John Buccigross on the Call: Early-Season Overreactions, Lane Hutson's Extension and Struggling Sabres.

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
NHL Unscripted is a production of the NHL and iHeart podcasts.
It is episode fifty one NHL Unscripted, coming right as this.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh yeah, JD, this is big time, buddy.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Now we're over that hump, Episode fifty one. I know
you're fired up, coming up. Sit a file in sixty
on I Like Me, My people Like Me, My friends
Like Me. John Candy, The Life and Times of Wars.
He's remembered and an affectionate New documentaries on Amazon Prime
from not Tom Hanks but his son, Colin Hanks. All
the Tom is featured prominently, and John Bucher gross Off
ESPN is our special guest. He'll talk about chicken Palm,

(00:49):
the Buci Overtime Challenge, and hy He eats a bucket
at KFC at least once a year. We'll dive into
those topics and others. But first, JD was a heck
of a time. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way, my friend,
all three Canadians here, Happy Thanksgiving. I hate when people
always say Happy Canadian Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
We're Canadian. You say Canadian Thanksgiving. We are Canadian.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
In Toronto on Monday, Doubleheader Leaf's Red Wings Leave said
a little too much Turkey little lethargic effort, although they
outshot to Tray forty two to seventeen.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Oh they dominated him.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
They did, as.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Paul Bisonette, our buddy of course former guest Scop said,
they got out golded Cam Talbot was fantastic and then
the Blue Jays land egg as well. So Toronto goes
oh for two. But it was nice to be back
home at least for Thanksgiving. Just to thought first and
the Leafs and the Red Wings. Interesting working with Chris
Pronger and Bizz. Thanks to you with the introduction because
he had never met me before and kept mentioning how

(01:37):
much I look at Chris Chellio's without fail by the way,
after business like, no, seriously, you do look like Jelly's
like thanks, go to the bathroom. Guy comes up to
me because I just want to tell you. You know,
my dad's a huge Red Wings fan, like Ia, you know,
so you know I grew up watching a big fan.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
I'm like, uh huh.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
And he goes said, do you still play? I'm like, yeah,
recreation a little bit. He's O yah, I goes, do
you miss it? I said, Now, I had a great career.
I did everything I needed to so I'm really happy
that thanks. You give me a familyes like, can I
get a picture of no pri go? Can you tell
that over there? His name was Paul Bisonette. Just tell
him what a big fan you are of mine. Because
he thinks all the old guys don't get much play.
He's like, sure, no problem. Later on business, dude, the
good though you're jelling you. It's like, yeah, and so.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Does that guy over there too, Another guy big Red
Wigs fan, loved your work. I'm like, it's great.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Keep the Chilliers train going as far as the Leafs
are concerned. Because Chris Pronger made this point to me,
I'm wanna get your thoughts on it. Prongs looks at
the offense because you said to me, hey, it's a
heavier team. Maybe it's a better chance with Craig Ruby
more than their mold. So I made that point to
Prongs and he goes on defense. I agree, they're definitely heavier.
One concern with defense, which is your forte He said.
Every single one of these guys is in their thirties.

(02:35):
I said, okay, so their experience he said yeah, But
I always like what a couple of young guys to
offset that because maybe veteran legs get heavier as the
season progresses.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
That's one concern they are heavier.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
He agree with you, but he said up front, I
don't think they're particularly heavy. Matthewny's is baby doesn't play big,
Matthew doesn't play big, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Agree or disagree.

Speaker 3 (02:52):
I mean, Matthew Nys plays heavy. He doesn't run guys over,
but he's heavy on the puck. The fuck is this
guy talking.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
About point counterpoint? Because I said, do the Leaves have
enough offensive without Martin? He's like, you're expecting a lot
of Easton Cowen. I go, well, the guy was unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Ohl. I know it's a different league, but yeah.

Speaker 3 (03:10):
Great he played. He played great last game, great pass,
great L's past Austin. I mean, listen, do I think
this is a way different team than when Martin was there?
One hundred percent? Do I like the way this team
is built?

Speaker 2 (03:22):
I do?

Speaker 3 (03:22):
I think this is Craig Barube's DNA all over it,
and I think he'll get the most out of this
specific lineup. Now, do I think this is a team?
You know, when you say heavy, a guy like Prongs
might think, you know, and I love the guy and
he's a very intelligent guy and Hall of Famer, better
player than I ever was. But you know, when you
when you define heavy, doesn't necessarily mean that you're running

(03:44):
guys over, but you're heavy on the puck. And Matthews
is heavy on the puck, scores the most most of
his goals in front of the net. John Tavares heavy
on the puck. Nick Wah heavy on the puck. Nice,
Bobby McMahon, Bobby McMahon, heavy on the puck. I believe
he scored two goals last game as well. Heavy on
the buck. Dakota Joshua struggled a little bit out of
the gate, but a guy that I think, come playoff

(04:05):
time is going to be very important for this team.
I think Brubay will get something out of him. And
then you got and then Austin Matthews. You say what
you want about Austin math. Yes he doesn't hit, Yes
he's not in the scrums, but he's a heavy player.
He's a heavy player, got on the board twice. He's
heavy skills, so and yeah, maybe in the back end.
The back end always worries me. Anytime there's a back

(04:28):
end that has Chris Tannev on it will always worry
me because and you can quote me and clip this
for social media, I think Chris tan Yeah, it's true.
I think Chris Tannev is a fantastic defenseman. But it
always worries me that he's injury prone. Like I just
feel like he takes so much damage during the year
in the playoffs that eventually the train goes off the tracks.

(04:50):
And if he could stay healthy and I could guarantee
his health, what that's impossible to do. I love their
decor but that's always the case, you know. So do
I think they can last his decorps? I think so.
I think the way they play and the defensive structure
they have can definitely do it. But there's there are
question marks. But I do still think this team has
made for the playoffs. They got to just get there.

(05:13):
It depends where they get there, but they just got
to make it there. I think they'll struggle a little
bit more in season than they have in years past,
and they probably won't get a guy that will eclipse
ninety points, but I think they're going to be better
equipped for the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
Red Wings take the home and home the leaves to
bounce back though, as you alluded to, so who knows
how things will transpire there in Leafland. As far as
early season overreactions, Pavel Dorfi have five goals in his
first three games.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Vegas starts out two to zero to two.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
Justin Brazo to your three million dollar contract with Pittsburgh.
He's got four goals in four games, helping the Penguins
surprising two and two record.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
Only many people think much of the Penguins.

Speaker 1 (05:47):
Champion Panthers were three to one without Barkoff Kachuk. We're
taping this wins to night.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
They did three and two.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Red Wings, Yeah, three to two, the two for to one.
The Bruins started three and no.

Speaker 1 (05:56):
They lost to close some Monday night against the Lightning
Lightning d allowing sixteen goals in their first four games,
and the Seattle Kraken.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
So I think you and I both do not expect much.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
Of that's gonna go back. Don't worry about that.

Speaker 1 (06:07):
Opening two and oh allowing just two goals in those
games for losing an ot in Montreal Tuesday night.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
You can jump on.

Speaker 1 (06:13):
Any of those, but I'd like to start with making
fun of the Rangers, because they're shut out in three
straight home games.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
That is the first team in hockey history to open
a season doing that.

Speaker 1 (06:22):
I think I had them JD like maybe as an
eight se like a walker potentially. I was not expecting
no goals for Selly's team at home.

Speaker 3 (06:30):
They have no goals for you, dah Ranges lose, Yes, yes,
Nah Ranges lose. I have some stats because I'm a
little bit of an analytics nerd now that I'm in
the thing. So with the Rangers, Yeah, you know, I
was looking. I said, how come they're not scoring at home?
You know, the roads different. Maybe you talk about matchups,

(06:50):
you can talk about their travel, but I just think
it's been a trend that, you know, their puck management
hasn't been great to start the season, specifically breaking out
the puck. You know, their even strength break breakout success
in the bottom third of the league. They're even string
zone exit success rate, so how many times in ten
dumpins do they successfully exit the zone is bottom third

(07:13):
in the league.

Speaker 2 (07:14):
They are.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
Possession time against, they're giving bottom third in the league
and offensive zone possession against, so spending too much time
in their own in because they're not breaking out the
puck clean. So they're not having a good transition, they're
not getting on the rush enough. This is a team
with their skill guys up front. We want to talk
about a team that's not heavy. This team's not heavy.
Regardless if they have Edstrom and Ramp and Coolly, this

(07:38):
is not a heavy team. This is a team that
likes to play a little bit of skill, skill and thrill.
They're pressured de zone dumping recoveries with a clean exit
no point, no bottom third and their team entry denial success.
So basically when a team is trying to enter the zone,
they're bottom third in the league. So all that goes
to tell me is that they're not creating enough transition.

(07:58):
They're not creating enough offense off of the transition, which
is was their calling card. Now they're playing more sound
defensive game. They're giving up less than they had last
year in the slot, which is a big issue for them,
But they're just not generating enough off of that and
it's a little bit too tiki tak and they're not
getting to the net. So they're not getting enough offense

(08:19):
off of the transition. They're not getting to the net.
So that is the problem. That is the issue for me.
Does it make me nervous? I didn't have the Rangers
making the playoffs this year, didn't. I wasn't high on them.
I think Adam Fox had a bounce back year this year,
which is kind of already coming to fruition with Gaverkov.
But I don't think this is a playoff team by

(08:39):
any stretch of the imagination. I don't think they have
enough talent or anything. They have a great goalie, but again,
Mike Sullivan's not enough to convince me this team can
make it in a very depleted metropolitan division that is
pretty fucking junk if you asked me. So. Other than
the top two, two or.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
Three teens, the Devils, that's about it.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
I mean, I think Carolina, Washington, and then I think
it's up in the air for the third spot. And
there's been a couple teams that Pittsburgh that we were
kind of all surprised at that's playing some good hockey,
The Devils, Columbus, those are the teams that are kind
of all going to fight for the third spot. But
I don't have the Rangers anywhere near that. I have
them doubt.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
So tell let's go say tell the further point.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
How about Chris Cryder, Oh, four goals in three games.
Four goals in three games. As I mean, they got
to work on the defense. Decks need to work on
that defense. But they're scoring goals and Chris Crider, who
is mister Ranger for years, more than a decade, is
leading the way. They could they could use some of
his snarl. It seems in New York at MSG thedeed,

(09:42):
their blue.

