Newcomers: Sports, with Nicole Byer and Lauren Lapkus - Miracle (w/ Gareth Reynolds)

Episode Date: August 6, 2024

This week, Lauren and Nicole are joined by very special guest Gareth Reynolds (The Dollop, We’re Here to Help) to debrief the Kurt Russell-led hockey film, Miracle, just in time for the (summer) Olympics. The stakes are high, the character introductions are long, and the hockey stops are as satisfyingly crisp as ever. Also discussed: the icon Celine Dion, dating whilst skating, and star Eddie Cahill’s career spanning from Friends to Sex and the City. Follow Gareth: Instagram, TwitterJoin us next week for our episode covering The Karate Kid! Like the show? Rate Newcomers 5 stars on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and leave a review for Nicole and Lauren to read on the pod!Follow the podcast on Letterboxd.Advertise on Newcomers via Gumball.fmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a headgum original. Want to hear an amazing story? Back in 1960, Coach Brooks was on the Olympic hockey team. But a week before the games, his coach cuts him and sends him home. And that team went on to win the gold medal. Without him. Herb Brooks had given up his dream of Olympic glory until 20 ordinary kids.

Why'd you want to play hockey? This isn't it obvious? For the girl. Gave him a second chance. The Soviets win. My goal is to beat him at their own game. Beat the best team in the world. Gold medalist in 64, 68, 72, 76.

Name. Mark Johnson. Buzzie Schneider. Michael Rizzioni. You're missing some of the best players. Not looking for the best players. Craig. I'm looking for the right ones.

They were bitter rivals. A lot of guys from Minnesota and Boston. Yeah, that's going to work. But one coach had a plan to turn them. Into a team. I got no time for quarters. You want me to play, huh? I want you to be a hockey.

I am a hockey player! I think that'll get them going? Oh, yeah. When you face the impossible. Russian's main weapon is intimidation. This guy's ever swell? They're Russians. They get shot if they smile.

And you refuse to give up. I think it's gonna be this hard. Yeah, you did. We start becoming a team right now. Miracles can happen. Dream out, dream out, dream out, dream out. When you pull on that jersey, the name on the front is more important than the one in the back. Michael Ruggione.

Who do you play for? I play for the United States of America. Welcome to the Olympics, gentlemen. Walt Disney Pictures presents. This is something that this country is ready for. Great moments are born from great operations. If we played them ten times, they might win nine, but not this game. Listen to all.

We can beat these guys. Discover the story. This is your time. Behind the greatest moment in sports history. I believe in miracle. Yes! Wow, welcome to newcomers playing for the home team. It's me, Nicole Beyer.

And me, Lauren Lapkis. And of course, we have Coach Anya back with us finally to watch along from the sidelines. And this season, wow, we're covering 10 of the sports movies that people have said, You got to see them. They're the league MVPs that light the lamp on every rewatch. Today we'll be talking about the, I don't know, we just say things and keep going. Today we'll be talking about the legendary Winter Olympics hockey film 2004's Miracle, which tells the story of what is often called the greatest sports moment of the 20th century.

Now, I don't know anything about sports, but I feel like I can name like 40s. things that happen that are more exciting than this. But, right. Yeah. And well, okay, Miracle's streaming on Disney Plus or if you are out of your mind, you can pay for it on any of the other major streamers. And we're

going to spoil it. We're obviously going to spoil this film. We're going to spoil it from tip to taint and playing for the visiting team today. Please welcome Gareth Reynolds. Gareth is a comedian, writer, and podcaster who played hockey for 12 years in Wisconsin. Oh. But

told our producer Anya that he had to give it up because he was just a sea talent. Now he co-hosts the podcast, The Dallop with Dave Anthony, as well as his new show. We're here to help with Jake Johnson, which is also on Headgum. Gareth, we're so excited to talk about this movie with you, especially because you know about hockey. So that's really amazing. You understand this. Yeah. No, I'm definitely the expert of the show.

That's for sure. I also chose Disney Plus because I wanted all those Johnsonville brought commercials blasting. I didn't get commercials on my. I guess I pay more than you. You guys just, you shamed me. I'm sorry. I mean, I have to pay for that. My child watches Disney Plus.

And if I was hearing Johnsonville brat commercials every five seconds, I think I would lose your mind. Yeah, they're not good. I'll say that. Okay. Did you, this movie for you, was it good? We're getting right into it. Have you seen it before? I've seen it before.

four. It's been a long time. First of all, I forgot how long it was. I thought for sure, going to this, I was like, this is going to be a 90-minter. That's what I thought. We're clocking in at two hours and 17 minutes. Many breaks. This movie, okay, this is what I'll say about this movie. Kurt Russell, to me, is really good in this movie, and I like that. I like the story, but I also, it definitely feels like an away game because I feel like YouTube. don't like this movie but I agree that it is I don't think it's the biggest sports moment of the 20th

I mean I have to be raised I mean basketball has to beat that in some moment I mean that's ridiculous or gymnastics carry shrug landing on one foot how about Christy Amaguchi on the ice

what about the hammer to the leg on that poor lady do you guys the ice skating that was a great moment This one's the best sports moments So wait Gareth, tell me about you playing hockey

And what that is and what that world is Because I feel like I do some hockey kids Yeah, but I'm from I'm from Evans to Illinois We had some hockey kids for sure But Wisconsin is much more hockey wouldn't you say Yeah, we were pretty hockey And yeah I mean, you know Hockey is basically Yamaguchi

With a stick and a puck And you know It's just like it's I will say the hardest sport to play I found. It is exhausting. I played in like a rec league when I first moved to L.A. and I was like, oh, I forgot. I played for 12 years. I had a mullet. They thought I was a really talented female hockey player and then I would be like, I'm just a guy and then I would never get put on any of the main teams. So you had that thing where like you took off your helmet and shook out your mullet and they were like, oh, I thought it was a woman. To be honest, they still

thought it was a woman until I was like, I'm not a woman. And then they were like, oh, oh, this is, and I was like, thanks for doing that in front of everyone. But, no, I mean, I really loved hockey. And I mean, I remember when I was growing up hearing about this story all the time, you know, through hockey is an amazing moment. So yeah, I mean, I, you know, I was not good, though. How did you keep your equipment from Stankan? I don't think I did. I don't think there was anything. So bad. It really is bad.

