Connor Bedard Is A Hawks Legend For Taking 15 Million AAV

Summary

Empty Netters Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode: Connor Bedard Is A Hawks Legend For Taking 15 Million AAV
Date: July 21, 2026
Host Network: Almost Friday Media
Hosts: Dan Powers, Sean Buffini, Zachary Grant, Chris Powers

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Overview of the Episode

The Empty Netters crew returns with signature banter, irreverent humor, and deep hockey analysis. Today’s focus is on the monumental Connor Bedard contract with the Blackhawks — five years, $15 million AAV — and the seismic implications for player contracts across the league. The hosts also detour through sports culture, Irish surnames, Fanatics Fest stories (including meeting Alex Ovechkin), and the chaos of modern air travel before closing with a classic Beer League Hotline debate.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Connor Bedard’s 5x$15M Contract: A League-Changing Deal

• Breaking News & Reaction
  • [04:07] Dan Powers: “Signs 5 years by 15 mil a year locked up in Chicago. I absolutely love it.”
  • [04:17] Sean Buffini: “It’s a happy day in Chicago. I think it’s great for Blackhawks fans. Tremendous business.”
• Shift in Contract Structure
  • Discussion about the new trend: five-year deals for young stars, maximizing earning windows with multiple contracts (at 20, 25, 30).
  • [04:51] Dan Powers: “These guys are gonna sign again another five at 25, and then another five at 30. They figured it out.”
  • Notable comparison to old-school 8-year deals right out of ELCs.
• Value & Market Perspective
  • [14:35] Dan Powers dismisses “overpay” critics: “With what people are getting paid, with his situation in Chicago, who has literally no money on the books...this is not an overpay at all.”
  • Noted ripple effect: Bedard, as a 1st overall, sets a precedent for peers (Leo, Macklin), possibly making other big-ticket deals look bloated by comparison.
  • Blackhawks praised for holding leverage, but also for Bedard’s camp being “reasonable” — could have demanded more post-Leo's contract, chose not to [15:23].
• ‘Richmond’ Surname Bit
  • Spirited bit imagining players with big AAVs must change their last names to “Richmond.”
    • [05:15] Sean Buffini: “If your contract is over 14.99 mil. AAV, you have to change your last name to Richmond.”
  • Leads to a playful discussion on last names and wealth.

2. Irish Surnames & the Tangent Olympics

• [08:44] The hosts dive into a spontaneous quiz on the most common Irish surnames, poking fun at Chris Powers’ “fraudulent Irishman” attempts and joking about etymology.
  • “Is Disney an Irish name?” debate [12:20] injects both trivia and humor.
  • Memorable exchange [09:49]:
    • Dan Powers: “So I’m sitting here being like…The first Richmond that someone met, they must have been like, this guy comes from money.”
    • Sean Buffini: “This guy’s rich. As hell.”
• The crew maintains a playful, mocking tone, razzing each other about Irishness and surname origins.

3. NHL Contract Market, Offer Sheets, & Player Leverage

• Offer Sheet Possibilities
  • [16:03] Sean Buffini: “The Blackhawks were so appreciative of Bedard's camp going, how about 15? Because after the Leo deal, if he had said, give me 18, they would have gone, okay…You have all the leverage in the world.”
  • Speculates why no team weaponized this with a ‘poison pill’ offer sheet to force Chicago to match an $18M offer.
• Team Building Implications for Chicago
  • [17:59] Dan Powers: “You hope that this is enough — Bedard’s signed — and it makes people go, yep, I’m coming.” Notes Bowen Byram’s fat contract as a statement.
  • Discussion about Patrick Kane rumors — both agreeing it would be pure nostalgia, not a competitive move [19:07].
  • [20:28] Sean Buffini: “It's actually kind of nice to not…be the highest paid guy.”

4. NFL, NBA, & Contract Culture Across Sports

• Cross-sport discussion: escalation of deals, with comparisons to NFL quarterbacks and NBA supermaxes [21:29-24:09].
• Steph Curry’s under-market contract with Warriors praised as a window that enabled a dynasty.
• Gripes about GMs’ reluctance to make bold multi-year offers — “mob mentality business” [26:50].
  • [26:30] Zachary Grant: “One GM will say he doesn’t deserve two years, and then they all follow suit.”

5. Anthony Mantha to the Devils: Deep Dive & 4D Chess

• [24:21] Sean introduces Mantha’s Devils signing, calling it “one of the most 4D chess moves of NHL signings in history.”
• Contract Context
  • Mantha gets two years, $9.5M — surprising after a 33-goal/64-point season; many teams only offering him 1-year deals.
  • [25:55] Dan Powers: “He’s 31 years old. I’m like, good God, man...What don’t we know?”
• Value Beyond Points
  • [31:04] Sean Buffini: Mantha’s redemption after major injury, now poised to serve as “Miyagi” to injury-prone Jack Hughes.
  • [32:20] Dan & Sean vividly riff on scenarios where Mantha tutors Hughes — “Slip and slides all summer!” — to make him more durable; pure Empty Netters comedy peak.
    • [33:10] Sean Buffini: “Game five, he catches an edge, he gets pushed off the puck…he hits the boards, ricochets off…Boards dent, implode.”

6. Fanatics Fest Recap & Alex Ovechkin Interview Tease

• [37:00] The crew talks Fanatics Fest and their live interview with Alex Ovechkin
  • [37:49] Sean Buffini: “My favorite part is...he’s a legend, but he’s also a machine.”
  • [38:22] Dan Powers: “Feeling that man's embrace...I could not fathom getting hit by him.”
• Fanatics as a sports business powerhouse: the hosts marvel at its growth and scope [40:00].
• [42:53] Badge hierarchy shtick: Dan is “premier talent,” Chris only “talent,” and Ovechkin “talent guest,” leading to playful internal status bickering.
• [44:29] Fanatics Fest described as “the North Pole for sports fans.”
• [45:39] Observations that trading cards dominate the convention’s floor space.

7. The Tom Brady / Logan Paul WWE Spectacle

• [47:11 & beyond] Extensive, uncomfortably hilarious riffing on Tom Brady’s recent post-divorce moves, including potential WWE “beef” with Logan Paul.
  • Hosts question the authenticity (“keyfabe”) and business logic of the whole enterprise.
    • [53:37] Dan Powers: “We’re not going to criticize. We’re going to say, are you sure this is making you happy?”
• [60:06] Discussion on whether Brady’s kids are the real audience, with Grant positing “he’s just a dad trying to be cool to his kids.”

8. Open Championship / Bryson DeChambeau Ruling Debate

• [61:07] The hosts briefly pivot to golf, recapping the Open and Bryson’s controversial rules incident.
  • [62:51] Sean Buffini notes Rory’s “savage” comments toward Bryson, wishing for “a documentary about why those two hate each other.”
• [64:20] Dan Powers: “Golf’s rules are so lame…If my ball’s in the woods and there’s, like, a branch in the way, you should be able to break that fucking branch off, dude.”
• [66:59] Sean Buffini: "You know how fucking good these guys are at hitting a golf ball? Just let them hit the golf ball."
• The rule policing, culture of “self-governance,” and archaic traditions in golf are roasted to classic Empty Netters effect.

9. Air Travel Nightmare Stories

• [70:45+] Epic saga of delayed flights, lost baggage, and United’s systems meltdown for both Dan and Chris.
  • [71:10] Sean Buffini: “Dude, it was crazy. It was absolutely insane, dude.”
  • [80:39] Sean’s surreal in-flight encounter: A seatmate reveals his trip to Nashville is for a funeral for his “terrible” mother, segues into unsolicited pictures of Portuguese beef stew.
    • [85:24] “This is a beef stew I had in Portugal one time.”
• [86:46] Chris marooned in the Newark Airport for 14 hours. An Odyssey of delays, dashed hopes, and United Lounge cuisine.

10. Beer League Hotline: The Jersey Heist

• [93:54] Caller dilemma: ex-teammate left, took all the sponsored jerseys, won’t return, sponsor is one of the current team’s owners.
  • [94:28] Dan Powers: “Send him a collections notice. Also, the term collections notice is so…so national.”
  • Lively debate on whether to escalate, replace, or bill the thief.
    • [98:00] Dan: “What we have here is an absolute piece of shit, plain and simple.”
    • [98:17] “He will get shook enough that he goes, you paid for new jerseys. Here are the old jerseys. Then you have a home and away.”

11. Closing & Upcoming Content

• Tease for upcoming major interviews, including the Alex Ovechkin sit-down.
• Announcement: New YouTube segment diving into fantasy and sci-fi book reviews, starting with the Red Rising series: “the Sci Fi section is coming soon!”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Bedard deal:
  • [04:51] Dan Powers: “They’re all rich. They’re gonna change their name to Connor Richmond.”
  • [16:03] Sean Buffini: “...after the Leo deal, if he had said, give me 18, they would have gone, okay. Because what are we going to do?”
• On Mantha’s Redemption:
  • [31:08] Sean Buffini: “All I’m saying is, dude...Anthony Mantha is going to go, Jack, do these things, and then you will be fine. It is a wax on, wax off situation.”
  • [33:10] “Game five, he slides into the boards and he goes, here we go again...He hits the boards, ricochets off...Boards dent, implode.”
• On Tom Brady:
  • [60:06] Zachary Grant: “He's just a dad trying to be cool to his kids.”
  • [53:37] Dan Powers: “...we are here. We're not going to criticize. We're not going to insult. We're going to say, are you sure this is making you happy?”
• On United Airlines Hell:
  • [71:10] Sean Buffini: “Dude, it was crazy. It was absolutely insane, dude.”
  • [80:39] “He goes, are you going to Nashville for fun? And I go, yes…He goes, funeral.”
• On Beer League Betrayal:
  • [98:00] Dan Powers: “What we have here is an absolute piece of shit, plain and simple.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Connor Bedard Contract: 04:07 – 16:00
• Irish Names & Etymology Tangent: 08:44 – 13:30
• NHL Contract/Offer Sheet/Market Talk: 13:33 – 21:00
• NFL/NBA Contract Culture: 21:29 – 24:09
• Anthony Mantha Move: 24:21 – 35:06
• Fanatics Fest & Ovechkin: 36:43 – 46:05
• Tom Brady/Logan Paul WWE: 47:00 – 61:01
• Golf Segment (Bryson at The Open): 61:07 – 68:37
• United Airlines Saga: 70:45 – 93:50
• Beer League Hotline Jersey Heist: 93:54 – 99:53
• Closing Teases: 99:53 – end

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Final Thoughts

This episode is Empty Netters at its best — sharp hockey insights mixed with sprawling, self-aware tangents, locker room storytelling, playful clashing, and side-splitting absurdities. The Connor Bedard deal, and what it means for young NHL stars and cap management, anchors the analysis, while air travel hell, Patrick Kane’s future, and spontaneous name quizzes round out the laughs.

For fans of the sport and this show, every major NHL fan, beer leaguer, or sports pop culture obsessive will find something to howl about.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Dan Powers]

Welcome to the Empty Netters podcast.

[Sean Buffini]

Can you believe what this has become? There was a full 48 hours where I felt like I was like literally Superman.

[Zachary Grant]

Jumbo loves playing Fortnite. So does he. Gets on the sticks.

[Dan Powers]

Did TR show you the sauna cycle

[Chris Powers]

or was that all you did?

[Sean Buffini]

No, I invented that. Almost a year now that I haven't taken a body check. That's kind of nice.

[Dan Powers]

So we are back. We are horned up and we are going deep.

[Zachary Grant]

Finished tonight with some chicken fingers and a few Guinnesses.

[Sean Buffini]

Ran into you guys.

[Dan Powers]

And that's where this pod came to life. Ice is ready. And we're back with another episode of the MG Netters podcast, brought to you by BetMGM. I'm your host, Dan Powers. We've got a special situation here because we both got the buff man, Sean Buffini and Zachary Grant on the sticks. You got a sick shirt on, Grant.

[Sean Buffini]

Thank you.

[Dan Powers]

It kind of looks like our wrinkle shirt, but it's for the sec.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

Southeastern Conference, baby.

[Dan Powers]

And then of course, over here, Chris Powers.

[Sean Buffini]

As always, no roast today.

[Dan Powers]

Yes, no roast today.

[Sean Buffini]

God, that is good.

[Dan Powers]

Because your great shirt is kind of matching your hat and I'm proud of you.

[Sean Buffini]

Shout out, Brooksie. Sick hat, Grant.

[Dan Powers]

I was.

[Chris Powers]

We were. Gosh.

[Zachary Grant]

Where?

[Dan Powers]

Oh, at Fanatics Fest, which we'll talk about in a second. There was a big sign and poster for the sec and I was just looking at the sec. That is the most insane division in sports ever.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, that. They get mad about this. They get mad.

[Zachary Grant]

We do talk about the fact that we are the absolute best conference in the world.

[Dan Powers]

Ridiculous. Every single team other than Vanderbilt, no offense, Vanderbilt is like.

[Zachary Grant]

Vanderbilt's kind of nice right now.

[Sean Buffini]

They.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, because that. Well, is he gone?

[Zachary Grant]

He's gone. Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

What was his name?

[Zachary Grant]

Diego Pavia.

[Dan Powers]

Pavia.

[Zachary Grant]

That's. I actually witnessed, dude, him not getting

[Dan Powers]

any Heisman looks was insane.

[Zachary Grant]

Well, when you. When you're kind of shit talking Mendoza going the clubbing in the party and all that stuff, you know, hey, that

[Dan Powers]

type of stuff is my Heisman winner. Me too. I want my Heisman winner doing that shit.

[Zachary Grant]

I'm with it, but at the same time, like I'm. Poppy's got some crazy stories, dude. I witnessed his coming out game was when he was at New Mexico and he beat the shit out of Auburn. And it was embarrassing, heartbreaking, and I had to shoot all of it. And then he like went in and

[Sean Buffini]

was like to us on the field

[Zachary Grant]

and I was like, thanks, Diego Fabio.

[Sean Buffini]

Like, oh, he's Raven?

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Didn't you go in like the sixth round too or something? Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah. Danny Seisman.

[Sean Buffini]

Mendoza's a disavow.

[Dan Powers]

This.

[Sean Buffini]

Hey.

[Dan Powers]

Disavow is a. That is not an empty Netter statement. That is a Chris Power state.

[Sean Buffini]

First of all, he is a bust. Nope. Second of all, he was mean to locks.

[Zachary Grant]

He was mean to locks.

[Dan Powers]

He was super mean to locks. That was ass.

[Sean Buffini]

So you are a bitch. And third of all, you, sir, are a complete liar and a fraud and a phony and an actor. Everything Danny was saying about Caleb on Love island is true about Mendoza in real life. It's a complete performance. He is not that guy at all. He just thought it would help his image and it did. He wrote it all the way to a Heisman off one cubic level.

