Barn Burner: Boomer & Pinder with Rhett Warrener - Andrew McBride (FULL INTERVIEW)

Episode Date: August 7, 2025

FN Barn Burner: Boomer, Pinder & WarrenerBarn Burner is your go-to daily NHL show based in Calgary, hosted by media veterans Dean "Boomer" Molberg and Ryan Pinder, alongside former NHL defenseman Rhett Warrener. With insider insight, unfiltered takes, and plenty of laughs, the crew covers everything from Calgary Flames news to league-wide stories. Trades, chirps, chaos — if it’s happening in the NHL, Barn Burner’s talking about it.Pinder is joined by Andrew McBride as they dive into his legendary career playing for the Calgary Roughnecks, his role as Assistant General Manager of the Colorado Mammoth and work with the Raiders Jr A Lacrosse Club. McBride shares his clear passion for lacrosse — highlighting the importance of dedication, hard work, and team unity — as well as the powerful lessons sports teaches. They also chat about his love for Calgary, Calgary sports, and more.YOUTUBE LINK - https://youtu.be/u1boUmN4Ix0Subscribe to @Flames_Nation on Youtube🚨➡️ / @flames_nation🔥 After Burner➡️ • FlamesNation Afterburner📲 Follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fnbarnburner/X (Twitter): https://x.com/barnburnerfn?lang=en🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/be/podcast/barn-burner-boomer-pinder-with-rhett-warrener/id1648562889Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mc6Qd5U22R2zbMlQ7RxIiBARN BURNER BLONDEhttps://originbrewing.myshopify.comFLAMESNATION MERCHhttps://nationgear.ca/collections/flamesnationBARN BURNER SHORTShttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj_bcGtvvo-cW2DHEDZ6dEO5ePDmlhZc9SHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Powered by @bet365. Whatever the moment, it’s Never Ordinary at bet365. Download the App today and use promo code:NATION. http://www.bet365.ca/👍🏼 McLEOD LAW https://www.mcleod-law.com/👍🏼 VILLAGE HONDA https://www.villagehonda.com/👍🏼 OUTDOOR DENTAL https://www.outdoor.dental/👍🏼 ORIGIN BREWING https://originbrewing.ca👍🏼 Crystal Waters Plumbing Company https://crystalclearcalgary.com/👍🏼 BON TON MEATS: https://www.bontonmeatmarket.com/index.html👍🏼 GRETA YYC: https://www.gretabar.com/locations/calgary#gamesReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!Producer: Jack Haverstock#NHLPlayoffs #Hockey #HockeyTalk #Playoffs #StanleyCup #EdmontonOilers #StanleyCupFinal #NHL #CalgaryFlames Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's summer. We're stretching out here on Barnburner, and it's time for another long-form conversation with an absolute beauty. Reminder, Barm-Berner, a presentation of Bet-365. No matter of the bet, it's never ordinary with Bet-365. Today we welcome in a Calgary legend, a man with the nickname, the legend, per Wikipedia, a five-year captain of the Calgary roughnecks, a 13-year roughneck, a guy growing the game in Alberta and the assistant general manager of the Colorado Mammoth, Andrew McBride. Not to mention a pretty darn good fantasy football player in our league as well. Welcome, sir.

Thank you very much. I've given Bet365 a lot of money here last football season. So that's a good shout out, Bet365. Love the platform. Great app. Unbelievable. We're looking for the donation forward to football season again, but away we go. Top yourself up before another Seahawks season.

You got to sneak that in under the wife. You got to maneuver a little cash around and then get it. get her dialed in the live betting that's what kills you i need you to look into the camera and say please play responsibly please play responsibly everybody or lie to your significant other please play responsible yeah responsible responsible number one six five kill us go on you love it uh hey how's summer been how's life you're you're a dad you're a coach you are playing days are in the review mirror but you're still very much in the fabric of the lacrosse community yeah it's been good I think like so many things going on.

Like sometimes I won a nine to five job because we got mammoth stuff here. My Raiders lacrosse team's going well. City champs for the U11 Fury coaching my daughter. Okay. Trying to work on the golf game, not going so well. A few concerts at Stampede. Life's good though. I can't complain.

Lots of balls in the air, but good balls. I always loved having you on. I don't know how often we did it. I felt like it was probably once a month. We're at the old shop. I'd bring in in the nine o'clock hour, we'd be time to stretch out a bit. if we had nothing to talk about it,

was the best chats because we could just BS and have fun. And I just, I'm not surprised you're a captain because it's a personality that's magnetic. And people love being around you and you've got a great energy about you. Did you always know you were a leader? When I ask you about leadership, is that something you take seriously or is that just something that somebody has or doesn't have? No, I think, you know what?

I always had characteristics and traits that seem to land me in a leadership. role. I don't think I understood leadership until I was a little bit older and everything it entails. And coaching helps that as well. Like there's so many facets of leadership on the floor, off the floor. But it's really about relating to people. And I think, you know, the older you get, you can see how you can impact people's lives in a variety of different ways. And really is, it's like, what do we have in common? How can we talk about it? And that's the key. And I've always been good at being able to, you know, hang out with the people that were a little edgy, go to church with the people that are nice, like being able to find what the common ground is is something I've always

enjoyed. Like I like hearing about what people do. I might not know about it, but I ask lots of questions. I say lots of stupid stuff. I talk a lot. I talk really loud. So that seems to be kind of some key points to leadership and coaching. I feel like there's a mirror in the middle of the studio, Jack. I'm like loud talker, super extroverted, loves meeting people. I feel seen McBride. I do. One thing you were good at that I'm not is sports though. I, You grew up in Ladner, which would have been interesting. It's in Vancouver, but it probably feels like a small town in Vancouver is a fair? Super small town.

Yeah, we grew up one high school, like four elementary schools. We knew everyone. The big thing was there, we had a McDonald's. That was a big up. Spent a lot of money at the old drive-thru at McDonald's. They don't need to show them. They're doing fine. But it was, you know what?

It was great looking back growing up in a small town, knowing everybody, knowing everybody's parents, you're playing the same sports together. Really a big community feel and something that. I've always drawn myself back to about being that. You can't replicate it in a big town. You know, you move to Calgary and there's 20 different organizations. Everybody's doing their own thing. So I love growing up in a small town.

Super fortunate to do that. And I think really shaped me into kind of the person I am today. When did lacrosse become your number one? Because I think most people are age group playing lots of sports. These days I see lots of kids specializing, which I think is mental. But that's an entirely different show. When was lacrosse? Like, ah, this might be something.

