April 23, 2025 • 48 mins
What does it really take to go from rock bottom to the Frozen Four? In this high-impact episode of The David Rutherford Show, former Navy SEAL David Rutherford sits down with Penn State Men’s Hockey Head Coach Guy Gadowsky to reveal the grit, leadership, and mental toughness behind one of college hockey’s most inspiring turnarounds. They dive deep into building a winning mindset, overcoming adversity, the impact of the Murph Challenge, and how one powerful motto—"With It or On It"—united a team on the brink. If you're chasing elite performance, team culture, or unshakable resilience, this conversation is a must-watch.
Follow Us:
X: https://x.com/drutherfordshow
Instagram: @DavidRutherfordShow
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheDavidRutherfordShow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidRutherfordShow
Firecracker Farm: https://firecracker.farm/
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Intro
00:26 - Welcome Coach Gadowsky
01:47 - Why This Season Was Different
06:32 - Toughening Up The Team
11:14 - Beating Michigan State
15:56 - Locker Room Motivation
18:34 - Conversations After The Win
24:45 - Is Winning Everything?
28:07 - Son Deciding To Play For Penn State
33:26 - Patreon Preview: Developing Mental Toughness
35:38 - The Meaning of The Murph
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up, everybody. Do you know what it takes to
get to the Frozen four? Do you know what it
takes to come back from being zero to nine in
tournament play? Do you know what it takes to lead
your team out of the depths and into the championship bid? Well,
guess what today Coach Gadouski is going to tell you
(00:21):
how that happens.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the David Rutherford Show.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, everybody, This is one that has been on
my heart in such a huge way. This individual has
got to be one of my favorite people. He is
one of the best coaches I have ever met in
my entire life. I've had the credible honor of meeting
coach Kadowski through a good friend of mine and a
(00:47):
great friend of the Penn State program, Rick de Rosa,
who is also a fierce competitor. But you know, just meeting,
having the opportunity to meet coach and to get to
know him, and then to watch this unbelievable fairy tale season.
I just it's such a privilege and an honor. Coach Goodusky,
(01:08):
Welcome to the David Rutherford Show.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Buddy.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Wow, that's that's a heck of an introduction. I don't
that's tough to live up to, but thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I think every day you live up to it. Man,
I know for sure you do it. Just the way
Rick talks about you, I'll never forget. Like the first
the first time we got on the phone and he's like,
you know Rick, and Rick's real kind of chill. He's like, hey, Rutt,
you know, you gotta meet coach Gads. He's he's just
he transformed my life. He's one of the most.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Impactful people I've ever met. You just gotta meet, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
And I'm like, I'm like for Rick to start talking
like that, I was like, oh, I'm all in man.
So you know, first Frozen four appearance, finishing the season
ranked at number five, your four hundredth win this year,
multiple All Americans. You know, Coach win, did you know
like this season was was a little bit a bit
(02:04):
different or what about it was?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Did you just like, Okay, this is gonna be a
good one.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well not right away, but I got to tell you,
if you believe like everything's meant to happen, like the
thing with Rick is really interesting. It truly is. Because
we uh, I just found out recently that Michael Murphy
was a Penn Stater. I didn't know that. I obviously
watched the movie and was unbelievably impressed with him. I
(02:31):
certainly I have great respect for the military, and so
I knew all this, and I didn't know he was
a Penn Stater. I had no idea. We found out,
so we're like, oh man, like we have to do
the murph Challenge as a team, Like we got to
do it. It's unbelievable. So we set that up when
we were doing it. And then that's when, like we
had that set up before I talked to Rick, and
I talked to Rick, and for those people, I got it,
(02:52):
like this isn't just a player that played here, Like
Rick de Rosa is the oh man, Like how you
describe he is the most persevering battle like he he's
a guy that will battle entitlement and arrogance for fun,
that kind of guy, Like I don't know if that
(03:13):
describes it, but that's what he was. And so when
we were a new program and we had so many
players that were like, man, I love Penn State, but
I don't I don't want to lose, Like I'm not
going to go there because I'm going to lose four
years and I, you know, thanks for the offer. Would
love to be a Penn State, but I don't want
to lose. I mean, Rick was like, absolutely, bring it on.
And he was the one. There's others like him, but
he was absolutely the leader. And people know it in
(03:34):
terms of like we're gonna beat everybody. We're gonna work
harder than everybody, We're going to do it together. We're
gonna be the ultimate team. We're gonna beat these guys
that have this, this, this and this, and that was
his attitude and that's what sort of propelled us. So
when you talk about this season, when did we know,
we didn't know. But we did the Murph Challenge, which
was great and guys loved it. And for whatever reason,
(03:58):
we're young, we had some we had some we had
some gold injury problems, our top goalie went down. Anyway,
we hate we were we didn't win in nine games. Wow,
And and Rick talked and he said, you know, like
you got to meet Rutt.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I sorry, I know you don't want to talk about this,
but but what happened was because the Murph Challenge was
such a big part of what we were doing, and
we were going to play Army Army hockey at Washington
d C during the Army Navy football game, and and
it's a big deal, and our equipment manager made unbelievable
jerseys and we had this whole thing about the Murph Challenge.
(04:36):
And then Rick called and tells me about you, and
so I know you don't want to talk about this,
but but Rutt came into our locker room and told
the guys exactly about Rutt and what made him special.
So a lot of guys appointed to that and said, geez,
we you know, we were talking about being a team,
but we didn't really that sort of solidified how important
is and what it means. So that was a really
(04:57):
big thing for our team. And then we ended up
playing Army we beat him at d C. And but
since that time our record was I mean, I think
we lost four games until the thro and four something
just incredible. So when you, I know you asked the question,
when did we know, we didn't know. We did not.
We didn't know until until we went on a roll
(05:19):
and all of a sudden in the season we looked
up and said, oh my god, we speak. We sweep
Michigan in the playoffs, we have a chance to go
to the FRO to go to the NCAA. So that's
we didn't know until it all came together.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Well, what was incredible to me when you first reached
out and you and you told me that story about
doing the murf And then obviously what a lot of
people if you if you're not familiar with Penn State University,
there's a big memorial on Penn State's campus dedicated to
Murph and on it there's this beautiful, you know, Greek
saying you know, and it's with your shielder on it.
(05:53):
And that's what Leonid King Leonidas's wife said to him
before the Battle of Thermopylane. And and when you told me,
like these guys that like they gravitated towards that. And
I remember, you know, we had had another conversation where
you talk or I asked you and like, what what
about Penn State hockey do.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
You are you trying to invoke? I mean, you have.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
A long storied history, uh, you know playing you know
my and I just I just figured out that I
bet you were in San Diego when I was in
San Diego, and I think I went to a few
games when when during that time, So I was I'm
just trying to remember if you were there during when
I went. But you know, you have this incredible career.
(06:35):
But what more you have is you have this incredible
knowledge base of what makes a great hockey player. And
you always talk about grit, right, you always talk about
that toughness and I love it.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You know, you can you get a fired up and you.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Know it's almost like you know your the veins in
your temples start popping out and you're like, this is
what it is?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Well, what about the toughness on these kids?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Like you know, my one of my favorite stories is
about Dixon and you know, him coming out and saying,
we're you know, we're not going to be negative no
more than is that? Is that what what you're looking for?
When in these guys and and how did they kind
of get it triggered in themselves? Like you know, we
need to be tougher, we need to be more positive.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
All right? True? Well, so like here I'm going to
show you this because this is that that was on
our jersey U when we played Army. Uh you know that?
And that is with it or want with it or
on it? And I think the guys said it, they
liked it, but you came and told us exactly what
it means. That was very impactful. In fact, there was
a time when we were going into overtime and I
(07:41):
can't remember which game it was, which overtime game it was,
but you know, one of our coaches starts he was like, hey, man,
if there's ever time to use you know, with it
or on it, this is it. And so that was
referenced right before overtime that we obviously want and it
might have been the yeah, like like it was one
of the big games in playoffs we had, we want
a few in overtime. So so you know, your question
(08:04):
was you know about grit and how you get guys
do it? And I think rut, Like, here's the thing.
Coaches can say as much as they want, but it's
way more important what happens when coaches leave the locker
room then what happens when coaches are in it. And
think about that, because the guys are with the team,
they're together how many hours a day together in locker
(08:24):
room where coaches are with them five minutes, So it's
really much more important what happens when coaches leave than
when they're in there, and and our leadership group really
really took this to heart with their on it, and
and one in particular, Carson Dick, who is Ricky DeRos
the type guy you know, stood up when things were bad,
(08:48):
when we hadn't won yet in Big ten and said,
you know, we are not I'm just we're refusing to
get negg. We're not gonna allow anybody to get negative.
So heads up, like we're not going to allow it,
so stop being babies. I mean, we're not going to
allow it. And they talked about this and it I mean,
it really resonated. And I think there's another thing though
along like when this sort of happened. We have a
(09:11):
women's volleyball team that was really really good, but what
happened to them in the in the semi finals, they
were down two sets to nothing, and they were down
twenty two to sixteen games are up to twenty five,
so they were left for dead absolutely, and they came
back and won it. And not only did they win
that game, they won the national championship a few nights later,
and were like something that's just incredible, like incredible. And
(09:33):
what happened was when we walked into the locker room
after that. I remember the guys like they weren't they
weren't just saying, oh wow, they won, that's really cool.
They were like, how did they do that? Yeah, Like
they were really intrigued. They're like, mentally, how did they
do that? And so we brought you know, we actually
brought the women's volleyball coach coach Katie into to ask her,
(09:55):
and so we did that and her answers very much
mirrored what Carson Dick was talking about and what you know,
you're with her with with it or on it really embodied.
So because of that, it was extremely impactful, like extremely impactful.
