02/05/24 - Admirals Center Ice

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello and welcome. It's Milwaukee AdmiralsCenter ICE. I'm Aaron Sims. It's
All Star weekends. The Admirals andtwo players at least and much of the
brass out in San Jose is theYaroslav scar Off and Spencer Stassney will take
part. And you got the skillscompetition that took place last night. We're
taping this, by the way,before all of this, but the skills
competition as we're talking, as you'relistening, took place last night. And

(00:21):
the All Star Game tonight out inSan Jose. You can watch it on
NHL Network. You can watch iton AHL TV. Admiral's president John Greenberg
joins us now and the Star.You've gone to the All Star Game nineteen
eighteen years I suppose, right,not the COVID year or yeah, the
twenty twenty one season, not thatyear, obviously. What is that like

(00:43):
for you? Oh, it's agreat experience. It's a great chance to
be around my peers. All thefolks are there for the board Governor's meetings
that we have, so we actuallydo get some business done while we're there.
But then it's also just the celebrationof our game. It's a chance
to watch players from around the league, you know, have fun. Also,
you know, show some skills.You know, well we'll see that

(01:07):
hardest shot, that fastest skater,you know, watch target shooting, watch
our goalies try and stop three undone. You know, it's it's a lot
of fun and fans have a reallygood time. And you get to the
game, and I will tell youthe games over the last couple of All
Star Games have been far more competitive. I think, you know, there
might be a few dollars involved inwinning for the winning team, So when

(01:27):
they get to the end, youknow, guys are competitive and they want
to have fun, but they alsodon't mind winning either. That's just it.
I like All Star Games. Yes, they're an exhibition and all of
this stuff, but at the sametime, when it comes down to it,
those guys, well you and Iwere competitors. Like if we're out
on a golf course, just afriendly game, we want to make a
shot, like all of these things. Right, Yeah, although I'm not

(01:48):
sure about my golf game. Butthat's all. But you know, when
it gets down to the last minuteof one of those games and it's tied,
and all of a sudden you seeguys doing things you know that they
wouldn't maybe normally do in an exhibitionlike that. I don't think we're gonna
see any penalties. There's always anover under on the amount of penalties called
or how many times a refereel blowa whistle. But you know they'll try,

(02:09):
and there's a real pride that theseguys have and winning when you're out
there. I'm wondering if it's likethe Winter meetings at all, where do
you sit down with You're not goingto trade players, but do you sit
down with other heads of organizations andsay, hey, you know what we've
been thinking about playing you guys,or hey, what's the possibility of us

(02:31):
getting together in a couple of years, things like that. Yeah. Absolutely.
As a matter of fact, that'sone of the things that's on the
agenda at our Border Governor's meeting isapproving the schedule matrix for next year.
So we've already had preliminary discussions withteams that we'd like to play next year.
Takes two to tangle. I can'tjust go there. They have to
agree to come back here, andgenerally you want to maybe if you're playing

(02:53):
some Eastern teams find you know,a two or three that would like to
come together, and you also finda pocket here. So rock For and
Grand Rapids are always they've been greatpartners with you guys. They have They've
always been open to it. AndI've always been a big proponent of playing
more teams. You know, Idon't want to just see the same divisional
opponents all year long. I liketo see something different. I want our

(03:14):
fans to see something different. Iwant our players to feel something fresh and
not see you know, I loveplaying Chicago and Rockford, but I don't
want to play them twenty seven times. I don't mind seeing Hartford or Springfield
or you know, one of thoseteams Henderson or somebody like that that we're
playing this year. I think thathas helped I keep going back to this.
But I mean, you've you wentthrough the baseball schedule so long.

(03:35):
Obviously you've been in the hockey schedulefor so long here too. But there
there is something to the dog days, whatever that may be. And I
think traditionally in hockey we're in thatthe Christmas to All Star break January.
It's cold, all of these thingssnow. We missed a lot of that
with the winning streak helped the tripto Vegas. I think shook it up
a little, like the schedule inmy mind, really helped things out this

(03:58):
year for that. Completely agree withyou, and I think that the trip
to Vegas came at the perfect timefor that because it was new for everybody.
It was fun for everybody. Imean, you know, obviously we
went out there and had two shutouts, so it couldn't have been any more
fun than it was, but youknow, it was something different for guys,
and it's a fun place to go, right So I'm glad that we

(04:19):
were able to do that. Andyeah, I mean getting through January perfect
makes that time go much much fasterfor sure. So to be going into
the All Star Break with a twelvegame winning streak is just spectacular and it's
really helped in terms of attention forthe team in the community. It's helped
from an attendance perspective, you know, the winning does help. It's,

(04:43):
you know, something you can't counton necessarily every year. But this has
been really fun, no doubt aboutthat. Admiral's President John Greenberg joining us
at Milwaukee Admirals Center. I lookat the weeknight crowds, and I guess,
you know, the weekends were alwayspretty comfortable with I think, but
the weeknight crowds, goodness, threefour, five years ago, maybe on
a Tuesday night you don't do this, and here the other night it's forty

(05:04):
five hundred and again winning matters.But just the reputation, I mean,
maybe it's from last year and thesuccess from last season. But whatever it
is, that the salespeople doing better, doing harder work, whatever it might
be, I have no idea,and I don't I don't mean that to
sound degrading at all, but it'sworking. Whatever it is it is,
and we noticed that early in theseason that coming off of last year and