I did not even until I got drafted. pro like i was terrible at lacrosse started lacrosse late played soccer growing up volleyball was probably my best and biggest sport played lots of basketball i was actually playing college volleyball at douglas college when i got drafted to the roughnecks yeah and when i say i'm terrible like i was terrible i couldn't catch nobody told me i needed a pocket in my stick but i loved the game because of the compete right like i'd go watch these senior be these old guys and we're playing the north shore indians and they're fighting and they're whacking and the arena's jacking up and I was like man this this sport is for me it's one of those ones where you compete you can be

really physical and yeah I think probably you know like 14 15 it really took over as my favorite sport to play I think being a multi-discipline athlete really really helped me um I try to preach that to all the kids like every activity you do whether it's going outside and playing kick the can riding your bike like they all transfer all those skills will transfer to you being an elite athlete but literally lacrosse wasn't like when i got drafted to the roughnecks i didn't even think i hadn't talked to one team ended up getting drafted 14th overall on my dial-up internet i remember watching and be like my brother would pick up the phone and maybe swearing and it was just a gong show but then i think when i got to calgary and saw hey maybe i can do this but relying on my work ethic and compete like skill

level low intensity work ethic being part of the team high yeah for sure and look i i this is a hockey market this is hockey country everyone knows hockey to some level and and many people love hockey there's a lot of parallels with the game of lacrosse and i think when you see the compete and it's the same buildings and yeah there's certainly some nuance but like oh yeah like this is even more physical than hockey and it is compete it is you want to drop your mitts you can drop mitts you can see how and a lot of great NHLers of like when we were kids watching TV, across in the summer hockey, and they were like, yes,

those complement each other so nice. So many comparables. And now even the girls, like we had a lot of girls that played ringette and hockey. Yeah. And these parents loved it. Like, they were like, this is the sport.

These girls can be physical. Like we were, our girls were smashing people. It's like 11 year olds. 9, 10. Yeah. And they were like taking to the hitting. Like we actually worked on the hitting.

And I had parents come back from last year that I coached that moved up and was like, like, man, their hockey and ringette game went through the route. They're confident in close spaces. They're used to getting jostled. They're getting whacked here. So it's one of those things. It's great to see like that being able to transferable because, I mean, hockey is king here.

It's everything that people see. But, you know, there's still lots of high level hockey players. We had a kid on our team and our junior teams playing in the SJ this year. There's a couple kids that are playing in the OHL that are playing junior lacrosse in Ontario. So the path, I think, is still there. But it's great to see that lacrosse can contribute. to the other sports. It's such a great, unique sport, and it's really taken off here in Calgary. It has. I remember living in the city at the time that you guys made that first championship run,

and it was just, there was so much momentum, and it was, Bannister was the owner at that time before CSEC owned the Roughneckson. It was like, it started out as this boutique thing. And then next thing, you know, it's like over 10,000 a game. And you, you sell out the Saddle Dome for a championship game. And, like, those environments are raucous. And there's the St. Patrick's Day game. And I give the roughnecks a lot of credit. They, they have a great marketing schedule and people know exactly what they're getting into when they go to the roughnecks games. We're having beers. We're yelling. If you're a kid, you're doing T-shirt helicopters. The entertainment product is through the roof. And I want to get to the state of the league in a bit, but let's let's rewind. You're in

Ladner. You get drafted by Calgary. There's also a massive inflection point in your life that probably made Calgary a really important chapter in your life. Yeah, I think it actually, I was talking to my parents last week up in the soy. It helped both of us in a way with my brother passing away. Big story in Vancouver, his best friend driving, four other kids in the car. Everyone, all of them passed away except the driver. So we relate to small town. Like it was so good to be in a small town initially with everybody being so supportive and the camaraderie and just like really got me through the first little. But then it almost turns into like, people are feeling sorry for you. And it continue, you know, you'd see the person in the grocery store.

and you could see the pain in their eyes, not wanting to make you upset, not wanting to ruffle any feathers, which is, it's unbelievable the human aspect of that. But I knew I needed to get out of there. I knew like for me being able to distance myself from the situation, I think my parents as well gave me a little freedom, gave me a little reprieve and just like consistently being in the mindset of, hey, you're caught in this tragedy and you're caught in this rut. And it couldn't, couldn't have came at a better time. I mean, I think I went out there. The accident happened in May. I had gotten drafted before and then I headed out there, I think, November.

So it was a great time. And it let me really reset who I was as a person. It got me to meet new people. It allowed me to focus on a new chapter, which let me grow. And I think ultimately get over it a little bit quicker. I know it was hard for my parents and, you know, talking to them now when they say, man, after an incident like that, letting your kid go and having like nobody in that situation. But that's why my parents were great parents.

They knew this was the path for me. And I think it gave them a lot of joy and excitement to see me excel at a high level and be able to do something that I was passionate and excited about. And it really helped my game. I mean, it's helped my life. I do not take anything for granted now. I've had other big tragedies in my life. My best friend passed away four years now, pancreatic cancer, 36, firefighter, the first captain of Ladner.

But these things, it sounds like callous, but they've really shaped who I am. They've really allowed me to not work. worry about the small stuff, to enjoy life, to treasure my friends and my kids, to find a balance. So negative to a positive for sure. Yeah, formative and like to take, you just grow. You're forced to deal with some heavy shit. So you come to Calgary and it's turn the page, new chapter, fresh start. And you're like, okay, you still don't think you're good lacrosse player.

But you know, you can, if it's a loose ball, you can probably beat a guy for you might want it more than him. and a year after being drafted, you make your debut, what's it like, who's there? Because there's some stars on that team. I'm thinking like Kaleski and Toe with like Hall of Fame caliber,

lacrosse players. How do you sort of carve out a role and then move far left along that you're the captain lead this group of incredible players? Well, I think I learned a lot of those first years. I mean,

Chris Hall, my first coach was the first lacrosse coach that I ever had that even played lacrosse. So like think about that for a second. I didn't have one player that coached me. They were all dads, just volunteered dads, who did a great job.

