Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 536: Featuring Rob Gronkowski, Matt Duchene & Yands

Summary

Spittin' Chiclets Episode 536: Featuring Rob Gronkowski, Matt Duchene & Yands

Release Date: December 17, 2024

In this highly engaging and insightful episode of Spittin' Chiclets, hosts Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette, and Mike Grinell delve deep into personal stories, mental health challenges, and provide expert analysis on current NHL team performances. Featuring exclusive interviews with NFL legend Rob Gronkowski and star NHL player Matt Duchene, alongside the return of beloved guest Yands, Episode 536 offers listeners a multifaceted look into the lives of professional athletes both on and off the ice.

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1. Personal Updates and Pre-Interview Banter (00:00 - 01:45)

The episode kicks off with the hosts sharing personal anecdotes about recent outings, favorite bars, and upcoming events. They discuss the importance of camaraderie and staying connected with friends and family amidst the busy schedules of professional sports.

Notable Quote:

Ryan Whitney (00:30): "You don't want to be the guy scrambling for cash like Whit when the rounds on you."

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2. Matt Duchene Interview (07:35 - 90:53)

Overview: Matt Duchene opens up about his recent experiences being bought out, dealing with on-ice altercations, and the emotional toll of coaching his daughter’s lacrosse team. He candidly discusses the challenges of balancing professional sports with personal life and mental health.

Key Discussions:

• Bought-Out Experience: Matt shares the emotional impact of being bought out from his previous team, highlighting the unexpected nature of the decision and its effects on his career trajectory.

  Quote (16:36):

  Matt Duchene: "Now they're pointing at you after you decide not to attend Northeastern. It was a tough situation."

• Coaching Challenges: He details his experiences coaching a youth lacrosse team, navigating intense games, and managing team dynamics amidst competitive pressures.

  Quote (11:08):

  Matt Duchene: "It's addicting to see the improvement and how much the kids love the game."

• Mental Health and Support Systems: Matt emphasizes the importance of mental health support, sharing how mentorship and open conversations with family and professionals have helped him cope with the stresses of professional sports.

  Quote (89:49):

  Matt Duchene: "Grief isn't linear. It comes and goes at different times."

• Philanthropy - Hockey Tonk Foundation: He introduces his foundation aimed at supporting families dealing with cancer, reflecting his commitment to giving back and helping those in need.

  Quote (123:45):

  Matt Duchene: "Hockey should be able to give back at a grand scale. It's a great platform."

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3. Rob Gronkowski Interview (157:29 - 192:57)

Overview: In an enlightening discussion, NFL superstar Rob Gronkowski shares his journey from professional football to his current ventures, including his passion for hockey and involvement in community-driven initiatives. Gronk delves into his personal battles, faith, and the importance of maintaining mental well-being.

Key Discussions:

• Transition from Football to Content Creation: Rob talks about reinventing himself post-retirement, engaging in content creation, and leveraging his personality to build a lasting legacy off the field.

  Quote (174:03):

  Rob Gronkowski: "I want to help people who need help. That's why I'm open and honest about what I'm going through."

• Dealing with Violence and Injuries: He recounts experiences with on-field altercations and the physical toll of professional sports, emphasizing resilience and the necessity of support systems.

  Quote (181:05):

  Rob Gronkowski: "Breaking down with my assistant coach helped me push through and perform better the next day."

• Faith and Mental Health: Rob discusses how his faith has been a cornerstone in his life, providing strength and guidance through personal and professional challenges.

  Quote (119:21):

  Rob Gronkowski: "My faith is just a relationship with God. It helps me through tough times."

• Hockey Tonk Foundation: Like Matt Duchene, Rob highlights his commitment to philanthropy through the Hockey Tonk Foundation, aimed at supporting families affected by cancer.

  Quote (123:45):

  Rob Gronkowski: "It's our duty to give back because we've been blessed."

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4. NHL Team Analysis (04:59 - 77:00)

Overview: The hosts provide a comprehensive analysis of several NHL teams, focusing on their current performances, key players, and potential playoff implications.

Key Points:

• Edmonton Oilers: Highlighting Darnell Nurse's evolution and the team's offensive prowess with players like Connor Brown and Leon Draisaitl.

  Quote (47:21):

  Paul Bissonnette: "Darnell Nurse has figured out how to play to be a shutdown solid pain in the ass to play against."

• Toronto Maple Leafs: Discussing the resurgence of the Leafs, praising core players like Matthews, Marner, and Nylander, and addressing criticisms about their playoff consistency.

  Quote (54:18):

  Paul Bissonnette: "The Core 4 is activated and buzzing on all cylinders like a goddamn machine right now."

• Buffalo Sabres: Analyzing the Sabres' struggles, coaching challenges, and the passionate yet frustrated fan base.

  Quote (65:11):

  Listener Call-In: "This is five years ago. They haven't made the playoffs since 13."

• Minnesota Wild: Recognizing the standout performance of Kirill Kaprizov and the team's overall improvement, emphasizing the need for additional star power to complement existing talent.

  Quote (53:06):

  Paul Bissonnette: "Kirill Kaprizov is heating up and... he's a front runner for MVP right now."

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5. Live Show and Event Announcements (77:00 - 85:00)

Overview: The hosts announce upcoming live shows in Chicago, featuring NHL Hall of Famers Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios. They encourage listeners to attend these events for an immersive experience combining hockey insights and live interactions with legends.

Promotions:

• Peter Millar Sponsorship: Highlighting the new sweater line perfect for winter and outdoor activities, emphasizing comfort and style.

  Quote (55:46):

  Mike Grinell: "The Holdridge comes in three different models. A vest, a full zip sweater, and a full zip hoodie."

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6. Closing Remarks and Upcoming Content (85:00 - End)

The episode concludes with heartfelt thanks to guests and listeners, reiterating the importance of community support and mental well-being. The hosts tease future content, including an exclusive interview with Matt Duchene and ongoing team analyses.

Notable Quote:

Ryan Whitney (112:00): "We're human, right? We need that support system, and hockey's going that way a bit more. And it's great."

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Conclusion

Episode 536 of Spittin' Chiclets masterfully intertwines personal narratives with expert sports analysis, offering listeners a deep dive into the lives of professional athletes. Through the candid interviews with Rob Gronkowski and Matt Duchene, the episode underscores the significance of mental health, resilience, and community support in the high-pressure world of professional sports. Additionally, the insightful team analyses provide a comprehensive understanding of the current NHL landscape, making this episode a must-listen for hockey enthusiasts and sports fans alike.

Transcript

[A]

Hey Spit and Chicklets listeners. You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[B]

Here on Spit and Chiclets, we talk a lot about hockey, including the best ways to enjoy game day.

[C]

That is right. If you need help getting those game day essentials, you got to have Discover in your back pocket. Discover is accepted by 99% of places that take credit card nationwide. So when it's time for wings and drinks, you're pretty much covered.

[B]

Yeah, you don't want to be the guy scrambling for cash like Whit when the rounds on you. And remember y'all, Discover is accepted by 99% of places, but attempting to start a wave at a critical point in the game is not it pays to.

[C]

Discover percentage based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. And don't miss the puck drop for the Discover NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Eve.

[B]

Hey, this is Fran from Chicks in the Office. I can't wait to get dressed up for the holidays in Abercrombie's newest collection.

[C]

There's nothing more motivating to make plans.

[B]

When it's cold out than a hot outfit.

[C]

I love a sparkly skirt and sweater combo for date night. And you might just see me in a sequin dress for New Year's. Abercrombie has tons of coats and jackets to layer over your party looks too.

[B]

And we can't forget to plug their scarlet mini skort.

[C]

It's the skirt of the season. Leave it to Abercrombie to set the.

[B]

Outfit vibe, so make a night of it.

[C]

Shop Abercrombie's newest party looks online and in store. Me and Ryan have been officially welcomed to the jungle that is Barstool Sports. Our white whale, Sidney Crosby. Shave his head. Shave his head.

[B]

Shave his head.

[C]

Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette RA Mike Grinelli Spittin Chicklet Foreign what is up folks? Welcome back to Spit and Chicklets, episode 536. Very, very special show ahead. We have so much to catch up on, so much to talk about. Yan's is back, baby. Yans is back. The people love him. The people need to hear from him. And we got some very crazy news coming in right before we started recording. But before we get to both guys, including Paul Bish, Nasty Bissonette, who went crazy viral this week describing his brawl where he fought six people and came out looking better than they did, we got to talk about Pink Whitney. And that is what it's all about. This show is presented by Pink Whitney New Amsterdam's own Pink Whitney. The big bottle, the little bottles, the medium bottles. Summer, fall, spring, doesn't matter. Winter, right now, look at that sick shirt Biz is wearing. Shop for a cure. Shout out to breasty. Shout out spit and Chiclets and shout out Pink Whitney. Go get a drink right now. Take your shot with Pink Whitney. And whoever won that contest to Nashville is going to have a time and a half down on Broadway having a grand old time. Go Dogs. I know that's a.

[B]

Don't be drinking the big old bottle.

[C]

Us dogs, we gotta buy. Tennessee has to be playing against Ohio State. I don't even know who they're playing, but what is going on, guys? Keith. Biz. How you doing, boys?

[B]

I'm doing great. I had a bunch of my Canadian buddies in town this weekend, so we were kind of running amok. Went to that global ambassador and then this, this new place called Elephante. And then they had this bar Bambino. They were playing like 75 volume. You know me, I don't want it too loud in there. And all disco. It was a beautiful little room. It's called Bar Bambino. I had a blast. We ended up going back to back nights. Little disco. I was home by like 12:30, 12:45. It's the new way of partying disc really.

[C]

It's making disco like, like, like the 80s, John Travolta.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But like they kind of remix it and make them like they segue them into other tunes. And there's a, you know, a few modern, like maybe a couple Madonna tracks throughout the night in her heyday. Not the new.

[C]

So it's very funny is. And I'm wondering where people go on this. Keith, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Biz is a guy that when he's out and maybe this is more common than I think, but he's like kind of always moving with the music as he's out. Like, I don't have moves, I don't have rhythm. But like you'll be standing there talking and like even talking to me. You're just. I'm like, dude, can you stop dancing right now? This is awkward shit. You're all. So you were just the whole night just shaking, just grooving.

[B]

Oh yeah. This was like a full fledged disco. It was awesome. It was unreal being back in the mix. So my buddies were here, we had a little bit of fun. Did it sober. So I'm not waking up feeling like could still get my hikes in and like Overall dinner, dinners and then like out till about 12:30. That's my speed. And like I said man, some of these bars and restaurants, they crank the tunes so you got a headache by the time you leave. Trying to dial in conversation, you could have a conversation. This club, the, the music was disco and it was uplifting. It's not like some of this rap that Yan's listens to. Just a classy establishment and a place that I would look to throw my 40th birthday party which I'm having and I hope you guys are there.

[D]

So Houston's and then Elephant.

[C]

I just saw that the Empty Netters boys, the Powers brothers, they were, they were recently talking about how the volume at bars is out of control like that. It's way too loud.

[B]

Too loud, too loud. We don't need it that loud. We just need like 75%. You got to still be able to have a conversation. Absolutely. No. Yeah, I don't think I would bring. I think I'm going to have probably about 80 to 100 people for my 40th birthday party coming up in March. Yeah, I'm going to have a bunch of my friends from Vancouver coming and I align with Jackie the Alien. Yans, you met Jackie the Alien. We're around the same time. So I'm going to say everybody come down, stay at hotels, get Airbnbs and I'll throw like the, the party at my place and then go over after to, to like something like that bar Bambino. And on the Friday Yance, how many times have you been been to Buffalo Chip?

[D]

A bunch. This is the best.

[B]

It's the best. So you go, it's in Cave Creek. It's like a, it's like a rodeo out of a movie. So you know Scottsdale, Old town, that's where all the nonsense is. Right? Well if you go 35 minutes to cave Creek they have this like small little town with biker bars and they have like a small time, small time rodeo. I want to say they throw the rodeo on Fridays and Sundays. So you go there at 7:30 and they start the show. They got an MC, you got the kids riding the sheep. Like you could sign up your kid and you could put a helmet on and go grab the sheep if you, if you wanted to fucking ride the bull. They put a hockey helmet on. You just got to sign a waiver. Like they got locals out there.

[D]

We remember we had a Halloween party there a couple times Biz.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You're telling any person can hop on the bull.

[B]

Like oh yeah, these bulls Are like me. They got the low T. They're not like, bodacious, like, kicking up to, like. I mean, have you ever seen Fu Manchu? Cool. Hey, if you've never seen the documentary. If you've never seen the. The documentary of bodacious, go on YouTube and watch it. It's crazy. This guy, like, retired some of the best bull riders where he was just. But these are, like, these are ones that might be kicking, like, you know.

[C]

Well, they were at the disco. They were at the disco the night before. So they're just like you at the bar, just chilling. Low T bowl, low T ball. Fish says in the chat that little kids on riding a sheep, you're like, it's a dude.

[B]

Dude in a cow. A cow outfit.

[C]

It's lining the udders. That's. It's lining in Montreal's locker room.

[B]

Oh, yeah. That's sort of an inside joke. Those are the pants he wore to his first day there. I don't know.

[C]

Yeah, we actually interviewed Patrick Lynette. It was a blast. Talking a very interesting cat. Today's episode, we're dropping Matthew Shane, which is an unbelievable interview.

[B]

Incredible.

[C]

Like, the stuff that this kid's gone through and taught and is very open talking about to us. Very special. And Rob Gronkowski. Gronk, one of the biggest legends in the history of the NFL. Fish is saying that when little kids ride the sheep, it's called mutton busting. Awkward name with kids. Mutton busting. Don't really get that. Can't imagine I'd ever. Wyatt could probably take one of those things down, though. He'd try to eat the sheep. It's like, hold on there.

[D]

Oh, my God, I would bust their mutton.

[B]

Can you please. I'll pay for the nanny if you bring them. And we're getting wired on one of these fucking sheep.

[C]

I'll pay for the nanny. Like, how about you send me a jet so I don't have to sit in a plane with these kids? Pay for the nanny. Thanks, dude. Get my 25 buc an hour covered.

[D]

What a guy.

[C]

What an awesome guy. Keith, how was your weekend? Just lacrosse with the girls or were you hanging at home?

[B]

Wait, before we get there, are you guys coming to my birthday or not?

[C]

I, I, well, I, I would love to. Now, when you say march and this kind of leads into what I did this weekend, that's like playoff time for the, for the might. For the might hockey team. And I'm a coach, so if it happens to fall when we got playoffs, I can't be ditching soccer squad. Yeah, I can't be ditching my squad. But you know, if. If I do not have something that I have to be at, I will be at your 40th birthday party. I'll be one of the 173 people at business party. And then maybe I can hang out with Jackie the alien.

[B]

Well, no, hey, listen, it's actually just.

[D]

A meet and greet. He's going to be sitting there signing.

[C]

Stuff for people charging you.

[D]

I'll pay for your nanny, but you owe me 50 bucks to sign this Whitney hat.

[C]

He's like, I paid for your nanny, but you're still in the hole. Sorry about that, man. Oh, this party's gotta pay for. It's not gonna pay for itself.

[B]

That's so good. That's. Well, okay, because listen, I got all my Vancouver friends and then all the locals. We got donor here, Ray Whitney, the Pyat's. Like, there's a lot of people here who I'd invite. And then of course, you guys, if you could make it, if you're not knee deep like Gordon Bombay over here. Can't miss a game.

[C]

Gets me to go by saying, I got. I got golf set up. It's mini golf. I'm like, thanks, dude. Flew out here to just putt around, like the barstool tournament. We did that.

[B]

All right, so going against. You had lacrosse tournaments this weekend for the girls?

[D]

No. Yeah, my Friday night, went out with a couple buddies, went to Takado that we went to.

[C]

Oh.

[D]

And then.

[B]

Oh, it's unreal.

[D]

And then my buddy's cousin is newly single guy, so he wanted to go and run around. So we went to like 37 bars in like an hour and 20 minutes. It was absolute worst. Like, you know when someone just wants to keep going different places. So that kind of. It was fun, obviously. Fun to see them. And then Saturday night was the boat parade. Went over to a friend's house here. He threw an unbelievable party. Great spread, had a band going. And then you just sit in his backyard and watch the boats go by with all the lights on. It was so great weekend for me. And had a lacrosse tournament in between there. The jingle brawl, it was called. Mila's team won it. So it was fun. Good weekend.

[C]

I was up. I had my first experience.

[B]

I want to ask Yan's quickly though. Like, they're playing the cross.

[A]

Pretty.

[B]

Pretty physical sport. Like, are these girls ever getting caddy? Like they throwing elbows? Any hair pulling or like any intense scraps? Like, what's going on?

[D]

Yeah, was that, so last, last weekend, we had nationals, and there was a team from Canada that was down here just outside. I think they were just outside of Ontario. And this is girls lacrosse, Right? But in I, I'm watching, like the first two minutes of the game, I'm like, these girl, the Canadian girls were nasty and they were playing so hard. So I went over to one of the dads. I'm like, I'm like, do they play, like, full contact up there like the girl, like the guys do down here? And he said, yeah, they all play box lacrosse. So they were like, just finished in their box lacrosse season, so they haven't, like, turned it off yet.

[B]

They got black eyes coming in.

[D]

But my, my older daughter, she's, she, she's not afraid of the, the contact, so she, she loved it. And she was like, I want to play box lacrosse now. So that'll be on our next thing.

[C]

Box lacrosse cross. I mean, people talk about hockey fighting, but box across the fights. Are that on, on in sneakers or in shoes? So it's like buckets off, square off, straight up brawl fight, Irish traveler style. I guess that, that, to change from that to regular women's lacrosse is probably really difficult too.

[B]

Like, that's, like, that's Medieval times dinner and tournament, man. You're getting baseball swung on the, on the elbow pad like every single second you have the ball.

[C]

I, I, I've never, I've never really, like, I never really wanted to play lacrosse. Situate. Didn't have it growing up. I believe, like, in the past 15 years, it's become a solid program. But I was always a baseball guy. Keith switched to lacrosse. Had a legendary moment where I believe he stuck his stick into a guy's chest in the state tournament. Were you suspended?

[B]

Oh, nice.

[D]

Yeah, well, I ended up leaving public school so I didn't have to serve my suspension.

[C]

So that was, yeah, it was like Braveheart style. Spearing the guy in the heart with his, with his, with his stick. So an aggressive sport.

[B]

You got kicked out of a school system.

[D]

Like, where'd you go to leave.

[B]

Where'd you go? Catholic?

[D]

No, I, I was going to Cushing the next year, so I left public school to go to Cushing. A fine academic establishment.

[C]

It's like, how did you get in? I was really good at hockey, and then I made up a story about a coach yelling at me when I didn't commit to his school. But we'll get to that. My week. Let me explain, Let me explain my weekend. Very quick biz. So it was Ryder's first travel hockey tournament. Right. So very excited for the kids and the families. And talking to Brian Yandel all these years, who's. He's been through this probably about 12 to 13 years now with his oldest, Brian, then Colin, and now Liam, I believe It's. What's Liam? 12 or 13. But you don't realize and you don't remember what it's like as you get older and all of a sudden you get back and you see the kids in the mini hockey in the dressing room and being together in the hotel, and you really forgot and you didn't realize. When you're younger, the parents. The parents rip it up. It's like spring break for the parents. There's no driving. There's nothing to worry about. You're just getting after it, and you're having a blast. We have an amazing group of. Of parents on this team. It's like an awesome situation where everyone's good people, you know, the team's, like, getting better and better. We sit six place in the standings right now for the 2017 Platinum level, the Boston Junior Dogs. So it's a blast. So we're going up there, and we find out beforehand our schedule, and it's kind of a mishmash of teams and. And age groups a little bit. So our first game happens to be against my nephew Ryder's cousin Cooper. So that's awesome. Now they're. They're 2016 birth years. They have, I think, three or four 2017s, but overall, the team's older. Say there's 12 to 14 kids on every team. So first game of the tournament, it's like, all right, these kids are older. We're not exactly an elite team by any means, but like I said, great group of kids. So we get thumped. Thumped. It's also the first time we've ever had the big nets. Right? So really hard for our goalie. You know, I mentioned our goalie, Walker Hasek. The kid's the man, just always smiling, but he's got the big nets. Well, we're getting absolutely trounced. The other team's really solid, Cooper's team. And the ref. I see this ref, this ref, this father, son, combo, goon squad, and I'm now realizing, like, I know that there's a shortage of referees, and you got to be respectful. Dude, I was counting to 10 multiple times on the bench with these two guys. The dad is going over in the middle of the game, like, talking to our goalie, like, trying to, like, cheer him up a little he came to the bench, like, your goalie's really upset. The head coach of my team, Chris, he's like. Like, wouldn't you be. We're down 10 nothing or whatever it is. Like, what are you talking about? Stop talking to our goalie, Buddy. He's, like, trying to fire him up. He's, like, doing little, like, goalie symbols. Like, buddy, get away from our goalie. It's our first ever tournament game, so we got wax. Kids were kind of disappointed. We come back the next morning. This is Friday night, come back the next morning, get a big win. Now, we played against the team who's kind of a level below us. They had one kid, nasty, number 88, cutting back and forth. I'm like, if we can stop him, we got a chance. We ended up kind of blowing them out. All right, we're one and one, and we got a game this afternoon. This team was the Valley Junior Warriors. Okay? And if we win, we're in. We're into the semis Sunday morning. If we lose or tie, we're done. And this team's moving on. So we're playing them, right? Because this team's one on one as well. Or one zero one. Buddy, I made the biggest mistake. I made my first ever coaching fumble. Disgrace. Fire me right now. Did I tell you I have a buddy, Brendan Timmons, who's coaching a team, who. Whose son's on the team, who told him, if this was the NHL, you'd be fired by now.

[D]

Dad, come on. That's beautiful.

[B]

Oh, so make sure you're.

[C]

Granali says he played for the Valley Junior warriors, so he was probably the.

[D]

Same size at 10 when that. That is. He is now, because those North Shores.

[B]

He's got the bucket. He can prove it.

[C]

We went to Nationals, baby. We were a wagon. Yeah. He never scored a goal. He. But he brought everyone Northshore beef sandwiches to eat, so he was the most valuable player and that's that.

[B]

The.

[D]

The Lindros helmet.

[E]

Oh, yeah.

[C]

You kidding me? Your game's like Lindros, dude. It really is wet.

[B]

Bring us through your. Your. Up and. And.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Did it cost you guys making the semis?

[C]

It cost us everything. Cost us everything.

[A]

No.

[C]

So leading up, I've seen this, like, you know, you're all playing in the same rink. We're in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. Six spot. There's, like, five hotels that are walking distance. The rink's awesome. Old school rink. It used to be Plymouth State's arena before they built their own on campus, I guess, but awesome Setup. So you're seeing all the teams play, like, before or after you. And. And my nephew was playing against this team, you know, after our game. So I was watching his games. I don't know right now. Now, we've talked a lot about puberty, girls, what can change from dominant players until you're 18, and it really matters. I think I saw the best 2017 born hockey player on the planet right now. And I'm seeing this kid out there, he's a lefty skating up and down the ice like McDavid, head up, crossing over, cutting back on guys, drop passes, giving people tappings. I'm like, okay, we're in one with this kid. This kid's going to be a problem. Going to be a problem. But we just got to somehow shut him down. Now we have a kid on our team, great little skater, and it was kind of like his dad beforehand's like, hey, watch 17. You got to watch for 17. Kind of like a. A buildup to, like, we just got. If we could shut this kid down, we'll move on, buddy. We came out of the gate so hot. We're passing the puck around now. I'm at the point where I'm going to start really snapping if we don't pass the puck. I'm like, the puck moves faster than any of you skate. Just trying to enforce, guys. If you see someone open, pass it, buddy. We were snapping around like the 97 Red Wings. We go up 6, 2, 6, 2. There's 9 minutes and 30 seconds left, and this kid has one. He has one of their two goals, and I think he had the assist on the other. But we're keeping him at bay, right? Like, somehow. The back checking was great. I felt so proud. I felt so happy. And then I hear the kids. I hear the kids like, 10 minutes ago. We're gonna win. I'm like. I'm like, oh, my God. And the same time, when we're losing 6:2, they're like, we're gonna lose. I'm like, God damn it. Shift by shift. Now, I'm not yelling this, but in my head as I'm trying not to scream at the ref, I'm also trying not to yell at the kids. All of a sudden, number 17 comes alive. End to end, six, three. End to end, six, four. No dangles in the corner. Video game mode, six, five. I'm like, oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. And I knew when he made it six, three. I'm like, there's a lot of time left. There's a lot of Time left. All right, it's six, five. There's about 45 seconds left. One of our guys gets a breakaway. He's buzzing down. Goalie makes a great save. Puck goes into the corner. Some D man from the Valley junior warriors just buries him. Huge hit. Not allowed to hit. I'm like, penalty. Well, at the same time, our kid, These kids are 7 years old, kind of takes a swing at him. All right, matching penalties, no big deal, right? This goon ref comes over, this goon rep. Now, mind you, before this, the son of the goon, they're both goons, nice people. But goon ref, the son comes over and he's like, hey, my dad told me your goalie got an assist. I'm like, yeah, yeah. I think he gave it to the kid who went end. And he's like, that's so cool. The play's going on. I'm like, buddy, watch the game. I don't care. I don't care. So the ref comes over shorthanded. You guys are shorthand. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa. What? Matching penalties. Hit by them, punch back by us. Retaliation. No, your guy punched and then hit him over the head with the stick. I'm. I'm like, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. We got another assistant. He's kind of snapping on him. I'm like, oh, boy. The guy's wife's texting him. Calm down, calm down, calm down. Very funny. But we're down shorthanded. I'm like, oh, no.