(05:27):
playing into June and having all theattention that we had in May and June
really helped us to get off toa good start this year from a business
perspective. And you know, theweeknights, you know, we used to
say, like we want to getto three thousand out a weeknight. That's
that's our goal. And now youknow, winning weekdays help a ton,
But at the same time, we'rebuilding crowds before we get to winning weekdays,

(05:50):
so that those, as we liketo say, are frosting on the
cake. So you know, havingmore people in the building means a ton
for everything that we do. Yes, it means a tough for the building
for business, but it also meansa lot for players, like to be
able to go out there and nothave a really tiny crowd. The energy

(06:10):
level, you know, it's allvery different this year, and it's definitely
been noticed by players and coaches,but it also makes the whole environment a
lot more fun. Sports to meis also the ultimate community event. Like
you and I may have political differences, and you and I, but we
can pull for the same team andgo see like I just we may have

(06:31):
different tastes in music, but wecan. I just think sports is the
perfect thing to do. I'm biased, I admit, but I think it
is. Well. I don't thinkthere's actually any question Sports builds community.
And what we've got here every nightis a two and a half hour chance
for you to get away from whateveryou had to deal with during the course

(06:51):
of the day. And if youwant to come here and yell at the
referee, go for it. Youwant to yell at the other team,
go for it, you know.And we're you know, we're just really
blessed to have the crowds we've hadin the environment that we've been able to
have this season, and looking forwardto watching it continue to go forward and

(07:12):
after the All Star break, wegot a lot of big things to do
and then hopefully a nice long playoffrun again. Something you and I talked
about a couple of weeks ago andit didn't make air unfortunately on the TV,
but we talked about the promotions andHarris years ago when he bought the
club nearly twenty years ago, wantingthe minor league identity, and I I
was actually talking to Harris about thisafter you and I talked, and he

(07:34):
says, I think we really hitit hard again this year, like we
reinvested in that idea, and Ithink again the crowds are showing it.
The petting zoo, the things likethat, like things that are a little
more off the wall. They're working. They are pickleball petting zoo. You

(07:54):
know this Gallentine's Day that we're goingto have here pretty soon playing that.
Yeah, So that's you know,obviously, the night before Valentine's Day is
often called Gallentine's Day. It's whenall the ladies get together and hang out,
and we want them to hang outhere. We will have we'll have
some fun business groups that are tryingto sell some merch that or some items

(08:20):
that would be good for that audience. So we'll be set up in a
little merchant area down in the CorzleyChill Zone, and it's just a chance
to get the ladies together. Andyou know, now it's also a winning
weekday, so we're already built areal nice crowd for that, and you
know, it's the last game ofthis homestand so there'd be a lot of
reasons to come out here and seethe guys before we head back out on

(08:41):
the road, which you know willseem like it had been a long time
since we've done so. Just ina press conference with with Jared Fialco from
Channel Channel twelve, and he askeda question and I didn't consider it,
but when you have a twelve gamewinning streak, do you want do you
want to break? Like is ita good time for a break or do
you want to keep going? AndI I'm curious what you think when you
observe this team, does it doesit matter that it's on a break because

(09:03):
it just seems that confidence, rightnow is just yeah, confidence is certainly
high. These guys have earned thisvacation that they're going to be going on.
And you know, with the wayour schedule is a lot of times
we're we don't play during the weekanyway. So the key will be getting
back here and jolting yourself back intocompetitiveness from wherever you've gone on there a

(09:26):
sunburn, right, so you know, I know, Carl and Greg and
Scott, you know, and fromthe coaching staff perspective, we'll have these
guys ready to go. They've giventhese guys a ton of incentives, you
know, in terms of all right, let's uh have a perfect month,
right That game out the other nighton the weekday could have been easy,
like it's a weekday game, youknow, whatever, No, there was

(09:46):
a reason to win that one.There was a reason to win the last
game before the break because it wasthe last game before the break and you
don't want to lose your winning streakgoing into that. So a lot of
reasons do that. You know.Now it'll be we want to go back
off to a good start again andpick up right where we left off.
Last one for you here Tuesday,this past Tuesday night, was the first

(10:07):
six thirty start, and so explainthe rationale behind that, because I don't
know what feedback you got initially,but it seemed like it was fine to
me. Yes, so, Harris. You know, obviously in baseball there's
a lot of teams have been goingwith the six thirties the six forties,
trying to attract a more family crowdbecause you're done and out of here by

(10:28):
nine o'clock. In our case,you know, we want that, but
we also want to attract downtown businesses. You know, somebody who's working downtown
at one of the companies that's puttinga lot of people down here. You
know, when you're done, ourdoors open at five point thirty, so
you're done at five o'clock, comeon over, right. So we're just
trying it on the two Tuesday games, So Galentine's Day on the thirteenth of

(10:50):
February will be the second one andfinal one of those, and then we'll
reevaluate and then next year when ourschedule is put together, we'll figure out
if that was a good thing,if we want to try it again.
You know, we'd love to hearpeople's you know, thoughts on it.
For sure, and I know thatwe'll have some surveying that will go out
to ask that question. Maybe it'stoo soon because it just happened, and
another one coming up here in thein the near future. But have you