It's so funny you say that because when the movie started, I was like, I can smell this movie. Yeah. I could feel like the ice smell and the sweat, all the combination, everything coming together. I was like, I can feel this. I think you would wash the shirts and shit, but I definitely don't think, I definitely don't think I did anything. I mean, every time you'd open your hockey bag, it was like exhuming a body. It was like a while. Yeah, I feel like.

Everyone felt that. It was just, there was a waft. And were these guys your best friends ever? Yeah. No, I don't think. I don't think so. Although there's a lot of pressure to say, yeah. No, I don't think they were.

I mean, you know, we were friends, but I never took it that seriously. I mean, like you were sort of saying, Lauren, like the Wisconsin people took a very, I never cared that much. Yeah. You know, it was just kind of what everyone did. I was just kind of borne into it a little bit. Yeah. So, okay, with hockey, did you learn how to ice skate first and then they were like, here's a stick and shit?

Or did you say, I want to do hockey and then learn how to skate? I think I learned skating first. I think you really did in, like, Wisconsin, and probably in the Midwest. I mean, you just, skating was just one of those things you just started doing. So I think I started doing that, and I didn't want figure skates. Like all the boys were like, we were anti-figure skate. Until, of course, you know, To Pick came around from the cutting edge that movie. I just watched 15 minutes of the cutting edge on a plane and fell right to sleep.

Sounds like you liked it. It sounds like one really good. I want to finish it because I like that scene where she's like, Toopic. To-Pick was great. Yep, but it's just pre-topic someone's name? No, it's the thing on the front of the skates that is like, it looks like little teeth. And I guess you trip on it If you don't know it's there

Because he kept falling down Oh so they're saying toe pick Like don't fall on your toe pick Yeah He was a hockey player converted to figure skating For the Olympic It's a rom-com It's great

It's an icy rom-com Nicole will tell you when she finishes it Well I've like seen it before But I vaguely remember it So he like gets injured playing hockey It goes to work in a factory And then they recruit him for the Olympic figure skating And I was like

If you're injured I think you're injured across the board. I don't think figure skating is easier than hockey. No, you can do the Olympics if you're hurt for hockey. If you're hockey hurt, you can still figure skating. You're still figure skating healthy. That's how it works. Did you ever get a really crazy injury?

Yeah. You know, I wouldn't wear elbow pads just because I didn't like how constrictive they were. So I would fall and hurt my elbows all the time. And I wouldn't tell anyone. So it was like a secret. And I would just hear, like, bone on ice all the time when I was, like, 12 years old. Yeah. And I would just be like, eh, people be like, it's okay.

And I'd be like, it is okay. But I did see a guy one time get, like, his neck, like, he didn't have his neck. Your neck guard was not, you didn't have to wear the neck guard. And he didn't wear a neck guard. There is a crazy one. I saw that. That, I think, is the greatest sports moment of the 20th century. When was that?

Wait, what happened? this guy died from playing hockey the the the what you call it the ice skate like hit his it was last year it was last year in 2023 we haven't figured out how to not have that happen it's a crazy thing to see it was horrible oh I couldn't believe that was possible in this game yikes your feet usually being down yeah not up but it's really tragic Yeah. Yeah. They canceled the rest of the game. It was bad. Well, I mean, yeah, they should. If I get, if I get decapitate it, you got to, you got to shut the game down.

They didn't finish. Okay, well, we're going to do our segment called this Shot Clock. Wait, real quick. Wait, what, what? Do you ice skate? Oh, okay. Well, so I tried ice skating lessons when I was in like second grade. And I remember this so distinctly, I fell, of course.

And then my mom was like in the stands And I was like, I'm done And she was like, okay And then I never went back And that is so lame And then I could I could skate a little bit right now Like if I had to I'm better at roller skating

But I always liked field hockey in school When we had to play in the gym Like floor hockey Like floor hockey, where you're just hitting the puck On the gym floor That's so fun And then like battling people by the goals I always liked that

but that's about it how about you can you skate no um it's terrifying to me um i can barely roller skate i can go a little bit and then rollerblading is very hard because i'm knocked need but skating just seems so slippery too slippery yeah i know i don't really have an interest in falling down these days so it's like i'm not putting myself in a lot of situations where i'm about to fall down i love running down the stairs real fast with my eyes closed no i'm kidding i also don't want to down seems bad no i agree i don't want to fall gareth almost the last time you skated oh god probably probably 10 years ago wow and i was still like okay i was like i remember how to do it but it definitely same thing where i was like i just don't want to fall yeah that was the that was the

main goal was to survive you do have to kind of learn when you're small and closer to the ground and it's not that big deal. Yeah, like I could still do the stop, you know, where you do the like, I could still do that. Oh, that's very cool. Well, I mean, look, it's why I got booked. Things are good over here. Can I ask you who this cat is behind you? Oh, wait, I want to hear we both have important questions.

Wait, it feels like those two maybe coincide a little bit. Are you? Are you single? You're not dating, right? I want to know who the cat is. Okay. In this frame behind you. The cat is my cat, Jose.

Oh. And the people just give me things of him. And so I've just kind of leaned in and I hang the stuff up. So it's like a museum for my cat. That's cute. And then Nicole's question was, are you single or dating? I am a dating. I'm dating someone took advantage of all my cat.

Okay. Here's the thing. You got to take this person ice skating and show them that move. where you stop. No, that's a good call. Yes. That's a good idea. And I actually, I don't even think she knows how well I can skate, so I'll kind of keep, yeah.

Yes. Don't tell. Yeah, yeah, that's good. That's good. Just a cute little date idea. Well, but then I'll turn it into an all about me thing and my stopping. You want to see me stop again? Yeah, I'll do that.

I'm trying to talk to you. Hold on. Let me go run and stop. No, I want to ask if you want to be official. Do you need anything over there? I can get it and stop and come back so quickly. My favorite in this scenario, she goes ahead and says it. I'm trying to ask you to be official.

I got to do. Stop, stop, stop. All right. Fuck it. I don't want to be with you anymore. Okay, let's do the shot clock. Now, we each are going to have 10 seconds on the clock to summarize this film. Anya's going to count us down and start the clock, and she will tell us when we're out of time, right?

Okay. Yeah. Ready? Uh-huh. And go. A bunch of boys want to play hockey, and they do play hockey, and then a man, like, screams of them or whatever, and they're like, we got to beat the Soviets, and then they do.

Wow, with some change. Oh, my God. Okay. Is it you or me? Who's going? Oh, whatever. Whatever you want. All right.