[B]

45 here left.

[C]

I'm in my head, I'm thinking, OK, we got to send. I'll send a kid out and just shadow 17. Just literally stick to him. Don't let anything near him. Don't let the puck near him. But then I'm like, this is seven year old hockey. Like that's kind of ridiculous. You can't be doing that. Just look so foolish. And then how does the kid feel? That's the COVID him. Like, what are we talking about here, Wick? Get out of your own brain. So I decided not to say anything. What happened? Number 17 roofs one bar down. We. We tie the game. It felt like a loss tournament over. Just an absolutely pathetic coaching performance by your boy. But at the same time.

[B]

So the game ended a tie. Which didn't get you into the.

[C]

No. Done.

[D]

And my buddy, my buddy's kids on that team, on wits team. And apparently when the kid scored 17, he skated by Whit and goes, should have had someone covering me, buddy.

[B]

No, he didn't no, he didn't.

[C]

Grab it.

[B]

He's dick grabbing his dick.

[C]

You. They are seven. Base. They are seven.

[B]

Hey, they are seven. You vodka boy. Should have had someone covering me.

[C]

So you know what? I was, I was so up. And then like rider after, like, what time's the game through? I'm like, we're not playing, bud. Like, everyone else is crying. He's like, what? I'm like, no, that was basically a loss by Tyne. And he's like, oh, can we go to the arcade? I'm like, all right. He's over it. He's over.

[B]

So did you have the goon refs the first game and the third game?

[C]

We had him every game. We had him every single game. Father, son, combo. The kid, the kid, the kid. His hair was down to his ass. And. And Keith's brother in law, Bob Bobby Noonan, he's calling him Axl Rose. He's like, look at Axl Rose out there. Guy can't even make a call because his son trips on like the elite team for the. So we. Everyone's dealing with these refs, everyone's dealing with these drafts. And it's like, oh, my God, now you realize and you gotta respect him. And I never really said anything besides get away and stop talking to me. What my goalies assist and drinking your body armor in my face. But it was, it was, it was a great, great weekend. It, it was, it was brutal to end. But I think at the same time, like, you make the semis, it was like 9 in the morning. Finals are like 4pm So I would, I got home at 11, right. And I was just chilling. Had a great day. So it was, it was a great time, though. It's really cool. It's making me love hockey so much. Like, we talked to Shane a little bit about this with his kids getting in hockey in this interview, but like, I, I'm so in love with hockey and coaching and you see kids every month, every two months, like, do something in a game that they couldn't do before. It's like, it's like addicting to see the improvement and how much the kids love the game. So I fumbled. I fumbled. Not, not shadowing the Crosby of 2017 birth years.

[D]

But I think you did the right thing by not doing it.

[C]

I know. It's like you played in the NHL.

[D]

The dad's kid would. The, the kid's dad would have been like, is this guy serious? Like, this is. If you're not telling them that, what are we doing?

[B]

If you're not telling them that the Boston Stranglers are in trouble. That's why I didn't bring you back.

[C]

Yeah, you're comparing 7 year olds to you mutants. Do you think nose face killer won't go out and just slash somebody in the neck if we tell them to? I'll have that killer instinct for the chick.

[B]

Can I ask you this?

[A]

What.

[B]

What time are you guys staying awake till. In the. In the hallway. That's where my. Our parents used to drink. And.

[C]

Yeah, so the first night, Bree had taken Wyatt to Polar Express, which is this train ride where you see Santa like the movie in the book. And so I had the baby. The baby. The baby didn't go to sleep, buddy. He didn't go to sleep. I put him down at 7. He's cried till 9. I was texting Bri. I was so angry. And then she's like, stop making me feel bad. I said, I apologize, baby. I apologize. I know you're gonna be up with them all night. And then the next night, we had a great dinner. All the families went out to dinner. It was an absolute blast. Go back to the hotel. At 10:30, I was pretty banged up. I was dummying IPAs. There was some pink Whitney involved, and then some wine. And I got back to the room and, like, Kana was feeling a little messed up, so I just laid down and fell asleep. But the dad's in the room next door. They went till 2:30, these animals.

[B]

Oh, God. That's like my old man. My old man. And the boys, like, all the fathers. Oh, God. They used to send it. They used to bring the cookout stuff.

[C]

Oh, I woke up and Bree's like, you didn't go down to the room? I was like, I know. Like, I laid down. All of a sudden, she's like, that's kind of embarrassing.

[B]

Well, and we're a different breed. We had a couple dads in the team who smoked, and they would share a room and they would. They would have in the room, and the kids had to sleep in the room. You go in the room. I couldn't even see if I was sitting in the other corner. Like, it's just like we just had. We had a drink in their OV or. Oh, God. Just a special breed, those dads were. Now you. Now you wonder why they were yelling at the refs. They were just taking out their hangover anger on them.

[C]

That's what. Well, and this is open. This is an open container state or area like Fort Lauderdale in Florida. So, like, I'm Walking into the rink for like the 8:30 game and see a guy crack a tall boy game on here. These refs are in one.

[B]

I, I would pay to see a photo of the goon squad that the father son combo.

[C]

Oh my God. So it was, it was a great time.

[D]

You see Wit's post when he was. He posted on Instagram. It was like him, you know, packing up the car, ready to go as a family selfie. It looked like he got traded from Pittsburgh to Anaheim and had to drive cross country instead of going for a weekend trip.

[C]

Commodore goes, are you driving to Vancouver? I go free. What is all this stuff? We had the skis, went skiing one day.

[B]

Oh, that case.

[C]

Yeah, exactly. But it was a blast. It was a blast. But moving on from my coaching, my coaching mishap. Keith, have you been into surviving barstool at all?

[D]

Dude, I think I thought I texted you guys. Maybe I texted Big Cat. Like I, I watch a ton of reality TV and the production that has been put into this, the storylines that like it deserves a. In an Emmy or it deserves some award, they do such a great job of tying everything in. And I'm sure you guys filming it, like, I'm sure there's a lot of dead time and a lot of stuff, but just like the way that they're, you know, putting the one interview of, you know, whether it's you or biz and then just tying it into, I, I think they've just done such an amazing job. And the, the Ufall starting on last one, just hitting guys in the head and then biz beating everybody up. Dude, I was crying.

[B]

I would imagine most people listening know exactly what we're talking about. We did a surviving barstool reality show. Like first class production. Like the events and the puzzles they would set up and how much detail and time attention they went into it. And the last episode was a jousting match. I never thought it was going to get like gladiator style where there's like Taylor Luan who was like an NFL. Was he a Pro bowl lineman?

[C]

Yeah, like he's 6 7.

[B]

Clemmer, who's a buck 30 at the office.

[D]

Clemmer beat him.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

But, but it was just chaos from the beginning. When I'll hand it over to you. But you ended up false starting knowing that your team was going to lose and you ended up suckering who mini hand in the face.

[C]

Yeah, I suckered mini hand first. Then like I suckered Luan again early and then against Will Compton, I waited. Although apparently like I looked at the video after getting a bunch of tweets. He kind of false started on me. Will kind of got me a little early, but it was just a tough look for myself. Like, it was the exact embodiment of me versus you as a hockey player. Biz. Like, you went, no headgear. You stood in there smash people's head in. You gave poor Francis a goddamn concussion. The guys had, like, three concussions. Oh, my God, that blog was so funny. Francis is the best writer at barstool, I think, but he kind of described the entire city. He said that biz looked like Ms. Peach's dad. Stepfather. Yeah, he did.

[D]

But he was like, he looks like a pit bull over there. Just foaming at the mouth, I think.

[B]

I think Francis is one of the funniest person I've ever hung around. Like, his even as funny. Oh, he's an incredible writer.

[C]

But they left out an edit. Keith, where? Where? Where? Portnoy comes up to me after my second false start, and he's like, is this a bit like, are you. Are you joking right now? I'm like, no. He's like, just hit. Just hit Will early. Just fuck it. You've already done it. We're losing. And I was like, no, no, no. I gotta be a man. Neck cracked. I had to see the Cairo that night. They brought a Cairo to the office for me. Neck crack went down. Done. So Biz looked like the animal that he is in that video. But episode six premieres tonight for anyone listening right now. And then there's going to be a break after 6, 7, and 8 this week, and then all hell breaks loose. That's all I'll say. I'm not going to give anything else away. Biz, the fight video was released. You saw it last week before we. And we will get to hockey, folks, but we have a. Sorry. Yeah, we have an easy time catching up right now, so we'll get to hockey. But, Biz, you saw all the footage. You went through it for us, and then you went on the McAfee show and kind of dissected it.

[E]

It.

[C]

If you want to do that a little bit right now.

[B]

Yeah, if you guys want to pull it up, I don't need to go like, yeah, crazy in depth. But so this. At this point here, like, it's kind of hard because maybe the people listening don't know what's going on right now on this video. But I would just say that 95 of what I recollected before seeing all the footage, I think played out The. The first image you see me going over at that point, these guys have been already around with them for, like, 45 seconds a minute. So they kind of start the clip when I end up walking over the first time. So you don't really see the assistant manager get, like, yelled in his face and the other guy getting backed out to kick him out of the restaurant. So it ends up playing out. And one thing, too, is that the. The. You see us go out of frame in the restaurant, and then there's a gap in time till we end up coming out the door. We're still fighting in that gap where you can't really see on the original camera to the door. Like, we're going the door, buddy. Yeah.

[D]

This guy's, like, a real gentleman.

[B]

That seem. That used to be a lot of the consensus is nobody ended up popping in. And the frustration that most people, when they've came up, they've said something to. And, I mean, you see it going to the parking lot, and why I kind of kept backing up. Like, there was nine originally, and I'm just like, I can't get caught with one of these guys, because if I go down, there's, like, a pack of hyenas. There's nobody that seems to be coming out to my aid till about halfway through, and I ended up going down here. I thought it was in the original rock pile that I got taken down, but about right behind here, it's a There. You could kind of see the rock pile before that where I ended up going down, and they got me a little bit more. And this is when they kind of round the corner to the cvs. And the only thing that sucks is you can't see because that tree's in the way of me knocking that guy out. But then that's when four of them sprint at me, and they're pissed off because I just got their buddy and they take me down. And I think that, yeah, I guess it's a little disturbing watching yourself get it is in the. In the head. But at the end of the day, the entire time, I. I kept telling myself is, if they get you down, you got to get up. There's no, like, staying down. Keep moving your head and live to fight another day. And at that point, it's like, I can't keep going. I'm one v even four. Let's just cut your losses. And you got the one in the restaurant. You got the one. William Carroll by the dumpster. And hopefully I'll get to see Danny Bradley down the road. And the kid in the red who's facing the worst charges, that Sean Daly. Oh, he's the one who kicked me in the head. That one he missed with. He would have hit the moon.

[D]

I mean, Jesus, looks like Adam 2004.

[B]

Yeah. So he's. I hope that he ends up getting some jail time. But yeah, he was kicking to get me good. And. And that's why after the. The 911 call, I was so gassed. I think I got in direct contact in the head about three times, where you're kind of going black and then you're resetting, but at least you're not black and then you're out. Because if I was out, these guys are like, I might be on a fucking breathing tube right now. I just want to quickly say, like, the people at Raven Golf Club who called it in, they were on the lookout for what they described these guys as. They missed them at Raven. So then these guys went to the next spot. We've gotten a couple messages to that Shea Stevens, where they'd been to even a couple places before they ended up to Houston's. Same type of idea. Somebody mentioned Ruth, Chris. So when this got called in at Houston's, the cops were there in the three minutes by the time I got to the cvs. And the guys who did get away because of the people at the. The where the cops, like, I don't know what the office is or wherever they do the cam, they were able to follow these guys how far they got like a mile and a half away. And then that's when you see them pick up that Sean Daly, where he probably thought he was out scot free.

[C]

Oh, yeah, they come out of the corner.

[B]

So the, the, the. The communication between the people on the cams, the street cams that caught them boot me to communicate to the cops to end up booking these guys. That's the goal. Like, I'm hoping the legal system takes care of these guys, but I don't know if. These guys seem to keep going from city to city, changing their names, changing their addresses, they go back to scamming people. We've received messages that even in the town where they're around in Fort Worth, they'll go to establishments and next thing you know, there's 15 of them. They're ripping the flat screens off the walls. They're just terrorizing small businesses. If this would have been a group of gentlemen where the next day they would have said, if they would have reached out and been like, this was completely out of character. We got Blackout drunk. We ended up fucking gang beating and kicking this guy. I'd probably say cover my hospital bills, which are 35 grand with the ride and everything. Because they got to do a CT scan to check if your brain's bleeding when you get KO'd like that. Like they got me good. Like they got their lickings in. You know, I wasn't, I wasn't on my knees like a little, you know, I wasn't on my knees like William Carroll was. You know, they tackled me to the ground and got their licking in, but not like William Carroll got. But I would have been okay saying poor judgment. Learn from this. They're showing remorse. But this is a fucking weekly occurrence for this guys. These guys, this is the first time they've ever actually probably had, had to been accountable. What do you, why are you laughing, Witty?

[C]

I'm laughing because like you, you, you, you come off looking so great in this. You're helping people who, who need help. You're, you're taking on all these guys. You're, you're being a true legend throughout all of it. And then what comes up from the video, they got these guys describing you as Dwayne the Rock Johnson. A Hispanic Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Not a l chat on him. Just incredible clips that come out from basically like I mentioned Keith, William Wallace style, stabbing someone with a lacrosse stick. It was like they were fighting William Wallace like after. If they hadn't been arrested, they would have been like, who the was that guy so incredible for you came out just looking, looking beautiful.

[E]

Who would you say the main aggressor.

[C]

Was in this whole situation?

[E]

Like I'm trying to figure out because I know you mentioned some dude with tattoos.

[A]

That guy with the hat. I don't know who's the aggressor inside. I reveal I would be a liar.

[E]

If I told you, okay?

[C]

And I'm letting you know that whenever.

[A]

You'Ve seen this guy, if you've seen.

[C]

This guy and me fighting in a.

[A]

Parking lot, you'd say he's gonna beat.

[E]

The out of him.

[A]

Got not a lick of fat on him. He's shortness, he got a giant tattoo.

[C]

He's built like Dwayne the Rock Johnson. My uncle's 50 year old, okay?

[E]

Is he a white guy, black guy, Hispanic, Hispanic guy?

[B]

I wasn't worried about his 50 year old uncle. I was worried about the 30 year old mutants who were fucking probably doing key bumps all day at fucking Raven Golf Club. Who had the wires crossed at Houston's because they couldn't grab another fucking cocktail. The same guy in the lime green who just suckered a guy an hour and a half earlier because he couldn't get a cocktail.

[C]

Like, best comment. I saw Raul Bissonnette.

[B]

You know what's crazy is when I was playing minor hockey, going back to minor hockey, I was playing with single a. With Orion Smutnicki. That was one of my buddies. And he picked up one of the programs, and it said Raul Bissonnet. So he calls me Raul to this day. Like, that's a. So it brought back a little bit of nostalgia, and I had a little fun on McAfee's show. Basically. You smell what they rock. So funny. But I just, like I said, I. I. Hospital bills paid for and me getting a scrap against this Danny Bradley. That's all I want. I just want to want. Let's make an example of them and embarrass them publicly them. I just. This is a. The fact that they're doing this in their own community up small businesses. And we. And. And originally, I didn't really want to, like, like Dave, you know, barstool, like, let's, you know, let's throw T shirts about this. Hey, he's an entrepreneur. He does a lot of amazing things for, you know, small businesses with the proceeds. So I reached out to him and I said, well, you put out the. Take some. Give more shirts like the boxing clubs ones that he did. So we're gonna donate majority of the proceeds, if not all the proceeds to either the late Nicardo foundation that helps the Kachinas in Arizona, like, small hockey, grassroots type stuff. And the Matt Shot foundation, who was another guy who'd passed away. And he's got a foundation now because he was so involved with the community and giving back because hockey brought him so much joy, where he helped with a lot of the grassroots. Not only the Kachina side, but. But really any, like, youth players looking to grow up playing hockey in Arizona. So I think that he also. Dave talked about maybe giving it to, like, wounded officers as well, because I don't think you can donate money, right, to the police force. I don't know if there's, like, a law there. But plenty of thanks goes out to those guys who helped out. And that's pretty much all you guys wanted to talk about regarding it, right? Like, was there any other question?

[D]

I just had one thing to say about it. I remember Whit texted me the day that it happened. Then I FaceTimed you, and, you know, obviously it's in your head. That something scary and then. But seeing the video is a million times worse. Like, you know, you're just worried. I'm obviously glad everything's okay. But the craziest thing I. I got the video sent to me was the guy who was holding the door went in and finished Biz's meal.

[B]

I got my traditional salad that night.

[C]

I was going to say I actually saw a video that like, wasn't even released where that same guy talking about you looking like Dwayne Johnson. He said the big problem was he had this tattoo of a rotted out pumpkin. And that really pissed us off.

[D]

It's not even November.

[B]

Somebody wrote. Somebody wrote like, you know, he made too many changes on his order, so they just started swinging.

[D]

It was the waitress's husband. She had had enough.

[C]

Can I get the chicken parm? But just have it be veal instead. What?

[B]

Oh my God. But so thank you. Also, another thing you. You know, I love I Yan's always chasing about my thank yous. All the local TV reporters who help dig up all the too and obviously Shea Stevens, who's done like an insane amount of investigative work. I might have to hire them nice to my staff for the civil suit if Danny Bradley is not willing to meet me in a fucking ring somewhere.

[C]

Well, just invite him to your 40th birthday party and just pay for his nanny for his kids. So, Keith, we love having you on the show.

[B]

It's so fun.

[C]

But welcome to the mud, buddy. Welcome to the mud. By that I mean we have Greg Cronin, head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He's now saying that this is not true of him snapping on you after you decided to not attend Northeastern.

[D]

So I actually, I had. I got a phone call from our good friend Bunzo Byrne the other day and he was with my mom and they were. They were on speakerphone and my mom was like, you told the story wrong. And I was like, what? I'm like, there's no way. I'm like, I remember the story like it was yesterday. She's like, no, no, no. You weren't on the phone with him.

[E]

Him.

[D]

He showed up to the house.

[C]

It was in person.

[D]

And I. I was outside with them. And then finally my mom was like listening through the windows and finally she went out there and was like, hey, no. Yeah.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

Which is even crazy. Thinks that he didn't know the guy. Didn't. What was he saying while she said that?

[C]

Well, what. Brendan Walsh was the assistant coach at Northeastern at the time. And. And he. He thinks it's not true. He says. Now, this is the quote from Greg Crone. He says, I never recruited him. I don't remember ever recruiting him. I never recall doing that. I would never verbally berate anybody on a phone call, on a recruiting thing. Never heard of it. I remember it might have been my first year at Northeastern. I think that Brendan Walsh was my recruiter, and I think he took them out on a recruiting visit. But I would never verbally berate a player for not going to school. That's his decision. We present what Northeastern is and whether it's him or anybody. So what's interesting about this is two things. One, we have a track record of being called out on this podcast. I don't think there's been one time when any of us have made anything up when it comes to things like this. We fuck around and make things up, and it's pretty obvious when we're joking. But when it goes back to Babcock, when it goes back to all these other things, we're not making things up. So Keith's being accused of that. And in the meantime, I get a DM from somebody also.

[D]

No wonder why he didn't. He didn't know who I was. His record his first year was three wins, 24 losses, and seven ties. So maybe he should have known who maybe the best defenseman in the state was in the. The amount of texts that I got after it came out, like, of guys who went to Northeastern and played. Like, it's at the end of the day, why would I ever make this up?

[B]

Like, obviously, I 100% believe you. I just wanted to hear what, like, Walshy and their explanation was as to, like, maybe why you would lie about that now. The fact that your mom's correcting you, obviously it's vivid in her memory. Whit, why don't you vaguely tell the story about what's going on in your DMs and then not use a name? And maybe the one part of the story kind of gives it away who it is. And I'm dying at.

[C]

So he said. So he sent. Sent me the clip on Instagram of you telling the story. And he goes, ryan, same thing happened to my brother and I. We did rocks paper scissor to see who had to call him to tell him that we committed to another school. My brother had to call him. Cronin lost his mind on him. So I love. Yeah, I mean, I think maybe the.

[B]

Big deal selects need Cronin shake us off.

[C]

He just texted me. He said. He said, Cronin says I never went to his house. So it's like. It's crazy. It's crazy.

[D]

But I mean, he knew the area where I. Stevens, he knew around.

[B]

That'S higher.

[D]

Shit.

[B]

Get to the bottom of this.

[D]

No, I got to the ball. It happened to me. I got to the bottom.

[C]

Yes. So we have. We have a he said, she said. But as we've mentioned, we're not making things up on this show. And why would Keith make this up? That would be a pretty ridiculous thing to just create in your mind out of thin air.

[B]

So Danny Bradley and me, rough and rowdy, you and Cronin, we'll do a double header. Wait, you got any enemies?

[D]

The ref.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Number 17 on the Valley Junior Warriors. I'll fight a seven year old. I'll still fall. Start Fudge Kid. Fudge Kid from Nantucket.

[B]

Actually, that little.

[C]

He probably owns a hedge fund now.

[B]

You got Fudge Kid and this other little kid. Handicap match, two on one, let's go. Let's do that. You guys got the undercard. Gans, I'm sorry that that happened to you. And like, it's that he's denying it. He's questioning your. Your character. And I don't know. I don't know where it goes from here, but.

[D]

No, I mean, I could. I don't even know. I don't even know why we were talking about that. Like, I. I was just saying what happened to me, it wasn't. I wasn't. How is this getting. He's not in trouble or anything. Like, it's like I was just telling a story of what happened to me when being recruited and yeah, I mean, I. I literally could care less and. Yeah, whatever. It's not a big deal. He's.

[B]

Here on spit and Chiclets. We talk a lot about hockey, including the best ways to enjoy game day.

[C]

That is right. If you need help getting those game day essentials, you gotta have Discover in your back pocket. Discover is accepted by 99 of places that take credit card nationwide. So when it's time for wings and drinks, you're pretty much covered.

[B]

Yeah, you don't want to be the guy scrambling for cash like Whit when the round's on you. And remember, y'all, Discover is accepted by 99% of places. But attempting to start a wave at a critical point in the game is not.

[C]

It pays to Discover percentage based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. And don't miss the puck drop for the Discover NHL Winter Classic on New Year's Eve. Anaheim, Anaheim Made a big trade. We'll kind of get to that in a little bit. Cam Fowler moved over to the St. Louis Blues. But for now, I kind of want to get up something that I'd love to talk about. And biz, I would love an apology from you. I think you owe me one because the Edmonton Oilers are running over the entire league right now. They look.

[B]

They looks.

[C]

They look as good as they've ever looked. They've won five in a row. They just drum the lightning, they just drum the wild. They just drum the Vegas Golden Knights. I believe they've outscored those teams 15 to 5. So it's just been something where everything started off slow in Edmonton. Skinner was struggling. McDavid was injured. Bouchard had a very tough beginning to the year. Nurse wasn't great in October. Now it has all come together. It's a powerhouse. It's a team that I knew, I knew would struggle off the bat. You go to game seven, you lose. You just want to get back to the playoffs. It's such a long road. You got to find your game. You got to find what makes you a good team. They have found it. Skinner is incredible right now. I think that Bouchard and Hyman, maybe after not making Team Canada, it's a little bit of like, fuck you. I'm going to go out and show them that they made a mistake. And also like the weight of trying to make the team is off their shoulders. Leon is at a different level. First player in the league to get to 20 goals this season. McDavid is now shooting up the leaderboard for. For points in, in. In the league right now. I think he'll end up leading the league. McKinnon's going to be very hard to catch, but he's tied for eighth now. It's just been an unreal run. And the biggest.

[B]

This.