You just can't talk about that. And for it happened,
(10:16):
all those things came together where everybody was like, oh my,
like I'm in, I'm in, I'm whole totally in. That's
the deal.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
It's it's really amazing because when you look at the
narrative and I've got one.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Of my closest friends out there in the world.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Ryan is married to women Marika, and Marika is one
one of the two national championship teams for that team
back in the day, and and was, uh, you know,
with a different coach then, but but she talks about
the inspiration that can come from little things here and there.
And you know, I think for the women's volleyball it
certainly was the coach's you know, battle with cancer, right,
(10:56):
we're not going to lose for her. And then now
you've got your team like with it or on it,
and so they they find these little threads of motivation
that seemed to like go deeper than just I want
to win, right that that that's just it's it's it's
much deeper than that idea, you know, when as you guys,
(11:17):
I mean for me, it was you know, when you
started beating when you beat Michigan State when they were
number one, that was absolutely profound. What was it like,
you know, after in the midst of that sequence where
you just started you were knocking down these number one
powerhouse teams.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I mean, it was obviously enjoyable and it's what why
why you compete in sports in the first place, in
team sports, to be together do something that's really special.
But yet at that time, no one, no one thought,
oh boy, we're just going to continue to do this
and we're going to have a chance to make the
NCAA tournament at large. No one thought that because we
(11:57):
were so far back, so winning was was fun and
it gave us, hey, we're going in the right direction,
we're doing the right things. But it wasn't by no
means was it oh we got it like. It wasn't.
It was just like, hey, we're together, we're doing right things.
Let's just build off it, like what can we learn,
Let's move on. And I think the very next week
we had another chance, one of the top teams, Minnesota.
(12:17):
We beat them, and we took that and didn't say
we arrived. We just moved on. So when you asked
what it was like, I mean, I don't think the
guys looked at it as oh, man, yeah we're here,
we got it at all. I don't. I think they
just looked at it as, you know, what, we're doing
the right things. This stuff is real, let's keep going.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
And that's my favorite aspect of it, right, is when
when a team it's not about the grandiose nature of
the victory itself where you post on the ranking, right,
it's the end goal, it's the end mission. It's the unity,
the camaraderie on the team as it gets stronger and
stronger and stronger, and you know, I I think for
(13:00):
me where I saw kind of like my god, they
have a shot of this whole thing.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
You know, was that overtime goal behind the back?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
I think it it became ESPN's number one highlight of
the day. You're in Allentown, the crowd is going, like
I felt it through the TV.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I saw you on this. You know. My favorite is
like when you're beaten on.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Your assistant coach, it's just like like it's you. It's electric.
It's like it makes you feel alive. Can you can
you describe that that moment in that time?
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Well that that specifically, So we had some really good
victories obviously to keep it going to get to the
point where we were able to go to Allentown. You know,
that we were able to go to the NCAA tournament
was a huge thing for us to start so far back,
so that when we went, we just wanted to keep
it going. And what happened is we had an unbelievable
game against the Hockey East champions main I think we
(13:58):
beat them five to one. Maybe something with it.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Can I just can I just interrupt real quick? I
just need to tell the audience that that was so
my my wife was a Division one field hockey player
at Maine. All I ever hear is Maine hockey, main hockey,
main hockey. This is the first time we ever played
Penn State versus Maine in a game, and I have
to just let the audience know we are Penn State.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Thank you, coach, dads.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I have a lifetime of of you know, of pride
that I can thrust in her face because you guys
beat them five one.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
That's awesome. So they are a very good team. They
deserve a ton of They were awesome. But we played
well and we beat them, and so basically like wow,
And we go to the next night and we started
out on fire. We did really well. And and for
whatever reading that's sports, it wasn't that we took our
eye off the ball. Just like they started to come
they were they were beating and we came back, like
we came back and we tied it, and we came
(14:53):
back and we tied it and goes into overtime, but
we were leaking oil. And I don't even know what
the thought process. I don't think it was oh boy,
we score, we go I think the thought process was
just do what we've been doing to stay together, guys,
stay together, stay posited. Was all sort of about that.
All the the big lessons that we learned throughout the
season was what we were talking about it. It might have
(15:14):
been there where you know, Stirtzy got a great thing.
If there's any time of reference with it or on it,
it's now. And that's what happened. And then and and
overtime comes and Charlie Serado makes an unbelievable behind the
back pass to to Matt de Marcco, who DEDI who? Who?
I mean? Just an absolute snipe top corner to win it.
And then and then, I don't know, sort of like DEDI,
(15:36):
I think all of us just sort of blacked out
and went, this is unbelievable. I can't believe we're going
to the Frozen four first time in program history. I mean,
Dede throws sticks in his stands. He didn't know what happened.
The rest of us like we're it was. It was incredible.
We never really thought what would be like if we
actually got there, and we did and it was awesome.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Now, you know, you go into those those that game
against Boston and and you know, they're just an amazing,
amazing team, and and you could see like just the
the fight was still there. But again, you know, you know,
hockey is is this really? You know, I never got
the opportunity to play the game, but I always had
(16:16):
a passion for it.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And it's and it's because of that grit. You just
see it.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You know, you see the way guys are checking each
other and they're diving and there. I mean, I remember
there was one point you guys were just like shots
after shots and their players were diving in front of
parks and and it was just a battle on the ice.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
And and I want, you know, what.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Do you what do you say when your your team,
when you're going in between those periods? What were some
of the conversations that took place during that time?
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I think a little different. I guess there's one thing
I should mention about Allentown, which I think really did
play a role. It was it was, you know, we
did receive a lot of moments from the atmosphere there,
Like the Allentown is only about two and a half
hours from campus, and we had I think what looked
like the entire student section came to Allentown. I mean
(17:13):
they it was basically a home game for us. The
atmosphere was incredible. But and the students, as you know
at pigole Icera, they are that they're the best students
that there. I'll talk the best, no not, no question,
and they brought that to Allentown. So when we were
leaking oil a little bit, I think we did jump
on their back like they they started a roll. It
really brought us up. And obviously in Saint Louis it's
(17:35):
not the same type of thing. It's a you know,
eighteen thousand seed arena or whatever it was. And we
certainly did have our fair share of great penn stators
that show up, but it wasn't like Allentown where our
student section ran the show. So the conversation, I mean,
I think the guys left it all out there, I
really do. But hockey's interesting, and it was one game
shot there's you know, there's refs, goalies and bouncing pucks
(17:59):
and a lot of things can happen. We did have
our opportunity, we had our you know, Aiden Fink, who
was a Hoby Baker Top ten finalist, had a breakaway
to change the game. Dan Dawiak, who was the most
outstanding player at Allentown Regional, had a breakaway change the game.
We had two on ones with very excellent offensive players
that we didn't cash in on, and sometimes that happens.
(18:19):
But the conversations, we really tried to stay the same,
same process. Let's just keep going what we're going. I
don't know if we just couldn't get over the hump
because Boston is very good, or if we didn't just
have that little extra ump from the from the atmosphere,
I'm not sure what it.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Was regardless of of of of the outcomes. I mean, obviously,
you know, you hit your four hundred wins this season,
and I'm sure it's like, okay, yeah, whatever, I know
you it's like that's a side thing that's not even important,
but it really for me, it's a representation of of
your grit and your determination and and you know, so
(18:56):
I you know, I think what's what's amazing is is
these these young men were able to maintain this momentum,
you know, And and if anybody's never gotten on the
ice or even tried hockey, it's one of the most
difficult sports to play. It's agonizing, it requires a tremendous
amount of strength and conditioning and you know, I mean
(19:18):
just the time and.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Effort to be a great hockey players.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
There you know when you when you see that and
you end the season at that space, you know afterwards,
what what is it that you know? If you don't mind,
and I know these are very personal moments, and uh
what what did What were some of the comments that
the players shared with one another after that game and
(19:44):
and subsequently maybe some of the other meetings after and
what were what were these these young men telling each
other and sharing with each other. Man, I hope you're
enjoying the show, but we got to give a shout
out to one of our great sponsors. It's Firecracker Farms,
a good friend of mine. Alex has the best hot
salt on the market. So if you like hot things
(20:05):
on your food and you're sick of sauce, go check
out Firecracker dot Farm and get all their different types
in different levels of heat. They've got these beautiful salt
shakers that you just sprayed on your eggs or your
meat every single day.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I'm telling you, this is the best thing. It's it's
it's the.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Number one thing I use on my food day in
and day out. So visit Firecracker dot Farm punch in
rut r U Team fifteen for your discount today.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Hu yah, keep it hot baby.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And what were what were these these young men telling
each other and sharing with each other?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Are you telling after the final game or.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yeah, the final game? The final game?
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Yeah, you know some of the commers, well, I think
you know what they're telling themselves. I think had a
lot to do with how much they cared about one another,
Like it wasn't about their skill so much. We have
a goaltender named our Sinney Sergeev who's a great goaltender,
but I can tell you that every conversation about him
(21:11):
was just how lovable he is, like how much the
guys love him because he competes so hard and he's
so much fun. And I think it's not only him.
I think that transcends to a lot of guys. I
think one of the conversations I mean that after is
you know, you talk about the success of the program,
et cetera, like it all is a together thing and
for us, like for big time college athletics, now you
(21:34):
need tremendous support. You just do. It's prerequisite and and
I've been very fortunate to have that through my career.
But right now, like we have an athletic director who's
just all in, like he's it's really evident that he
has our back in a very Ricky de Rocha way.
Like the weird thing is is there actually they might
share a brain because when I said about Ricky, like
(21:56):
he looks for standing up to beating arrogance or entitlement,
like that's Ricky, Like I think that, all right, pat
Craft has a lot of that in him, and I
think the guys felt and he's a really good he
would come in our locker room too, and like he
really was all into these guys and the guys knew it,
(22:16):
so they felt his emotional support. But it also it's
very evident that from an administrative level, and that's what
I'm talking about prerexit, like Penn State supports its student
athletes at the highest level. And I think they felt that,
and I think that was part of like this is awesome,
We're in the right place, Like this is we pull together.
