Latest / Chirping Zebras / DARREN McCARTY | Chirping Zebras Podcast | Ep #102
Transcript
- Josh Dolan: Welcome everyone to Chirping Zebras, Mark Reilly, virtually alongside Gino Binda Jr. and Josh Dolan. And want to welcome you to ⁓ a great episode with a great guest. But before we get to that, I to thank our sponsors. I want to thank the referees, Creesh, your one-stop shop for all your refereeing needs. From scheduling and development to payment, they do it all. Also want to thank Damon Financial Services for over 24 years. Damon Financial has helped families and business owners grow and protect their wealth with clear trusted strategies from retirement planning and investments to tax efficient solutions. They deliver no nonsense advice focused on your goals. You can give them a call at 508-321-2101 today to schedule your appointment or you can check them out at damonfinancial.com. Also want to give a shout out to AOA Studios. We'll be back there sooner than you think. Also want to remind you to like and subscribe on YouTube and find us on all the social medias, the Instagram, the Facebook, and of course, the TikTok. Thank you, Gino. Nail it every time. Also want you to check out our online store, chirpingzebras.com. And we also have our limited supply of lace hoodies that will be on the... On the website, you can purchase those for sure. And also quarter zips, special quarter zips. So they're on there as well. We'll have golf shirts coming soon. Hopefully winter won't last too much longer. ⁓ What a beauty Goody was, huh? Yes. ⁓ yeah. If you haven't watched the last episode, ⁓ Andrew and Sanon who plays Brent Goodleaf on Shore Z, otherwise known as Goody, just... Incredible. a, you know, guy. Yeah, hockey guy through and through and just a really cool dude with some great stories. That skiing story he told was fantastic. Oh, yeah. And then me looking up the wrong town that he was from. Yeah, that was good. You had no idea. that's okay. spelled it wrong. It's a weird name. Well, you know, when you're a producer of a podcast, you don't always get things right. Doesn't mean I know Canada. No, no you don't. ⁓ But yeah, the heater continues, boys. That's a big one. I mean, we're on quite a rip here. Yeah. And then, and then with today and then all the things coming up, I mean, it's just. Yeah, we have. We're to keep going until we're just in the new season of Shorzy. We do have to get that. Well, yeah, the new one's coming out. ⁓ down here in the U S well, we might as well tell everyone too, that, know, ⁓ you can watch for the chirping seabrish float in the St. Patrick's day parade over in Southie. March 15th, we're gonna, ⁓ we're going to be tearing it up and we're going to have some shoresy boys on the, on the float. ⁓ John Eccles representing warrior for life fund. got some, ⁓ really cool stuff going on. Going to do a big show and party at laugh Boston after that night. So. That's going to be quite the day, March 15th. We're looking forward to that for sure. So hopefully we'll see you out there either on the parade route or in the audience that night. So we're looking forward to that. also today, Darren McCarty. mean, you know, the guy that just an incredible dude, but him beating the crap out of Claude the Mew, one of the highlights, non-Boston. ⁓ Highlights for me in all sports. I think everybody in Boston appreciates him for doing that Yeah, it just One of the I mean Claude the mute think about it. He's probably enemy number one not Justin Boston and Detroit I mean not many people liked him. No No, he just didn't care You know, it's funny because Darren, we talked about it with him about how he would have been such a great Bruin. He would have been great to have here in Boston. He would have fit right in. know, Claude the Mew is someone that I wouldn't want him on my team. No, no. Zero respect. know, zero respect. And if Claude the Mew sees this, just know that Darren McCarty will beat the bag out of you again. And we'll help him. And if not, Cam Neely's standing right behind him. Yeah. There's a list of people. A list of people. But yeah, really psyched for this one. You guys are going to really enjoy Darren McCarty. Just a bundle of energy and great stuff on so many different things. And we were real like, and he's a fan. Fan of the Zebras. He is. Yeah. I was not expecting that. No. Yeah. before he even had about us than I thought he did. He did his homework. Yeah, yeah, he's a fan of the Reels and he watched episodes and so very cool to see that and we always love having someone that's a fan of ours on because we're a huge fan of his. So without further ado, let's check out our conversation with the one and only Darren McCarty. Perfect, that was five minutes and 40 seconds which we need because Darren McCarty started saying fuck right away. I like that. I swear to God I was watching the clock trying to stretch. You guys weren't giving me any help. I was trying to stretch. I almost went like this to you. Because I know he says fuck right off the hop. Yeah, he does, like 70 times. I believe that is a zebra on the ice bill. How did he get on the ice? They still can't get him off the ice. is crazy. Here comes all the zebras. It's a zoo out there. can't do that. Doesn't matter. They didn't watch. Welcome everyone to Trippin' Coopers. Maybe we'll all embrace the zebra side. Darren, thanks for coming on. Just hold on for a second. and so that videos can upload and usually takes a minute or two and then we're good. Sounds good. Awesome. I'm a grindliner, bro. You just broke it down. You just gave me fucking directions and expectations of fucking it's done. How do you want that served up? Do you need that in a fucking silver cup, kid, or what? I love it. You know a thing about a silver cup, right? I don't. I mean, if you look in the record books, they might have a... You know, like I always say, that used to be my joke. Right? Me and Tom Brady, what do we have in common? Fuck man, we won four and lost two. And then he went out and fucking won three more, the fucking dope. So. We ask everyone that's won a cup, what's it like the first time you lift that thing over your head? You know, I think that the first thing that goes through your mind is everybody that got you there. You know, it floods through sort of like we hear about when you're on your deathbed and your life flashes for, you know, all for your eyes and goes through it. It just flashed back to all the, you know, minor hockey coaches and teachers and really, you know, the grandparents and your parents and everybody that has helped you get there. Because nobody can ever do it yourself, especially in hockey. You know, like, and especially when I grew up, you know, you had to travel and you had to, you know, it took time and you had to get seen. wasn't, there was no internet age and you know, that that's the beauty today. My game, you had to have somebody like you and you had to get seen somehow. Today's day and age, you got to develop and somebody will see you. I mean, the phones everywhere. So I think that that's the first thing that goes through your head. is just like the accomplishment and the unbelievably. And I don't think it really ever sinks in until it's later. Just like the gravity of it. And I'm from it from a kid. look at, I'm the kid that grew up, right? The house I grew up in, give or take 10 minutes for the border was 40 minutes from Joe Louis Arena on the Canada side. Right? So I grew up with every kid's dream. That was my favorite team and they sucked in the 70s. They were the dead wings, but we could beat people up. All my friends were Toronto and Montreal and everything like that. But I always had that vision, you know, like just like everybody else, you know, five, four, three, two, one, you know, stand the cup. We all have these visions and I was one that got to live it out and to score that goal that you dreamed about and to have that. the magnitude of of what it meant because it was the first cup in 42 years, you know, because of the gravity of what we'd built in Detroit and being an integral part of it and not getting over the hump. So, you know, the first thing goes through personal feelings and then it goes right to the guys. It goes to how much you love this, everybody next to you. I always say, and I try to preach, ⁓ that teams are ready to win championships in any sport when the guy next to you is more important than you are to yourself. That's on the ice and off the ice. And it's that commitment. And the great wise one, Steve Iserman, Is one of these things, as I remember him saying, if we can accomplish this, we'll have something together for the rest of our lives. almost 30 years later when we get together we were just together for the federal retirement and fan fest this year for 100 years it goes right back to that locker room back in the 90s so we do appreciate it and I think you know more and more now and as you guys get older right all the five ten fifteen year olds get older which means they've lived life they have families they have debt they have jobs it means a little bit different than being that little kid but it all explains no matter who you're cheering for. And that's the culture of this sport that we all love. And it doesn't matter if you've won four Stanley Cups, like I have your love of hockey, and my love of hockey. There's no greater, it's just different. So that's why I love what you guys are doing. Love what Holly and Chaser are doing. Love anybody, you know, obviously the Spittin' Chicklets set the mark and what those clowns are doing up there. And I'm gonna, so like. God damn it, like Biz gets your Toronto Maple Leafs good so you can at least like punch back. mean, it feels like I'm fighting back in junior some of these guys right now. I mean, it's like, I can't wait till it's Toronto and Detroit and the world's right and I get to chirp Biz. And that's what I'm going to do to him on the golf course. You don't even know. I mean, it's not even fun. So, yeah. So, and that's why we all love hockey. To what you just said, it doesn't matter what the team, we're all on the same level. Everything you just said, and it's hard to explain to a non-hockey person when it comes down to whoever wins the Stanley Cup. I cry every single time the Stanley Cup is lifted. It doesn't matter who the team is. The only time I didn't was when the Bruins won, because I was too busy being like, this isn't happening. But I see the little kid that's, like you just said. lifting the cup and then you got to do that. It's so amazing. Well, think about it, right? Because the interviews and the families, then you get all the kids and just the way that and especially the way it's the greatest tradition in sports because you actually get to have a personal relationship when you win that cup with the cup. You know, the old adage of don't ever touch it unless you want it. Man, I get to molest that thing anytime it's around. It's friggin awesome. Did we lose Riley? Is he frozen? I think he is frozen. think he's just so in him. Look at that face. He is so locked in. is locked in. Man, I wish the guys were listening to me just as astutely as he is right there right now. Yep. And that's what I told him. There he goes. Oh, and he's gone. All right. Now we can say whatever we want. And he's gone. There you go. No, but that was... Where is everybody at? everybody's in different... Boston. Yep. Yeah, we're in Boston. Yep. Yeah, well, I'm in Massachusetts. I'm like 35 miles outside Boston. But you're all diehard Bruins fans or? ⁓ absolutely. And Patriots fans. yeah. So great back to Josh to what you were saying, right? Like, was it enjoyable to watch a Marshawn lift the cup a couple of times, like having a part of it and being a part? Because like, I think that that that, you know, the beauty of sports also is that that you get guys to come through. We're experiencing now in Detroit, right? Where I say with Patrick Kane who just set the US Player Points record, it's like before kids he was Chicago and appreciated and everything there and loved it, but now he's so ingrained in Detroit culture and everything that he says. It's like, have kids and you sort of grown up a little bit and it's cool to be able to have both. And in this sport, right? When you lose... one of your best guys, you can go and cheer for him and be happy for him and shed a tear for them when they put it in. And I think that's the great thing about culture, the handshake at the end, after you literally just absolutely broken each other in half. Look at the cup that you guys, right? The, in that you lost. Look at the injury. Look at the injury report. the guys are getting serious surgeries. Especially the 2013 one with Bergeron with the fractures. That's the one I'm talking about. The Dano playing with a broken jaw, bro. Yeah. Bergeron one lung. They killed Grislick in game one. Like someone ran him through the end wall. Oh yeah. They killed us. Yeah. Which is when you asked me about hockey today, right? it's... The playoffs is more of my game and it reverts back, but there's two different games we're watching now. It's almost like we're watching the European NHL regular season and then we're watching the North American playoffs, which I love, but in saying that, who's built their team that way? We've seen Florida's built their team that way, but you got like, what you said is a mentality that's different. Regular season hockey and the NHL in 2000. 