Speaker 5 (09:43):
Line got worse.

Speaker 4 (09:44):
They have guys like Nika and Panaren who look kind of,
I don't know, not completely engaged. Panaren is a UFA
at the end of the season. I mean, do they
talk with him about a trade potentially if this season
just goes into.

Speaker 3 (09:57):
The dumber immediately? Yep, agreed.

Speaker 5 (10:00):
So it's he's looking rough. It's looking rough.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
I think, you know, the the Islanders have gone off
to a worse start, so you know, the Rangers fans
can at least, you know, I guess lean on that
a little bit. But it's not looking good. They just
they turned the team over to j T. Miller and
so far the results haven't been that great.

Speaker 3 (10:19):
Yeah, I don't think Jay, I don't think JT is
the fall I thought I was with you the whole
way until you fucking bashed JT. Miller. He didn't bash me,
just buried the question for you guys. Is Patrick of
Wah the coach for the Islanders right now? Heteres think
about it. We asked the herd hitting questions on unscripted list.

Speaker 2 (10:36):
Is he the guy? I don't think he's the guy.
I love Patrick Wah. He's a fiery coach.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
I love the passion, obviously in junior. Maybe he's an
advisory role if he's a g m ish No, probably
not not this love not the HL as a coach. No,
Like I've seen enough and it wasn't like it was
like a couple years.

Speaker 2 (10:52):
But no, I saw moments of flashes.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
Probably a palias to deal with, which isn't that surprising
against Patrick Wall I'm sure he's got a healthy ego.
Whatever happens him and lou Luke gets forced out, now
it's wasted heem. I'm like, no, they're not very good
and he's gonna be out of a job soon aroundt
later out.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, I think Matthew darsh gets it done. Tal you
can't play Matthew Shaffer twenty six minutes to night. This
poor kid, I think.

Speaker 5 (11:14):
They have the goaltending, They're gonna keep it tight.

Speaker 4 (11:18):
They're gonna keep it tight because of their goaltending, and
there's no who's their go to score up front?

Speaker 5 (11:23):
Who's the guy making plays up front?

Speaker 4 (11:25):
Right now, they're relying on Matthew Shaffer to make plays
for them offensively.

Speaker 5 (11:28):
I mean, how long is that gonna last?

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Supposed to be Barzel? Supposed to be Barzel and he
hasn't pissed a drop and I was high on him
to start the ear So this guy's gonna have a
start to the year and I'm hoping for it. I
think he's such a great player when he's when he's
moving and grooving and healthy. But I don't know if
Patrick was the guy for this team. I don't know.
I don't know. I don't think so. But it is

(11:51):
tough sledding Islanders Rangers this year. Tough sledding as tell us.

Speaker 1 (11:56):
About the Rangers as the looking rough Someone say, Lindy Rough.
Let's talk a little Sabers. Right now, they own the
league's longest active playoff drut fourteen seasons. That's tie with
the New York Jets for the worst among all the
four major sports. Three straight losses by combined score of
ten to two. Lindy Ruff publicly called out his team
after Game two. He also knows forward Josh Norris out
for an extended period of time and a key return

(12:18):
on the Dylan Cousins deadline deal the Ottawa last season,
he's been injury prone.

Speaker 2 (12:21):
Having said that, JD how about tonight against the Ottawa
Centers eight to four.

Speaker 1 (12:24):
The Sabers pumped him and tough news in Ottawa Brady
could Chuck suffering a hand injury Monday night on a
cross check by Roman Yosi.

Speaker 2 (12:31):
He's out for four weeks. That hurts.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
Yeah, it's a tome. These are two teams that you're
expecting to one build on last year from Ottawa's perspective,
and Buffalo just to do something, take one positive step forward,
and they did that. I like the response. I love
the response tonight. I was on the network yesterday and

(12:56):
they asked me, am I concerned about the Buffalo Sabers
And I said no. And they asked me why they're
zero and three? Why why say you know what? I said?

Speaker 2 (13:05):
What's that?

Speaker 3 (13:05):
I said? Are we surprised? Are we surprised that the
Buffalo Savers are floundering this early in the season. No,
I am not. I am not surprised, but you know what,
I'm surprised the response tonight. Great response by the whole team.
Ryan McCleod leading the way two goals. I absolutely loved it.

(13:26):
I thought it was great eight to four. Now the
Ottawa Senators, Brady Kachuk's gohan, your captain, your leader, your
emotional leader as well as your physical leader. Somebody needs
to grab the bull by the horns here and really
pick this up. Because I'm looking at Tim Stutzla. He
needs to become that game breaker that we know and
love and think he can become. So all those things

(13:47):
to say, great job by great job by the Buffalo Savers,
but it brings me to a point. I want to
ask you, guys, because you look at the Detroit Redwicks
game one of the season, they're dog water. Tom mccollin
comes up and just absolutely buries them. They now have
rattled off three wins. It is not too early to

(14:09):
get on your team about the details of the game.
Don't wait till game two, three, five, seven. You get
on those guys right away because you have allid training camp,
all the summerhould. This is when the good teams you
can steal some games, because later in the season, when
everybody's on their game, you're not gonna be able to
steal those games from the good teams. This is the

(14:29):
time to bank points early. And I love what Todd
mccollin did. No guff, no huff, no muss, no fuss
comes out buries the team. They respond. Now they've played
three sound games. They did get some great goalton against Toronto,
but they go on and they beat Florida. They beat Florida,
play a sound hockey game, and it's a lot to like.

(14:49):
So like Lenny Rough waiting until game three, no bury
these guys right away. It's not acceptable this early in
the season. You got to get on them early. Got
to keep guys accountable. Now you can't waste too many
bullets and yell at them every single day. But did
respect the coming out and screaming at the guys after
one game in the season. What say you, my colleagues.

Speaker 1 (15:11):
Tough start for John Gibson, by the way, your first
game five goals in thirteen shots. He gets hot, bounce
like that's tough when you're like I looking to make
an impact. You're like, no, but Cam Talbot's been fantastic,
and I'm with you. You've got to be very guarded
and careful on how you're criticizing your team. And as
you said, especially when you're the new coach in New
Boston Town, you need more accountability.

Speaker 2 (15:28):
It's not Tom McClelland on the hot seats. We all
know it' Steve Eiserman.

Speaker 1 (15:31):
I mean year nine of the iSER plan, like they know,
if they don't make the playoffs this year, shit's gonna change.
By the way, speaking at a chuck, he's having a
second opinion to determine if surgery will be required for
the right arm slash risk injury. That's directly from the
senator's owner. So I know it as we say, all
four weeks. But that's not necessarily.

Speaker 2 (15:47):
A guarantee to more upbeat news involving Canadian teams.

Speaker 1 (15:50):
How about the lane train. Let's go Montreal Canadians. Jeff Gordon,
old colleague at NHL Newberk. He gets an extension, You
get an extension. Ken Hughes is getting an extension. Let's
go kN Hughes is a gentleman jer Obviously, Gortz is
the executive VP and Layne Hunts.

Speaker 2 (16:04):
How about eight years seventy point eight million dollars. I'm rich, bitch,
eight point eight five a year, which is just below
the nine million per year fellow defenseman Luke Cues is getting.
I mean Hudson's numbers.

Speaker 1 (16:19):
JD's sixty six points eighty two games as a rookie
last season sixty assists tied Larry Murphy's record for.

Speaker 2 (16:24):
A rookie defenseman. First practice for signed the big deal.

Speaker 1 (16:27):
Hudson's mob by his teammates although he's picking up the
ten pm steak dinner in Montreal.

Speaker 2 (16:32):
This is fabulous news for the Habs.

Speaker 3 (16:35):
Great piece of tidy work by Jeff Gordon and Ken Hughes.
I mean they got their core together up until twenty thirty.
I think so they are locked up. The window, ladies
and gentlemen is firmly open. TikTok goes to Stanley Cup clock.
They need to win. This court needs to win, and

(16:55):
the time to win is now? Is did he now? Ditmial?
There's no waiting anymore. They're on the hunt. Tal. I
know you're excited. I know your heart is Greek porn
right now, Hardest sheet rock talk to me baby.

Speaker 4 (17:11):
Love the lane trend and he set up the winning
goal by cold Caffield in overtime in his first game after.

Speaker 3 (17:18):
What'd you call? What'd you what'd you call him?

Speaker 4 (17:22):
That's my cold Coffield is Come on, Colin, That's what
I call him. But yeah, the the that whole crew
that's basically grown up together with his team, they're all
locked in. You got to assume that, you know, Demeatov
will get locked in in the next year or two.
Long term, it's do we.

Speaker 5 (17:41):
Do we have a consensus on how it's pronounced?

Speaker 3 (17:43):
I mean, fuck, I mean doesn't doesn't sound right to.

Speaker 4 (17:45):
Say the Russian kid anyways, it's it's an exciting Russians
so racist tells racist.

