Spittin’ Chiclets Episode 597: Featuring Craig Ludwig & Frank the Tank
Air Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Ryan Whitney, Paul Bissonnette (“Biz”), Rear Admiral, Mike Grinnell (“G”), plus Merle & Pasha
Guests: Craig Ludwig & Frank “The Tank” Fleming
Overview of Episode
This packed episode of Spittin’ Chiclets features the crew’s irreverent banter and inside hockey talk, moving from wild recaps of Barstool’s Internet Invitational golf tournament to deep dives into NHL storylines, the injury bug sweeping the league, and in particular, the bad luck that’s plagued the New Jersey Devils. They’re joined by former NHL defenseman Craig Ludwig for a deep Dallas Stars breakdown, and superfan Frank “The Tank” Fleming, who tells tales of the Fleming curse and his encounter with the Devils on the night of Jack Hughes’ infamous injury.
Episode Highlights & Key Topics
1. The Internet Invitational Chaos & Golf Drama
(05:17 – 23:05)
- Recap of the Internet Invitational YouTube golf event, headlined by the tragic loss of “Beef” and a finale filled with controversy and high drama.
- The championship match comes down to the final hole, featuring notable figures Frankie Borelli, Paige Spiranac, Brad Dalke, Francis Ellis, and Melosi from Good Good.
- Key controversy:
- Paige accused of “pressing down grass” in front of a ball (illegal in competitive golf).
- Melosi accused by his own teammate of playing with Rangefinder slope enabled, a major no-no under the tournament rules.
- Biz: “She started crying. Francis is kind of sitting there like, well, we’re not going to do anything…In the meantime…Melosi…is loose with the rules…His own teammate…brought it up on the 10th green.” (11:58)
- Sportsmanship, rule-bending, and the emotional impact: The right team wins in a storybook ending that honors Beef after his passing, and the tournament may now bear his name.
- Merle: “This is gonna go down as the greatest piece of YouTube golf ever created. The first one has over 6 million views…more people watched this than the Ryder Cup.” (16:33)
- Notable moment: Joey Cold Cuts' chaos on the 10th green, buzz around rule disputes, and a wild conclusion with Frankie “Butter Knife” Borelli under pressure.
2. NHL Injury Bug & The Devils’ “Curse”
(23:05 – 49:59)
- Wave of recent NHL injuries:
- Names: Kirby Dach, Victor Arvidsson, McAvoy (Bruins), Nick Foligno, Drew Doughty, Thomas Harley, Thomas Chabot.
- Most dramatic: Jack Hughes (Devils) – freak hand injury at a Chicago team dinner, sidelining him for weeks.
- Frank the Tank Interview:
- Frank describes the origins and reality of the “Fleming curse,” running jokes about a haunted Prudential Center (allegedly built on a graveyard), and perspective as a lifelong, often pessimistic Devils/Mets/Dolphins fan.
- Frank the Tank: “Every day it’s somebody going down…The Devils are in first place, but how much more can these injuries…?” (36:45)
- Discusses encounters with the Devils at “Chicago Cut,” team rituals, and tales of strange, persistent bad luck.
- Pasha jokes about needing shamans and voodoo dolls to turn the Devils’ luck around.
- Devils' resilience: Despite top players (Dougie Hamilton, now Jack Hughes) out, the team is second in the NHL, prompting praise for head coach Sheldon Keefe.
3. Hockey Round-Up: News & Notable Moments
(51:27 – 73:30)
- Bruins Update:
- Brad Marchand milestone (1,000 pts, 1,000 games, 1,000 PIMs).
- McAvoy’s scary injury (puck to the face, lost teeth), Bruins’ gritty penalty kill.
- Positivity around coach Marco Sturm and Bruins’ new “hard-to-play-against” identity.
- G (Grinnell): “Make Pastrnak captain. Do it.” (67:00)
- Florida vs. Tampa Bay:
- Anticipated brawl game fizzles; injuries shaping lineups, league’s interventions discussed.
- Junior Hockey Incident:
- Severe stick-swinging incident compared to McSorley’s, leading to calls for lengthy suspension.
- League Parity & Goaltending:
- Anaheim, Minnesota, and the rise of young goalie Jesper Wallstedt.