You go for it. Okay, okay. Okay, when America was really paranoid about the Soviets, we needed a win, and so the American hockey team in the Olympics was trying to, beat the Soviets who were unbeatable, but the Americans beat them and they won the Olympics and it was an amazing time. Wow. See, we need someone who really grasped the history.

Now, here's my version. Over that. Yeah. Mine's not going to include it. Shit, start over. Hold on. It wasn't right. Okay.

It's a husband and wife who are very calm together all the time and they both have wigs on. And then the husband is a hockey coach. Lauren, you were really lollaggagging. Really strolling about. You know, I have a bit of a cold. It was just stopping my brain a little bit. But I was really, I really was focused on those. The wigs were intense.

Bad. They were bad. It really affected what I was thinking about. The relationship of those two in general was hard to, it was a very, it was very much like you were like, she should leave him. She was always like, oh, whatever your name is. Like, oh, Herb. But, like, very, like, she doesn't really seem invested. No, they were both on Kalanipin.

They were both, like, on a mix of, like, Kalanabin Xanax. Like, they were just sedated. They really were. It was really slow. Yeah. Well, miracles about how they stayed together. That's what the movie's actually named after. The truest miracle of all.

Yeah. The amount of times where he was like, shut up, I'm watching film. And you're like, all right, cool. Did you married her? Remember that? part of this. Do we ever see the kids? Because she talks about them.

I was like, do we ever see them? He never picked him up. We cheats out on the kids. Okay, we got to take a time out. We'll be back with another round of Miracle after a word from our sponsor. Now, everybody say, ready, break, okay? Ready, break. And we're back.

Time in. So Miracle was released on February. February 6th, 2004. It was written by Eric Guggenheim and Mike Rich, and it was directed by Gavin O'Connor. A lot of boys, boys' clubs. It's got to be, right? It's six months before the start of the 1980 Winter Olympics

in Lake Placid, New York. The head hockey coach at the University of Minnesota, Herb Brooks, Kurt Russell, also known as Santa, right? Is he in the Santa Chronicles? Yeah, I think so. Yeah. And many other things, obviously.

as Santa. Top of mind, Santa. Interviews with the United States Olympic Committee to coach the national hockey team, and he talks about his philosophy on how to beat the dominant Soviet team whose players were seasoned professionals while the American teams were made up of amateurs.

The Soviets had won the gold medal in the previous four Olympics and had only lost a single Olympic game since 1964. Against the backdrop of the ongoing Cold War, the winter games takes on another level of meaning for the nation. Brooks calls for changes to the practice schedule

and strategy and through the U.S.O's, and though the U.S.OC is skeptical to give Brooks the job. No. Okay. Is it called the Cold War because of the location? I don't know. No. Anya, please help us.

I think it's because it like went on for so long and it wasn't like constant fighting. It was like this thing that was happening in the background. A background war. Yeah. It was just chill. Putting the pin in and all that sort of stuff. I feel like one of this movie is. started like the energy was so weird and so not what I thought it was going to be it was so

quiet and slow and like I picture with a sports movie there's going to be a points where people are like screaming like let's go let's go let's go it's like he sort of didn't get that at all and like when he it's basically him and his wife and I almost felt like a lifetime movie even though everyone in it is like a really good actor so it didn't make sense to me I was like this is like an amazing cast but like the way they were in their home and like the dialogue I was like like what I'm what's going yeah and then I and then didn't know that like people like love this but I was like this it's clearly for kids right but it's not it was like in theaters and stuff and like it was a big deal kids movies are in theaters I mean kids are in theaters but like

meaning like adults were like let's go see miracle this weekend like I don't know something about this is I agree it did feel sorry Gareth what no it kind of does have like mighty ducks energy in a way but like an adult version. But we were missing. Like the quack attack is back, Jack. Like, we didn't get like blunt. Exactly what I was going to say. Yes. Never seen the mighty ducks. Now that, I should have said I'd never seen it so we could do that together, but I wouldn't be able to hold it in. So good. That's a great movie. I'm obviously stupid. I'll watch it. I'm obviously stupid. No, you're not. Don't do that. I'm just kidding. I'm great. So Brooks, me,

assistant coach Craig Patrick Noah Emmerich and he's from uh he's from the the show Truman show yes I just watched that that's a great movie now all I kept thinking the whole time this helped me watch this movie so much because I was like he's he he he doesn't know that he's in the Truman show of his own life and his friend Craig Patrick is the one who knows so the whole time he's like he thinks there's a big hockey thing happening and it's not really happening Like, I was like, this is making this so interesting. Now have them beat the Soviets. He's going to make the team win.

Trick yourself into staying into this movie. I had a tough time with it. Okay, so the triads are in Colorado Springs where he selects his preliminary roster of 26 players, ignoring the preferences of the senior USC hockey officials. USOC executive director Walter Bush, Sean McCann, believes Brooks has the best team. interest at heart and reluctantly agrees to take the heat from the committee.

This was boring. It was, I was like, oh my God, they're really just talking about this. It was boring. Lauren texted me and was like, this is like a, like a in real time documentary. And I was like, yeah, it is. It also like, they really do make it slow. And I think they think like we are familiar with. these players names like they kept saying like yes i can't remember the one guy but they're like

risenuski risenusky it's like nobody fucking gives a shit about risenuski they didn't even give me like backstory on these people to like start caring like i didn't really get to know the guys to be like oh that guy really should get this or something like i just didn't really care there was the guy from friends who also was the bisexual on sex in the city eddie khail yes so i was excited to see him um and i was excited to think so wait was this post friends or pre friends post friends i thought for sure this had to be before he was on friends but this would have been a big get for him after when did friends end must have ended in like 2000 or something right i'm not a friend's per i've only seen one episode yeah so i think the last episode was in may of 2004

and this movie came out in 2004 but tag was like season And he's already done. He was dad. Yeah. Yeah. And then he was a, he was the bisexual and sex in the city. Of course. Carrey dates and she's like so like, I can't pick one.

I know. Exactly. I love rewatching sex in the city because you're like, boy, oh boy, this did not age well. I know. It's so good. I love it. It's so great. I just rewatched it actually backwards because I was sort of like, I was like, let me just put

on some season six episodes and just see some. moments that I like. And I was like, well, let me get into season five. And I was like, okay, I'll watch season four. And I just went all the way back. The countdown. And it was great because it gets better because it's better in the beginning. And you know what's going to happen like really, you know, it's fresh in your mind.