Speaker 5 (17:54):
You know, look, I I don't know if you've seen it.

Speaker 4 (17:57):
I've I've been seeing some leafs fans being very publicly
upset that things are working out with this re the
Montreal I think they feel like, you know, this Core
four era is now over and they're looking looking east
at Montreal and seeing what they're doing and the going
We kind of want that, we want to build around
a bigger core of young talent, and that's.

Speaker 5 (18:16):
What they happens They've done a great job.

Speaker 4 (18:18):
Marty San Luis is turning into an absolute icon in
that city. By the way, as a coach, you know,
they haven't had like he's He is a major ambassador
for the team.

Speaker 5 (18:29):
Right now and I can't argue with what he's doing.

Speaker 4 (18:32):
Three and one so far. It's a long season, but
the lane train is here to stay.

Speaker 3 (18:37):
I love the lane train. Speaking of trains that are
getting kind of derailed in the goalie position. Sorry, I
got a segue because I want to ask you guys.
Las Vegas Golden Knights Aiden Hill gets hurt last night.
He's been fairly pedestrian to start the season. A lot
of news about Carter Hart going around, Yes, a lot
of news Vegas.

Speaker 2 (18:57):
I'm here in I heard Vegas in Carolina at the
start of the year.

Speaker 3 (19:01):
But I heard it's like it's common, like they're announcing it.
Like I heard. This is like no joke. No, he's
coming to play.

Speaker 2 (19:10):
Do it you a good goalie? Period? You need a
good goalie?

Speaker 3 (19:14):
I mean yeah, he and I think.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
You put it well.

Speaker 1 (19:16):
You couldn't play for a Canadian team because of the
controversy Hockey Canada, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (19:20):
But in Las Vegas, be like, who gives a shit?

Speaker 1 (19:22):
This guy was pretty good on the Flyers, has promised
the potential sabbatical.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
Not guilty, he's back in a court of law, exonerated.

Speaker 3 (19:30):
Let's go the justice system. Hate it or love it,
it's what's done is done. I'm just crazy. Can only
imagine if he signs and they win the Cup? Oh
my god, is there going to be It's gonna be crazy.

Speaker 2 (19:47):
One more thoughtful we get to Bootie. It's specific to you, JD.
The tal is tailoring this.

Speaker 1 (19:51):
Your old boss isn't a very public person, but Shark's
owner pronouncer Hasso Platner.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Okay, rare public. He uh says that he doesn't expect his.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
Team to be in the running for Penns super fresh
Gavin McKenna, who's expected to be the top pick in
nex summer's draft. Plattner said, I hope we don't have
to go for McKenna. No McKenna here now. The Sharks
have been exciting team to watch. They've lot sixteen goals
in their first three games. What are your expectations for
your team?

Speaker 3 (20:19):
Listen has go back to the golf course. No, I
I mean I appreciate his enthusiasm. I was very excited
for them to start the year, and then they had
two opportunities. We talk about banking points early. They should
have been two to zher going into last night against Carolina,

(20:40):
and they got absolutely blown out of the building against Carolina,
like that was a good hockey team and they got
worked over. Their young guys did not look good. So
I think there is a possibility. I think they're still
figuring it out. I think I'm a little worried right
now the way they're deploying the lines. I think they

(21:01):
have more talent than they've had in the last few years.
And I'm just kind of worried about like the overthinking
it as a coach, and you know, you got all
these these young guys and old guys, and you're trying
to play the old guys and not the young guys.
And you you know, Mike Career has brought in a
bunch more guys that are can play in the NHL,
and now there's like a decision to make and you're

(21:23):
almost shooting. You know, it's like you're the you know
you It's like you draft in fantasy football and you
draft this team that's very deep, but then you shoot
yourself on the foot every week because you sit the
wrong guy that goes off for twenty five points. And
then your team just lays an egg every night, and
then you just keep trying to Now you're just trying
to figure out what works, what works, and now it's

(21:43):
your zero to ten to start the season. So it's like,
I'm just a little worried about that. And it's no
knock on the coaching staff. I think it's a after
what happened last year in the calluses that they've kind
of created for themselves and and a lot of the
tough times they had. I think it's nerve wracking because
you want to get off to good start because I
think you have a better team on pay than you've

(22:04):
had in a years past. But who do you play?
Do you play your young guys? You play Misa, you
played Dickinson, they didn't have great games last game. Do
you put in the old guys? You know, what is it?
What's what's the way you're going? Are you rebuilding?

Speaker 2 (22:17):
You know?

Speaker 3 (22:18):
So I don't know what you guys think, but I'm
just worried about that. But I think HASO I mean,
don't rule out McKenna.

Speaker 1 (22:25):
I love an impetress owner, but you're right. You gotta
be realistic and McKenna is the real deal. So it's okay, Like,
don't don't worry.

Speaker 3 (22:31):
He struggled a bit, he's I think he. I think
he would serve him well to play two years in
the in college's interesting early on. I think a lot
of power play points five on five hasn't really dominated
the way uh as seventeen eighteen year old shit, So
take it for what it is. Unscripted fans don't come

(22:52):
for me, come for me in the comments. But yeah,
I think i'd reserve him for two years. So maybe
you want to get McKenna out and let him develop.

Speaker 2 (23:01):
Come up, I was.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
Gonna say, coming up next night, selling the script will
talk who truly loves college hockey, along with the BOCI
overtime challenge and early impressions of this hockey season.

Speaker 2 (23:09):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (23:10):
ESPN's John boucha Groz will ask him does he have
a thirty inch waist or not?

Speaker 2 (23:14):
The answer after this, Our next guest is a beauty.

Speaker 1 (23:29):
He's been an anchor and broadcaster at ESPN close to
three decades, covering all kinds of sports.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
With special attention paid to hockey.

Speaker 1 (23:36):
He can be seeing calling games in the studio throughout
this NHL season, and you also know him as the
man behind the Bucci Overtime Challenge, the great John Butcher
Grass Boots.

Speaker 6 (23:45):
Great to see you, buddy, Good to be with you,
ad Man. A long way from ESPN News ten.

Speaker 7 (23:51):
To a shift.

Speaker 1 (23:53):
First time we ever met, you were doing the Noon
Sports Center and your first words to be figured out
the computer system. Yet that e NPS was a nightmare
in the first couple of days, right.

Speaker 7 (24:02):
It was. Yeah, that noon to three was great. That
that was a great shift to do.

Speaker 6 (24:06):
I was on the afternoon and back then, as you know,
there were that was really before social media. So actors
would come in and they would like push a movie.
They would do we call it a car wash, ESPN Radio,
ESPN Chat, you know, and whatever. And so one of
them was the Rock or Vince Vaughan. I got to
do so many cool things on that Noon to three shits. Yeah, man,
still haven't figured out the NPS.

Speaker 1 (24:28):
You were great there, you and Chrismick Kendrick together and
you're always irreverent, would offer a humor. You've done that
throughout your career. I was so lucky we'd get to
work together. You were one of the few veteran anchors
that wouldn't take time off of the holidays, so that
late December Christmas Break, so to speak, eleven pm Sports Center,
it's me and Boochie.

Speaker 2 (24:44):
Everybody else has gone.

Speaker 1 (24:45):
Leevy, Linda, Neil and Stan, but you're there and getting
to work with the annoy a little bit. My favorite
parts was just talking hockey with you, and particularly the
overtime challenge, and it was amazing.

Speaker 2 (24:53):
Guys.

Speaker 1 (24:53):
Literally we'd be on the air, We're doing highlights that
could be college football, college basketball, and then butchering. Oh wait,
the Red Wings just went over time. Hang on a second,
I'm gonna send me this tweet. And part of what
I was so impressed by was this because so many
people are driven by money and monetary concerns, but you
did this literally out of like the soul of your
heart and all money being given a charity. I remember
you describing it to me, going brook, I have to

(25:14):
go home. I have to find these mailing addresses mail
this costs me money to do it.

Speaker 6 (25:20):
Yeah, I get tied to these things and they and
they kind of take over me and kind of like
doing this podcast right now.

Speaker 7 (25:26):
You know, I should be driving home, getting.

Speaker 6 (25:30):
North, but here I am in an outlet mall in
a Stero, Florida, home of Gavin Brindley, Tom Tree, Tom
Trees and Sunshine. But yeah, but that that has been
really a blessing to make that connection with fans.

Speaker 7 (25:42):
I can't believe it. So I thought by now people
would stop playing.

Speaker 6 (25:46):
I wouldn't have to go mail hats and T shirts
at all ungodly hours.

Speaker 7 (25:50):
But they're still doing it, I think about fifteen years later.

Speaker 6 (25:53):
So uh, it's been a it's been a good run,
sug and I can't believe it's they're they're not buying
as much stuff as they used to be the first
time it really got going, and the T shirt became
kind of a fashion thing, which it does. Young people
come and go. It's disposable. I sold twenty thousand dollars
worth of T shirts out of my house. Wow, people
just sending me money. I know a website, yet they're

(26:13):
just sending me checks and cash and the mail. And
I'm mailing these white T shirts with hashtag bouci overtime challenged.
And now Elon doesn't even want hashtags. I guess it
messes up the computer system. I don't know, so he's
put me.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
Out of business.

Speaker 6 (26:28):
But uh no, but it's still you know, still had
the logo in the hats they trickle out the college
hockey stuff. Yeah, actually does better now than the bociot stuff.
People just want the free butcot t shirt. They don't
really want to buy it anymore.