(11:13):
had any response? Early on,A couple of people who come from Racine
were like, oh, that's athat's a tight one. But they made
it work. And you know,we had good weather, so that's helpful
in the winter time to get peoplehere. And you know, I will
tell you personally, I was alittle messed up. My clock for when
I was supposed to do things wasa little messed up. But you know,

(11:35):
when all of a sudden it wasover and it was nine o'clock,
I was like, oh, allright, well we're done a half an
hour early. That's that. Itwas kind of nice to be able to
get out a little bit earlier too, But nothing negative overly. You know,
I think people will adjust. Youknow that it's key as are educating
them that that's what time of thegame starts because they're so used to it
being at a different time. Finalthing here, My goodness, it's fun

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to win, isn't it. Yeah, yes, it sure beats the altar.
That's for sure. And you knowpeople are like, well, when
was the last time in a winningstreet this long? Well, twenty nineteen.
It wasn't that long ago, really, So you know, we've been
really blessed here with good teams andwhat we do when we get on these
runs is really spectacular to watch andwatching the guys buy in and you know,

(12:16):
we were talking about guys making goout blocking shots in Chicago in a
five to nothing game, you know, in the third period to help save
a shout out. Watching that camaraderieis just so special and so fun to
watch. And watching guys celebrate JakeLivingstone's score goals. You know, I
joked with him after he got thefirst one, I said, well,
that's the first of five hundred,and sure enough the other night he scores

(12:39):
the second one. So you know, it's just watching young players learn and
figure it out. And we knewthat once they started to do that,
there was a chance for this tobe special and right now it is.
Right now, it is no doubtabout that. Enjoy your trip to San
Jose, Thanks so much. Eric. Admiral's President John Greenberg, will take
a break come back with Admiral's forwardLiam Foodie. You're listening to all Twacke

(13:00):
Admiral Center Ice. Welcome back.It's Milwaukee Admiral Center Ice, joined now
by Admiral's forward Liam Foodie. OnTuesday night, You're hat trick against San
Diego. First off, When wasthe last time you think you scored a
hat trick? Honestly, probably myminor major draft here when I was playing
for the MARKA Majors. I wentall of junior without one. Few two
goal games, but never got thethird one, So that was a pretty
special moment Tuesday. I'm actually surprisedto hear that. I mean first round

(13:24):
pick, like everybody, I guessthink so offensive wizard right. Ah.
Yeah, Like I said, Ihad a few, a lot of two
goal games, just unlucky. Younever get that third one, even an
empty net, but never had it. So that was a pretty social moment.
All three of them were beauties,but that first one, to me
is one of the most exciting ones. I've done this for almost twenty years
here with this team, it's oneof the most exciting ones. How do

(13:45):
you make that play to toss itahead to yourself and just beat everybody to
it? Was that in your mind? Or is it just instinct that's been
in my mind because usually you're tryingto go through they have these d men
have great six everywhere you play now, so trying to make a little bit
hard for them and trying to flickit in the air and in that way
they can't touch you. Otherwise it'sinterference and just try to lay in space
and use my speed to the bestI can, and lucky enough, I

(14:07):
got enough weight on it, kindof timed it perfectly and it worked out.
Do you get surprised when it works? Uh? No, not really.
It's just not really thinking in themoment. Just want to try something
new, and I've tried it afew times and it's worked maybe once or
twice. But yeah, it's it'sa cool move to try. It got
everybody up on their feet, whichis incredible. What was the reaction like
at the bench? Ah, Yeah, the guys are pretty excited. The

(14:28):
kat kep saying that I was playingball hockey out there flicking it around,
so that that was pretty cool.It's what it's like, isn't it.
Yeah, it's kind of like that. It's like a tennis ball out there,
so especially on bad ice, yougotta it's hard to settle the puck
sometimes, so like there's been somany activities, so many events going on
in this building that the ice hasbeen it's choppy out there. It's it's
hard to play a clean game whenthe surface you're on isn't clean. Uh

(14:50):
yeah, whenever there's events coming inand out. We're all used to it
now, playing on not the bestquality of ice, and we're all on
the same playing field out there,So you gotta find ways to make the
game a bit creative in your ownmind. And that was something I tried
there. You guys win eleven straight. You're playing ball hockey, Like you
said, it's just it's it's sofun to come to the rink when things
work out like that is. Andthis has got to be as good as

(15:11):
it can be. Ah yeah,I've never been on quite a winning street
like this in pro hockey. Soevery day coming the rank, everyone's got
a smile on their faces. It'sa great environment to be in. Everybody
loves winning and it's a great foreveryone's an individual success and team success.
So having a great time. I'vesaid so many times it's been a constant
theme. And as we head intothe All Star break here, it's maybe

(15:31):
it's over, but this is kindof the dog days. You come out
of the Christmas break, the Holidaybreak, you go into the All Star
break. The month of January isusually cold, and they're in Milwaukee.
There's four feet of snow and allof these things, and you just,
Okay, let's just get to theAll Star break and then we'll crank it
up. But this year you gota trip to Vegas. It's been much
milder in Milwaukee. You got awinning streak going up. Like it seems