We can do this because we've got all the support.
(22:38):
So I think I think it was about loving each other,
like how much they cared for each other and how
fortunate we are to be where we're at with the
support that we have.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, I mean I've obviously I'm partial because I went
there and I played there, but but you know, having
doctor Craft come in and what I've watched and what
he's done, and you know, there he is on you know,
on the wrestling match, screaming, you know, when they're winning
a national champion, there he is, you know, in football
(23:06):
and and you know champion, you know champion, you know
the you know, semi champion, you know semi uh the
semi final game, and there he is, you know, in
the volleyball court, and there he is with you guys.
You know, I mean it's just like you finally see
somebody who is so invested in these young kids and
(23:27):
wants to provide them with the greatest experience there is,
you know, as a student athlete and as a as
a Penn stater. You know, that's what the Penn State
family means, you know, with all.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You know what I got to interrupt there because you
might I wonder if you've seen this, because what you
just talked about, there's this little video that encompasses all that.
And I talked about our sini. It was after it
was after we want in overtime in Allentown to go
to the Frozen four, and there was a shot of
Doctor Craft congratulating RC. But it wasn't like a congratulations.
(24:02):
It was more like a I mean, it was cool,
Like it was really genuine emotion, like it was awesome.
And you see that, And I can tell you our
sceny certainly felt feels a lot of love from his
team and our program, but now now he feels it
from the entire athletic party and because of what doctor
(24:23):
Kraft represents all of Penn State, like that moment, I
think for Arci and it was just it made him
a Penn Stater for life. I promise you that. Like
it was just awesome stuff. And when you talk about
the difference of Penn State, there is a difference. And
I thought that little like two second three second video
and you know, sort of encapsulated all of that.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Amen to that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
All right, you have just accomplished something that hasn't happened
in the program's history. But yet when you look at
the advancements and and you know, you keep advancing this
program to such a high degree, what does it look
like in the future, where do you go now? Obviously
you know you I'd watched one interview where you talked
(25:07):
about what mister Pegoula's intention was, which was to drive
you know, Penn State to become a premier program, to
bring Penn State, you know, phill Pennsylvania hockey players, regional
hockey players.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Into the program.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
What does that look like for you guys right now
in moving forward?
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Correct? And that is a big part of his vision.
Wasn't just for a Division one program to get up
a Division on hockey team at Penn State. It wasn't.
He really talked about being a catalyst to improve the
profile and the quality of hockey in Pennsylvania. And I
think he's done that. Like I really think he's starting
to get exactly what he wanted. And it didn't happen
(25:45):
right away. I think this is a great step. The
fact that Penn State went to the Frozen four, I
think really shows that he was right that it would happen.
A lot of people said, you know, you're nuts. I
think proves he was right. And where we go from
here is really to continue on the path. Like it's awesome,
(26:06):
the winning is great, but our job, like we're not here.
We're not saying like it's all about winning. It's not.
And I mean to be honest, Rutt, like I used
to think that I got to be honest with you,
like I did. I used to when I was a
little younger coach, Like I thought, that's all my job was,
Like that's I do my job and the rest of
it cares itself. And in fact, it's almost completely opposite.
(26:28):
It's it's our job is to prepare these hockey, these
student athletes that we get for success in life. That's
that's the honest truth. And it's obviously going to include hockey,
and through hockey, we're going to learn those things. But
it's not for us to win. It's for us to
prepare them, give them lessons, give them the support like
(26:49):
I talked about athletic department, give them everything they need
to be successful, and then allow them to learn those
lessons along the way that they're going to apply later
on in life. And for many of them it's going
to mean hockey as well. But I'm talking about after that,
Like if you can imagine the lesson about really staying
positive together, Like you can talk and read all you want,
(27:09):
but you go through it and you prove to yourself
that that is real. I mean, that's something that sticks
with you well beyond hockey or sports. I mean, that's
something that you're going to use with any business twenty
years from now, your family, twenty twenty five years forever.
And that's a really important thing. So when I say
where are we going, We're just going to continue to
(27:30):
fight to do all we can to prepare our guys
that we have that we've been blessed enough to have
our guys, We're going to do everything to prepare them
for success in life. And we do that success and
wins follow. So it's not about winning. It's about doing
what it takes to be the best person you can
and winning will follow. That's what we do.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Man, Coach.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
When you speak and you talk like that, man, it's
just I realize that you know, you are the real deal.
And and and the other thing that really was incredibly
moving to me this year and this whole thing was
you know, I mean I think you know that that
that first time I came in and and you know,
you guys were playing Army and your son was at Army,
(28:15):
and as you know, an All American first team All American.
He's one of the best players I've ever seen. He's
a defense you know, he's just a he's a machine
on the eyes, a beast. Well he he has decided
to to, you know, give up a commission serving in
the US military to come and play with you. I mean,
I don't I mean, I don't even know how I
(28:38):
would even handle that. If if, if, But but tell
me how what that feels like? That your your son,
who is already you know, out there, you know, moving
towards this impressive place. But he says, you know what,
my dad is such a phenomenal coach. He has built
such a phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Group of young men.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
They are becoming the type of young men that I
want to become.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
So I want to go play for him.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
How is to talk about that for just a little bit,
if you could.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Well, I don't know if it is. Quite honestly, it's
not him wanting to play for his dad by any means,
and it's not me wanting to coach him. And that's
the truth. I'm extremely I don't know how much like
I have extreme respect for the military. Extreme. I went
through a couple of experiences, starting from Alaska, that had
a love for it. Anyway, one of my most proud
moments was him being admitted to West Point and when
(29:30):
he went there, there was at the time, there was
rules in place in the governmental that these cadets could
go play pro and then the first service, and that
was a big It was important to him because he's
always had a dream to play professionally. But so anyway,
he went to West Point and had the absolute I
think they will be the two best years of his
(29:51):
entire life, no matter what happens from up from now.
I care. I guarantee it, and I'm positive they will
be the two most impactful. His coaches are un believable,
his team was unbelievable. You talk about a brotherhood, and like,
he's got it and he loves that and he loves
his team, and he's loved West Point. And the decision
to do this was I got it. It was extremely
(30:14):
difficult for him, and he knew for two years that
would be coming because he again I said, he had
this goal to play play pro. He wanted to the
rules just as he was going into Beast training changed.
Oh wow. Yeah. And so right now, as it is,
it's not guaranteed that these players are up are able
to go. Now they're trying to change it back, and
(30:34):
I really hope they do because there's so many great
cadets that I think they get. They want the opportunity,
they want to serve for sure, but they want the
opportunity to try go play pro live out their dream first.
So anyway, that's what happened. He had the he had
to make a choice. Ultimately, he was like, I want
to follow my dream. I want to play, and he
had such a good season that he was starting to
get attention from NHL teams that made it his dream
(30:57):
almost more real, and it ultimate he decided, Okay, I
want to go somewhere where I know I can follow that.
So it wasn't I want to go to pet stage
play for my dad. But what happened in the meantime
is our you know, our coaches are saying, look like
we need we needed a devestment, and he is right
now like we can't play against him, like let's do this,
(31:18):
and so it really it wasn't. I think now that
it happened, I think I feel extremely blessed that I'm
going to get the opportunity to spend more time with
him because he's been fun from home since he was
fourteen years old. So this is a real blessing and
that I'm extremely grateful for. But it wasn't I want
to coach my son. It just so happened that the
need that we had. He's a as you mentioned, he's
an All American and Hobbly top ten like I do
(31:42):
not want to play against him. I'll tell you that
that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
You're you're awesome. Thank you for that humble response. Well,
coach again, I just you've been one of you played
a major role and me reshaping what I know is
a great coach and a great leader.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And and it's you know, and yes it's it.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Is your tactical proficiency, it's your knowledge of this beautiful game.
But more so it's what you the space you provide
for these young men to become the men they want
to be in order to have the experience that they
had this year. And and to all your your team
and those young men, you know, just please share how
(32:25):
proud I am of them and what I witnessed this
year was was one of the greatest experiences of my
entire life.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
To be able to watch.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
These these these these tough, tough young men achieve something
that nobody thought they could do.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It was brilliant. So you know, thank you sir.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Well, well, that's very kind. I appreciate that. I know
you you asked me not to talk about this, but
I have to because I feel really they did. They
came together in a really tough way and honestly to
have uh you know the guy that trained Michael Murphy
and what it meant to like that was really impactful
to us. So I appreciate what you said, but I
have to, honestly, I have to thank you. I know
(33:07):
you asked me not to talk about it, but if
we're going to tell the true story, that was very
impactful for our team. So it's funny how things happen.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Amen, it is well coach, God bless you, and hope
to see soon man have a great off season.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
You got it, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
How does a person develop mental in physical toughness and
then and then and then how do how do how
do they take that and try and invest it in
other people and develop and develop that in people that
they're kind of passing it on to.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
All right, well, I'm going to try answer this question
I think physical toughness is extremely important. There's different ways
to do that. I think it's important to do that. However,
the mental toughness aspect of it, I think is more important.
And you talk about your award, the fire and the
gut award, I think it's similar to something we do.
And here's the deal. When everything is going well, you
(34:08):
have a lot of guys that lead, that are comfortable leading,
that have fun leading, and are positive. Okay, it's my
experience that when things aren't going well, not only not
going I mean really bad, when things are going bad,
then you find out who really has fire in the gut.
(34:29):
Because it's very different to lead when things are terrible
and do it in a positive way because if you
do it negatively and this and this point fingers like,
you can get worse in a hurry. So when you say,
how do you develop it?