Speaker 3 (26:40):
Well, before we get into the NHL, I know you're,
like you said, a huge advocate for college hockey, you know,
with the nil the new transfer rules and Gavin mcckenna, like,
you know, what's your take on the college hockey and
in words headed right now?

Speaker 6 (26:55):
Yeah, well it's never been more exciting, I tell you that,
right now, it's never had you know, a bigger Q
rating or whatever, because this definitely has infused the sport
with some obviously attention, some star power, and now it's
always had star power.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
You know.

Speaker 6 (27:10):
Jack Eichel came to the college hockey and we knew
he was gonna be the you know, the first or
second pick of the draft. He came out with you know,
Connor McDavid, so we knew he'd be the second pick.
So he came as an underage guy who was draft
eligible his first year. So we've had that before, and
we've had very high picks before, but just to have
multiple this time and to have someone like him, it

(27:31):
got because of the story. It got attention, even though,
like I said, it's happened before. But yeah, I'm doing
a BU Michigan State game this Friday night. ESPN two
full raps at the were going to a full round
first time in the history of college hockey regular season game.

Speaker 7 (27:47):
No, we'd be called regular season games and we've never
had raps before. You can think you can thank the
w NBA suite. We're taking their window.

Speaker 6 (27:55):
So it's really just we're kind of filling we're filling
the we're plugging a hole here. So so I'm looking
forward to doing that. A lot of first and second
round picks get to see him up close. But yeah,
for sure, the ni Al and McKenna this year really
infused it with some star power, and I think it's
you know, the sport has potential. It's got great potential,
uh to do better and to get more eyeballs on it.

(28:17):
And we'd love to get the National Championship game on
ABC on a Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 7 (28:21):
You know that'd be really cool.

Speaker 2 (28:22):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (28:22):
This year we're back on ESPN for the Frozen Four,
which I'm excited about. The championship game, Yeah, semi Finals
still ESPN too because we got the Masters Thursday Friday,
but the Natty will be on ESPN regular I hope someday.
Also we can get it on ABC. We see what
it's done for the w NBA and for women's college basketball.
To get that on ABC and just get you get

(28:44):
so many more eyeballs, you know, and so so we'll
see where it goes from here.

Speaker 1 (28:47):
I do remember doing Frozen four rap to Dave Starman,
who is such an advocate Bassport as well.

Speaker 6 (28:52):
Yes he's now the Rangers radio guy. Congratulations day Oh
that's amazing.

Speaker 2 (28:56):
Good for him.

Speaker 1 (28:57):
What I always found impressive about your booch was not
only the passion for hockey but finding the time to
do it.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
Obviously, I know you're a devoted father and and you know.

Speaker 1 (29:05):
Have lots of other interests, but like college hockey specifically,
like you have.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
To work to find that.

Speaker 1 (29:09):
Like I grew up in Kingston, right, if I still
follow the OHL that would take some effort for you.
But I still feel like I could know how to
navigate that, Like, how did you especially now maybe it's
easier with McKenna, but like years ago, five, ten years ago,
how are you able to follow college hockey?

Speaker 2 (29:22):
It wasn't readily available.

Speaker 7 (29:24):
It was tough. Man. I got my first chosen four
was twenty thirteen.

Speaker 6 (29:27):
So that's when I really decide to, you know, dedicate
myself to the sport.

Speaker 7 (29:31):
I love all levels of hockey, but you know, I.

Speaker 6 (29:32):
Said, if I'm going to be the voice I wanted
because so many college hockey broadcasters, they memorized three or
four people's names.

Speaker 7 (29:39):
And maybe this happens in Canadian junior too, I don't know,
but when they go.

Speaker 6 (29:42):
To a national broadcast, but they really only remember three
or four names and they're not really invested in the sport.
I get it. It's it's small. It's a boutique sport,
is not a lot. And back then, like you said,
it's not on television, you couldn't find it, and you
couldn't find it in high definition.

Speaker 7 (29:57):
You know, first you had to find it and then
find it in high definition.

Speaker 6 (30:01):
So it was really difficult and I really wanted That's
why I came up with the college hockey rankings because
that way every week and every weekend, I'm going through
all the scores. I'm comparing schedules. Okay, they won that
game on the road, but they lost to them at home.
They should go down a bit. They played a tougher schedule.
I like them at three of them, and I really
put a lot into it. It was my way of

(30:22):
being invested so I could do my job better. But
then the Big ten network came along, and that really
I think opened it up because they televised games professionally
in high definition. And then that pushed other conferences to
do the same. And now these schools have great video
audio video programs that do amazing video work like we
see all NHL social media teams have now too. The

(30:45):
teams have these great social media departments to get the
great content, but the extra camera work the college kids
can do around the rink and provide these on social
It's just it's never been a I've always said every
ten years, I say, there's never been a better time
to be a hockey fan for content. That's what when
people complain about you know, whether TESPN or someone nutcover
in hockey, I go, what do you have to complain about.

Speaker 7 (31:06):
There is content everywhere.

Speaker 6 (31:09):
Everyone is writing about it, breaking down plays X's and
O's podcasts like there's no need to complain anymore. Maybe
there was at some point, but stop, just enjoy it,
go get it.

Speaker 7 (31:21):
It's everywhere.

Speaker 3 (31:22):
It's uh, it's everywhere, and it's readily available like chicken yep.
And speaking of chicken, chicken Parm, I had to ask
you about chicken parm. Yeah, story about Ray Ferraro and
I got to hear all about it.

Speaker 6 (31:34):
Yeah, that's you know, he you know, his teams would
never make the playoffs, so he would always come to
ESPN and do NHL Tonight as a guest analyst because
he knew that's what he wanted to do after playing
days were over. And so you know, one ninety k
and there's this place across the street, Volturnos. It was
Da Vinci's and then Volturnos, and they had a great
you know, takeout chicken parm and Espen did not have

(31:55):
a cafeteria yet. They had three vetting machines and a
loaf of bread and that's all they had. So you
had to go out and get your food. McDonald's Chili's
Ruby Tuesdays there was a sort of there was this
Italian place. Yeah, the cottage cheese always in the apple
sauce and the saladbar. I et it that to why
put the cottag cheese next to put bacon bits?

Speaker 7 (32:16):
At least there's some bacon in there. But I want
cottage cheese next to my apple sauce. But this place
had great takeout chicken parm. I mean I would get it.
Four days a week.

Speaker 6 (32:23):
We'd go to the gym, work out, get the chicken parm,
go into work and watch hockey all night. It was
the best life you could possibly have. And one night,
you know, usually we're doing our t shirts. We'd eat
first and then get dressed, put the shirt and tie on.
We keep all our clothes at ESPN and go to
work like this, put my shirt and tie and then
go home like this. And one night we made a
mistake of putting dress, shirt and tie. Let let's eat

(32:45):
and then we'll go on. It's an early game, seven
o'clock game. We have to do wraps. And so he
took this piece of chicken and it you know, these
plastic forks were brutal, and it fell off. His plastic
fork landed in this pool of mar Andana Marinara and
the tsunami of Marinara comes up and all over his

(33:06):
a tragedy of epic proportion. So we're on the air
that night and there's like, you know, and of course
I'm gonna mention it on TV because anytime you can
do that with Ray, like last year, he said, yeah,
we were in the same suit.

Speaker 7 (33:17):
I wore last night for the game in Colorado.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
Certainly, yes, Who's like, come, look, I'm alongside Ray Ferraro,
Who's were in the exact same suit he wore last
night in Colorado.

Speaker 7 (33:26):
I'm John Butcher Gross.

Speaker 6 (33:28):
So yeah, so of course we So when he goes
back to play for the Thrashers again, to go fifteen,
you know, sixty and twelve. Every time, every time I
start calling him chicken palm re ferral, it's a bit
of a shout out to our Italian here it is.
And that night and I did it without telling that.
I just called chicken parm Ray and it caught on
so quickly. He'd be going through airports and hockey fans, Hey,

(33:49):
chicken farm, chicken par You know, he got trained to
Saint Louis and Pablo Demitra and Mark bergra a Chicken Paul.

Speaker 7 (33:58):
I mean, the nickname is a dish.

Speaker 6 (34:00):
It's like calling someone munzeretel sticks, you know, or a
HOGI or you know. But it was so yeah, So
that's how that's where up began. And then that Now
let's just turn to the giant thing and it's really
culminating this Saturday, the Providence Bruins are.

Speaker 7 (34:13):
For one night, like they're changing their name for the Chicken.

Speaker 3 (34:16):
Palms or something awesome.

Speaker 7 (34:19):
So but they got a hold of me.

Speaker 6 (34:20):
I'm doing the ceremonial puck drop, my first at the
American League level. I've done one of the college level
Army BC at West Point, and this is my first
American League ceremonial puck drop, all because of Chicken Palm.
So the swag should be fun. I forget, I forget.
Go to Providence Bruins the social media cut. You'll see
what their jersey looks like, what they're called for this

(34:41):
one night. So here we are.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
That's an all time great nickname, Chicken parm. Absolutely, And
so I'm on the further topic of food. But I
was listening to Ryan Riscilla's podcast.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
Craig Kilburn was on and Craig was telling the story,
he goes, I had dinner with John Bucha Gras because
Bochie reached out to me.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
It was, by the way, that guy's an unbelievable shape.
He's got a thirty inch waist.

Speaker 1 (35:02):
Mariscilla I said, that's gonna be the biggest with your podcast,
that Boucci is a thirty inch waist. And here's the
thing for a guy that's not well, You're in an
incredible shape. And here's my favorite thing about you. You
think a guy who's in great shape like yourself is
so finicky.

Speaker 2 (35:14):
No, once here you'd get the KFC bucket. It was
the greatest thing ever. You just watch.