(15:52):
like you just blew right through whatevercould be considered dog days. Ah yeah,
kind of like you said, thisis always a tough time in the
year for every team, and wheneveryou can be went in through a tough
stretch of the dog days, likeyou said, it helps it go buy
a lot faster, and everyone's ina great mood all the time. This
is my first winter in Milwaukee,and I haven't really noticed it being too
colder, like you said, alot of snow, so knock on wood.
Even if that does come, aslong as they're winning and it'll be

(16:15):
all okay. Adals forward, LiamFoodie joining us. It's Milwaukee Admirals Center
Ice. I want to go backreal quick too. It's something you and
I talked about when we were inHenderson, the injury you had against Manitoba,
and explain again what that was likefor you and you couldn't see.
You said, it was just dark. It was black out of that eye,
right. Yeah, it was kindof freak accident. The puck came
out in thetra zone and I'm notsure if it was one of their d

(16:37):
men or fowards, but took abit of a while swing at the puck
and missed and hit me directly inthe eye and everything went black right away.
I wasn't sure what was happening,and I kind of started screaming towards
the bench. Wasn't sure if myeye was on the ice for what was
happening. So Georgie and the staffand all the medical staff and Manitoba helped
me out a lot, and Iwas at the hostel for a long time,
multiple spots, and eventually my visionslowly came back, and I missed

(17:00):
like probably three weeks, three anda big weeks. Had to go home
for the break and I was toldnot to raise my blood pressure at all,
so kind of just sitting around doingnothing for a while and kind of
just having fingers crossed that everything wouldcome back to normal. It's still not
quite the same. I still gotto wear a bubble for the season,
but it's doing the best. I'mdoing the best I can out there with
what I have. I got toadmit, I'm a little surprised because you

(17:22):
were behind me in the secure Wewere sitting near each other in the security
line going back, and I'm like, boy, I didn't know if you
were going to be able to flyhome with air pressure and all of that
stuff, right, did you havethat concern? Oh? Yeah, I
wasn't sure. I wasn't really surewhat was happening, but I was more
concerned am again the vision back beforeflying and then after that, all the
guys were kind of surprised that weweren't sure what the pressure would do to
my eye. But no problems atall, and lucky enough, I was
able to go home with my withmy parents and they were able to take

(17:45):
care of me for the time beingduring the holidays, and it's better not
to be alone. And how myparents take care of me, and especially
when you only have one eye fora bit. This is no pun intended
here, but was it kind ofa dark time? I mean, hockey
players are always don't get too high, don't get too low, but when
you have something like that, it'slike, oh boy, like that's that's
kind of stressful. It was definitelystressful, kind of like my career kind

(18:06):
of almost flashed through my eyes there. You're not sure if you're ever going
to play again when you when you'reseeing black and you can't even see a
light. So it'd be tough toplay this game with just one eye.
So there was a lot going throughmy mind there, and it was some
sad times. And I had greatsurrounding people around me and they help me
out a lot throughout the whole situation. I'll tell you what, since you've
come back from that and you're lightingit up, you score the goals that
you do here the other night.I mean, this has not been the

(18:29):
easiest year. A couple of organizationsand three teams and all of that stuff.
This has got to be it seemslike you're you're buying your way to
some freedom here, so to speak, Like you're you're you're getting the chance
to show what you can do here. For whoever might want you in the
NHL. Yeah, exactly. It'schanging organizations. This is my third team
planing on this year, so thingsdidn't work out in Columbus and then coming

(18:49):
to Nashville having the fresh start,it's massive for me and everyone in this
organizations is unbelievable with helping me anddevelopment. So coming here and then coming
to Milwaukee and just kind of mygame again. Obviously it wasn't the start
I wanted with the injury right away, but then being able to build off
that and kind of build some gamesgoing into the All Star break and then
hopefully having a long second half afterthe break would be huge for myself.

(19:11):
Did you know anybody in Milwaukee beforeI bring this up? Because over the
last few years, the Admirals havebeen and forgive the term, but have
helped rehabilitate some careers, guys whomay have run out in another organization.
They've come to Colin Blackwell's moved upjured to Nority. There's been a lot
of guys that have come through.Are you aware of that when things like
this happen. Ah? Yeah,I've heard of a bit of their history

(19:33):
like that, and I didn't reallyknow too many players personally here. But
I also I kind of knew KEIfor sure would and Luke Evangelista playing me
for one of those and they're kindof in that same boat building our way
up through this organization and making intothe NHL. So having those stories is
always great to hear, and aswell, we have some amazing players down
here already, which is credit toeveryone down here for this win streak and
the team that we're building around here. You were in London playing in the

(19:56):
Ontario League, playing for the Hunters, and I'm assuming it is still an
assistant there right, yes, yes, yeah, So I bring him up
because Dylan Hunter is a guy andI want you to add something here if
you would. But Dylan Hunter playedfor the Admirals, and years ago I
took him to For people who don'tknow, the Admirals go out and read
to classes and they make school visitsand hospital visits and things like that.

(20:18):
And I took Dylan to a schoolvisit and afterwards he was talking about talking
with me about the pressure of livingup to his name and all of this
stuff because his parents or his dad, and his uncles and his cousin they're
big, huge hockey stars, andhe says to me, you know,
I probably should be in the NHL, but I like cheeseburgers too much,
which is I still like? Thisis ten years ago he told me this.

