. #cbj #nhl #sportsradio #theathletic #disrespectedmedia

Mike Cornell, who has been battling a rare form of cancer for nearly a decade, doesn't know how much more time he has left. He has been a fan of the Crew and the Blue Jackets since the formation of both franchises. With host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com, he reflects on devoting some of his passion for life to sports. He uses "fan" as a verb, says, "You've got to fan HARD." We need more Mike Cornells in our lives. What a delightful human being. #cbj #crew96 #cancer

S1 E24: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic joins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com for some mid-summer house cleaning. Is there an offer sheet for Adam Fantilli looming (not likely)? Jarmo Kekalainen invites John Davidson to join the Buffalo Sabres front office (sounds familiar). Why are pending restricted free agents hesitant to negotiate contract extensions (money)? There's a new All-Star Game format (nobody cares). And much more ... #cbj #nhl

S1 E23: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is back to talk to host Michael Arace of thedisrespected.com. The offer sheet tendered by the Philadelphia Flyers rocked the #nhl. Is Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli the next target? #cbj GM Don Waddell remains busy with his Fantilli and the rest of his restricted free agents. Then, there's Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski and the weirdness behind his alleged trade request -- followed by his statement that he "wants to win in Columbus." What will the Jackets' lineup look like next year? We've got a lot of ground to cover in this one ...

After a whirlwind week of reports that #cbj defenseman Zach Werenski wanted out of Columbus, and that he'd nixed a trade to the #dallasstars, Werenski made a statement saying "I want to win in Columbus." A day after the reigning Norris Trophy winner made this announcement, Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell met the local media.

ESPN's longtime NHL/college hockey voice, John Buccigross, is back to talk to host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com. #cbj Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski looks like he's angling for a trade and we go deep on the subject. Should ownership and management say, "No, we're not trading you," and go public? Oh, and then there's Kirill Marchenko, whose agent is stirring up trade talk. Can the Jackets afford to lose their best player and top goal scorer? We also discuss the Columbus Blue Jackets' first-round pick, Oscar Hemming, and former first-round pick Cayden Lindstrom.

S1 E22: For good or ill, Timothy, Matthew and Owen Arace came out of the womb as Blue Jackets fans. In their formative years, they were known within the household as a collective, the "Reign of Terror." In this latest Reign edition of Cannon Balls, they weigh in on the #cbj prior to the draft. There's not a surplus of hope here, not with the Zach Werenski question looming like a dark cloud. The show was recorded Wednesday night -- a day before the Jackets acquired winger Valeri Nichushkin from the Colorado Avalanche for three picks, and two days before the first round of the draft. #NHL #NHLDraft

Columbus Blue Jackets president of hockey operations/general manager meets the local media a day ahead of the first round of the NHL draft. Right off the hop, Aaron Portzline of The Athletic gets to the Zach Werenski question. #cbj #nhl #nhldraft

S1 E21: Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, the mayor of Jacketville, rejoins host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com to talk about the Stanley Cup grind, an unenjoyable final, Mike Babcock (!), the big month ahead for the #cbj and much, much more.

S1 E20: The Mayor of Jacketville, Aaron Portzline, and his dog, Bella, join host Michael Arace of TheDisrespected.com on a busy #CBJ news day. Zach Werenski wins the Norris Trophy, a huge milestone in the franchise history of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Former AGM Chris MacFarland is moving from Colorado to Nashville to run the hated Predators. Trent Vogelhuber is coming down from Cleveland to join the major-league coaching staff in CBus. What's up with Boone Jenner and the other UFAs? Why did the Cleveland Browns trade Miles Garrett? Porty looks into his crystal ball.