Speaker 6 (35:21):
Yeah, it was in the newsroom ones and people look
at I don't like the word skinny. I'm self conscious.
You know, people are young and they're overweight. They're self conscious,
but people are underweight. We were also self conscious underweight.
I always, especially being an athlete, I'm always trying to
gain weight. I want to hit the baseball farther. I
want to jump. Oh, I want to be able to dunk.
I want to be able to shoot a ninety mile
an hour, you know, slap shot from the blue line.

(35:41):
I don't want to have a rainbow arc to my
wrist shot from you know, from thirty feet.

Speaker 7 (35:45):
And so I always tried to gain weight. I could
never do it. I was what they call a hard
gain or just no matter what I did.

Speaker 6 (35:51):
But we can eat because our stomachs can expand, you know,
and where someone That's why obviously Joey Chestnutt is the goat.

Speaker 3 (35:59):
Because absolutely the absolute goat.

Speaker 7 (36:01):
Yeah he's not skinny, but he's not fat.

Speaker 6 (36:03):
If he were obs or fat, he stomach couldn't expand
he couldn't eat as much. So anyway, stan vrett I said,
oh I could eat. I could eat a bucket of chick.
I don't know why I even came up. Maybe a
Kentucky Fried Chicken halftime report with that Nan Burk was on,
I don't know, And I said, I could eat a
bucket of chicken. He goes, you can't eat a bucket
of chicken. I go, I will go down to Queen
Street and southey team Connecticut and get a twelve piece

(36:24):
and I.

Speaker 7 (36:24):
Will eat it right in front of your face. And
so I went down and did that. You know.

Speaker 6 (36:30):
Then suddenly Sports Center, since we do so much inventory
We're always looking for something. We're always looking for a hook.
We produced TV twenty four hours a day, three hundred
and sixty five days a year at ESPN with seven networks.
We need help, we need ideas, and so they kind
of jumped on it, made.

Speaker 7 (36:43):
A thing about it. We did a little full screen
with the stats.

Speaker 6 (36:45):
How many calories, how many saturated and fat grams I
stuffed in my head that night, how much sodium? Oh
my god, it was I thirsty, And so yeah, I
decided to make it a once a year thing, and
then everyone would sign my bucket, and I've saved all
these buckets as like, everyone who worked on the show
that night would sign my bucket, whether they're handed me
is sh sheet with the highlight, whether it was Scott

(37:06):
van Pelt or whether whoever it was. So yeah, bucket
and chickennite became a thing, and that actually turned into
a ESPN the O Show commercial bit me and Kenny
Main did where we did some We did like six
different commercials they ran on ESPNO show that turned out
to be very profitable. Let me tell you, so, all
these little stupid things I do just because I like

(37:27):
to have, Like when I was in college.

Speaker 7 (37:28):
I would make.

Speaker 6 (37:29):
Inner mural basketball rankings and I would put them on
the cafeterior door of the B League and the C League,
just their records, you know, and the rankings, and people
couldn't wait to see where their team was on Monday
when I put the new rankings out. I just like
always doing that kind of stuff. And Advan remembers the
guy named Gus Ramsey and Judgson Birch at ESPN, we

(37:50):
would always come up with these fun games around the
around the pod. We call the pod that the show pod.
We're preparing for the show and we have a little
team of people are on that particular show. And whether
it was you know, naming the best Beatles songs or
the five best moments in hockey history, we just just
some little game to kind of pass the time and
just make life fun. That's what I've always done from

(38:11):
a young age, just come up with these little things.
I enjoy doing them because I like seeing people's reaction.
They enjoy seeing them. So whether it's Bochi overtime Challenge,
college hockey rankings, you know, the best intermural basketball team
at Heidelberg College in March of nineteen eighty three, whatever
it was. I just like doing these little stupid things
and sometimes they turn into to really kind of fun

(38:32):
things like Bocci Overtime Challenge that continues to this day.

Speaker 3 (38:36):
I like the Boucci bucket as well the Bucci Chicken bucket,
which is great. But you mentioned you mentioned Sports Center
and you know we talked to Steve Leavy last year
and we had a blast with them about commercials and
stuff like that. And yeah, you know you had one
mess shirt Giineer muffs with Raymond Green. But do you
have any favorite of these? This is Sports Center commercials
because you I mean, those are some of the best
in sports. They are without a doubt.

Speaker 6 (38:59):
Yeah, that was what why whin Ding Kennedy that was
a great firm in New York that would do Nike
commercials would come up very expensive to do it. It was
like a movie set. There's fifty people there. They use
film like they make a movie. They actually use film.
Now that we no longer use them because part of
our first layoffs was them. They got laid off too,
so now we do make them. Now we make them ourselves.

(39:19):
Some of them are pretty decent, but you know, we
make them ourselves in house.

Speaker 7 (39:22):
But they were very talented people.

Speaker 6 (39:24):
They were like these incredible directors and we come up
with ideas on the spots a lot and a lot
of my favorites they are not so much how they
might have ended up, you know, some of them are good.

Speaker 7 (39:35):
But just hanging out with these people for the day.

Speaker 6 (39:37):
Like Shaquille O'Neil when he took down the human mascot
dressed as a policeman.

Speaker 7 (39:41):
It was me and Stuart Scott, Wayne Gretzky the line change.

Speaker 6 (39:45):
When he blowed you change, and we're two people are
doing Sports Center. We jump up and here comes Brian
Kenny and and somebody they jump in. So that was
cool doing one with Wayne, and then you're hanging out
with him, getting a picture on the Sports Center set.
And so yeah, David Ortiz, you know, meet my imaginary family.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
So yeah, so good.

Speaker 6 (40:05):
And Wally it's not what you think when he puts
on the Yankee head making you know, trying to break
it in Wally while he sees him with.

Speaker 7 (40:12):
The Yankee head, it's not what you think.

Speaker 6 (40:15):
So good and uh, but yeah, so just being a
part around those athletes. You know, Travis Persona did one
with him one time, so just just so many very people.
And sometimes I think about, yeah, it's again, it's been
it'll be twenty nine years October twenty eighth.

Speaker 7 (40:28):
Wow, And I look back.

Speaker 6 (40:31):
And sometimes think I went fast. Has it really been
that good? I forget about all these amazing things seeing
author David Halberstam running into Hunter S. Thompson in the
makeup room.

Speaker 7 (40:40):
Hunter S. Thompson like a legend.

Speaker 6 (40:42):
He comes around the cornery smoking inside, you know, which
obviouslys against the law. But it's just it really has
been a place where as I look back and I
mentioned the Rock and Vince fond, it's like, it's really
been an amazing twenty nine years. And sometimes I think,
like I wish, you know, we all kind of wish
our careers were better in any line of work or God,
I wish I could have done this event. I wish

(41:02):
I could, you know, call the Stanley Cup final, wish
I could do a sports center here or whatever. But
you look back, you really are man, I really was blessed.
It's been an amazing run with a great experience.

Speaker 2 (41:12):
You've earned every bit of that success. By the way.

Speaker 1 (41:13):
Halbertson Summer of forty nine breaks the game with the
great authors of all time.

Speaker 7 (41:17):
So I'm absolutely yeah, absolute goats. Yea.

Speaker 6 (41:20):
The kids don't know about him, but my goodness to
see him, I was too shy. I couldn't even go
up to him and say, I'm not I'm not shy anymore.

Speaker 7 (41:27):
I would talk.

Speaker 6 (41:28):
No one really impresses me, and I will talk to anybody.
If I saw Taylor Swift walk right now in this
in this outlet mall in the Stero, Florida, I mean, hey, Taylor,
what's up? It would not FaZe me. But back then
I was like, I could not talk to David Halberston.
I'm playing the great parts of oder. Oh yeah, you
don't care any That's.

Speaker 1 (41:44):
A great point. Hunter Stompson Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Now that they said these smoke, I picture like the
cigarette holder a lot.

Speaker 7 (41:49):
He had, That's what he had, and he got sunglasses on.
He's like, you know, because John Walsh. John Walsh had
just hired him to write for page two.

Speaker 6 (41:57):
It's an old ESPN dot com thing kids when when
they had when kids went out websites, And he hired
him because he was just you know, this rock and
roll author and uh, and so he wrote he wrote
for us for a little.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
Bit, there was no greater passionate hockey fan.

Speaker 1 (42:09):
When ESPN didn't have hockey, you would advocate to get
highlights into sports and Er saying, no, this is an
important game, we have to do this, And eventually hockey
comes back, and I'm like, no, way's gonna be happier
than Bouchie.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
And something I'm so happy for you for specifically is.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
You told me how much you wanted to do play
by play and you said, you know, they see a
certain way, right they typecash you.

Speaker 2 (42:26):
You're terrific in the studio. Everyone agrees on that, and
then the play by play they be like, hey, boot,
you're not bad. You know, we've got Leavy, we've got McDonough,
et cetera.

Speaker 1 (42:33):
And so to your point, no matter where you are,
there's always something you're butting your head up against.

Speaker 2 (42:37):
There's always some frustrationers have.

Speaker 1 (42:38):
And the best cop but I could pay you is
that I really do think you've found your way with
the play by play. Like I think you always have
acknowledge and yeah, you always passion, but now like when
you're calling a game, I'm like, yeah, and especially our
buddy Kevin Weeks, I've told you both how much I
enjoyed listing both of you together, But how rewarding has
it been.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
Not only have hockey back in the ESPAM, but calling games.

Speaker 7 (42:57):
Well.