Speaker 1 (34:45):
If you want to hear the rest of this incredible
follow on interview with Coach Godowski, please go to our
Patreon account at David Rutherford's show. Join with a small
subscription of two dollars a month, and you will hear
the rest of this plus other incredible dedicated content.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
But the big news.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
That we're going to announce right now on this show
is on May thirty. First, I'm going to deliver a
motivational event with follow on Q and A for our
subscribers and where I'm going to introduce what is motivation,
Where's it come from, and how do we employ it
in our lives?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
So don't miss it.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Join our Patreon account at David Rutherford's show for our
live event and the follow on.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Discussion with Coach Kadowski.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Well, after you spend a little bit of time listening
to Coach Kadosky and you listen to what these young
men went through during this incredible season.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
If you're anything like me, you that hits you down
deep right. It hits you in the place that that
lifts us up right.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
It hits us in the place that the negative insurgency
can't reach. It hits us in that space where in
the midst of a tough day, or we're going through hardship,
or we're struggling in our lives, we hear a story
like that, a story about the underdog pulling up out
(36:24):
of the depths of defeat and coming back and doing
something that nobody thought they could do. That's those are
the stories that we need more of in this life.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Now.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
What's interesting is so often nowadays, as people are consumed
with the negative aspects of what's in their feed over
and over, or in the pretend world of the veneer
of fabricated luxury or fabricated joy or.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Whatever that is.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
As well, we all know that underneath everybody story, there's
you know, there's there's hardship, there's pain, and in particular
for this story itself. And although I I was humbled
by by what Coach Gad said and in the role
I played, I'm here to tell you it was It's
(37:19):
not what you think it was, all right. I was
introduced from my good friend Rick de Rosa, who is
one of the best human beings I've ever met in
my entire life. I just I love you, Rick, I
love what you represent, I love who you are. And
by the way, Rick came, you know, got recruited by
Coach Gads. He was going to go play at Princeton,
(37:42):
I mean, and coach got the job to take Penn
State hockey from a club team to a Division one
Big ten team. And Rick came on as a freshman
and then finished four years later as a captain of
the team and won a Big ten championship, right and
that you know, obviously there were many other players that
supported that, but Rick was the heartbeat of that. And
(38:04):
so when Rick came to me and said, man, you
gotta meet this coach. You gotta, you gotta, uh he's
really wonderful and and and you know, like I said,
you know, these first times we were able to communicate
were really impactful to me because he was like the
old school coaches I had growing up, right, those coaches
from the seventies and the eighties who you know, talking
(38:26):
he'd be like this and his tooth would be missing
earning and he'd be like, you know, Rod, I want
to you know that great that fight.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
I want him to got there.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I want him to put a guy into the board,
and I want him to fight for the you know.
And I'm like, holy cow, like give me some skates, man,
and I want to get on there.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
Right shorty.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
I mean, it's that, it's that that that feeling like
you you feel had come off people you felt that before.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Havn't you?
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Absolutely, yeah, that's a long story. I had a uh,
not quite the same thing, but I had a drum
line coach. Have you ever seen the movie Whiplash?
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Yeah, a wonderful movie.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
I had that guy as my, uh my coach in that.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
So that was it was interesting.
Speaker 4 (39:10):
I got a little flavor of it.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
There you go, and so you you have that. He
hits me and then he's then he tells me the story. Listen,
we're gonna go play Army. It's the weekend of the
Army Navy game, which is a monster deal, right, and
we're gonna play you know, Army, and we're gonna but
I you know, there's this whole thing going on him, like,
you know, what's up. And he tells me the story
about how the team has committed themselves to you know,
(39:35):
this beautiful inscription on on Michael Murphy's memorial at Penn State.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
And you know, and and and and.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
As he mentioned, you know, I had the real honor
and privilege to be, you know, play some minute little
role in Mike Murphy's life. I was an s QT
instructor when he came through, and Danny and Marcus and
some of the other guys part of Red Wings and
and and and for me, it wasn't like, oh look
(40:03):
at me. I I trained him and it's nothing like that.
But what for me, what I what I was so
inspired by, was that they took this story, this underdog story,
and they wanted to fuse it and to build help
build them the culture of their team.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Because that's what it is.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I mean, that's what it always is, right, It's it's
never this one individual, it's it's the culture that emerges
out of those gritty individuals coming together and infusing the
idea together. And so you know, on this beautiful memorial
to pay tribute to to Mike, you know, it's it's
it says, you know, with your shield or on it.
(40:44):
And that's the famous quote that King Leonidas's wife, the
Queen of Sparta, shared with him as he and and
and you know, the three hundred Spartans marched off to
face the Persians at the at the Hot Gates, you know,
in twenty five hundred Athenians. When I'm going to this
core of three hundred that were marching to their certain deaths,
(41:06):
uh to face this this you know, army the size
of which most people had never dreamed or seen of
in their lives. And they stood hard for three days
at the Hot Gates. And you know, and and and
stood their ground until they were all annihilated, you know.
And and so here these young college kids. And so
for all of you people out there that thinks this
(41:28):
younger generation is isn't worth it, damn you know, you
got to check yourself on that. That's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Man. Yeah, there are some kids who are struggling.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
There are some kids that have been indoctrinated into things
that maybe you know, aren't benefiting them on a on
a deeper level. But there are literally millions of kids
out there that are are doing the right things, putting
themselves in the right moments in order to to to
find that fusion point to drive them forward to become
(41:58):
something that they always dreamed that would be coming.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
If you know anything.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
About hockey, this does not happen you're freshman year high
school man. Hockey is something that starts very early on
in a young person's life.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
And it's and it's like this infection.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Right, Why else would you want to get in a freezy,
cold arena. Right, You're on skates, you can barely move,
and you you skate as fast as you can at
at at long time, long periods, and then you drive
people into the boards and you fight each other. And
I mean, you got to be a little bit mental
(42:36):
to want to play the sport. And that's why I
have so much respect for it. But so these kids
from a very early age, they drive themselves and and
so as I came into this, and and mind you,
you know the Big Ten Hockey conferences, you know, one
of the most dominant conferences there is. And you know,
I know I kind of joked about main mains of
phenomenal so as BEU and all these other incredible pros
(43:00):
out there, but the Big Ten has really been a
juggernaut in college hockey for a long, long period. So
this is what they're up against. And they took this
idea and it's not just the idea of the Battle
of Thermopyline, it's the idea behind It's the idea behind
Mike Murphy and the story of what took place in
(43:23):
Red Wings and that you know, he sacrificed himself for
his teaming. And that's a powerful thing to allow that
to hit you in your heart. It's a powerful thing
to allow another person sacrifice, another person's pain, another person's
dedication to something that's bigger than themselves, to trigger that.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Thing in your heart.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It really is a powerful, powerful moment, and I've been
blessed to have many of those in my life. And
that's what I tried instill. And so when I did
show up for this, it wasn't at all about hey,
listen to rout or frog logic or anything about it.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
But I wanted to tie them to the person.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
I wanted to somehow let them connect to these ideas,
you know. But I also told the story of of
Mike Monsour who jumped on a grenade to save his
buddy's lives. I told the story of Mike Thornton, who
who saved his lieutenant and several other South Vietnamese guys
in this insane battle against a hugely superior force. And
(44:24):
I told you know, the story of the lieutenant who
Mike Thornton saved, which was my Tommy Norris, who he
won a Medal of Honor doing this personnel recovery of
these two pilots that was even more crazy than than
this these other ones.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
So all of.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
These stories that I used to help connect kind of
that underdog mentality, but it's it's to the construct of
sacrifice for a bigger purpose, a bigger cause. And I
you know, that was the thing that I was trying
to imbue in these young men. And then they you know,
at that point, and it wasn't me. It was them
(45:04):
coming together and recognizing the power of the story, the
power of that ability to connect to something that's bigger
than yourself. And then they took that and they ran
with it. And it's really just a remarkable thing. Every
time I would watch or listen to these young men
(45:25):
being interviewed and pay attention and what they did and
how far they took this program that's relatively new.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
It really was somewhat of a miracle.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Now again, you know, every time you mentioned the word
miracle and hockey, there's an automatic reflection of the nineteen
eighty Olympic. You know, a hockey game where you know,
a bunch of college kids, you know, beat Russian for
the gold medal and or actually for the semi and
then went on to win the gold, you know, and
you know, you know.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
What about that movie? And I reference that movie quite
a bit.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
And I did have an opportunity when I on my
old show that I did with Marcus, we interviewed the
goalkeeper for.
Speaker 2 (46:06):
That, which was amazing.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
But you know, my favorite scene in that movie, you know,
and the story is when you know they play Sweden.
I think they failed bat miserably and then the coach
you know, gets them on the line. You remember watching
that movie Jordi, right where they're doing the suicides back
and forth and they're.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Right and they're.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Vomiting on the ice, and you know they're they're you know,
they're they're dying, and you know every you know, some
of the assistant coaches are like, hey, coach, isn't that enough?
Speaker 2 (46:35):
And he's like no, and he keeps them going.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
And then there's the famous line You're like, you're not
doing this for the name that's on the back of
the jersey.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
You're doing it what's on the front, which was USA.
And I think the.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
Embodiment of of all of this that I'm trying to
get you to understand is that we're all underdogs in
some context. We're all struggling to achieve a greater a
greater meaning. And all I hope that you're going to
pull out of this interview is that the greater meaning
(47:10):
is when you sacrifice so that someone else succeeds. I mean,
that's the thing that's the whole criteria of this, this, this,
this whole story and and and the story of mirakwon
Ice and the story of Mike Murphy and the story
of of the underdog. Is that it's the the fire
(47:33):
that comes out of.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
You, I hate, the the thing.