(20:40):
What was it like to play forthat family because of their history and
play in that organization because of thathistory. Yeah, it's truly like the
MININHL there when you're around that organization, the amount of pros they turn out,
and not only NHL players but everylevel that guys move on from there
and have great careers and they buildgreat people. So starting from the top
with Mark Bean and John Manager,he's he's pretty hard on guys, but

(21:02):
gets you ready for the next level. And then Dale and Dilly we always
called Dyllan Dilly and they were amazingfor us and that staff. We always
had great success in that team andI'm still best friends with a lot of
guys from that that time. AndDilly just running into the power play.
He was always a good He wasa good relief from not being so serious
around Dale and Mark, and itwas great having that staff. And then
we had Rick Stedmond as the dcoach as well, and everybody or as

(21:25):
a forward coach, and everyone lovedhim, So it was just a great
environment, that whole organization. Well, you're growing up, I mean you've
got your brother playing all like,how many is just the two of you
and your family? Yes? So, and he's playing pro obviously out in
Colorado. Still, what's that like, is it? I gotta imagine it's
pretty competitive when you when you twowere pretty young. Ah. Yeah,
we played everything, growing everything againsteach other growing up and we're pretty close

(21:48):
friends now to this day. Buthaving seen him playing and having all the
success he's had and been unfortunate withinjuries, but I'm always hearing from now,
But growing up, it was definitelycompetitive and that kind of helped us
get to where we are today.Just pushing each other every day and having
that competitive edge at a young age. I think it's pretty important when you
mentioned the injuries. But do youhear from him after games? Do you
talk to him after games where heplays or you play and give critiques or

(22:12):
anything like that. And we don'treally talk about hockey too much nowadays.
We're just talking all the time aboutjust random things really, but not too
much about hockey advice, Well,maybe talk about hockey games, but not
really our personal games too. Muchunless we're really doing something pretty special.
But does it help to have somebodyin the family who knows exactly like spot

(22:33):
on what you're going through. Yeah, you always have mom and dad to
talk to, but they don't they'venever lived at the hockey life or gone
through it. So having the exactsame boat going through training camps together,
going through cuts, making teams,and having him in the exact same boat
as myself just a few years behindme, it's huge and we can always
lean on each other for anything weneed. I want to finish with this
and Liam FOODI joining us at lastone here. Where can this team go?

(22:56):
As we're talking, it's an elevengame points, eleven game winning streak.
We're talking before the Manitoba game,before the All Star break. What's
the height for this team? Ithink right now we're just trying to take
game by game. We don't wantto get too caught up and everything.
Some teams will look too far aheadand forget about the present moment. And
if we can just focus on playingour game each and every game, I
think we'll have great success and hopefullythat will lead to a long deep playoff

(23:18):
runt, which is every team's goalsto try to win it all. So
if you just keep doing that andI'm not getting too caught up in things
and really staying in the moment andtrying to win each individual game and every
period, that'll be massive for us. And thank you enough for doing this.
I appreciate the time. Keep upthe good work. Thank you.
That's Liam Foodie. We're back ina moment. You're listening to Milwaukee Admiral
Center ICE. Welcome back to MilwaukeeAdmirals Center ICE. I'm Aaron Simms and

(23:40):
it's the All Star Break And asyou know if you listen to the show,
we like to bring on an Admiralsalum whenever we do this show.
And today the Admirals just seeing Manitobaon Friday and heading up to Winnipeg in
just a couple of weeks. Ithought it would be a perfect time to
talk to this guy. And overmy nineteen years with the Admirals, there

(24:00):
have been guys that I think aboutas as just that I loved as players,
but I love them more as humanbeings and and Michael Leambis falls into
that category for me. Uh AndI think you'd be hard pressed to find
a teammate who would not say thesame thing about him. He joins us
now from his home in Winnipeg.Mike, it's great to talk to you.

(24:21):
How's everything going, Hey, Simmery, Yeah, thanks for having me
going well going well? Yeah,it was great to see you guys.
You last time in town, andI know you guys are coming up here
in a couple of weeks, soI'm excited to see you. Guys.
I think about I think about youa lot and the way you played and
the way you your your life hashas kind of been the way you played.

(24:47):
And by that I mean not likeyou're fighting or anything like that,
but but the loyalty and it's aboutfamily and friends and teammates and all of
that stuff. Like I think aboutthat quite a bit, and especially with
what the admirals are going through itright when you go through a winning streak
and you start seeing players play forone another. But I think, like,
as I look back over my timein Milwaukee, like, you're right

(25:07):
up there when I think about guyswho played like that. Yeah, I
mean I always say the closer youare off the ice, the better you
are on the ice of the team. There's no metrics section put that you
know on paper, but I knowthat firsthand. You know, you get
winning, the guys start feeling goodabout each other, you start doing things

(25:29):
for each other, You go througha brick wall because you know your teammate's
going to do the same for you. And then that's when it starts.
Snowballing is whenever you know, youget a group of guys on that same
page, and then it's hard tostop that train. And you guys are
rolling right now. So that's what'shappening, I think, Yeah, and
you're right, like once everybody youstart seeing it, like no matter what
you guys, whether it's stepping upfor a teammate or whether it's playing to

(25:52):
the horn to make sure your goaliehas a shutout. I mean, just
so many things about the sport thatgo beyond the x as and o's,
and one of those things you can'tmeasure, and analytics can't prove any of
that. And I just you know, you hear analytics and they have a
use, but there's still something tobe said and you're still you know,