Speaker 6 (42:57):
I grew up listened to hockey games on the radio.
I grew up around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But my dad was
a Boston guy who grew up in South Boston. He
was a math major at Boston College. I always say
my dad was good wool hunting without the swear words.
My dad was a rough and tumble South Boston kid,
the only Italian in South Boston, so they no one
liked him. If you weren't Irish, they didn't like you

(43:20):
in Southton. And but he was rough and tumble and tough,
a great athlete, played goalie without a mask at Boston
Latin High School, played semi pro football.

Speaker 7 (43:29):
But he didn't swear. My dad never swore. It was
good wool hunting without the swear words. So he moved out.
He moved out to.

Speaker 6 (43:35):
Pittsburgh to become a Sears store manager. It's all about
retail with me and so but so. He would listen
to the Bruins on WBZ radio because it came in
as clear as a bell, the Westinghouse Broadcasting System KMOX
and Saint Louis Katka in Pittsburgh and w BZ in Boston.
You'd listen to them all over the country. I can't
get WBZ in Providence. Now, It's like yeah, because what

(43:57):
all was going on with you know, the cell phones
and the and everything in the air now. Back then, though,
the atmosphere was crystal clear. You could listen to a
radio station Boston in rural Pennsylvania and I could listen
to the Bruins every night, and my dad did, and
this was the Bobby or Bruins, and this is They're
the biggest thing in Boston. He's a man in his
late thirties early forties, so he's a huge sports fan.

(44:17):
And so that's how I grew up with a game,
so play by play on the radio and the great
voices on TV. As I got into my teenage years,
I didn't have cable while I was thirteen, you know,
like Dick Enberg and all these amazing people, That's what
I wanted to do. Then I saw Chris Berman do
sports when I was fifteen, I.

Speaker 7 (44:32):
Said, I'm going to do that. That's what I want
to do.

Speaker 6 (44:35):
I want to talk about music and history and baseball
and sports and hockey and use that French Canadian accent
cadianna last when someone scores a goal, and that's what
I'm gonna do. But I also but I always and
then so you start in the business and you get
yanchor local news, cape cod access for five years, local

(44:56):
cable access news, like for five years. Then I go
to Providence for two and so then it's like, well,
now I have two kids. I got married, young eyed
kids young, So I can't go back in the minor
leagues to do play by play if that's what I
want to do. I got to keep on this track
because I got to pay the mortgage and I gotta
I gotta pay off this dodge and knon you know
that I'm that I have twelve percent interestraight on, So

(45:17):
I gotta take care of this stuff. So you know,
life was tough back in the in the late ninety
recession area or early ninety recession. So yeah, so so yeah,
so when that came, when that happened, that's when I
got so hockey left. And then six I go, hey,
can I do these NCAA regionals play by play?

Speaker 5 (45:35):
You know you don't.

Speaker 7 (45:36):
It's free.

Speaker 6 (45:36):
It's I'm just a full time employee and not paying
the extra it saves you paying somebody to do it. Yeah,
go to Worcester John and and go ahead and call
Clarkson versus sacred Art not at it.

Speaker 7 (45:46):
And so that's where I kind of that's where I
really kind of started.

Speaker 6 (45:48):
So then when by the time we got hockey back,
i'd been doing college hockey for fifteen years, I've been
doing the Frozen four for seven, even though that's only
like eight games a year, so it's not a lot
of reps.

Speaker 7 (46:00):
But yeah, so it's been, it's been great.

Speaker 6 (46:03):
It's been you know, obviously might have extended my career
by keeping me around ESPN. And it's just a new craft.
And I know I'm not conventional. I don't want to
be conventional. I don't want to be distracting though. I
don't want to be different for the sake of being different.
But I really want to try to do it, try
to do it in a different way.

Speaker 7 (46:20):
I look at it like art and like a craft,
and everyone should be unique.

Speaker 6 (46:25):
And I don't want to sound like I'm straight out
of this university where they all kind of sound alike.
I just want to but again, I don't want to
be distracted. It's been tough. I like my first two
games this year. I still can't listen to myself, and
which might help me, but I just can't listen to
the highlights on the NHL app like I like, okay,
the condensed version, I'll see how it sounds that I get.

Speaker 7 (46:44):
Those goals and I did it. How did that sound?
I like that?

Speaker 6 (46:48):
So I certainly know the players, I know the league.
I pay attention. Every game is like the super Bowl
that I get to do. I probably do twenty five
to thirty a year. I got Utah Colorado next Tuesday,
So I really prepare for every game, and I love
doing every game. I'm like a kid on Christmas every
time game day and I get to do one. So yeah,
at this stage of your life, when you're that excited
about doing something, especially at the company that you worked

(47:11):
at for twenty nine years, most people can't wait to
quit right or retire. So it's been kind of a
blessing again to still be at the same company and
still have this rejuvenation and this whole new lease on
life and enthusiasm to work.

Speaker 3 (47:25):
Yeah, I mean You've had an amazing career and truly
unique voice, you know, getting into the NHL now talking
about the current season so far for you, you know,
great gold caf Field last night was just an amazing
overtime Booty Overtime Challenge winner. What have you liked so
far from the season, and so.

Speaker 6 (47:46):
I think it's it seems a bit wide open, which
is kind of cool. I thought Montreal was a sneaky
playoff pick and would not be shocked if they make it.
I love what the Bell Center in Montreal has infused
so much excitement. The games on TV are so exciting
you're not even there and you feel like you're there.

Speaker 7 (48:03):
Oh it's part Really, it's.

Speaker 6 (48:05):
Really something special. And now that you know again it's
not just this is the thing about pro sports, it's
not just being good. Obviously a lot of these owners
are billionaires now, they're really what you know, what gets
them off is making money.

Speaker 7 (48:16):
They enjoy making money and to win is mad.

Speaker 6 (48:19):
But but when you're fun and interesting and win like
that's that's a that's a that's a home run. And
whether I was watching the new ESPN, you know, the
latest Boston Red Sox documentary on two thousand and four
that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were part of it.
It's really good. It's on the ESPN app and you
get that. Yeah, that team was just Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, Paige.

(48:41):
It's not just winning, it's winning with characters and interesting
people and people you can connect with, or young people
in the Canadian sense, like you're really it's like hope,
it's so exciting, it's new, it's fresh, all these different
players from all over the world. You know, a kid
from America and Cole Kaffiel, this Russian kid Demodov that
five GMS are going to get fired for for passing
over him and it should have been the first pick

(49:03):
of the draft or or at least a second or third,
and so yeah, that's exciting. So it's not just having
a team that's good, but it's also having these interesting
characters to really, you know, to really sell your team
and make it a fun experience, not just bottom line
or you know, bottom line stuff, which a lot of
the owners are now. So that's what excites me. But overall,
the league, like I said, it appears to be a

(49:25):
little bit open. Florida's obviously vulnerable with the injuries and
three straight finals, but the East not a lot there,
so maybe they could sneak in again for a fourth
straight final. But it's early, and it's just kind of
it takes a while to see what's gonna take shape
here ten fifteen games, because because it's so important early,

(49:45):
the overreactions earli are really off the charts as well, aren't.

Speaker 3 (49:48):
The best part is overreacting right now? Yes, it's the best.

Speaker 6 (49:52):
Part ever since Thanksgiving standings became a thing about, you know,
seven years ago. It's really put the onus on this thing.
Guys start gripping, Coaches, start gripping, organizations, start gripping, fan
bases start gripping. So early now, I mean, any of
these teams that are obviously off to slow starts, they
could easily win six or seven, you know, and then

(50:13):
boom they're going. But it is interesting, you know, I
think the biggest part of the league right now that
we've seen a shift the last two years is it's
hard to score five on five. The coaches have figured
out how to defend five on five, and if you
don't have the personnel, it's hard to score five on five.
And you know, and that's why Colorado with the McKinnon
line and maccar and Taves when they're on the ice,

(50:35):
it's hard to beat that. Obviously, when McDavis on the ice,
it's a but that line because of a car. He's
the extra X factor in that. It's like a power
play whenever they're on the ice, five on five. That's
why they're my favorite. If they can never get looked,
and they have depth and they seem to have a cause.
This year they have an early like pause like this
is our year. When a good team has that early,

(50:57):
that's dangerous. Uh.

Speaker 3 (50:59):
You mentioned Thanksgiving and we doing the NHL Network yesterday
and are wer we're talking about Buffalo's a business will
start once again and how the comparable right, the comparables
are the same to last year, and the producer goes,
you know, typically American Thanksgiving is when we is when
we judge the team's not making the playoffs. But for Buffalo,
we're gonna have to go to Canadian thanks very good.

Speaker 7 (51:23):
It might be it might be it just doesn't look good.

Speaker 6 (51:26):
Obviously, there needs to be a you know, you hate
to say it, but you need a whole new you know,
front office there. You just have to it's not gonna
I don't think it's gonna change. It's it just has
a standards. They've been given plenty of time, and I'm
sure that's compul Terry Pogole has got a lot on
his plate, but between the bills in the stadium, it's
probably the last thing he wants to worry about.

Speaker 7 (51:45):
But he's gonna have to worry about it at this point.

Speaker 6 (51:48):
Otherwise it's gonna it's gonna be like a house that
you're just not doing any work to it.

Speaker 7 (51:53):
It's just gonna slowly dilapidate.

Speaker 1 (51:55):
Unlike the career of John Butcher Grass, which continues to
ascend after twenty nine years, almost of these been hopefully
many more years.

Speaker 2 (52:01):
John Butcher Grass never I know, I know, I'm r turr.
You are licking in.

Speaker 7 (52:13):
I can play in the talk that I'm really a
third light.

Speaker 2 (52:16):
With army knife at proof that great things coming.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
Three is the reason why I'll never forget your birthday
January twenty seventh.