[C]

One of the biggest reasons about it is, is Darnell Nurse. And I want to bring him up because of how hard I've been on him and how hard Oilers Nation's been on him. Not the website. Great website. If you're an Oilers fan, check out Oilers Nation. They do an awesome job covering that team, but it's more about this guy has really, truly figured out how he needs to play to be like. I'm not going to say a dominant player, but a very, very effective top four demon. He skates like the wind. The issue before was like kind of awareness in the D zone and then decision making with the puck. It seems like everything has been kept so simple. In his game now, where he's just holding on to the puck a little bit longer. He's not trying to force it through the middle. Defensively, he's got his head on a swivel. He's playing big minutes. He's playing very, very good hockey. And when you have him making that much money, you. I understand everyone wants stats. He's got 15 points in 27 games, but it's more about when you're out there, man, with your skating ability and how mean and strong and tough that guy is. Just being a shutdown solid pain in the ass to play against. He's been phenomenal. Connor Brown's found his game. They have. I think they have 21 goals from their bottom six forwards right now. Corey Perry's got six, Connor Brown's got five, which is more than last year. And. And you saw him in the playoffs kind of come alive and just be a difference maker on the pk. He's been doing that. Nugent Hopkins is heating up and. And like I said, Skinner's been awesome. So everything is tracking exactly where we need it to be in Edmonton. And you could talk about your Leafs, but I do want an apology because I think you said things like, they're cooked, they're done. They won't even make the playoffs. It was very nasty stuff. It was nasty stuff.

[D]

Wow.

[B]

It was mean.

[D]

It's not very nice, Paul.

[B]

You know what? I'm sorry then. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

What I did say in the group right away, what I did say in the group chat, by the way, I love Edmonton. I want to go back to Edmonton. I think I. I predicted them versus the Leaf Stanley Cup Final. That would be incredible. Incredible for hockey. Matthews and McJesus in the finals. Come on. But I said in the group chat recently is, is I think that if them and LA met again, I think that LA could take them down this time. And you're like, oh, you've said that in the past. You've said that in the past. Like, LA looks dangerous. Merle said, this isn't even a playoff team. And I said that if they met them that they could be in jeopardy. Everything you just said is bang on, though. I'm happy for Nurse. I don't think him playing the way he's played over the last, like, six weeks, maybe a month, is an anchor as far as his contract is concerned. Bouchard look horrendous off the start, and I think my criticism was that they got older and they got slower, but maybe they got smarter. They're finally trying to figure things out as a team. Obviously the two headed monsters clicking on all cylinders. Hyman agreed he was probably gripping his stick a little too tight expectations coming off of last year. Everything about this team is saying conference finals or finals again right now. And that will obviously come with one more move that they have to make to improve their roster. Do you agree with that?

[C]

No doubt. They need, they, they need to get a solid defenseman. They need to get a solid defense and the issue right now is they can't go do it yet. Cause they need to find out when Kane will be back and Kane isn't even played. Arvidson's out right now but if Kane's gonna come back before playoffs, they're not like they have to figure out cap wise because they won't be able to like grab somebody now if he's coming back say a month before the playoffs. So there is issues in figuring out his timeline before they make a trade. But something will be done. There's, there's going to be options out there as teams kind of really tank and they're looking to move, you know, UFAs or maybe even guys with a little term on their deal. But there's, there's move to be made. I agree with you on that. But talking just quickly about Leon, when he goes like this dude, he, when he gets his feet moving in the offensive zone, the way he protects the puck against Minnesota, look at his assist to Connor Brown. He, he's flying around the zone. He's holding it off from Johansson, just dummying the guy and then feeds this. I think he's the best passer on his backhand in the NHL and it probably helps that his, the, the bubble hockey stick. The left, the left winger in bubble hockey. I know but he's, he's just so, when he is moving his feet and going, I think it's McKinnon, McDavid, Matthews and Draisaitl. And, and so I'm just so excited seeing them play. And, and it's Monday as we record. So as you listen tonight they got Florida, they got a rematch. They got a rematch. It's last night for you people listening on Tuesday morning but I can't wait to check this one out. And there's going to be some anger in that game, no doubt.

[B]

I still think it's Vegas at the top, Edmonton at the top, Dallas at the top. I think that with the trade, Colorado and them getting healthy and maybe potentially making a move too and then probably Winnipeg as the top five threats. I would trust Edmonton, Minnesota for you.

[C]

Huh.

[B]

Listen, I think they're having a great regular season. I think with teams I just mentioned most people would have them trust them in a playoff round ahead of Minnesota. And Minnesota has this like playoff curse where it's just like they can never get over the hump. Right. Am I crazy?

[C]

Every sport.

[B]

So I, I just can't trust them until I. And, and we're gonna mention them in later on the podcast.

[D]

But what'd you say the Minnesota Links won it. I'm pretty sure they broke like the min Minnesota curse or whatever it was.

[B]

Thank you. Thank you for correcting us, Keith. But fan, I think it goes without saying we're going to talk about them later in the podcast. Kirill Capri Software I8 goals in his last eight games. Everything he's touching is, is, is an unbelievable pass or it's going. That goal he scored spin around the other night on that bad angle where he went roof daddy upstairs. Everything he's touching right now is turning to gold and probably would you say front runner for the, for the MVP heart right now.

[C]

McKinnon's kind of taken over him and Ronan had that five point game the other night. Yeah. But I think the way he carries Minnesota and the fact McKinnon has Ronton in, Andre Seidel has McDavid and Marner has Matthews, it's like he kind of does it on his own. And that is one thing about Minnesota that I'll say that you need, you need two horses. It's, it's like you need that second guy, that second superstar. So for him to do this without another superstar, like on his as a center or crazy or on the team, it is wild to see. So fun. My buddy Miser in Minnesota is like I, I, I'm obsessed with watching them play like they, the entire city's in love with the guy. The owner's already come out and the owners already come out and said literally, tell us what you want. We have, we, we're the only team that could give you eight years. We're going to give you anything you want.

[B]

You don't want to, you don't want to hear that. If you're the agent, eh. You're like, ah, fuck yeah, he should fire the agent. It's too easy to negotiate. There goes my percent.

[C]

I mean OVI did it. OV did it when he went in and did his huge hundred million dollar deal all by himself. I cannot wait till OVI gets back. The Washington Capitals are incredible. But Biz before we get to the Leafs and yeah we're starting off with Oilers Leafs. These are our teams.

[B]

We we haven't been aggressive about Orlando's Leafs at all this year. We've been snapping around the love to everyone. Sometimes I read those comments like are you out of your mind? Like I bet you we spent 10 minutes on the Leafs in the last four podcasts if that but do you want me to get to him now or what do you want to talk about first?

[C]

I I want to talk to him now. But before we talk to him I want to remind everyone so many people have come up to me there was actually a one of the wives on Ryder's team she said hey I don't really know much about Chiclets but like I love the sandbaggers. The Sandbaggers very very funny content. We really enjoy watching those. Thank you so much. And we have a special one Thursday at noon we're going to talk about the Leafs. We got two awesome formulas. Darcy Tucker and Steve Stumpy Thomas. It was amazing match at Panther National Justin Thomas and Jack Nicholas's new course in in I believe Jupiter and just hope sound I hope everyone checks it out. It's Thursday at noon on our YouTube channel that I think Biz now has close to 370,000 followers.

[B]

It's getting there. It's subscribe to it. You're going to get the instant notifications when we drop that leaf sandbagger with Stumpy and and Darcy Tucker now that they're gaining popularity too. We're having really nice courses reach out and kind of you know a la carte hey our facilities that Panther national wasn't it a skier a former skier who was a now player agent and we do get a special cameo from a a multiple Stanley cup winner.

[C]

God, I forgot about that.

[B]

And Con Smyth winner. We're going to leave that as a surprise. So watch that Thursday and I think we're dropping that at noon on the Spit and Chicklet. So subscribe to it. Watch it. It's an iconic sandbagger and the course they have the dunes and sometimes because it's Florida like the wind and erosion can happen and they put these like metal things in them to keep the like the what do you call that wit like the elevation.

[C]

Like the, the form of the course. Like the the correct. Yeah yeah.

[B]

I didn't know going crazy. Didn't we talk to the guy like you're killing me here. Are you trying to.

[C]

No, no. I'm sorry. I, I, I, I, I chatted with him quick, but you were talking to him longer, so he must have mentioned that they. They put something in the dunes to make sure that they won't be ruined by a possible harking. The crazy part about it was that. That what was the brutal hurricane that ripped through Florida? Keith. Recently.

[B]

George.

[D]

Ian, maybe.

[C]

Ian.

[B]

Elizabeth.

[C]

Either what? Either Irish travel hurricane. Irish travel garden. Helene. So what happened was, I guess it was ripping right at the course. Like tornadoes, even mini tornadoes. And right before it hit it, it just took a left, but in the process, it knocked down a publix. It was about to open, like, a week later. They had to restart the entire construction project. So the course was very lucky. But, yeah, the. It's a. The owner is a former Swiss Olympic skier, and. And he decided to put all this money in, and they built an incredible track. So check that out.

[B]

And I think because they. How they build the ski hills, he knew how to reinforce it so it takes its shape and the erosion doesn't affect it. Where I was like, build ski hills.

[C]

You think they don't.

[D]

Those are just how God built them?

[B]

No, in some cases, they. I think that for whatever reason, that helped him, like, know how to do it. Like, where they kind of like, you guys are brutal.

[D]

That's how he made all of his money. He built all these ski mountains.

[C]

The guy walked on the water on the seventh hole to fix the dune on eight.

[B]

Yeah. Watch the sandbagger, for Christ's sake. God damn it.

[C]

Tell us what you love about the Leafs. Tell us what you love about the Leafs, buddy.

[B]

Other than starting out 500, like, 10 to 12 games in. They lost Matthews. They've been playing great. They're tied for the lead in their division. What is there to hate? The core four are fucking playing out of their minds right now. Marner's gonna get. You think Capri soft's gonna get 14 sheets? What. What's Marner gonna get? He's playing out of his mind. And when Matthews is away, he elevated his play. Even when Matthews was gone, they had the second best power play in the league. And then the other night, it was against Buffalo, they put, like, Tavares for what he's doing at his age, where a lot of people were. You want to talk about Darnell taking some shrapnel? Based on what he's making, I feel like. Jt, that's been the topic of conversation the last two, three years, where, man, this first little stretch here, man, and even going back to last year's playoffs, I thought he was One of the more consistent players was snapping back draws. He was, you know, providing offense. I think he's been tremendous. I was actually surprised he was not even a consideration for the, the Four Nations. I thought he would have been a perfect guy to add as like a depth guy. And then the other night they put the three headed monster together. Marner, Matthews and, and Nylander, and Nylander's been unbelievable too. So as far as a core four perspective, as far as depth and other guys contributing, I mean, you got fucking Pacioretti running guys. So it goes back to coaching and the buy in and you'd be lying. Even all you Leafs haters, you losers online, who every time I tweet out our year, you're all over me. If you can't tell me you're watching this team and it doesn't feel different, you're out of your mind. And. And all of a sudden now we only have Stolars, who's proven himself a big enough sample size where it's like, oh, fuck this guy. This guy can play. You got wool as a backup who can go in there and you don't have to burn him out. So you got goaltending. The back end's looking good. The, the Core 4 is activated and buzzing on all cylinders like a goddamn machine right now. And I think we're just like Edmonton1. One big move away, one huge move away from, from being a, a big difference maker. And I think that, that right now the only, the only team I could still say is better than us in the east, who I would have a hard time going up against is Florida. I think if we get Boston, we're going to fucking work them. I think we'll work Boston. Even though I woke them up, I tweeted out they were dead and I've completely revived them. And Brad Marchant since I was ripping them on national television. Five goals in his last five games. So all you Boston fans reaching out to me with all your hate messages, you should be kissing my fucking ass. I should be getting a fucking paycheck from the Boston Bruins for the fucking background work that this podcast has done. From keeping your GM and president accountable to waking up your fucking power play. That was dreadful. 31st in the league before I talked about your team on tnt. Where's my lighter? I fucking lit a fire underneath Brad Marshaw's ass, ladies and gentlemen. So going back to the Leafs, no concerns. Even at its worst so far this year, we were 500 after 12 games. Everybody knew it was going to take a little Bit of time to. To figure things out with Berube but he's hitting all the right buttons boys. So I know you had a great breakdown on your Edmonton boys but I think that Toronto would thump them in a seven game series. The only chance you got is McJesus and dry side of firing. Like they've never. They'd be shooting Roman candles out of their. That's how good they'd have to play to take down the Leafs. Right.

[A]

Right now.

[C]

Yeah. It's crazy to think that the guy who broke the all time scoring record in the playoffs would. Would have a tough time OR what did McDavid break assist? What was the record he broke of Gretzky's last year? It'd be crazy to think that he could light it up against the Leafs. Who could ever see that coming but.

[B]

But not like ran and like Leafs are stuck with Marner because his. His. His no move or no trade or whatever he's got kicked in. So you have this, this asset where he's got them by the balls. You couldn't have started the season any more perfect if you're Mitch Marner because we keep we. We posted the rotten and clip. All the ABs fans in the world were like shut the up. He ain't going anywhere. They're going to figure it out. Marner is probably easily the biggest free agent he's gonna I would say right now with knowing where the cap's gonna go and then being vocal about how much it's going to be jumping every year. I bet you Marner's probably looking at 13:3 hometown discount.

[C]

Well in fairness the way that this podcast has been hard on Darnell Nurse, pretty hard on Marner in the playoffs. I think it's because you see him play like he is right now. He is unreal to watch play right now. Like defense.

[B]

That's my only discrepancy. That's my only discrepancy. It's like oh like he played solid. You can't blame the loss on him. It's like, like just give me that Marner in playoffs and if we lose I don't care if he's making 15 like yeah but I don't see that guy in playoffs. I don't see the game breaker game. Oh it's you show me two clips of him setting up plays in each game in a seven round series. No, like I want this Marner in playoffs and I'll write the check with my ambassador jacket on. I'll get. I'll pay for his nanny for the whole season for life.

[C]

I'll be the nanny, the manny.

[B]

I'll put the moobs on. I'll breastfeed his kid if he wants. Give me regular season Marner and give him 15 sheets. I'll wash his cars. All right.

[C]

They had a great comeback on Sunday. They were down three to one. They ended up winning five to three.

[B]

But maybe that was against the Sabers.

[C]

Oh, my God. God. Buffalo Sabres.

[B]

Put that back there. There. Put that inflatable palm tree. Are we getting into Sabers talk now?

[C]

We're getting into Sabers talk. We're getting into the fact that the fans are bringing inflatable palm trees, then being told they're not allowed to bring them. People are calling for Kevin Adams. People are calling for Pula to sell the team. Lindy Ruff, who has coached the fourth most games in the history of the National Hockey league after playing 12 years, said this is as lost as he's ever been. I'm paraphrasing. He said, this is, this is as confused and as, as, as stumped as I've ever been. And I don't know what to do. And when you hear that from a, from a coach who'd been there before that got hired back this summer as the teams lost 10 in a row, which is now the third coach that Kevin Adams has employed with a 10 or more game losing streak.

[A]

Oh, no.

[C]

It's just at some point it's like. And you know what I thought of? You know what I thought of? I don't know if you guys remember, but do you remember it was five years ago when a fan called in to, gee, look up the name of the show. He called in and it went crazy viral. A fan just disgusted. Just remember, this is five years ago. They haven't made the playoffs since 13. This is five years ago. And tell me that this voicemail couldn't.

[B]

Tell me, can we get a wellness on this guy?

[C]

Tell me this call couldn't have been today.

[B]

Before we get to playing the audio, like, I think like army had a bit of a rant on the way they should handle things and how overall they need to like toughen up and they just like need an organizational cleanse where it's like you have to get to a level of desperation and just say fuck it and set the standard where we're not going to be fucking poopy pants around here anymore. We're not playing this east west coast like fluff hockey. I watched that game the other night on tnt. I called it the toilet bowl they hadn't. It was the last game of their five game homestand in which the first game they lost to Colorado being up four nothing. They lost five, four in regulation. Okay. They ended up up. I, I want to say there's two games in the next three where they got a point out of it, but they still hadn't won on the five game homestand. So the last game is on tnt nationally covered. They're going through all this bullshit and they're playing the New York Rangers who are struggling. Lindy Ruff gives them the morning off. No pregame skate. Go store your energy. You know how many fucking hits they had in the first period? They reg. We start making our way over from the back to the, to the studio where we record at the two minute mark. At that point they had two. I couldn't even have told you when they happened or, or who rubbed out who where they gave it credit, they ended up giving them credit for four. There is no sense of urgency. They don't fucking play hard. They don't get on the forecheck, they don't apply any type of pressure. They, they, they try a line rush, you know, even if it's not a high percentage play, they get it, turn it over. It's going back the other way. The way that they fucking play is so uninspiring. The only guy who plays with jam from night in, night out is. And when he could muck it up in front of the night is, is Benson. He's fucking five foot, fucking nine. Like no, what's that?

[D]

You love Benson.

[B]

But because when I watch their games, the only time like so at the beginning of that second period I said to them we were going to talk about it. We never got to it at the intermission because I read out the stats of like what we were dealing with here and they took a, they took a pedal or they got a power play to start off the game. Not one shot on that power play. So they're not ready to go. Then they take a bad penalty. 8. 8 times 8.8. Boy, Owen Power gets it on a stick, doesn't use the glass, doesn't get the clear. Booms a Benajad in the back of the net. It's just like fuck you.

[C]

He got benched.

[B]

So like not, not fuck you to him. I'm saying like from an effort standpoint and then to hear that they had a meeting and the players are saying the solution is inside this locker room and I'm not going to be that critical of hiring Lindy Ruff. Like I get the nostalgia and being out of the playoffs that long and seeing if maybe a little bit more old school rough coach can get through to this core group to maybe have them buy in and play a little bit harder and more old school. You're not even getting that. I have all the respect in the world that this guy's coached 18 over 8 to 1800 games now. But I also don't think that he was the hire to try to get through to these guys. So if you think the solution is inside that locker room, I say play out the rest of the year. But don't fucking tell me that's the answer. When you're, you're at the last game of your hoad stand that you haven't won and you come out and you lay fucking not one memorable body check. It was like a wish, 20 minutes.

[C]

It was like the hits I got credit for.

[D]

All right, so I, I got a question for you. If you're the GM or owner of the team, what are you start. Because I feel like a lot of guys especially like you that played hard fought hit guys like you guys are always the guys that are like they need to be harder, they need to be harder to play against the league. I see changing a little bit more. Obviously you still have to have those, you know that those guys that play hard like the Florida has, they have a great mixture of kind of everything. If you're the GM or the coach, what's your, what's your first move to do? Are you getting rid of some skill guys, bringing in some tougher guys?

[B]

Now I think that they're, now I think their mentality is because they're getting shredded for moving on from Reinhardt. Reinhardt's a top 20 player in the league. You had media members going, going after him about his work ethic on back checks and, and the lack of help they supplied around. They had Ryan O'Reilly, okay, I understand that trade provided them Tage Thompson, great, But you still haven't made playoffs. You had Jack Eichel, which if the owner wants to get, he's probably just as much to blame. Where you had your cornerstone piece, where he was, whatever reason didn't want him getting his own procedure. So they, yeah, they should have all met in that room and all took accountability for where things are because they've all dug that pile. So now they don't want to make a brash decision right now. So I say I agree with them. You made your own mess. All you get out of it it. This group of guys, if you can make one little move, fine, sure.

[E]

If.

[B]

If they think that that's the appropriate thing. But where. Who do you move off of? You got own power.

[A]

Who, who.

[B]

You had Bo Byram and that Samuelson as young, young defenseman. You're not moving on from Darlene and you're not moving on from Tage Thompson. I say that those are the only secure guys. Darlene and Tage Thompson.

[C]

Cousins.

[B]

Anybody else?

[C]

I don't want to trade Cousins. I don't want to trade Cousins. I know he hasn't, he hasn't. He hasn't kept Superstar.

[D]

Somebody I keep hearing that about.

[C]

I think that's the fear. I think that's okay. Jack Quinn. Jack Quinn was scratched the last five games. Then he had two against the Leafs Sunday. But he at least has some like, offensive ability. But before we, before we get to the voicemail, I will say this. I don't know how Sabre's fans are handling the fact that right before we started recording, it was reported by Frank Zaravalli that Pegula went and met the team in Montreal. And he said that the solution is within the room. And he professed his faith in GM Kevin Adams and coach Lindy Ruff and apparently told the players to not expect a big trade. So fans like Dwayne are probably losing their mind right now. So let's hear from him. Five years ago, basically to the day.

[F]

I'll try and organize my thoughts as best I can. I'm just, you know, I've, you know, I've. The 24 years they've been in that arena, I think in some form of capacity. I've been a season ticket holder for about 15 of those years. You know, I started. My first hockey card was Brad May. My first Jersey was Pat LaFontaine. I idolized Dominic Kashuk. I played goalie because of Dominic Kashuk. I, you know, I work for Hashek's foundation now as a coach. And, you know, my life in hockey has been started because of Sabre's hockey. And I went to the finals games as a kid with my dad. I watched Jeff Sanderson score with one arm around Ed Belfort. You know, I have so many great moments to talk about with this hockey team. And like, I just, I'm surprised the organization remembered to wish Dominic Hash like a happy birthday today. I'll put it that way. I just. It's so mind boggling how we've fallen this far. And like, I don't need. I was cautiously optimistic coming into the Season because I wasn't fully expecting playoffs, but I was happy with the way the season started because the competitiveness was there. Last year was misery 100%. After the 10 game streak, it was absolute misery because the competitive is. The passion was not there and it's been there. And then they go out and lay an egg last night in front of me. I was, of course I was at the game. First time I went to a game with my sister, by the way, and she had to sit there through that. And it's just, it's mind blowing. Like, I don't need a Jerry Jones type of owner. Like, I need an owner who's gonna answer the fans when they misspell names on jerseys and have Chinese knockoffs on alumni. Like, what is going on? Like, what are we doing? Like, I don't understand it, man. Like, Bulldog, you live through this. You've seen it. Like, have you ever been. Like, have they ever sucked the passion out of you? Like, they have me. I've dedicated my life to hockey because of this team. Like, I can't do it anymore, man. Like, like, I'm seriously, for the first time considering just not being a season ticket holder this year. Like, like, even when the team was terrible, Ted Black would come on the station and talk to fans and address concerns. I don't need the foot. I don't need a damn camera in front of Terry Pegula every single day. But address our concerns. Be there when you screw up, answer for the mistakes, Be accountable. You know, this like, palace on Taine had been forced out of the, out of the organization. You know, five years ago, how long it was. Like, I don't need an explanation, but it's just been mediocrity. It's almost worse than the Bills drought. Like, like. And you know what? As I don't know what people's opinions of the man were, you know, with Russ Brandon, but if Russ Brandon was running the team still, I highly doubt he would have allowed Chinese knockoff jerseys to be worn by Danny Garrett. A turkey drive. I would have got on the ice. The goat had missing deadlines. Like, what the hell is going on? Like, what is it? Like, I didn't need playoffs this year. I wanted it, but I didn't need it. But when you screw up for the fans as much as this team has over the last, like five years and just don't hold yourself accountable, Go hide at your house in Florida. Like, what is this? Get in front of a camera and at least make us feel that we, that we matter, that we matter to you. Like, I sick of it, Bulldog.

[A]

I'm sick of it.

[B]

It.

[F]

I'm sorry. I'll hang up and listen. I'm sorry.

[D]

He held it together for a minute.

[C]

I know, I know. And then he got. It was like your dad talking to you about something bad you did. And like he just starts thinking and thinking and thinking. But him starting off. But I'm surprised they remembered to wish Dominic Ashley happy birthday today. Like, that was what really got him. And let me quickly. Let me quickly read the Sabres roster when he made that phone call. Eichel Reinhardt, Victor Olufsen, Rasmus Dalien Rasmus, Rista Linen, Marcus Johansson, Jeff Skinner, Jimmy Veazy, Kylo Zegmus Gurgensens. We got Brandon Montour. We got Jake McCabe. We got Evan Rodriguez. We got Casey Middlestadt. It's like, oh, my God.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

There's some guys who's their goal guard.

[C]

This was five years ago. And their goalie Leonard was Linus Omark.

[B]

Oh, yeah. They moved on. They signed him to an unreal bargain deal and then dealt him him. That.

[D]

That team played bad in front of Dwayne's sister.

[B]

Yeah. Now that's disgusting. Was another name I forgot they moved off from. There's another top demon in the league, at least from the offensive side. I mean, you saw him play in Florida. He's the total package. To me, it's like he mentioned, like, I don't even care if we make playoffs. Watching that uninspired hockey that I watched the other night in the first period is like. Like you have no respect for the jersey that you're pulling over your body. If you just have lost four of those games on the homestand already, and that's game five and you get the morning skate off and you come out and you rub a few guys out in the first period. Come on. Like it's.

[D]

Cause they're knockoff jerseys.

[C]

Chinese fake jerseys, I guess, in that. I don't know if it was that season, but they spelled. They spelled Ogposo's name wrong. I believe Rob Neidermeyer played three games at one point for the Sabres with his name spelled incorrectly. So just a very stat state of affairs. We'll move on from trash and Buffalo. But I feel bad. I feel bad for those fans that. Thank God the Bills are this good. Amazing win against the Lions. 48. 42 on Sunday. Before we get to Matt Duchene, Diane's.

[B]

Had something to say. What do you want to say? I'm sorry.