But it kind of opened my eyes to see like, this is the level of professionalism. This is where it can take me. Seeing Tracy and Caleb, who were leaders who I have so much respect for now, how they played the game by doing the little things. Like it's like a Jerome again. Like when you see your captain being the hardest worker,

willing to stay long and practice, it's 1130. Everyone's flying in and they're giving her. Like to me, that is like leadership you have to get up to that page and i really didn't want to let them down that was a big thing like these people are trusting in me they've seen something in me that i didn't even think i had it ain't like it is my turn to repay the favor and when you have guys and leaders that are doing everything proper and you got to get up to par and i always took a lot of

pride in being like i'm going to work just as hard and it's contagious and that's why we had such good teams is when everybody's going and everybody's chomping at the bit it's like life when you surround yourself with bright people and motivated people and people that want to make a difference, it's contagious. Like being around slubs and schmucks is like a no go. Like it really, I think it's important for people to know like, well, you're, you're, you got the good balance. Like it is about balance. But man, I really wanted to show those guys that I belonged. And I think things that I learned about you can control your work ethic. You can control your effort. You don't have to be as much skill. And that really resonated with me. It's like, okay, I'm not the most skilled.

but I'm going to work extremely hard. I'm going to be a great teammate. I'm going to be part of the solution rather than the problem. And man, that can take you a long way in life in sports. So describe the type of play you were, and we don't have to be lazy, but I do think the hockey comparison would be one, like, stay at home defenseman fair to say, or like physical D-Man, like how would you describe, you know, it doesn't have to be hockey terms,

but like you say, you're not the skill guy, you're not filling it, you're not setting scoring records like some of the other guys you mentioned were. Well, I wish I'd learn more to score because I'd literally get four or five breakways the game and I couldn't score like people Jason Wolder a Canadian like he's from Calgary he would yet literally yell pull it out when I was on a clear cup break when it was like a running joke and I was like these motherfuckers but I didn't really like hone my game on that so I did have some speed I scored a few goals but later on my career

definitely more stay at home physical yeah show up every night I think the best comp of night ever got was like hey when we play you we know you're playing you Like we know you were in a game. So it's like getting on the score sheet in a certain sense of like just competing. Like trying your best to be at a high level and saying we're here to win. And I think as you get older, trying to be a mentor to some of the younger kids, trying to really lead by example on and off the floor in terms of how Tracy Kleski would all have the young guys over for team dinners. And he'd employ some of the guys.

And I really took heart in that in trying to do the same. And I think keep that group together because I took a lot of pride in what we were able to accomplish. and I think it's not dying with the new generation of players, but teams are going a lot from the team aspect to more individual coach. And we're like, yes, you have your philosophy. Yes, you have, this is going to be the goals and the culture of our team. But now it's more like you need to individually coach each person to get them where, where our team was our team.

Like we went out together. We partied together. We ate together. We like the same things. We played card on the bus. And man, when the snowball gets going down the mountain and you guys are, a group together. It's a powerful, powerful feeling. And something I miss about replicating that when you got guys pulling on the same rope. But fortunate to have so many great leaders that played

the game the right way and really showed what it takes to be a professional athlete. I want to ask about some of these guys. So you mentioned Koleski and bringing people in under this wing, take care of the young guys, prolific score. I think Toth is here before him. This is right off top of my head. They added him to that team that already had Toth. And so you might have two of the best scorers in the game at that point. What was Toh like? He was kind of a rock star at that time. Man, he's the mayor of Calgary. Like he left. I still do this day when people talk about it and they say, oh, he played for the rap dance. They're like, oh, do you know Caleb Tooth? Like he was an amazing hockey player,

an amazing lacrosse player, really could contribute in multiple levels. That's what I loved. Like, he'd drink the most beers at the bar. He'd score the most goals. He'd shirt the biggest guys. He would answer the bell. Like, he'd be accountable on all fronts of life, which I loved and respected like I was like man I can't do all these things like I can do one or two but he seemed to just have this or about him where he was like the man at multiple different levels which to me it was like and this guy's cool like I always thought like this guy if I could be half of what he's going to be I think I'm in a good shape so that's what I loved him okay uh how much overlap did you have with the snider brothers snides me and jeff and bob are still really good friends I talked to snides weekly

um because they're they're they're brothers but they're very different they're wired so differently like I don't know them very, but I know them at both a bit. And I'm like, he's his brother's like, totally different. Completely different. Jeff is still very intense. I mean, he's calmed down in his old age, savvy businessmen. Yes. Compete at the highest level.

Like, that's what I love him. And he rubbed people some the wrong way and potentially still does. But his attitude is excellence at all time. Yeah. And I think that's something that's getting lost a little bit. Like everybody gets a medal. And everybody is like, way to go, Johnny. It's like, well, no, Johnny, you suck.

And this is the level. And I'm going to. hope you get there. Do you know what I mean? It's not just like you suck. It's like, well, what are the core pillars to being great? How are we going to implement this on a daily level? And let's do it. And I'm not going to settle for second fiddle. So I love that. I think it's really, it helped me playing with him. I love how he still does it to this day where Bobby is a fantastic teacher. These boots on the ground, a little more relaxed, super chill. But they both have done so much for lacrosse and Alberta and Calgary. And it's the impact they have on generations of kids now with

putting kids to university with continuing to have impacts in the grassroots level is amazing. And I think when you look back on their impact and career here in Calgary, it's going to be like, whoa, like this is significant. I mean, I remember when the roughness are getting started and it's like, you got to go and visit the elementary schools and all that. And that's just good PR from the team and the more you can expose people to the sport, those are going to be your future fans. But to the next level, like the thousands of kids that have been through their elevate

program, I know you obviously it's different. but that's a huge impact on the sport in this city. Like you could almost do a pre-post with their impact and see a totally different level of play. Well, for sure. And now you see all these kids that have been through Elevate, even our junior program that are giving back in coaching. Yeah.

Like that to me about coaching is maybe the proudest thing. Like the amount of kids that are coaching younger teams and are fired up about giving back. And that's one thing in Alberta. We are generations behind BC and Ontario. We never had players that played at a high level that have kids. Right. And now we have.

we have that. Like we have caught up to that and the commitment that these kids are giving back because they level lacrosse and they fell in love and they've been taught the right way and they're passionate about that. And I mean, it all coincides. The roughnecks being here is a huge part. Elevate their junior experience. But it really is like when you reflect from a bigger picture looking back, it's, it brings a lot of pride to me to see kids giving back and hopefully you have some part of that and it's awesome to see. You never need a lawyer until you need a lawyer. and then you need McLeod Law. They are the Calgary law firm.

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Tell me about the first championship. Like full Saddle Dome. Awesome. That's nuts. Awesome. Yeah. For the NLL at that time, it's like this is the pinnacle. I remember like we didn't, we weren't very good team.

We had like an old team, a young team or just kind of a mishmash, but we competed hard, got on a little bit of a heater in the playoffs. And I remember coming out like the final game and there was more fans in first warm up. So we're talking like an hour and a half before the game. Oh, yeah. then we had all season. And it was like electric factory. Like goose bumps here standing up.