And so it's like, oh my God, Aiden, no, you know, it's really good stuff. Noheuser and I watched it in the most insane way during the pandemic. We watched the first episode, last episode, second, second to last, third to last, and met in the middle. And we discovered that Aiden is not in the show. as much as you think he is. I know, but I love him so much. Oh, he's great.

He's great on just like that. Hey, Skittled Cat, let's get some mixing bowls. I love the way he talks. I know, and I can't wait to see what happens when they come back. Oh, me too. Gareth, are you up to date on and just like that? The way that, like, you put it great. The Aiden's stuff with the bowl, I was like, come on.

That's crazy how he's with the bowl. Yes. And I think when he comes back, well, get another sense of that stuff. Pretty sure that'll be something. So you're a big fan, obviously. I love it all. I actually watched, what I did was I watched every episode 10 times and then I'd move on. That was how I did it. So, and it's really interesting. That's not bad. That's not a bad way to do.

That seems good because you notice different things every time. You do. Like this round, I'm just watching Miranda. Like you just like. I've done the Miranda Pass. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you're just watching her eat. She eats in every scene and I love it. Kind of like Brad Pitt. I think he allegedly eats in like every scene. He does because it really, it makes him seem so natural. He's just chomping an apple

and he's like, well. Because he's never eats nachos outside of those moments. Yeah, so he's just excited to eat. It makes us all feel like we can have abs like that. But then you're like, he's not no, it's a lie. It is a lie. Oh, back to this. Yeah. Okay. You sound excited.

During the initial practice, tempers flare. You two seem to really like this movie, right? We love it. We haven't said our opinions yet, but we do love it. Okay. Wait, I will say this. I was blown away that people said we had to watch this, that anyone was like, this is the hockey movie to watch. I was blown away that, Garrett, that you had seen it before and then, like, watched it again. I did watch it again. God bless. Thank you.

Well, yeah, no, it started to seem like work at some point where I was like, this is long. this is one of my friend's dad's favorite movies people love this film so it's really interesting that they do i i think kurt russell gives it a lot of like you know weight or something because he's he's so good but like there's really nothing that happens even though it's of course a big thing the movie itself doesn't really have like a lot of tension oh yeah what on you want to say can i say one thing yeah i know that i'm a hockey fan so biased I think... Oh, you like this?

Yeah, wait, we didn't know more about that. So I can tell you about my movie opinion later, but I do think if people that lived through the actual moment in history, it was a big deal for them because of all the Cold War stuff. And so that's why I think it's like so accurate about everything that happens and like, because people like remember all of this so vivid. Like, that's why I think it's people's dad's favorite movie because they were like, I remember, I watched it on TV, da, da, that's my...

Okay. That's helpful. I think that is very true, though. I think it's like, I think there were, I remember, because I was very young when it happened, but I think it was like the people who, it was, we hated the Soviets so much. And that was just like a thing that America got, like the Soviets probably don't ever talk about this game. But the Americans are like, that, that'll teach them. Yeah, yeah.

These colors don't run. Yes. Like it was that energy. I was very conflicted watching this movie trying to figure out who I'm supposed to root for. But ultimately, I want USA. By the end, they got me. Just because you knew where it was going. Well, during the initial practice, tempers flare as Ford Rob McClanahan, Nathan West,

who was born in Minnesota and played for the University of Minnesota. And defenseman Jack O'Callaghan, Michael Mantonuto, who was born in Boston and played for Boston University, rehashed their rivalry from their college days. Brooks admonishes them, telling them they need to start coming together as a team and let go of all their old conflicts. He has each player go around and say their name, hometown, and which team they play for. I got to say, this was even fucking boring. I was like, it was barely a like a thing. They were just like, and then he's like, learn how to play together. And it was like, great. Like, what team, what team do you play for? It's like, it's not about the name on the back,

it's about the name on the front. It's the USA. He also, he was like, everyone introduced yourself and then two guys did it. And he was like, all right, back to practice. Which I was like, wait, I know they shouldn't have done everyone because it would take so long, but I was like, but wait, are we doing it or not? The director was like, you can't speak, we can't bump you up, there's no room in the budget for you to have lines. I can't even tell you that you're not supposed to speak anymore. Do we think that they were, like a lot of hockey players who were playing as actors and then some actors who had to learn hockey? The acting of the players didn't feel great. Okay, yeah.

They were all hockey players. that tried out. Except for Eddie, Eddie Cahill. You know what? They looked like hockey players, though. They were all really cute and, like, like, the types of guys I would know who would do that. And you're like, oh, they're cool.

And they were great skaters. I was like, if they had to learn how to skate for this, I was blown away. But I would go back to being not blown away. No offense. They just knew how to skate already. No, it's okay. Be underwhelmed.

The coach starts the team on exhausting conditioning drills, which became known as herbies. or urbys in which the team sprints. Not a very like aggressive name. Let's do herbies. It's very cute. You're herbies, bullies.

We're going to end it with herbies again. Herbies. And you got to sprint together back and forth across the ice over and over and over. The player is worrying about being cut from the team at any time. Or they're worried about being cut from the team at any time knowing that only 20 of them can go to the Olympics and that Brooks himself was the last player.

cut from the U.S. squad that won the 1960 Olympic gold medal. So he'll do anything to win. I thought that was so funny that they kept saying that he'll do anything to win because he was cut. I was like, what? But he was so calm to me.

Like, I still felt like I was like, I want this man to yell. I wanted to rip his wig off and scream. Like, I was like, I want something. His wig was too cheap. I just feel that if you are the lead, I can't, it shouldn't be so shiny. Mm-hmm. well some people don't know if you wear a synthetic wig you got to wash it in detergent and that takes the sheen away and a lot of a lot of these wigitticians on set don't know that

wig ititions you know the official department head is a wicketician that's detergent like like tied yeah you like soak it and tied and it takes the sheen away from a synthetic wig I'm going to do a big wig wash I have all my sketch wigs that's a good load there's a setting for that on the yeah most of those washers which by the way I've never never taken a soap to any of them and they probably have all disgusting things it's like my hockey bag

I had a neighbor when I lived in New York who had hockey equipment in the hallway so the hallway stung that's so rude they did that yeah they did that because they're like I don't want my apartment to smell yeah just the building

that's fine yeah yeah Oh, okay. Well, during an exhibition game against Norway and Oslo that ends in a three-three tie, Brooks notices that the players are distracted by pretty girls in the stands, and they aren't playing to their potential and his standards. After the game, he orders them back on the ice to run his conditioning drill for hours, even after the rink manager cuts the power. The team is exhausted and can barely stand, but Brooks keeps the drill going. Finally, team captain Mike Erotetsny, Patrick O'Brien Dempsey, shouts out what Brooks had. wanted to hear all along, I play for the United States of America, and the drills are ended.