Speaker 1 (47:36):
Inside your your heart and your soul, whatever that is,
whatever you believe, it is that that ignites. And then
you you put forth an effort that you never dreamed
was possible, but not for the victory for yourself, but
more importantly, you sacrifice so that your team or teammates
(47:59):
or the people that you love most, that they achieve
their victory. So I just really am grateful. I'm honored
that Coach Gads would come on and share this story
of these incredible young men, and I just I feel
very blessed today in this moment, we are
What's up, everybody. Do you know what it takes to
get to the Frozen four? Do you know what it
takes to come back from being zero to nine in
tournament play? Do you know what it takes to lead
your team out of the depths and into the championship bid? Well,
guess what today Coach Gadouski is going to tell you
(00:21):
how that happens.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the David Rutherford Show.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, everybody, This is one that has been on
my heart in such a huge way. This individual has
got to be one of my favorite people. He is
one of the best coaches I have ever met in
my entire life. I've had the credible honor of meeting
coach Kadowski through a good friend of mine and a
(00:47):
great friend of the Penn State program, Rick de Rosa,
who is also a fierce competitor. But you know, just meeting,
having the opportunity to meet coach and to get to
know him, and then to watch this unbelievable fairy tale season.
I just it's such a privilege and an honor. Coach Goodusky,
(01:08):
Welcome to the David Rutherford Show.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Buddy.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Wow, that's that's a heck of an introduction. I don't
that's tough to live up to, but thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
I think every day you live up to it. Man,
I know for sure you do it. Just the way
Rick talks about you, I'll never forget. Like the first
the first time we got on the phone and he's like,
you know Rick, and Rick's real kind of chill. He's like, hey, Rutt,
you know, you gotta meet coach Gads. He's he's just
he transformed my life. He's one of the most.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Impactful people I've ever met. You just gotta meet, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
And I'm like, I'm like for Rick to start talking
like that, I was like, oh, I'm all in man.
So you know, first Frozen four appearance, finishing the season
ranked at number five, your four hundredth win this year,
multiple All Americans. You know, Coach win, did you know
like this season was was a little bit a bit
(02:04):
different or what about it was?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Did you just like, Okay, this is gonna be a
good one.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Well not right away, but I got to tell you,
if you believe like everything's meant to happen, like the
thing with Rick is really interesting. It truly is. Because
we uh, I just found out recently that Michael Murphy
was a Penn Stater. I didn't know that. I obviously
watched the movie and was unbelievably impressed with him. I
(02:31):
certainly I have great respect for the military, and so
I knew all this, and I didn't know he was
a Penn Stater. I had no idea. We found out,
so we're like, oh man, like we have to do
the murph Challenge as a team, Like we got to
do it. It's unbelievable. So we set that up when
we were doing it. And then that's when, like we
had that set up before I talked to Rick, and
I talked to Rick, and for those people, I got it,
(02:52):
like this isn't just a player that played here, Like
Rick de Rosa is the oh man, Like how you
describe he is the most persevering battle like he he's
a guy that will battle entitlement and arrogance for fun,
that kind of guy, Like I don't know if that
(03:13):
describes it, but that's what he was. And so when
we were a new program and we had so many
players that were like, man, I love Penn State, but
I don't I don't want to lose, Like I'm not
going to go there because I'm going to lose four
years and I, you know, thanks for the offer. Would
love to be a Penn State, but I don't want
to lose. I mean, Rick was like, absolutely, bring it on.
And he was the one. There's others like him, but
he was absolutely the leader. And people know it in
(03:34):
terms of like we're gonna beat everybody. We're gonna work
harder than everybody, We're going to do it together. We're
gonna be the ultimate team. We're gonna beat these guys
that have this, this, this and this, and that was
his attitude and that's what sort of propelled us. So
when you talk about this season, when did we know,
we didn't know. But we did the Murph Challenge, which
was great and guys loved it. And for whatever reason,
(03:58):
we're young, we had some we had some we had
some gold injury problems, our top goalie went down. Anyway,
we hate we were we didn't win in nine games. Wow,
And and Rick talked and he said, you know, like
you got to meet Rutt.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
I sorry, I know you don't want to talk about this,
but but what happened was because the Murph Challenge was
such a big part of what we were doing, and
we were going to play Army Army hockey at Washington
d C during the Army Navy football game, and and
it's a big deal, and our equipment manager made unbelievable
jerseys and we had this whole thing about the Murph Challenge.
(04:36):
And then Rick called and tells me about you, and
so I know you don't want to talk about this,
but but Rutt came into our locker room and told
the guys exactly about Rutt and what made him special.
So a lot of guys appointed to that and said, geez,
we you know, we were talking about being a team,
but we didn't really that sort of solidified how important
is and what it means. So that was a really
(04:57):
big thing for our team. And then we ended up
playing Army we beat him at d C. And but
since that time our record was I mean, I think
we lost four games until the thro and four something
just incredible. So when you, I know you asked the question,
when did we know, we didn't know. We did not.
We didn't know until until we went on a roll
(05:19):
and all of a sudden in the season we looked
up and said, oh my god, we speak. We sweep
Michigan in the playoffs, we have a chance to go
to the FRO to go to the NCAA. So that's
we didn't know until it all came together.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Well, what was incredible to me when you first reached
out and you and you told me that story about
doing the murf And then obviously what a lot of
people if you if you're not familiar with Penn State University,
there's a big memorial on Penn State's campus dedicated to
Murph and on it there's this beautiful, you know, Greek
saying you know, and it's with your shielder on it.
(05:53):
And that's what Leonid King Leonidas's wife said to him
before the Battle of Thermopylane. And and when you told me,
like these guys that like they gravitated towards that. And
I remember, you know, we had had another conversation where
you talk or I asked you and like, what what
about Penn State hockey do.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
You are you trying to invoke? I mean, you have.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
A long storied history, uh, you know playing you know
my and I just I just figured out that I
bet you were in San Diego when I was in
San Diego, and I think I went to a few
games when when during that time, So I was I'm
just trying to remember if you were there during when
I went. But you know, you have this incredible career.
(06:35):
But what more you have is you have this incredible
knowledge base of what makes a great hockey player. And
you always talk about grit, right, you always talk about
that toughness and I love it.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
You know, you can you get a fired up and you.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Know it's almost like you know your the veins in
your temples start popping out and you're like, this is
what it is?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Well, what about the toughness on these kids?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Like you know, my one of my favorite stories is
about Dixon and you know, him coming out and saying,
we're you know, we're not going to be negative no
more than is that? Is that what what you're looking for?
When in these guys and and how did they kind
of get it triggered in themselves? Like you know, we
need to be tougher, we need to be more positive.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
All right? True? Well, so like here I'm going to
show you this because this is that that was on
our jersey U when we played Army. Uh you know that?
And that is with it or want with it or
on it? And I think the guys said it, they
liked it, but you came and told us exactly what
it means. That was very impactful. In fact, there was
a time when we were going into overtime and I
(07:41):
can't remember which game it was, which overtime game it was,
but you know, one of our coaches starts he was like, hey, man,
if there's ever time to use you know, with it
or on it, this is it. And so that was
referenced right before overtime that we obviously want and it
might have been the yeah, like like it was one
of the big games in playoffs we had, we want
a few in overtime. So so you know, your question
(08:04):
was you know about grit and how you get guys
do it? And I think rut, Like, here's the thing.
Coaches can say as much as they want, but it's
way more important what happens when coaches leave the locker
room then what happens when coaches are in it. And
think about that, because the guys are with the team,
they're together how many hours a day together in locker
(08:24):
room where coaches are with them five minutes, So it's
really much more important what happens when coaches leave than
when they're in there, and and our leadership group really
really took this to heart with their on it, and
and one in particular, Carson Dick, who is Ricky DeRos
the type guy you know, stood up when things were bad,
(08:48):
when we hadn't won yet in Big ten and said,
you know, we are not I'm just we're refusing to
get negg. We're not gonna allow anybody to get negative.
So heads up, like we're not going to allow it,
so stop being babies. I mean, we're not going to
allow it. And they talked about this and it I mean,
it really resonated. And I think there's another thing though
along like when this sort of happened. We have a
(09:11):
women's volleyball team that was really really good, but what
happened to them in the in the semi finals, they
were down two sets to nothing, and they were down
twenty two to sixteen games are up to twenty five,
so they were left for dead absolutely, and they came
back and won it. And not only did they win
that game, they won the national championship a few nights later,
and were like something that's just incredible, like incredible. And
(09:33):
what happened was when we walked into the locker room
after that. I remember the guys like they weren't they
weren't just saying, oh wow, they won, that's really cool.
They were like, how did they do that? Yeah, Like
they were really intrigued. They're like, mentally, how did they
do that? And so we brought you know, we actually
brought the women's volleyball coach coach Katie into to ask her,
(09:55):
and so we did that and her answers very much
mirrored what Carson Dick was talking about and what you know,
you're with her with with it or on it really embodied.
So because of that, it was extremely impactful, like extremely impactful.
You just can't talk about that. And for it happened,
(10:16):
all those things came together where everybody was like, oh my,
like I'm in, I'm in, I'm whole totally in. That's
the deal.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
It's it's really amazing because when you look at the
narrative and I've got one.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
Of my closest friends out there in the world.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Ryan is married to women Marika, and Marika is one
one of the two national championship teams for that team
back in the day, and and was, uh, you know,
with a different coach then, but but she talks about
the inspiration that can come from little things here and there.
And you know, I think for the women's volleyball it
certainly was the coach's you know, battle with cancer, right,
(10:56):
we're not going to lose for her. And then now
you've got your team like with it or on it,
and so they they find these little threads of motivation
that seemed to like go deeper than just I want
to win, right that that that's just it's it's it's
much deeper than that idea, you know, when as you guys,
(11:17):
I mean for me, it was you know, when you
started beating when you beat Michigan State when they were
number one, that was absolutely profound. What was it like,
you know, after in the midst of that sequence where
you just started you were knocking down these number one
powerhouse teams.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I mean, it was obviously enjoyable and it's what why
why you compete in sports in the first place, in
team sports, to be together do something that's really special.