[Dan Powers]

I could have the lights in here. More like the hold the phone lights. I feel like I'm getting fucking blasted every time we record this show. Like, this is way better.

[Sean Buffini]

This, it's pitch black.

[Dan Powers]

No, it's like I'm even looking at myself on screen. I don't look like Casper the Friendly Ghost anymore.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, but it looks so much darker on YouTube after. Like when we blast Casper the Friendly Ghost and I watch on YouTube, I go, wow, that was barely lit. And now this might be Pitch Black on YouTube when they watch it.

[Zachary Grant]

No, we'll get it right. We'll make it look right.

[Dan Powers]

I think we should get it.

[Chris Powers]

Comments. Decide.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah,

[Zachary Grant]

we need the mood lighting. Dan.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, man, we got a great episode today. We've got a ton of fun stuff to talk about. A lot of sad stuff to talk about too. Not like real world sad, but just like our lives sad. Because our lives aren't real, nor do they matter. Yeah, let's jump right into hockey stuff and get into Connor Bedard.

[Sean Buffini]

He did it.

[Dan Powers]

Signs 5 years by 15 mil a year locked up in Chicago. I absolutely love it.

[Sean Buffini]

It's a happy day. It's a happy day in Chicago. I think it's great for Blackhawks fans. It's a great deal. This is tremendous, tremendous business. It sounds like pretty legitimate business.

[Dan Powers]

All business wise. This feels like pretty legitimate business.

[Sean Buffini]

That is ba darned right now. I like this movement of the. And I think Leo even did this by accident. But this, this five year thing for the 20 year olds is incredible because now they get paid. Dude, it used to be like you turn 22, you sign your eight year deal. Yeah, you sign your one more eight year. If you're nasty.

[Dan Powers]

These dude, these guys are gonna sign again another five at 25, and then another five at 30. These kids, they figured it out. They're all rich. They're gonna change their name to Connor Richmond.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, that would be sick if that was all of their last names. If you. You know how, like, if you become a Stark, you're a Stark, but if you're a bastard, you're Snow.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And in the north, if you become

[Dan Powers]

rich, you become a rich man.

[Sean Buffini]

If your contract is over 14.99 mil. AAV, you have to change your last name to Richmond.

[Dan Powers]

Can you believe that in the 90s, there was a young kid and they actually made a movie about him. It's a nonfiction movie.

[Zachary Grant]

It's a.

[Dan Powers]

It's a biopic about a young, rich boy and whose name was literally Richie Rich.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. And what was his last name? Rich. It was Rich. Even his name was Richie Rich.

[Dan Powers]

Richard Rich.

[Sean Buffini]

God, that movie was incredible.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, dude. Dad not Found.

[Sean Buffini]

Dad not Found.

[Dan Powers]

There were a couple of movies about young rich kids. Well, dude, one was factually accurate. One was factually inaccurate. One was called Blank Check, which was. And that dumb fuck wrote a check for himself for only 1. $1 million. And then the next scene is him moving into a house. That is approximately $10 million.

[Zachary Grant]

Was it trading Place. I mean, Trading Places, too.

[Dan Powers]

That also. Also a biopic is.

[Sean Buffini]

Is blank check. It's $1 million.

[Dan Powers]

He literally writes on that check, 1 million. And I.

[Sean Buffini]

Who is the check from?

[Dan Powers]

He gets, like, hit by a car by some, like, big, rich douchebag. And the guy, he's like, I'll write you a check to make this problem go away. And he, like, just runs away without filling out the number.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And the kid's like, my God. So he fills in $1 million, and then, of course, nothing happens. There's no people who ask questions or, you know, there's no barriers to entry. Yeah, the bank went like this. This looks legit.

[Sean Buffini]

Incredible.

[Dan Powers]

Million dollars.

[Sean Buffini]

Preston Walters. That's the kid's name in that movie.

[Dan Powers]

In Blank Check.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

Let's see.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, he just. He gets a million dollars. Oh, no, there's. There's a. The bank teller is an undercover FBI agent. He's investigating the original guy for money laundering.

[Dan Powers]

Even this movie. So now, wait, you tell me. The plot of that movie is that undercover bank teller sees that happen and now goes like this. This guy is now laundering money through a kid?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, dude. Like, actually insane. This is like a huge. This movie is like a massive FBI staying operation movie.

[Dan Powers]

That's actually pretty sweet.

[Sean Buffini]

That is incredible. That's Pretty sweet. And Rich's last name is Rich. Richard Richie Rich Jr. His dad is also Richie Rich.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. Richard Rich the First.

[Sean Buffini]

And then Regina Rich is the. The mark.

[Dan Powers]

Do you think that Richard Rich the first went around finding. He was like, I can only marry a woman whose name is at least relatively close. Needs to certainly begin with an R. Yeah. But it needs to be relatively close to Richard.

[Sean Buffini]

I wonder if there was a better R name for her. Regina.

[Dan Powers]

Regina Rich. Rochelle. Rochelle. Maybe Rochelle's better.

[Sean Buffini]

Royal Royale. Rich. That's kind of.

[Dan Powers]

I think Rachel is even better than Regina. Rachel Rich. Rachel Rich.

[Sean Buffini]

God, dude.

[Dan Powers]

Rich.

[Sean Buffini]

And then, you know how they go. They go. No teams won the cup with two guys making over 10 million. Now we would go. No team has ever won the cup with two Richmonds.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And there's only been one Richmond engraved on the cup at once.

[Dan Powers]

You know when. Like, early days when you would get, like, you meet someone named something. Mason. You were like, this guy probably came from a family of stonemasons.

[Chris Powers]

Never met a Mason in my entire life.

[Sean Buffini]

You've never met anyone named Mason?

[Chris Powers]

I've never met anyone. Well, I don't know many people.

[Sean Buffini]

Tis the life of a people.

[Dan Powers]

Well, I feel like. Didn't you grow up in Ireland with several people whose last names probably. The etymology of said name was probably something that their ancestors did usually, like.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah. I mean, you get a lot of, like, Irish words obviously, being turned into, like, last names.

[Dan Powers]

Give us, as an example.

[Chris Powers]

I don't know.

[Sean Buffini]

Potatoes.

[Dan Powers]

Well, you end up with, like. Of course.

[Chris Powers]

You end up like, like, Fitzgerald, for example, or, like, there's like, a Fitzgerald, like, Kingdom tribe thing. That was, like, long ago. And so you end up with people with the name Fitzgerald because they would have originated from those people. And then that's kind of like you have a whole bunch of, like, different kingdoms and stuff that have just kind of, like, homogenized into a family name. And then you end up with. I mean, I know in a lot of the world, you end up with suns. Oh, yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Big time. In Scandinavia.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Chris Powers]

You get a lot of that.

[Dan Powers]

So, yeah, I mean, you. You want to go down a dark hole, you can. Especially in, like, UK or in England and then early US Settlers, you'll find a lot of last names. Like, don't look into the history of the last name Freeman, because it's gonna

[Sean Buffini]

make you sad, Sean.

[Dan Powers]

So I'm sitting here being like. Or the first Richmond that someone met. They must have been like, this guy comes from money.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. This guy's rich. As hell.

[Dan Powers]

They couldn't figure out what to call him. And they just went, what do we know about this guy? He has all the money in the village. He is.

[Sean Buffini]

The word rich. Rich come from, though.

[Dan Powers]

We can't. That's a totally different podcast.

[Sean Buffini]

Sean, what do you think the 10. The top 10 most common?

[Dan Powers]

We'll start a podcast called the Vocab Lab, and then we'll just.

[Zachary Grant]

What if.

[Chris Powers]

What if the word rich comes from a guy named Rich who was very wealthy? We're thinking of it the wrong way around.

[Sean Buffini]

How did he get. Yeah. Oh, that's what I'm saying.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. Like, rich might have just been a noise that someone was like, that's a good name, Rich.

[Sean Buffini]

Because they go. They go.

[Dan Powers]

And then they went like this. This fucking dude, Rich has so much money. What do we call that?

[Sean Buffini]

Well, this guy's got a ton of money. And they go, how much? Like. Like rich.

[Dan Powers]

And they go, he's got rich money.

[Sean Buffini]

And they go, yes. And he goes, so he's also rich. And I go, yeah, call. Let's call him Rich.

[Dan Powers]

That dude's got rich money.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

Now that's what Rich means, Sean.

[Dan Powers]

Now Connor Bedard is named Connor Richmond.

[Sean Buffini]

Top 10 most common surnames in Ireland. How many think you can get.

[Chris Powers]

Let me go with o'. Neill.

[Sean Buffini]

O'. Neill. No, strike one. What? That's in the honorable mention. That's crazy. It says a few other extremely common surnames that often appear just outside the top 10 include O'. Neill.

[Chris Powers]

All right, let's. Let's go with Fitzgerald.

[Sean Buffini]

Fitzgerald. Also an honorable mention strike, too.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, my God. In the world, you are a fraudulent Irishman.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah, I guess I've been here too long. Let me think.

[Sean Buffini]

We've Americanized him. He's like. He's like, Smith Yamada.

[Zachary Grant]

We're getting him, right? He's gonna be like, Holland soon, and he's gonna be full on, like, Freddy.

[Sean Buffini]

I think. I think these are really hard, by the way. Number one, you should definitely get. Number seven, you should definitely get.

[Chris Powers]

Is Murphy in there?

[Sean Buffini]

Murphy's one.

[Chris Powers]

Murphy's one.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep. Do you have any guesses?

[Dan Powers]

I'm looking at a list right now, and O' Neill is on it.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, O' Neill's 11 on ChatGPT, so I. I mean, you should get all of these.

[Chris Powers]

Really?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. Are pretty hard.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, okay.

[Sean Buffini]

I'm on.

[Dan Powers]

I just. I went with Gemini.

[Sean Buffini]

Okay. Okay. Shout out Gemini, quick, Google one.

[Chris Powers]

Murphy is one, Murphy's one.

[Dan Powers]

Do you want me to just tell you?

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Number two is Kelly.

[Zachary Grant]

Yep.

[Chris Powers]

That's what I. Kelly. Yeah, that makes sense.

[Dan Powers]

Byrne, Walsh.

[Sean Buffini]

That was six on mine.

[Dan Powers]

I'm getting o' Brien here.

[Sean Buffini]

That's five on mine.

[Dan Powers]

I'm getting Ryan now.

[Sean Buffini]

That was six on mine.

[Dan Powers]

O', Connor.

[Sean Buffini]

That's eight on mine.

[Dan Powers]

O', Neill.

[Sean Buffini]

O'. Sullivan. That's the one I thought you should have got.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah, Osullivan's.

[Dan Powers]

And then this one's great.

[Sean Buffini]

Doyle.

[Chris Powers]

Doyle.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, yeah, that's nine on mine. And then 10 on mine is McCarthy.

[Chris Powers]

Go ahead and ask Chachi Beatty there. Is Disney an Irish name?

[Dan Powers]

What?

[Sean Buffini]

That would be. Whoops.

[Dan Powers]

Is Disney an Irish name?

[Sean Buffini]

Yes. Dude, it says this is.

[Dan Powers]

No, Disney is originally a French Norman name.

[Chris Powers]

Oh, so wait, it comes from the yes. And Dan has a no.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, mine says funny, but mine says this. Yes, Disney is an Irish surname. Although it's relatively uncommon in Ireland today. The surname is generally believed to have Norman French origins, not Gaelic Irish origins. The family likely came to Ireland and England following the Norman invasions in the 11th and 12th century. But over time, branches of the Disney family settled in Ireland, particularly in countries. Counties such as Kilkenny.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, I was gonna say this does say Walt Disney's family roots in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

[Sean Buffini]

So yes, you guys took it. That's actually sick, dude.

[Dan Powers]

The hidden Irish tribute. Walt Disney hid in the Disneyland park. Whoa. What the fuck? What is that?

[Sean Buffini]

Is that true?

[Chris Powers]

Apparently we just infect everywhere. No matter where you go, we're a plague.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. And you know about plagues, pal.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

All right. Anyway, Connor Bedard, Connor Bernard.

[Sean Buffini]

I heard he wanted four, they wanted seven.

[Dan Powers]

Obviously that's what they say.

[Sean Buffini]

They meet in the middle. I think this answers the question, the Leo debate. We were having more than Mack. Like you kept saying, like, when Mac takes 15, it doesn't matter because Max. Max different. I think this helps answer that question more. Where no one is going to go 18.

[Dan Powers]

Dude. This absolutely does do that. And I now think these guys. I think Bedard. I think we'll see what Cutter does. I think that's like the most fascinating. But I think Bedard, I think Macklin, I think so many of these other guys are going to make Leo look like a jackalope. Yes, I really do. I think that there's going to be a wave of these guys realizing, wait a minute, 15 mil is still so much money. And this is. I was talking to Shout out Nick at working in hockey. I was talking to him about this. This is a huge. You know when. When we posted this, a bunch of people came in, the comments being like overpay over. And I'm like, no, it's not at all.

[Sean Buffini]

What are. You were saying that what people were saying.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, yeah, tons of people. But, you know, they're haters.

[Chris Powers]

They're.

[Dan Powers]

They're people who don't like the Blackhawks or don't like Bedard, and they're like, overpay. Overpay. Overpay. Or with the market, with what people are getting paid with his situation specifically in Chicago, who has literally no money on the books, which is weird because Byram just signed a fat deal. This is not an overpay at all. And more so than that, what we kept saying was, dude, when it gets to this big 3 million a year, less is so much less.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, my.

[Dan Powers]

Especially when you consider Conor as the first overall pick. Leo went second. The fact that Bedard is like, I just. We just signed at the exact same time, and I signed for 3 million less than him, and I went 1 and he went to. It's just such a good look for Chicago. It's a good look for Conor. I think it's. This, an amazing deal.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, this is. And, dude, the old tip.

[Dan Powers]

And he's rich.

[Sean Buffini]

The old tip of the cap from me to bedsy for going 15. Because you are Richmond now. This is a great deal. And. And you wanted to be there. So here's my. Here's my question to you, dude. I think that the Blackhawks, I heard them say. I heard. I heard this from someone from a source that the Blackhawks were so appreciative of Bedard's camp going, how about 15? Because after the Leo deal, if he had said, give me 18, they would have gone, okay, because what are we going to do? You have all the leverage in the world. You go, Leo Carlson. And I'm not knocking Leo Carlson.

[Chris Powers]

He's incredible.

[Sean Buffini]

But if you go, leo Carlson just got 18. I am certainly getting 18.