25, 26, and it's been this way since, you know, COVID or whatever like that is you got to score, you got to get points, you got every night, it's like you can't focus on a rivalry because you always got a next game going up and it's a three point game and you know, you just can't, you realize that it's about not losing, right? You can get as many, many like OT losses because it's like a tie. And at the end of the day it adds up, but then when it reversed back to the playoffs. I'm going to focus in on you, Riles, the whole series. just like you said, Grizzly, right, my job is to take you out. And you saw the greatest clip of transparency by Paul Maurice, the coach of the Florida Panthers in the playoffs. And what are you guys doing? We got to stay heavy, stay heavy, stay heavy, because it's not about game three. It's about game six and game seven, which parity in the game usually leads to. But my question is, who's being built? towards that playoff team. Right. You need those third and fourth liners just to run the D through the boards every night, right? Just dumping, them. Just wear them down. And those third and fourth lines, I think, win you the cup every year. Like everybody has top two lines. And then those third and fourth lines are the ones that, you know, secondary scoring or whatever it is every night. It's, ⁓ that's so important. Gino, you nailed it right there. It comes down to can your third and fourth line, right? Shut down, you know, the other team and be as heavy on them as possible and be effective whether they don't need to be on the scoreboard if the big guys are doing it. But it's when the big guys don't do it and there's a couple games a series that it doesn't happen that you who are the guys? What is playoff hockey all about? It's about hearing a name score a Stanley Cup winning goal that had no business like myself. But that's the beauty of the game. is that in those moments and and you know one of the things I'm most proud of is that when you say the grind line in any hockey circle you know who you're talking about. Yeah. Right. I'm part of that. But there's a mentality and what made the grind line is yeah the rest the other two guys Malpy and Draper were pricks to play against and two of the best shut down penalty killers checkers in the league and agitators and but but when push came to shove we needed a goal. Boom. Yep. Yeah. That was the Bruins when they won it, right? Like their fourth line was the best in all of hockey. And the Bruins had like some like psychological stuff. Like how much of the psychological warfare goes into it? Because I know that's like part of it too. Like to defeat someone you get in their head a little bit. Like when it was you and the Avs, like you guys hated each other, right? Like... ⁓ hated, hate. Like the fan base, the team. But respected each other. High hatred, but it just is high respect because look at those two teams and we're talking about real those 95 96 to oh 102 Detroit Red Wings and and Colorado Avalanche rosters look at all the Hall of Famers on that team You know what I saw so they made us we made them at the end of it. We had three they had two we win so I mean that's just the way it goes, but there was respect and And just what made those teams great, right? We're third line or we're fourth line, but we can play with any second line in the league. And we shut down the Legion of Doom. We would play against Sackagor Forsberg all the time. Right? Because it's all about having your role players playing a big enough role to be able to free up your stars. Right? You got to worry about me. Then you forget about a guy named Sergey Fedorov. ⁓ You know what? Pretty good for this guy and my team. and and that's where you see that's why playoff hockey's every like the first round of playoff hockey. I mean, that is like every night it's a hockey porn, bro. It's crazy. And every game, right? and then some years like the over times and all that different stuff is so much different drama. But again, you know, playoff hockey is all about staying healthy. Right? You gotta get that save when you need it, and you gotta get that bounce when you need it. And that's the difference, because everybody, especially nowadays, are so close. So durability, especially in the playoffs, is huge. Go ahead. ⁓ no, I was gonna say, I wanna talk more about the Avalanche, but before we do, Fedorov was my favorite non-Bruin of all time, right? ⁓ I love that guy, and you got to play Not only with him, but the Russian five. He's a is a Red Wings fan. Yeah, I know. like retirement, buddy. ⁓ yeah. See, I wore I wore a Nike bucket. I still have, actually. And everyone said I looked like him. That's one of the reasons why I loved him. But he was just so fucking good. And you got to play with that. You're allowed to wear the bucket, but no one's allowed to wear the skates, bro. You're not good. I wasn't allowed to wear them. Even Drapes wasn't allowed to wear those white skates, which are the most pimp things ever in hockey. They make you look trash, though. I the skates. I didn't have the skates. I just had the bucket. But you weren't allowed, dude. That's like a criminal crime if you would have possession of those skates. Ankle benders like you, Riles, aren't allowed to wear those. You're the same category as me, bud. You get to look at them, and they're pretty. Dream about it. Maybe we'll get lucky enough to change our skate laces to a different color. But. Well, being a ref, I have to wear white. So I have no choice. They won't let me wear anything else. Well, you should be. Hey, you know what? Why are you worried about your skates? You can't even see them anyways. You're so blind. God damn. I know you. Somebody else tied your skates. You got those Velcro things on. Somebody check and make sure he's not got those Velcro skates on. God dang. The double one I mean, if you work on his eyesight... I mean, three blind mice, I mean, he doesn't even need two partners. That's him himself. No, you... I got it. You just brought up six different things I wanted to talk about with Rep. Going back to my original... Dude, there's tape on you too, Riles. Don't think it's not... Doesn't work both ways. I got your videos. Yeah, they're horrible, bro. Horrible. You are a better rep than Perry Vellucci and our alumni, though. I will give you that, but just barely. That's Mike Vellucci, assistant coach from the Chicago Blackhawks, his oldest brother. And we don't call Perry, we call fucking Perry. God damn, is he horrible. I'll have to come out and do a Detroit alumni game and then I can show you what I can really do. know? Absolutely. It's going to be the most the coldest game of the year outside so I can get tossed in the first minute of the game. You'll pay me to do that? I can do that. There you go. See? True ref. Did you hear what he said? You can pay me to do that. I'm just saying we're uncovering a lot of things here in Chirping Zebras today. Yes, we have. This is what we're supposed to do, Chirping Zebras, right? Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Chirping I was just wondering. thought Paul's... By the way, just to answer the question, Paul Stewart's probably, I don't know if he's come up, but one of the most vocal referees or whatever. And he would, the funniest thing is like you'd have a, as a guy that was tough, cause Paul Stewart was a minor league tough guy. So it's the bluffers and the guys that like in today's game, you'd want Paul Stewart, Mike, just for his commentary on all the bluffers out there. All the, but dude, Elite like there's some like I know we got on a tangent or whatever But like I gotta tell this one story because like Bill McCreary was the one one opposite that was like the principal and it was mr. McCreary sir. Yes, sir May ask you a question sir. You know, like like stuff like that, right then Paul Stewart Koharski Dvorsky they were like ones that you could you know, like What the fuck was that, bro? Like, go look at, ⁓ shut up, dude. You had, like, and it would be back, like, you don't cross the line. Right. I say this because I was the buffer. I got along with everybody. think Ray Scampanella said I was his favorite player to ever lines for, which is, like, so awesome, dude. Yeah. If I could have skated like Ray Scampanella, bro, I would have killed guys, too. He was fast. He could have worn the white skates, Riley. He could have wore the white skates. But I bring this up because a lot of our best players and in like Shani's and Stevie's and whatever, didn't have, Shani had more of a governor, could be more political, but Stevie really couldn't. And when he would get upset and like he would say some pretty things that I would never even think about saying. And it's all good because different guys get away with different things, right? As long as you don't push the line. Right. So the only time I seen him get kicked out was by Rob Schick in St. Louis, right? And I'd listen and honestly, I would have kicked him out 10 minutes earlier if I was roughing because of what he was saying and back and forth and whatever like this. And finally, Schick goes, yeah, yeah, you're out of here. And I was when stops and he just changed. He turned into like look like a little kid. goes, me? Like, what did I say? Like, wait, what did I say? And then stayed, stayed with it. So Stevie went back at him or whatever, but it's the only time that I'd ever seen. Because sometimes, that's the, if you did it right and mic'd back in our day, the ice and all that stuff, you'd hear some of the funniest things and then you'd hear some things that guys canceled. Not saying Stevie said anything that would cancel. ⁓ But that was the most entertaining of shock of anything ref tossing it ever was. And I don't think I ever got tossed out of a game for my mouth. I got tossed out of a game for my fist, but not my mouth. That's awesome. like, who was the best chaper in your day? So, so the the one that if and Do you guys follow wrestling at all? Yes. ⁓ yeah. Yeah, Avery had the