But yet at that time, no one, no one thought,
oh boy, we're just going to continue to do this
and we're going to have a chance to make the
NCAA tournament at large. No one thought that because we
(11:57):
were so far back, so winning was was fun and
it gave us, hey, we're going in the right direction,
we're doing the right things. But it wasn't by no
means was it oh we got it like. It wasn't.
It was just like, hey, we're together, we're doing right things.
Let's just build off it, like what can we learn,
Let's move on. And I think the very next week
we had another chance, one of the top teams, Minnesota.
(12:17):
We beat them, and we took that and didn't say
we arrived. We just moved on. So when you asked
what it was like, I mean, I don't think the
guys looked at it as oh, man, yeah we're here,
we got it at all. I don't. I think they
just looked at it as, you know, what, we're doing
the right things. This stuff is real, let's keep going.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
And that's my favorite aspect of it, right, is when
when a team it's not about the grandiose nature of
the victory itself where you post on the ranking, right,
it's the end goal, it's the end mission. It's the unity,
the camaraderie on the team as it gets stronger and
stronger and stronger, and you know, I I think for
(13:00):
me where I saw kind of like my god, they
have a shot of this whole thing.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
You know, was that overtime goal behind the back?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
I think it it became ESPN's number one highlight of
the day. You're in Allentown, the crowd is going, like
I felt it through the TV.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I saw you on this. You know. My favorite is
like when you're beaten on.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
Your assistant coach, it's just like like it's you. It's electric.
It's like it makes you feel alive. Can you can
you describe that that moment in that time?
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (13:35):
Well that that specifically, So we had some really good
victories obviously to keep it going to get to the
point where we were able to go to Allentown. You know,
that we were able to go to the NCAA tournament
was a huge thing for us to start so far back,
so that when we went, we just wanted to keep
it going. And what happened is we had an unbelievable
game against the Hockey East champions main I think we
(13:58):
beat them five to one. Maybe something with it.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
Can I just can I just interrupt real quick? I
just need to tell the audience that that was so
my my wife was a Division one field hockey player
at Maine. All I ever hear is Maine hockey, main hockey,
main hockey. This is the first time we ever played
Penn State versus Maine in a game, and I have
to just let the audience know we are Penn State.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Thank you, coach, dads.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I have a lifetime of of you know, of pride
that I can thrust in her face because you guys
beat them five one.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
That's awesome. So they are a very good team. They
deserve a ton of They were awesome. But we played
well and we beat them, and so basically like wow,
And we go to the next night and we started
out on fire. We did really well. And and for
whatever reading that's sports, it wasn't that we took our
eye off the ball. Just like they started to come
they were they were beating and we came back, like
we came back and we tied it, and we came
(14:53):
back and we tied it and goes into overtime, but
we were leaking oil. And I don't even know what
the thought process. I don't think it was oh boy,
we score, we go I think the thought process was
just do what we've been doing to stay together, guys,
stay together, stay posited. Was all sort of about that.
All the the big lessons that we learned throughout the
season was what we were talking about it. It might have
(15:14):
been there where you know, Stirtzy got a great thing.
If there's any time of reference with it or on it,
it's now. And that's what happened. And then and and
overtime comes and Charlie Serado makes an unbelievable behind the
back pass to to Matt de Marcco, who DEDI who? Who?
I mean? Just an absolute snipe top corner to win it.
And then and then, I don't know, sort of like DEDI,
(15:36):
I think all of us just sort of blacked out
and went, this is unbelievable. I can't believe we're going
to the Frozen four first time in program history. I mean,
Dede throws sticks in his stands. He didn't know what happened.
The rest of us like we're it was. It was incredible.
We never really thought what would be like if we
actually got there, and we did and it was awesome.
Speaker 2 (15:55):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Now, you know, you go into those those that game
against Boston and and you know, they're just an amazing,
amazing team, and and you could see like just the
the fight was still there. But again, you know, you know,
hockey is is this really? You know, I never got
the opportunity to play the game, but I always had
(16:16):
a passion for it.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
And it's and it's because of that grit. You just
see it.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You know, you see the way guys are checking each
other and they're diving and there. I mean, I remember
there was one point you guys were just like shots
after shots and their players were diving in front of
parks and and it was just a battle on the ice.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
And and I want, you know, what.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
Do you what do you say when your your team,
when you're going in between those periods? What were some
of the conversations that took place during that time?
Speaker 3 (16:50):
I think a little different. I guess there's one thing
I should mention about Allentown, which I think really did
play a role. It was it was, you know, we
did receive a lot of moments from the atmosphere there,
Like the Allentown is only about two and a half
hours from campus, and we had I think what looked
like the entire student section came to Allentown. I mean
(17:13):
they it was basically a home game for us. The
atmosphere was incredible. But and the students, as you know
at pigole Icera, they are that they're the best students
that there. I'll talk the best, no not, no question,
and they brought that to Allentown. So when we were
leaking oil a little bit, I think we did jump
on their back like they they started a roll. It
really brought us up. And obviously in Saint Louis it's
(17:35):
not the same type of thing. It's a you know,
eighteen thousand seed arena or whatever it was. And we
certainly did have our fair share of great penn stators
that show up, but it wasn't like Allentown where our
student section ran the show. So the conversation, I mean,
I think the guys left it all out there, I
really do. But hockey's interesting, and it was one game
shot there's you know, there's refs, goalies and bouncing pucks
(17:59):
and a lot of things can happen. We did have
our opportunity, we had our you know, Aiden Fink, who
was a Hoby Baker Top ten finalist, had a breakaway
to change the game. Dan Dawiak, who was the most
outstanding player at Allentown Regional, had a breakaway change the game.
We had two on ones with very excellent offensive players
that we didn't cash in on, and sometimes that happens.
(18:19):
But the conversations, we really tried to stay the same,
same process. Let's just keep going what we're going. I
don't know if we just couldn't get over the hump
because Boston is very good, or if we didn't just
have that little extra ump from the from the atmosphere,
I'm not sure what it.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Was regardless of of of of the outcomes. I mean, obviously,
you know, you hit your four hundred wins this season,
and I'm sure it's like, okay, yeah, whatever, I know
you it's like that's a side thing that's not even important,
but it really for me, it's a representation of of
your grit and your determination and and you know, so
(18:56):
I you know, I think what's what's amazing is is
these these young men were able to maintain this momentum,
you know, And and if anybody's never gotten on the
ice or even tried hockey, it's one of the most
difficult sports to play. It's agonizing, it requires a tremendous
amount of strength and conditioning and you know, I mean
(19:18):
just the time and.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Effort to be a great hockey players.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
There you know when you when you see that and
you end the season at that space, you know afterwards,
what what is it that you know? If you don't mind,
and I know these are very personal moments, and uh
what what did What were some of the comments that
the players shared with one another after that game and
(19:44):
and subsequently maybe some of the other meetings after and
what were what were these these young men telling each
other and sharing with each other. Man, I hope you're
enjoying the show, but we got to give a shout
out to one of our great sponsors. It's Firecracker Farms,
a good friend of mine. Alex has the best hot
salt on the market. So if you like hot things
(20:05):
on your food and you're sick of sauce, go check
out Firecracker dot Farm and get all their different types
in different levels of heat. They've got these beautiful salt
shakers that you just sprayed on your eggs or your
meat every single day.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I'm telling you, this is the best thing. It's it's
it's the.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
Number one thing I use on my food day in
and day out. So visit Firecracker dot Farm punch in
rut r U Team fifteen for your discount today.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Hu yah, keep it hot baby.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And what were what were these these young men telling
each other and sharing with each other?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Are you telling after the final game or.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yeah, the final game? The final game?
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Yeah, you know some of the commers, well, I think
you know what they're telling themselves. I think had a
lot to do with how much they cared about one another,
Like it wasn't about their skill so much. We have
a goaltender named our Sinney Sergeev who's a great goaltender,
but I can tell you that every conversation about him
(21:11):
was just how lovable he is, like how much the
guys love him because he competes so hard and he's
so much fun. And I think it's not only him.
I think that transcends to a lot of guys. I
think one of the conversations I mean that after is
you know, you talk about the success of the program,
et cetera, like it all is a together thing and
for us, like for big time college athletics, now you
(21:34):
need tremendous support. You just do. It's prerequisite and and
I've been very fortunate to have that through my career.
But right now, like we have an athletic director who's
just all in, like he's it's really evident that he
has our back in a very Ricky de Rocha way.
Like the weird thing is is there actually they might
share a brain because when I said about Ricky, like
(21:56):
he looks for standing up to beating arrogance or entitlement,
like that's Ricky, Like I think that, all right, pat
Craft has a lot of that in him, and I
think the guys felt and he's a really good he
would come in our locker room too, and like he
really was all into these guys and the guys knew it,
(22:16):
so they felt his emotional support. But it also it's
very evident that from an administrative level, and that's what
I'm talking about prerexit, like Penn State supports its student
athletes at the highest level. And I think they felt that,
and I think that was part of like this is awesome,
We're in the right place, Like this is we pull together.
We can do this because we've got all the support.
(22:38):
So I think I think it was about loving each other,
like how much they cared for each other and how
fortunate we are to be where we're at with the
support that we have.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Yeah, I mean I've obviously I'm partial because I went
there and I played there, but but you know, having
doctor Craft come in and what I've watched and what
he's done, and you know, there he is on you know,
on the wrestling match, screaming, you know, when they're winning
a national champion, there he is, you know, in football
(23:06):
and and you know champion, you know champion, you know
the you know, semi champion, you know semi uh the
semi final game, and there he is, you know, in
the volleyball court, and there he is with you guys.