(26:15):
close to the game. I'm justthere's something to be said about the eye
test and all of that. Yeah, Yeah, Like I said, it's
hard to quantify that, but whenguys are together and guys are all pulling
the rope in the same direction foreach other, for a bigger purpose,
you make some some cool things happen. And you know, for me in
Milwaukee, I know that was oneof my favorite things in Milwaukee. For

(26:40):
those five years, I can saywe had probably five of the closest teams
that I've ever been on, andand that translated. You know, we
didn't always have the most skill,but we always found a way to make
the playoffs and you know, todo it for each other. And you
know, I know Dino and thecoaching staff had a lot to do with
that. I know leadership like Floridahad a lot to do with that.
And really, you know, it'sthe culture in the locker room. We're

(27:03):
just people just like everyone else,going to work every day and you have
to get along with your work mats. And the better you do in the
normal world while you're in business,the better you know success you're going to
have them. That's no different inthe hockey world. So I mean,
yeah, how is how has thattransferred for you getting out of the game,
And I mean, has has allof that stuff helped you as you've

(27:23):
started other endeavors. Yeah, Imean I I when I was coaching for
a couple of years too. Ialways preach to the kids every single thing
you learn in our team, sport, and especially in hockey is going to
be translated into the real world inan office, in your business world,
and your adult life as a parent. You know, it teaches you good

(27:44):
morals, good values, good habits, and that all translate over and it's
you know, you can get bya little easier by making mistakes when you're
younger and playing a sport, andit's easier to learn those lessons then than
trying to learn them, you know, when you're thirty five, forty years
old and have a fan and youknow it can be a costly mistake and
lose your job potentially because of alesson you have to learn. I was

(28:07):
going to say, you know,Mike, it's a sport though, and
pretty much every sport you have tobe to a degree selfish, right.
You have to your your training,your your diet, your you're missing you
know, I can't do this becauseI have to train or I have to
do this instead of whatever you wantto do. Right. I mean there's
a selfishness. There's a selfishness inespecially when you're young, about putting up

(28:32):
points and being noticed and trying toget there. But then then it starts
to shift, like and I thinkas you mature, then you get that
mature outlook, right, Like.I mean, it's one thing to be
ten eleven years old and you wantto be scoring forty to fifty goals maybe
a game. But you know,then you realize that, hey, how
can I help be part of thisclub? Does the does you know the

(28:56):
some of the parts I need tobe Does the team make me better?
Or do I make the team better? It's kind of one of those chicken
or the egg things. Yeah,that comes with maturing that also, I
mean that's part of the process ofbecoming a pro is learning that stuff.
And when you're in minor hockey,you're younger, you're not always giving most
of it. You're not taught that. Usually when you become a pro you
get to learn that. So whenyou're a kid, you don't know that.

(29:18):
You're focusing on having fun, scoringgoals, celebrating and all that,
and usually it is about you youunless your parents are teaching you about being
a teammate and all that stuff,right, so you know, you grow
into that. I was lucky thatI had some teammates and leaders like Bordo
that taught me all that intangible information. I think that that, you know,
instead of going through those lessons,I was able to be taught them

(29:41):
from someone else. It's unfortunate thatI don't know if all that information is
being passed down from generation or generation. So it is something that's an intangible
that will turn someone into a proand gives someone. It gives someone consistency,
and that's what leads to success.Yes, you have been quite vocal

(30:02):
over the years too about you mentionedScott Ford and Dean Evison and Steve Ludzick
and guys that you've had along theway, and certainly your parents. I
know your parents a little bit andI've seen you around them, like all
of these people that have helped shapewho you are. And I see you
with your kids now and it's it'sjust awesome to see. But like you

(30:22):
said, to develop that, Igot to imagine you learned maybe a lot
quicker than some others what it's liketo be or what it takes to be
a good teammate. Yeah, Idon't know why that was. It was
I don't know. I don't knowwhy I started focusing on that. I
don't know. If it's probably formy parents. Like there, you're protecting

(30:45):
your own folks, You're taking careof each other, you're looking out for
each other before most of the time, before you're even looking out for yourself,
which you know you look back on, maybe you would have done that
a little differently, but that's whatI knew. I was taking care of
my teammates. I was, youknow, making sure that we were all
trying to pull that rope in thesame direction. If there was a little
kink in the armor, how dowe fix it? Like it was all
about the team mike Ly, Yeah, the boat. But it's just that's

(31:10):
the way it's been. Yeah,mich Leambas joining us at Milwaukee Admiral Center.
Rice. I wanted to get intothis because you and I share,
I think a passion. You're certainlymore advanced than I am. You've been
doing this longer than me. ButI'm talking about woodworking and and things like
that. And you did it startfor you in Iowa kind of as an

(31:33):
escape, just to get your mindoff of hockey or before then. You
know what, I started getting moretools in Iowa once COVID shutdown and all
that, but I had some stuff, like about three or four years before
that, when I was an earlyriser. I got my work done at
Nutty Nichols, Like at six sevenin the morning. I'd be home by
Newton, let's say, and Ihad the whole day ahead of me.
So I picked up a sander,I picked up some wood, trying the

(31:55):
Jeff Back designs in you know,Mississauga area. He's in our neighborhood.
And I started watching and learning,and I started picking up some more tools,
and that was what I did inthe summers. Then COVID came and
I started doing it a little more, and then I ended up retiring.
And you know, that was myhobby, passionate so hobby. So I
started getting into that, and thenyou know, one thing led to another.