ability to be MJF Okay, the what he went but but he just take it a little too far Right. He just take it a little too far, but he was So good. I'll tell you like like the greatest chirp like Japars, whatever, Steve Iserman. He throws samurai swords, and, you know, the ones that cut you and you're laughing and then you're like, ⁓ man, that's about me, and then you die. But Shandy's one of the quickest, quick-witted guys ⁓ out there as far as like paying attention, but like guys just, you know, like different guys would run their mouth at all. Depends. mean ⁓ shanny in the box with that fan where he was told in that lady. She needed ⁓ Like just little stuff like that right engage where you can see that ⁓ Yeah, so so and we had vets right like we had like real so guys could go deep in the bag right like And and here's the thing You know, it's you know, it shuts people up real quick stats, ⁓ reality, things written in stone. Contracts. so it was more of like, you'd have to, the great one, like, like drapes and malts were always like in a chirp, right? Like they're like, so, so, you know, like, and that's the best part that they'd have great Dallas Drake who I won a cup with in 08 and I started in the league in Detroit because he was there in 93. but one of the best teammates and whatever, but he played in St. Louis and he played a guy and they would go at it like crazy. And a lot of times like guys that know each other, that have played junior together or whatever when he gets heated, it's sort of like the competition factor for people that don't watch hockey all the time is what you saw and maybe you scratched your head at that USA Canada three fights opening face off. But we understand as hockey people, the pride and the fact that these guys have been waiting like 10 years and this was like way bigger and this is all about them growing up and like, cause these guys play each other growing up and that was just blowing off the steam in the best way possible, throwback to calm the game, to take all the cheap stuff out and to allow them to play hockey, right? So that's. That's more of what it's like of having that respect, but having to do it. You know what I mean? And wanting to do it. So yeah, sometimes when you played with guys, get some, like, you know them from junior or somebody knows them junior, so you bring up some stuff. some stuff. Some stuff. You know. That never goes away. But like that's what I like because you'd always enjoy Sean until you'd have to like hit the button where like too far too far I mean, I don't know if anybody's ever seen his bicycle. Oh my god. I love those so so imagine that like right cuz those are public to the to the brink but it's and I think that as we age we understand a little bit more where that line is. So, but always, always funny guy. Funniest guy I ever played with though was Kevin Hodson. Our backup goalie in, we were talking about the other day, Mike Vernon was in town and ⁓ my God, he could do every other goalie in the league, like mimic them. the playoffs, in the playoffs, we were playing Dallas and it was Ed Belfour or Colorado, was Patrick Wah or whatever he'd be in there doing that, but. He had a bunch of different characters around the dressing room that would make the boys just pop. So like that and that just goes to show you the integral part that everybody plays a role. So I refereed Sean Avery when he got wavered down in for the the Hawford Whalers and it happened to be the day of the winter classic that he was supposed to play in. And he took a double minor high stick and I called it and he gave me a nice fucking lecture that was pretty cool. And I was like. You know, I'm like, I'm getting choked right now by Sean Avery. I'm like, how cool is this? Right. And like in the back of my head, I'm like, listen, buddy, I'm like, are you supposed to be playing in the with the classic? Me up in Portland, Maine, like, go fuck, go fuck off. like, just walked in, walked a stick right in the kids mouth. The kids bleeding. I go, it pretty textbook. Right. And then he just gave me election. I just let him. I was like, I'm getting choked by Sean Avery. I'm going to get, you know, soak this in. It was awesome. But yeah. But he said, I remember he said at the end of the bench. in Portland and he just fucking chirped the whole game like he just shit on everybody like wouldn't shut the fuck up and It was it was unbelievable. I was like, this is one of the coolest things in the world Yeah, I had to do a job right like I'm out there like how to manage it, but fuck that was so cool. That's yeah, there's Sean Avery bike lane videos I'm like, he's just he's just never he's always at a hundred miles an hour and like he's so good at like in the moment I feel like he would be good at doing like crowd work during a stand-up show or something. he's... 100 % dude, because it's authentic. right. That's who he is. It warms my heart. absolutely. Absolutely. I think I already know the answer, but we've talked about it with a bunch of people, because the game has changed so much when it comes to fighting. And, you know, we're a big proponent of it, and anyone who understands the game understands why it's such a big proponent. but it's non-hockey people trying to get rid of it. And it's not, they're not doing the right thing. And I can guess what your answer is, seeing that you had a few bouts. Couple. Couple. I think I've had enough to qualify to speak on it. All I wait a minute, all I know is Darren, I went on YouTube. And I pulled up one of your fights and it said, you have to verify your age to be over 18 to watch this video. And I was like, what the fuck? What did he do in this one? You were probably half naked afterwards because you never had the tie downs or any of that. No, I'm always rip mad at Rob Ray for that. Dude, that's when it was fun to fight because I could fight all these big guys. Then they started coming in like 260 and 65 and they had to tie down and stuff. That's like hoist Gracie in UFC back in the day with his gi. I had to get out of my gi. mean, dude, I'm not as big as these guys. Right? So, you know, it's about, to me, it's about accountability, right? And it's about protection. So why I have a problem with the way that the game's gone is because guys don't respect each other as much. So used to be that the fear of death is worse than death itself. And that was a guy sitting on the end of the bench or a couple guys or a couple guys that you knew that if you did something stupid or hit the wrong guy or did whatever like that, there was accountability. That's my problem with there's no accountability. They're like, I hate the hits from behind or the like the game is as talented as it is. And I'm not taking that away. But guys aren't as smart as they are. And they don't respect each other the way that we used to. We hated each other. we'd fight each other and then we'd go buy each other a beer at the bar. It's that hockey community, you got me today. You know, I'm gonna be back and get you the next day, but I want you to go home to your family. I want you to go home to your kids. I don't want you to be mackin' on the same broad at the bar that I am, but I hope she's got a winger and you like big girls. You know, like, let's get it, let's hit reality. Right, you know what I'm sayin'? And I think that as you talk, like that's... You had John Marasty on here. I'm... He says it was my idea. I will admit that I did not... I was... I sort of had an inkling that it might be coming, but I got to think that it was more his idea. I went into their locker room and I think he brought it up to me. I mean, I was all in, right? But I'm saying I don't think... I don't want to take full credit. And I started all that, even though if he wants to give it to me, that's all right. And again, if this conversation leads into that, why? Because if anybody has seen what I'm talking about is John Marasci, Jim Wan on Shore Z. We've played them the last two years and the alumni, Blueberry, ⁓ the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs, right? Come into LCA. and him and I have fought, right? Now, staged, so to speak, right? And the first year was good, and because all the fans love it and get into it, and plus I never had a tilt in LCA, so might as fight, say I got a couple against Nasty Marasty in LCA, no one's gotta look at the years, know, years from now, yeah, whatever. But true to form, so this year, We're obviously, and shout out to him, because I gotta do this once a year on the ice with him. He's gotta do it, everybody wants a piece of him. He doesn't go fight Big George and you know, like he's fighting everybody no matter where they play. he's sort of started this. But this is where it goes to the respect and the point of the story. So this year, we decided to do it where I'm gonna come off the bench and you know, it's cause it's. ⁓ I own the wrestling school and I'm the wrestling mind and we gotta make it a show. ⁓ But we have enough trust and respect ⁓ and are good enough friends that we wanna put on a show. So I'll tell you, that first one hit me, gave me a black eye for a week and I hit him with the uppercut later on, a right uppercut that, I mean, he's not gonna bruise. I mean, there's no sense in hitting. He's like a mini Tide only for Christ's Right. But but we both at the end of it were like, we're like, yeah, right. And it's like, yeah, because it was for the show. didn't want to hit each other. But it was like, you know what, if we do. Bro, we're both trying to entertain the fans and and our goal was at the end of it, we wanted people to say, was that real? That look real. And and so I take I take pride in that and. you know, it's, it's an honor to be able to do that, to do that in front of the fans. But I also get the pump cause I also said, listen, we're going to do it here. We're going to end here. So I go off the ice at the Zamboni end and I could see all the crowd and to get that pop because as an entertainer, as a hockey player, that's the stuff you missed. That was the, you know, scoring goals. Everybody likes to score goals, but you know, there's nothing like getting to fight at home. Joel O Serena back in the day and you had to skate from the far corner to the penalty box and you could just... That's a rub in itself. Now, you bring up the Joe, fight night at the Joe. I mean, that was absolutely insane. And... 26, 1997. Yeah. This will be the 29 year anniversary. Wow. Oh, crap. Wow. Right? Which puts everything into perspective. I was in high school. Well, that's what I mean. you, you, I, what I do, I traveled around Michigan ⁓ and do a comedy show and, and a lot of it tells stories and stuff like this. to go around the room, I realized, you know, the ability, when I started telling this story, you look around, you take now 29 years off somebody's age, right? Which some people in the crowd weren't even born. Which tells you the culture of hockey to hear the story of why we've been there. I always say because the 5, 10 and 15 year olds have all grown up now. You know what life is all about. But the imperatives of March 26, 1997, if anybody doesn't know, was not for revenge. The number one priority wasn't the revenge, it was winning the game. Let me backtrack. I got here in 93. I was drafted second round in 92 played a year and I had a Rhonda made it to the wings first year when the president's trophy. Oh, Glens Falls, New York dangles poopies. There it is. There it Poopies for breakfast dangles. Dangles for the last call. You're all set. That's all you need to know in Glens Falls, New York. And the law jam on Sunday night for the prime rib. That's it. You're all set now. But we won the president's trophy but lost to San Jose in the first