Which is so funny. I would have said that first. I know. It's like an escape room. I'm like, I'm not afraid of saying that. Yeah. It's just the truth. I'm playing for the U.S.

Also, okay, it is a theme in all of these sports movies that women impede men's performance in athletics, that just the thought of some nice titties makes a man unable to shoot a basketball or skate on ice. or box it's wild I know they're not allowed to orgasm they're not allowed to look at a pretty girl or talk to

one so the men aren't allowed to orgasm yeah no the women aren't just because that's probably what would happen that's just that's the sport no I've never so there are sports where the men are not allowed to orgasm I haven't heard of one

boxing mainly we've noticed this in Rocky and in Raging Bull that both men say they cannot come. Come. Wow. And then in Rudy, he leaves his girlfriend to fucking go to Notre Dame. He leaves this woman to go to a school that he didn't go to. He's really annoying.

Rudy. Rudy is such, I won't. Have you guys done your Rudy episode? Yeah. Yes. And then we found out everything. That movie, but that movie also sucks because that movie leads up to like a guy sacking a quarterback two times or you're like what that's nothing he didn't he didn't even

no and wait we also haven't even said we i had some follow-up to that because we we did a little fact-checking and we were like wait like none of this happened like the coach in rudy who wouldn't let him play actually did let him play just let him play and like he had like there was no like there was no obstacle and then also there was nobody named fortune or even like fortune that was a completely fictional they made up a magical negro and named him for charles Charles S. Dutton, right, okay. Yeah. Like a genie?

Yeah. Yes, they made him up and then gave him the name fortune. He was a, like a bunch of people compiled. And he was like magically watching him play like, wow, he really did it. Like that guy didn't exist. He didn't care. So like I'm just, I was going away. Like the coach liked him.

Like the coach liked him. There was no resistance. They were just like, yeah, Rudy, you get to be on the team. The coach sat down to watch that movie. He was like, the fuck. He did. He got mad. He got mad. He later was like, dude, why am I like the villain? He had agreed to like, to be part of the like problem within it and to not let him and then let him. But he came off as a villain and he was like mad. So I found all that really fascinating with that movie because everyone's like it's so everyone loved it. But I'm like none of it's true. And then that man went on to do like all speaking engagements the rest of his life about his journey. And then got arrested for fraud. Yes. Oh shit. For his. His drink company. is true.

Wow. Rude. Rude. Now, that's a movie. Rudy, too. Rudy, Tudy. Rudy, Judy. Back to this movie.

So, Brooks soon finalizes the roster reluctantly making tough cuts to the last few players. He notices that the players have truly bonded with each other and became a team. The key part of his strategy in creating a successful roster

in the six months, they had six months. It's so long. They had to prepare. It felt like it. plays the Soviets in an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden, kind of a warm-up to their big face-up at the Olympic days later. But the reigning champion Soviet team manhandles the young Americans,

winning by a score of 10 to 3. During the game, O'Callaghan suffers a knee injury that could keep him out of the entire Olympics, but Brooks decides to wait and see if he's able to recover, and benches O'Callaghan until the final few rounds rather than cut him from the team. Meanwhile, starting goaltender, that's what it's called, Jim Craig, Eddie Cahill is told that he might be bench in favor of the backup with Brooks telling him that he hasn't been

giving his very best. In the end, he keeps Craig in net. There was a goalie mask or something that looked like one of those red light masks that women use. Yes, for like acne. Yes, it was like a serial killer. Like, it just had little holes in a little mouth.

I was like, don't they usually wear like the sort of like, it's kind of like a net? But it's like hard. You know what I'm talking about? Run the grid. It's the, yeah, they used, they eventually, like, everyone would wear the one that had, like, the kind of, like, almost, like, plastic mesh on it a little bit, where it was like, you, because it would stop the puck. Because dudes would get hit in the face with the puck regularly. And, yeah, that's why, like, hockey players having no teeth was, you know, like, some guy was like, what if we stop this part of the face being exposed? Yeah.

But that Jason mask does look like, you're like, how could anyone do this? It looks crazy. And then you don't even. get to like have any expressions anymore but his skin look great after I think it did have the red light over yeah like he had no redness oh it's just beautiful

so smooth okay and are we watching the Olympics right now because this is obviously all Olympic movie are you watching anything? I need to I need to I need to watch Celine Dion apparently it's amazing I need to watch that love Celine

was it great I watched that it was great my girlfriend had me watch the Celine Dion documentary I was I will say I was very ambivalent on Celine Dion and I watched the documentary and I was like oh shit she's really going through some stuff I mean there's a crazy scene

in that movie and and then I just watched the when she sang the anthem yeah that was that was a powerful moment oh my god I got to watch I want to watch the documentary and then watch this thing because I think that's what I'm going to do my favorite scene so far that I've seen from the movie is she's like I love shoes it doesn't matter if a shoe is small

or if a shoe is big I will wear that shoe and she was like the shoe she's like I wear the shoe This shoe doesn't wear me. Yeah. And then there was another clip where she was like, her son's like, what's your favorite color? And she's like, I cannot answer that question. She was like, I didn't know you're going to ask me such a hard question.

I'd be in the garage having a paradox. Yeah. Her kids, by the way, that seems like the best life ever to be one of the sons of Celine Dion. Yeah. What a nice time. Nothing but milkshakes and video games. Is that the vibe? Oh, it's just my dream is it.

I would much rather than playing hockey. I would have just loved to... Like, having someone make you milkshakes all the time, it's like, awesome. That sounds great. Is that in the documentary? She's making milkshakes all the time? Well, they just keep... It seems like the kids eat and do whatever the fuck they want.

Maybe it's not all milkshakes, but they're not... It doesn't seem like they're really on a regimented diet of any kind. It's fun. It sounds great. Okay, well, let's see what happens next to this team we love so much, playing for the U.S. of A. as the Olympics began the Americans trail Sweden 2-1 in the first game. Brooks fires up the team during intermission by throwing a table and accuses McClanahan, who suffered a relatively minor leg injury of giving up.