[Chris Powers]

Correct.

[Sean Buffini]

They would have to do it with that in mind. I'm actually kind of shocked teams didn't weaponize that fact. And it just fire offer sheets at him for 18 without even wanting him going. I pray to God he doesn't sign this. We just know that the Blackhawks will literally have to match this.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

Because they do. They have. They have all the money in the world. They cannot lose him. So I'm like, man, so many teams could have fucked the Hawks then I remembered, but he wouldn't have to have signed it.

[Dan Powers]

Yep.

[Sean Buffini]

So. And dude, do you think if an offer sheet goes out, do we hear about it no matter what?

[Dan Powers]

Apparently People keep saying the only way we hear about it is if the player signs. That's what I was thinking, but with today's media, I don't believe that I. There's part of me that's like, in what world would this not leak?

[Sean Buffini]

Right. Okay, so then, yeah, then I'm gonna operate under. No one sent.

[Dan Powers]

Sure.

[Sean Buffini]

So I'm kind of like, how in the fuck did no team weaponize the fact that you could. You could plug the Hawks, Right?

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And just be like, I don't even want Bedard. I just want you to have to pay him 18 and ruin your. Your, your books.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

So I'm shocked by that. And then I'm. I think he. But I actually think he wouldn't have, like, let's say he wouldn't have signed it.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, he would have done. Yeah. It's an interesting thing for me. It's like so many people started talking about with the Chicago struggling and whatever. Whatever being. Being like, he's going to want out. He. I feel like he is so committed to Chicago and. Yeah, I don't think he would have signed anything. I. It's that weird balance of. I kept saying with Philly, I was like, I can't believe they did this because it did feel like a motherfucking to Anaheim.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

But I was like, what if he. What if they don't match, though? Now you have to pay him 18. Like, that is always the fear, right. Of sending an aggressive office read is if they go like this, take them.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And you go.

[Sean Buffini]

He's like, you send a fantasy football trade and you're like, oh, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, truly.

[Sean Buffini]

I know. Yeah, me too. That's the only trades I send, dude.

[Dan Powers]

So I absolutely love this for everyone involved. I think Bedard is, as we said last week, he is unbelievable. I am predicting career year from him when he gets back from surgery. He does have a bit of a. If you're going to be a Macklin, a Leo where you're convincing other guys to come to Chicago to accept a trade to Chicago to sign in free agency in Chicago, because let's be real, they are. That is an issue for them right now. I think the Bowen Byron thing is big. Bowen obviously couldn't do anything about it, but he gets traded there, but he then signs a fat ticket there. So it's like, you've got a great young defenseman, puck moving defenseman, offensive minded has won a cup now you've got Bedard signed up. You've got Nazar signed up on an insanely good deal. You hope that this is now enough of being like, hey, boom, five years. Connor's here, we're doing this thing, and it makes people go, yep, I'm coming. Let's go. A lot of chatter right now about Patrick Kane. He hasn't signed. People are going, is he going to come home?

[Sean Buffini]

I actually don't even like that him to the Hawks. I don't even like. I don't like that for. For anybody. Because a. Well, I guess it would be. Maybe it'll be fun for him.

[Dan Powers]

Maybe sick. It's like. It's where he played his whole career. I get it. But like I'm telling you right now, as someone who loves Patrick Kane, I'm telling you Blackhawks fans that the only thing that that would do would be a nice bit of nostalgia for you to see Patrick Kane come finish his career. There he is not getting this team over the edge.

[Sean Buffini]

Hell no. In fact, he should go to Buffalo. Finally. Remember, we've been screaming Taz did it.

[Dan Powers]

Like, Patrick Kane is a perfect. Put Patrick Kane on a team where he's playing second or third line that is already a massive contender.

[Sean Buffini]

Chance, dude, we got. We met that kid at Fanatics Fest who got Kane to sign the Buffalo thing.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, that was.

[Sean Buffini]

How gas would that be for that kid if Kane now goes to Buffalo? Sell that for a billion dollars. Yes, that's correct. Okay, but what was your larger point about Bedard being. Being the guy attracting people?

[Dan Powers]

What?

[Sean Buffini]

You said, if you're gonna be a guy attracting free agents. And then you kind of went on. We went on a cane tangent.

[Dan Powers]

Well, no, I'm just saying this is a good step for getting.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

Okay.

[Sean Buffini]

I like that He's.

[Dan Powers]

He's committed five years. Like, let's go, dude.

[Sean Buffini]

No, it's. It's. It's awesome. I think he's. He's here for the long haul and this was a perfect deal.

[Dan Powers]

It's also.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, it must be sick to have. No, not. No pressure. You're a very high paid player. But to just. You're not the highest paid guy. You know, it's actually kind of nice to not. Absolutely not have. You're like, what, Dude, I took a pretty good contract and I'm very good.

[Dan Powers]

It's the same. It's genuinely the same thing as. It's not the same thing. It's kind of similar to that phrase of don't be the nicest house on the block.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

You never want to be the. You do not want to be the Highest paid guy in the league for more than five seconds. What if.

[Sean Buffini]

What a. I wouldn't wish that upon my worst enemy, dude. Being the highest paid player in any position.

[Dan Powers]

If I was the best player in the league, truly. And I. If I was up to sign a new contract or extension at the same time as someone else, I would literally tell my agent, I'd be like this, just wait, wait and see what they do and then sign for a dollar less. One dollar.

[Zachary Grant]

Dude. It's so funny because so many guys are like, I have to sign for a dollar more. I need to sign for a dollar more. I cannot exist without signing for a dollar more.

[Dan Powers]

Yes. And those people are dumb, dude.

[Sean Buffini]

I also think football has it really funny because in Hawk. Well, there's definitely brackets for defensemen, for goalies, and then for forwards.

[Zachary Grant]

Every position has a dollar.

[Sean Buffini]

But football specifically has kind of like quarterback is its own thing. And it's actually hilarious.

[Dan Powers]

What do we think is two wide receiver.

[Zachary Grant]

Two. You would actually be surprised.

[Dan Powers]

It's probably not. What do we think?

[Zachary Grant]

It's almost offensive lineman.

[Dan Powers]

And it's.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah, o lineman and receivers. But receivers are like normally that number two. And then, then it goes offensive linemen and corners. And then your linebackers will also be under there.

[Dan Powers]

But those, I'm going to be honest, get paid. There are a lot of things in the NFL that. Well, in the NFL in general, but that GMs coaches do that. I'm like, you guys are actually dumb. I mean, sometimes I watch NFL coaches and their clock management and I'm like this, A fourth grader could do this better than you were. And I mean, I stand by that statement.

[Zachary Grant]

CTE is a real thing. Okay. Yeah. These guys have all played ball and

[Dan Powers]

then they end up, you know, they become a coach. It's actually true. It's actually true. That makes total sense to me. Yeah. Like when it's. Frankly, if I. If you look at football from a Moneyball standpoint, it's like, who should I. I think it should be quarterback. And then offensive line.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

So I'm like, good job.

[Sean Buffini]

I. I was gonna. What I was gonna say is quarterback is so funny that they 100% do the. Like, if I'm good, the next contract, I'm the guy. And Bowen Byron's actually a funny. Probably the closest example I can think of in hockey. But hockey doesn't really fuck like that where if you are a good forward and you're. You're up, you get a bag. But you're like not getting more than McDavid Exactly.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

But in the NFL, there's windows in time where they're like, dak Prescott is the highest paid player in the league.

[Dan Powers]

The NBA does that too. Pouring out. Remember when Jaylen Brown was the highest paid player in the NBA?

[Zachary Grant]

I was like, do you guys remember the Steph Curry contract? Yeah, no, I love coming back to this one all the time because people forget about it. You know, Steph Curry was making 12 million when they first made that. Like, I know 12 million is a lot like a hockey player, but he was making 12 million during that 2016, 2015 run. Like, and because they. He had signed this like five year deal and they were like, oh, this is why this is so good. We have him forever. And then they just went. Paid everybody else. That's how they could afford Kevin Durant.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

Because he was already. He was at 12 million. So you just had the most global phenomenon everywhere, constantly, just everybody wanted to be him. And he's making $12 million a year, which in like NBA money is actually very, very.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, it's nothing, dude.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah, it's like role player money.

[Sean Buffini]

I love that because. Yeah.

[Chris Powers]

And.

[Sean Buffini]

And Byram being like the highest paid defenseman or close to. Right. Or is he.

[Dan Powers]

No, he is the highest.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. That's kind of the first example.

[Dan Powers]

It kicks in next year. But.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

What? All right, now I have another free agent topic. This one happened, I think Friday.

[Dan Powers]

I think so.

[Sean Buffini]

And I just want to bring it up because I think this is one of the most 4D chess moves Interesting. Of NHL signings in the history, boys.

[Chris Powers]

Okay.

[Sean Buffini]

Anthony Mantha had a great year last year.

[Dan Powers]

Sure did.

[Sean Buffini]

33 talks, 31 apples, 64 points in 81 games. Career highs across the board.

[Dan Powers]

Almost perfect hockey player territory. But he actually tipped over to the wrong side. To where the point where I'm like is you stink.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, as a wing, I almost accept.

[Dan Powers]

No, if you ever have more goals than assists, you are trash.

[Sean Buffini]

That's actually not a bad take. I don't hate that.

[Dan Powers]

It's true.

[Sean Buffini]

So he had an incredible year and was a big reason. I would say that Pitt was 100, all of a sudden competitive and a two seed or whatever they finished at.

[Chris Powers]

So he.

[Sean Buffini]

Every time there was the big rush of early free agents. Not that there was a huge class, but there's the Russia, really free agents. And then he was kind of lingering every time you would go to NHL.com, which I don't know why you're going to in the middle of summer, because there is no news. But if you did, the top headline was like, Cain Mantha, top free agents. Like, that was always the link. Boom. Manta signs. Okay. And he signs a two year, $9.5 million contract with the Devils. I'm completely fine. And dude, I actually, I don't know if you dug deep into this, but apparently everybody was one yearing him, including the Devils. And he was like, him and his camp were like, can we, Can I please get two years? I think he has young kids. And was like, I just don't want to move again. And the Devils finally came up to two and he took it after a great chat with the GM and blah, blah, blah. But I was also like that. He can't get a two year deal. 33 goals.

[Dan Powers]

I'm so rattled by this. Like, he's 31 years old. I'm like, good God, man.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, agree. Like, what is the world?

[Dan Powers]

What don't we know?

[Sean Buffini]

I can't get two years from this guy.

[Zachary Grant]

Can we? There's one thing that I really want to talk about that is getting very frustrating. And I'm seeing it as a consistent trend in sports. These GMs, y' all are like doing like, with that. Why can't he get two years? One GM will say he doesn't deserve two years, and then they all follow suit. Oh, nobody is willing to give them two years. Like, nobody's willing because one guy said it and they were all like, okay, yeah, yeah, dude.

[Sean Buffini]

And it's bullshit because they go, well, if I give him three and then he stinks, I'm the asshole and I get fired. Or. But I'm like, or you're the genius and he's incredible for three years and now your team's good.

[Zachary Grant]

Exactly.

[Sean Buffini]

Don't be a bitch, dude. It's a get fired league. You're gonna get fired in three years anyway, dude. Just get fired in three years. Make some swings.

[Dan Powers]

I would go down fucking guns blazing.

[Sean Buffini]

It would be insane.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

No matter what. It truly is Grant.

[Sean Buffini]

The most

[Dan Powers]

mob mentality business in the game. Which is why, dude, I don't think you were in the studio when we were talking about this. When I was going nuts about Stevie. Why Last week, remember that?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

This is kind of what I mean. I would just say shit all. I would just say exactly what I was doing so there wouldn't be any, like, what's going on? Like, I would tell every GM in the league, like, hey, this is what I think this guy is worth.

[Zachary Grant]

Exactly.

[Dan Powers]

Like, I would straight up, just talk.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Because it's like we have talked about. Dude, this is a spoiler alert, not a spoiler alert. We can dictate players salaries. I'm not kidding.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, correct.

[Dan Powers]

When we on a show like this and Chicklets, when they on a show like that, start talking about guys who have a contract coming up and we start fucking stroking them off, all of a sudden that hits Twitter and it's like trending on Twitter. And now everyone in the hockey world is like, oh, so and so is probably going to get around this range that affects things. Dude, that is ridiculous.

[Zachary Grant]

It is insane.

[Dan Powers]

But it's like that's why you gotta just start fucking running your mouth. Yeah, but it's like with this guy, I like, I would be so mad if I were Anthony Mantha and I just scored 33 goals in the National Hockey League and I was 31. And I was like, I finally did it. Yeah, I'm gonna get a five year deal. And everyone was like, this one year.

[Sean Buffini]

Try a one year prove it deal, you pussy. I'm like, I just proved it. Yeah, just. Dude, on your GM talk. Dan, I. When I, in my TV exec life, I. This happened to me so often. I would have these meetings with production companies because I was at the. I was on the network side and I'd have meetings with the production companies and they'd be like, you know, what is, what is your network looking for? We're trying to sell to you guys. And I would just be like, here's exactly what's happening. I just left a meeting. We have these shows. Here's exactly how many people are watching them. They're really underperforming. We are sad about it. We're getting yelled at by our bosses. And here's a show on this network we're really jealous of. Here's the exact budget we can spend and blah, blah. Just peek out, like all the truth that I hear in internal meetings. And production companies would be like this. Chris is the greatest executive of all time. And I was like, cause he tells the truth. Because I'm like, this is. I don't know why we're all lying to each other. What is the point if I lie to the production company, they bring me something I don't want and then I pass. Because I'm like, that was actually. We don't actually want that.

[Dan Powers]

Dude. I have said a million times, whenever you take a meeting with a producer and you go like this, what are you guys looking for? And they go, you know, like, nothing specifically. That producer sucks. And don't Trust them. Because even if that's what they're saying, they know what they are looking for. Because they sit in those meetings and a good producer will tell you the fucking truth. Because that's how you get things made. It is crazy. Just say what is happening. You will actually get something good done. It's craziness.

[Sean Buffini]

It is. It is craziness.

[Dan Powers]

Craziness.

[Sean Buffini]

So anyway, man, the signs of the Devils. Great deal for the Devils. I wish he got more years and more money, but great deal for the Devils. And here's what I was thinking.

[Dan Powers]

Here's why you love this movie.