round. Then the lockout, we're the big red machine, go to the finals against Jersey and absolutely get pounded. We were the favorites, right? Then the next year we set the league record, 62 wins and run into Colorado who beat us in game six. And in the sixth game, my center man, the center man to the grind line, Chris Draper, got hit from behind by the biggest villain in hockey, by everybody. I think that that's why we get along so well. Boston and Detroit because of what he to Cam Neely and and what a piece of shit he was You know against you guys all those years and stuff a lot of respect even though like we beat Philly in the finals like Appreciate for what it's done. So he was the biggest he and here's the thing guys He was the biggest piece of shit cheap shot artist or whatever But he was also the 1995 con smite winner for New Jersey that beat us. He was our nemesis. Anyways Fast forward to game six, Chris Straper gets hit from behind. Not only hit from behind, he got hit from behind in front of the bench, actually in front of me. I'm further away from this camera than he was the boards where I was. If you watch the replay of him getting hit from behind, I'm right there. And if you want to know what it sounds like when a guy gets his hit from behind and his jaw broken and... His orbital bone broken, his jaw broken like four spots. It sounds like Fenway Park opening day, little chilly crack of the bat. That's what it is. I still hear it. Right. Hits Chris Draper from behind, sort of gets kicked out. And this is the imperative of this. So we lose and stuff like this. But guys, in life and in sports, bad things happen. You can't lose respect for a fellow human being. And what tipped the scales was because Claude Lemieux didn't apologize. He said, fuck Chris Draper. You would have never heard of him. You know, I did him a favor. Stuff like that. Like this is war, know, hockey's war and all this other stuff. You just made it really personal. Right. I'm the best man in this guy's wedding. Right. That's my best friend. ⁓ the imperatives, and you got to remember, this is in May. Right? A 96. March of, or May of 90, 90, yeah, 96, because March of 97 is 10 months later. So I don't know if anybody's stood over something for a long time about how they wanted to get somebody back or whatever. And we played them four times. And the imperatives like, you know, in hockey is they had Colorado at our number. They beat us three times that season. So this is the last time we get to play them. If we're going to do anything in the playoffs or try to win that first cup. We got to, there's only way out. It's through. We got to go through Colorado. So that March, 2016, we had to win, right? To prove the momentum. That was the imperativeness. And, you know, I call it karma, the God shot, whatever. But if you break it down, sometimes it's not your strongest, your fastest, your most talented, but maybe your wisest or your eldest. Cause if you go watch the replay, was whistle, offside. inside, you know, the first period, Igor Larianov. Yes, all five foot five, 140 pounds soaking wet, Igor Larianov. Has had enough with Peter Forsberg, and I see him put him in a headlock and throw two punches. I never seen Iggy throw any punches or ever get mad or ever like get upset. But what I knew is that was go time. I knew Lemieux was on the ice and stuff like this. The problem was So did Adam Foote, who was a defenseman for Colorado. And he was one of their, one of their tough D men and stuff like that. He grabbed me and he's strong as hell, man. Like I'm fighting to get loose, fighting to get loose. But I had a secret weapon, flying Irishman Shanahan comes through. Bam. He breaks me loose. And then I knew Lemieux was coming in, whatever like that. And I faded the linesman. And when I looked and this is what I tell it like, This wasn't, the difference between a cold cock and a sucker punch, right? Sucker punch is from behind, don't do that. You know, that's cheap. But a cold cock's when you look somebody right between their eyes, right? And how many times have I put myself in this position? How many times have I thought, what would I do if I could get my hands on this guy? I say that, and to say to everybody, is if you put it out in the universe, if you wish for it, if you want it bad enough. be ready for when it comes, because it's going to come like that. But you have to grab it. And I did. And the irony is, I'm a lefty. I pulled that right back, but every man, woman, child, grandma, grandpa, kitty, puppy, everything in the wing-wheeled nation, and some of you Boston guys and Philly guys and everybody who hated this prick was there. And I hit him so hard, I folded him into a turtle. Right? Actually, he said that he didn't turtle. He was knocked out. That's how hard I hit him and I was like, well, I can't hit you any harder, so thank God. Right? But that just starts it. That's just the opening scene to what has happened. And I don't know what's going on behind me, right? Because I'm focused on putting my fist through this guy's skull and ripping his heart out through his nasal passage, even though I know anatomically it's not possible, but I was going to try. I don't know Patrick Waas almost got his DNA comes out of the net to come and get me. Shani sees him, Bernie keds out of the net, and they do follies in the air. Shani picks off Waw before he can get to me. I'm still focused on Lemieux. Because I'm frustrated I can't hit him, and I just look up towards the bench, and I tell him, there's no windows in Jolo Serena. But it was like church, where that sunbeam comes through a stained glass window, and it's shining on drapes. And I went, ⁓ cool. So I did my version of American History X, and I took his head. In wrestling, we call it a bulldog. I took that head and I slammed it as hard as I could into the Comerica Bank advertisement on the boards, right? ⁓ His face hit and it exerted like a paintball, like his nose on the Comerica Bank sign. I know this because I was golfing buddies with the president of Comerica Bank and he me sign that picture and he hung it in his office. That's, we're all in. ⁓ Troy versus everybody. This is way back in the day. But I'm not done. And I do not condone this and whatever else except for the fact that I am ⁓ a Gen Xer. I was raised by John Rambo and this man drew first blood. So I took my knee and I kneed him as hard as I could right here in the side of the head. I got him so good that to this day, if you see Claud to me, he's got a welt on his head. when he looks in the mirror every morning to remind him not to be stupid. Right? I got four minutes for ref didn't see it. If you watch Unrivaled ESPN 30 per 30, that's the first, I would, until I saw that and saw video evidence that I need them, I would never admit I need them. But I saw the video evidence and it's right as Dvorsky and it was so ironic. The way Dvorsky looked away. And I think it's important because The linesman that I feed to hit Lemieux and the referee that gave me four minutes for rupping a 10 minute misconduct because even though they told him I did all this stuff, he didn't see it. Both were rough and linesman in the game that Draper got hit from behind. That makes them. There's a culture in this game. Brian Burke came out and said if the league doesn't handle it, the teams doesn't handle the players will. Right. And then that like, I'm so grateful that Brian Burke was in the head of discipline then I got four minutes for roughing a 10 minute misconduct. I stayed in the game that we were down five three with 10 minutes left. Marty, the point makes a five force. Shani Banks went to make a five five. This is back. go to overtime. We used to play five on five and overtime and the irony. And this is why it's like the God shot or why if you don't believe in karma. I'm straight shot of it because this guy here scored the overtime goal, tic-tac-toe. So I slayed the dragon, I got the girl. But here's the thing, It had to, to that point, and that's what gave us, when I scored that goal behind the net, if you watch the replay, there's me, Brendan Shanahan, and Vladimir Konstantinov, who sort of embrace. And at the moment, there was this feeling of, it's going to be all right. Don't know what it means, but it's going to be all right. And as a fan base, you're always looking for those special moments. It's like taking the black cloud off. And I think you guys in Boston experienced that, you know, during the, during the teens with your runs, know, with, with what a, what a, there's just those moments. And that was for us. And the fact that we were able to beat them in six games in the conference finals that year and go on to win our first Stanley Cup. To me, I always call March 26, 1997, Red Wing D-Day, right? Just because I can explain the past and the present from there. But ⁓ yeah, it's just something that as a kid that grew up a wings fan ⁓ whose house is, know, the house from where I live now to the house I grew up in is probably an hour, you know? And to have all that just is something that I'm forever grateful for. Just to, you know, sort of have... a little bit of like, I have an impact in something that was so special to me my whole life. I bleed red and white. I mean, I'm sure I got a red wing, you know, tattooed inside my chest on my heart because this is, you know, I live, breathe, die for this team and I'm on the ice and do as much as I can for charities and for the fans and everything else off it now. I will say, I'll speak for Boston, when you did that to Lemieux, we all fucking cheered. Like you instantly became someone that would not pay for a beer in Boston ever again. Oh yeah. just, because we fucking hated that sport. It was like a Vander Cane with Matt Cook. Like even though he was on the thrashers then, we were like, thank you. Yep, yeah. No, it carries. you know, if this'll like, my two guys growing up. was Rick Tauke. I just wanted to be Rick Tauke. Lead, score, play, fight. That's it. That's my guy. And Terry O'Reilly. Yeah. And Terry O'Reilly. my two, my Boston was my was my second team that if I got drafted, I wanted to, you know what I'm saying? And I, I'm enough to play all the old Barnes, bro. Like, like I didn't realize till I played against Ray Bork. and Cam Neely in Boston Gardens of like no wonder Ray Bork scored from the blue from the red line bro. It's where the blue line is. That thing was like that thing was a matchbox and I loved it dude. I would have thrived in that little barn. I got to play in Chicago Stadium and you know Maple Leaf Gardens and the old St. Louis building and all that and and you know I miss those I miss those days that but ⁓ no I've always had a special place in my heart for like Bob for like Boston, it's like one of these things is that that guy could have played there and I always, know, for you guys to say that, that means a lot. So I appreciate it. And you know what? You're all welcome. My pleasure. Well, I could say if you did play for the Bruins, you would have been, I mean, you are what we know as the typical Bruin. And you would be a statue on Cosway Street. mean, like everyone would have loved you as a Bruin because you... epitomize what it means to be a Bruin. Like Terry O'Reilly, you know, he's the same way. And, you know, we were fortunate enough to have him on as a guest. And there's a guy that, you know, just worked his balls off and, you know, played the way that Boston is, right? The personality of Boston is work your ass off and succeed. And you would have been that guy. And I'm not just saying that because you come on and you, you know, bust my balls, but You, like, seriously, you would have been a fan favorite. Well, I appreciate it. It's nice to see you got your eyesight back and your sensibilities are there, whether you can see or not. But ⁓ you know what? Like, you think the game really good. let me just say that. Let's just get a few eye drops or maybe work on the... Maybe it's your, you know, maybe it's your prescription and your lens. I mean, it could be stuff because you saw everything coming out of your mouth sounds right. So I know your brain works. I do know that I could see my fucking lettuce is way better than yours right now. let's just have got sick lettuce, Dude, I got sick. I got sick. It's not even, I got to let it grow out for another, I got a big show Valentine's Day, so it'll be popping red and popping rocks. it's a little bit grown in. It'll be all shaved out. So you know what? I gave you a chance to catch up. That's awesome. You mentioned you do. You do comedy? Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. Actually, I'd have fun with you in the front row. I would have fun with you in the front row. Just because I just I couldn't stop chirping your ass like or figuring out and in a joke with with you in it or something like that. So so yeah, I go around telling and listen, I do a lot of things that I'm not. I'm not a musician. got a band called Grindr, dude. I'm not a wrestler, I own a wrestling school. You know, I'm not a comedian and I go around, guess they call it stand up or I call it the show. Come and see the shit show. That's awesome. Well, maybe I'll let you open for me someday. You know, there you go. See, that's what I'm talking about. We all have perspective. Absolutely. You are aware. Absolutely. You are aware that are open for you and Bill Burrow opens for me. How's that? I fucking love that. You got a plan, bro. I love it. It's execute. want to be part of the show. Not fucking Riley. Not fucking Riley. Not fucking Riley. Fucking brutal. You know the guy. realize you're band's name is also a. a gay dating site, Do you know who had it first? And do you know that it costs money to fuel the tour, I mean, Jesus Christ, we're giving it away here. mean, have we not made good and bad decisions over our life? Does it matter where the money comes from? Are you begrudging our community that supports hockey players? What are you trying to say, Riley? Like, you don't support... What are you trying to say? You don't support what? I am a fan of heated rivalry, okay? So I'm just saying that right now. Holy f- You watched that shit? Fuck yeah! He's cast for the second season. I believe it. ⁓ no. Somebody- No, dude, I'm gonna stick to letter Kenny and Schorzy and I don't begrudge anybody or write whatever like that, but that's too much for D-Mac. You know what I mean, dude? Dude, but I don't need to watch it. I don't need to talk about it and I don't need to like- I get it. I like other things. And I'm not like so it's for who and people like it. Riles, you're all about your new favorite show. I love it. Listen, listen. No, I love it. I mean, I'm happy for you. I watched it. That's not mine, dude. I'm more into Fallout. Actually, you know what? 6 p.m. tonight. They're getting the Fallout series out on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays. That's more of a priority. First guess that chirped us more than we've chirped I watched it to get material. have some outstanding materials. yeah. Really got the vibe. Are we talking about heated robbery or Pornhub? What are you talking about? I finished that during COVID. But you finished the whole You finished Pornhub during COVID. I got it all through the whole coding of Pornhub.com. They sent me Ryleys done reruns. shit, no wonder you can't drop the puck anymore. Your hands are so chafed. That's why you wear those gloves and never touch the puck. Oh my God. That's right. They sent me a badge. He didn't ride what he did? No, Pornhub. You're an officer. Okay, hey listen, they need good looking refs. I get it. I get it. We there's there's a few of us out there. That's all I'm No, there's a more there's a lot of bad refs out there. Ralph. There's a lot of bad. yeah. Fucking terrible. Especially now. Now it's it's just a mess compared to when you played. talked about it all the time. The refs. You knew what you were getting. You knew Stewie. You knew Frazier. You said you just look at the Boston Tampa outdoor game. Yeah, that's a ball. That's a goalie fight. Yeah. Yeah. I'm glad they didn't hurt each other. Yeah, that's always nervous. No, like, that's the, like, especially, like, guy, like, anything like that, but it shows the heart. You got the best out of everything right there. And I love the fact that after it shows the game or whatever, you just don't want any of your top guys, goaltenders, right, to get hurt in that situation. But yeah, I mean, it was cool. Did you guys, I know I get on tangent, but did you see the lacrosse goalie absolutely hammer that dude? Did you see that? Yeah. There's some unbelievable, you want to see goalie fights, go watch lacrosse. Those goalies fight all the time. That's more like our, lacrosse these days is more like junior to me. that's more like hockey, like that emotion and they'll get at it. There's a couple of games, so. Enjoy that but back like you said about the reffing at least the reffing in the nhl is better than the reffing in the nfl Yeah, yeah, ⁓ but not not by much No, i'm not gonna say that because here's the problem, right? What do you have to fix? And and i'll ask you isn't the object of the referee is that so somebody if they want to know who the rep is they have to look at the program after the game and say who reffed that game? Yes, right. Is that not like you're not meaning meaning that you're You don't know the ref is because they haven't made a difference in the game. As a player, dude, just be consistent, consistently good, consistent, like call everything or don't call anything or tell me what we're doing. Tell me like early on, you're going to like you could have called one. You're going to let me away with that. Like, so if it happens to me, you know, like just let me know as a player what we're playing with. I think they're still trying to figure it out as much. But again. The playoffs is a different beast. hopefully it doesn't come down to one of those games where the referee makes a difference and the outcome happens in a series. So yeah, I think there's definitely improvement to be made, but there's a lot of new guys too. Right? There's a lot of guys I look at names before a game that I've never heard of. And I'm not saying I can retire no nine and stuff like this, but But usually there's a pattern to this that you've seen guys. Well, that's how they're hiring now. They're doing it totally different than what all these former players and they're throwing them right in without without, you know, that foundation in the minors, right? They don't have a solid foundation. There's a lot of linesmen just doing their first games in the National Hockey League. And then you got referees in there for one or two years. ⁓ You know, just crying it out in the in American League. And then they're getting national games like right away. And it's because they're good skaters and they know the game and all that kind of stuff, which is a good premise, but they, they need a foundation. need to get in the coast league and they need to work their way up. No different than what the players do. ⁓ you got to go back to the bottom and work your way up. And you know, they're not really, they're doing that in a, you know, a, a quick fashion because now you get the four guys and you need the bodies out there. And cause you got the American league, you got all those teams that game keeps growing. You know the National Hockey League is gonna add more game so they need more refs So, you know the quality is gonna go down when you start adding new new officials to the pool because they don't have a foundation Seattle I don't and you're 100 % right, right? So the fast track or the change into today's player and how they do things on the ice guys aren't percolating or or paying their dues or getting my big thing is that I think would help is even if they are that young put a put a four man unit together and make them rough together for like month. You know what I'm saying? Like make that crew. That's your crew. You five man crews or six man crews that you rotate, but you're all traveling together. It's your team. It's your whatever else. And, and just like in football, well, here's the head. Here's the head rapper. Here's the rough guys. They call it tighter. Right? Like here's the stats on that. And I think the consistency and the accountability to each other, just like players do to your little four or five, six man team with your supervisor that travels around, then you're, that's how you're going to get better. Right? By, by with it. So then I would, you know, I, I, like how you grade the guy, the veteran referee was some of the younger. with a really young referee and then veteran linesman with a younger linesman. So there's some sort of continuity to it. There's some merit to that. There's some merit to that because like you said earlier, you just named four or five like Davosky, Stewart, Kohosky, McCreary. They all had different personalities, right? So now you're sticking a new referee in with five different personalities and they're trying to learn how to. be a referee and this guy does it this way, this guy does it that way, and this guy does it a total different way. So like if you are consistent, if you are with one guy or two guys in a rotation, you might get some more, you might develop a lot a little quicker because you're learning from one guy, you're not getting 10 different things thrown at you. So there's a lot of merit to that. And also, you know, the whole model is let's pluck high end players like guys that made the, you know, worked in the American, played in the American League or in Europe. You you look at the greatest refs over the past years, like Andy Van Hellemond, Bill McCreary, these guys, none of them played pro hockey, right? They learned and ref thousands of games before they got to the NHL. And they were, look at the linesmen. You you mentioned Scampi, you got Kevin Collins, Brian Murphy. They didn't pluck them out of the American League. They worked their way up and they were really fucking good at what they did. And now you just don't have that. And it's frustrating. You know what the best refs, in my opinion, or they come, they're either, they're, they either have a police cop, something background, or, or teacher. Like a principal, like a teacher, or somebody that's deal, they're like, you gotta be able to deal with people. Right? And it's that person. And I think just like where I would, I would make a criticism that the talent, The youth, development of the game, the speed, all that stuff is by far the best it's been. But the hockey IQ, the thinking the game, the refs more like the players. It's not that easy. You need different personalities and different guys. But thinking the game, it's the IQ of the game. So you take that away when you're just, it just seems like you're... Robotic mass producing something that doesn't catch but it at least it sounds consistent to the product that they're roughing So I mean what are you gonna do? I got who's in charge of the NHL? even walk them ⁓ The referees yeah, I meant I meant the big bots now Batman. yeah, My game ruined my game a long time ago. We're not talking about my game, right? Right? Like all the stuff we're talking about is how it's changed. And I'm big in... I mean, I'll be 54 in April. I don't need to know the right or the wrong. I'll figure that out myself. But I just need to know the why. So, you know, the why is there. And the thing is, if they're... Are they self-aware of it? And if they are, do they care? I don't think they care. I think it's more about the flash and the look and having that... guy who can skate, look it up the ice than it is, you know, in that spot. But if they wanted to better the game and to help these guys out, make them accountable to each other. 