McClanahan plays injured, which inspires the team. Bill Baker scores a goal with only 27 seconds remaining in the third period for a dramatic two-two tie. They next earn a 7-3 win over heavily favored Czechoslovakia. As the Olympics continue, the team defeats minor opponents, Norway, Romania, and West Germany to earn a spot in the medal round. okay when he was like uh your leg hurts or what you're still i was like wait why and then why would playing injured inspire the rest of the team if my teammate is injured and playing simon byles just did oh she did she had i just saw this on instagram she or um i don't know what i was watching

she had like a little um she hurt her ankle or something in the practice before her big moment and then she still did it and still did great so i guess that's where you get the inspiring sort of feelings, but it does make you feel like, oh my God, people push their bodies, like athletes push their bodies so hard that, like, if I sprained my ankle, I would just go home. It's like, if I stubbed my toe,

I completely agree. I would go home. I'd be like, well, that's a wrap. I can't. No, they're, like, I'll be like, I'll be like, my leg is sore from the Peloton. I need a week away. So true.

But wait, Lauren, you were saying, you didn't feel like there was the moment where like it was an aggressive he flips the table yeah i still you know okay sure that did happen but i still there's gatorade everywhere that stuff doesn't come out i still feel like he wasn't like really mad like i still feel like the character was not really ever really expressing his emotions he was a pretty calm guy you wanted the wig rip off and like he was internal yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah he was i agree and maybe that's true to who that was, but I still, like, as the viewer, like, wanted some more screaming. Yeah, just some...

He should have screamed at his wife, like, we're going to the goddamn Olympics, Judy. Whatever her name was. I wanted Alfredo. Yeah. In the medal round, the Soviets scored the first goal before O'Callaghan. Healed from his injury, enters the game for the first time. He heavily checks a Soviet player leading to a goal by Buzz.

The Soviet score. again to Shindler? Shindler? Oh, it's just Shindler. Schneider. Oh, fuck. Go ahead. Go ahead. Oh, well.

He came up with the roster. That's funny. The Soviet score again to retake the lead, but American Mark Johnson ties the game to end the period. How long's a period? 20 minutes. 20 minutes. And there's three, 20 minute periods.

Three periods, yep. That's it, that's the whole game. Does it go over a lot or are you kind of like capping in at an hour? It, if it ties, it used to like go over into another period and now it goes over into like a very short five minute like first person who scores wins and then I think they do that once or twice and then it and then they do a shootout because that's more fun for people. They're trying to get people to watch hockey because everyone hates hockey as you can tell from this conversation.

Yeah. A shootout does seem fun. But also just an hour seems kind of wild. If I'm leaving my house, I want it to be a little longer. it is weird yeah you have like you get to go buy a hot dog and like you you know that kind of stuff takes up more time yeah they really take a break too if you go see it it really you're like let's go oh right do everyone feel settled yeah okay so we're getting to the the big moment so during the first intermission a soviet coach replaces their goalie with a backup in the second

period, the Soviets score a goal to go up three, two. But early in the third period, the Soviet team takes a penalty. And the U.S. team scores a power play goal just as the penalty is about to expire. With 10 minutes left, Arutzioni puts them ahead for three. The Americans managed to hold off the Soviets for the remaining time on the clock. In the final few seconds, commentator Al Michael says his now famous words, do you believe in miracles? Yes. Two days later, the team would go on to defeat Finland four to two to win the gold meta. I booed when I heard Do You Believe in Miracles?

I went boo! Come on! Did you feel like it was because they were saying the title? Yes. Yeah, but it's like that actually did happen that he said that. But also it didn't seem, it didn't seem as exciting as it should have been.

Yeah, I mean, I know, I agree because it was like, I actually missed the moment when he said Miracles and then I was like, wait, what? And I rewounded a little bit. And I was like, oh, I really feel like it would feel more exciting. Because he was doing the, play-by-play over the whole thing, which is, is like what it is to watch a hockey game on TV. But I feel like maybe it would have benefited more from me just seeing the players do the thing

and da-da-da, it's like, there was so much talking over it that I was like, I'm just feel like I'm watching sports like on TV, do you know? They definitely tried to like show a shitload of that game. Like when I paused it and I was like, there's 40 minutes left and it were just about to start this part of it. True. Because they really showed, I mean, and I like that they used all the Al Michael's, all the Al Michael's audio, but it is.

It's like they showed so much of that. Not to mention there's another game after that, which I also forgot about. So it's like after that they're like, and also then they beat the other team. Yeah, I know. And they got to go metal. And they got to go metal. Yeah, I know. And then that man never got to see the movie because he died.

I know. That was weird. That felt weird. No, they were like, it was based on this guy. He didn't see this movie. And then like they put up, he lived it. I was like, okay, but maybe put that all up at once. Yeah, the way it was raised was kind of wild.

I feel like him dying is a bigger thing than him not getting to see this movie. Yes. Like it just was like. They should have ended it with like, do you believe in miracles? What just happened? He watched it in heaven. We made sure he got a copy in heaven. He had the best seat in the hell.

has to see this movie with the lord and then they put up that fortune died too fortune also didn't make it from rudy from rudy and he didn't make it because he wasn't real okay bye you didn't make it because he was live um so the reception of this movie was favorable from critics and upon release and it holds 81% on rotten tomatoes curious well let's hear some trivia so the casting of the team consisted of real hockey players to give the film a raw and accurate feel, which it did. Director Gavin O'Connor figured it would be easier to teach hockey players to act. This is so offensive. Yeah, it's pretty rude.

It would be easier to teach hockey players to act than to teach actors to play hockey. That is crazy. Players went through a six-week training camp to relearn the game in older equipment. They had to learn how to play it in old equipment and then they also had learned how to act. Like a week of acting. That's crazy. That is crazy. Why don't you do this?

You have actors and then you have hockey players. and then you have hockey players who are doing the game and then we don't ever see their face because they have helmets on. That is crazy. You should have been the line producer. I really want to go back in time and do that because I feel like...

That's like in Deep Impact where they're like, we just need people who know how to drill and we'll make them astronauts. You're like, that's the harder pull of the two? Wait, that's Deep Impact as well as Armageddon? Oh, Armageddon. Sorry, I did it. Oh, because I hadn't seen Deep Impact and I was like, I like that, John.

either, so I went along with it. Lauren, Armageddon is great. Everyone loves Armageddon. He's a star. He's a star. He's going to be something. Mark my words. I know.