Brad bought his buddy. That's a stunt guy. They had a buffalo on the turf because we were playing Buffalo and he's like riding the buffalo. And I was like, this is a, this is a showcase. And so I think that game was like, and I didn't even really feel pressure. Like the more championships and older on, I felt more pressure. But that game was like, this is so cool.

I don't care what happens. We're going to go out and put our best foot forward. There's a buffalo running around. People all had the thunder sticks. never in my wildest dreams to be able to compete in a sports atmosphere like that. And it was a special day. I still even thinking about it, it gets super excited.

And it really kind of set that franchise off to the success of what we were. And, you know, that was my second year. So you're second or third year. So you're like, man, winning's easy. Like this is, I mean, this, we are the best. We're the cats me out here. And then it's like,

oh, no, this is actually super hard to get back to this level and to be pulling on the same rope. So what an experience. So cool. Remember it. scored in that game, which I like did score all year. Like yeah, I remember that.

And yeah, just a party after. I think that was the best part. So you win, obviously the boys floor it in the room. Yeah. At home. Yeah. Like you don't, to win a championship is incredibly fortunate to do it.

Oh, it could have been on the road. What was the Calgary like that night? Darts in the room. And you know what that's, that's when and I like, I don't smoke darts, but where the bell moths were going. Yeah.

Like it was, it was great. And I think it really helped that the flames were in the playoff push. Yeah. Like that the red. Miles so was rock and so people were like hungry for sports a lot of people like could get into flames game so we went to the roadhouse had the cup out went on about a five-day bender had to go back to bc and go my last year junior so that was like it was a tough because everyone's like you suck and you

won like people were jealous so i ended up like fighting a lot like it wasn't a great summer after that but riding high from being like a celebrity in calgary and skipping the line like that got us free roadhouse for the rest of my life like skip the line and skip the line and skip the line at Cowboys. Your money's not good here. Yeah, no, it was like a taste of being a big wheel when we had no business being big wheels. It was pretty fun.

You won again in, what, 09? 09. So five years later, which it sounds like, 0409, we're like, that's a half decade. Yeah. That's a long time. Super long time. And that year, you know what? We were a wagon.

We were a wagon for a few years. We have a record that'll never be broken. It was close this year. We were up 15-0 in the Western Conference finals. Matt King, the goalie. I remember this. I don't know why. It's one of those life memories.

We're up five. nothing he scored picked up the ball threw it in the net buzzer expired i'm like this is this is over remember telling devon ray like we're going and we were a wagon like they didn't score to 45 minutes into the game je je yeah i think we won 19 to five was the final but one of those things where like we were destined to win and you know what that with that team the more we won the like drunker we got and it was like the old school and i'm not talking like two or three guys i'm talking like our thing that was years we'd peel each other's shirts so every game we'd go go to the bar and if people weren't looking, I'd run up to you like this and I'd rip your whole

entire dress shirt right off. And like that was our mantra though. Like people now, it's like, don't drink. We're going to be professional. We're going to, but like the energy and swagger we had. And it was just like, this is inevitable. Like this is going to be a domination. You were the Panthers. Yeah. We were swagger and we were swagger and around. And I wasn't even worried about the final. A little close game. But there was never a doubt and a belief and probably the team for that year and the next year where the confidence was just high. And when you have confidence as an athlete, like you've seen it in pro sports, there's no rhyme. There's no reason. But confidence to no confidence is like if you could bottle that drug, it would be the number one drug on the street. Yeah. Because

it's an amazing thing to be able to do. Incredible. 13 years. Five as a captain, two championships, a couple of all-stars in there. I think you still hold some franchise records for loose balls or things like that that I don't really understand as much as I went across. But what are you like, damn, that that's what I'm most proud of. I think growing the game, like getting back to the whole coaching and seeing people play and running into fans in the stands that bring their kids that have been season ticket holders for, you know, 13, 14 years. Even going to the games issue, I'd go and people would come up to me that like ushers that

I've met from there. And my kids are like, how do you know this person? And I think the lasting impact, not really personal athletes. I mean, that's great and you want to be good. But the impact in the community and what you can do to motivate and inspire kids to play lacrosse is really special. I think the older you get, you realize even coaching, coaching my kids and coaching these teams, it really is something special.

Like people have busy lives. They have jobs. They have so many more commitments to, but to be able to spend my time doing that is something I'm really, really proud out to see, you know, at the 16, 17,000, at Ruffneck team, 18,000 at the St. Patty's game. It's spectacular and special to see and I'll always have pride in what I was able to do to grow the game. Where's Calgary in the hierarchy of the NLL? Because it at times has been the peak. It's obviously under Flames ownership now, which gives it a lot of financial stability, a lot of

marketing power behind it. But the league's also gone to some really unique and sexy places. Like you're talking about Vegas. You're talking like San Diego. Like Calgary is probably one of the nice cities to live in the league. And now it's like, yeah, San Diego's pretty good too. Vegas, I've heard it's a nice place. Calgary's still top three in it. Yeah. It's really, I mean, with the crowds, the way the roughnecks have come in and, you know, Calgary sports and entertainment over men, people are hungry for sports here.

And I think you're seeing it with surge and the women's soccer team and cavalry FC. Like, it is a sports town. You just need to get people the options to go do it. And I think to your point of the roughnecks, like going to the games, nobody knows what's going on. Like literally in the stands, you're watching these people. And it's like, and they're just. and the music's playing and the goal and then all of a sudden they're doing the dance.

And I mean, that's what sports is about. It's about entertainment, bringing people together to cheer for like a common team, being proud about your city. So in terms of attendance, in terms of how it's run, it's a top tier franchise right now in the NL. You've been, I believe, six seasons with the mammoth. You're an assistant coach around the defense for a while.

And now your second, two years under your belt is AGM, if I'm correct? This would be number three. You got a draft coming up. Is that right? Draft coming up in September. Tell me about coach. coaching and versus the move into management. And I guess you probably can't talk about that

without talking about the Raiders here in Calgary where you're kind of doing both. You got both hats. Yeah. I mean, coaching the NLLL was always a dream of mine. I was something I was so fortunate to do. Definitely on my radar when I was, you know, with the Raiders to get to that spot.

Dream come true. Awesome staff in Colorado. Fortunate enough to win a championship is the coach, my second year. Went to the finals the next year, which was amazing. But for me, it's the balance of life.

Like you go back to the conversation with my brother. those years I was on the road 30 weekends. I had young kids. My wife has a very like stressful, busy job. And so it's like, what's the balance? How can I keep myself in this? I love coaching. I definitely want to get back onto an NLL bench at some point because coaching and management are very,

very different. And it was hard to make that transition in a sense of like you can't be day to day. You can't be working. And I love teaching. I think that's what I like about coaching. It's like, okay, player comes to me. I'm not good at this. How are we going to fix it?