[D]

I wish. I mean, Obviously biz, like when we were in Phoenix, we didn't even have an owner. Like the league was running us. Then I went to New York, have a great owner there and then Florida, great owner. Like there some owners that are just like, all right, I'm going to have my GM run it. Like they'll take care of it. I just got to pay the bills and pay these guys like. Or does is Dwayne Wright, is the owner there having a say in what's going on?

[B]

I don't know, but it's the NHL and like, like you're saying like could they be, could the players be getting treated better and you know, nicer hotels and things a little bit easier in Buffalo? I don't know what their sit like I was in Phoenix, I knew nothing else and I was just happy to be there every day. Like the fact that we were on a private charter, it could have been a fucking a piece a wallet on my plate. I would have chewed through it. If that was the state, the state cut kind of thing. You know what I'm saying? Like I didn't give a fuck if we were staying at the Motel 8. Like I was in the East Coast Hockey League, I wouldn't have cared. So I don't know what the state of affairs are like there, but how about like maybe show some grit and then we can upgrade the hotel or, or the food on the plane. Like make playoffs once in the last.

[C]

I'm guessing Pula had something to do with Lindy Ruff being hired because him having been there before, like he had to have had say in that, right? I mean after all the coaches they've been through. But I'll, I'll finish with this. And that's that four teams in the last 24 years have made the playoffs. Having a 10 game losing streak that season, no shit. Doesn't look good. It doesn't look good for Buffalo this year. But Dallas apparently going around the, the, the insider group and the news is that they're really big game hunting with Sagan being on. On ltir and his hip issue. And I just didn't know if you guys had any ideas for somebody they could trade for not to put you guys on the spot. I'll give one if you guys want me to give one that, that I've seen online. But also it makes a lot of sense is, is Michael Grandland who has been unbelievable in San Jose. He's been just ripping it up there. He ripped it up last year too, when San Jose didn't even Have Celebrini, Will Smith and, and they have some excitement around them this year but he's ufa so you know San Jose is going to be looking for a nice big return there and, and the other guy I would say is a possibility is if Anaheim does decide to move Trevor Zegris, like I feel like with his offensive skill a guy like Peter DeBoer could really get him like playing defensively and, and, and playing into their system and so if they're looking for a real impact player, that's another guy. Maybe, maybe Dallas takes a run at him and tries to fill a hole. With Sagan gone, I don't mind that.

[B]

Risk and like you talk about maybe the situation going on with his head coach and how much they butt heads and I, I feel like Pete DeBoer is a big time players coach and can put the, push the right buttons. I'd like to see Zegris try to get a chance somewhere else and with that bridge deal he signed he's not making too much money. Who is quickly the first name you mentioned again? The Grandlin. That would be unreal.

[C]

She's saying Brock Nelson possibly.

[B]

I don't know really.

[D]

Benson.

[B]

What? Did you guys see Malkin's name come up?

[C]

Gino?

[B]

Yeah. Oh, it was an all. It was on Twitter. Like I'm just saying. Did you see that? I think it got sent to the group chat when they said that big game hunting Malkin wasn't. Was one of the guys that they were seeking. So, so. But I think it's wiser to make a trade earlier. Get save guys some, some energy, allow them to adapt throughout the course of more of the year. You get more value out of it. You're not overpaying because you're going against other teams. I say get it and address it now. Given the fact that I don't think that. I think it'd be a miracle if Sagan ended up returning before playoffs.

[D]

Yeah, for me it's in. This guy had a big, big night the other night. Four goal game. Scott Lawton, I think he's going to be a guy he can play up and down the line. He's. If he, if you tell him he's like a, he's like a German shepherd. You just got to tell him what to do and he does it. You'd be like you're a fourth liner. Go run through the wall. He'll do that. You tell him to be on the first line and Datsu guys, he'll do that. So I think he'll be a big name, but honestly, I think he's a perfect fit in Philly, too. I think he loves torts and loves being there, so I don't know if they'll trade him, but if I was a GM around this time, I'd be going for him.

[B]

His name came up last year, and I don't think the value was ever there. And then Butch Navich was another name last year that was popping up. And then St. Louis eventually said, like, no. Like, if we're not getting what we feel like, the value is in the player. Yeah. Like, those would be two. Two big, big names, for sure.

[A]

Lot.

[B]

You said Lawton's a beauty too, right?

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Lot. Lot makes 3 million a year.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

That's a nice deal. Wow. I didn't realize. I thought he made like four. Four and a half. And he's got one more year, so you'd get a little term, too. Now, I don't know if that's, like, as big as Dallas is thinking, but yeah, dude, that guy's nice. And he's a. He's a hell of a guy. After meeting him at Hazy's wedding. Fuck. He cracked me up with that. I think we could send it to Dallas star forward Matt Duchene, and I recommend everyone checking this interview out. Very honest in kind of his assessment of his career and where he's at and his buyout from Nashville, Crazy story about that that he really goes in depth with. So right now, we'll send it over to Matt Duchesne. What up, guys? Before we go any further, I need to talk to you about Peter Millar. I've talked about Peter Millar for years because I wore Peter Millar. I've always worn Peter Millar. And then they became a sponsor. It's like, this is a dream come true. The. The golf clothes that I love is now a sponsor of our show. It's a gift from the heavens. I wore this stuff, I bought this stuff, and now we get this stuff from Peter Millar. It's amazing. It's the best. And winter is officially just around the corner or here for many people. And what better way to welcome the drop in temperatures than with some new sweaters from our friends at Peter Millar. The whole Ridge family of sweaters features a blend of ultra soft merino wool and a luxury performance material that provides. Provides wind and water resistance without the bulk of traditional outerwear. That's the problem with this traditional outerwear stuff. You can't swing. You need to get that shoulder turn. You need to get that shoulder under your chin and the hips out of the way. And with that older traditional outerwear, it's trash. You can't move. But with Peter Millar and the ultra soft merino wool and luxury performance material, it's easy to swing, it's easy to make birdies, and you look great doing it. The Holdridge also comes in three different models. A vest vest, a full zip sweater, and a full zip hoodie. I'm a hoodie guy myself. Head on over to petermillar.com chiclets to check out the Holdridge family as well as the rest of Peter Millar's sweater lineup. Be sure to check out their annual holiday gift guide as well for perfect gifts for everyone on your list. If anyone in your family or friend group loves golf, the perfect Christmas gift is Peter Millar. I'm telling you right now, everyone will enjoy and everyone will be appreciative to have you as a friend or a family member. So go to petermillar.com chiclets right now. Check out the Holdridge family as well as the rest of the awesome sweater lineup that Peter Millar has. We are now pleased to be joined second time on the show years ago biz during I think the Blues Bruins Stanley cup final, we had this guy for the first time. What a run he's been on since. Welcome to the show. Matt Duchene. How you doing, buddy? Good.

[E]

How about you guys?

[C]

Doing phenomenal, Doing phenomenal. What a start for yourself personally this season. The team's playing solid. How you feeling? How's everything going? And, and unfortunately you lost your line mate, Sagan, so that's kind of shitty news. But how you been?

[E]

Oh, good, man. I, yeah, it's been. Obviously last year playing here in Dallas was a great experience and obviously we were close getting to the finals. Kind of ran out of gas after basically playing three conference finals back to back to back. So, so yeah, it was a no brainer to come back. And obviously Marsh Segi and I have had some really good chemistry and that was a line that I was excited to get back playing with. And obviously losing Segi now is, is tough. But we got, you know, we got Logan Stankhoven plugged in there. So it's kind of a embarrassment of riches at times around here, which is nice. And he's a great player. And you know, I think, you know, we talk, we talk about him much and I do about, you know, how awesome would be to help him win, you know, rookie of the year this year, be in the mix for that and he's got all the tools to do that. So that's kind of our, our little goal for our line as it sits right now.

[B]

Well, Whit brought up the chemistry and even going back to last year, it felt like throughout the course of the whole season, you guys had two first lines based on production. And when we got to talk to you on tnt, you were so complimentary of the, the coaching staff and how comfortable you felt in Dallas, especially after gone through what you went through being bought out with Nashville. So what was it that brought you to Dallas and why you're so close to this coaching staff and, and what their message is?

[E]

Yeah, I think obviously I was pretty shocked at the buyout news a couple years ago. I didn't really expect that to happen. And, you know, I didn't really ever take it as an indictment on my game. It was more, hey, there's a guy coming in, wants to do his own thing, wants to kind of, you know, blow it up, start from scratch. I mean, there were so many other really great players that were kind of cast out of there and guys having big years right now, even they're still great. So I was just kind of a casualty of that and, but took a big, took a big toll on, on me and my family and. Because Nashville is kind of home for us and a place that we see ourselves living, you know, when we, when I retire and, and then, yeah, Dallas was the first team that reached out and they were, you know, the kind of the first team on my mind. So that was a really good fit. I had experience with Jim Nill with Hockey Canada, with Pete DeBoer, Steve Spot, Misha Donskov, all Hockey Canada guys and guys that I knew well and that I, I, you know, they, you know, they believed in me and wanted to have me here and they've just. The best part of playing for them is they just want me to be myself and go do what I do. And, and when I get away from it, they remind me of, hey, this is what you do. And we want you to play, you know, an offensive, creative game. And, and then, you know, there's obviously the non negotiables that every coach has and Petes are easy to do and easy to play and it makes our team better. And you know, when you get to this, this age, you crave a Stanley cup and the chance so much that you're willing to do. You know, I, I was always willing to do what I could, but you don't understand the importance of it when you're younger the little things. And I think as you get older you start to understand like, oh, that's why we do this, you know, and it, it, it, it's easier to, to really implement it in your game and, and it becomes kind of the foundation. So I find Pete is just such a crystal clear coach that way where it's like, hey, do these three or four things, make sure you do them. And then after that you just go do, do you and be you. And, and then, you know, it makes it pretty easy to go play and then you're playing with great players. So it's been, it's been great.

[D]

Dutch, you touched on mush a little bit. Mason Marchman and he came here in Florida. I think he might have been on a pto. And I remember the coaches asking what you thought of him and he, I just described. He just always got in the way. Like he's big, he's lanky and like to a compliment for you because you know, you put people in the spin cycle. He can get in on the forecheck. Like, like you talk about you two just having that good chemistry together and obviously different types of game, but just complement each other so well.

[E]

Yeah, he's, he's extreme. I was blown away by his talent level when I got here last year. I remember doing the three on, you know, you play like cross ice, three on three, like at the start, you know, optional skates and stuff. And I just couldn't believe his, his talent. He, he stole the puck off me like three or four times. Intercepted it another three or four times. I'm like, geez, this guy, like sneaky, good stick ability, like probably underrated. And he, he was, yeah. I mean, right away. And then Sagi too, like, I mean seggy kind of got forgotten about a little bit and probably shouldn't have for being an elite player. And, and in terms of goal scoring and everything like that. And, and people had kind of thought, you know, had moved on I guess in terms of thinking of him as still an elite talent and goal scorer. And then all of a sudden it's like, like boom. He, you know, he's lighting it up again. And, and he looked, I could see it last year when I got here. I'm like, geez, like this guy can still score, he can still skate, he can still do all this. People are sleeping on him a bit. So we kind of got together as a line and a kind of a. We're kind of all in the same situation. Right. Like I'm coming off the most Traumatic thing I've been through. Mush lost his dad, you know, was at an up and down year the year before. And Segi, you know, it was in that position I just spoke of. And it's like, hey, boys, like, I. There's no reason we can't be, you know, one of the best lines on this team or maybe even in the league.

[A]

And.

[E]

And we've got a bit of everything and we just got to believe and we just got to work together and talk about it and work and it's. It was such a easy, you know, kind of. It was just an easy thing. It took us probably five, six games to get going, and all of a sudden we just started rolling and it was like, wow, this is really fun. And it was. It was a. You're. You were just so excited to go to the rink every day to play together. I mean, that's. And we still felt that way, you know, up until, say, you getting hurt here. So. So, you know, we'll get him back hopefully for playoffs. Hopefully he can. He can be at the quicker end of his timeline. But like I said too, then you get stank that, that, that steps in on our line and it's like, damn, this is great.

[C]

I got to go back to the Nashville situation in the bio because you mentioned, like a traumatic thing for you and your career, like a proud athlete. You just hit a thousand games last year and the year before the buyout, you had. You had. Had your career high in goals, thousand points. So kind of take me through when you first get the call. Is that from your agent? Is that from Nashville brass? Like, you got to be talking to your wife. It just. How hard was it to deal with it? Or was it easy after a couple days to be like, all right, them. I'm gonna prove them wrong type thing?

[E]

You know what it was? I went through a really interesting probably calendar year. So I finished working out. It was 11:25. My wife came up. I just got out of the shower. I was literally like drying my hair off. And she came up crying and said, my agent texted me and you know what. What was going on? So I like, honestly, the emotions. It felt like I've never had anyone close to me pass away. But that was like the feeling right away. I was just devastated. And I mean, I was committed to. I would. I would never have left Nashville. I was. I was going to stick it out. Maybe may. The only thing I could see was maybe at the end of my career, if I, you know, we weren't in a position to have a chance to win. And I had a chance to go somewhere for one last crack. That would have been the only way I was going to leave. I was in it. I was committing to. I'd been asked like, hey, we're going to go a different direction, and we need you to buy into this. And I said, yeah, hell, yeah, I'm in. Whatever we need to do. And so I was blindsided, like, because then, you know, 35 minutes later, I'm on waivers for buyout, and I'm like, what is happening? And even at the deadline that year before we trade everybody, I was almost at a point per game. I was having a decent year, especially with all the ups and downs we'd gone through. So I. I never thought of it as, like, I said, indictment on my. My playing ability, and I never kind of doubted that. But you do at the same time, right? Because you're just like, man, like, I just got literally paid to go away. And, yeah, you know, it killed me. I called them. I begged them not to do it. It, like, literally in tears.

[B]

Oh.

[E]

And, yeah, and they said, okay, we've heard you. We'll talk about it till five. And then said. They let me know. I read it on Twitter before I got the call, which sucked the business. Yeah, you know what? We're piece of meat at the end of the day. And that was really, you know, I. It's well documented, kind of, you know, I asked for. I asked out of Colorado. When I got out of there, it was, you know, we were in a tough spot. They, you know, then they draft Kale Makar, and things switch around pretty quick. You know, I was happy for those guys that I kind of went through those tough times with there, that they. They had the success, especially my buddy, Atlantis Cog, who's still grinding to get back. I hope he. I hope he does. But then I go to Ottawa, you know, which was a team that I was looking at as a. As a. As a team that, you know, had a chance. And then, you know, I. I go to Columbus, have a. Have a little run there, and then I got a chance to choose to go to Nashville. So I kind of had control of career up until this, right? And this was the team that I actually uprooted everything and decided that I wanted to go play for. And it was the hockey part of it first. I believed in the group we had. And we had an unbelievable locker room in there. There. I have some of the best, actually. We play them tomorrow. I'm going to dinner with four or five of the guys that are still there and they might try to get.

[B]

You back the way things are going.

[E]

Oh, yeah, they're like, shout out to me, but, well, since we're still paying.

[B]

You, you might as well come back back.

[E]

So, yeah, it was just, it was such a. Like you said, it's a business, man. Like, you just never know and, and you get a little bit older. And that's one thing I've learned too, is you hit 30. And I've said it numerous times, Biz. I think I said it on the air with you guys the other day. It's like people look at you like you're supposed to be dying. Like you're a dying animal when you hit 30, it's like, oh, he's going to get worse. And I've looked, always looked at it like, hey, our physical prime is still 33. But then, like, you should be smarter, you should be stronger, you're bigger, you know, a little more corner, you know, as you get older. Yeah, exactly. I got three kids, so hopefully that's coming soon. But yeah, like, you should be. You should be able to get better into your, into your 30s. There's no reason to. Right. So that's kind of the approach I've taken. I've always believed the best. My best seasons is going to be the next one. And whether that happens or not, you never know. But. But. And then, you know, what was crazy about the whole thing from Nashville was so I literally, I go, it's 11:25. I find out I'm not a predator anymore. At 5:00, I'm now talking to the Dallas Stars and some other teams. The next day I wake up, I've got to figure out what I'm going to do. At 1:00pm I had no idea I had to narrow down to two teams and Dallas being obviously one of the. And I had no idea what I was going to do. I'm talking about maybe flying in to go see the cities because, like, I haven't eaten in two days. I'm an absolute mess. I've cried more than I have in my whole life. I'm not a crier. I'm. I could, I could be emotional, but I'm not a crier. And I cried my eyes out. I actually got a call from a team, another team. It was the owner that called me and I literally just started crying on the phone with them. And I'm like, I'm so sorry. Like, I am so. I am a mess right now. And you Know, it was. It was cr. It was nuts. I mean, my son heard me say out loud, I'm not a predator anymore. And he started crying. So then I start crying. It was just a freaking mess. And it was so tough. So at 1:00, I had no idea what I was going to do. And then at 3:00pm, I'm like, boom. Light bulb goes off. I am going to Dallas. And so I called him. I. And the funny part was, is I didn't even know what my contract was. I knew it was a one year because we were going to just try it out, see how it goes. I didn't even know what I signed for. I was like, it was done. It was. I did an interview with tsn. Everything was done. And then I text my agent. I go, by the way, what. What did I sign for? I had no idea. I had no clue. I didn't care. I was just excited. So then that was on like a Friday or whatever. On the Tuesday, my family and I flew down to Dallas. The owner sent his plane up to Muskoka to grab us, which is amazing. We came down, they put us up, we found. We found a house. We looked at 14 houses in, like two days. Like, it was like 15 hours of looking, bought the house. Then I go home. Then it's like I'm skating that week, training, everything. So I never got a chance to, like, digest it. So then last year, I had had the biggest week of my season. I think I had like seven points, like three games. We had our mum's trip, we went to Nashville. We went 9, 2. We had. We all had big nights. Everyone had a great time. I did like, like, interview after the game with my mom on the bench. It was just awesome. The next game, we go play Edmonton and we lost in overtime and I took a puck off the foot and I missed the next game because I was in so much pain. And I think it. There might have been a fracture in there, but we didn't pick it up for a while. I couldn't walk. I was in a crazy amount of pain. And I went into full grieving mode from the summer, the rest of the season, the rest of the season. And I. If you go look at from that point on, I. I couldn't. We lost Saggy too, at that point. So our line got disrupted. And I remember laying in my hotel room in New York. So we played Boston. I missed the game, went to New York. I'm laying in my hotel room and I'm like, what's wrong with me? I feel like I'm gonna like break down here. Like, what is going on? And I guess I talked about two weeks later, I talked to like, we all, a lot of us work with sports sex. I talked to her, I told her what was going on. I said, I don't know what's wrong with me. Like, I, I'm like, I feel like I'm depressed. Like, she's like, well, do you have an injury right now? I was like, yeah, I have this one thing. She's like, well, this like textbook, like grief. You never got a chance to deal with what happened to you in the summer. So now it's all coming out. So I lost kind of my game there even into the playoffs. And in the playoffs, like that first series against Vegas, like you couldn't even. It felt like you were stuck in a phone booth trying to make a play because there was, it was, it was like football on ice. It was like the hardest hockey I've ever played. And I just remember being like, I'm not feeling it offensively. I don't have my, my vibe, my juice. So I just got to find a way to be effective here. And that playoff run stressed the hell out of me and because I wanted to win so damn bad and I wasn't feeling it. And so it's just, it was. It's been a while. I. I know it's a long story, but thought it was worth telling because. Because grief isn't. I've never been through, like I said, I've never grieved anything in my life. And grief isn't, apparently in the psychology world, it's not linear. It comes and goes at different times. And I've talked to different people at different times. And I remember sitting down with our assistant coach, Misha Donov, who's a become a close friend and a kind of an. A kind of a mentor of mine guy I've really bounced things off of. And before Game 6 against Colorado, when we won in overtime, I had an absolute breakdown with him bawling my eyes out, watching video with him, he was showing me good stuff. I just hated the way I was playing so much and I couldn't get over that hump. And I felt like I was doing a lot of really good things, kind of the two way game. And I was blocking a shitload of shots and hitting guys and, you know, doing the right things, making plays, but I didn't have that like last 20% that I normally have. So I remember sitting down with him and just breaking down. I was Like, I can't. I can't shake this feeling of what I'm going through. And he lost his dad a couple years ago, and he shared with me his experience. And although I didn't experience anything like that, that someone dying, the emotions and the feelings I was feeling were the same. And then, you know, I went out that next night, and it was like I just needed a good cry. I played a really, really good game, scored in double ot. You know, it was my bet, probably my best game in the playoffs. And I played the way that I felt like I could play. And then, you know, it's. It's just. It was a wild ride. And it's crazy how that moment goes back to June 30, the year before, almost a full year, and that those emotions come in. Right. So, anyway, I thought it was worth telling that story.

[B]

And. No, don't you, like, yeah, we appreciate your vulnerability. This is why we do the podcast. And, like, if you say anything else on this interview, I think a lot of people are going to take that away, and probably a lot of players, even a lot younger than you, are going to take away from that and maybe understand it more now to go a little deeper. Like, did you stick with that same psychologist, and did they help you work through that and understand all these things? And like. Like, do you have, like, exercises you have to take home? Like, how did you end up breaking through?

[E]

I've worked with her for a while now. She's just been a godsend for me, and she. She just helped me through it. I had to. I had to stay on it, and I. I kind of knew it wasn't something I was going to be able to shake while I was still playing hockey. I needed to get away in the summer, and that's when I started to kind of. I. I just. It needed to flush its way through my system, and I finally got there. I don't. There wasn't an aha moment. It was just. I think once I knew I was coming back to Dallas and committed to that, I was able to kind of turn the page and move forward. And then I started to look ahead. I started to set new goals, and I started to just. I think the experience of going through that playoff run, being able to help the team win and still not having my best, it was kind of an empowering experience, and it made me motivated to be like, okay, the next time I get that chance, I'm not going to be going through what I just went through. I'm going to be better and that was my motivation every day I stepped in the gym. And, yeah, I think just coming into the season, I think it was. It felt like. It didn't feel like a new season. It felt like part two. It felt like the continuation of last year, and I think it just really springboarded me mentally. And, you know, you go through that, and it's really tough at the time, but then you get through it. You're like, man, I can handle anything. So. So that's kind of been the experience last year.

[B]

Thank you for sharing that.

[C]

Yeah, it's amazing to hear how raw that is. And we kind of talked on the show before about, like, the. The.

[A]

The.

[C]

The idea of being a pro athlete and then, like, not thinking of that. And as a young kid, like, you're a phenom. You're a top three pick. It was kind of almost the first, like, true, really hard moment of. Of your. Of your career as a hockey player. So to hear you talk about it is amazing. And. And congrats on everything this season. And I guess that kind of answers my question. Did you think about going anywhere else this summer? That's a no based on. On how that sounded. But quickly, what was the. What was the other team that you were maybe close to signing with two years ago, other than Dallas?

[E]

Ah, I'm not gonna say.

[D]

What does it rhyme with?

[E]

I'm not. I'm not gonna say. Yeah, no, I'm not gonna say. I'm not gonna put myself out there for that. But Winnes, ota, they know it's not them, but no, it. I'm gonna keep that one, too.

[B]

Good for you.

[E]

I'm gonna be honest with you about a lot of things. I'm gonna keep that one quiet.

[C]

No worries.

[B]

I could imagine Jamie Ben coming up and being like, oh, yeah, so, Florida, eh?

[E]

Yeah, exactly.

[B]

I'm sure some people have asked, like, does the connection and the fact that you like the country music and you play, like, did that feel like part of the fit? Like, did. Did that bear any. Any weight in your decision making? And no state tax.

[E]

Yeah, probably more the state tax than the music. Man. I have with my three kids, this house is so loud that if I even grab my guitar, my wife goes, nope, go put that back. Like, that's just more noise. But I. You know what? I love the. I love the Southern culture. I think it's. You know, it reminds me of how I grew up back home, like, really rural community, Canada. You know, I'm a Christian, so there's a lot of Christian values Here, you know, you can send your kids somewhere where they get that school. It just feels like home. My wife's from Denver and she's felt the same. I mean, the. When we moved here last year, we're. And we were so in love with Tennessee and Nashville. We moved here and she looked at me about two weeks in and goes, I thought this could be a lot harder. And I said, me too. Because we just. It felt so comfortable. It felt like we moved to a little bit more urban part of Nashville than we were living in. And, and we've made friends that my kids go to school with. My, My son's playing hockey here, and our hockey is amazing. The, the other kids sports are incredible. We're close to everything. Yeah, it's just, you know, it. We took a. We took a chance and the biggest reason we wanted to do this was I, I just. The people involved in the organization. Jim Nell, Pete DeBoer, Steve Spot, Misha, Don Scob. Like I mentioned, they were a, A, a, a comfort, comfort zone for me because I had had success with them. I'd won with them with Team Canada, and they're OHL guys. You know, there was that, that connection and just speaking on the phone with them, I could just tell their belief in my game and what I could do. And I knew I was going to get an opportunity and I knew they were going to give me time. Like, I knew if I struggled the first half of the year, it wasn't going to matter because they were going to give me the time to. To get comfortable. And it just felt like the right situation all around. And I knew this team was close to winning and we had a chance last year and, you know, I think we're right there right now. We're going through some growing pains a little bit, and sometimes you gotta go through some stuff to go forward. I mean, we're still in a great spot, but I think we got another gear and I want to help this, this team get over that hump. I've become attached to it, and I felt like there was no way I could leave it going into last summer. I have too much. I felt like there was way too much unfinished business.