He's great enough. All right, I'll watch it, I guess. If we do newcomers Armageddon. We should, is Michael Bay the director of that? Yes. I haven't seen a Michael May movies. Whoa.

That's a good one. Okay. I think I've only seen Armageddon, and I just watched that on a plane with commercials. So Al Michael's, who did the play-by-play announcing of the U.S. Soviet game, re-recorded his commentary for the film. However, the last few seconds that included the memorable line,

do you believe in Miracles, used the original audio because Michael didn't feel like he could recreate the call effectively. He should have gotten to the acting camp with the hockey players. Yeah. And guys, this is Al Michaels. How are you? Wow. Well, that's cool that he was, like, getting to recreate all the things he said in that big moment,

which, oh, I also didn't like how they said, there was something they said where they were like this was the biggest moment for everyone in the world and also for the players. I was like, I think it's the biggest moment for the players. Like they just won a gold medal. Yeah. You know, there's a lot of like little

weird things too. Like the way that like the goalie's mother had just passed away and the dad's stuff where you're like, I don't really like the way they kept cutting to the dead like now he's playing good because his dad's there and his mother has passed away. And you're like, I'm not picking up

that great. I know. Well, because we it really was kind of horned in. It wasn't like enough of that. I would have benefited from just even fake stories about the players. Yeah, right. Give me a little something to hold on to. I love that you were like, give us a fake story, but not

in Rudy. Rudy can't be fake. Rudy needs to be real. Rudy can't be fake because what I feel like this movie I guess, because for the world, this actually did seem to have some sort of impact And with Rudy, it was just one guy who claimed his story was really interesting

And then he made it really interesting for the movie But it didn't really happen in real life So I'm like, you can't just be like There should be a movie about me And then be like, but none of the stuff that there should be a movie about happened Like it's like that doesn't really work Yeah It's great that my takeaway from the miracle episode of this show

Is they made up fortune and Rudy Because that is so goddamn weird and crazy Isn't it wild? That's just nuts It's so weird. I know. Okay, here's a little more trivia. In contrast to the American players, the Soviet athletes were professionals with long histories of international play employed by industrial firms or military organizations for the sole purpose of playing hockey on their organization's team.

Western nations protested the Soviet Union's use of full-time athletes as they were forced to use amateur, mainly college players, due to the International Olympic Committee's IOCs, amateur-only policy. The situation even led to Canadian withdrawal from the 1972 and 1976 Olympics, but the IOC did not change the rules until the late 80s. I find it weird that you have to have amateurs. I'm like, you're going to the Olympics. Yeah, but that was like a whole thing. Like with basketball, when they did the original dream team, like that was crazy. And that also was when it was just like America's not going to lose this anymore.

Like it used to be that way. And that was like part of it. You could not be a professional athlete to be like if you were an Olympic. which does seem crazy. It is weird. You're dedicating your life to be an athlete. Why can't you be an athlete

who then goes to the Olympics? So just in America you had to be an amateur and then in other countries you could be professional? No, I thought it was that I thought it was like in general in the Olympics

but that makes more sense with the Soviet thing because yeah, that's why the story I guess but that didn't even come across great. Like they should have made that more of a component of the movie to be like, oh shit, okay,

they're real under. These are professionals and these amateurs be these professionals. Yeah. Right. That's really interesting. Yeah, like they really skipped past it, but at the beginning, when they talk about how many times they've won, they don't even mention why.

And it's because they've been playing for a year. Like, they're like seasoned athletes. And these are all kids. Which makes it so much more interesting that they win. So like, yeah, it should have really been. By the way, the credits in this movie are the longest I've ever seen. I should have mentioned that earlier. Yeah, I mean, yeah, they're like, Dave is now a lawyer and he's happy.

Michael's now cell phone salesman Like they had the little things Wait I didn't see that I didn't either I was talking about the opening credits They did a like what happened I didn't

The opening credits were like a full on like mash Times a thousand I was like Yeah Wait wait at the end They tell you where they are now Should I go back and watch it? No you don't have to

From the beginning one more time Yes yeah you should really watch it Do the section of the city thing Just watch it all backwards I think I have to do that. According to IMDB, Kurt Russell took a pay cut. So the 800,000 extras used as fans at the hockey game could enjoy a full hot meal instead of a brown bag lunch. That's really nice.

But also it's not fair to ham. Like, can we feed the people? He shouldn't be in charge of that. No. They really, that is quite a, that's what everyone was cheering for. That's how they got the crowd cheering footage. They were like, you're going to get a hot meal instead of a peanut butter sandwich. because of Kurt.

But like did he like notice that? And he's like, why are they always eating that? And then they're like, oh, because we can't afford it. Because we're paying you a million dollars. And he was like, okay, I'll take $900. All right. I'll take. Honestly, that is wild.

Like budget, budget to like feed people. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, it wasn't going to the wig. So where's the money going? I sure wasn't. Wasn't going to actors. They just found a bunch of hockey players. Right.

And they probably did it for free. Yeah, they probably did. I love skating. Ooh, we have to take another time out. We'll be back with more Miracle after this. Ready break! And we're back. It's time for the newcomer's draft.

If we're going to recast this movie with present-day actors, who would we pick? Who do you want to see Be Herb? Robert De Niro. Oh, yeah. That's great. Yeah, and he would play up the not ejaculating stuff a lot like he didn't ageing full. But I want him to be using that anti-aging or the de-aging technology. From the Irishman, yeah.

Yeah. So he's like young, like whatever the age is supposed to be in this. He's 12. They go too young. That's a good one. Yeah. I like De Niro. Who's his wife?

Oh, wow. I always put Stranger Things kids. Marissa Tomag. yeah which stranger thing kid 11 11 should be the wife I put 11 or um the kid with a lisp yeah he'd be great as her I'd love Lauren really like that one because there's something like every time we do this I could only think of

stranger things kids you'd think you'd have a little time to prep yourself outside of that but you're like all right here we go and I love that the well's dry again What about 11? Gareth, do you have anybody that you would cast in this movie? Cast in the movie? I mean, my thought was stupid for Herb would be John Krasinski maybe. Okay.

I like that. That's not stupid. That's better than De Niro. Well, I don't, I'm not going to shame. I like a John Krasinski move for that. He's like, I'm just a guy who. and I used to play hockey, and now I want my team to win. I can totally see him doing that.