You know, I mean it's just like you finally see
somebody who is so invested in these young kids and
(23:27):
wants to provide them with the greatest experience there is,
you know, as a student athlete and as a as
a Penn stater. You know, that's what the Penn State
family means, you know, with all.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
You know what I got to interrupt there because you
might I wonder if you've seen this, because what you
just talked about, there's this little video that encompasses all that.
And I talked about our sini. It was after it
was after we want in overtime in Allentown to go
to the Frozen four, and there was a shot of
Doctor Craft congratulating RC. But it wasn't like a congratulations.
(24:02):
It was more like a I mean, it was cool,
Like it was really genuine emotion, like it was awesome.
And you see that, And I can tell you our
sceny certainly felt feels a lot of love from his
team and our program, but now now he feels it
from the entire athletic party and because of what doctor
(24:23):
Kraft represents all of Penn State, like that moment, I
think for Arci and it was just it made him
a Penn Stater for life. I promise you that. Like
it was just awesome stuff. And when you talk about
the difference of Penn State, there is a difference. And
I thought that little like two second three second video
and you know, sort of encapsulated all of that.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Amen to that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
All right, you have just accomplished something that hasn't happened
in the program's history. But yet when you look at
the advancements and and you know, you keep advancing this
program to such a high degree, what does it look
like in the future, where do you go now? Obviously
you know you I'd watched one interview where you talked
(25:07):
about what mister Pegoula's intention was, which was to drive
you know, Penn State to become a premier program, to
bring Penn State, you know, phill Pennsylvania hockey players, regional
hockey players.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Into the program.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
What does that look like for you guys right now
in moving forward?
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Correct? And that is a big part of his vision.
Wasn't just for a Division one program to get up
a Division on hockey team at Penn State. It wasn't.
He really talked about being a catalyst to improve the
profile and the quality of hockey in Pennsylvania. And I
think he's done that. Like I really think he's starting
to get exactly what he wanted. And it didn't happen
(25:45):
right away. I think this is a great step. The
fact that Penn State went to the Frozen four, I
think really shows that he was right that it would happen.
A lot of people said, you know, you're nuts. I
think proves he was right. And where we go from
here is really to continue on the path. Like it's awesome,
(26:06):
the winning is great, but our job, like we're not here.
We're not saying like it's all about winning. It's not.
And I mean to be honest, Rutt, like I used
to think that I got to be honest with you,
like I did. I used to when I was a
little younger coach, Like I thought, that's all my job was,
Like that's I do my job and the rest of
it cares itself. And in fact, it's almost completely opposite.
(26:28):
It's it's our job is to prepare these hockey, these
student athletes that we get for success in life. That's
that's the honest truth. And it's obviously going to include hockey,
and through hockey, we're going to learn those things. But
it's not for us to win. It's for us to
prepare them, give them lessons, give them the support like
(26:49):
I talked about athletic department, give them everything they need
to be successful, and then allow them to learn those
lessons along the way that they're going to apply later
on in life. And for many of them it's going
to mean hockey as well. But I'm talking about after that,
Like if you can imagine the lesson about really staying
positive together, Like you can talk and read all you want,
(27:09):
but you go through it and you prove to yourself
that that is real. I mean, that's something that sticks
with you well beyond hockey or sports. I mean, that's
something that you're going to use with any business twenty
years from now, your family, twenty twenty five years forever.
And that's a really important thing. So when I say
where are we going, We're just going to continue to
(27:30):
fight to do all we can to prepare our guys
that we have that we've been blessed enough to have
our guys, We're going to do everything to prepare them
for success in life. And we do that success and
wins follow. So it's not about winning. It's about doing
what it takes to be the best person you can
and winning will follow. That's what we do.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
Man, Coach.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
When you speak and you talk like that, man, it's
just I realize that you know, you are the real deal.
And and and the other thing that really was incredibly
moving to me this year and this whole thing was
you know, I mean I think you know that that
that first time I came in and and you know,
you guys were playing Army and your son was at Army,
(28:15):
and as you know, an All American first team All American.
He's one of the best players I've ever seen. He's
a defense you know, he's just a he's a machine
on the eyes, a beast. Well he he has decided
to to, you know, give up a commission serving in
the US military to come and play with you. I mean,
I don't I mean, I don't even know how I
(28:38):
would even handle that. If if, if, But but tell
me how what that feels like? That your your son,
who is already you know, out there, you know, moving
towards this impressive place. But he says, you know what,
my dad is such a phenomenal coach. He has built
such a phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Group of young men.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
They are becoming the type of young men that I
want to become.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
So I want to go play for him.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
How is to talk about that for just a little bit,
if you could.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
Well, I don't know if it is. Quite honestly, it's
not him wanting to play for his dad by any means,
and it's not me wanting to coach him. And that's
the truth. I'm extremely I don't know how much like
I have extreme respect for the military. Extreme. I went
through a couple of experiences, starting from Alaska, that had
a love for it. Anyway, one of my most proud
moments was him being admitted to West Point and when
(29:30):
he went there, there was at the time, there was
rules in place in the governmental that these cadets could
go play pro and then the first service, and that
was a big It was important to him because he's
always had a dream to play professionally. But so anyway,
he went to West Point and had the absolute I
think they will be the two best years of his
(29:51):
entire life, no matter what happens from up from now.
I care. I guarantee it, and I'm positive they will
be the two most impactful. His coaches are un believable,
his team was unbelievable. You talk about a brotherhood, and like,
he's got it and he loves that and he loves
his team, and he's loved West Point. And the decision
to do this was I got it. It was extremely
(30:14):
difficult for him, and he knew for two years that
would be coming because he again I said, he had
this goal to play play pro. He wanted to the
rules just as he was going into Beast training changed.
Oh wow. Yeah. And so right now, as it is,
it's not guaranteed that these players are up are able
to go. Now they're trying to change it back, and
(30:34):
I really hope they do because there's so many great
cadets that I think they get. They want the opportunity,
they want to serve for sure, but they want the
opportunity to try go play pro live out their dream first.
So anyway, that's what happened. He had the he had
to make a choice. Ultimately, he was like, I want
to follow my dream. I want to play, and he
had such a good season that he was starting to
get attention from NHL teams that made it his dream
(30:57):
almost more real, and it ultimate he decided, Okay, I
want to go somewhere where I know I can follow that.
So it wasn't I want to go to pet stage
play for my dad. But what happened in the meantime
is our you know, our coaches are saying, look like
we need we needed a devestment, and he is right
now like we can't play against him, like let's do this,
(31:18):
and so it really it wasn't. I think now that
it happened, I think I feel extremely blessed that I'm
going to get the opportunity to spend more time with
him because he's been fun from home since he was
fourteen years old. So this is a real blessing and
that I'm extremely grateful for. But it wasn't I want
to coach my son. It just so happened that the
need that we had. He's a as you mentioned, he's
an All American and Hobbly top ten like I do
(31:42):
not want to play against him. I'll tell you that
that's what happened.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
You're you're awesome. Thank you for that humble response. Well,
coach again, I just you've been one of you played
a major role and me reshaping what I know is
a great coach and a great leader.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
And and it's you know, and yes it's it.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Is your tactical proficiency, it's your knowledge of this beautiful game.
But more so it's what you the space you provide
for these young men to become the men they want
to be in order to have the experience that they
had this year. And and to all your your team
and those young men, you know, just please share how
(32:25):
proud I am of them and what I witnessed this
year was was one of the greatest experiences of my
entire life.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
To be able to watch.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
These these these these tough, tough young men achieve something
that nobody thought they could do.
Speaker 2 (32:43):
It was brilliant. So you know, thank you sir.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Well, well, that's very kind. I appreciate that. I know
you you asked me not to talk about this, but
I have to because I feel really they did. They
came together in a really tough way and honestly to
have uh you know the guy that trained Michael Murphy
and what it meant to like that was really impactful
to us. So I appreciate what you said, but I
have to, honestly, I have to thank you. I know
(33:07):
you asked me not to talk about it, but if
we're going to tell the true story, that was very
impactful for our team. So it's funny how things happen.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Amen, it is well coach, God bless you, and hope
to see soon man have a great off season.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
You got it, Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
How does a person develop mental in physical toughness and
then and then and then how do how do how
do they take that and try and invest it in
other people and develop and develop that in people that
they're kind of passing it on to.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
All right, well, I'm going to try answer this question
I think physical toughness is extremely important. There's different ways
to do that. I think it's important to do that. However,
the mental toughness aspect of it, I think is more important.
And you talk about your award, the fire and the
gut award, I think it's similar to something we do.
And here's the deal. When everything is going well, you
(34:08):
have a lot of guys that lead, that are comfortable leading,
that have fun leading, and are positive. Okay, it's my
experience that when things aren't going well, not only not
going I mean really bad, when things are going bad,
then you find out who really has fire in the gut.
(34:29):
Because it's very different to lead when things are terrible
and do it in a positive way because if you
do it negatively and this and this point fingers like,
you can get worse in a hurry. So when you say,
how do you develop it?
Speaker 1 (34:45):
If you want to hear the rest of this incredible
follow on interview with Coach Godowski, please go to our
Patreon account at David Rutherford's show. Join with a small
subscription of two dollars a month, and you will hear
the rest of this plus other incredible dedicated content.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
But the big news.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
That we're going to announce right now on this show
is on May thirty. First, I'm going to deliver a
motivational event with follow on Q and A for our
subscribers and where I'm going to introduce what is motivation,
Where's it come from, and how do we employ it
in our lives?
Speaker 2 (35:20):
So don't miss it.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Join our Patreon account at David Rutherford's show for our
live event and the follow on.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Discussion with Coach Kadowski.
Speaker 1 (35:38):
Well, after you spend a little bit of time listening
to Coach Kadosky and you listen to what these young
men went through during this incredible season.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
If you're anything like me, you that hits you down
deep right. It hits you in the place that that
lifts us up right.