[D]

Dutchy being in the, you know, the Mecca, obviously Nashville and Dallas of country music. If you could collab with one guy or girl, who would it be to do a song with or go on stage with? Obviously we've seen you up there on stage with some groups, but if you could do one song with one guy, who would it be?

[E]

I think, I mean, Easy one to pick out would be Morgan Wallen, because I haven't done something with him. I've had a couple other guys I've got up with. The other guy, too, is Post Malone. I mean, it's been awesome. It's been awesome having him come over to the countryside. And he grew up here in Dallas, so I think that'd be really cool. He comes here in. In May, so hopefully we're in between playoff rounds so we can get out to his. His show. But we actually just met him in Salt Lake. He was at the game. I went. He started banging the drum or whatever during the game. And I. Right after I went up to our PR guys, I'm like, hey, get Posty in here. Let's go. Our wind song. I. I kind of picked our wind song this year. It was Pour Me a Drink and by him and Blake Shelton. And I'm like, let's get him to come in and sing it live for us. Like. Like, obviously he didn't do that. But we. He came in and we met him, and he was great. And obviously it's cool to have a guy from Dallas kind of take country music world by storm here. And everyone's just. Any of my buddies that are in the business I've talked to about that album, they're. They're blown away. And, you know, it's like, you know, if you're talking to a fellow hockey player who's blown away by another guy, you're like, okay, that's the real deal, right? So that's kind of that vibe that he's given everybody in that industry right now.

[D]

Now, my buddy. My buddy Chandler, he's actually in post these bands, so maybe I'll give him a shout and. And he can.

[E]

There you go. That'd be awesome, man.

[B]

Theme song.

[E]

Yeah.

[C]

No, we got 10 Fey. I want to invest in Post Malone. You can invest in.

[B]

You rat.

[C]

I'm just kidding. I love it. I love it.

[B]

I know. Who are the other guys that you've collabed with?

[E]

Oh, I. I played on stage, so I. Thomas Rhett a couple times. He's a. He's a really good friend of mine.

[A]

Actually.

[E]

I just saw their whole crew. They were in Vegas. They had a show the same night we played there. So he had. He had a party after, and I went over there. I was at the Fonts in Blue, so I went over there after the game. I've gotten up with Dirks, Garth Brooks, had me sound checked with his band, which is unreal. He gave me, like, his headset and this guitar and everything. And I played friends little place with his band. I was basically him for it. Just a way worse version. Jake Olan. I've gone up with him. Yeah, it's been fun. Like this year we, we did a welcome, kind of welcome to the season party. We did it at like we do a team retreat. Sorry at the start of the year. And we, we went to Troubadour, which is my golf course out in Nashville. And I took the, took all the boys there and we had Russell Dickerson come and play. He's a good friend of mine. He came and played a acoustic set for us after we played golf. So he just sat down, grabbed a guitar and like some of the boys were like, geez, this is crazy. Like, you know, he could charge 30, 40k for this right now. And he just came, showed up and was a beauty about it. So he, he's such a good dude and so that was special. So yeah, it's been, it's funny. A lot of the guys I knew before I played in Nashville and then once I got there, you gotta, you get to kind of rub shoulders with them a bit more. But you know, ironically I had such little time for it because of my family, you know, that just you, you're, I'm, right now in my point in my life, I'm hockey Hockey Matt or, or dad Matt. So that's kind of where I'm at and obviously wouldn't trade it, but the music part is on the, on the back burner for now and maybe I'll pick it up a bit more when I'm retired.

[C]

I, I, I never played when I had kids, but in talking to Keith and other guys, I'm sure it's the same where if you do have a tough night or a little bit of a tough stretch, it's, it's, it's probably just so much easier, right? You get home and you really even can't even think about it. You have that kind of endless support from home that must help you mentally and as a guy who cares so much and kind of can take it home, maybe in years prior has it just been so nice for you to be like dad Matt, like you say, when things aren't going as you hoped.

[E]

Yeah, absolutely. You can get, you can get lost in that for sure. There is times where it piles on which isn't great. But I think, I think I've gotten so much better at leaving the rink. At the rink and I do. You're, you got bang on. I Care. I care too much. And you know, going back to, you know, our, that sports psychologist I work with, I, I kind of discovered four, five, six years ago, maybe now that I dealt with, you know, some anxiety, I, I'd start to. Issues that I started to build up through. And you guys all played, you know how it goes, right? You, you have, you're in the, if you're in the wrong situation, you have maybe a coach whose personality doesn't mesh with yours. Young, you can develop some PTSD type stuff where, you know, and as a skill guy, you get, when you get to that blue line, you got to make a play and you can't do it because you're, you know, you're anxious. You know, that, that was starting to really affect me and I had to tackle that. And since then I would say I'm really able to leave things more at the rank and leave things at what they are and, and come home and, and, and be the best, you know, the person I can be for, for my kids. And you know, it's always a challenge. You know, there's. When they have bad days and you're having a bad day, it's tough. I mean, if you have kids, I know you know exactly what I'm talking about. But no, getting, just even sitting down and playing mini sticks with my son and you know, watching. The one thing I've really taken from him, I think, in the last year is he loves hockey so much since he kind of fell in love with it last year when we got here. And that's why Dallas will always be a really special place for us is it's kind of where he fell in love with the game. And watching him look at the game like I used to when I was a kid has put me back in those shoes. And when I go to the rink every day, I know there's more hockey behind me than ahead of me. I still feel like I got a lot more in the tank and, you know, hopefully I can play till I'm ready to be done. But I, I just look at it through his eyes. I'm like, damn, I get to go to the rink tomorrow and, and play the game I love and, and, and do this and, and I didn't look at it like that when I was in my 20s and it started to become like success was the ultimate. That was the fun part, was the success. Now I'm almost going back to the actual games, the fun part. And then it just bleeds into your everyday and you're happier, you're Playing better. And it's funny to really look at it through my son's eyes and remember how I used to feel. And it's like hearing a song you haven't heard for a long time, and then it brings you back to a point in your life.

[B]

It's.

[E]

It's. It's a little bit like that. It's been. It's been really cool.

[C]

It's crazy that we're interviewing today because just last night, my. My son's first year might. So I'm coaching the team, and I was telling her, like, throughout my career and the end of my career, I should say, like, I was pretty bitter, you know, not at anyone in particular, like, kind of myself. And just how things gone. When you. When you dream of what will happen and then how it goes and getting into coaching, it has. I. I have, like, found, like, a new love for the game again. It's wild to hear you say it because you see these kids, Kids, they're so innocent, and they just love, like, scoring a goal in practice or anything, like, doing a drill correctly. And to hear you say it is so funny, just because last night I was saying the same thing. Like, you forget about. You forget about why you started playing it to begin with. You forget about how much you loved it as a kid. So to hear you say it as you're currently playing, that's even cooler because you can have that really, like, fall into line for your. For your own game.

[E]

Yeah, no, you're bang on it. You know, it's funny, I. I said it. Being an old guy. Now I sit at the back of the bus, and, you know, Jamie, Ben's right there, and he. And I talked about it the other day, and I felt like, you know, I kind of had this conversation with Wyatt Johnson. He was kind of going through a little bit of slump at the start of the year, and he was. You know, he's a. He's a pretty quiet, introverted kid. So it's. You think he. And he always has a, you know, a grin on his face. He's a really sweet kid. And you kind of forget. You can forget that. Hey, he's 20, 21 or 22, whatever he is. And that's when hockey's its hardest. Because you're young, you're expected to be hit. Unbelievable playoff last year, you expect to take that next step, and maybe you're spinning your tires a bit. And I sat down to talk to him, and Jamie asked me what I. What I said to him, and I just said, like, hey, Try and find the joy in the game. Try and find the joy at pregame skate. Like, think about what you're doing, buddy. Like, your buddies are in college right now. They're in university, and you're. You're snapping around the national like, you're going. And you're going to dinner tonight at a sick steakhouse, and then you get to wake up in the morning, have a coffee, put on a nice suit, go to the rink, put your gear on, free sticks, free everything. You're. You know what I mean? Like, think about that. And I think the best part was he scored that night, and it felt better than if. If I had scored, because I was so happy for him to kind of get through that, and I was so happy for him. And when I said that to. When I mentioned that to Jamie, kind of what I told him, he was like, dude, I feel the same as you right now. Like, we're at that point where it's like, we don't get to do this that much longer. We don't have the Runway ahead of us that we did, you know, when he and I were teammates on the Olympic team in 2014. We're just young bucks. And it's harder then, man, because you're just, like, you're trying to achieve your goals and stuff, and you get to the point where now I still have so much I want to achieve, and I still believe my best years are ahead of me, and I will. I'll believe that till I hang them up. But I think that's the only way to approach it. But I'm just taking so much more joy in the little things. And, yeah, it's easy to do, and things are going well, of course, but that's the reminder that when they don't go the way you want them to, you play a great game. You know, you lose, your team loses, you know, you're not getting on the board as much as you'd like. You just keep. If you keep coming back to that and restarting that kind of mental part of it, I. I think it puts you in a good spot.

[D]

Yeah, I think that right there, too, is why the. You know, we see the league going super young right now, and, you know, even when you came in the league, it was a lot of older guys, but I think that's one of the main reasons why the league always needs to have those good veterans around. Like, you're, what, 32 years old, already played a thousand games, been in huge situations, and, you know, just passing on that knowledge to young kids. Is amazing to hear.

[E]

I appreciate that. I think it's our duty, man. I think it's easy to be the. Be really easy to be the vet that shits on the young guys when they make mistakes and aren't playing well. I mean, we've all played with those guys, too, right? And those are the guys that I remember. And I'm so grateful for every day that I, you know, even if they taught me one thing, it's. It stuck with me and their kindness stuck with me, right? And that's the guy I want to be for. For the young guys who were some.

[C]

Of those guys for you in Colorado?

[A]

For.

[E]

For me. Like, I remember Darcy Tucker. I remember Jerome McGinla, Danny Brier. You know, I lived with Adam Foote my first couple years. He was pretty hard on me a lot of the time, but he. There was times. There's lots of stuff I remember from him as well. And. But I remember, you know, my first year, Darcy Tucker. I mean, I. He was so great to me. He sat. I sat beside him in the room on the road, it was like always the same stalls. And I remember the coach throw me on the fourth line, and I wouldn't understand why, and I'd be all pissed and mad at the world, and he'd be like, buddy, it's all right. Just go do your thing. You're all, 18. You're 18. And like. But at that age, you think it's the end of the world. You're like, yeah, yep, man. Like, I'm expect to come in and score and do this and do that, and I might, you know, and you're all worried, and then you go out and you play a good few first few shifts and you're back to your normal line. But you don't see it that way at that age, right? And the, The. That's the perspective I have now, being through stuff like that. And, you know, to. To see a kid in a, you know, that's down on himself about not getting on the score sheet. You know, the. The. The beautiful thing is, is, like, you know, I think back in the day, if you reacted like that, you'd get looked at, selfish, and you get ripped apart. And now we've all been through that situation, and that's the last thing I look at it like, because, you know, I made that mistake several times where, you know, you have the pouty face after a game. You know, you didn't play like you should have, and. But the team won and, you know, you got your, you know, you Got, you know, chirped by the older guy about it, and you didn't really understand that you were even doing it. And. And now when I see it, I don't think. I think of it through my perspective, and I go up and I'm like, hey, man, like, you played great. Like, you know, you're doing a lot of good things. Just keep going. If. If you focus on what you're doing every day, you know, the.

[A]

The.

[E]

The numbers will come, and. And I love that you're pissed. Like, I like that. I want that. I want them because I know they're happy we won. They're not upset we won. They just want to be great. They want to be the best they can be. And that's the way I was wired. That's the way a lot of the new generation is wired. But it was taboo when I was coming up and at the beginning, and I had to learn. It took me a while to learn to put the face on, and. And I was, you know, also anxious about it and all that stuff. Like, man, like, you know, you go home and you're like, I'm not where I'm supposed to be. I'm not where I'm supposed to be. I'm not doing what I'm supposed to do. And you feel like shit about. You feel like you're letting everybody down, and you. So it comes from that kind of place, and it usually. It does come from that kind of place.

[A]

We have.

[E]

We don't play with a lot of you guys. Know, there's not a lot of bad human beings in this league. There's not many. And even if a guy, you know, has some flaws, you're still like, man, he's a good guy. He's. He's, you know, doing the right things. He's. He's trying, right? And. And I think with these young kids, they need the support in that situation, because I know I needed it. And when I had a veteran that saw it for what it was and could really help me, like those guys I named, I mean, they. It was. Oh, it was funny. It felt like every year I was going through some sort of really big struggle and trying to find my way, I had one of those guys in the room, and that was really special for me. And I didn't have them long. I only had Tux for a year. I had. I had Danny B for one year. Iggy, I had for maybe two. But they always were there when I was needed the most. And. And I will always be grateful to those guys.

[B]

You're pretty open about your faith as well. I mean, you've mentioned it a couple times. Like you talked about talking to the sports psychologist or psychologist in general. Obviously leaning on your family during hard times. Like, like, what is it that religion does for you? Like what?

[E]

Like, yeah, so one thing, like religion is a word that I, I don't use very often because I think that's like a rule following thing. Right. And every religion can go that way. For me, my faith is just a relationship with God. I try and I try and educate myself. The last for like four or five years. I've really dove into it more. I always had, I grew up that way. I brought up churchgoing household. We talked about faith all the time. I married a Christian girl, her family was big into it growing up. Still are. And that's the way we're raising our kids. And I definitely don't want to get on my soapbox and say, you know, you know, be one of those people. But anybody that wants to talk about it, I'll gladly chat with them about it. I've had conversations with some of my teammates who have come to me about it. I remember one of the biggest comments I've ever gotten in my life was Ryan McDonough a couple years ago told me that I helped him and take a bigger step in his faith. And Brian McDonough, anyone that knows him is he's a perfect human being. Close thing too. I was always teasing him about, I'm like, man, I can't even find a flaw with you and you're absolutely flawed. You're a perfect person on and off the ice. And he and I played a year together and got really tight and finding out I helped him take a step there was the biggest comment I could ever gotten. And yeah, I'm open about it because I want to, to, you know, spread the word and, and if anybody's on teetering, you know, if it's not for you, it's not for you, it's okay. I like, there's no judgment for me and, and I don't believe there should be. And I think that's where religion goes wrong is when we start to judge and we don't love. And for me, anybody who's on the fence about it, if I can help them anyway get over that hurdle, I'm always there for it. So I've seen, I've seen guys do it. I've seen and whether I was part of it or not, I saw Ryan Johansson, who's one of my best friends in the league. Obviously, he's not playing right now, but he really took a big step, found his wife, and is living his best life right now. And so I just think I've seen guys kind of go through their journey, and there's organization, there's Hockey Ministries International and PAO for Athletes Outreach. There's different organizations that really help us as athletes go. And I just try to be someone that can kind of help. Help. Help somebody if they're. If they want to take that next step. And there's been a couple guys here in Dallas that I've. I've really, you know, I think that have kind of latched on to that part of it, and I've just tried to help. And so I. Yeah, I. Again, I'm not trying to be on my soapbox or anything.

[B]

No, not at all. This. That was an unbelievable breakdown.

[E]

Yeah. No, I just think if you educate yourself on it, you can. I think you can dive further into it, because it's hard not to. That's. That's my. That's been my journey, and. And it gets me through a lot. I mean, I pray every. Every morning I wake up. It kind of sets me up for the. The day. And I've seen God do amazing works in my life, and I think me coming to Dallas has been one of them. And the. I felt his presence. It. This sounds. I mean, maybe a little abstract to a lot of people, but through the whole Nashville thing, it felt like he was saying, this hurts like hell, but it's going to be quick, I promise. I kept hearing that in my head, and it was so true. I didn't think I'd get over it. It. And I. It's. There's. I still am not over it, but I'm way further than I ever thought I'd be. And it's. That's been a. That's been the foundation of it, along with my family.

[B]

Dutchy, I have a. I have another meeting here. I got to get going. These guys take over. But I just wanted to thank you for your vulnerability. And opening up like this is obviously not the typical conversation, but I think it's going to mean a lot to a lot of people. And I. I couldn't be happier for your success and how you've landed on your feet in Dallas and. And keep going, man. You guys got a wagon there.

[E]

I appreciate it. Buddy, great seeing you. And. Yeah. Glad you're all good from the little altercation, too. That was. I saw the videos. That's crazy, man. Peace.

[B]

It's all hey, thanks to the AHL for preparing me.

[E]

Yeah, there you go.

[B]

I'm gonna go grab a soggy sub now. See you boys.

[A]

There you go.

[E]

See you, dude.

[C]

And he won't put money in the cup either. No one shut the up.

[D]

Put in five, take ten.

[B]

Put it in a ten.

[A]

Deal.

[C]

Hey Dutchy, in talking about your faith, it makes. It's no surprise at all. And something we wanted to talk about or let you talk about is your entire hockey Tonk foundation where I think you're helping out people who are going through cancer, their families going through cancer, and having a five star experience at a Dallas Stars game. Can you bring us through that foundation and scenario and how you thought of it?

[E]

Yeah. So I did it in. Thanks for bringing it up. I know I want to talk about on here. We're launching it at probably if it's 1:00 right now, it's coming out right now. But in that when I got to Nashville they do the Preds do a really good job with the community. And I did a sweet program there called Duchenne's Hockey Tonk for obvious reasons and felt like it still fit here in Dallas. And basically the, the inspiration behind it was there's a little boy from my hometown that I got close with during my junior career and he had cancer. He was like, like, he fought him from like 5 till 10 years old when he eventually passed. He passed in January of 2010 and I, it was my rookie year. I flew home for his funeral and he. He asked his parents to be buried in my jersey. And that just, I mean it gives me chills every time I talk about it. And I just now being a dad and I mean I just can't imagine what their family went through. I got, you know, tight with the family I supported of his brother through his minor hockey career. I got him hockey equipment his whole time coming up and I just felt like it was the least I could do for a little boy who just deserved better in life and loved hockey. And I just. But I saw the toll it took on the family and I wanted to create an experience where it's not just about the kid or the parent or whoever. In. In Nashville was geared toward the, the, the kid and the siblings. And the little boy's name from Halliburton, his name is Dawson Hamilton. So I want to get that in there. But he. I wanted to really help his brother out. I want to help his family and, and I felt like when families are going through this kind of stuff, a lot of people Overlook the, the family members. Right. And, and I think we've all had people that have been touched by cancer. My, both my grandfathers had it and you know, they caught it early, they got rid of it. But I saw the toll it took. I mean, my dad was driving my grandpa to appointments. My, my aunts were taking my other grandpa. Like my grand, like every, like, it's, it's, it's a lot on the families. And for me, I just feel like our first of all, as a hockey player, we're called to, to, to give back because we've been blessed. Second, my, my Christian side, you know, part of being a Christian is tithing and giving back. And, and for me, I just think our most valuable thing on this earth is our time. And, and if I can help give families the ability to forget about what's going on and just be normal. Families that have, that are just focusing on having a great time, it's the least I can do. And I, I, I. We did that in Nashville. And a lot of time I'd actually have a country music artist sit in the suite with these families and make it even more special. And I think people that did that, all the artists that did that I'm so grateful for. And we had other night sewers auctioned off. People paid a bit of a premium for it. And then that money went towards the foundation or the, the people we were helping out. So here. So it's the Cancer Support Community of North Texas is the name of the organization that we're. We're doing the project with. And basically they're there to support families going through this. And, and so we did our first event the other night. The father had, has been fighting and the kids obviously. I mean, that's gotta be so hard, right? The had. One of the daughters was very young and you know, you know, it doesn't make sense to her. Right. And the one son, I think, said to our foundation person, hey, we haven't had a night out like this in a long time where we could just, you know, enjoy something like this. And that was exactly the point of it. So I love that it came out that way. I just think like, hockey should be able to give back at a grand scale. It's a great platform. We all are blessed to make a lot of money doing this thing, and it's the least we can do. And we, we need to do it.

[C]

But thank you so much for doing that and explaining it and, and the way you have given back. It's, it's, it's very honorable man. Like, like you said, like, even if it's just three hours where their, their minds are just away from what they're going through, it's good on you. Good on you. It's, it's incredible to hear.

[E]

No, yeah. You know what? Again, I, it's the least I could do. I wish I could do more. You know, obviously got a lot on my plate with the career and the kids and the family and everything, but I, you, I, again, I think it's our duty to do this stuff and guys are so great in our game at doing this. It's not just me. A ton of guys are doing this stuff. I just want to make sure that we get this out there so we can raise as much money as possible and, and support a really good organization.

[C]

Well, we're not going to keep you for that much longer, man. I, I, I just, I kind of had one final question relating to the team and that's about Pete DeBoer. The success he's had everywhere has been incredible. Like the game sevens, his record in game sevens. I, I didn't know if there's something that you can kind of describe that, that sets him apart from other coaches you've had. Because I've, I've met him a couple times. Very like a great guy and then you could tell he's intense on the bench. But what, what is your relationship like with him and what, what's a little different about him from prior coaches that you, you've had?

[E]

He's been awesome. I mean he's, I think what makes him special is he's just, there's no fluff. And when I say that there's no, there's no waste. Like our meetings are 10, 15, maybe at the, like, longest. And it's, that's huge. It's, it's the greatest hits of like, like, because you know how much video they watch, right? And we've all played for coaches that have 30 minute video meetings and you're like, holy, we don't need to watch five breakouts or 5D zone coverages. Like, I, and I understand why they do it because they're putting that much time into it. They want to make sure that they're getting back. I think, I think Pete has a really good perspective on, he doesn't coach for himself, of what makes him feel good. He coaches for what the team needs and I think he has a really good perspective on that. I, I coaching. Like, let's be serious. That's the hardest job in, in sports. I Mean, the amount of, they put in way worse hours than we ever do. I mean, they're there way before us, way after. You know, they see their families a lot less. It's a tough job. And, and I think he's just, he's such a professional and he's, but he's great too, because if you're struggling, he'll pull you in and have a, just a man to man conversation and not get, he won't carve you. He'll just be like, hey, like, like, I think you can do this, this, this a little bit better. And, you know, I, I, you know, we believe in you. When I was going through that grieving stuff last year, he called me one day and said, hey, I don't want you to spiral here. You're okay, buddy. Like, you're, you're good. It was like a telephone hug, like, and I needed it, right? He's really good at that. Spotter's really good at that. Our whole staff has got a really good balance. There's times he'll, he'll bark like, Pete's got a, every now and then he's got, like, he'll, he'll, he'll see something on the bench that sets him off and kind of, kind of like goes at you a little bit. But then he'll come to you the next day and be like, hey, like, I remember there was a time last year. This is a good story to describe who he is as a coach. We, our line had our F3, dove in a couple times. They got odd man rushes and he like, snapped on the bench on us. And we, we weren't doing the right thing. Like, we were, we had bad reads. So then the rest of the game, our F3 was like, standing almost at the red line, right? We didn't want to dive in. So he calls us into a video meeting and he goes, hey, I don't want this. He's like, this is my fault. I, I, I gave it to you guys way too hard and freaked. You got like, basically, I, but I don't want you guys standing. I, yeah, he's like, I don't. So then we were overly responsible, and he's like, I don't want this. Play hockey, boys. Like, hey, I'm sorry. This is my fault. And we were laughing about it, right? And that's the best way that he, that's the way he coaches. So, you know, you know, there's times he's gonna bark at you, but he'll come and you'll know whether it's fair or not. And if it's not fair, he'll come up to you every time and talk to you about it. And it's part of being a coach. You see something during a game, he sets you off, you're trying to manage a bunch of stuff. I get it. And you know, he's been just such a pleasure to play for. And the amount of laughs we have as a group together too, is, is, you know, is great. He's. He's just awesome to play for. And he's got, he's like the perfect blend of like a coach and a player's coach, if that makes sense.

[C]

Sense, yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

It just goes to show you the, Obviously the games evolved the last 10, 15 years, but the coaches have as well. Like your first year, you had Joe Sacco, who I heard when he was the head coach, he was a little hard on guys. I've heard he's changed completely. He's a great players coach now. But even what you were saying going in and having a cry with your assistant coach, like, that would have never happened back then. And it's, I think it's a great thing for the league and for guys still playing that to have that support system because at the end of the day, you're all on the same team, right?