How am I going to create drills? How are we going to watch film? How can I really, on a boots on the ground, change the performance? Where management is a much more broader picture of, okay, we've got a schedule, we got a CBA, we got contracts coming up. We got a draft. What's the one three, five, 10 year plan? But at the same point, that's fun to do.

And I think it's really, really helped me being on all sides. Like being a player as a captain, then playing on a bench as a coach and now coming into management, I feel I'm pretty well versed in all avenues. and being able to like blend all that information together is is super cool and i mean the mammoth have been so good to me i pretty much get to pick my schedule i could go to every game i could go to no games so like i miss the rochester i miss the philly i go to bagas i go to san diego come here saskatchew and i got to go because it's close um but it's really great and i was able to go on the bench a couple times this year doing the ipad for film like that's a new big thing in the

nll and so man to be able to keep my feet wet to be able to have the relationship with these players. The boys love me. Like I bring something to the organization that like, you know, like, yeah, and my new line of them is like, because they still treat me like a coach. And I'm like, fellas, I'm upper management now.

You like, put some respect on this. We're not going to be, you know, a manager. Watch your mouth. That's upper. We're up the tears.

But they take it as a pretty fun thing. And I'm really fortunate to keep my mouth. And it's made me a better coach at all levels. I think it's made me a better manager. Even like things like fantasy football. Like that sounds so stupid. But the way, it's true. But it's true.

Like, and people like, this guy's an idiot. But I am telling you the waiver wire and planning and understanding like different scenarios. And I think, you know, that's, I'm lucky to be able to do that. I'm lucky with the Raiders. Like the Raiders is, is my baby in a sense now. Pause there. Tell us about the Raiders. So this is, this is junior lacrosse in Western Canada.

This is not NLL. But it's nice because the NLL off season is the summer and that's when the Raiders play. So good. So this will be my 16th year with the Raiders. Start as an assistant coach. head coach for many years, too much time. My wife was ready to say, you're done if you're going to keep going to Max Bell, six nights a week.

So went to the GM role and super fortunate to know the fair family owns it, who Jesse played for the team. And now he's the assistant GM and he does lots with the team. And Mitch Bannister, who's our head coach, was, I coached him as the head coach. His dad is Brad Bannister. We drafted both his brothers. Like the whole family unity of sports is a unique circle. So we have collegiate athletes or kids.

kids just going into college. So all our team now is here for the summer. They'll all go down to div one, two, or three NCAA, play in their schools all over North America, come back for the summer and play. And this is the age after this. Kids get drafted after they go to NCAA. So fun to be a part of.

So fun to coach because you got 16 to 21 year olds. It's a big gap. Impressional gap really can work with these kids and really try to get them, you know, learning and stuff. And that's a huge area in life. It's like, and they're drinking beer. for the first time, they're going to school, they have girlfriends. Like that age is a very impressional age.

And to be able to have the control I have like in the Raiders is something sweet. Like there's no bored. There's no like we don't have to go through any checks and balances. It's me and the five guys. Here's what we want to do. Here's what's right. This is what we're doing. And we've learned a lot dealing with parents during dealing with kids.

But to have that ultimate control, like I will never be in a situation like this again. And this, we've set it up, knock a wood, my good GM skills where we're in a really good window here. that this will be the best chance to win a Minto Cup. So Alberta's never won a Minto Cup ever. In the history, yep. So us, BC and Ontario are the three teams. We have Saskatchewan in our league. So it's something like it is my number one sports goal.

It is the number one thing I want to do. And if I can't do this in the next two years, I'm done. I will be devastated. It'll be a 19 year run. But you know what? If I can't get it done to 19 years, time to go, move on to something else. But my most passionate thing and something I'm putting a lot of time and effort to and I love to have the ability to do everything.

Okay, so you're in playoffs now. This is the Rocky Mountain Junior A lacrosse league, Alberta winner, and we'll move on and then face those powerhouses that you get in Ontario and BC. Where's the Minto Cup this year? And there's rumors that it may indeed be coming to Calgary down the line, which would be huge for the sport and for obviously an organization that you seem to have shaping towards that. Yeah, so this year in St. Kitts, it rotates every year. Where St. Kitts?

St. Catherine's Ontario. So kind of right by like Niagara Falls kind of in that area. Yeah, yeah, right in there. So it's going to be great. They've coincided with Canada games, beautiful new arena, beautiful facility. So really good. And I mean, some people know we can do breaking news here on the old podcast. We're going to be hosting the Minto next year at Max Bell.

Wow. Summer 26. Yeah, we're fired up. I mean, you know, building on what the Canucks had here with their run, they got a screen in there. A lot of great things that we've learned about. This will be our third Minto Cup that we've hosted. So we're running the committee with like six people. Like the same six people that are doing it,

we can get this thing pretty cookie cutter. I've been to six Minto Cups. We know the formula. It takes to make a great tournament. But the ability to next year have automatic bid with the team we have. We don't graduate. We graduate one player this year. Yeah, that's it.

We're in a great spot. And being able to get there last year and fingers crossed this year, we will have the experience. We're going to be hungry. And these kids are working hard. Like the biggest compliment I can give these kids in our coaches is like, they want to be elite. They understand.

They've gotten a taste of what the good teams do. And it's like, fellows, there's no secrets here. Like, we have to work harder than everybody else. We have to practice tonight when we practice at 8 o'clock. On a dreary Thursday,

you might want to go to the stampede. This is it. We are focused. And these guys are banging. They're working hard. And it's, it's really invigorated me. It's a great thing to see kids,

like, not just mail it in. We actually lost our last game of the regular season, which was so good for us. We'd beat in the other. team like 15 years and it wasn't like good in the sense 15 times it wasn't good in sense of like we wanted to lose but to see how mad these kids were and to see the focus when they came back to practice was like goosebumps city and that's what it about and even if we don't achieve our ultimate goal the way

these kids and our coaches are preparing is how you need to live life and I said to them I said fellas these lessons you're going to learn and even if we don't win that's not going to take away from what you're doing to try and be an elite champion and to win and make history. So really proud of the group of what they've done so far. Whether you're in med school or you're a trader or you want to start your own business or you're a firefighter. Like these lessons that sport give young people are so incredible. It's so crucial.