[Sean Buffini]

Here's why I love it, dude. So. And the early lines. You have him with Brat and Jack. And that's a sick. That's a great line. If he gives you the production he gave you this year, that is a fucking fantastic line. So what I loved, dude, is Jack Hughes is coming off gold medal. And Jack, don't forget, dude. Remember, gold medal. Or I should say Olympics. On. Jack had the. Was the best player in the league.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

So Jack. Oh yeah, Jack was buzzing. But don't forget that Jack is a little bubble wrappy. We gotta. We gotta take care of Jack. Gotta protect Jack. He couldn't even get to the Olympics without having a stick smashed across his face and losing half his teeth. Okay? And we need to protect Jack. And I know he says I will be protected, but every year something fucking happens. Cut. Fucking cut my hand open. You know, Some bullshit. Anthony Manta is a good hockey player.

[Dan Powers]

Yes.

[Sean Buffini]

And that will help Jack. But more importantly, Anthony Manta had the injury bug horribly at the beginning of his career and then also tore his ACL in 2024. And they even. They were even saying like, do you even want to play hockey anymore? You get hurt so much. And he said, I don't know, to be honest with you. And then he said, you know what? I am going to make sure I am durable from this moment forward. And then bang. He gives you 81 games and career highs. Everything.

[Dan Powers]

And you know why? You know who he spent his summer with?

[Sean Buffini]

Who?

[Dan Powers]

Tom Brady and Alex Carrera.

[Sean Buffini]

And he got pliable. And all I. All I'm saying is, dude, you. Hey. I'm gonna start sending videos of me stretching on the rug. And I'm gonna say, this is Chris

[Dan Powers]

CP stretches on a rug in our office every day. It's very weird.

[Zachary Grant]

Under.

[Dan Powers]

Under a basketball and you're the most injured you've ever been.

[Sean Buffini]

No, it's true. Not true.

[Dan Powers]

What do you mean? You. Your groin is literally torn off. Your body, as we speak actually is true. You are, you are a piece of shit.

[Sean Buffini]

But I didn't stretch at all. I didn't stretch at all last week. You can't, you can't take it off, Dan. If you take it off. See, it's like once you get in a rhythm.

[Dan Powers]

Do we actually know? I mean, I do I make the joke that Anthony Manta spent his summer with Tom Brady. Do we actually know what he did?

[Sean Buffini]

No, he. I don't know what he did. We should ask him. But this is my point. He did something.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And then now he gets to Miyagi Jack.

[Dan Powers]

Yes.

[Sean Buffini]

Like he's. Yes, I'm here for the 60 points. Thank you.

[Dan Powers]

Yes.

[Sean Buffini]

But also I'm here that Mantha is going to go, jack, do these things. And then you will be fine. It is a wax on, wax off situation, Dan. A career high points on a going shoulder first into the boards.

[Dan Powers]

Off, off.

[Sean Buffini]

This is what we're doing.

[Dan Powers]

Heavy off.

[Sean Buffini]

Like, what is like, you know how Miyagi makes him wash the car?

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And then he's like, oh, shit, that's amazing.

[Dan Powers]

You were teaching me how to fight.

[Sean Buffini]

What is man? What does man to do to Jack hanging out chores wise that Jack then realizes, oh my God, I don't know. You're teaching me how to protect myself. I think they do. I think he does slip and slides with him all summer for sure. And he's doing something.

[Dan Powers]

Slides.

[Sean Buffini]

And then Jack goes like this.

[Dan Powers]

He's got to work on his shoulder strength, right?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. And then he goes, oh, my God, you were teaching me how to slide into the boards.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And he goes, wasn't that fun?

[Dan Powers]

What is something that makes you go like this? What is something that makes you shoulder press and you don't even realize it? He's got kids, man. That's kids.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

He's gonna go, hey, can you put my kid up on this?

[Sean Buffini]

No, he's doing this thing. He goes, jack, the kids throw the

[Dan Powers]

kids in the pool.

[Sean Buffini]

Come hang with my kids, they love getting tossed in the pool. Jack tosses the kids in the pool all summer. And then game five, next thing you

[Dan Powers]

know, he's has the biggest shoulders you've ever seen.

[Sean Buffini]

Game five, he catches an edge, he gets pushed off the puck. He slides into the boards and he goes like this, sliding into the boards. He goes, here we go again. Yeah, it's my whole season. And he hits the boards, ricochets off.

[Dan Powers]

No, no, the boards dent, implode.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Smash into a million pieces. They have to stop the Game and bring in new boards.

[Sean Buffini]

Jack gets up, starts going like this and he's like. Feels completely fine. And he looks at the over to the bench and Mantis there and he

[Dan Powers]

goes, no, dude, Mantha goes like this. He goes and just nods to him and then gets up and walks down the tunnel and retires. Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

What did the kids come out and

[Dan Powers]

they're like, thank you for throwing me in the pool all those times.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, yeah. No, no. That's what Mantha does. He goes. He nods yes. And then the kids, his kids are sitting right behind the bench, you know,

[Dan Powers]

and they go like this.

[Sean Buffini]

And Jack. Jack realizes.

[Dan Powers]

And both these kids are dressed like old men from the 1950s.

[Sean Buffini]

Yes, Dan.

[Dan Powers]

And they just go. They're like wearing like a weather like a wool cap.

[Sean Buffini]

And they. And we realize they aren't even Hitmanthus kids.

[Dan Powers]

They're paid actors.

[Sean Buffini]

They're paid actors that would Jack through in the pool this whole time.

[Dan Powers]

And next thing you know, Jack Hughes never gets injured again.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, he will never be hurt again. And here comes the hundred points for all of you. Bet mgmers if you want that. Jack, he's never done 100. If you want the over, under. This is the year you put Mantha next to him. He plays with the kids all summer. This is the time we'll never hurt his shoulder again. It will be completely fine because he now has a Miyagi with him who is. Who was on these exact crossroads. Dan. He said, I don't even know if I like hockey anymore. I get hurt so much. And then look at him now. Look at him now. He's a Richmond. Boom. He's actually got fucked. He's not a Richmond, but he should be a Richmond. Yeah. And now it's gonna happen to Jack.

[Dan Powers]

Okay, I love that. I mean, listen, I love it.

[Sean Buffini]

Signing of the summer.

[Dan Powers]

I do think this is tough sledding for Mantha. He should have gotten more money, should be rich. But he is now going to be a New Jersey hero forever because he's going to save Jack Hughes's life.

[Zachary Grant]

Who cares if you get a cup?

[Dan Powers]

Exactly.

[Zachary Grant]

Straight up. Who cares if you get a cup?

[Sean Buffini]

It's all about being healthy. As long as we have our health, we can't complain about it.

[Dan Powers]

We say it all the time. The best ability is availability. And Anthony Manta is about to make Jack Hughes more available than ever, which sucks for Tate McRae. She was not, will not be happy about that. Yeah, she's gonna say, whoa, whoa, you're not available.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And he's Gonna go. I'm talking about a different kind of availability. And she's gonna go, oh, okay, great.

[Sean Buffini]

She's nobody's girl. It's fantastic.

[Dan Powers]

All right, let's take a quick ad break, then hop back into some fanatics fest talk.

[Sean Buffini]

All right, everybody. The World cup is over. And now everyone thinks I don't place bets anymore. Incorrect. Incorrect. The Red Sox have won 13 straight games. I just bet on them to win 25 straight games. Do you have any idea how much money I'm about to make by mid August? Because BetMGM cooks all season. And by the way, football's almost here, hockey is basically almost here, which makes me want to vomit. But that's how quickly the sports world moves. BETMGM is there every step of the way. And if you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, I want you to use that bonus code, netters. That's N E T T E R S when you sign up. And if you do that, if you log on and you use netters, you get a $1,500 new player offer on your first wager. Is that insane? That's how crazy they are. 1500 bucks for just signing up. You have no idea how much damage I could do with $1,500. I might create a fake identity. Re sign up for BetMGM. Use promo code netters just to get that new player offer. My Red Sox bet will go to the moon. So download that app right now. You deposit at least 10 bucks, place a wager on any game, and if that bet loses, bang. 1500 bucks. Bucks in bonus bets. Unbelievable. You get cool stuff like second chance promos, odds boost tokens, same game parlays, and there is so much more because BetMGM always makes it legendary.

[Dan Powers]

We just got back from fanatics fest and I. I don't even know what to say. We don't need to make this segment too long because obviously we've got a great interview coming in future episodes with a great interview that we had there.

[Sean Buffini]

I think everyone knows because they saw.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, yeah. It's an unbelievable interview with Alex Ovechkin. It was fucking awesome time. One of the greatest moments of my career.

[Sean Buffini]

1,000%. And dude, he is the man.

[Dan Powers]

He is. He's everything everyone says.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

It's been so cool getting so close with guys like LT and Osh and Brooksie and, you know, getting the stories about. Oh. Because he does feel like a fictional character.

[Sean Buffini]

Yes.

[Dan Powers]

Him and Sid are like. They're kind of untouchable. They're very Private. They don't do a ton of media stuff and you just hear stories and you're like, wow. Like, he just seems so awesome too. So to get to spend some time with him and him live up to every single thing I've ever heard was unbelievable, dude.

[Sean Buffini]

My favorite part is he goes, one of the questions we were asking was about the goal chase.

[Dan Powers]

Don't even tease it. Don't even tease it. I just want people to get the interview and enjoy it.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, he's a legend, but he's also a machine.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, my God.

[Sean Buffini]

I dapped him up and I was

[Dan Powers]

like, when you look at people talk about the goals all the time, my favorite thing about O is the hits. To be the greatest goal scorer in the history of the game and also be so high up on the all time hits chart is. I don't. It's insane. No one, no one will ever sniff that. That connection.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Ever again. Feeling that man's embrace. I could not fathom getting hit by him. Oh, and how fast he goes too. Especially, you know, like earlier in his career. Holy. He puts you through a wall.

[Sean Buffini]

Fucking obliterated. There are no amount of children throwing into pools that could save your shoulders from it.

[Dan Powers]

You could throw a giant sized child and it would not heal you from what O is going to do to you.

[Chris Powers]

God.

[Sean Buffini]

But doing a show in front of a live audience is awesome. We've done that a few times now. We did one with Mr. Buffini in LA that was incredible. But we got to be doing more of that. That was great. The audience there, the crowd there was awesome. The fellas, the amount of famous people at Fanatics Fest was staggering. You can't even walk to the bathroom without walking by an entourage.

[Dan Powers]

Sean, you're not the biggest sportsman.

[Chris Powers]

Correct.

[Dan Powers]

But you can still appreciate the sportsmen that were there. And it was like, I arrived and Grant, I think I told you this. I arrived and walked in the door and the first person that walked by me was Webby. And like seeing that fucking 7 foot 6 alien in person, I'll tell you what, dude, I am a above average height human being, but when that man walked by me and his belt was at my forehead, I was like, what the fuck is going on, dude?

[Sean Buffini]

Like, this guy is huge, dude. It was crazy because there was a ton of athletes, but there was also fighters and that, like. And it was kind of crazy walking by these dudes with their belts and they're just like, dude, that guy would kill me.

[Dan Powers]

Then like we had. I mean, it was great, dude. Like JB was there. Yep, Brady's there.

[Sean Buffini]

So here's a question I have for you guys. Oh also this though. Cards are.

[Dan Powers]

Wait, can I time out quick to get it? I just want to quickly say this, this is. There's no ad here. This is just me talking. It is remarkable what Fanatics has become, Dan. Like dude, Fanatics is what if not the. It is one of the biggest companies in sports. What they are doing every day, the people that they work with, they have relations more and better relationships with more prominent professional athletes than any other company or entity on earth. And them pulling off that event over three days, four days, whatever was fucking mind blowing. It was mind blowing what they are doing. And I'm like dude, gotta tip your cap to fucking Ruben because holy shit. Fanatics is a wagon. Wagon.

[Chris Powers]

So again as previously established, I don't know a whole heap about sports balls but the Fanatics is a card trading company, is that right?

[Zachary Grant]

No, they're a jersey supply company. So they basically they're kind of a sports memorabilia company. Overall, etc. They supply but they are the larger, like the almost the most available jersey provider in the world. They kind of take a lot of the official jerseys that are normally like 120, 130, 140 bucks. They supply a 70, 80$1. And then that was kind of their bridge in the beginning and then now that's all of sports memorabilia. A lot of it comes from Fanatics.

[Sean Buffini]

And they make the. The actual jerseys. Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Now they are like so like Fanatics is the official jersey provider of the NHL. So like when you're watching the NHL, there's a Fanatics logo on the back of all the guys jerseys which is a big deal. Like as you saw in the World Cups. Like some teams are Nike, some teams are Adidas, some teams are Puma. Dude, it's like what Also what did we just learn? Like Fanatic Ruben sold something to ebay and then bought a piece of that back and then that became Fanatics. Like their, their origins are insane.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

But what they have become now is like they just bought Tops, that car company which Chris will get into. But like dude they. It was crazy, Sean. It was a. It's at Javits Center. Javits Center? Yeah, Javits center in New York City. This massive convention, convention center. They had every single league, NHL, NFL, NBA, mlb, Premier League, Formula one, like sec. There was a setup for everything you could have ever imagined. There's you know, limited edition memorabilia, jerseys, sweatshirts, all these different things, cards. There's like custom WWE belts for like every NHL team. It was if you were a psycho sports fan, that there's nothing. I can't think of anything better on earth to be at than, dude, I

[Sean Buffini]

don't know what the tickets cost because we were obviously there to do the show.

[Dan Powers]

Just to, to be clear, we got our credentialed badges. Chris has it gets his badge. And on it it just says talent. And it's like great.

[Sean Buffini]

Which is sick.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, it's like you get to walk around Fanatics Fest and it's like, I have a badge says talent. People are like, you know, holy shit, look at this guy. I get my badge and it just says premier Talent. How about that?

[Sean Buffini]

This is some all time bullshit.

[Dan Powers]

But it's accurate.

[Sean Buffini]

This is some all time bullshit. Can you even fucking wrap your brain around that? Dude, Dan loved that I'm supposed to do a fucking show.

[Dan Powers]

Yours.

[Sean Buffini]

I didn't even notice.

[Chris Powers]

It just said talent. And yours said premier Talent.

[Dan Powers]

Premier talent. Different.

[Chris Powers]

Take that.

[Sean Buffini]

Different color, different everything.

[Dan Powers]

And you know what? Again, I didn't even notice it because I don't care about things like that.

[Sean Buffini]

Dan doesn't see color.

[Dan Powers]

I don't see color. I don't see.

[Zachary Grant]

I don't care about those things.

[Chris Powers]

I just really want you to know

[Dan Powers]

I am just, I'm thrilled to know that fanatics knows what's up. Yep, it's great that fanatics understands.

[Sean Buffini]

That was so good. And also then Ovi's badge so said talent Guest. Like he was our guest, which was hilarious. It was, it was premier talent. Talent. Talent Guest for.