100 percent. And also you got like I've noticed and some guys that were college hockey have told me supervisors said, well, you're not moving enough because you don't look like you're doing anything. And I'm like, that's counterintuitive to what was but we're supposed to be not noticed. We're supposed to be someone that's out of the way and not in the fucking play, and all you do is see that over and over and over again. And it just makes no sense to me that they want these guys being seen more now, and it's like, why? Because they can skate and they look nice? I mean, what the fuck? What are we doing? Yeah, the priorities are upside down. It's like they flipped that just like they flipped a nutrition scale. From the triangle to the... Pyramid or whatever. It's the same thing. Like as long as you understand is what what's their priority the priority? priority isn't it's about how it looks and comes off and stuff like this and everybody I I Because you also see look at you've never seen you look at for the most part linesmen and referees that are in NHL, they're They're more look like each other than anything else. Like it's a replica. It's a clone of whatever Our day it wasn't. There was some bigger guys, there was some littler guys, there was like all, you know, you had the Shane Hyre who was a linesman and a ref who was like 6'6", Mike Civic, stuff like that, you know, like, like there were different personalities, but there was different guys. So I think it's just like, so the priority or the list of here, this is what's important. It's not the same list that you guys got when you guys started. Right. 100%. ⁓ What was it like, we kind of touched on it, but what was it like to play with Fedorov and all the Russian five and Eisman? Like these are some of the, you played with one of those teams, I think it was the 97 team, eight Hall of Famers on it. fuck Check out the 02 team, I think there's more, because we added Hasek, Robitaille, you know, so I mean, unbelievable. I always make the joke is that you wonder why the grind line was so aggressive when we play. We never got to touch the puck in practice, bro. We'd be chasing the Russians all around or whatever like that. So I mean, it's the only time I could touch the puck. And I had to go against Nick Lindstrom, who like back in the day used to give you this little hand check thing and you're and he'd the puck and he'd squeal away. They'd be laughing as you'd always giggle and then you just hate it. Like ⁓ that's what made us That's what makes you great. And it's also too, as all our best players, we're our hardest working players. So it was easy for the rest of us. I mean, I take my skates off and I look and there's Fedorov or Larianov, Draper, Dyserman on the bike. Well, where do you think I should be? On the bike. What are you gonna do? I don't know. What am I gonna do? What am I doing, Drapes? Here you go. There it is. It's easy. It's a lot easy. But I think that's what made us. made us great because here's the one thing about our best players too. It's not only like there's always that appreciation, but they had confidence in the ability of your third and fourth line and different ways that we would practice and stuff. Because a lot of times we'd practice different lines. Just so that was Scotty Bowman's sort of ingenuity so that when things weren't going good, he could put different guys together and switch it up and. We were familiar with each other. So, I mean, and I had the honor, I mean, I wrote, even though I played on the grind line, I'd start on the grind line, I'd end on the grind line, but during the game I'd play with Iserman, right? And, you know, like, so I take pride in the fact of, you know, being a part of all that talent and just like know your role and own it. I mean, I'm lucky because I knew what my role would be since I was like 10 years old. Right? I always said, Proby and Joey, they need a little dog. They need a guy to keep the rats off of them. Like, right? Like, if I'm your second toughest guy, then you're a pretty tough team. You don't need me to be your heavyweight because I'm not. But you know what? If I can, I can take care of all the guys that can play. So. The great formula. Oh, yeah. And to do it like you did. three cups and then coming back after, you know, winning that fourth one and as a, you know, a real veteran, right? That's something pretty cool too. Yeah, I told Kenny Holland he hasn't won a cup since 55 without me in the lineup. you know what? You might want to get me back in there. But no, I'd gone through personal issues. mean, it's as I sit here today, I celebrated on the November 11th 10 years sobriety. So. I'm into that. That's been a lifelong, lifelong battle. ⁓ But yeah, when I went to Calgary, I love Calgary, played for Darrell Sutter the first year there, we lost in seven to Anaheim and went on to win the Cup. And then I got back in my addiction and got hurt. So I'd been away from the game and and just to come back to Detroit. ⁓ And I really like looked at that team and just said, those are my guys, right? Like I won cups with Zetterberg or Datsuk and and it let you know Lidstrom and drapes and malts and Ozzie and stuff So my whole goal was I thought I had something left just to get in the room Because I know I'm pouring that room is right and to be with my guys and and stuff like that So I worked my ass off and you know started in the IHL in December with the Flint Generals ⁓ the only thing I was ever promised was they would look at me and see if I deserved an opportunity, then they give me an opportunity, but nothing was ever given. So I'm grateful for Kevin Kerr and Jason Cerrone and Mike Kinney and Johnny DePace and all those guys, Jason Mazzotti, all those guys in Flint that gave me my love of the game back. And then I went to Grand Rapids and I knew I was on the right, you you're looking for signs. My first game in Grand Rapids, I had a hat trick and four points. So was something that I eventually proved to Mike Babcock that, know what, like, you you hear the black aces or guys that you might need that, you know, you, was dependable and I could, was up to speed and whatever like that. And for me, you're only looking for me to play six, 10 minutes a game, right? And not cost you anything and, and, being a great attribute in the room, if I even got in the lineup, but because the way the game goes, Thomas Holmstrom was hurt or Franz was hurt the first round. So I played against Nashville and scored. Second round, Holmstrom was hurt, so I played for him. And that's when Fronson had like nine goals in the series. And it was like the most incredible domination I've ever seen in hockey out of front row from the end of the bench. It was awesome. And then ended up playing in, I ended up playing a total of 17 out of the 22 playoff games. And to be a part of that cup and to come back and be one of. The four guys, five guys, Draper Maltby, myself, Holmstrom and Lindstrom with the four cups, let alone with the, you know, the history of the Red Wings with the Gordie Howes and the Sid Abels and the Ted Lindsies that have the four, you know, before us. So yeah, I'm grateful for a kid from Leamington, Ontario that, you know, it was something that you dreamed about to sit there and have your name on the cup four times is pretty incredible. And it's a testament we've had. mean, personally, my anniversary date is November 5th. this past year, I 20 years sober. Nice. And we've had, you know, other guys like Kevin Stevens, Derrick Sanderson, Lilo Brancato. You know, those guys like yourself, it's just remarkable when you go through that, but then you're able to come back and not only come back, but accomplish something that... everyone fucking dreams of, winning a cup. know, that's, that's some, it's, it's ballsy shit and it's, and it's very, it's something that people really should look at and admire more than I think some people do. You know what, it's for the ones, it's for the ones that like, it's not, if it's meant for you and you're in a struggle and it's just proof that it's never too late. Like I always say, no matter what, there's two things. Don't lie to the person in the mirror and no matter how many times you fall down, just make sure you get back up. You know, just don't like it. And my last get up was at 9.9999. Like it was like, that's how dire it was between life and death. But I got up. And I got, and, and, and so to anybody who's struggling out there, right? We're talking to wait. didn't get, then, then you win a cop, right? And then you retire the year after and stuff. And it's supposed to be, you're supposed to be all, you know, butterflies and roses and snowflakes and stuff like this. And it's not, I mean, it's not, it took me six years to figure out, figure out that I wanted to let, you know what I mean? It, was like the care. So I have a lot of, compassion for what's next, right? And finding that purpose and finding that passion. And the only way you can do that from my experience is if you know yourself and you're not like hiding from it. Shame's my big thing. So I had to get over that and, you know, being able to look myself in the mirror and be honest with myself no matter how good or bad it was, then there's a chance. So I just try to live... by what works for me, right? I'm one of the ones that I have a garden in my program, know, work your own program. I have a garden and thank God for that plant, right? And I also have my own cannabis brand, Dan McCarty ⁓ brand powered by Legacy Cannabis with, you know, I just released my CBD topical and stuff like this, because it's through this plant and the education of it that has saved my life. You know, if people are familiar with Rick Simpson oil or Rick Simpson, like that is a life changer. So, and I only say that because if you have questions, like I'm always like, I'm always looking to feed the what do mean by that? Or the ones that have questions to whatever, because then it's meant for you. If it means nothing, it goes by you or whatever, then it wasn't meant for you. Don't worry about it. It's not, don't take anything for it. So for somebody out there who is struggling, ⁓ know that, you know. There's other people that have been there before you're not alone and if you ⁓ if you want to change it and you want to be better and Slow, you know you can yeah, you can't that that's it and then a lonely like feeling too because I I just hit three years on January 7th and like right before then I was like I I had myself convinced like, you're the only one that feels like this. You're the only one going through this. And then it wasn't until I started talking to people and I was like, ⁓ my God, there's so many people that have the same mindset as me. And you feel so lost and small and like all the things that like people are like, ⁓ well you, or even you like playing in the NHL and stuff. Like people would be like, well, you must feel amazing that like you're on the radio, you're doing this, you're doing standup. And I'm like, yeah, but none of that matters when you're at war in here. It's like none of that. You can't even see or feel that. it's. Well, that's the whole thing. It's it's about what I've found is I got to get it from here out somewhere. Right. That's why that's why I write, you know, music or write comedy or write whatever like that, because the pens of great way to get it out of my head or