Like it's just if you know how to work hard and you're a winner, like I don't care what you pick. You're going to be great. Yeah. And even adversity, I find even having young kids now. Like, man, and I'm. And I'm pretty relaxed as a parent. Like I want my kids like they're young and I let them do a lot of things,

but they don't face adversity. Like we're every parent wants to give their kids the best opportunity. And of course, that's human nature. But it's like, are we setting these kids up when they have to put their resume in and go for a job with 50 other people? Like what is going to make your kid or your life experiences stand out in the real world? And now like less adversity,

less drama, more cushy, more ease of access with everything. like it's like instant gratification and ease of things. So finding that balance, I think it's been great to see these lessons in sports translate to being a parent. But it is that hard line. And I think if you have that attribute as a kid and you learn those skills,

like you're going to jump the pile here pretty quick and whatever you do. How is the state of the league with all this expansion? Like you came into a league that probably feels mom and pop shop compared to what it feels like now. Is that fair? Yeah. And I think it's good. The top five teams, you know,

NHL owners are the key. Yeah. Like that is the absolute. You got the venues and now you got the deep pockets. It has to be there. It has to be with the building owned. You get the concession rights. These one-off teams,

like they can make it and they have owners that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But this isn't like you're bleeding money for a long time until you can get it to the Buffaloes, the Colorado's and the Calgary's. Like those three teams are the pinnacle of the league. The rest are still like San Diego is putting, you know, three, four thousand people in the building. And Roch is putting four thousand.

well alone in Rochester like the insurance for their team is like 600 grand and so then you're adding like a 500,000 dollar payroll and a 400,000 travel budget. Yeah. And you're putting 4,000 people for nine games at $25 a ticket. Like it's not really the, I'm no math major, but it's not it's not adding up. But the level of skill, the NCAA in the States, the amount of people playing box across in the states now, it is it. It's an all time high for skill level.

It's an all time high for ability to play a local. cross at a younger age. So it's just, it's on that brink of needing a few more, I think big NHL owners, but, man, the product's great.

When you get it going and down, when it gets over that hump, it can be spectacular. Yeah. Evanton had a good thing going. And then that all of a sudden moved. You'd love to get back in there. I know Vancouver's been interesting because I think they've been playing

out of Langley at times and moving around. Like, what's the right fit there? Get back in the big building. So they are in the big building. So they are in the big building. Yeah. The Canucks bought them two years ago.

Yeah. They've went from 6,000 fans. to this year putting 11,000 in playoffs, copied the exact same model in Calgary. $5 beers, cheap food, party zone, crank the music. And like if they have success there, they will turn into a Calgary within five years.

Like people want entertainment, winner goals. So that's a really positive in the rest of the league. I think that's another market that's going to see really jump up. And, you know, I think that's the key. I think Edmonton's in the mix to really potentially look in getting a team in the next couple years. I think that would be a great fit.

but I think there's places like Nashville. I think there's places like even potentially Montreal and Winnipeg where you can go into these markets. Detroit has a lot of interest. You can go into these markets and piggyback that if you can give it five, six years and say, okay, we can bleed $4 million for a few years, you've got the potential to put it to a really spectacular place. Outdoor. Dentile is dentistry with no drills, no needles, and no stress.

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A lot of these guys have Monday to Friday jobs and then we'll be flying into the market if they don't live in the market. And so, you know, again, if you have deep pockets as an owner, you can make things happen that's harder for smaller teams. You can fly guys in from further or you can, you've got a network in the community where you can get a guy. I had better job in that city with his skill set. Like it's, we look at it and it's like, oh, they play in the same buildings of flames. The salaries aren't close. And like it's,

no, but the guys literally have full-time jobs. Then we'll fly in and plan weekends. That's wild. So I think the rookie salary this year was 14 grand, US. That's still what it is. Like for my rookie salary,

I made $5,600 bucks. And if you didn't play, you didn't get paid. So I think with my first check with PLPA is, was like 72 bucks. And so the great thing about lacrosse now is the top end guys have grow into a place where they're doing full-time gigs. That's awesome. You're into the market where you're making a couple hundred grand.

If you start your own business, like it's a lucrative profession now, which really generates like interest from these kids and saying, hey, if I do this the right way, like there is potential to make a life. However, you're losing, you know, you get these kids that are going to Duke and Virginia and Cheratis, it's like, well, I got a job on Wall Street. Right. Or you want me to fly across the country here and get paid like 600 bucks a week. But man, the passion of athletes.

Like when you get a taste of that, even if there's a job. 200 people like once you get there it's like this is great i want to do this the players are super unfortunate to have this but and the older you get and you'll know this when you get to fly across and play in front of things when you have to be a postman or a school teacher or a plumber or a firefighter like it's an amazing experience and something i think a lot of these players don't take for granted yeah and you still see the like the mum and pop shop of it with just like the compete level like i really believe it's still like keeps these guys hungry enough not saying that when you get to the NHL and you're making millions of dollars,

but man, I'd be less motivated on a Tuesday when it's minus 40 in Calgary to be like, oh boy, this is game. You know, like 43 or with the A or hanging the bus. Like I think players in our league really like, appreciate the opportunity to do this.

Probably better than, you know, like working on that well site you were on or, you know, doing a tour of a community as a police. I'm like, oh yeah, this is fun or being a proxalphly.

I'm not taking this for granted. Yeah, we'll take this 14 grand and we'll try to part. the opportunity and we got to hang out with the boys. And I think the older you get, you know, you have kids and a wife at home, you're like, well, I'll take this weekend off here and play with the boys and get the old team shower and have some pints. And like, it's a good, it's a good thing to have.

So I think it's on the right track. I think maybe in a few more years getting it where the salaries, you know, are $30,000 for everyone and letting them really train because I do think that will accelerate the level of play. But now there's so many kids playing the level of play from what, even when I played is, it's not even comparable. Like I wouldn't make the antel now. No chance.

Zero chance. Even if I competed hard. These guys are big, strong, eat healthy. There's no, there's no McDonald's with Big Macsauce like I used to do before junior. Like there, there's no effedrin anymore. Like I was like, come on, fellas. Like we got to crank it up a little.

It's all plant base protein powders. Oh, yeah. We're doing recovery. And it's like, it's great to see. But it's, I've been talking to my mental coach. Yeah. We've been discussing my new pregame meditation strategy. I know my nutritionist is saying this and my trainer.

It's wild. Like kids are dialed at a young, young age, no matter what these sports are. Well, I think it's now you see it with this, with the singleization in sports, the professionalism in sports. It's like, and if you don't behave this way, this is the cookie cutter way and you're behind.

And I think it's hard as a parent. I think that's the big trap now as parents. And I mean, good for sports. They have turned it into a money making. It's true. Like you sports now is business. And it's big business. And if you do it properly, it's huge.