Speaker 2 (52:22):
It's you.

Speaker 1 (52:23):
It's Keith Oberman and Mozart. I mean, that's a great trifecta,
and Chris Collins.

Speaker 7 (52:28):
But you want to have four, you know.

Speaker 1 (52:30):
You know the Mount Rushboard this is awesome, Boots, thanks
so much man, Happy drills.

Speaker 7 (52:34):
Any time boys piece.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
So if Ian sixty on, I like me, that's right.

Speaker 1 (52:47):
A warm and affectionate new documentary all about the great
Canadian actor John Candy. It's currently available on Amazon. JD
hasn't gotten a round of seeing it yet. Me and
Tal have seen it, and I really enjoyed it.

Speaker 3 (52:57):
I thought, how do you know I haven't seen it.

Speaker 2 (52:59):
I can just tell you right now, you're not. You're
not keen on it. You used to need to see
one battle after another.

Speaker 1 (53:05):
My friend, let's get I saw it, okay, so let
me give me your review of that first.

Speaker 3 (53:10):
Uh, A little bit interesting timing with what's going on
with Ice, Yeah, and I think a little bit too
on the nose, you know, promoting of attacking. I don't know,
it was a little bit weird for me. One thing
I said is I have toyed with the idea of
going as Leonardo DiCaprio for Halloween because his his like

(53:33):
when he's in the bathrobe with the shades. But I'm like,
I am the biggest Panicio del Toro fan, like I
think he is, oh his range of like what he
can do serious to like that subtle comedy he did
you know You're a bad ombra. I just think his
that whole scene of when they're coming in to find

(53:57):
him and he's kind of moving everybody around in the
same time he's getting Leonardo DiCaprio out. He's like getting
forty five illegals out and all these kids out before
they get deported. And then Leonard Carber ends up falling
off the roof and getting Tasery goes, what happened? He goes,
your guy got tasered? Bro that what the fuck? I

(54:18):
just I thought it was great. I enjoyed the movie thoroughly.
I just didn't like the undertone stuff. But I enjoyed
the movie thoroughly.

Speaker 1 (54:24):
All right, as long as you appreciate the filmmaking. Me
that great action sequence at the end, obviously, all the performances.
How about Sean Penn didn't even mention, Oh god, he
was une.

Speaker 3 (54:33):
Me and Joe looked at each other and were like,
he is so deranged, and it is so funny that.

Speaker 2 (54:39):
He's got this black women.

Speaker 3 (54:40):
He's just oh, this weird, this weird him doing the
DNA scene and just look your mother just so good.

Speaker 1 (54:48):
Deserves An Oscar just for that walk alone, I mean,
unbelievable the way.

Speaker 3 (54:51):
Then there's some weird, you know, contingent of old white
guys that are trying to ethnically cleanse the.

Speaker 2 (54:58):
Word Christmas Gable.

Speaker 3 (55:04):
And he got his dick dirty, and he got his
dick and he likes that they Revere's Saint Nick like
Santa clauses this all knowing it's just so good. It's
so funny trying to.

Speaker 1 (55:17):
Get the password, and eventually he's got I say, what
kind of pussy do I like?

Speaker 3 (55:22):
Mexican shaved, Mexican shaped, and he goes, I love that
he's trying to tell he's trying to walk him into
the password and he's calling you, motherfucker. Or even the
first time he calls in and they're like, what's the
coordinates and he's like, He's.

Speaker 2 (55:38):
Like, I've got a lot of He's like, I've done
a lot of.

Speaker 3 (55:40):
Drugs for twenty years. Please help me. I just like,
please help me. Oh it's because what do you think
about it? Like if you had this crazy, elaborate, like
go bag plan, yeah, set up for twenty five years
and he just kept living your life and you got
to that moment for sure, we'd all forget about it

(56:01):
because we'd all be like, wait a minute, because you
get so comfortable thinking nothing's gonna happen, right, and then
it happens and he's like, I don't know, I've been
doing drugs for toy because I didn't think it would happened.
Oh so good.

Speaker 2 (56:12):
I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Speaker 3 (56:12):
Sorry, yeah, I really enjoyed it. I'm sorry I didn't
bring it up last week.

Speaker 2 (56:15):
No, it's all good as far as John Candy is concerned.

Speaker 1 (56:18):
Listen, he was a wonderful actor obvioumazing, hilarious and a
great proud Canadian god from Toronto. Don Lim's one of
the great achievements of his life. Was a co owner
of the Toronto Argonauts. And they said, like, as a kid,
he really wanted to play football.

Speaker 2 (56:29):
That was his dream. Knee injury, literally lost his kneecap,
Like that was it. He's done. But that ends up
being an actor.

Speaker 3 (56:35):
And I really enjoyed Shawn Johnson.

Speaker 2 (56:37):
Yeah, there you go, very good.

Speaker 1 (56:39):
I enjoyed the collection of interviews, especially when the fellow Canadians.
Marty Short is always great, Gene Levy's fantastic The movie begins.

Speaker 2 (56:47):
You know, Catherine Harris talked about him.

Speaker 1 (56:48):
Tom Hanks is very good, Bill Murray, so I thought
all the remembrances were really smart. I liked the clips
and seeing what a great actor he was playing trains
of Anobiles on my favorite comedies, Steve Martin tells a
couple of good stories. The title I like it comes
from Pta, not Paul Thomas Anderson, and just the fact
that he had such pathos tal I thought.

Speaker 2 (57:03):
One of the best moments was from Chris Columbus, the
director of Home Alone.

Speaker 1 (57:06):
He talks about the ending of plane chains and otmobiles
and it's not like Charlie Chaplin City Lights, right, a
great comedium, but you had a guy who has that
gravitas that he can play with those dramatic moments. My criticism
movie is this as enjoyable as it was? Very one note,
Candy was a great guy, affectionate, loving kind of waiters
kind of people, and that's kind of it. And Murray

(57:26):
even makes a joke about it by saying, I wish
I had some more dirt on I wish said some
were negative things about him. Now I understand it's with
the consent of the families. You don't want any negative stuff.
But it reminds me of why Johnny Cash is always
such a great fertile character, because as there was one
set of Johnny Cash.

Speaker 2 (57:38):
He walked with God, but party with Satan.

Speaker 1 (57:40):
You need people who are a little messy, and John
Candy is the only thing I found revelatory tality. Other
thing I didn't know about it when I read a
book up and I'm called laughing on the outside. It's
a great book by Martin Ellman. Is he really dealt
with the anxiety qrippling anxiety, especially later in his career,
and perhaps that's why he became so.

Speaker 2 (57:54):
Big relying on cigarettes drinking.

Speaker 1 (57:56):
Well, the funniest lines is after his brother had a
heart attack that someone said him afterwards and he's having
a drinking a cigarette. John's like, yeah, my brother, he
just doesn't take care of himself. So like that in
ability to see what he himself is doing smoking and
drinking it.

Speaker 2 (58:07):
Talking with his brother I thought was interesting. So I
enjoyed it. I liked it.

Speaker 1 (58:10):
I like to go watch some more John Canny movies.
But I did think it was rather one note tal.

Speaker 4 (58:15):
Yeah, I mean his widow and children are executive producers
on the film, so you know, there wasn't gonna be
not much dirt, not that they're not that it seems
like there was any dirt, Like you said, I mean,
Bill Burry opens the film by basically talking about how
this guy was like universally beloved and was one of
the all time good guys in Hollywood, which is can
be hard to come by, and that you speaking of

(58:37):
his anxiety that you mentioned. The big takeaway for me,
which is pretty interesting. I thought was just the grinder
that is, being like a huge celebrity and it just
never ends. This guy was in horrible health emotionally and
physically and just had to keep going and going and
churning out one project after another. And I'm going to

(58:59):
do this guy favor and make an appearance in his film,
and I have you know, I'm gonna work on this.
And he you know, he supported his both obviously his family,
but also his brother and his mother financially. So he
has all these people that he has to support and
he just has to keep.

Speaker 5 (59:14):
Going and going and going.

Speaker 4 (59:15):
And he clearly felt that there was not you know,
taking a break wasn't an option, especially back then in.

Speaker 5 (59:22):
The nineties where we weren't having.

Speaker 4 (59:23):
Mental health conversations, right, So I found that really fascinating.
Just it gave me a really new appreciation for what
he must have been going through, especially towards the end
of his life when it looked like things were pretty
hard for him.

Speaker 2 (59:37):
Yeah. I like the fact his son so that he's
been in therapy. He's like, I credit my dad for that.
Like he was open to the fact he was in therapy.
So like that was the time, as you said, people
weren't talking about that. Now you can say that nobody
blinks an eye. I'm like, Oh, good for you.

Speaker 1 (59:47):
Hope you're getting the health you want. His dad didn't
want medication, you know. Wagon Ze S was not a
good film. To the end of his life, he talked
to the fact he's walking with the actress and am
I'm having an anxiety attack? Just need a second a
slow down? Remarkably prolific as well to how thirty movies.
He died at the age of forty three. I would
have liked the film critic of the movie because at
one point they have some interviewers mentioning how many turkeys
and bombs he had. As you mentioned, doing favors for

(01:00:07):
friends nothing but trouble, all the worst movies ever, Like
early nineties, there were some awful movies.

Speaker 2 (01:00:11):
I think a film cir would be interested to say, listen,
I liked him.

Speaker 1 (01:00:14):
He was a good actor in a good presence, but
I wish he'd a little more selective with some of
these scripts.

Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
Yeah, that was roughing seeing all these interviews, the number
of interviews where people either ask him about his weight
or making crappy movies, and you could see that it.