(32:16):
I'm on my third shop now andit's it's a hobby for me,
and uh, it's it's a it'san expression for me to yeah, I
don't I've always worked with my hands. I built Lego and then that turned
into building remote control cars and airplanesand all that from scratch and then turned
into woodworking. And during COVID itprobably saved me because it, you know,

(32:37):
I was able to put my timeinto something, my thoughts and my
energy and something, and during retirementas well. At the same time,
it was, you know, itwas kind of a savior for me to
have this. So yeah, Iyou know what I I I get the
COVID thing, and I get theretirement thing. Like idle hands right like
you can go, you can youcan start to lose your mind a little

(32:59):
bit if you didn't have something todo. When when you started doing this,
what were you building? Was itjust like tables? Was it?
I know, a charcoterie? Boardswas what was the thing? I started
with some serving boards and cribbage boards, and then I, you know,
I started making a couple of guysat the gym, like Jake Wellman.
I made him a coffee table earlyon, and then I started making a

(33:20):
couple of things for you know,Tom Wilson. I made a couple of
things for and just started making thingsfor guys because it was it was something
I wanted to do and I enjoyed, and like there were buddies and it
was kind of like my launch.It was like getting my sheet wet,
giving it to the guys, gettingsome feedback, and then they got into
bigger tables and some cabinetry. Ijoined up with Samra, my wife's cousin,
Grant who's read sield travoistry maker.He is a genius. We started

(33:44):
doing some cabinrictry and all that.We've since moved on from that. He's
in some other full time work,but now it's it's a hobby where there's
serving boards, grip boards. I'mgetting into other things, you know.
I did a couple of things forthe Manitoba Moves for their gifts. I
do some things for guys around theleague, and then some local you know,
some furniture stuff, some tables,side tables and coffee tables and stuff.

(34:06):
Well yeah, tops too, andyeah, just kind of doing things
that are are fun for me todo, not doing it to make money.
I urge people to look at inNomadic Designs is the well and you
say it's a hobby, that thatis the company though, right, I
mean, yeah, yeah, it'sa registered company. And I did like

(34:29):
I was, I was doing alot more work over the last couple of
years, like a lot more work. And then this year I'm working full
time with Stanley DeVault and that's takenup a lot of my time. Last
year I was working with Bio Steel. That was taking up a lot of
my time. So you know,I'm focusing more on a career thing like
that. And this is like myescape, this is my hobby, this

(34:49):
is my it's my this is prettymuch a social thing. I got a
shop too. I have people comehere and hang out. I got a
fifty five inch TV on the ceiling. I put the guys hockey games up
on there. And I got mydesk here as well for my Stanley Blocking
Decker jobs. So like I setup here every day. I get my
ipat or my screen and everything andit's my quiet place because I don't have

(35:10):
a desk or like an office atmy house. So yeah, yeah,
it's a it's a good uh goodlittle setup ahead well, and again I
urge people to go check out youryour your stuff on Instagram and because the
stuff you're doing is is really amazing. And Mike Leamba is joining us,
I want to ask you too,and I'm going to do this on the

(35:31):
air. I guess I could haveasked you off the air, but uh,
you do a lot of live edgestuff. And I'm curious, how
difficult is it? Because I seethat around town. I go to I
go to these shops and I'm lookingat these things and it intrigues me a
little bit. But I got toadmit, like using and and I know
I'm getting real niche on the peoplethat are listening here, but using an
epoxy, using the live edge,like that's intimidating to me. How how

(35:52):
difficult is that stuff? Ah,you learn from your mistakes, That's true.
Make me start small, learn frommistake. It's I've been doing it
for I mean probably like eight yearsnow, and I've made a lot of
mistakes. But now, you know, putting a table together and doing a
ten foot by four foot dining tablewith a fifteen dollars worth of the POXI

(36:16):
it still gets your ticker going abit because you don't want to make any
mistakes. But I've done him somuch now that I got a pretty good
grasp on it. But they canbe a little daunting. You know,
you don't want to start with abig dining table. Start with a smaller
project and kind of learn from somemistakes because they will happen and then go
from there. Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I you know you mentioned Scott Ford,

(36:37):
Mark Van Guelder does games with meon the TV here in Milwaukee.
Yeah yeah. I mean, justso many guys that were around that team
that that are you know, thatare still active and available and following the
team. I mean, it's justit's just really neat to see. And

(36:58):
I guess it's probably that way withevery team, but it's just neat because,
like I said, there are somany guys who are fan favorites and
certainly you're included in that that understandwhat's going on. It's not that way
with every team, Simmer. It'sbecause they had such close teams in Milwaukee,
we really did. They're like someof the closest teams, and that's
why guys are coming back still andstill wanting to have a connection with the

(37:22):
team and stuff, because I knowI'm not as close with every team that
I played on, but Milwaukee's gota place in a lot of people's hearts
because we grinded for each other.We didn't always have the most skill,
but we found a way to figurethings out, and I think that's why
people are still cutting around so that'sa beautiful way to end some Milwaukee in
the organization, So it's not everyteam like that. It's definitely because of