[Zachary Grant]

Oh.

[Sean Buffini]

So I was like, these are completely out of whack.

[Zachary Grant]

OB should just like go, what, what are we doing? What are we doing?

[Sean Buffini]

What the. But yeah, I don't know what those tickets cost, but if you are a sports fan, go. If you are, if you have financial flexibility to do such a thing. Because it was and we need to be doing that. Like we almost went a couple years ago. They asked us to come and we had some conflict. I think it was pro athlete golf tour maybe, but whatever. I was like, oh, we can't make it the circle back around this year. And we said yes. I was so excited to go, but I had no, no inclination of how, how sick it was.

[Dan Powers]

You could have never known. Like I, I, I was so. I've had this circled on the calendar for a long time. I was like, this is going to be one of the coolest things that we've ever done it. It's like if you were to ever get to go to the fucking North Pole for the first time. You could be excited, but you could never imagine what it is. And getting in there, I was like, this is fucking incredible.

[Sean Buffini]

Dots. Dots was like, this is so big because the World Cup's here, right? And I was like, no. Or Schwicky was Schwicky, our buddy who works there was like, no. It is this big.

[Zachary Grant]

Can we talk about the day that you guys are in New York for? I mean, World cup final at MetLife, Noah Khan at Citi Field, Yankees doubleheader Fanatics Fest, Obviously the most purveyor event and all that, but amazing. Ariana Grande at Barclays and Bon Jovi at msg. You guys were all there.

[Dan Powers]

That's actually insane.

[Sean Buffini]

I didn't realize how I spent the entire day. The entire day.

[Dan Powers]

That might be why United Airlines butt me and you for three straight days.

[Sean Buffini]

Incredible, dude. Last thing or. Oh, the two things. I was going to say is, you know, when you go to. I don't know if you've been to, like, Comic Con or whatever or anything like that. I have, many times.

[Chris Powers]

I'm familiar.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Zachary Grant]

He's from San Diego.

[Sean Buffini]

You go and it's like the Lord of the Rings section is the biggest or whatever. And you're like, of course. Right? Like, the Peter Jackson thing is so huge. It was crazy. Walking into Fanatics Fest where they have everything and by far the biggest thing was cards. And I was like, oh, yeah. Like, by far.

[Zachary Grant]

I was like, shameless fuck. Shameless fuck. Shameless fuck. Everybody go follow Friday, Friday breaks comes out today.

[Sean Buffini]

Come on Monday we launched today Gentlemen

[Dan Powers]

get to watch all the boys we lost today.

[Sean Buffini]

So that was extremely sick. And then Brady and Bieber were there and they did this, but they were doing the shooting pucks thing. I have a question for all of you, especially you two.

[Zachary Grant]

The

[Dan Powers]

sports are hard.

[Sean Buffini]

Playing sports are hard. And I think I don't begrudge anyone who can't skate. Like, if I see someone trying to skate and it's really hard, I'm like, yeah, obviously, even great athletes. Like, there's a funny video of Tom Brady trying to skate and he's like, you know, using a walker, basically. I don't get at all why shooting a hockey puck is apparently hard. I don't mean shooting well. I just mean, like, shooting a hockey puck is hard for people. Like the video of Brady trying to shoot when he's like. And, like, pushing it forward, I'm like, just shoot the puck.

[Chris Powers]

Is he shooting while on skates?

[Sean Buffini]

No, no, he's just standing there on a mat at Fanatics Fest. And this isn't unique to him. This is like everybody that I put a hockey stick in their hand, they're like, oh, and if I put that hockey stick in the room right there in your guy's hand, do you think you could just shoot the puck or do you think you would?

[Chris Powers]

100%. But I also grew up playing hurling and tennis and things that require an instrument.

[Dan Powers]

Do you think it's like when you

[Chris Powers]

create a character in like an, like a video game and you like, max out some attributes to minimize and Tom

[Sean Buffini]

Brady just maxed out one attribute that's really fun. That's really funny.

[Dan Powers]

I'm trying to think of a sport that

[Sean Buffini]

I guess throwing a ball is kind of awkward. I think I. Sometimes I see non athletes try to throw a ball like first.

[Zachary Grant]

Oh, fuck.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And I'm like, you can't throw a ball.

[Dan Powers]

I mean, like, look at Kevin Garnett trying to throw a baseball. Yeah, it's an absolute nightmare.

[Sean Buffini]

But he throws basketball sometimes. Like, sometimes he gets rebounds and literally goes like this and fires it on a dot to somebody down the court. I'm like.

[Zachary Grant]

But it's different also, I think the puck thing, like why it's so difficult is. It's, it's the swing apparatus. Like, it's, it's how you're swinging that, that, that thing. Because like so often, even like a baseball swing, it's. It's easy because it's.

[Chris Powers]

Here.

[Zachary Grant]

Golf swing is a little easy because you're coming down, right?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Zachary Grant]

But that. It's a little awkward because of how low your hands are.

[Dan Powers]

I don't think it's like one of the only things. The split grip is very strange. I think a lot of people do that and they're like, what am I doing here? So, yeah, I'm not going to. There's a lot of things that I'm going to complain about Tom Brady about right now.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

I, I am so flabbergasted. My guests are flabbered by what Tom Brady is currently doing with.

[Sean Buffini]

No, I don't want to talk about this.

[Dan Powers]

No, I. We have to.

[Sean Buffini]

No, Dan, I'm going to get to.

[Dan Powers]

Are you throat slashing?

[Zachary Grant]

I am saying that I think it's slashing Brady.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, he's not slashing the segment. He's. Grant's killing Tom Brady.

[Zachary Grant]

I think Tom Brady is doing it. I have a lot of questions about what he's doing. But that's, but, but think about. Let's. Let's think about the contextualization of who he is right now. The man is recently divorced. And what happens when guys go through divorce?

[Dan Powers]

All we're doing is asking questions. I know, but I'm saying there will be no criticism here.

[Zachary Grant]

I look, I look. You know, my dad's widower. We were around a lot of divorce. I grew up around a lot of divorce. Guys growing up. He just is a divorce guy. That is also happens to be one of the best athletes ever.

[Dan Powers]

Okay, that's.

[Chris Powers]

Okay.

[Dan Powers]

Okay, that's fine. We both absolutely love Tom Brady. He's your favorite athlete of all time.

[Sean Buffini]

Yes, he is.

[Dan Powers]

I'm not criticizing. I'm just asking. Because you know what, Grant? You know what I think the problem is? Is when you see guys going through stuff like that and maybe they need help doing nothing, that is a problem.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, okay, Dan, that is a problem. Now. Now I'm interested because is it on me? Do I need to help Tom? And I think maybe I do.

[Dan Powers]

I just think. I think when you are clearly in a grift with Logan Paul and there's no criticism to Logan Paul either. Logan Paul has figured out a way to make money and he does it incredibly well.

[Sean Buffini]

Yes.

[Dan Powers]

And I'm genuinely impressed with him. I think it's remarkable what he has turned his career into.

[Sean Buffini]

Can I tell you something about that real quick?

[Dan Powers]

Please.

[Sean Buffini]

I was at the.

[Dan Powers]

I wish you had said, can I tell you an anecdote? That's gonna take 10 minutes.

[Sean Buffini]

Can I tell you an anecdote? It's gonna take 20.

[Zachary Grant]

Sure.

[Dan Powers]

I'm not happy about it, but sure.

[Sean Buffini]

I was at the Center City Mall. I forget what I was doing there, but I think I was. I was in the sunglasses. Maybe it was like the sunglasses.

[Dan Powers]

So let me get this straight. You just asked permission to tell a story that you don't even know?

[Sean Buffini]

I can't remember what happened. Okay,

[Zachary Grant]

continue.

[Sean Buffini]

I'm glad. I just wanted to clear that. The sunglasses hut. And a guy. This is a long time ago, so it wasn't even netters. A guy comes. A guy walks back past the door of sunglasses out while I'm in there and I see him out of my periph. And then he doubles back in and comes right up to me and he's like, hey, man. And I brought. I say it's pre netters because it was. That's very odd. Pre netters. Every now and then someone knows us from the pod.

[Chris Powers]

Now you're so famous.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, yeah. Now it happens. I can't go anywhere. People going through my trash, dude. It's fucking night. Fanatics fest, dude.

[Dan Powers]

I escorted out of there.

[Sean Buffini]

So this guy comes up to me and he's like, hey, dude. And I was like, hey. And I'm doing that. Like, who are you?

[Dan Powers]

Who are you?

[Sean Buffini]

And he's like, can I get a pic? And I was like, what? And I go, you said yes. No, I go.

[Chris Powers]

I go, I think I know where the story's going.

[Sean Buffini]

And then as he's pulling out his phone, he goes, oh, dude, I'm so sorry. I thought you were Logan Paul. And I was like, get out.

[Chris Powers]

Dude.

[Dan Powers]

That's tough.

[Sean Buffini]

It's extremely tough. Extremely tough.

[Dan Powers]

So, yeah, again, no criticism to Logan, but what appears to be them promoting a WWE fight. I just. To me, I'm like, this is something that someone who needs money does. Tom does not need money.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, he went through divorce. He did. He lost half his money.

[Zachary Grant]

Yes.

[Sean Buffini]

Zachary lost half his money.

[Dan Powers]

No, because as we know, the Fox deal came in after that, and that is for $500 million at least. This man owns the Raiders. He owns Birmingham City. He does not need money. I understand that.

[Zachary Grant]

Tom, like, alimony is expensive.

[Dan Powers]

When Tom

[Sean Buffini]

isn't Giselle pregnant. Yeah.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

When Tom went through the divorce, which is difficult. It's awful. I don't want anyone to have to deal with that. You're also retired. As we know with pro athletes, you retire, you're then kind of like, what do I. And what am I doing now? Tom has been dabbling in everything, and I love that for him. I love that Tom, as someone who loves Tom, I don't want him to fade off into the mist because I'm like. I like seeing you.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

You're gorgeous. I'd like to see you all the time. I'd like to see every day, come here, join the team.

[Sean Buffini]

Come on the show.

[Dan Powers]

I don't. I'm not sure I like this. If I. I'm telling you what, guys. If this whole ordeal results in Tom Brady entering a WWE ring with Logan Paul, I'm not sure. I'm not sure what I will do from there, dude.

[Sean Buffini]

So I'm with you.

[Dan Powers]

We're just. We're just asking questions in case Tom needs help. Dude, we're not going to be yet another person, because I've seen people who love Tom Portnoy, like, was, like, ripping on him.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And. And I know that that comes from a place of love as well.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

But I'm. I'm sitting here saying, I'm not going to be someone that does this I'm. I'm sitting here going like this. Do you need help? Like, do you need someone to talk to? Because we are here. We're not going to criticize. We're not going to insult. We're going to say, are you sure this is making you happy? And if not, do you need someone to talk to? Because we can be those people.

[Zachary Grant]

Well, Billy B. Was doing the same stuff. I mean, Billy B. Billy B.

[Sean Buffini]

Needs help more than Tom.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And I have personally met Billy B. And I consider him a dear friend now. Yeah. But I do think he. I'm. He scares me.

[Dan Powers]

I think you guys are all about to be utterly shocked with how good UNC football is about to be this year, and you are going to sit back and laugh at yourself for everything. Bill didn't know exactly what he was doing.

[Sean Buffini]

I. I just want him to break the NFL record, and he deserves that.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. Maybe he still will. Maybe he. Maybe he wins a quick ACC championship with unc, and then all of a sudden, someone goes like this, you know what, Bill? We need you, Tom.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, Tom hires him to coach the Raiders. Yeah, that would be gas. How has that not happened? How am I just thinking of this?

[Dan Powers]

Because you. You think inside the box.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And I'm. I'm encouraging you to join me on the outside of that box.

[Sean Buffini]

So here's my question to you, Grant. I have no issue at all. I'm on your side with Tom, where I'm like, dude, do. Do everything. He's. He's like. Because Grant's saying he's divorced guy. He's living.

[Dan Powers]

So am I.

[Sean Buffini]

And I'm like, all good. All good.

[Zachary Grant]

You said he needed help.

[Dan Powers]

No, Grant.

[Zachary Grant]

That's what you said.

[Chris Powers]

No.

[Sean Buffini]

Clip that, Grant. Tom Brady needs help, Sean.

[Zachary Grant]

That's what he said.

[Dan Powers]

Back me up. I asked the question if he needs help. I'm saying, do you need help? I didn't say he needs help. I said, do you need help?

[Zachary Grant]

It sounded an awful. Like, a lot. Awful lot like you need help.

[Sean Buffini]

But here's my question, and I'm trying to actually figure out how I feel about this in real time. So go on this journey with. With me. I don't. I think you're kind of right. Anyone doing a WWE fight kind of reeks of need money. But.

[Dan Powers]

But no, no. It's certainly not that. He doesn't. He doesn't. That. That was my whole point. He does not need this. So I'm now looking for the reason why he's doing.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, yeah. No, that's what I'm. I'm agreeing with you. I'm saying, okay, he doesn't need money. And this looks as though you. You need money, but it's. He doesn't.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And also. But. But I'm. I'm okay with going. If he loved the WWF growing up and was like a life experience for me would be doing a WWE fight. I'm like, okay, I have no issue with that at all. My question that I'm trying to solve, and I'm aware. Spoiler alert for anybody. But I'm aware that WWE is scripted. That's okay. It's still fun and it has value. Dude, it is awesome and it is fun for that reason. But it is scripted. I get that.

[Dan Powers]

Hold on.

[Sean Buffini]

I know, Dan. I know. I know. They were.

[Dan Powers]

Hold on, hold on. Once. What parts are.

[Sean Buffini]

Dan, Vince was deciding who was going to win those matches. No. Yes.

[Dan Powers]

No.

[Zachary Grant]

Do you guys know the concept of keyfabe?

[Sean Buffini]

Of what?

[Zachary Grant]

Keyfabe.

[Sean Buffini]

No.

[Dan Powers]

So you're talking about the thing. It's like a little circular thing that you use to get into buildings.

[Sean Buffini]

That's a key fob. And I also thought he was talking about fob ad, but he's not.