[E]

100%. And like, we're human, right? Like, man, like, like, you guys know, I know you guys are a little bit removed from your careers now, but you go to bed at night probably still identifying as a hockey player, right? I was a hockey player. Hockey was my life. Still is my life. You guys are on a hockey podcast, what you're coaching, right? Like, we identify with it. It's in our soul and our heart. It's personal matter, man. It's freaking personal. I don't care, like. And that's when it gets hard, when it becomes business, because it's like, they don't want me, they don't like me. They think I'm no good. Like, and you put that part of it. So the coaches are starting to understand that side of it. And I think with all the mental health stuff that's come out, I think it's great for the game. We don't need to be soft because there is that side of it too. Like, you got to be a man and you got to man up and you got to, you know, I, I, I. But sometimes you need that release of stuff. And I think I, I shocked Misha when I went in and, and I started. I just broke down. I didn't think I was going to break down. I didn't think I needed that. I just, like, absolutely had a. I just felt, I felt safe. I felt like I could do it. And I mean, look what it did the next night. You know, you kind of, after that, you reach down, go. You know, you wipe your tear, you grab your nuts and you go, okay, I gotta go. I gotta go play now. Right? And there's both sides of that, right? You can't, and you can't be too far one way or the other. And, and I think hockey is starting to find the right blend and a lot of teams have sports psychs and we need a man. It's, it's damn hard what we're doing out there. And, you know, we're paid to do it and we're paid well and you know, you can't be, you can't be airing it out in the media or anything like that. But again, we need that support system and hockey's going that way a bit more. And it's great.

[C]

Dutchie, the, the, the, the league, and not only the league, but the world needs more people like you looking to help others and being open and honest with how you're feeling and what you're going through. We cannot thank you enough with how good this has been and how, how kind of honest you've been with us and all the listeners, because no matter what, whether you're 15, 25, 40, you're gonna go through tough times in life and, and you've, you've, you've done that come out on the other side. So congrats on everything, man. I'm really rooting for you and your squad and we appreciate you coming on, dude. And for anyone, it's, it's hockey, Tonk. And we'll be able to get all this stuff out on social media and, and try to help out in any way we can. But we appreciate you, man.

[E]

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate you helping me out with that. And yeah, I mean, just quickly before I go, I think it's like I said, I'm at the point in my career where it's my duty to help people because I've been through some tough stuff, I've been through some great stuff. And if you can't give back, I, I, you know, you're not, I don't think you have things in perspective. So thank you for all you guys are doing too, for hockey. I mean, my buddies were so pumped I was coming on here again, and they listen to you guys every day and I think you guys have really. Yeah. Have you really brought a lot of great things to our game and a lot of great interviews and, and gives me, gives a guy like me a chance to have a platform like this to chat about stuff close to me.

[A]

Right.

[E]

So I don't have to talk about the goals for and the goals against and the forecheck and the power play and all that stuff. Right. So thanks to you guys and thanks for having me on.

[C]

Appreciate it, man. Have a great one, guys. Before we continue, I want to talk about Jackpocket. Are you feeling lucky? Well, get ready to try your luck with Jackpocket, America's number one lottery app. I know people, people love playing the lotto. You just see that big 300, 400 million dollar winner coming your ways. You imagine what you do with it. And with Jackpocket, you can order Powerball and Mega Millions tickets right on your phone. They even have official state lottery games every day. There are millions up for grabs right on your phone. With Jackpocket, Powerball and Mega Millions, just the ability to buy those on your phone. Jackpockets made that happen. It's the only place to do it. And new customers can get a free lottery ticket using code Puck. That's P U C K. That's code Puck. For a free Powerball or Mega Millions ticket, don't wait. Download Jackpocket now for your chance to win big.

[B]

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[C]

Thank you so much to Matthew Shane. Honest conversation. We really appreciate him coming on, rooting for him. Amazing to hear what he went through and trying to deal with like being bought out from a place that you considered you'd be at the rest of your career. So. So that was really cool and it was, it was a blast getting to chat with him for that long. We mentioned the, the trade. Oh actually before we get to that, a couple more announcements for our live show in Chicago. Barstoolsports.com events. There are a few tickets. Yeah, we brought up Tim Stapleton. All time Chiclets guest is our. As our first guest that we were announcing for the live show. We have now locked up two NHL hall of famers and that's Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios. So Stapleton, Chelios and Roenick. This night is setting up to be a very special one. Barstoolsports.com events you'll have all four of us, G, myself, Biz, Yance. We'll have the game notes, Boys, army and Merles. And it'll just be an absolute time in Chicago.

[B]

I know some people a little bit worried about like times and dates around the holidays. There's a game, a Blackhawks game that night. So we're scheduling the live show so you could attend it and then you could go to the Blackhawks game afterwards. So make sure you end up snagging a ticket. And for you listeners who won't be in Chicago, the, the two venues that we currently have available, we're going to end up the the same owner. They said that we can have the audio from the recording inside. So when we release that podcast following after that live show, certain bits and pieces of the live show will be inserted in that podcast. So I don't think it's, it's. It's something we've ever done before. So even if you aren't able to attend and you're not there, but it'd be sick to get it sold out. Live experience and a couple hall of Famers and maybe a couple other pop ins from guys who are in town as well. Maybe we can get Gary Bettman to come out, maybe do an a body armor body armor ad read and then send them, say a body.

[C]

I thought you say a body shot. Okay.

[B]

Or a pink Whitney body shot. Maybe we'll get him to do a birdie bucket nip. So that's pretty much all I wanted to say on that.

[C]

It's going to be awesome. I cannot wait. Rowdy crowd and we owe Chicago considering our first live show ever. We had no audio, so how far we've come as a podcast. Now we'll be able to have two hall of Famers and then a Hall of Fame personality and Tim Stapleton. Anaheim moved on from Camp Flower. This was pretty much a done deal. Even going into the season. You knew they end up get. You knew they'd end up trading him. He's been kind of in, in the rumor mill to being traded for a few years now. He finishes his career as a Duck as the all time leading goal scorer, assists and points for defenseman. Incredibly, he's nine games away from a thousand, which I think if he plays every game for the Blues leading up to the Winter Classic, that will be his thousandth game, which is really cool. He was traded. He was the. The Blues acquired him and a fourth rounder, they traded prospect Jeremy Bianca Batuka and a second round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. And it seems like some people were like, Ah, St. Louis's D is a little old, but the quotes by Army Doug Armstrong, GM of the St. Louis Blues was more about, I'm not doing a rip it down rebuild and I want to stay competitive as we retool, which I used to be really against because I was like, you got to get the first overall stud. You got to get a game breaker. But we've seen Buffalo and we've seen all those years in Edmonton before McDavid and you've seen teams try to do this and it's like it doesn't always work if you don't hit a home run and you got to get lucky with the lottery balls and everything. So I get what Army's doing. And he brought up their first round pick from two years ago and I believe two second round pick defensemen from last year that he thinks they'll be ready to play in 2620 or 2026, 2027. Ish. And by then these older guys that they have, they have Ryan Suter, they have just.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

Pareco's. Pareco's actually 31, but he plays a ton of minutes. And unfortunately Nick Letty's been injured. He's been open since October. I guess he traveled out west and everything. Whatever the. It's undisclosed, but it flared back up, so. And Tory Krug's missing the season, so Army's looking to stay competitive and try to make a playoff push while also retooling with prospects in the draft. And so. I like it. I like the move.

[B]

I like it too. Yeah, I like it too, man. And it just lines up. He's actually going to play his 1000th game. Game. If everything goes according to plan at the Winter Classic, that'll be a stylist game. No lines up. Did you guys already say that? Oh, you already said it. Okay. I was in my own head worrying about.

[D]

Honestly though, there's no, no one's ever done that. Right? That hasn't happened yet. Right. Someone playing their thousandth game.

[A]

No.

[B]

Thanks for breaking the ice.

[C]

We're saying no. We're saying no quickly. But is it definitely a no? It's got to be very, very, very unlikely that that's happening. Happen. What a day. What a game. To get your thousandth game in the National.

[D]

Unbelievable.

[B]

Maybe we could sit down with him and at the Gretzky house or Gretzky's basement.

[C]

Great golfer.

[D]

He's a all time American defenseman. I think I, he came in pretty young too. Maybe 18, 19 years old. He's played a long time. Done an unbelievable job there. I remember one time I was looking at his curve and during like warm ups or pre game skate or something, I'm like cam, can I get a stick? And he gave me a stick. I ended up like scoring that game. I had one of his sticks and I used to use a new stick every game. Like everyone. And I used that same stick for like six games because they couldn't send me anymore. So I had to wait for Easton to get it. So I just like, I wouldn't use it in practice. I'm like keeping it away from everything because it was it a different curve than yours? It was pretty similar to mine. His was like a little thicker and then, and then I ended up like switching to his curve and using his curve.

[B]

Oh, did you still do that thing on the, the butt end? He used to, he wouldn't tape it. He would have like a piece of rubber that you would take the, the sticky stuff off of and you would slide down the shaft which you. I think you were paying Rudy to do it at the time.

[D]

Yeah, the trainers hated me for that. Oh, putting those things on for a day. Oh, the worst shout out to Rudy. The best.

[C]

I, I think Elliot was the first to say that, that apparently the Blues are looking to move on from Brandon Sod as well. I think 4 1/2, $5 million cap hit ish right around there. So we'll see if there's any takers for his game. What a, what a run he's had. I know he's getting a little bit older. Probably not the same player he once was. But we'll see. We'll see if he ends up. He ends up moving on. Biz mentioned we wanted to talk about some teams that are a little bit on the rise. Just kind of keep an eye out for him. And of all the shit talking we've done of the Ottawa Senators, they've turned a little bit of a corner. Now Biz, I know you made a good point in talking before the show. Like let's see what they do the next five or ten games. Games. But they are on a little hot streak right now and it's all being led by former Vesna winner and new goalie this season, Linus Olmark, who right now in the last five games is 401 with a 118 goals against and a.962 save percentage, including a 32 save shutout against Carolina. So it's like if this core group, and I think it's very clear right now, if the Buffalo, Detroit, Ottawa, Triangle, can one of these teams do something like Ottawa is seeing? Seems to be miles ahead of those other two. Yeah, if they can get things going. Batherson looks good. I love Clue, Drew. And if. If Omar can play like this. And finally, I guess that a lot of times the rumors of Kachuk possibly being traded and they're always shot down. Like, I always thought it was people trying to say that he would want to be traded after seeing all the success of Matthew and moving on from Calgary and what's happened in Florida and the cup final appearances. But I guess there is like a small faction of Senators fans at times who are like traders. Him, if you trade Brady Tkachuk and he's not asking for a trade, you got to be one of the dumbest motherfuckers to ever be involved in this sport. He's a legit unicorn. Like, he would be the last guy in the world I'd want to trade if I was the Ottawa Senators and their fan base. So I don't. I don't. I. I can't see them ever doing that. And the owner said the same thing. The owner said. There's never been discussion of it. Brady's never asked for it. So all those rumors, I see it. I'm like, this guy. Every team wants Brady. Chuck.

[B]

Yeah. I think every time one of these three teams kind of blue balls us, tickles our balls, they end up disappointing us. So I think that. Let's see what they do over the next five games. But based on everything they were doing offensively and maybe not getting a goaltending early on, numbers kind of showed us that this is the team that they are. So it would be awesome to see them in the mix and fighting for that wildcard spot second half of the season. I think their fans and organization deserve it. So, rights, let's see what they can do. Another team on the rise, too, though, with they. They came out of the gate firing, then took a bit of a shit. But with the play of Sergachev, Nick Schmaltz getting on the board, I feel like Utah starting to claw their way back in it.

[C]

They're 6, 2 and 2 in their last 10 games. They're sitting in a good spot, and it seems like they got something special there, like the fan base. And yeah, Sergachev has 22 points at 30 games, seven goals. Goals. Dylan Gunther had that amazing start we came out firing. He still has 29 points in 30 games, 13 goals. Clayton Keller, who's probably using some motivation from not making Team USA stepping up his game, but yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's. I feel bad for Coyotes fans, but it's a fun team to watch. You see, like, it seems like it's a very close knit group and they're finally like getting a little success, right? If they could ever get in the playoffs, even if they lost first round, for that young core just to experience, it'd be amazing. But I like watching them play. I really do.

[D]

I think it'll be a little easier for a team like that to get into the playoffs from the west than it would be in the east, like Ottawa or Buffalo or those type of teams. But yeah, they definitely look fun. And the, the youth there that they have, you can tell it's rubbing off on everyone with Gunther. Clayton Keller, still a young buck too. Really fun to watch. Their jerseys are great too. I love those. Is just one of those guys too. Like, he's a, he's still fairly young, but he's seen everything so far in the league, right? He's won a few cups, he's been a part of some amazing teams with hall of Fame guys. So, you know, he's probably bringing a lot to that group and just kind of helping them out, helping them get to that next level. And if it's not this year, I could see the next couple years them being a playoff contender every, every year, hopefully.

[C]

So biz, also in Vancouver, I think they're three and four or three and three in their last six and just kind of playing a little bit of uninspired hockey. I don't know if you had an opinion on, on talks quotes where he said, listen, we got four or five guys.

[B]

He said it's my job to get those guys going. And. But they, they both, three or four of them are kind of bringing the group down where they're not inspired. They don't have any mojo right now. And yeah, I just think that right now like, like Vancouver is one of the loudest cities with their fan base and kind of like the drama. I obviously don't think that the PD JT taking the time off has helped like settle that down. It's almost like it kind of got people riled up. The noise, right? And then now like, you know, like, you know, it seems like sometimes like even talk is like oh, like, enough with like all the PD questions. Like, let's, you know, you guys are smart hockey minds. Like, you don't need to ask me, me every little detailed thing. And then like, obviously some stuff's private, so it might be frustrating him. It just feels like there's like, yeah, bad juju around the team right now. But that can quickly change as, you know, things did where maybe things were going for good for Debrus, and all of a sudden you put him with Petey and Sherwood and then boom, he fired. He gets, he goes on fire. So, yeah, you don't really have much time in the west to take take a 20 game segment where you're not good and not uninspired or where you're not inspired so you could find yourself on the outside looking in. So they gotta, they gotta figure things out quick and kind of calm things down. But not so much an opinion that I want to like, overreact. But I would say probably over the last three, four weeks, I'm sure they're just mentally drained based on everything that's been happening around the team.

[C]

No, yeah, I agree with that. And I think that city too, like, when you have anything going off ice where, where J.T. miller left and now he's back, I think he has three points or four points in the two or three games he's been back. So, so it's nice to see him going again. But it's just so much. And you walk in the locker room every day and there's 15 to 20 reporters and they're asking about every little thing and every aspect of the game and what's going on off the ice. And I think it is exhausting. And Canada is a different animal. We've talked about that ad nauseum on this show, but like, Vancouver's even, even crazier. And it's just, they've never won a cup and there's just so much that goes into the, the fan base being so vocal and it's, it's also great. Like I've on that fan base, but they, they, they love the Canucks and they also love to hate the Canucks when they're not playing well. So it's just probably hard to deal with day in and day out. So I, I'm not really worried about them, though. I think they get into the playoffs, I, I, I think Demko's back now. It's a, it's gonna, it's gonna figure itself out. But it was interesting to see him say we're not like Edmonton where we can just like be carried by two guys. And if there's a night where five, six guys aren't going, you can still win. We need everyone going and a little bit of a shot at his team and. And kind of pumping Edmonton's tires a little bit. I took it as. But more just saying, like, we cannot continue to play where we have too many passengers. And he mentioned, like, this is the NHL. Like, you need to be so fired up to play every single game. And that is the hardest part about being an NHL player is 82 games and everyone's going to have off nights. But it's like you got to have more where you're on than you're off or you're on the outside looking in come playoff time. So. So a weird time there since we've talked to Larry Brooks and Jacob Truber was traded. The Rangers stink. They still stink. Maybe one of the most uninspiring games that I ever remember. The Rangers playing against the Blues on Sunday, just embarrassing. And they made a little bit of a comeback, but I don't know what's going to happen there. Who knows what's going to happen now. Capo Kako was scratched amid trade rumors. I think Panarin was also out that game. So a crazy time in, in Rangerville, and, and I thought it would get. I thought this would figure itself out, but talking to certain Rangers fans, it's like they look like they don't even care. I saw Avery's clip of Kreider. Like, it's kind of crazy to see some of this.

[B]

Yeah, I thought things were going to change after the game in Boston or not in Boston. In Buffalo. Excuse me. You know, sometimes teams have those pregame skates and then they have the, the powwow afterward where everybody gets in a big circle. Hey, boys. I know it's been, you know, not going so well, but hey, we're a team here and let's have a big effort and let's like, let's get this positive juju going in the right direction. Well, they beat Buffalo, but then they fucking leg that egg. And then like you said, Avery's on Instagram going through these videos where guys kind of like I mentioned about Buff Buffalo, where they're not emotionally and physically invested. Well, when you're a guy crider side and you're doing flybys, not exactly the, the. The tone you want to set when your team's kind of in a hole right now. So I'm also hearing rumble that Sean Avery is going over to NYC to Meet with James Dolan to talk about the state of the New York Rangers. There is a crazy element to James.

[C]

Dolan that That's a content dream.

[B]

Imagine, get rid of Jury and hire Sean Avery as the next general manager of the New York.

[C]

You gotta. You gotta fire Lavia lot before you get rid of Chris Droer.

[B]

I mean, Dolan's a bit of a ball.

[D]

What's he bringing him in for? Biz?

[B]

I don't want to. Avery might be upset I'm even mentioning this, but he said, I'm going. I'm flying to New York specifically to meet with Dolan to talk about the state of the team. Dolan's probably following him on Instagram and seeing the laser pointer or the fucking. What do you. That little laser stick he's got going. He said that that catches the algorithm better. So that's why he's doing it so obviously, all of a sudden, now it's on Dolan's radio are. So he's a wild card.

[C]

He's a wild card, dude.

[D]

Avery does bleed blue and red, too. So, I mean, why not bring him in, have him talk to the squad, you know, like, even with the interview with Larry Brooks that he was on, like, what it means to be a Ranger, and you know the guy, he. The city loved him. Like, he got his. I remember when I played there, guys used to be, like, only people that got their names chanted are Hank, Avery and Zuke, like, the three, whoever, you know? So it's like. Like they loved him there. He know what it meant to. To play there in a big city like that. And. And he played with. At the end of the day, going, just doing anything to get some wins here. I. I kind of love the idea.

[A]

Why not?

[B]

I would love a Sean Avery press conference every few weeks.

[C]

I picture Avery sitting in the meeting like Ben Affleck and Goodwill hunting, where he's like, retainer.

[D]

What can you do for me now.

[C]

In a smaller suit? Like a. A stylish smaller suit. What are you doing? Can you do for me now? Oh, the content of Sean Avery running the New York Rangers. Holy.

[B]

I think I'm actually gonna. If. I mean, if he doesn't get hired as GM of the Rangers, I'm going to be heading over to LA to do a Road Warriors Part two with Sean Avery, where I go take a Jiu Jitsu class with him. Apparently, if you're taking Jiu Jitsu, you have a better chance of going 1v6. So I want to be prepared for the next time I'm having my traditional salad when I get boot in the head, so I'll be doing a jiu jitsu class with him if he's not hired by the Rangers.

[C]

Well, speaking of former Rangers, Kevin Shattenkirk, he called it a career, boys. And this kid, this guy, I should say was so good, so smooth out there. Played at Boston University, stud his whole life. What a career. I think he finished with 952 games right around there. Won a Stanley cup and he decided to call it. Call it a career. And he texted us actually, and it was just like so happy, or maybe you texted him with us on there, but so happy for him to be able to have the career he did. And what a great guy. So I just wanted to shout him out.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, he sent me the, the. The Larry David sampling video and that's how he got reacquainted. So nice of him to be thinking about me during this, you know, difficult time of hanging up the blade. So I would love to give him on given he probably had an incredible sense of humor in the locker room. Yance, you play with him how many years in New York or did you guys not overlap?

[D]

No, I never played with him. Just know him from, you know, being around. He was good friends with like Jimmy Hayes, so known him for a while and then obviously his bu connections. Great guy, like unbelievable player, but one of the better guys off the ice too. Always happy, like just a salt of the earth guy. Like a guy that the NHL is just, you know, made for and yeah, unbelievable career from. From him. Can't wait to talk to him now that he's retired to get some stories from him. You know, he played in some Unreal cities. Yeah, fun guy. And you see like his post online and then all the guys retweet or reposting it and. And the nice words that guys had to say about it, I'm sure it meant the world to him. So unbelievable guy, unbelievable career. Happy for him.

[C]

91 playoff games to go with his 952 regular season games in this Lightning Stanley cup of 2019, 20, 20, 25 games played, 13 points. Points in that run to raising the cup. So congratulations, Shady. And speaking of retired guys, this man we're about to go to is retired. He retired once and he came back. I don't think Shady's doing that, but I think it's time, boys, for the legend Gronk himself. Let's go to him right now. Before we continue, guys, I want to talk about game time. Game time. Is focused on togetherness this holiday season. And when you bring people together at live events, the experience is that much better and it's the perfect gift. You know how much we love Game Time. Now with their brand new gametime picks features, they're making it even easier to get to a game. GameTime picks filters out the fluff to show you only incredible deals on great seats so you don't have to waste time searching through thousands of tickets to find a good price. I was looking at tickets for the winter Classic in Chicago against the St. Louis Blues. That's why we're going, because of game time. I saw an amazing Game Time Pick picks deal for great seats under $200. It's unreal. It's easy to use. And the Game Time Picks makes it so simple to find the tickets you need and want to attend any event you want to go to. Just pull up the chosen event and turn on the GT pick setting at the top of the screen or browse the best local game time pick deals near you on your game Time app homepage. What are you waiting for? I'm gonna buy those Winter Classic tickets at Wrigley Field for the Blackhawks Blues. News right now with Game Time picks. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account and use code Chiclets for $20 off your first purchase terms apply. Again, create an account and redeem code with Chiclets C H I C L E t s for $20 off download the Game Time app today. What time is it? Game time. It's an honor right now to be joined by a very special guest. This man needs no introduction, but I'm still gonna do it. Four time first team, all NFL, four time super bowl champion, hall of fame player, hall of fame person off the field, Rob Gronkowski. Thanks for joining. Spit and chicken.

[B]

Let's go.

[A]

Hey, Ryan. Hey, Biz. What's up, guys? It's a pleasure, man. I've been a fan of all three of you for quite some time now. And you know, with that introduction right there, you forgot the most important part. Let me tell you. I was a hockey player all the way till ninth grade, baby winger. And I was a fighter. So that should have been in the introduction. Bellies, that's.

[C]

So you just ran people over. Like just chip it in the corner and just run somebody over. That was your game.

[A]

That was exactly my game. I. I loved hockey, actually. That was actually my sport growing up. It actually kind of just got facilitated out of my life. Because when I got to high school, I was playing basketball, I was playing hockey, I was playing baseball, and I was playing football and hockey and. And basketball were at the same exact time. And I just had to give up one sport, and I gave up hockey. And I'm actually from Buffalo, New York, so Buffalo has great hockey. I mean, I think Buffalo Watches is the most. Most viewed, you know, city for the Stanley cup every year. And the Buffalo Sabers haven't been to the playoffs in, like, whatever amount of years now. We still. We still watch our hockey, and I love our hockey there. So I've been a Sabres fan growing up my whole life, but I just had to give it up because I just had too much going on when I got to ninth grade.

[B]

They need you behind the bench right now, Gronk. Yeah, they need to toughen up.

[A]

They had Rob Ray growing up, and I always loved Rob Ray because that was my name, obviously Rob as well. But he was a fighter. He would go out there and. And touch the puck one time on the ice and just start brawling people. And that's why I always looked up to when I was a kid. And that's. I need to go back and be that enforcer.

[B]

What's your hockey name? Your. Your alias? Isn't it Bob Bronkowski?

[A]

Oh, all right, now we're talking. I like that right there.

[B]

That was in our. That was in our outline. Really?

[A]

I never had a hockey alias name, so Bob Brunkowski. That. That sounds pretty good, though. I'm gonna start using that.

[C]

It was Bob Bonkowski from Black. That's what it was.

[B]

Oh, okay. All right. Well, I messed up the name. Shocker.

[D]

Everywhere. Everywhere. I heard when you were in Boston, you were always hanging out with the hockey guys. When you were in Tampa, you were hanging out with the hockey guys. Do you resonate as a hockey guy even though you're a Hall of Fame football player and, you know, it's just in your blood, huh?

[A]

Yeah, it's definitely in my blood. I mean, my whole entire family, we played hockey growing up. That was the first sport you start playing when you're in Buffalo as well. When you're.

[B]

When you're.

[A]

Two years old, you. They put the skates on you, and you're going out to the rink and you're skating around also the pond hockey with all your boys when. When the ice. When the pond freezes over and everyone gets together in the backyard. So, like, it was in my blood. No doubt about that. And I loved, you know, being in the locker room Of a hockey team. Like that's where I resonate, you know, the hockey locker room fits me perfectly. A lot of good stories. Just growing up as a kid, just being with my friends and my, my boys, all my boys, I played on the team. That was one, you know, I played up a level in hockey, so everyone was always older than me, but those were always my best friends. And they're still my friends to this day. And we talk about all our hockey memories as well, but. And the hockey stories that we have, you know, that we have from the locker room. So those were, those were the days. And I resonate perfectly in a hockey locker room.