or you learn that you have you build people around you. You know, I'm firmly believe in and I've been on both ends of this, right? The five people you surround yourself with the most is who you will be like. So that's easy when you want to be better. the one in the group that you think is number five, because you'll only get better with being the way people are. Surround yourself or have conversations and find those people that can relate to you. and relate to the crazy and stuff like that, because they're out there. It's just getting there, right? Because you know what it is, is there's always an excuse. The addict is a great excuse maker. Right? Why he can't instead of why he can't. Yeah. Right? Yeah. I to do that all the time with myself with drinking. I'd be like, well, I can't stop drinking now because I have this coming up and I'm doing this. I'm in the middle of this and it's just like, well, it's going to catch up to you and then you're to have nothing coming up. So. Well, there it is. And that either comes to that date or whatever. The biggest thing for me is that there's certain things that if I do, I know the consequences. If I drink, I die. And I'm number one concern. So it's easy. So alcohol and olives have the same, in the same place. I hate olives. Don't ever bring an olive around me. Don't even, you know, whatever like that. If I get a whiff of an olive on a pizza thing, you have a chance that I'm knocking that pizza on the floor. Right? Like that's how grown, but it's in the same category. But like you said, there was always, ⁓ yeah, but yeah, but no, there's no yeah, buts. Yeah. There's no more yeah, buts. Or not even like something coming up. It's just like the like, yeah, it's I, I used it, I think more of like a coping mechanism because I was in a relationship that I probably shouldn't have been in. And I was, I was escaping. myself. I was like running from myself and it's self awareness bro. That's numbered like self awareness is that that's the only way that you change good and bad like like consequences aren't always bad. There's good consequences right. So awareness. That's the only way is if yourself where is he can move on right like understanding positive 100 % like when riles realizes that those are sunglasses he's wearing on the ice and not eyeglasses will all be better. But again, that's his bad. And I'm consistently blind. You said you wanted consistency, didn't you? Consistently bad. I shoot for above average and I fucking nail it every time. It's simple. Basically. What's it like to be a pro wrestler? Well, I own the school. and I only I and I am trained and I do stuff and you know, I've had the privilege of putting ⁓ Bubba Ray Dudley through a table and giving them a stunner. And I've made my way onto TNA and the locals, some shows and stuff. I'm always willing, if the story makes sense, like come in there. But ⁓ what I love is the passion, right? The passion of having to put the work in. And it's a lot harder but to develop some of these. these adults and young adults and into the kids just to have somewhere to go and have some sort of the structure. So my thing is that you don't find me at the rink because it's like some guys, know, hockey is what I did, not who I am. But I get pure enjoyment of, you know, watching these kids develop in the wrestling ring and then watch them put it together. Or I do a lot of ⁓ young kids and stuff golf. So I'm a huge golfer and a huge golf fan. So Michigan's a great place to be able to do that. So that's, I enjoy that. It's more of the development. And yeah, you know, there's talent and whether they make it or not, I mean, that's sort of written in the cards and sort of up to them, but it's just developing them and getting them the right fundamentals, right? That's my goal is I want the Grind Time Wrestling Academy, you know, and the students and stuff like this for the state of Michigan just. When you come out of there, if you've come to you, you're fundamentally trained. You know how to protect yourself. You know, to protect your opponent. You know, you, you have good, good dressing room etiquette, you know, etiquette's a huge thing that that's sort of lost along the way. And I think that that influencing, like I always say, I don't care what the letters are. I'm underneath it. I'm just developing all for whatever it is. Right. I'm just the developmental program. That's we have the USA under 18. development program here in Plymouth, Michigan. I'm just trying to make the wrestling school just like that. That's awesome. That's awesome. There's an event I found out. I'm talking to Frank Simonetti of the Bruins alumni, ⁓ the ⁓ Tea Off of Heroes. It's going to be in June here in Boston at Granite Links. And I think you should be there. I get it. Somebody give me an invite. ⁓ I just did. I'll be right on. Send me the info, dude. I'd love to be there, dude. I'd love to chirp your face to face, bro. Well, I'll make sure you That's the way. Oh, I'm sorry. Did you get me mixed up with somebody else? I mean, this is my second favorite interaction. The one face to face is always my first. You know what we can do is we can have a little roast battle if you come, you know? I got some connections. Why wouldn't you tell me that like the day before so I had no time to prepare? want your best. don't want you. If I'm going at someone, I want their best. Come on. I like that. I like it. Well, you know what? How about pay attention to On the Ice because some of these teams are trying to give you their best. But you just can't see it. Listen, you'll love this. I did a show for a program up in New Hampshire. hockey program and I tortured the U18 team that came in like during it. We in the lobby of the rink. It's really, you know, a huge event. so the following week, I'm refereeing that U18 team against another U18 team down here on the South Shore. Not a word of a lie, three minutes into the game, I hear some dad up in the stands, you're a way better comic than a ref. And I turned him and I go. I'm OK with that. That's what I was going for, bro. That's I was going for. Who hired the comic, The Ref, anyways? You gotta know. He gave you a note. You really know The Ref. You're a comic, bro. Yep. I'm just a comic pretending to be a ref. That's all. Used to, back in the day, it was the opposite. But now, you know, I just do the comedy thing. But we got to do that, man. And I will get you an official. I'll get you an official invite to the ⁓ T-Off of Heroes, because I know Frank will have you here. That'd be awesome. Yeah. No, think we need you here as a celebrity. I don't know what letter you fall under. I'm like a C-list celebrity. I'm thinking you're probably at the B- level. Wherever you want to put me, bro, I'll exceed it up to the Graceland. But, you know, I've started from further down, bro. I ain't afraid to start a rock bottom. I mean, I know my way up, right? I know my way up. You might want to grab something. You keep falling down and down and down and down. At one time, back when you were nine, you had an A beside your name. No, no. You grew up in a small town, right? I mean, a tiny town, no? Yeah, like 12,000 called Leamington. Tomato capital of Canada. Heinz Ketzel was in Pittsburgh, PA, and Leamington, Ontario. So I'm a bunch of tomato pickers that turned into... ⁓ My neighbor actually owns one of the growth facilities for the country called Afria for cannabis. because if you didn't know this, tomatoes... And cannabis, yeah, pretty much grows the same. Same soil, same, can, yeah. So the secret back when we were growing up was we'd always, in your lines, we'd always plant cannabis plants in the farmer's tomato fields and they would, yeah, and they'd come out and they were, not that I smoked weed back then, but my buddies told, my buddies told. You heard. Yeah. You heard. A of yours said it. What? know, somebody. Somebody down the road. Yeah, forget it. Forget it. Forget where he's from. Well, that's what happens when you smoke too much, right? You forget. Yeah. Is that what it is? I guess that's what it is. I can't remember who That's what it's Selective amnesia, bro. Yep. Oh, yeah. Selective amnesia. Well, when you have an ex-wife, you have to have that. Yeah. Well, yeah. That's why I picked it up. Yeah, Gino's the only one that we're pulling for him to not. Third time's a charm. Take it from DMACC. Third time's a charm. I all the cups and all the broads, boys. All the alimony, alimony, you know. Whatever you need. I'm going through it right now. Mony, mony. Yeah, when Billy Idol said, Mony Mony, I didn't think he was meant Alamony and Palamony and all the rest of it. Yeah, we're pulling for Gino not to join our club. So. Yeah, I don't want to. That's a club you don't want to join. So he seems pretty easy. You know what, from my, from the impression I'm from the impression I'm getting, Gino, you're good. Thank you. You know where to step away. Absolutely. These other two. Hey, step outside and show me the way, right? That's it. ⁓ geez. You know that made a video game. Did it really? Yeah, that made like PlayStation 98 or whatever like that. ⁓ I didn't know that. I know that song from... cheese song. You wanna hear the best song? Best song that I've ever written and is my favorite is... And it was back in 2004 and it's off of Out of Our Heads album. It's a title track called Out of Our Heads. I got Ron Ashton from... Rest in Peace from the Stooges, Iggy and the Stooges played on it and Michael Davis, the original bass player for the MC5. ⁓ I got a bunch of 30 years next year is the anniversary of March 26, 97. So we got, I got some things in the hopper right there. ⁓ that's great. I'm waiting to hear from my grinder guys to see what the money situation is. ⁓ riles, I'll fit. I'll fill you in. If there's any extra for you. don't know if that's. Hey, or I know what you really want. You want that free free entry code or whatever free passcode. So I'll get you that too. I'll take that. I don't know if fill me in is the right words to say with that, but. You know, Wilco. For you it was, because you just gave me your love of heated rivalry. was just trying to be nice. I told you it was get along. was, oh. He's Never mind. It was research. That's hilarious. Keep telling yourself that. Keep telling yourself that. You know, you tell yourself whatever you have to to get by. I'm afraid. I got my dog just came into my lap. I'm afraid to show him to you, because you'll really get on me. But this is Frank. No. This is Frankie Is that Yorkie? Yeah, Yorkie. Yeah. All right. So no, let me tell you this. OK, Gordie Howe was the one that showed me that tough guys could have little dogs because he had rocket, which was like teacup poodle or whatever he brought around. He named off Rock and the Sharks. So even though I grew up with gold retrievers, I rescued English bulldogs. Right. And stuff like this. My wife and. God rest her soul, we had a 14 year old Yorkie named Dolce Gabbana that was one of the blonde Yorkies and a mouthy as hell and didn't know her size and whatever. I loved that, she passed away, I loved that little dog. So yeah, that one I'm not gonna chirp. What's his name? What's his name? So, she, they were, so this dog. and she was the run of the litter, right? Wouldn't know it. So we got her and my daughter took her brother, whose name is Royce. He's actually still alive. He's like 15. So yeah, those Yorkies are a trip, bro. They're absolute trips. So that one I'm not chirping on because Gordie Howe, cause Gordie Howe made it cool. Love it. I love hearing that. He's the official mascot of chirping zebras. That's where the chirps come from. I always wanted to get a dog and name him Francis. So when he started barking and going ape shit, I