[Zachary Grant]

So keyfab. And I want to quick shout out to Auburn University's History of Race and Wrestling and recipes class that I took. This is a real thing that I did take. That helped me out, and that's how I end up podcasting. Anyways, the concept of keyfabe is basically the side talk that wrestlers do where they obviously put all exactly what Tom Brady and Logan Paul are doing right now. Hey, I gotta have this fake beef to, like, set up this fight. But the concept of keyfabe was basically like the 3 3rd language that they developed to kind of discuss how they were gonna get into these things, because a lot of them were actually best friends, spent summers together, hang out, all that stuff. And keyfabe used to be an art. There used to be books on it. WWE would teach it as a class as soon as you, like, joined wwe. A lot of actors still use it all the time. That's why you have, like, the Rock and all these guys. Batista, like, they were. They will highlight keyfabe as their beginnings to understand how they became an actor. Why in the world, like, why didn't we send Tom Brady to a key fabe class? Why didn't we teach him? Hey, if you're gonna. If you're gonna do this beef, we gotta get a little back into the art of keyfabe and how to make it look real to actually get these fights going.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, well, I don't think that's a great point. I don't think. Well, first of all, they're doing a great job because we're talking about it.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

Everyone's talking about is clear. I think it's been clear since the moment they had that podcast situation where Tom was being like, you're not a fucking good athlete. Yeah, right then and there, I would say most people with common sense were like, this is manufactured. This is now all so hilariously manufactured that I don't even know what they're working towards.

[Sean Buffini]

Like, again, this is my exact question. I'm so glad you said that because that's what I was trying to figure out. I obviously know WWE is scripted and it's. If Tom really wants to fight Logan Paul in a WWE match, so be it. But what I can't tell is if all the. This is such a long buildup now of many fake beefs that I'm like, we know this is script. We all know this is scripted. So what I literally can't tell is I'm like, are you guys trying to. Do you believe you're fooling us or do you believe. Do they believe you all know this is fake but we're just going to drag this. That's what I just, I can't wrap my head around.

[Dan Powers]

We can move on from this too because I know it's delicate situation because we're talking about a man that we love. I, I spent a lot of time this morning thinking about this and forcing myself to remember there are so many young people in the world and dumb people in the world who will just like believe whatever they see. And like I think about, I'm not going to name him. I think about our young cousin who I knew, who we know is a Logan Paul fan. Oh, and now he knows exactly what I'm talking about. He, especially when he was younger, is exactly the type of person who believes this.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Because they pop online and they see Tom Brady slapping Logan Paul and they go, oh my God. And then they run to school and they're like, did you see like Logan Paul's fan base is young, young, young kids.

[Sean Buffini]

Isn't there like the bully though at the playground who's like, you're an idiot. And that's fake pro probably.

[Dan Powers]

But like I actually, Chris, think the bullies are probably, especially at that age are the ones who believe this more than anything. Cuz they're like, I love this. So like they, they are selling this to some people, like, there are. It has been funny watching a lot of the people we interact with in the media and like our. Everyone feels like they're on the same side of what this. What is going on here. But clearly people are loving this. There's a lot of people on earth and that's what is interesting.

[Zachary Grant]

Nobody brought up his kids, man. Like, this is what's frustrating to me is like, he's just a dad trying to be cool to his kids.

[Dan Powers]

I. Well, I was avoiding that cuz I don't want to talk about people's family life. But you didn't say anything bad. I completely agree.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

I said this to someone yesterday. I was like, dude, I. I think there's a huge element of this. Like, his young kids are probably like, this is so cool. Like, my dad's like interacting with Logan Paul.

[Sean Buffini]

Like, so dad is going to fight. Dad just punched Logan Paul. And this is.

[Zachary Grant]

That'd be sick. When you want to see your dad

[Dan Powers]

punch but don't like.

[Sean Buffini]

But don't these kids love Logan Paul?

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, but wouldn't it be sick?

[Zachary Grant]

You're like, ah, my dad want Logan Paul's ass.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, I love this. I love. I love an idea that, that if you're a kid who's a fan of anybody, watching your dad punch that person is. Is peak. You know, like, if my dad was ever could Never punch Leo DiCaprio, it'd be so awesome. Like, dude, you gotta see my dad wail on Leo.

[Dan Powers]

Crazy. Absolutely insane.

[Sean Buffini]

I can't wait for the fight, dude. I can't wait for the fight.

[Dan Powers]

I know, I know.

[Sean Buffini]

Okay, now I want to talk quickly. We've been doing a lot of golf stuff on this show.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And I want to talk quickly about the Open Championship this past weekend. I love a little major golf. I'm sure a lot of hockey fans.

[Dan Powers]

I love a little major golf. I love a little major drama.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep. Yes. Dan, very nice. I just wanted to weigh in on the Bryson DeChambeau situation from the weekend from.

[Dan Powers]

You're telling me that you don't want to talk about Ryan Fox?

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, I mean, dude, incredibly massive dong putt, but specifically second shot into the 18th. Incredible massive heavy dick.

[Dan Powers]

I also just love how he doesn't care. He seems like a guy who's like, I'm good at golf. I don't care about the ins and outs of golf. And I really like how he was like, I. He. Golf's fast.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

That's cool.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Just a cool dude. I love him. Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

No, he's great dude. And that also shout out my guy,

[Dan Powers]

Ricky Fowler with a nice tie for 18th finish.

[Sean Buffini]

And it's also cool he's not dead, I'll tell you that much. Golf is cool because tennis, the. The big guys just wins every time, you know, like every major it's like the guy is gonna win. It was Federer and Nadal and Joker and now it's center and Alcaraz and that's it. Golf. You can just be like, holy shit, that was sick. You want a massive tournament, correct. The Bryson thing, dude, have you seen the video?

[Dan Powers]

Oh, yeah, of course. Seen it all.

[Sean Buffini]

Bryson. I. My larger take is this. I don't think you can totally buy that. It improved his lie. Some people think it clearly improved his lie. Some people think it didn't. I don't think it's clear. I also think it was completely just his. Him looking at the shot, you know, I don't think he. I don't think he was trying to do it. My takeaways are 1. The Rory comments were crazy. So hard. That's like, Jesus.

[Dan Powers]

I. I need like a documentary about why those two hate each other so much. I mean, it is like, it's. It feels talking talk about WWE. Yeah, it feels WWE esque. How happy Rory McIlroy is to be like this. I. You know, everyone knows that I fucking hate that guy's guts. And I'm like, ch. Jesus Christ, pal. Like, and also as someone who's come around on Rory. Heavy.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep. Yeah. Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

For Rory McElroy to say I think Bryson is performative and he does stuff for attention. When you have done some of the things that you have done on tour is crazy.

[Sean Buffini]

Is insane.

[Chris Powers]

Great.

[Dan Powers]

This man fired an iron into a fucking pond.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Like at a PGA event. I'm like, dude, chill. Like we. Y', all, everyone has blow ups. Like, let's relax. But I. One thing I am gonna say, dude, I loved how Scheffler was like, he is not a cheater, dude. Yeah, he didn't try to cheat. As someone who loves golf, loves watching golf on TV and is. I'm getting more and more into golf every day. Like, I'm starting to play really good golf in my life and that's great. Makes me love golf. Golf's rules are so lame. Like if golf. If you want to continue skyrocketing, literally take a page out of Happy Gilmore that came out fucking 20 plus years ago. Just calm down.

[Chris Powers]

The.

[Dan Powers]

I think it is nuts that you can't. Obviously you can't move a ball, but like If I'm. If my ball's in the woods and there's, like, a branch in the way, you should be able to break that fucking branch off, dude. Who gives a shit? It is nuts how stupid those rules are. And when they're like, even Scheffler being like this, Bryson is not a cheater. It makes me laugh my ass off that what he did could ever be considered cheating. Like, the fact that we're using the word cheating with something like stepping on grass is hilarious to me. But. But I will say this. Everyone who has been like, do you think he did it on purpose? Do you think he knows what he was doing? In my opinion, if you are a golfer on the PGA Tour, you know how insane their rules are. So I don't believe that he could have walked into that grass and stepped on grass the way he did without being like this. I need to worry about if I'm doing something wrong here. So I'm like, I think he was doing that on purpose. But I don't. I don't think what he did was bad, though. Like, I don't think he was being like, I'm actively cheating. I think he was just being like, yeah, I'm like, I'm gonna try to, like, walk through grass. Like any normal human walks the grass when they're looking for something or, like, looking for. So I. I don't think he was making a decision to go, like, I'm going to do something here. I think he was just behaving normally.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, yes. I think you got to where I was headed because everybody was going. I. I know one thing about Bryson. He's not a cheater. And Rory's part of his comment was like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don't think it matters. Hopefully, it was careless being like, but I think you're cheating. You know, I think you were intentionally cheating. And I'm like, dude, calm down.

[Dan Powers]

Calm.

[Sean Buffini]

He is not a cheater.

[Dan Powers]

No.

[Sean Buffini]

And, Dan, where you headed? Was so good for me. Golf. The reason I was mad about the ruling in the first place is the whole point of golf is these guys police their self. Like, it's a very. It's an honorable game. But I think golf is so insane when someone's standing over a ball and then it moves. And he's like, sir, yeah, I got to be.

[Dan Powers]

And, like, someone has to be like this. Did you do anything to make that move? And I'm like, did he get on his hands and knees and blow on it? Because if not, then no, he didn't.

[Sean Buffini]

And then the narrative after with the media is always like, this is a good example for the kids. He took a stroke penalty, costing himself hundreds of thousands of dollars. And I'm like, shut the fuck up, dude. I don't give a fuck if the ball rolled, dude. This is the video I wanted to pull up. I don't know what the rule was, but do you remember this? 1999 Phoenix Open. Tiger woods hits one under a rock, and you're allowed to move the rock if you can do it. So he gets all the fans. The higher fans move a boulder so he can hit, and then he birdies. Yeah. And they're like, that's allowed. And I'm like. And Bryson stepping on a fucking branch 10ft behind him isn't allowed to golf. Dude, chill out.

[Dan Powers]

Chill out. They just need to chill out.

[Sean Buffini]

You know how fucking good these guys are at hitting a golf ball? Just let them hit the golf ball.

[Dan Powers]

It's. It's just. It's one of these things where I'm like, I. I get when people want to bring up, well, that's the game. But I'm like, sometimes the game needs to be changed.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. Dude, put that on a fucking T shirt, dude.

[Dan Powers]

When we have guys. Mud ball. If you're not a big golf fan, mud ball is a thing that happens in golf. When you hit a drive, a tee shot, any shot, and it lands in the fairway, and maybe the fairway is a little bit wet because of the conditions or whatever, and mud gets in the divots of the ball, and you then hit your second shot because you can't move your ball, which is, by the way, is sitting in the fairway. And then the ball flight is crazy because there's mud all over it. That is insane.

[Sean Buffini]

So dumb.

[Dan Powers]

When you hit your. When you pipe your drive down the fairway, and it's in the fairway and it's covered in mud, you should be able to wipe that ball.

[Sean Buffini]

They're like, no, dude, like this.

[Dan Powers]

That's golf. And I'm like, this wrong. It's like, that would be like in hockey if a massive chunk of the ice came out and they were just like this. Keep it, dude. Play it as it lies. I'm like, I just had to hit off a Bigfoot's foot.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

What are you talking about? Like, we can't be doing this. The game needs to chill, Axe.

[Sean Buffini]

Chill.

[Dan Powers]

What I want to watch is these guys play golf. Well, stop making them fucking hit off of sas.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, I was so bad when everyone, everybody online was like, Bryce. It's like. Because, you know, he was like, I'm gonna quit. They were like, I hope he comes. Like he's holding the tournament hostage. And I was like, I hope he quits so badly. I hope he goes. I'm leaving, dude. Fuck you guys.

[Dan Powers]

I. Okay, I didn't like that, but I actually know. I know what you mean.

[Sean Buffini]

Ridiculous, dude. So stupid.

[Dan Powers]

All right, let's take another quick ad break and then jump back into some fun stuff. Everyone who watches this show knows that I am all about fitness, nutrition, and that is meals, baby. When we're talking about that stuff, we've got to talk about what we're eating. And Factor has completely changed the game for me. And I'm going to be honest with you guys. I love cooking. I'm a big go to the grocery store, buy a bunch of stuff, prep my meals, figure out what I'm making. But listen, life gets busy, it gets crazy, it gets hectic sometimes. We've got meetings that run long, things pop up, interviews come out of nowhere. All of a sudden my schedule gets thrown out and I don't have time to cook. So then I'll get home late, gotta figure my stuff out. And instead of trying to scramble a meal together, I need something that is good, high in protein, has great, unbelievable, healthy ingredients. And that's where Factor comes in. Factor is phenomenal. We've got these meals that are crafted by chefs. They've got great nutritional value. And here's the big thing, the kicker with all of these, they taste delicious and they can be sent directly to your door. Factor is the best way to make sure that you have good, high quality meals with good food in there that's making you hit all of your macros, all of your nutritional goals every single day. So what we are going to do is we are going to head to FactorMeals.com netters 50 off and you're going to use code. Netters 50 off. That's n e t t e r s 50 off. And you know what that means, folks? 50% off. 50% off and free daily greens per box with a new subscription only while supplies last until the 27th of September this year. I'm telling you right now, cooking can be so crazy, especially during the week when you've got tons of stuff going on with work, you don't have time to get it done. Let Factor Meals help you by giving you these delicious meals, making you hit all your goals, and it takes no time at all. Factor meals.com naders 50 off. Go get yours today. We teased it earlier. We got to jump into it now. Before we wrap things up with a Beerleigh hotline, we got to talk about the airport.

[Sean Buffini]

What. What a journey.

[Dan Powers]

I hate to do this. I really do. Because I'm. I am a. I think it's very easy to rip on airlines and to talk about your grievances with your bad travel and this and that and that

[Sean Buffini]

and that and that.

[Dan Powers]

And I'm a big United guy. We've talked about United many times on this, on this program. But brutal shift by United this weekend. Absolutely brutal shift.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, it was crazy. It was absolutely insane, dude.

[Dan Powers]

And dude, it's not over. Like, I am currently still dealing with the fuck ups of United. And I'm telling you right now, as a high level flyer, United, you got like you. You need to make up for what you have done to us.

[Sean Buffini]

And you're gonna pay. You're gonna.

[Dan Powers]

Oh, no, you know, you're not gonna pay. Well, I mean, you're literally gonna pay.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

But like, you just do the right thing and we'll be fine. And I'll go back to giving you double wristers, which is what you deserve because I love United. But United fucked up. You need to make up for it.

[Sean Buffini]

Would you like to say some of the things happened to you, you don't even want to talk about it.

[Dan Powers]

I'll go through the whole thing that happened to me because yours is absolutely insane. But we flew to Nashville earlier or Thursday. Flew to Nashville, had a connection in Houston for.

[Zachary Grant]

Why? Why did you fly to Nashville?

[Dan Powers]

Went to Nashville for Mike Grinnell's bachelor party.

[Sean Buffini]

Shout out G. Shout out G. Congrats.