Speaker 1 (36:02):
It hits us in the place that the negative insurgency
can't reach. It hits us in that space where in
the midst of a tough day, or we're going through hardship,
or we're struggling in our lives, we hear a story
like that, a story about the underdog pulling up out
(36:24):
of the depths of defeat and coming back and doing
something that nobody thought they could do. That's those are
the stories that we need more of in this life.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Now.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
What's interesting is so often nowadays, as people are consumed
with the negative aspects of what's in their feed over
and over, or in the pretend world of the veneer
of fabricated luxury or fabricated joy or.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Whatever that is.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
As well, we all know that underneath everybody story, there's
you know, there's there's hardship, there's pain, and in particular
for this story itself. And although I I was humbled
by by what Coach Gad said and in the role
I played, I'm here to tell you it was It's
(37:19):
not what you think it was, all right. I was
introduced from my good friend Rick de Rosa, who is
one of the best human beings I've ever met in
my entire life. I just I love you, Rick, I
love what you represent, I love who you are. And
by the way, Rick came, you know, got recruited by
Coach Gads. He was going to go play at Princeton,
(37:42):
I mean, and coach got the job to take Penn
State hockey from a club team to a Division one
Big ten team. And Rick came on as a freshman
and then finished four years later as a captain of
the team and won a Big ten championship, right and
that you know, obviously there were many other players that
supported that, but Rick was the heartbeat of that. And
(38:04):
so when Rick came to me and said, man, you
gotta meet this coach. You gotta, you gotta, uh he's
really wonderful and and and you know, like I said,
you know, these first times we were able to communicate
were really impactful to me because he was like the
old school coaches I had growing up, right, those coaches
from the seventies and the eighties who you know, talking
(38:26):
he'd be like this and his tooth would be missing
earning and he'd be like, you know, Rod, I want
to you know that great that fight.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
I want him to got there.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I want him to put a guy into the board,
and I want him to fight for the you know.
And I'm like, holy cow, like give me some skates, man,
and I want to get on there.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
Right shorty.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
I mean, it's that, it's that that that feeling like
you you feel had come off people you felt that before.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Havn't you?
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (38:54):
Absolutely, yeah, that's a long story. I had a uh,
not quite the same thing, but I had a drum
line coach. Have you ever seen the movie Whiplash?
Speaker 2 (39:02):
Yeah, a wonderful movie.
Speaker 4 (39:04):
I had that guy as my, uh my coach in that.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
So that was it was interesting.
Speaker 4 (39:10):
I got a little flavor of it.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
There you go, and so you you have that. He
hits me and then he's then he tells me the story. Listen,
we're gonna go play Army. It's the weekend of the
Army Navy game, which is a monster deal, right, and
we're gonna play you know, Army, and we're gonna but
I you know, there's this whole thing going on him, like,
you know, what's up. And he tells me the story
about how the team has committed themselves to you know,
(39:35):
this beautiful inscription on on Michael Murphy's memorial at Penn State.
Speaker 2 (39:40):
And you know, and and and and.
Speaker 1 (39:43):
As he mentioned, you know, I had the real honor
and privilege to be, you know, play some minute little
role in Mike Murphy's life. I was an s QT
instructor when he came through, and Danny and Marcus and
some of the other guys part of Red Wings and
and and and for me, it wasn't like, oh look
(40:03):
at me. I I trained him and it's nothing like that.
But what for me, what I what I was so
inspired by, was that they took this story, this underdog story,
and they wanted to fuse it and to build help
build them the culture of their team.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Because that's what it is.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
I mean, that's what it always is, right, It's it's
never this one individual, it's it's the culture that emerges
out of those gritty individuals coming together and infusing the
idea together. And so you know, on this beautiful memorial
to pay tribute to to Mike, you know, it's it's
it says, you know, with your shield or on it.
(40:44):
And that's the famous quote that King Leonidas's wife, the
Queen of Sparta, shared with him as he and and
and you know, the three hundred Spartans marched off to
face the Persians at the at the Hot Gates, you know,
in twenty five hundred Athenians. When I'm going to this
core of three hundred that were marching to their certain deaths,
(41:06):
uh to face this this you know, army the size
of which most people had never dreamed or seen of
in their lives. And they stood hard for three days
at the Hot Gates. And you know, and and and
stood their ground until they were all annihilated, you know.
And and so here these young college kids. And so
for all of you people out there that thinks this
(41:28):
younger generation is isn't worth it, damn you know, you
got to check yourself on that. That's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (41:35):
Man. Yeah, there are some kids who are struggling.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
There are some kids that have been indoctrinated into things
that maybe you know, aren't benefiting them on a on
a deeper level. But there are literally millions of kids
out there that are are doing the right things, putting
themselves in the right moments in order to to to
find that fusion point to drive them forward to become
(41:58):
something that they always dreamed that would be coming.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
If you know anything.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
About hockey, this does not happen you're freshman year high
school man. Hockey is something that starts very early on
in a young person's life.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
And it's and it's like this infection.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
Right, Why else would you want to get in a freezy,
cold arena. Right, You're on skates, you can barely move,
and you you skate as fast as you can at
at at long time, long periods, and then you drive
people into the boards and you fight each other. And
I mean, you got to be a little bit mental
(42:36):
to want to play the sport. And that's why I
have so much respect for it. But so these kids
from a very early age, they drive themselves and and
so as I came into this, and and mind you,
you know the Big Ten Hockey conferences, you know, one
of the most dominant conferences there is. And you know,
I know I kind of joked about main mains of
phenomenal so as BEU and all these other incredible pros
(43:00):
out there, but the Big Ten has really been a
juggernaut in college hockey for a long, long period. So
this is what they're up against. And they took this
idea and it's not just the idea of the Battle
of Thermopyline, it's the idea behind It's the idea behind
Mike Murphy and the story of what took place in
(43:23):
Red Wings and that you know, he sacrificed himself for
his teaming. And that's a powerful thing to allow that
to hit you in your heart. It's a powerful thing
to allow another person sacrifice, another person's pain, another person's
dedication to something that's bigger than themselves, to trigger that.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Thing in your heart.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It really is a powerful, powerful moment, and I've been
blessed to have many of those in my life. And
that's what I tried instill. And so when I did
show up for this, it wasn't at all about hey,
listen to rout or frog logic or anything about it.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
But I wanted to tie them to the person.
Speaker 1 (44:03):
I wanted to somehow let them connect to these ideas,
you know. But I also told the story of of
Mike Monsour who jumped on a grenade to save his
buddy's lives. I told the story of Mike Thornton, who
who saved his lieutenant and several other South Vietnamese guys
in this insane battle against a hugely superior force. And
(44:24):
I told you know, the story of the lieutenant who
Mike Thornton saved, which was my Tommy Norris, who he
won a Medal of Honor doing this personnel recovery of
these two pilots that was even more crazy than than
this these other ones.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
So all of.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
These stories that I used to help connect kind of
that underdog mentality, but it's it's to the construct of
sacrifice for a bigger purpose, a bigger cause. And I
you know, that was the thing that I was trying
to imbue in these young men. And then they you know,
at that point, and it wasn't me. It was them
(45:04):
coming together and recognizing the power of the story, the
power of that ability to connect to something that's bigger
than yourself. And then they took that and they ran
with it. And it's really just a remarkable thing. Every
time I would watch or listen to these young men
(45:25):
being interviewed and pay attention and what they did and
how far they took this program that's relatively new.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
It really was somewhat of a miracle.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Now again, you know, every time you mentioned the word
miracle and hockey, there's an automatic reflection of the nineteen
eighty Olympic. You know, a hockey game where you know,
a bunch of college kids, you know, beat Russian for
the gold medal and or actually for the semi and
then went on to win the gold, you know, and
you know, you know.
Speaker 2 (45:57):
What about that movie? And I reference that movie quite
a bit.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
And I did have an opportunity when I on my
old show that I did with Marcus, we interviewed the
goalkeeper for.
Speaker 2 (46:06):
That, which was amazing.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
But you know, my favorite scene in that movie, you know,
and the story is when you know they play Sweden.
I think they failed bat miserably and then the coach
you know, gets them on the line. You remember watching
that movie Jordi, right where they're doing the suicides back
and forth and they're.
Speaker 2 (46:26):
Right and they're.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Vomiting on the ice, and you know they're they're you know,
they're they're dying, and you know every you know, some
of the assistant coaches are like, hey, coach, isn't that enough?
Speaker 2 (46:35):
And he's like no, and he keeps them going.
Speaker 1 (46:38):
And then there's the famous line You're like, you're not
doing this for the name that's on the back of
the jersey.
Speaker 2 (46:43):
You're doing it what's on the front, which was USA.
And I think the.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
Embodiment of of all of this that I'm trying to
get you to understand is that we're all underdogs in
some context. We're all struggling to achieve a greater a
greater meaning. And all I hope that you're going to
pull out of this interview is that the greater meaning
(47:10):
is when you sacrifice so that someone else succeeds. I mean,
that's the thing that's the whole criteria of this, this, this,
this whole story and and and the story of mirakwon
Ice and the story of Mike Murphy and the story
of of the underdog. Is that it's the the fire
(47:33):
that comes out of.
Speaker 2 (47:34):
You, I hate, the the thing.
Speaker 1 (47:36):
Inside your your heart and your soul, whatever that is,
whatever you believe, it is that that ignites. And then
you you put forth an effort that you never dreamed
was possible, but not for the victory for yourself, but
more importantly, you sacrifice so that your team or teammates
(47:59):
or the people that you love most, that they achieve
their victory. So I just really am grateful. I'm honored
that Coach Gads would come on and share this story
of these incredible young men, and I just I feel
very blessed today in this moment, we are
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!