I think the love of the game and the actual, it's sad to see in a sense of like, you're not playing sports now just to have fun and make friends and make lessons. Like, it is all about winning and it is all about playing, which it is sad. I think you can get to that at a later age, but you have to do and perform the way. Like even this year,

like our team is going through a downspers. I was like, boys, let's go just get wasted after the game. We're going to do some, we're going to fire it up here. And everyone's like, now we can't do that like i'm going to be we got a train and i was like this is this is not how i would perform the thing but that's how it is so you got to adapt my i got a buddy that played uh really high

level hockey over in the k came back to the nchl later in life and he'd been gone in russia for a while and returned and was like back in the nchel and it's like all right boys like what are we doing tonight where we're going and they're like oh we talked to the concierge and they're going to wheel in like six screens and we're all going to play like call a duty together and he's yeah what has happened since i left i mean you're having a land party right when we're in we're in rural that's right when we're in rural class cities good eating at world class restaurants but it's good i mean like i think it's a big thing they'll look at florida like you can tell that team is swaggerville yeah they like to go the way they just partied after the cop and some people are

like oh my god but i was like well you want to know why they won't win look no further than how they're handling this because that's all they want to do is to win to be able to act like this and get a free pass because there ain't many jobs and where especially now in the social media where like it is celebrated people are like these videos are unbelievable they're following around and like unbelievable to be able to have that experience at that level and it's such a different sport though like you watch when the NBA when they won like they didn't even celebrate this they left like a ton of booze in the locker room I'm like what they didn't cheer when they One, they like were hugging.

They're walking around. I was like, man, that is not what sports is about. Like that to me is business. Yeah, totally. It's, and to see the hockey players react with so much joy and how they go. And even the, you know, the NFL does it. I think of that same thing. It's, that's what sports is all about.

Yeah. I think that maybe I'm crazy. I always feel like the more physical sport is. True. The more that, like the tighter that bond would be with teammates because you just literally have to stick up for each other and it gets closer to war. and thus the celebrations are greater. And I'm not suggesting that it's not challenging to be a basketball

or win championship. Like that's probably more kids play basketball than any other sport, but soccer on earth. Like you've got to be unbelievable to get there. But the trenches aren't as potentially bonding as other sports. You're right. I mean, the physicality when you see people sacrifice, when you've been injured yourself and you're like,

and this guy has that injury, like the ability to see that in a group setting again, like when you see your teammate hurting and going through that and you see how it affects your home life or your family life, like even now, like that motivates a team to really pick it up. And of course, everybody's trying to be the ultimate champion. But it's the ability to continue that and for everybody to do that. It's it's something special and it's why you should play sports.

Like those lessons are better than any lessons about what you have to be a pro. You have to go get a Div 1 scholarship. You need to be this best. You need to be a power skating. And like it's insane how it is turned into this business. of my kid's going to be the best athlete and the parents are so involved. Like my kid's going to be in the angel. Yeah.

Dude, look at the odds. No, they're not. Is there. No one else in the cities is. Right. And just enjoy, like enjoy being with a great parent group. Enjoy meeting me,

friends. If your kids having fun, it doesn't matter for it. C, A, triple A. Who cares? Yeah. Who cares?

What is sports about? It's about working hard, learning to deal with adversity, hopefully winning, making great lifelong friends. And being on a place. beer league when you're 40. Like I think the people that are still playing beer league when they're older and skating,

like that is what sports is all about. Oh, yeah, because that's, I think like lacrosse to be similar to hockey, a big part of the bonding is the room. The room. You've got to put the war, like the war gear on. Like, you got to get the gear on. You got to peel it all off together. And it's just like that journey and that time together.

The further away I get from my youth, the more you're like the locker room. was the most special place. Because the playing services, sure, but like that was where it was just the team. And that was the special, unique group you had. And yeah, like, it'd be good. I wasn't particularly good at anything. I like sports. But like just those are your best friends for life.

You've been through all the adversity with them. You know them to their core. Well, and sports now, learning this on the management side, man, you just need to put people with characteristics. Like, what are your five characteristics? touristics as an organization. You don't need 10 superstars. You don't need for stay at home defensemen. You need to match personalities. You need to match work ethics. You need to match communication styles. Like all this stuff you see it at the NHL in these high level sports. It's like the Canucks. They're fighting. Well, get somebody out of there. Yeah. Stop talking about it and do so.

Let it faster for years. You can't let it. Like that to me. J.T. Miller. Miller. Let's that to me is such poor management. It's such poor leadership. It's such, like egotistical people instead of putting it beside in the common goal and it relates back to my individual like individual people now like now people are all wearing iPads listening to different music like that to me is the microcosm I hate that like that on my teams is banned that will never be allowed you have someone running the music if you want a song we listen to it as a group you going off in your own little world and oh I need to stretch this way sure there is times for that but man we are a unit we need to be pulling on this rope and if we don't agree on music we'll figure it out be a fucking leader like let's sit down as a group and come up with a

solution so we're all on the same page instead of just being in your little like pods here so it is very interesting to see how it's it's changing and i think great coaches like that's why you're seeing all these old school coaches get booted or they don't want to do it you're seeing in college football a lot now you're seeing in college basketball it's because now which i truly believe to be an elite coach and i and maybe i'm blown smoke up my own ass i feel like i could coach any sport i feel my skills relating to people i can learn the exes and oaths i've never played hockey day in my life but if you give me youtube videos if i sit down with 10 elite coaches and pick their names give me a good assistant like i feel confident that i could manage the group to get the best performance out of them yeah you're

you're the people glue the people make the group it's culture Yeah. That's and you know, five year captain. Culture, culture, culture. I love the anecdote earlier where it's like your ability to find a bond with everyone and pull everyone together. So rather than factions or there's Pedersen and the Swedes. There's J.T. Miller and the Americans. But like, so no, no, no. Like we can all go to church. We can all close down the trough at 2 a.m. That's right. We can all go to the, the, the, and flip pancakes at the, at the charity breakfast. Like everything we do. That's culture. Yeah. And in especially, especially, now when it feels like all athletes are grim to be independent contractors, that's the special sauce. For sure. And respect. Respect. If they're your teammates, you might, you might be like, this guy's a moron. I can't believe he likes Pokemon or I can't believe this guy drinks every day. But that's what it's about. It's respecting what they love as a person and saying, hey, how can I learn about it? Tell me more about it. This is what I enjoy. And then you pull each other together. Like you have to find that common respect and bond and the ability to show someone like,

this is cool what you're doing. Now, do you have to believe that in your head? There's lots of times I was like, man, this is the stupidest thing I've ever. Like, I can't get into this, but I'm going to show an interest. I'm going to support you. I'm going to support you. Because it's passionate to you. And if we're on the same team, we need to be passionate about the stuff everybody likes.