[Dan Powers]

So fun. So much fun. And shout out every dude on that trip. We can't even get into it. Such a. Such a fun trip. Couldn't even believe how fun it was. We get to Nashville and we landed in the evening on Thursday. So we had to get right into it with boys. Had to go meet them for dinner. What happens? United loses my bag.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

And this is an interesting one because I had my golf clubs and I had my bag that had all my clothes in it. They lost the bag with all the clothes in it.

[Chris Powers]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

I don't even know how you lose one bag and not the other.

[Sean Buffini]

Very strange.

[Dan Powers]

They are both taken by the same person. Both give given, printed off the same bag tags. And I look on the app and my bag has been sent to Baltimore.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Like I'm looking at it and it's like this in transit to Baltimore. And I was like, okay. So I go into baggage help or whatever, like the desk. And I'm like, hey, so, like, my bag's headed to Baltimore. And I love how some of these people work in a service industry job. And they are like, how dare you talk?

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And this woman was like. She goes. Was like, hey, so my bet, I got one of my bags. The other appears to not be here. And she's like, okay, what do you want me to do about it? She literally said, what do you want me to do?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

And I looked over my shoulders to see if there's a camera behind me.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Because I couldn't believe that someone asked me what I want them to do about their job. And I was like, I would love to have figure out a way to get my bag. And she was like, okay, we can do that.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

I was like, great.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, great. We're back on the right track.

[Dan Powers]

So they tell me that my bag will be given to me, and they have no idea when. And I'm like, all right, well, that kind of sucks because, like, I gotta now go out in the clothes that I'm wearing. I have to golf tomorrow. I have to do all of our plans tomorrow, and I have no clothes. So we go about our day. Eventually, my bag is delivered at 9pm the following day, which is basically did absolutely nothing for me because we then left at 8am the next day. So I get my bag, we then get on a flight from Nashville to Newark. I go to check only my golf bag, and I'm like, I only checked my clothes bag because I was checking my golf bag. And I was like, I might as well do both. So now I'm like, I'm bringing my carry on for sure this time. So I go to check my golf bag, gentlemen. And there is a nationwide outage in United system. So I get there to bag check. There's a huge line. I'm in, like, the premier line. And even that's not moving.

[Zachary Grant]

You are premier talent.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, premier talent. And I'm like, what's going on here? And they go, our systems are down. No one can get their boarding pass on their apps. No one can print their boarding pass, and no one can print their bag tags. So we can't take any bags. And what I found so funny, the people behind the count, these people were actually quite lovely.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

The people behind the United desk were going like this. If you have your bag tags, you can come. And I'm like, how could they have that? What is going on? Everyone was being like, yeah, I obviously don't have my bag tags. So we wait there. And the cutoff is 7:15 for them to be able to take my checked bags. It's like 6:57, 7:10. And this woman behind the desk is going, guys, don't worry about the bag check cut off. We're going to push back all these fights because the system, like, no one can do anything. All the systems are down. And I'm sitting there and I'm being like, I'm getting no notice anywhere. And like their systems are down, so maybe not. But I'm like, I don't know that that's true. Chris only has carry ons. So I go, dude, go through security and go to the gate and tell me if they're boarding, because I don't, I don't believe that there's good communication going on here. So Chris does just that, texts me about 10 minutes later and he goes, oh yeah, we are boarding. So I walk up to the front and I tell this woman, I go, hey, I just had my brother go through. He's on the same flight I'm on, the 8am to Newark. He says, they're boarding. And this woman goes, what? And I was like, yeah, the flight to Newark is boarding. And she was like, that, that's wrong. And she like gets on her walkie and she's like, ah, bravo forgate, blah, blah, blah. Like, you're not boarding yet, right? Okay, cool. And then she looks at me, she's like, hey, they're not boarding. And then Chris has just sent me a video of the, the plane assuredly

[Sean Buffini]

boarding, people pouring on.

[Dan Powers]

So I literally just go like this to this woman here. They're bored. Like I was, I was not being. I was like, they're boarding, I don't know what's going on.

[Sean Buffini]

Group three, dude, like, this is the so.

[Dan Powers]

So I was like, here's the deal. I'm going for an event that I'm performing at. I can't miss this flight. So like, should I just leave my clubs here with you guys? Like, you can send them to LA or something, but like, I gotta go if this fight is boarding and she's not freaking out because she's like, this plane cannot be boarding. And I'm now like, what the fuck is going on? Then the systems come back on. So I go up, I give them my golf clubs and I go, you are assuring me that these clubs are going to get on that flight that is currently boarding. And she was like, yes, because we are going to delay that flight. And I go, okay, you sure? She was like, yes. So they tag my bag, they give me the receipt that says on it that flight. And I'm like, okay. So I go through security and Chris is texting me and he's like, yo, dude. We're like, like, the gates are closing. So I'm now running through, I run onto the plane, I get on, and then sure enough, the plane pushes off at 8. Oh, they did not delay that plane at all. So we land in Newark and we're now waiting for our bags. And Chris had to gate check his

[Sean Buffini]

clothes because I waited so long for Dan that by the time I get down to board, there's no room. There's no room, so we have to check your bag. And I was like, okay.

[Dan Powers]

So we land and I go to oversized baggage claim for my clubs. Chris is waiting for his normal bags. And I'm standing there, standing there. I'm on my phone, 15 minutes go by, and now I'm like, jesus. I find a bench, I go sit down. It's like right across from it. I'm doing so I'm like sending emails and I again, we need to leave.

[Sean Buffini]

We need to get to fanatics to interview Alex Ovest. This isn't a fucking joke.

[Dan Powers]

And I look up and it's been 45 minutes. And I was like, what the fuck is going on? So then after an hour, I go to United baggage help, and I'm like, hey, I was on the 8am flight. And he's like, she goes, the one from Nashville? And I was like, yeah. And she's like, yeah, there's bad weather, so we're just a little caught up. And I'm like, looking around. Not a single carousel is spinning. And I'm like, it's been an hour. Like, how backed up are you? Long story short, two hours go by and then we're like, I have to leave. So I look at my app and on my. I have not been notified of this. I just happen to see it because I look on my app, whoops, my golf clubs did not get on that plane, obviously. So they're just on a different plane. So I talked to this woman. I'm like, I need to leave. I'm gonna leave my clubs here and I will get them tomorrow because I'm leaving at 7am in the morning. I then find out that they weren't even on the right plane. They're still in Nashville. They haven't even arrived. I fill out like six different forms to send my clubs to la and have them delivered to my house. And then I waited on hold. Yes, I waited on hold that night for 45 minutes and then had to just hang up. Cause I was like, I have a 7am flight. I then waited on hold yesterday for an hour and a half only to have this guy tell me, oh yeah, we will get them sent to LAX and you can go pick them up. And I went, I sure as shit cannot, pal. You will deliver those to my house. And he was like, well that's an LAX thing. It's not a United thing. And I was like, well then you will tell someone from United to call an Uber to go and get my fucking clubs and deliver them to my fucking house because you guys have fucked up.

[Sean Buffini]

Oh, dude, it was insane. I don't even have time to get into all the saga with mine, but here are my funny stories for you guys. On the way to Nashville. Houston to Nashville. I am in an aisle seat and a older regular looking white gentleman. The 60 year old guy is like, I'm in the middle right there. And I go, great, get up and sit down. And I have some OV research to do. So I'm like, I really need to work on this flight. So we haven't even taken off yet. And I got my over a year, like those headphones you're wearing, right? I got like over ear headphones on and my. I pull my laptop out and the guy looks at me, I see him look at me and he goes, hey, you going to Nashville for fun? And I'm like, fuck. So I go move my headphone and I go, yes. And I just say, yes, that's it, you know? Because I'm like, if I can't, I can't keep going here. He goes, you going to Nashville?

[Chris Powers]

Fun.

[Sean Buffini]

And I go, yes. And he goes, what kind of fun? And I go, I go, a bachelor party. What about you? And he goes, funeral. You, dude. Literally you.

[Zachary Grant]

You.

[Sean Buffini]

I cannot, dude, I have absolutely been rinsed now. Like you, you literally set this whole thing up. And I almost laughed because it was so insane. And I go, oh, I'm sorry to hear about that. And he goes, yeah, my mom died. And I go, his mom? I go, your mom's died, dude. So now I go, dude, I kept

[Dan Powers]

looking over and seeing you yucking it up with this guy the entire flight. And I was like, what is going on? Yeah, you needed help.

[Zachary Grant]

Fuck this.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, see, Grant, this is why it's good to check if people need help.

[Zachary Grant]

Wait, not to interrupt you, Chris. I had this happen so like recently, obviously, like, I'm gonna zoom through this really fast. Obviously. My mom passed away, like when I was very young. And sometimes my dad's a grief like chaplain. So that's what a lot of what he does is he spends his time like helping people through grief on the daily. And I went to buy a surfboard and I went and Facebook Marketplace and I bought surfboard. I was like, hey man, this is awesome. Thank you. And then he goes, yeah, I would have been riding it but my wife just died. And then I was like, I had like it. And I was also like, I'm just going to go surf, you know, like, I'm so fired up. I was in that same phrase, like, you know, mind frame. And I'm like, oh, this is awesome. This great. And then I was like, oh man, like now I gotta kick in my grief response. Yeah, and that's exactly like I had to kick in the grief response and then spend the next two hours. Thankfully ended up reaching out to my dad. All went good about just what to do after that because it was like a week before her pass away and but sometimes like, because that person's grieving and so they're going through it and they just don't know what to say because they just want to talk about it. And then you like fall into that and then you're like, but sometimes you just want to go surfing, you know, Sometimes you just want to get on the plane.

[Dan Powers]

Absolutely.

[Sean Buffini]

So. And to your point, Grant, now I was kind of like, oh, dude, this guy needs someone needs to talk, you know. So I was like, sure. So I kind of close my laptop and I go, well, you know, at least the fan you're. You're gonna be with family. We'll all be together with family. And he goes, no, I'm the only one going back. She's a terrible person. Everyone hated her. I just feel there's some biblical feel there's some biblical obligation for me to put her in the ground. And I'm like, bro, you have got to be fucking my dad right now.

[Dan Powers]

What?

[Sean Buffini]

Why?

[Dan Powers]

Why? Why does this stuff happen to you?

[Sean Buffini]

So I'm like, I am now in shock.

[Dan Powers]

You should have. You should have gone like this. You know what? You're right. Fuck her.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, well, Dan, Dan. I go, God forbid this guy ever sees this clip. He's certainly not a netters fan. But I was literally. Did you tell him? What? Well, we do actually kind of. Yeah, I think maybe I did. You're fucked.

[Dan Powers]

He is posted up grieving, watching this right Now. And I just said, fuck his mom.

[Sean Buffini]

He is absolutely rinsed me, okay. At this point, like, he has set me up for. Are you having fun? Great. My mom's dead. And I'm like, oh, okay. So then I'm like, oh, my God, that's terrible. And he's like, he's. He's got siblings, but he has a half brother who is already, like, trying to take the land, and he's, like, going to sue them, you know? And he's like, so, you know, fuck. Fuck him. And I was like, yeah, dude, fuck him, sure. Like, no, you and. You and your siblings should, like, be a united front. And he's like, yeah, but I don't. You know, I don't get along with my siblings. Like, they used to bully me and beat me up when I was little. When I turned 17, I started hurting them, though. I'm talking broken arms, broken noses. I them up. And I was like, I'm glad you took a stand. Like, I'm literally like, yeah, nice, dude.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

Like, yeah.

[Dan Powers]

So this is crazy. Dude.

[Zachary Grant]

Dude.

[Sean Buffini]

So we. We get into it for a while, and we're chatting because I'm now, like, I don't even know what's gonna happen. So I just, you know, I. I absorb the chat for a while. We get in the air, you know, he gets, like, a snack, I think. And then he kind of just like, falls asleep. He's just, like, asleep in the middle chair. And I'm like, oh, my God. Amazing. Boom. Headphones back up. Boom. Ovi. And I'm cooking, dude. I'm really into it. With, like, 40 minutes left in the flight, he wakes back up. I see him wake up, but I'm like, you know, whatever.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

I re. Get in the zone. And then he knocks, hits me on the arm, And I look over, like, take my headphones off and look over, and he's. He's holding his phone up to me like this. There's a picture on it. And I go. I look at him, and he. He goes, it's a beef stew I had in Portugal one time. I swear to God, dude. And I go, what? And he goes, this is a. This is a. It was a picture of a beef stew. He goes, this is a beef.

[Dan Powers]

Hold on.

[Zachary Grant]

Timeout.

[Dan Powers]

Time out, time out, time out, time out, time out. At any point in your prior conversation, did travel come up?

[Sean Buffini]

No.

[Dan Powers]

Portugal?

[Sean Buffini]

No.

[Dan Powers]

Beef stew or any other type of rich, hearty soup?

[Sean Buffini]

No. Okay, dude. He goes like, this unbelievable beef stew.

[Dan Powers]

Unbelievable.

[Sean Buffini]

I had in Portugal one time. And I go, oh, it looks amazing. And then the last whole 40 minutes at the end of the flight, just Portugal, you know, like, here. I went surfing here, whatever. And then we were. As soon as it was a beef stew, I was like, yeah, okay.

[Chris Powers]

But, like, a stew isn't even a particularly photogenic food.

[Sean Buffini]

No, a particularly Portugal dish. Like, I was like, did you just. Is this a rogue beef stew that you added?

[Zachary Grant]

Portugal.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah. Your first question should have probably been, why did you order beef stew in Portugal?

[Sean Buffini]

So good, dude. Unbelievable. And I. Somehow, that was even more insane than setting me up for your dead mom. Like, I thought the dead mom was the craziest thing that's ever happened to me. And then the beef stew.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Cause he had to talk about his dead mom. He didn't have to talk about that.

[Sean Buffini]

Even crazier. And then this. This was my other hilarious part of my trip. I. On. Yes. Yeah. Yesterday I was at the airport all day, right? Like, just.

[Chris Powers]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Can I tee this up real quick?

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

He slept through his 7:00am flight yesterday, but got to the airport, like, around 7:00am so, like, he. You know, he missed it and was like. And then ripped there. What time would you like to guess that he got on a plane?

[Chris Powers]

In today's current climate of air travel, I'd say 3pm okay, good guess.

[Sean Buffini]

Took off at 9:30pm he was in

[Dan Powers]

the airport for 14 hours.

[Sean Buffini]

Tough shift for your boy. But this was the best part.

[Dan Powers]

Did you eat three meals in the United launch?

[Sean Buffini]

I just kept going back in. I was like, here was the best part, dude.

[Dan Powers]

Like, at no point where you're like, I'm gonna venture out and see if there's, like, a rest restaurant here that could give me a little bit.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, I couldn't because they kept bumping me to the next flight.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

I couldn't leave.