Speaker 5 (01:00:27):
Was something that affected him. I mean it hurt.

Speaker 3 (01:00:31):
It hurt.

Speaker 4 (01:00:31):
He seemed like a very sensitive, you know, loving, open
kind of person and hearing these things probably yeah, you know,
and then having a blasted out all over the world
on television. You know, these were really vulnerable moments for him.
It was very interesting to see how he had to have.

Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
It was a good word for because Hanks even said
he wasn't like drowning him self loathing. But there's one
interview Jad the guy says him something about, you know, like,
you know, you're a big guy. Who ever think about
you know, you're a handsome man. What kind of leading
man you'd be if you lost weight? He's like, you know,
does it bother you? Can He's like, well, no, does
it bother you like to tell us what outwardly? You
can't be like, yes, I'm depressed with the fact how
huge I am. It makes me miserable, which is what
the book was really about. Laughing on the outside. But

(01:01:09):
to deal with that in a very public way, you
just think, Oh, he's a big comedian, big fact. I
can make fun of him, right, there's a mud wrestling
scene in stripes, so grabbing his ear, poking at him
or he's like he didn't like that, you know what
I mean.

Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
But you couldn't really say anything.

Speaker 3 (01:01:20):
Listen comes with the territory. I understand the anxiety piece,
but you know one thing i'd say, great quote I love,
love me or hate me? You still watched. Yeah, just
got to sit with that, mister cam. I wish I
could have met him before because would have told him
that in spades. But they were still watching their commenting.

(01:01:42):
But they're still watching every single one on the top.
But he's a great actor.

Speaker 2 (01:01:46):
I loved him, Oh yeah on the documentary on Steve Martin.

Speaker 1 (01:01:48):
By the way, they didn't mention this in this doc
but playing for his ambil is that great last scene
where again the movie I think goes to.

Speaker 2 (01:01:53):
A different level.

Speaker 1 (01:01:54):
It's it's hysterically funny, but that last one is such drama.
To when he says, I don't have a home. Marine's
been dead for eight years. In the Steve Martin Dock,
he said, there's actually a page of dialogue that John delivered.
He goes, it's unbelievable. He goes, it was like brought
tears Differen's eyes and he goes. For whatever reason, John
hughes in the movie it's only two lines. And because
by wish people could see the whole scene. He was like,
he would have won an oscar was that powerful. And

(01:02:15):
one other quibble JFK tw he's only at five minutes.
But he's great, rare dramatic role from John Canny. I
wish they had mentioned more about JFK working with Olberstone.
He's really good in that movie Small World.

Speaker 2 (01:02:23):
But he's very good.

Speaker 3 (01:02:24):
All right, can I give you one? I mean, listen,
John Candy, feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme. Come on, y'all,
it's Bob sled time.

Speaker 2 (01:02:36):
Well that's another great point. Cool runnings. They didn't even
mention it kind of got glossed over, like hey, cool Runnings.
People love that movie.

Speaker 3 (01:02:41):
I was a fantastic what a good, feel good movie.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
Yeah, that's a good point. They did not really dive
into cool rings.

Speaker 3 (01:02:46):
And he was kind of drama. He played a nice
He played a drama role in that, so to speak
like he was the serious, hard ass great you know,
had some scars on him. But come on, y'all, it's
Bob said time.

Speaker 2 (01:02:56):
I'm with you that that's a top five John Kenny.

Speaker 1 (01:02:58):
Before runningsha shaf Daddy has arrived. Tough starts the season
for the Islanders, as we talked about, but Matthews starts
this season the youngest player in the league. Becomes the
youngest defenseman hockey history to record a point in his debut,
twelve days younger than the previous record holder Scott need
Tomorrow followed it up with this first NHL goal Saturday
Night assist on Monday, third eighteen year old defenseman in

(01:03:19):
hockey history after Phil Housley and Jacob Chickman to get
points in each.

Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
Of his first three games. You mentioned earlier pattiwa playing
him a lot. Early impressions of Shaefe.

Speaker 3 (01:03:28):
Well, one thing I'm gonna tell everybody is please relax
on the Kal mccarr comparisons. This kid is not Kile mccarr.
He is nothing close to Kyle mccarr. And as great
as this kid is, he will not be Cale mccarr.
And I am the biggest Matthew Schaeffer fan. Cale mccarr
is one of one gonna go down as one of

(01:03:48):
the best defensemen of all time. I've said it, do
not compare him to Quinn Hughes as well. I watched
TSN A bunch of these numbskulls on TSN. You know
they've had great careers on as broadcasters. But comparing him
to Kyle McCart and Quinn Hughes is like doing no
research on his skating style. The way he moves. His
comparables is Thomas Harley, Devon Taves and at his very

(01:04:13):
best a Scottie Needemayer, because he does have a similar
skating style. He is not Kill mccarr. He's not a
guy that can physically play and dominate you. He's very long,
very rangy, very good, straight line. He's not of so
much a cutback like Quinn Hughes, like Kill mccarr. He's
a straight line defenseman, long, rangy, good, stick. He is

(01:04:34):
going to be a hybrid of Devon Taves and Thomas
Harley and a better version of both of them. But
he will be a hybrid of those two. So please,
for the love of God, stop comparing this kid to
kill McCarry. Please, I've seen too much of it. It's
a disservice to him and putting way too much pressure
on him. And it's a disservice to Kle mccarr, who
is the best defenseman in the NHL and might go

(01:04:57):
down as one of the best of all time.

Speaker 1 (01:04:58):
So I said, when your great hot takes ever, you
said to me, mccarr will go down as the greatest
defenseman in hockey history, better.

Speaker 2 (01:05:05):
Than Bobby or I think so that that's unbelievable.

Speaker 3 (01:05:09):
Guy was in the heart trow like he could be
in the Heart Trophy conversation in the last couple of years.

Speaker 2 (01:05:13):
Yeah, the Heart Trophy Bobby or In Chris Pronger.

Speaker 3 (01:05:16):
But love, but love Matthew Schaeffer. They have. I said
it before the season when everybody draft, when people were
talking about drafting him and going for me, sah and go,
and I said, this kid, injury or not, is a
foundational two way defenseman. You do not pass those up.
You cannot find those good two way defensemen do not

(01:05:37):
grow in trees anymore. The younger this league gets and
the more offensively mined it gets, we're losing a lot
of defensemen that have that hockey iq. He has it
in spades. So this is what was a great pick,
and the Islanders did not miss. And uh, I wish
him well because he's a very easy kid to root for.
We all, I feel like collectively, the whole league, everybody

(01:05:59):
wants him to do so well. So I feel like
just that energy everybody's giving him is going to propel him.
But he's great defenseman, great kid.

Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
Speaking a great defenseman. Brent Burns on Saturday became the
eighth defenseman of hockey history to reach fifteen hundred games.

Speaker 2 (01:06:13):
This is an illustrious list.

Speaker 1 (01:06:14):
Jad He's Adino Chara, my doppelganger, Chris Chellio, Scott Stevens,
Larry Murphy, Ray Bork, Nick Litchman, Ryan Souter. Any special
memory stories you can tell us about Burnsey, Oh.

Speaker 3 (01:06:24):
He's an absolute caveman and a workout freak. He's got
that military bag where he's got god knows what I remember.
He pulled. We were on the plane once and he
had these like he had this like Japanese figurine game
he was playing on the plane where it's like you

(01:06:45):
have it's like looks like a there's a platform and
you roll these figurines and they open up and then
it like connects to your phone or some computer device.
And just an interesting character. He does everything a little
bit different.

Speaker 2 (01:06:59):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:07:00):
When he was in Minnesota, he had like he had
a an owlery as well as like six he had
an owlery with like an owlery is like he had
a oversized cage of owls. Wow, that had like owls
from like Harry Potter their name like Hedwig. He had

(01:07:20):
at one point over two hundred snakes in a like
a snake room. He had like I think four to
six like legit wolves like wolves wolves he had wolves,
uh and just like craziness when he was in Minnesota,
like it like he's an interesting character. Once was bit

(01:07:42):
by a cheetah at a at a zoo, which was
pretty funny. Got a tattoo of it. But there's stories
for Burnsey for days. Me and Tory Mitchell used to
try to wrestle him and and choke him out in
the room and would chase him around and he would
just he plays he's too rough. He's like, you know,
he's like that kid at school where you're like, let's

(01:08:02):
play fight, and then he's like, punch you in the nose.
Just doesn't know his own strength.

Speaker 1 (01:08:07):
Right, kind of like Friendship, that great scene with Tim Robbins,
he's literally Tim rob he's Tim Robinson in Friendship quite
possibly could be.

Speaker 3 (01:08:15):
But a great player, man, takes care of himself, great
family man. He's got such a great family. His wife
sus amazing, his kids just incredible. And what he's done
is truly amazing. Because when I was with him in
San Jose, he was having some severe like groin issues
and he figured it out. And then that guy dedicated
to his body and taking care of himself and goes

(01:08:36):
to show you, ma, you get fifteen hundred or over
then and hopefully he's uh, I'm pulling for Colorado and
him to win a cup.

Speaker 1 (01:08:42):
Yeah, maybe hopes he gets that cup. Maybe a big
team wolf guy, that's what he had, four to six wolves.
Maybe it just inspired him in something ooh bit.

Speaker 2 (01:08:48):
By a Cheetah.

Speaker 1 (01:08:48):
Okay, thanks so much for checking out ithell on Scripted.
Thanks again to John Butcher Gross We'll see you next time.
NHL Unscripted is a production of the NHL and iHeart Podcasts.

(01:09:12):
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.

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