Bryan Hayes | |
---|---|
Born | June 6, 1983 |
Nationality | Canadian |
Citizenship | Canada |
Occupation | Radio host, hockey player |
Years active | 2010 - present |
Organization | CFMJ, TSN 1050, |
Known for | OverDrive radio show |
Notable work | TSN 1050 NHL Draft Lottery Show, The Bryan Hayes Show |
Spouse(s) | Erin Hayes |
Bryan Hayes (born June 6, 1983) is a Canadian sportscaster who currently hosts OverDrive radio show, the drive-home radio show on TSN 1050 Toronto. He is also a former major junior hockey player who famously recorded one assist as a member of the Barrie Colts.[1]
Hayes worked at CFMJ (AM640) in Toronto early in his career, manning the 7pm-9pm slot and briefly serving as co-host of The Bill Watters Show after his father, Bill Hayes, was dismissed from the role.[2] In April of 2011, he moved to TSN 1050, initially hosting The Bryan Hayes Show from 10am-12pm.[3] He was later partnered with former NHLers Jeff O’Neill and Jamie McLennan for Leafs Lunch from 12pm-2pm, which led into Hayes’ eponymous show from 2pm-4pm.[4] On February 22, 2016, TSN 1050 debuted a new lineup that featured Hayes alongside O’Neill and McLennan on OverDrive from 4pm-7pm.[5] Hayes is widely considered to be the captain of this show, much to the chagrin of his assistant captain O’Neill.[6]
On April 30, 2016, Hayes co-hosted the TSN 1050 NHL Draft Lottery Show with Dave Naylor. Upon learning that the first overall pick had been awarded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Hayes delivered perhaps his most famous line ever, excitedly screaming, “They did it Naylor!”[7] The soundbite has since become a running gag on TSN 1050.
Hayes is known for his strong rapport with former Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, who once said to Hayes, “You represent the NBA as far as the sports media is concerned there in Toronto.”[8] Hayes’ reputation as an NBA guru was further solidified when he appeared on The Dan Patrick Show during the 2019 NBA Finals to provide a Toronto perspective on the series.[9]
O’Neill often makes fun of Hayes for viewing himself as a “radio mastermind” (which Hayes denies). For example, he has criticized Hayes’ tendencies to leave guests on hold for considerable lengths of time, tell guests that he was “reading a piece” in an effort to sound informed, and use obscure words (such as “foibles”) that O’Neill believes are inappropriate for sports radio. However, the legitimacy of these allegations is somewhat dubious.
Occasional co-host Dave Feschuk once said of Hayes, “He’s got a very stylized way of speaking and it works for him.”[10] Hayes likes to use the phrase “The Real Deal Holyfield,” and commonly substitutes the names “Bobby” and “Billy” for “Robert” and “William,” respectively. He is also renowned for being a skilled trivia combatant, having defeated reporters Mark Masters and Jonas Siegel in several high-profile clashes.[11]
Bryan Hayes is married to Erin Hayes.