(37:44):
the organization at the people that werein it. That's a beautiful way to
end this. Mike, I can'twait to see here. I'm looking forward
to seeing your place in a coupleof weeks when we come up to visit
Winnipeg. That's another cool thing too. You got Jimmy Olini there. You've
had friends and relationships through like youget together with so many guys that come
into town. I think that's reallyneat. You've been able to keep touch
with a lot of people. Yeah, yeah, that's great. It's great

(38:07):
having Jimmy here and Marie and thegirls. Like I remember when in Milwaukee
we did an Easter one morning andher Easter with the one year and little
Stella was only I think four orfive years old, and we did a
big history count. She was theonly kid on the team as well,
and we did a big Easter eatcount for her and all that. And
now I think she's twelve years oldor eleven years old or something, babysitting

(38:29):
the kids and asking when she canbabysit my kids. So it's pretty cool
to watch his family grow up,and it's cool to have him around,
that's for sure. I remember herstepping up in front of me during karaoke
at a Christmas party. She tookthe microphone away from me, and it's
like, how am I going toturn this down? This cute little girl
comes up and she's gonna sing.I'll step aside, man, that's all

(38:49):
her, it's all her. Yeah, it's great to talk to you,
man. Thanks for doing this,and we'll see you in a couple of
weeks. Yeah, thanks for havingme Simmer. All right, that's Michael
Liambas We're going to take a break. We'll come back in a moment.
You're listening to Milwaukee Admiral Center ICEone final time tonight. It's Milwaukee Admirals
Center ICE. I want to thankLiam Foodie, Admiral's President, John Greenberg,
and Mike Leeambis for joining us.We recorded this before all of the

(39:12):
festivities at the All Star Weekend inSunday Monday anyway in San Jose, So
check out NHL Network AHLTV you'll beable to see the game tonight. Last
night was the skills competition and getback to Admiral social media and at the
Admiral's website if you have any questionson how things went there. The Admirals
at the All Star break have afairly comfortable lead. Now, there's certainly

(39:36):
a long way to go, thirtytwo games remaining for Milwaukee, but twenty
nine ten to one in zero,the Admirals have won twelve straight and one
shy of the franchise record set inNovember and early December of twenty nineteen,
which was thirteen. So the Admiralsare closing in on franchise history here.
They'll have a couple of games toget that going here. The Admiral's next
game is against Chicago. That's comingup on Friday night, when the Rolls

(40:00):
host the Wolves at seven pm atPanther Arena. In honor of National Pizza
Day, the first thirty five hundredfans receive an Admirals scream in Sicilian pizza
cutter. That is a gift thatto steal Randy Quaid's line, and a
Christmas vacation. That's a gift thatkeeps on giving. It's a fair deal.
Friday as well, get an Admiral'sticket and a ticket to the twenty
twenty four Wisconsin State Fair for justtwenty two dollars. It's an Ian's Pizza

(40:22):
Student Night as well. And thenon February tenth, the Admirals host the
Texas Stars at six pm, andthe Admirals have a fourteen point lead in
the Central Division. The Admirals havethe second best record in the American Hockey
League points percentage at seven point thirtyeight. Hershey is at eighth four,
So the Admirals are This run hasbeen just magnificent. Those of you who've

(40:44):
been along with it, you certainlyknow a couple of All Stars. You've
got Spencer Stashney, Yaroslava scar Off. It's just been really, really fantastic
Admirals averaging over four goals per game. They've scored seven short handed goal during
this twelve game winning streak. It'sbeen really remarkable. But anyway, the
Admiral's hosting Texas, and Texas iscertainly going to want to get back in

(41:06):
the winning column when they visit Milwaukeeon Saturday night February tenth. So the
Admirals and Stars on February tenth atPanther Arena six pm faceoff. After the
game Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Cheap trick in concert tickets are available,
and I believe on ice passes arestill available too, but you'll probably
want to hurry visit Milwaukee Admirals dotcom. And then the five game homestand

(41:30):
culminates on February thirteenth. That isa six to thirty faceoff. We spoke
about that with Admiral's president John Greenbergin the first segment Tonight six to thirty
face Off. It's camera night,so this is your chance to get on
the ice and take pictures with Admiralsplayers after the game, the Admirals and
Wolves, and then about nine o'clockor so when the game is over,
you'll be able to go on theice and get your picture taken. It's

(41:51):
a winning weekday, it's part ofthe Harley Davidson breakaway ticket package, and
it's Gallantine's Day. Check out MilwaukeeAdmirals dot com find out more about Gallentine's
Day. That's February thirteenth, Sothree more games on this five game homestand
the Admirals could be setting franchise historyhere. One more win would tie the
franchise record for consecutive wins they're closingin on a really, really historic run.

(42:16):
Just one shy of thirty wins.The Admirals won eighteen games at home
all of last season. They're alreadyat sixteen this year. It's been,
as you know, one whale ofa run. So visit Milwaukee Admirals dot
com for tickets, promotions, allof that stuff. A reminder that Jackson
Dean will perform after the Admirals gameon February twenty fourth, and then coming

(42:37):
up March twenty third. Nate Smithafter the game, thanks to everyone for
listening tonight, and we'll see youagain after the All Star break. You've
been listening to Milwaukee Admirals Center ice