[C]

When you got to high school, you mentioned playing all the sports, had to stop hockey for basketball. But at that time, was it already like this guy's got the potential to be a superstar football player? Or could it have been like people thought at the time you'd be a stud basketball player? When did you know? All right, football is it for me?

[A]

All right, well, I knew football was it for me was my sophomore year in high school and going into my freshman year in high school, I always knew that like football was going to be my sport. But it really designated, you know, that I was going to be playing football When I became a sophomore and I started playing on varsity and I just absolutely started dominating on varsity as well as a defensive end, tight end, and just going out there and just balling and making catches all over to play sacks and no one be able to stop me. Also my ideal size. I knew that I was a football player. Also my athleticism, yeah, I was great at hockey, yeah, I was good at basketball, yeah, I was good at baseball. But I played all those sports like I was a football player. Like I'm on the basketball court, I'm playing as a center down the there, just freaking leveling people left and right. Like I'm a hockey player as well. That's why I was so good at hockey as well, because I, I love that contact, man. That's what it was all about growing up as a kid. My brothers beat the crap out of me 24 7. But I'll go right back at him again and just get absolutely demolished by them and not give a. They give me all those Charlie horses to my legs and I just couldn't feel the pain anymore. Since my childhood, I just absolutely got destroyed and I just got numb to it all. But football was my sport due to my size, my athleticism, and just my mental stage as well. I knew I was actually knew I was Going to go pro since my sophomore year in high school. And everyone said, if you don't go pro, no one's going pro. That. So it was cool. Yep.

[B]

No.

[C]

Kind of a can't miss prospect then. I love that a little bit.

[A]

You know, Buffalo's not really known for football. It's known for its hockey. More, actually.

[E]

My.

[A]

I went to Williams, the Williamsville north in Buffalo, and we were state champions a while. I was there as well. So all my friends are state champions, and they still rub that in my face that I didn't win when I was playing football here, you know, in high school. But it's all good. We got. We had like 50 people a game come to our games in high school. So football's really not well known there.

[B]

So knowing you were set for the pros at probably a younger age for football, like, how intense are these offseason workouts and lifts and, like, what are you putting yourself through? Because, I mean, I know as hockey guys, we did a lot of that, but that's probably a different level of putting weight on and being fit to, like, make that jump.

[A]

Like, at what. What age we talking about?

[B]

Well, just like when you were like, 15, 16, knowing you were probably going to go to college eventually. And like, it's such a. It's such a. Like, you got to bulk up, right? Like, you're going against men at that age, 100%.

[A]

But I didn't really focus on one sport around that age when I was in high school because, like I said, I played all three sports. You know, I played football, I went into basketball, I went into baseball for all four years. And right after football season, I didn't really care about football season anymore. It was all about basketball. But the thing is, I'm a big advocate of playing all different types of sports because you learn the background of different cultures, because all different sports have different backgrounds with the people that are involved, with the guys that are involved. And on top of it, there's so much, you know, so many different skill sets that transfer to the other sports as well. So, like basketball, you can box out a guy, and then you go out on the football field, you box out the defender a little bit because, you know, I'm big and I'm not going to be faster than a guy. But if I can use my body and I can learn that in basketball, and then Tom or whoever just throws me the ball, I just. I just make the catch because I'm using my body to get open. So it all translates. The problem was Is that after my sophomore year, like I said, I knew I was going to. I was going to be a football player. So I did start doing that heavy lifting, and I'm not a big believer in that anymore. If I could go back, I would have trained totally different than how I train, man. I feel like I could probably still be playing if I started that training, you know, at a younger age, because it was all about how heavy of weights you can lift and just toss it up, and that's all it matters. And then my baseball game started fading because I was getting too jacked and too stiff, and that's not good if you want to be an athlete, you can't get stiff. And that's all I cared about, was getting jacked. So I batted.440 my freshman year on varsity, and I was all everything in baseball. And my junior year came and I batted at 240, bro. Like, how do you decline that bad? That's because I got too jacked because I was worried about football.

[C]

We've talked before, like, cleaning and all these lifts that we all did, like, growing up, that they don't do anymore. But then later on, you had, like, some back injuries, probably related to all that weight at a younger age, right?

[A]

100%, man. That's. That's spot on. And my back injuries actually started when I was in high school. I went up for dunk, and the guy behind, he took out my legs and I landed on my back. And that's when my back problems started happening, actually. But they really started, you know, really. It really started bothering me when I was in college, and we were just putting up so much on the cleans.315, squatting, 400 on a daily basis, and my back was going out on me. And when you. When you're your taller guy, you know what I mean? Like, your. Your frame is. Is different. Like, you're kind of more vulnerable to back injuries and popping the disc. And, you know, I don't want to blame it all on that because my lifestyle in college was absolutely horrendous as well for an athlete and for recovery. But just overall, everything. I would say one of the key contributors to the back problems, and if I try to do that as well again, is lip very heavy, it starts giving me those aches and pains, and that inflammation starts coming back. So I would have definitely redone my training growing up if I. If I could go back. That's one thing I would have changed.

[B]

Any particular discs bother you now? Like, maybe L5s1 just throwing it out there.

[E]

Oh, wow.

[A]

You know. You know your back, bro.

[B]

You know your backs.

[C]

You.

[B]

That's the one that I keep up from all the back squatting.

[A]

Yeah, I. So I've had three back surgeries. L2, L3, L3, L4. And I think ALF. L5S1. I. Oh, Jesus. AL5S1 is herniated. I never had surgery on that one. I had surgery on L2, L3 twice and L3, L4 once. L5 S1 has popped. All four in a row from L2 to S1 are herniated. But it's all good, man. As long as you stay up on that rehab, man, and work on that core and do all the right things, you can actually pop that disc back into place. And if I stay on top of it, then I'm cool. But if I start partying, I start lifting, and I don't do anything right for about two, three weeks. Weeks, man. I start feeling those aches and that's barking. Yeah, and then it starts barking. You're right. And, bro, that. That sucks, man. Having back pain's the worst.

[C]

The worst.

[D]

Were there any schools that were. That you had offers to go maybe play multiple sports or after your 200 average drop off, it kind of got. Went off the table.

[A]

I kind of went off the table. I mean, a couple schools were looking at me for basketball as well. And, I mean, I kind of talked to the University of Buffalo. Like, they were like, oh, you can do both, because it was right there, but it was Mac football. And, like, I wanted to go somewhere a little bit bigger. Like, you could do both at the University of Buffalo. But, like, it was just quick talk. It wasn't anything serious. But other than that, man, everyone knew I was a football player. It was obvious by the way that I played the other sports. Yeah, I was good at it and excellent at it in high school. But, you know, there was a limit to how far I was going to go in those other sports as well, because you could just tell I was a football player and I loved it. And I was all in on football, too, and that's all I cared about. You know, I cared about the other sports because they were fun playing high school, but I only cared about getting to the next level with football.

[C]

So. So take me, you know, young Gronk gets out to Arizona. Just the weather, the women, the culture out there. I mean, was there any ever a time a coach had to be like, hey, Gronk, we gotta bear down on the field in the class? Were you just enjoying College to the max, or was it like, when you went there, you were focused? I'm getting to the NFL. This is my way to get there 100%.

[A]

Like what you just said at the end. And that kind of transfers over to the New England Patriots as well with Coach Belichick. And I actually just got asked that question on the Dan Patrick Show. He's like, hey, how did you get away with everything that you did? And I. And this is how. And this kind of go back to college, too, because I never got hounded by my coaches. You know, every once in a while, they would throw a remark if they see me, you know, start declining a little bit.

[E]

Bit.

[A]

Or if I'm starting to get a little bit too out of control back in the heyday. But, like, the thing was, I was a consistent football player. I showed up. I never missed a weight room session. I never missed a film room session. I never missed a practice. And every time I showed up, too, I was balling. So if you're balling, coaches don't care what you're doing out there on the football field, out there, you know, off the football field, as long as you're showing up, you're making the plays, you're blocking, you're making touchdowns, catches, whatever it is. They don't care that. And that's what I was doing, and that's why it worked out for me, baby. It's just like hockey players. That's the hockey mentality. Coach don't care. I can tell you that if you're showing up, you're scoring, you're checking, you're playing deep, it don't matter. He don't care. And plus, he's probably partying with you in the. In the NHL.

[B]

I know how you guys.

[C]

Well, playing guilty, it was all about playing guilty. But we. We heard a story, I don't know if it's true or false, that apparently you hosted a recruit, and all of a sudden you guys are getting, like, chased by a helicopter or something, and there was no more Gronk hosting recruits. Is this true or is this a false Internet story?

[A]

No, no, that's a true Internet story, because I actually told that on my podcast as well, which we just started, actually two months ago, we just released our first episode. Julian and I, we host a podcast, Dudes on Dudes. We just talk about some former current and. And legend NFL players, and then we just, you know, go into our little own stories, too, and have a twist like that. And that came up as well, because we did a college Football player. And then we talked about some college stories on dudes on dudes. And that was one of them. He asked me if I ever hosted anyone was Arizona. And I told the story of me hosting just one person and I never hosted anyone after that. And we literally, we were at a party. I'm not going to get too much into details, but parties get broken up like crazy. At the University of Tucson, it was all about house party. But every party that got broken up, there was a helicopter always above. And if you ask anyone at University of Arizona to they know that experience of a party getting broken up. And then for some reason we left the party and this helicopter just started following us. And then from there we just, it just, it just turned into a game of just getting away from the helicopter. And that's all I got for you.

[D]

Did the kid commit? Did he commit there?

[A]

No, he didn't commit. He actually went to our rival, the Arizona State Sun Devil. So shame on him. Shame on him.

[B]

What made you decide? University of Arizona. And then also we got to talk about, about this bull game you're getting behind and we want to get your thoughts on the whole new college system and all that and nil. But, but first off, what made you decide to go to Arizona?

[A]

Yeah, so my dad, he's in the fitness industry for 30 plus years. He has a friend that he met on a work trip that does the same exact thing as him, but in the state of Arizona. And they became like best friends like 30 plus years ago or whatever. And then we were coming up getting recruited and that friend of his was a big alumni and played ball at the University of Arizona. So we were just trying to get recruited and he, since it was my dad's like really good friend, best friend basically. And in the same industry he kept telling my dad, hey, your son's got to come to University of Arizona because this guy lives and dies for University of Arizona football. He has a tattoo and everything. So he wasn't going to let one of his buddies who has kids that can play in the college level go somewhere else. So that's how I got there was because of my dad's buddy or else I would have never ever went out to the University of Arizona. So we took a recruiting trip out there and I just fell in love with the place from the very beginning and that's how I knew I was going to go out there. And that's how I was became a fan of yours because you were playing for the Phoenix Coyotes, baby. And I kept hearing you And I always like, oh man, we have that relationship. Even though we never even met before. I kind of always felt like we had that bond because, you know, we both lived in the state of Arizona. We know how precious it is.

[B]

I know you love the Sabers, but we got to get an ownership group together and bring it back to the desert. I know JJ Watts trying Larry Fitzgerald, Shane Dome, but he's with the Leafs now. Yan's will get in the mix. Widdle get in the mix. You think you would be interested in that?

[A]

I'm 100% down and actually I was supposed to get a piece of the Las Vegas Knights when they got there. And then the deal, I, I, I was just was so busy and then the deal didn't fall through and I pulled out and I'm such an idiot for it. That's one deal I'm slapping my, myself in the face for. I should have went all in with that one because I bet they're, they're killing it right now compared to where they started with Las Vegas nights. Hey, speaking of that, I'm all in, man. I want, I'm the ownership. NHL playoffs, I believe are the best playoffs out there. I mean, you guys just amp it up to, you got, amp it up to a whole nother level. Like you guys cruise in the regular season. Understandable. But when you get to the playoffs, it's must watch tv. And I follow NHL playoffs like no other. So I'm interested if you guys, if.

[B]

You guys go that direction, I'll message a few of my billionaire buddies and then we'll just all get in here.

[A]

Hey, I need some billionaire friends.

[C]

Biz mentioned the nil stuff. It's wild to see basketball and football kind of come into this new age where kids are getting bank coming out of high school. Like at the time when you were playing, was that a discussion between guys like, we should be getting paid? All these fans in the stands? Are jerseys being bought or, or were you not even really thinking about it then? And how much do you think now?

[A]

I mean, we weren't thinking about it then. I mean, because it's never been a case. I mean, everyone before us, you know, never got paid. I feel like I started a couple, like, you know, the Johnny Manziel era. I feel like when it started, like the, you know, Tim Tebow kind of introduced it, you know, that's when I was in college as well, when Tim Tebow was, and you just saw how much money he was bringing to the table. But it really got introduced, like players should be getting paid is because Johnny Manziel, everything that he was going through, so these guys actually should probably be, you know, tipping him off a little bit, these, these, these college players because he. I feel like that era right there started, so I was a little bit before that. And I think it's a, it's a mess in a way, but it's also great for these players and it's totally understandable they are bringing that much money in for the university. But at the same time, you know, I think it needs to be cleaned up a little bit more and it's going to get cleaned up in the, in more in the future. And it's not really nil. It's not Name image likeness no more. I'm name image likeness now. I'm on commercials. I understand that game to the max. I'm probably the number one of the top players in name image, like us, you know, since my career ended in, in the, in the NFL. But these guys are just getting paid by the boosters now. So it's just how much. Whoever can pay you at the university, you know, how much they can give you. And that's what it's truly all about.

[C]

When you're at Arizona playing great, all of a sudden, dude, like, fuck, I can't play my junior year. Like, how much of a panic was that? You still were drafted 42nd overall, which is high, but like, like, was there a lot of worry for you? Like, what's going to happen? I don't know if my back can handle this. Or were you, like, I'm going to get healthy. I'm still getting drafted. And it doesn't seem like you're much of a worrier.

[A]

Exactly, man. That's a great point, man. I wasn't really worried about where I was, you know, if I was going to get drafted or not. Like, like I said, my ultimate goal was to get to the NFL. And like, that was my dream. You know, everyone was cheering me on since my, you know, childhood, since we all knew, like, that was my ultimate goal, that I fit the mold perfectly. I always played up a level. So, like, I just wanted to get to the NFL. I wanted to get to the NFL as soon as possible. And it absolutely sucked that I got hurt my junior year because my brother was a senior that year at Arizona, too. They had a great year. We had a great team. We went to the Holiday bowl, one of the best bowls you can possibly go to, especially for the University of Arizona in, like 15 years. We had Nick Foles at the Quarterback position. We had so much chemistry as well in the spring game. And then that's when I blew out my back, bro. And I'm telling you, blowing out my back sucked. I was miserable that whole year. But then the year ended. I rehabbed and all that stuff and I declared for the NFL draft still, which is rare, man. No one, you know, barely plays, you know, freshman, sophomore year and don't even play junior year and declare for the draft. But I always knew where my heart was. It sucked. I didn't play. If I could go back, I would love to play my junior year. I believe we could have possibly went to the Rose bowl because I was about to be dominant as well. I, I really was feel, I was really feeling it. But my back blew out and you know, I declared sale because I knew I wanted to get to the NFL and I knew I was still going to be successful because I was going to do whatever it took to get back on the field.

[D]

So you almost didn't even care where you got drafted? Because I know a lot of these guys, like I got to get drafted in the first round because you guys have that money situation. So for you it was just like, I need to get drafted and I'm anywhere in, I'll go play and prove myself.

[A]

Well, I got, I. Well, I had a pretty good tape, you know, my freshman and sophomore year for being an 18 and 19 year old kid just going out there. I had 16 touchdowns in 16 games at the University of Arizona, which is unheard of to have one touchdown a game, especially in college, and especially only at 18 and 19 years old. So like I had two more years left. I could, I was about to dominate, I'm telling you, dominate. Going into my junior year, especially with my brother at the fullback position, it was going to be the best year ever. Nick Foles, our quarterback, you guys all know Big Dick Nick. Yeah, Big Dick Nick. I was the first one to experience that. I knew that nickname before anyone else. And he's not just. He has the big dick. He takes the biggest dumps of all time too. That's a secret that no one knows about. He loses about five pounds a dump. So his cock must hold it all or something and just unleash it all. Yeah, that has to be the case. But yeah. Ma'am, I don't even know what we're talking about now after freaking bringing up that freaking scenario.

[B]

I do that all the time. Time. Don't even worry about it. Okay, so I want to ask you about this ball game that you're hosting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And also you talked about like whoopsie Daisy should invested in the Golden Knights. I'm interested to hear like the craziest offers you've gotten for brand deals, ones that maybe you've taken and have gone crazy, where you're like, oh my God. And maybe ones like that that you missed out on. But first, what's this bull game you're hosting in la?

[A]

Yeah, so it's the outer sport LA bowl hosted by yours truly right here. Rob Gronkowski and I got involved in it last year. I signed a multi year deal with them and Jimmy Kimmel actually hosted it before. And it's the first bowl game where they actually had, you know, like a celebrity or well known person host a game and then job. Then Jimmy Kimmel's deal ended and then they came to me and asked me, hey, you know, you're a football player. And it's a full circle moment as well because I played in this bowl game my sophomore year as well, but it was in Vegas at the time and it's the same conference matchup up and it was the first bowl game that the University of Arizona went to in 10 years. My brother actually had a touchdown up the middle and then it moved to la. But it's the same game, same, same conference matchups like I said. And then they came to me, hey, you got, you want to host this bowl game. And I was like, you know, that's pretty cool. I played in it. You know, I get to continue, you know, you know, building up my family name, the brand and all that. And it's in the college football world. I get to bring friends to the game. I get to, to, you know, just have a good time, bring the energy to the teams to the stadium. And we had a blast last year. I sang the national anthem, I raced Boise State mascot, which was a dog. And speaking about a dog, I got my dog right now. What a cutie, cutie. So I'm just excited for this year, man. The game's December 18, 6pm Wednesday night. It's the UNLV Rebels, which they're ranked this year. They just lost to Boise State, who are going to the playoffs in the Mountain West Conference. And they're facing the California Golden Bears. Bears. The California Golden Bears. I used to whoop on because they were in the PAC 10 when I was in the PAC 10 back in the day.

[B]

Oh yeah, that's a hell of a promo. Hey. Oh God. Do you sing a better national anthem than Big Cat?

[A]

Well, actually last year I Went on PMT to promote the LA bowl game. The artist sport LA bowl game. And I actually asked Big Cat for some tips and he gave me some bullshit tips, I can tell you that. But I really like Big Cat singing the national anthem. I gotta tip my hat to him because I did it well. A chorus around me with four others, just so it sounded pretty decent. Big Cat, he has the balls to do it by himself and he's done it a few times. So I gotta, I gotta give him credit, you know, he's not that good looking. He always talks about it. So he's gotta have a good voice. He's gotta, he's gotta have talent somewhere else.

[B]

And, and to follow up the crazy deals, like crazy deals you've been offered and.

[A]

Oh, all right. So. All right, here's one I never talked about. Love your buddy. I haven't seen him in 10 days. I got off the red, I surprised him in the room. He was dead asleep. He went ham this morning. But the craziest, craziest deal. Oh, all right. I actually, when I was crazy, man, back in the day, when I was. I got two deals we're going to talk about. Screw it. I mean, this is the, this is the podcast. We're hockey boys, you know, this is, this is what you talk about in the locker room. And this has two. This is two deals that, that, this is freaking true. Hockey. Hockey room talk. Nobody no doubt about that. This is that. I got offered my NFL contract salary at 23 years old to, to do, you know, adult. Adult acting, if. If you know what I mean. And I think it was like. It was one of those websites. I think it was just straight up. I think it was sex.com offered me a scene, then pay for my whole entire salary of the NFL that year, which was pretty crazy. I said no in a second. I was only. I was only 23 years old, so I thought it was pretty cool that I got offered that, which is outrageous. And then the other one is I got offered a massive amount, a huge deal, the biggest deal to do the first Bud Light commercial ever since that Bud Light accident. And I turned it down, though, because it was just really hot and too touchy at the moment. So I turned it down.

[D]

Just.

[A]

I just didn't want to go in that direction and get, you know, what.

[B]

Was the premise of the. The commercial?

[A]

It was. It was basically Peyton Manning ended up taking it. And it was basically the one commercial that he did, but just a little bit of a different scenario with myself. It was the one where he was at the bar. I'm pretty sure he called up a couple people. And then they started rocking out to some music. So it was a long, that promise, but it was just too hot and touchy at the moment. I just didn't feel like dealing with that.

[C]

But they knew, they knew, they knew they needed a guy like you to get back on the right side. Then they went Shane Gillis and Dana White and all these people. You could have had that big cake.

[A]

I could have had it, man. I, I in like thinking about it now, I mean, when time passes, everything just, you know, gets swept under the table. And that whole, whole dilemma swept under the table. But it's all right, man. I'm in the right direction. You can't, you can't hit, hit on them all, so it's all good.

[C]

I was always told or heard that you never spent any of your dough from your salary. It was always the money you were making off the field, which is so smart. Smart considering you hear about so many athletes going broke. Was that something that you did, like, on purpose? Like, I'm gonna save all that salary I'm just gonna spend when I'm making an endorsements?

[A]

Yeah, 100%, man. My, my agent, Drew Rosenhaus, he actually gave me a in, in advance for marketing dollars. And then I started using that right from the beginning. I paid him back eventually when I made some money off the field, but that was just my, you know, my model just going into the league because I knew, you know, that might have not last long, you know, especially coming out with a back injury and being hurt. I signed like a four year second round pick. Four year, like $4.5 million deal. And I was literally like, yo, I just got through College with fricking $800 a month. Like, this is going to be plenty. Like this will set me up for life if I just put it away and just live, you know, properly and just live minimal. You know, renting an apartment my rookie year, having a, having a roommate on the team as well. Like $1,200 a month for rent, and you get free food at the facility. I'm bringing the food home so I never have to buy food. I'm bringing the utensils and plates home from the facility as well, so I don't even have to buy plates. So I just saved it all up, man. Just so I was set, you know, I wanted to just be set because I had the opportunity to be set from the beginning, even if my career wasn't long. And that's just what it's all about. I didn't want to worry about it, but, you know, it has taken off like no other now, so. So, you know, I've tapped in. I've been spending now, but, you know, it definitely saved a lot, which is great. And I don't have to worry, man, for rest of my life. I actually don't even have to work or promote this LA bowl game if I don't want to. But it's good to stay busy. I can't just sit at home and not do anything.

[D]

Bro, is there someone that you look up to? Because I, I think of you as like the modern day, like, Shaq. Like, you're kind of. You're in all the commercials. You're a big lovable figure. Like, is there an athlete or an actor or someone that you looked up to that you kind of have taken some advice from to get to where you are now?

[A]

Wow, you actually hit that right in the money. I love Michael Strahan. What he has done as well with his brand and just how, you know, quick he is on the spot and just how awesome he is on TV with Good Morning America all the way to being, you know, on the kickoff show on Fox. And he's one of my, what is the co workers out there. And I just learned so much from him. Them, especially the other guys as well, like Terry, Kurt, Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, and they're just so great and they're such professionals. And just the route that they went down, they're kind of the first ones to do it. On the. In the television world biz, you're doing a similar path, but with hockey, obviously. Are you still doing the. You're still doing the hockey?

[B]

Yeah, well, maybe not. After Marshawn put me in a casket for the last two broadcasts, I might be taking. Taking the rest of the year off.

[A]

It's okay. It's good to take some time off. And like you said, there's a figure to Shaq. I grew up watching Shaq. They said I was, I was, I was Shaq, you know, half a Shaq, you know, but as Gronk when I was in high school playing basketball and just the way that he has trans, you know, transformed into another, you know, character since playing basketball, DJing, I mean, DJing's not in my forte, but just to watch him do it and then also being on the, on the, you know, NBA basketball pre show as well, and just doing all the commercials and just being lovable. Shaq and, and Michael Strahan were definitely Two guys I looked up to and do how they did it after. After playing professionally.

[C]

One of the funniest clips I've seen this year watching NFL was what Strahan did to you on NFL on Fox about the. The tight end Russo being activated for the Dallas Cowboys. Take us through that. What you must have been thinking in your mind.

[A]

Yeah, they. They got me pretty good, man. So it's the six hundreds in six. It's the last segment of the day, and sometimes you don't have a 600 because it gets canceled out because the show went too long. So they're like, oh, six hundreds. We don't have that much time. And. And you don't know, like, you know, I don't know how television. I know how it works, but sometimes they're like, oh, we're going to cut some commercials, so we have a 600 because we're killing it or whatever. So, like, 600, let's go. So then we stock and then they just start going off, man. About this tight end, Rich Russo on the Dallas Cowboys, and they're all in it together. And, oh, he doesn't even. He only has three fingers, this guy's.