- Sidney Crosby “class act” moment: Sent personalized watches to former teammates, noted during a Sweden segment.
4. Deep Dive: Dallas Stars Analysis with Craig Ludwig
(77:33 – 108:18)
- Craig Ludwig breaks down the Dallas Stars’ surprising success:
- Raves about Jason Robertson’s consistent shooting mentality and mental toughness after last season’s struggles.
- Ludwig: "He never stopped shooting… Some players, once they get going, now they start to feel good…everything he’s doing is going in the net." (78:26)
- Praises coach Glen “Gully” Gulutzan’s player-relations approach as a big shift from Pete DeBoer’s style; more 1-on-1, player-driven culture.
- Stars’ physicality is up—"If I get 1% out of each player, I get a total of 20% out of…that’s what they’re getting.” (87:26)
- Unsung hero: backup goalie Casey DeSmith’s stellar play giving the team confidence to rest Ottinger.
- Detailed riff on Mikko Rantanen as a physical, “moose mode” power forward—a rarity reminiscent of Mario Lemieux or Jaromir Jagr.
- Ludwig says fans and ticket sales stay strong in Dallas regardless of the Cowboys’ fortunes.
5. Rest of League: Short Takes & Rapidfire Banter
(112:00 – end)
- Toronto Maple Leafs’ slide:
- Five losses in a row; slow and unexciting play.
- Questions about defense, mention of Troy Stecher, and mysterious departure of David Kampf.
- Whitney: "They stink. They've lost five in a row and they need some D. I think they should start looking in the KHL for defensemen." (112:35)
- Mitchell Miller in the KHL:
- Brief discussion on the possibility of his NHL return and at what point someone deserves a second chance.
- College hockey update:
- Michigan State dominating, but otherwise a chaotic, upset-ridden landscape.
- Upcoming Content:
- Teasers for future Sandbagger videos and college hockey content.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On golf tourney madness:
- Biz: "Paige is crying. It's madness. It's all tied up on the 10th green…"
- Merle: “This is must-watch TV…the right team won after those two issues; there's got to be some karma here…”
-
On the Devils' injury streak:
- Pasha: “I've truly never seen anything like it…I've been searching up shamans in the New York/New Jersey area because I legit want to hire one…this is crazy.”
- Frank the Tank: “You know, we had Giuseppe Fleming…owned a pizza place in Pompeii. Seamus Fleming owned a potato farm in Ireland…the archimedes Fleming was the package receiver for Troy.” (36:00)
-
On Dallas Stars’ Rantanen:
- Ludwig: "He can send rockets across the ice on his backhand…The biggest thing: it’s consistent, it's every single night." (94:01 – 96:55)
-
On Bruins' team identity:
- Merle: “They’re being pieces of sh*t out there and that’s kind of what they have to do in this period of time…”
-
On hockey’s growing parity:
- Whitney: "This league, everyone who was struggling has kind of figured it out for the most part… there’s so much parity, it’s crazy."
-
On Sidney Crosby’s class:
- Merle: “Sidney Crosby sent me a watch to commemorate our shift together… just speaks to the volume of class he has in him.” (59:40)
Key Timestamps
- 05:17 — Start of Internet Invitational golf recap
- 18:53 — Tournament drama: rules disputes & chaos
- 23:05 — NHL injury bug, especially Jack Hughes/Devils
- 35:21 — Frank the Tank joins; “Fleming Curse” & Devils anecdotes
- 51:27 — NHL round-up: Bruins, Lightning, Panthers, and more
- 77:33 — Craig Ludwig joins for Dallas Stars deep dive
- 94:01 — “Moose mode”: Rantanen’s impact & power forward discussion
- 112:00 — Leafs struggles & rapid league takes
- 117:45 — College hockey/campus update
Tone & Style
As always, Spittin’ Chiclets melds outspoken, sometimes raunchy humor with deep-cut hockey knowledge and a strong “locker room” feel. The episode deftly switches from comedic storytelling (golf debacles, curses, and curses broken) to serious hockey commentary on injuries, league trends, and player analysis. The hosts’ chemistry shines, and guests like Ludwig and Frank the Tank add authentic, memorable stories.
Summary prepared for listeners who missed the episode or want to revisit the key storylines, hockey analysis, and memorable Spittin’ Chiclets moments.