could go lighten up Francis. That's where the name ⁓ came from. of Coho, What's that? We call him the squirrel because of Coho. Yeah, Coho, Don Koharski came on. He called him a squirrel because he saw him behind me and said there was a squirrel in the house. But I like, I love hearing that. I didn't realize Gordie Howe made it cool to have little dogs. Look at me. Right? Look at you. Gino, you heard? Hey, see? Keep your head up. You'll fall into one every now and then. See, Gino? Frankie? Look at Frank. Gino's not a fan. Oh, it just chirps you the whole time. He doesn't shut up, mocking. He knows how to chirp. are. They're mouthy. Oh, yeah. Yeah, he thinks he's 100 pounds. So. Kind of like his owner back when I played, I thought I was 210, you know, but I wasn't. So that's all right. like it might be more of a Boston thing. Yeah, we tend to have a little bit of an attitude. you agree? Like, it's not the first. Just no, just the fact that size doesn't matter. No, no, it doesn't. And as an Irish kid, I say that a lot. Consistency. Yeah. Well, you're Irish, too. Audrey McCarty. So you feel me on that? There's Irish, there's Scottish, there's English. It's a bunch of months. Somebody jumped the fence. Somebody jumped the fence. Over there somewhere. There's both. There's Scottish and Irish crazy in here. ⁓ yeah. There's some Viking. Well, the Scottish one tends to... think, like stop and think and like that's not good, right? Cause it doesn't, it usually goes to how much more the Irish part just is go and we'll figure it out as we go. Well, the traffic. Stop a little bit, but it just usually ends up because you usually think of levels that are like a little bit more than maybe they should be. So ⁓ I wouldn't trade it. Love it. mean, there's a, there's a, yeah, like there's a, You know, it goes down to like the fight or flight or whatever, your makeup. And for me, the way that I play, the way that I am, just whatever else ⁓ is, you know, first, first in. My thing was like, you can get me, but I'd be dead. Cause I'm gonna give everything I got. And then what the fuck do I care about them? Cause I'm already dead. So they're either joining me or they're not, you know, stuff like that. But one of the things ⁓ that I learned Right? Cause I've been to four rehabs. had a million dollars in my brain, but the biggest gift that I was given was this thing called learning what my heart virtue was, which made, what makes you tick. Now I didn't learn this till after I retired right around there, but my heart virtue is vulnerable truth with integrity, which means if there's a vulnerable truth, whatever else you have to handle it with integrity, which explains the Lemieux thing. Right? It explains that different things in my life or the fact that even as dark and as bad as it can get, I'll stand up and face whatever needs to be faced. And, uh, you know, that's one thing that if, if, uh, people who are searching for, you know, everybody search for different things, go try to find out what your heart virtue is. Cause that might, and it makes sense. Like your heart virtue is like when you're in a room and you like something's off or you're, in a situation and you're sort of like permeating, like vibrating, ⁓ whatever like that. it helps along the line of self-awareness and looking yourself in the mirror. So that's the one of those. that, your heart virtue is right along the lines of showing up, being the doer, not the sayer. I love it. I love it. You know what, think we could go on and on. But we just absolutely appreciate you coming on, man. You are... You're the balls, man. I mean that. Not just because you're sitting here, but just getting to know you like this, it's fucking awesome. This has been great. I appreciate it. Nice comment, right? Just gotta go right back to Heat of Rivalry. Just the balls. Absolutely. Like, you're telling on yourself, Riles. I just stopped giving You got it on replay in the back or something. Or next thing, you're going to be giving me lines for me. You're going to saying a line. I'll be like, where's that from? He's like, he's in rivalry. Episode two, scene three, in the locker room. You know? Like. Hey, Shorzy's my favorite show. Let's just get that out there right now. All right? Well, I would have. I, you know, maybe in the future, you might caveat that when you start bringing up Heated Rivalry, you might want to preface that, seeing as my favorite show, and I watch on repeat, I know every live show is Shorzy, but the Sheated Rivalry, I was watching to do some due diligence and, you know. Well, there you go. You really took that Grindr thing really seriously then, right? You were like getting into it. You're the one that named it. I got people thrown up and I didn't even, and they didn't even. auditioned me for friggin' Rodger. Do you believe that, Shane? I can't believe that. I think you would have fit right in. Clap Shot's my favorite movie and Shorzy's my favorite TV show, there you go. Gladiator's my favorite movie. Great movie. Yeah. Great movie. know... Full Ride on YouTube is a hockey show that you might want to check out, actually. Gino and I are in it. I play the coach. it's not, there's very little gay in it, I'll tell you that right now. It's not at all. So you're not in it that much? No. Hey, you know who's in it? It's Frankie Chips. Frankie Chips is in Oh, really? Yeah. All right, I'll check it out. What platform is on? It's on YouTube. Full Ride. OK. All right. Yeah. So it's ⁓ check that out, and you'll see that. way you can get into college, Absolutely. Well, I don't. You got to work what you can. All right? Why limit yourself? Self-awareness. You're on point. Your self-awareness is A, on point. Just because I have a skin routine doesn't mean anything, OK? You like what you like, bud. That's right. I look good for my age. That's all that matters. So it's all good. Seriously, man. Love having you on. It's been awesome. My face hurts. Thank you. It's been a pleasure. Yeah. Well, we can definitely chirp again. Good luck with those Velcro skates, bro. You know what? I got a new pair. I'm breaking in. And I'm going to make sure you come in June 12. Tell you that right now. We're gonna have... You know what? Even more so. Please send me an invite so I can get it on my schedule. Oh no, 100%. Matter of fact, we should have you... You'd be a good addition to our St. Patrick's Day parade float that we're putting in in Boston in Salty. Oh shit. That sounds like fucking experience in itself. Dude, I rode a float last year and immediately I said, we're putting a zebra float in. And we actually have some of the boys from Shirzy coming to, you know, ride the float. We're going to tape an episode at Laugh Boston that night. It's going to be a fucking party. We got Dolo, Terry Ryan, and Andrew Goody coming down. So. got all the boys? Nice. It's going to be a fucking, it's going to be good chaos. I'll tell you that. Anytime 10 inch cocks around, there's fucking chaos. Right? That's what Riley says, make sure 10-inch cocks are out. nothing else, we've learned a lot today. We have. All right. Right? All the kids out there, please, we don't want Mr. Riley to ref our game. He sucks. And not that way. Not that way. You're right. I bet you, honestly, your roughing sucks. Hey, you know what? I'm okay with that. Because, uh, I'm funny. Because you're a comedian. I'm a comedian. Yeah! That's it. That's it. There you go. And we will perform. We figured we learned something new today, Right? No wonder. And it explains everything. You just became a way better referee right now. From darkness comes humor. All right? That's all I'll say. All right. We're going to share a stage someday, too. I want to do a comedy show with you. I think it'd be great. absolutely. Josh. Me and Josh will rip it up someday on a stage. I love it. Done. That was quite a ride, huh, boys? ⁓ yeah. He was something. A lot of energy. I needed to take a lap after that one. I think that's the first time we've had a guest where my face was hurting. I was like, I can't keep smiling. Lenny Clark was a close second to that. yeah. Like Lenny Clark one was high energy, keep it on your toes and just let him go. I don't think we've ever had a guest though that wouldn't let Riley up for air. No. ⁓ Listen, I know you two thoroughly enjoyed me getting tripped pretty hard ⁓ by Darren McCartney. Well, I mean, yeah, you know, I... We added back and forth, I can tell you guys were laughing extra hard because you were like, thank God it's not me. Well, you know. That was great. ⁓ man. I don't even remember half the stuff, like I couldn't even tell when it was coming. He'd be talking about something serious and then you would just start laying in there. Go right back to it. My band's not named Grindr, so. That's all you need to know. That music though, look him up on Spotify. Yeah, he's got some good stuff. Real good stuff. We're actually going to end this episode with playing his song, Out of My Mind, right? Yep. Just a great tune and a great dude. you know, just his story, how he came back, you know, and won a fourth cup. I mean... just great stuff. mean, just, you know. The role player just knew his role. Like you said, like he started on the fourth line, ended on the fourth line, but played his role on the first, second, and third along the way, penalty kill, whatever he needed. He was just a hockey player. Yeah. Went out and did it. yeah. And I like the way, like when guys like him get to do what they do, because you can tell he loves every single bit of it and like doesn't take any of it for granted. And like you were saying, Riley, I forgot he even said it. Before we logged on, was talking about like, what was it? It doesn't matter that he won the amount of cups. doesn't matter. Yeah, if you're a hockey person, it doesn't matter if you won four Stanley Cups, if you played in college or you're an ankle bender or just a beer league player. Everyone has that same love and the locker room is the locker room. And if you know that and you can appreciate that, everyone, that's why the hockey community is so incredible, is that that's that common, the commonality of knowing what that brotherhood is like. And again, we see it parallel with the Navy Seals, who we're huge fans of. So really cool stuff. That was that. I needed to take a lap after that one. was hilarious. That was a solid hour and a half. Yeah. It's like the roller coaster pulled in. Now we can get out of it, you know? Yeah, until he's here golfing. Yeah, yeah. Hopefully we'll see him. Speaking of which, yeah, we'll have more information on it, but the tee off of Hero is going to happen at Granite Links in June. ⁓ I believe it's June 4th. I'll get the exact date as we get closer. But a lot of celebrities gonna be coming and it's gonna be for the Warrior for Life Fund. ⁓ And just like our raffle. Do we have a foursome in that? We will. Absolutely. We will. So it'll be a good time for sure. So if you haven't checked out the Warrior for Life Fund, do that. ⁓ And check out us. Online, CharpingZebras.com. Find all your merch and all the info and latest episodes and announcements. Also follow us on the social medias, the Instagram, the Facebook, and of course, the TikTok. Thank you, Gino. Want to make sure you like and subscribe on YouTube. Follow us on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Shout out to AOA Studios. Also our sponsors, the Referees Crease and Damon Financial LLC. And ⁓ for Josh Dolan and Gino Benda Jr., I'm Mark Riley. Saying so long, we'll see you next time right here on The Tripping. It's the only path that leads us to our goal. Step outside, step outside, step outside of your mind and show me the way. Step outside, step outside, step outside of my