[E]

Ball and all this.

[A]

He just came back from injury from the I.R. and literally I'm sitting there like, how do I not know who this player is? And he's a baller. He has three fingers only. He's making plays for the Dallas Cowboys, America's team. And at the same time, though I'm sitting, I'm like, I shouldn't be here first off, I shouldn't be here if I don't even know who this tight end is. It's my position as well. Maybe an offensive lineman or wide receiver. I don't know. Okay, it's my position. But the good thing is I can tell you this. Jake Ferguson just started balling out for the. For the Dallas Cowboys a couple of weeks before at the tight end position. And I love Jake Ferguson's game. I'm like, wow, this guy can play. So good thing I was following Jake Ferguson. Good thing he broke out on the scene because I started bringing it back to Jake Ferguson and kind of my experiences with having two tight ends on the field, I'm like, hey, I like that other guy, though, Jake Ferguson. But having two tight ends out on the field, because having two tight ends is the best. I believe you can play. You can use that. And I kept just reverting back to Jake Ferguson. So thank you for balling out and having a breakout year, brother.

[C]

Hey, that's taking on your feet.

[B]

Dude, that is unreal.

[C]

I just wanted to say, like, you get to New England and, like. Like, it's just incredible to see what happened and your career and the team. But. But right when you got there, was it intimidating with Brady, with Belichick? Like, how did those guys approach you, like, right off the hop? Were you. Were you kind of quiet, not really yourself, walking into the locker room, or did you walk in like you were just at Arizona just ripping it up?

[A]

Absolutely not. I did not walk in like I was at Arizona just ripping it up. You know, you're very shy at first, quiet, humble. You know, you got greatness around you. There's no doubt about that. I mean, I always had respect for, you know, the people that. That did it before me. I mean, I have respect for everyone, you know, so, you know, just trying to learn every day just as humble as you can possibly be. There's no doubt about that. And just trying to improve and gain the respect of these veteran players, gain the respect of the teammates there and the coaches. So I would say, like, I really didn't break into myself until about, you know, a couple games into the season. You know, you really can't be yourself. You're kind of walking on eggshells because you don't want to mess up at all. You're so scared to mess up, you know, and that sucks being in that position. That actually makes you a worse player when you're scared to mess up. And the playbook was difficult as well. For me, coming from college was very easy playbook. You know, I lined up up basically in the same position every single play. This playbook, I'm all over the place. There's different audibles. That play can be changed in the huddle. It can be changed, you know, at the line of scrimmage, two plays call at once. And Tom can actually. Actually call a different play if he wanted to right on the spot. So it was very difficult for me. So I didn't really get to be myself until about halfway through my rookie year when everything started clicking. And then from there on out, out, you know, it was game on.

[C]

Did you fall asleep in your draft meeting with the Patriots?

[A]

Yeah, I had one of the worst draft meetings of all time. It was actually my last meeting as well, and I was sick of that, bro. I was on, like, 17 flights in, like, 15 days, visiting 15 teams. I was like, yo, I'm over this. If a team wants to take me, take me. I feel like ass, you know, going all over the place. But New England was my last one. I was like, I'm going all out with him. I don't give a. No more. I'm just to.

[E]

I'm gonna.

[A]

I'm gonna walk in like I'm at the University of Arizona walking into a party because I'm sick of putting on a show, like, because you. You. You gotta be humble. You can't. You know. You know, you can't freaking think. You're just shit. Walking into these meetings. NFL means you never even played a dial. So I'm like, I'm gonna be like that, though, going to New England, because I'm over this fricking process. I first fall asleep on the table right in front of. Right in front of one of the highest members of. Of the team, you know, But I needed a nap. It wasn't like I was in a.

[E]

Meeting or anything thing.

[A]

So then they bring me into the meeting room, man. It was a disaster, bro. I just started talking about my time in Arizona, how. How I was like. I mean, I remember Billy O. He's like, you remember walking home from parties in college? I was like, absolutely not. Like, you should join me too, coach. And he's like, well, let's draw up this play, all right? He draws up the play, erases it, write the play on the board. I'm like, I don't even know the play that you drew. I have no clue. Like, that was too difficult for me. Me, I was over the whole process.

[E]

And they were like.

[A]

And I was like, yo, But I drop a play and throw me the ball. I guarantee I catch it and make some yards. He's like, when you can't even remember a play, how can I throw you a ball? I was like, you'll. You'll find a way to throw me the ball.

[E]

Like, I was just being myself like, that.

[A]

I left, and I was like, yo, this team either hates me and they cross me off the board, or they love me. And they ended up. They love me, man. It worked out. Couldn't have been a better fit.

[B]

Unbelievable.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Billy Belichick must have been like, what the Is wrong? This guy?

[A]

I mean, Belichick didn't interview me at all. It was. It was Billy O. Billy O'Brien, who's the head coach at Boston College right now football team. And we had the greatest relationship, man. I love that guy.

[B]

Oh, that is all time. That is all time. I was going to invite our producer, who's a. Like, a massive Patriots fan. He wanted to come on and ask a question.

[C]

I want to go Back to the commitment. So you officially commit to Arizona and then you receive a call from some Clemson fans. Can you kind of talk about the call you received from those Clemson fans?

[A]

Yeah, well, I went to Clemson. Clemson, I love that place. They recruited me heavily. They wanted me to go there and have, have a package for me like, and, and start right away. And, and they, they believed in me and I believe in that program as well. And great talent, I can tell you that. So I took an official visit there. I got bombed, bro. Like, like I was going into these visits, like ready? The party like really was like I was out of control, man, at, at that age. Like, like you guys were, I mean, you guys know, you guys know what's up. But so I go there, have a great time or whatever. I, I mean I, I think I lost like my wallet, my phone. It was just a, I was a mess. And then I leave and then everyone's like, oh man, how can this kid not come here? You know? And I loved it there. I, I can't lie. Like, like it, it kind of was set up that I should go there. But at the same time I knew my heart was truly at the University of Arizona. Clemson would have definitely been my number one pick if Arizona wasn't there. But I commit to Arizona. I get a phone call two days later. I guess I gave out my number to some girls there and, or some cheerleaders, I, I, I can't recall. And I get a voicemail from them, a call, they leave a voicemail and they just told me how these like three girls on the voicemail just telling me how bad I up picking the University of Arizona. And like, I thought it was pretty cool. And then I was kind of second, you know, you know, debating my, my commitment to Arizona and I'm like, damn, what was I doing? I didn't get no voicemail from Arizona. I'm getting these voicemails from University of Clemson. They knew what they were doing. They almost got me to switch my commitment to them. But it was, it was pretty wild, man. As a 8, as a 17 year old kid, you know, I thought it was the coolest thing of all time.

[C]

And you did live it up at Arizona, as everyone knows. And I did read an article before you came on here about clearing out your bank account to get a hot tub to your, to your, to your dorm room. Why don't you tell that story as well?

[A]

Yeah, we did. So my oldest brother lived with me as well. He was in the minor leagues, playing baseball in the off season. He lived with us. And my other brother, Chris, he transferred from Maryland to live to go to the University of Arizona, play ball with me there. And we just thought it would be a great idea to get a hot tub because my dad bought us a house, but all our money that we, that we made went right to him. So he bought us the house, but I think he made some money on us because we were, we were paying him more than the mortgage.

[B]

But.

[A]

But we were like, hey, we got a couple thousand dollars in our bank account. If we combine it, we can grab a hot tub. And that's what we did. We went to the store, bought a hot tub. My oldest brother kind of got them to knock down the price a little bit because we didn't have enough money to buy it, buy that full price. And they gave it to us, hooked it up. We literally had zero dollars in our bank account left. And we just lived it up, man. It was just one of the best investments. And then you, you know how it goes from there. Stories for days, man. You know, just hot tub parties every Saturday night.

[C]

Croc, you had so many legendary games and moments in the NFL, but, like, one I think most fans think of right away is in Indianapolis, Chuck and Sergio Brown out the club. Like, just take us through that story and kind of what you were thinking on, on a block that never ended, on a touchdown run.

[A]

You're right, it didn't end. I mean, it was the Colts. They were our rivals. I mean, a lot of trash talking going on. And Sarah, Joe Brown, I mean, he played for the Patriots. He's saying draft class as me and we're cool, man. He was a good player, man. He did good for us, but he went to the Colts in. Then all of a sudden, he was yapping the whole game. I'm like, oh, that's Sergio being Sergio. But he just kept going the whole entire game. Then finally got under my skin, man. And I'm. When you get under my skin, it's game on, man. It's like, it's like dropping the gloves and you're going all out on, on the hockey, on the ice. And he didn't know what he was getting in for when he got under my skin. And I was like, I'm going to take him down whenever I have a chance. I'm. I'm. I'm letting him go flying because he just kept talking and talking and talking, even though I was making play. So. So it just ended up that play right on the goal lined up across me. I said, bye, bye. I'm gonna block your ass until I send you flying. And that's what happened, bro.

[B]

Unreal.

[C]

What do you. What do you think your best game looking back, like, we have a buddy. Keith and I are from Boston. Huge Patriots fans. Obviously he brought up like Week 17 or Week 15 against the Steelers in 2017. Best game I've ever seen play were it really.

[A]

I was gonna say that game. No, yeah, I remember it. We were down. There was like two minutes left in the game. I just caught a streak, man. Like where I just felt unstoppable. And Tom went to me three times in a row. We literally. I had three, I think three or four catches. All three and four in a row on the two minute drill. All like 20 plus yards, just ridiculous routes. And we got it down to the two. I got it down to like the.

[E]

Four yard line line.

[A]

Then the next play, we run the ball in. But I was so on fire. Four catches in a row for like, I don't know, 80 yards, something, whatever it was. Next play, they had a detachle lined up versus me. All pro. Cam Hayward, 330 pounds. I was so on fire and feeling good. I took him and threw them into the freaking pile. And. And Jordan, I forgot our running back's name at the moment. He ran right behind me for the touch shot. I was all fired up. So Nets play. We gotta go for two point conversion.

[C]

All right.

[A]

I line up out wide, one on one. Absolutely shiver the guy.

[B]

Freaking catch it.

[A]

And he was talking too. So I catch him two point and I point at him, like, start making fun of him. I was like, oh, I was about to keep pointing him. I was like, what? We'll get a flag. So I stopped it. So it was like a half a second, which I didn't get a penalty though. But that was my best drive of my life, man.

[D]

Gron, I. I want to ask you is the greatest sporting event I've ever been to. The super bowl against the, the Falcons. I know you were sidelined, not playing, playing, but I was with, you know, Sean Thornton and that dickhead wanted to leave at halftime. And I'm like, bro, we didn't fly to Houston to leave at halftime. He's like, let's just get out of here. Like, we gotta go. Like, let's go get a spot at a bar somewhere. I'm like, absolutely no chance. But what was the whole. I'm sure. Were you in the locker room? Were you a part of like what was said during and like, what were you guys thinking on the Sideline, like, is there a chance you can come back? You know?

[A]

Yeah, no, there's always a chance, especially when, you know, you got Tom Brady at the quarterback position, who, who has led tremendous comebacks throughout his whole career. And also you got Coach Belichick the mastermind behind everything. And it was unfortunate I didn't get to play in the game. I was actually having my best year that year. But then I got rocked up the middle and blew out my back again just from a hit and punctured my lung. And it just put me out for a year because I had to get another back surgery, which sucked. But, you know, going back to the game, you're never out of it with those two, that's for sure. We had a resilient team, basically just a pitcher that was set in the locker room. You know, I was there, I was part of it. Just hearing everything was just, we got to take one play at a time. It's not like you can go out there and you could throw a TD pass and, and put up, you know, 14 points on just that play. It was one play at a time. And that's what Coach Belichick, you know, always preached as well. And he stuck to his guns again, hey, one play at a time, one drive at a time, one possession at a time. And on defensive side of the ball, we got to stop him every single time. And then eventually that's what happened. And we just kept getting the momentum building up more and more, and then we took over. And the thing is, here's. Here's why we won that game as well, because Coach Belichick always preached throughout the whole year, we got to be the better conditioned team. So obviously, after every practice, every week, we're conditioning, we're running hills. And I can tell you this, the Atlanta Falcons defense, they were getting, you know, piss ass tired, man. You could see it on the field. And that's why we were able to go down, drive the ball as easily as we were in the fourth quarter and overtime as well, because we had the stamina. The Atlanta Falcons defense did not. Wow.

[C]

How. How sure, how sure were you on the sideline against the Seahawks that Russell Wilson was going to hand it to Marshawn lynch and it was going to be over. Like, were you.

[A]

I was 100 sure, man.

[C]

Hell no.

[A]

No one was 100 sure with that one.

[C]

Holy shit. Legit.

[A]

I mean, you got to give credit to actually Dante Hightower, the play before it was one on one Beast Mode was about to score. And Dante how Hightower went in the beast mode as well. And he tackled him one on one, which is a rare feat, rare feature to do because you don't tackle beast mode one on one because he's at Beastly. But Dante Hightower actually made the game saving tackle. And then the next play they decided to throw the ball, which, you know, which, I mean, understandable, I mean, I guess because it's one of those plays where you. You're trying to get a yard or two and that plays designed for that as well. But I mean, I mean, as. As a fan and a guy, a guy, you know, playing against him at that moment, you definitely thought it was going to get handed off because there was time left as well. It was only second down. I mean, you had more downs as well. But Malcolm Ball had made a great play. But you got to give it to Coach Belichick. That was coaching right there. He went over that play with Malcolm Butler previously that week as well. And that just shows how good of coaching that. That he has and how good of a coach that he is because he premeditated that play happening and put Malcolm Butler through that scenario beforehand.

[B]

Jesus Christ.

[A]

That's how crazy that is, man. That's how he's a.

[B]

He's a genius. I want to go back to your relationship with Tom. I think everybody's kind of obsessed with you and Edelman. That bromance, but like the discipline to be that great and probably be the best football player of all time. What was it just like spending time with him and, and him obviously helping, like helping you develop as a football player and get to where you got to.

[A]

Yeah, there's no doubt. I want to have. I want to be where I am right now with Coach Belichick and, you know, Tom Brady leading the way. Especially Tom. I mean, he's the one who disciplined my ass, man. He was on my ass 24, 7, especially my rookie year. Year. He actually, you know, punished me more than Coach Belichick about going out and stuff.

[C]

Really?

[A]

Yeah, he did. I mean, we had two different lifestyles, obviously. He was 33. He just got married. He has kids. I'm 21 years old. I should still be in college. And like, he would see me going out and, and hear the stories. He'd be like, yo, don't. Don't go out tonight, man. We had a big game this week. You know, he'd be like, he'd keep me on. On my toes of, you know, a rethinking of what I'm about. About to do. So I understand it now because he wanted me to be the best football player, he was on my ass to stay after practice, every single practice, hey, let's run a couple extra routes. Let's get on the same page. And you know, he was up my ass when I ran the wrong route. Up my ass when I didn't run the route how he wanted me to. And I was kind of getting pissed off with him, bro. I didn't really like him at first my rookie year because of that reason, because he was, you know, he was such on my tail and I understand it now, man. He saw greatness in me and he wanted me to be the best player. And when you're that young, you're 20, 21 years old, you don't truly understand that because, you know, yeah, football's cool, but you're always worried about the other stuff that's going on too. And he kind of kept that perspective for me to stay great. He kept that projectory for me to stay on the right path. And I definitely, like I said, wouldn't be where I am. I wouldn't be the type of player that I am. Because he made and install, he helped install that greatness on what it took to get there. And, and he showed it with his leadership and he also showed it with doing it as well with me.

[B]

Amazing.

[C]

Was it a no brainer for you that he went to Tampa? He gives you the call and you're like, I'm coming back, I gotta do this again with him.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, everything had a lineup and no doubt about that. I mean, it was either gonna be playing down there with Tom, it wasn't gonna be playing anywhere else if he picked. I was like, yo, if you picked the right school, you know, the right team, all that, everything lines up. It's a good situation for me. I still feel like I can play then 100%, let's do it. And literally everything, you know, check checked off, man. It was in Florida. My mom lived two hours away. You know, it was more of a laid back program, which was great. They gave me my, you know, my days off when I needed just so I could recover for the game. You know, Tom was there. I didn't want to rebuild chemistry with another quarterback because like I said, he helped me get to where I am am because of that chemistry that we built up. And he showed me the way. So why, why go anywhere else? We had such a great relationship and everything just pull it out to be perfect. So it was a no brainer to go to the Bucks, you know, once I had the chance to.

[C]

All right, buddy. Hey, we. We appreciate it so much, dude. And congrats. And everyone check out Dudes on Dudes Gronk with Julian Edelman new podcast. I'll be sure to check out that one. We appreciate it, buddy.

[B]

This is incredible.

[A]

I appreciate you guys, man.

[E]

Man.

[A]

Thank you, brothers.

[C]

Before we continue, I need to talk about Labat Blue Light. Oh, the best beer in the game. And whether you're at a beer league or just watching some hockey with your squad, you cannot find a better beer than a fresh Labat Blue Light. Lots of things are better together. Hockey, food, golf, friends. But if you really want to take things to the next level, drink some Labat Blue Light with your friends and live long life to the power of we. I cannot stop thinking about how many Labat Blue lights these poor Sabres fans have drank this season just watching their team lose and lose and crack open another blue light. And crack open another Labat Blue Light. Thankfully, the lovely city of Buffalo has Josh Allen and the Bills enjoy some Labat Blue Lights together. Sabers fans, you deserve it. After this losing streak. Remember, take a page out of the Labat Blue Light book and enjoy your beers together so you can live life to the power of we. Find [e-mail] finder that's L A B A T T usa.com finder thank you so much to Rob Gonkowski. He came in on fire. That was an awesome interview. Catching up with that legend of the NFL and actually involved in the NFL. Kind of crazy news. His former coach, Bill Belichick signed a five year deal for $50 million to become the head coach at University of North Carolina, where I guess part of the deal is his son will take over as head coach after he. After he's done being the coach. But Keith, were you surprised by that? Like being a Pats fan? I was just figuring next year he'd be coaching in the NFL.

[D]

Yeah, I always, I, I figured it too. Especially there's so many teams that need coaches in, in the NFL, like even like the J. I think he started with the jets or the Giants or someone. Like why not go back to a team like that, bring it full circle. But I did hear his dad coached at North Carolina. Right. So maybe it's kind of a legacy thing for him. Go back and does this close his options on, on going to the NFL? Or does it. Is he kind of dangling this carrot to the N N F L and then boom, someone's going to scoop him up and he's never going to spend a day at North Carolina. So I, I don't know. It'd be interesting to see. You got to imagine that North Carolina is going to be good if, if he's going to be there. Right. I can't imagine he's going to be an unreal recruiter, but I'm sure he'd be amazing to play for, especially at the college level.

[B]

I think that there'd be a lot of football players looking to go to the, the school of Bill Belichick to just like understand the pro game. And I think he would build a hell of a program. I think that he might have a hard time communicating and getting through to some of these younger athletes. So based on all this nil that he's probably like, I'm trying to build a culture here. I don't give a what you want to get paid. So that might hurt him. But I would say just based on who he is, enough players would want to go there and kind of have the same effect that the Deion Sanders situation had on, on Colorado.

[C]

Apparently you got a, like a four star elite quarterback to already commit there. He does date a 24 year old, so that's like kind of. He knows.

[B]

I was gonna say, like, what do you guys make of him being his age and still wanting to like work that much? Are you kind of like, go enjoy your rest of your life, dude?

[C]

Some people are lifers, man. Some people, they need. Yeah, they need that in their life. Like they can never retire. They can never stop working. And I, I think he ends up making them nasty like Biz said. I mean if you all. A lot of these kids are going to college with, you know, they have no clue how difficult it is, but their goal is to play in the NFL. Like, that's the guy. That's the guy. Yeah. Biz, you're a Grinelli saying in chat you're a content lifer. You're never retiring from the content game. You wouldn't be able to do it. You might take a month off and boom, that engine starts churning again. And I'm gonna have a 4, 000 person birthday party. I'm gonna make some content out of it.

[B]

Mr. Beast. Just 10,000 people at my birthday. Just all Scottsdale Road. Everyone can just walk by a parade and then get the sampler at Houston's on the way by.

[A]

You.

[B]

So you think at 55 I'm still going to be doing content?

[C]

Yeah, I just can't picture you. Not I. The only other thing that you may end up doing is like being somehow in a front office for an NHL team. I could see it. I could see it like, I don't.

[D]

Know if he's frozen or his brain's.

[B]

No, I'm. I'm pondering what you're saying.

[D]

I think he could too stay around the game.

[B]

I would always want to stay around the game of hockey. I. I kind of like. I'm proud of. Of myself for being able to like reinvent myself in a sense. I went from being a. A pro athlete to now doing what I'm doing now. I think that I would want a different challenge at a. At certain point. Maybe do like, I know, maybe be a ranch. Like I'd like to be a rancher.

[C]

I have a. I have a bet with a member of the Spit and Chicklets podcast team that Biz will be involved when the NHL inevitably comes back to Scottsdale. Biz will be involved there. That would be actually real. I think that's.

[B]

Well, we talk about it in the Gronk interview and he's on board. I got to get J.J. watt in the mix. Larry Fitzgerald for sure. Sure. Shane Doan would have to be involved. Maybe we reach out to Alice Cooper because he lives locally. I gotta think of some other big wig wigs who actually have dough. Maybe we can get Aaron Rodgers in the mix. Yance, you throw some dough in.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Hey, Harry Knuckle. He could have named Harry Knuckles guy before he said you.

[D]

Seriously, if he didn't see me raising my hand, I wasn't. Do we know anyone who's got any money?

[C]

I. I've. I've decided that when this is all said and done and this ride comes to an end, I want to be the assistant coach of a high school hockey team.

[B]

That's it. That's your goal?

[D]

You can't even coach the 7 year olds. What do you mean? High school hockey.

[B]

You think they're going to hold us against you?

[D]

It you're one and one, you got a worse record than one.

[C]

One and one. One. One and one. And in sixth place in league play. Five, ten and four. I think so. Yeah. The. The stats aren't exactly where I need them to be to get a high school assistant job. Job. But I don't know, Biz. I've thought about that before.

[B]

I would think I would eventually want to have kids with like a breeder and just like have a bunch of hockey players and then like be their coach. Kind of like you're doing. Yeah, like just get like a. Like a. Like a girl who's like six one. Just a thoroughbred.

[D]

Where are they gonna get their hockey skill from though?

[C]

Oh, guys, I don't know if you remember, I don't know if you remember. In Toronto for the all star game last year, we had a great time at Gretzky's basement. And Gretzky's basement is coming to Chicago December 31, January 3 and January 4. You can register to visit@gretzky's basement.com after seeing it in Toronto. If you're in Chicago, awesome place to stop by. All of his old sticks, his jerseys, pictures, memorabilia, you. It's a great setup. They had an awesome idea of doing this and kind of going to marquee NHL events moving forward. Cannot wait to swing by Gretzky's basement.

[B]

I banned, I banned my mom from coming. Wayne was getting too handsy last year with her, so I said she can't come this year. Do you guys remember that video?

[D]

Yeah. To be in that basement with Wayne though the day I did it with Wayne, it was amazing. Like he was so excited to be in there to share his stuff and like it was so cool. The fact that the boys are the ones that are running it to like just stuff like that in hockey you don't, you don't see that often where you're getting like an in depth look of how he like grew up as a kid. It's, it's amazing stuff.

[C]

They got the old TVs in there. It's just, it's a throwback. It does feel like you're sitting in his basement, his parents basement. So check that out. Gretzky's Basement.com and to finish it off, guys, Thursday sandbagger noon on our YouTube. Check that out please. Darcy Tucker, Steve Thomas. And again like I mentioned before, tickets still available. Barstoolsports.com events Tim Stapleton, Jeremy Ronick, Chris Chellios and all the Chiclets boys. And also guys, one final thing. The POD will be dropping on Monday next week. So usually we're a Tuesday morning drop. It's going to be Monday. We're going to give the the team behind the scenes a little bit of time off for Christmas before we head out to Chicago. So we're going to be recording on Sunday. POD will drop Monday. We love you all. I love both you guys and I cannot wait to see you again. You guys, anything Final, final thoughts for you two?

[D]

Go Cats tonight.

[C]

Fuck off. My final thought I guess would be that I figured out what I'm going to do after. Forget the assistant coaching. I'm going to be the guy that builds the dunes like God did at Panther National. So that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to walk on water. I'm going to turn blood into wine. Is that what Jesus did? I don't know if that's correct. Correct. And I'm gonna build dunes.

[D]

That's amazing. With. That's very honorable of you. Thank you.

[C]

Thank you, guys. Thank you, guys. Hey, listeners.

[B]

And by the way, boys, I don't know if you knew, but Cam Fowler, his thousandth game will be played at the Winter Classic.

[C]

Analysis you get from spitting Chiclet.

[E]

I don't know any other way. This feeling.

[B]

I get Someday.

[C]

Close.