[Dan Powers]

Well, I didn't. I don't mean the city. I mean the airport.

[Sean Buffini]

No, no, no, no. Here was the best part, dude. I get there, and I was bummed because I was. The 7am was gonna get me back in time to watch the World cup game here with you guys, and I was like, oh, whatever. I'm either gonna miss it now, which would suck, or I'll just watch it here. You know, it is what it is. And, dude, I said to Dan, I wasn't missing anything. If you were. If you get a flight fucked up and you're like. Like going to a wedding or something, it sucks. I was just coming home. Like, it was okay, you know, headache, not a heartache, whatever. So I wasn't that rattled. But when I got there at 7, the guy was like. Or I got there at 7:05. He's like, you just missed the flight. And I was like, I know. And then he's like, well, there's a 9:15. And I was like, oh, my God. Because that landed at 11:30, and I was still gonna make the World cup game. So it was the easiest. Like, no blood. This was amazing. And he's like, there's a. It's full, but I'll just put you on standby and you'll get on it. And I was like, thank you so much. Incredible. So I go through security. Boom, I'm on standby. So I get to that flight, and we're about to board, and keep in mind, dude, there's a 9 15, a 10, and a 12. Those. I missed the game. But, like, just for the sake of getting home. But I'm on the 9:15. I get to the 9:15, and it's delayed. They're like, oh, delayed for, like, a refueling issue or something. And I'm like, christ. So it's just like, we're delayed, delayed, delayed. And I keep getting pushed so hard on that flight that now we blow through the 10, which I could have got on, but I'm on. You know what I mean? Like, I'm stuck on the standby thing here.

[Dan Powers]

It's a nightmare.

[Sean Buffini]

So I'm like, fuck me. So then the 10 takes off, and then we get delayed, delayed, delayed, delayed. The 12 takes off, and I'm like, bro. And then finally, my 9 o' clock flight is ready to leave at, like, 12:30. I've now missed the World cup game, but, like, it is what it is. And they go, christopher, picture, like, everyone boards, and they go, Christopher Powers. And I go, yep. And they go, boom. They scan my fucking standby boarding pass, and they go, go down the jetway. You get your seat at the door, and you have to check your bag. And I'm like, yeah, fucking gonna lose this shit. But sounds good. So I walk down the jetway, and, dude, there's a ton of people on standby, right? And they're like, any more seats, please, please, sir? And they're like, nope, Just for Chris, because he's cool and has better status than you and is a more important person. And I go, amazing.

[Dan Powers]

He's not premier talent.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah. And I walk down the jetway, and I look back at all the other standby peasants, and I go, I wish you all well.

[Dan Powers]

Enjoy Newark, losers.

[Sean Buffini]

The lounge is lovely.

[Dan Powers]

I'll say hi to everyone in California for you.

[Chris Powers]

Good day.

[Sean Buffini]

It's been a pleasure. And I go down the Jetway, hand the guy my bag.

[Dan Powers]

The amount that you cry when you

[Sean Buffini]

laugh is fucking insane.

[Dan Powers]

Like, can you laugh without dying these days? It's crazy.

[Sean Buffini]

I go down the thing, and then they go. As I'm waiting, they go, oh, we'll get your seat. And the flight attendant's like, getting me the number. And then the guy at the gate comes back down. He goes, Mr. Powers. And I go, yes, sir. Some beautiful women wishing me well, sending me their numbers. And he goes, the 9:15 got delayed so long that someone missed their 10:15 flight. And they are now on standby and they have better status than you. So they have just come to this gate and they now get this seat, please leave. And I go, like, what? And he goes, get. Walk back out the Jetway and look all those people in the face that you just made fun of.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Sean Buffini]

And then return to your fucking seat.

[Zachary Grant]

Karma, bitch.

[Sean Buffini]

And, dude, I was like, oh, my God. So I have to take my bag back from the gate check guy go back up the Jetway like a loser.

[Dan Powers]

They perp walked him off the plane.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep. And I come back up and all the other standby people are there, and they're like, hey, guys, we've rolled you on to the next stage standby flight, which was the two o'. Clock. And then I look at that one and I'm like, 12th on that list. So I missed the 2, missed the 4, miss the 5, missed the 6:45. And then the 7:25 flight, I clear standby and get on. And I was like, yes. And then they were like this, hey, we have an operational issue on this flight. It's been delayed two and a half hours. And I was like, it's amazing. And then I took.

[Chris Powers]

Air travel has gotten substantially worse year over year.

[Sean Buffini]

It's crazy.

[Dan Powers]

It is. Like, actually, and I'll say this clearly, the bad weather on the east coast was a problem because there were these two lovely women on my flight. One was sitting next to me. She was like, I'm 1k as well. And it's like, I. I've been just jerked around. This one woman and her husband were coming back from Zurich, flying to Denver. They got to the airport because of the, like, the weather on the east coast or whatever. They got delayed like nine hours. They had to sleep in the Zurich airport. Then they got flown and had to reroute to Newark. Then she got put on a flight from Newark to La. And then she was like, we have now a six hour layover before we fly to Denver. Yeah. And I was like, good God.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

I was like, would you like to sleep at my house?

[Sean Buffini]

When the bags were getting fucked in Newark, we were going to the OVI thing since they took my clothes bag. Like, Dan, they only lost his clubs only, but they took my bag. So, dude, we were going to interview OVI and all I was wearing was my fucking pajamas from the flight, and I had to. That's what I interviewed him in, dude. I couldn't get my bag. And I was actually, like, really bummed because I, like, not that it was gonna be that cool, but I'd, like, picked out clothes to wear for that. And I had my glasses on.

[Chris Powers]

Your, like, OV Number one fan shirt.

[Sean Buffini]

Yes.

[Chris Powers]

Ready to go.

[Dan Powers]

You know what's really funny? He was flying in a pair of black joggers and our new. One of our new awesome hoodies that we've just released. And I sat there thinking, thank God. Whatever horrible outfit this clown picked out is not what he can. Like, he actually looks cool. Yeah, I was. I was thrilled.

[Sean Buffini]

It was just so dirty. Like, it might. It had, like, stains all over it. But also.

[Dan Powers]

Why? Why are you getting stains?

[Sean Buffini]

Because I'm a messy eater. Okay, fine.

[Zachary Grant]

This is gonna make the interview so much better. Like, the context that everybody has.

[Sean Buffini]

Dude, Grant, no joke. I was so pissed, cuz I go where? At one point, I went in. I was like, where are the. Where are the backs? Like, what is literally happening?

[Dan Powers]

Because mine.

[Sean Buffini]

His was like, on a wrong plane. I'm like, I. Mine was on the plane. Like, just give me the bag. And dude, they go, do you see it? Like, they pointed to a. Because we were by a big window and they were like, they're right there. But there's lightning inside of 20 miles of the area, so we're not allowed to walk across the tarmac and get it. And I was like, I'll go. Literally, I will hold a metal rod up in the air and walk myself

[Dan Powers]

across the tarmac, which isn't even necessary for that job.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah, but that's insane, dude. So, yeah, it was like so much of the.

[Dan Powers]

It was a journey.

[Sean Buffini]

Fucking nightmare.

[Dan Powers]

It was a journey.

[Sean Buffini]

But we survived.

[Dan Powers]

United make up for this is a beef stew.

[Sean Buffini]

I hadn't.

[Dan Powers]

All right, let's wrap things up with a nice beer league hotline.

[Chris Powers]

A guy left our team a few years ago and took the jerseys that our sponsor paid for. When some of the boys asked him to return them, he said he couldn't find them. We strongly believe he still has them and just doesn't care that he's left the new lads without jerseys while we wait to order replacements. The twist is I'm one of the owners of the sponsoring company. Should we send him a collections notice for the jerseys or is that crossing the line 100%?

[Dan Powers]

Send him a collections notice. Also, the term collections notice is so. Yeah, so. So national.

[Sean Buffini]

And then he said, lads, too. I think this guy's. This guy. I like this guy. This is it.

[Dan Powers]

This is a proper gentleman.

[Sean Buffini]

Here's. I have some questions, though. How someone on our team at least has the water bottles? Has the. Although the rink actually very, very nicely provides pucks now. But we used to be like, who has the pucks? Who has the water bottles? I'm surprised. And someone has a jersey bag of extras on our team. Yeah, okay, but people have their own jerseys in their bag.

[Dan Powers]

I would say most often. Yes. Teams. Yeah, but. But maybe this is a team that has so much turnaround that one guy has the jerseys and they're like, we dole these out at every game because we don't know who's showing up, and we got to make sure.

[Sean Buffini]

Okay, fair. So that was my first question. Like, someone just has the jerseys. So this guy is that guy that he has the jerseys, which is how he got his hands on them. Second question is, he said a few years ago he took them, and then he's like, now he's. Now he's waiting.

[Dan Powers]

I think they've been sitting on this

[Sean Buffini]

for a while, but they've just been. What have they been wearing for years?

[Dan Powers]

I think they got new jerseys.

[Sean Buffini]

Well, the lads. I think he said, like, the lads are. Oh, wait, we're waiting on replacement jerseys.

[Zachary Grant]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

What the hell is going on?

[Zachary Grant]

And.

[Sean Buffini]

And this submitter is the guy whose company is the jersey. Yeah. Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

Well, that. That we'll get to, but there is a gap in time here that I'm very confused.

[Sean Buffini]

I'm very confused about that. What have you been wearing?

[Dan Powers]

This guy says a guy left our team a few years ago and took the jerseys that are. So what have you been doing for years?

[Sean Buffini]

What are you wearing?

[Dan Powers]

That is something that we need to know, but let's. Let's avoid that because that's too complicated.

[Sean Buffini]

Okay.

[Dan Powers]

What we have here is an absolute piece of shit, Plain and simple. Plain and simple. We've got an absolute piece of shit here. This guy leaves the team and takes the jerseys. At first I thought it was going to be a he maybe it's like a bar sponsors the team and he owns the bar and he's disgruntled and he's like, we paid for these. I'm taking them. I'm starting my new team and we're gonna use the jerseys. In which case, I was going to say that's kind of a shit move, but I also get it.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

But not only is that not the case, the other dude, the guy who's sending us this message, works for the company that sponsors the team. So this is just an absolute piece of shit move.

[Sean Buffini]

Yeah.

[Dan Powers]

This guy left the team. It's an act of terror. He's just trying to hurt the team by taking their jerseys.

[Sean Buffini]

And, dude, sometimes some guys take their own jersey. And we've even had situations where we're like, hey, can we get that jersey back? But I'm kind of like, let him have it. It's like, especially if they've been on the team a long time, I'm like, that's a cool thing. We'll buy. We'll buy a new jersey. Yeah, but taking all of them literally. Me, I want to follow up from this guy. We're always asking for follow ups. I want to follow up from this guy who left because I'm like, were they all dicks? Why would. Because this is such an insanely aggressive move. Especially if he. They strongly believe he has them. What are you doing? You can't even use them. It's not like he's going, I'm starting a new team with this. Actually, that would be insane. Agree. If he starts a new team sponsored by that guy's bar.

[Dan Powers]

Here's the thing. Jerseys aren't that expensive. So what I would say is order yourself new jerseys, but change them up. Do a, do a home and away thing, because this is what's going to happen. Order yourself new jerseys. Get some socks in there too. Change up the color, do the reverse of whatever the jerseys this guy stole were, and then send this guy a bill and go, hey, you stole our jerseys. We had to buy new ones. You're now paying for them because you stole our jerseys.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

What's going to happen is this guy's going to go, oh, here are the jerseys back. Because he doesn't want to pay for all the jerseys. Then you have home and aways, which is. I promise you, you're not gonna get a dime from this scumbag. Yeah, but if you buy new jerseys and you send him a bill and go, we had to buy new jersey's fuck bag.

[Sean Buffini]

Pay. Yep.

[Dan Powers]

He Will. He will get shook enough that he goes, you paid for new jerseys. Here are the old jerseys.

[Sean Buffini]

Yep.

[Dan Powers]

Then you have a home and away.

[Sean Buffini]

What if he really lost them?

[Dan Powers]

Then he has to pay for them still. This guy sucks. This guy sucks.

[Sean Buffini]

You can't.

[Dan Powers]

I agree. There is no explanation for what this hurt human being has done other than he's piece of.

[Sean Buffini]

You can't have. Good point. Because you can't have lost the dress. You can't. You can't be team Jersey guy. Like, dude, when Rob forgets the water bottles. Sorry, Rob. When Rob forgets the water bottles, I want to punch him in the face.

[Dan Powers]

Yeah, agree.

[Sean Buffini]

So.

[Dan Powers]

Because then all of you rats are drinking from my water bottle and I'm like, dude, sick, sick, sick. No, it's not that. It's. It's. I, I, I bring my own water. I bring my own water bottle because I'm a big water guy. And I'm like, I, I bring my own because I'm gonna drink this thing twice through the game. And then when everyone's drinking it, I

[Sean Buffini]

don't get enough, period. Every period. So if you're the jersey guy, you can't be forgetting the jerseys to a game. You certainly can't be losing the jerseys, and you definitely can't be stealing them unless they've done something very mean to you. I want to follow up from this guy. If he follows up and goes, they, they, they were, they were bullying me and they slashed my tires, so I took the jerseys.

[Dan Powers]

It's not.

[Sean Buffini]

What if they. Dan.

[Dan Powers]

What if they caused.

[Sean Buffini]

What if they caused thousands of dollars of property damage to his house at a hockey pool party? And he said, guys, please help me pay for this. And they've refused. And he goes, I'm quitting this team and taking the jerseys.

[Dan Powers]

Then I would actually be kind of on his side. I assume, though, if this guy is that tight enough with this team where he's hosting beer league parties at his home, I don't think that they would do that to him.

[Sean Buffini]

We don't know these guys.

[Dan Powers]

We don't know. My assumption is this guy's a piece of shit.

[Sean Buffini]

He sucks. And send and buy new jerseys. Send him a bill. Yeah, that's that. All right.

[Dan Powers]

That's going to wrap up this episode. Amazing stuff, fun stuff. We've got a of ton, ton of incredible interviews coming up here, including Alex Ovechkin. And then also huge, huge development that we are super excited about. CP And I have been reviewing stuff for the over the years. Movies this, that, and the other. We are about to finally dabble into what we've been teasing forever in our deep, passionate love for fantasy and sci fi. And we are starting a new section of the pod that will come out on the YouTube called the Sci Fi section, where we will be doing a deep dive into our favorite fantasy and sci fi books. And the first one is one of our personal favorites, the Red Rising series coming very soon. Deep cannot wait. We will see you there. And until then, skate hard.