So then we're passionate about winning a championship. Yeah, totally. I'm just thinking the analogy. Like, if everyone's listening to their own headphones. I hate that. And somehow you actually won something. You won't even all be singing the, you can't even sing a song together in the locker. You know those the same words.

They probably don't even know the song we have the chance. Everybody's their own song, yeah. I know. What's the rest of the summer look like for? I know you got Minto Cup playoffs, all that going on until, what, August? Do you get some downtime before NLL season? Because that doesn't really ramp up until later in the winter. It's a later start than the hockey season.

We got the draft September 6th year. So we're prepping for that here with the mammoth. Lots of, you know, video, lots of lists, lots of, lots of, of, we're sending out lots of scouting reports, lots of questionnaires to people. That's one thing we've learned in the NL, especially trying to compile the characteristics. You got to interview these people. You got to know what makes them tick. And you can do that by asking some pretty standardized questioning.

You can tweet the question. But when you send out 100 things and seeing like all these answers come back in, you can definitely find a lot of common patterns. We put a lot of time in the offseason about being organized, doing no stone unturn. I mean, this year was on. lucky we lost three of our best players one was a firefighter had to leave because he's on probation another one tours hamstring another one blue is achilles um but we didn't make the playoffs so we're we are in full like no stone unturned revenge tour here's the plan go to work and do that so we'll be

busy with that training camel and stock till about november fingers cross the raiders make the minto cup so that'll go to the end of august and so kind of everything flowing into each other get up the lake a little bit, go to Sawyer's to see my parents. But I'm fortunate, man. The balance I have being able to hang with my kids all summer and go do cool stuff, go to the chucks tonight, take them to the pools, go for bike rides. Like that to me is I'm very fortunate to be in that position. And that's what life's about, having a great balance and get into all that. So yeah, it's going to be good rest of the summer. For guy that grew up in Lower Mainland in a small town, you are through and through a Calgary. I love Calgary. What makes you love this city? Man, I went back to Ladner two weeks ago.

I'm never coming back. Like this has nothing that I grew up here. Mom and Daddy, you got to move. I'm done here. Every day, I try to tell them. I say sell the house. Literally every third conversation, when we sell in the house, won't do it. We'll be dragging their dead corpses out of that house.

But Calgary, I think opportunity, I think the people are generally super kind. I think the energy in the city with people being motivated, young people moving to the city, amenities getting better. Like we live in Killarney, like five minutes from here I live. other than the construction here, the little disaster. What a great community. The schools are great. People all pulling on the same rope.

I love the buzz of the city. Winters are a little tough, but I'm trying to embrace it. But everything that you want, it feels like a growing team or a growing franchise and organization, like the vibe and the energy. And I really think the ability to create

and do whatever you want. I think meeting people in Calgary and learning, it's like, oh, you do that as a job? Well, tell me about it. Oh, you're doing, Like there's so many different factions. Like when we first came here, oil and gas, which is still a big oil and gas. But now these, all these other people doing all these crazy and unique things,

seeing obviously the new arena coming to town, just the buildings coming up. The surge. Like, it's really trending in the right way. And I think the people here are genuine. Like Vancouver, the people are dicks. Like, they're like, it's like turned into this like bougie. And even Toronto, it's such a huge massive city. I feel like it's a easy place to make friends.

So easy. I go to other cities, I'm like, oh, geez, like everyone's kind of got a guard up. But I grew up here. This is all I know. Oh, it's, it's, I remember going, like when I was single, going to the bar in Vancouver and like, hey, how's it going? And like you're trying to get slapped in the face. Like, these girls look like you're, they're going to kidnap them and throw up

to the trunk or Calgary. I could go up to anyone at the stampede and say, how's your day? And they'll literally sit there and talk to you. What you've been up to? Well, you've been up to. How's it going? Great. Have a great night.

And like that for the humanistic aspect. And for me, like that stuff fills my bucket. Like I like that. And so to have those people be so receptive to that is an amazing thing to see. And now with all these different communities, like you really find a lot of great people. You're meeting cool people through sports. So, man, I love Calgary.

I never thought. I tried for the first 10 years back, back, back. I will never leave Calgary ever. Yeah. It's great. Love it. Love you. You're a Calgary icon in sport.

And I love to see how much joy it gives you to grow the game you in the city of love and understand the impact you have on young lives, not to mention just being a very good, you know, pro management and coach guy at the sport that you love. I enjoy hanging out with you. Thank you for coming in. And if you ever get a chance to sit down, have a beer and share some stories of the legend. Oh, yeah.

Take them up on the chance. The seal. I appreciate you getting the sea list celebrity here during the summer months. That's great. But you can't fake passion. And I think that's the one message to people, man, find your passion. And you can do it. It's going to be hard.

It might take some sacrifice at the start, but I don't take granted for the ability to do stuff that I'm passionate about. And I love it. And meeting people here and being habit of this platform and doing all the things that's something special. So I appreciate you having me on. And yeah. Seahawks can be good this year or no. Trad. They'll be okay.

They'll be okay. They'll be okay. Not good. I would have took Gino back. Sam Darnold, like he's not the answer. He's no. look good till it mattered. Well, that means he's not the answer.

It's like you're stuck when. It's a weird question if that's the answer. You know when you're not stuck in it. And then that's the one unique thing I find about sports is people know they're stuck in no man's land. Yet they stay stuck in no man's land. Like you, if you went around to like all the NHL teams and you said lie detector test to the GMs, yeah, are you good?

They would tell you we have no chance to win the Stanley Cup. So get out of there. Like get out of there and do that. But the Seahawks, they'll be okay. Six games, seven games. Biggest threat to win the fantasy league. Dean's won back to back, I believe. I don't know how.

I don't like that at all. And he always just bitches and moans about his draft position, whether it's first or last at the middle of the first round. First pick goes in, worst draft ever. Eeyore has got, he's looking at a three-peed here. Yeah,

we got to get that out. I mean, I, it's really falling off the live drafts. Like people now, you want to talk about a team. And I know you try to bring people together, but it's gone from like 10 people we had at the live draft.

What was last year? Like three, I think of us? gross. It wasn't great. You and Bender and it wasn't great, but we, he got lucky, but we'll take him out. I think there's going to be a new, I'm due here. Dino, come on, boomer, brutal.

Thanks for watching and appreciate you coming in, McBride. Good to see you. Thanks, buddy.