And he keeps looking at the camera, maybe. Muggin. For the wife, I don't know, that part seemed, the wife part and the assistant coach seemed like very difficult parts to play because they really gave you nothing. Like the assistant coach would just be like, okay, and then walk out. I know, but can I say that he is such a good actor? He is a great actor. Like, there is something about how he.

he did that that I was like he's so real and I also just kept doing my Truman show thing in my head and I was like God he's so committed yeah yeah that that's very important for you to get through this movie it was it was a really key part and I loved it I actually think it made the movie really interesting I think that we should look into doing that more yeah it would just make one of those those end cards at the end it's like Herb was tricked by his friend and then this was real. Herb never found out that this was all a ruse.

And then Fortune just winks at the camera. I like it. I'd want to watch that. I want to watch it too. It's time for the kiss cam. Name the best smooch from the movie or who you wish you saw smooch on the big screen. There were no smooches.

I don't even think he kissed his freaking wife. No. You definitely didn't. And I didn't want to watch them kiss. I didn't either. I didn't want them to have to. Maybe the goal in his dad could have kissed. That wouldn't have been a bad one.

Yeah, like in one of those moments where he's like, I'm here for you. Yeah, it just seemed like they didn't really know how to express each, like, each other's feelings very well. In a nice, healthy way. I could see that. Yeah, just give your dad a big kiss. Yeah, just a big little sloppy kiss. Yeah. Um, yeah, there was really nobody who, I guess I could have used like a hockey player kissing his girlfriend or something, like sort of work at the end of the big games.

Yeah, they weren't allowed to. You could have maybe seen some of the Nordic women that they were obsessed with when they had to do the Herbies after. Maybe they come out after. And they're like, that was so great. Now we can, now you can ejaculate, you know, something like that. Now it's time. Now it's time to ejaculate. Now they cannot ejaculate.

And it could be like champagne in the locker room, except it's just them all ejaculating. I don't know. I'll keep pitching. Yeah. I like it. I'm into it. That's nice. Yeah.

That's great. Yeah, not enough kissing. I don't know if these sports movies are going to have enough kissing for us, if I'm being honest. Yeah, I mean, well, Rocky had kissing. It did. It had that nice kiss, yeah. Adrian.

A couple. Adrian! I've been walking around my house saying it just alone. Yeah. So you had never seen Rocky and you both watched Rocky. Yeah, that's probably a real weird watch. So much stuff from pop culture that I was like, From this?

Oh, yeah. I know. That's one of the... I watched The Godfather on the plane recently, and it really was just like watching a series of references. And I was like, it was a good movie, but I was like, but now I already know all these references. Yeah.

Wait, have you seen The Godfather? I have seen The Godfather. I watched it during the pandemic, I think. I haven't seen it. Yeah. It's good. Yeah, I was like, oh, the canoli. I get it.

The canoli, there's so... The horse hat. There was lots of stuff where I was like... I couldn't. imagine like seeing it without knowing that stuff because it's so ubiquitous that everyone knows that shit. You probably would have thought it was really cool. I bet I would have like whoa yeah I bet I would I really would have but instead I was like ah here we go a horse had in the bed again. I saw that on the Simpsons.

Exactly yeah. Okay it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for it's the scoreboard it's time to review this film obviously we're going to be reading reviews from letterboxes we always do. And we're going to give a one-sentence review ourselves and a star rating for this film. And for those of you who don't know, Letterbox is a social platform where people can write reviews of films. And we are on there at Newcomers. You can see every review we've ever made of all the movies we've watched. So, yeah, we're going to jump right in, but let's read one from Letterboxed.

This is a four-star review from Haley, who says, the only acceptable movie to watch on Olympic Opening Ceremony Day. Okay, four stars. Yeah, sure. And forceful. I would rather watch the Olympic opening ceremonies and just do that. And just have a nice time. I don't know if I would put this on.

No. Haley takes issue with that. Yeah, yeah, I guess so. Okay. Okay, does anybody want to go in Anya? You're also going to give your review. I'll go first. One star.

I did not like a single point of this movie. I don't ever want to watch hockey, even though I was like, maybe I'd be into hockey one day. That day's never coming. This movie ruined it. for me. Kurt Russell's nice, but boy, oh boy, was I mad for about an ab, two hours and I would say 16 minutes. There was a minute that I wasn't mad. I can't recall it, but boo. That's one of the most aggressive reviews you've given.

This, Lauren, this movie made me so angry. I had such a nice day yesterday, woke up. I was like, I get to watch a miracle. I was forewarned by you that it's a tough movie. And then it was one of the toughest movies I've ever had to get through. I feel like someone should have come to my house with like a publisher's clearing house check to be like, here, you made it. You get a prize. I hated that movie. Yeah.

I think it's, yeah, you know what? Okay, let's let Anya or Gareth go first before I rail. Why don't you go, Anya? Okay, I'm scared. What I wanted to say earlier was that if it, I think if it was not a Disney movie, it could be a five-star movie. I think all the things we hate about it is because it was Disney-fied and was made really corny in ways

it didn't have to be and like there's no there's not a single like cuss word like on the ice they should be swearing every five seconds at each other but they're like you're a big meany like it's just so dull because of that so as it is it's 3.5 stars if it was not made by Disney I think it would be five

I think you're right I think that was true because it felt it felt like almost lifetimey at the beginning I was like why are these great actors performing me like this totally i was like really thrown off by the editing of it because i was like yeah there's all these awkward moments and i was like i think it's because it was like disnified yeah like they're like really slow between the conversation like there'd be like between each like response and she'd be like oh honey yeah crazy crazy stuff it was weird but Nicole i'm also going to get you into hockey

because i think you'd like it all the guys are hot and they love each other and they want to smooch i'm surprised none of you made the boys smooch in the kiss cam that's the best part of about hockey. Yeah, they should all kiss when they won. That would have been crazy. They, they smooch in hockey?

They really love each other. Like, the locker room is very important to like the way, the gate. Yeah, they make out in their own time. Okay,

no, but we'll talk, it's just very like, it's very, that's got you into it. The boys all together, you know, slap on the butt kind of.

Ooh. All of like hockey players were like having sex in the locker room. I would love that. They are. my mind, and that's why I watch. Yeah.

Just let my mind wander. Great. It's a different movie, for sure. It sounds good. A short film, maybe. His wig's hanging up on the shower, I'll be back to this in a minute, boys. Slow pan from the wig,

the steam in the shower. That's funny. I agree very much with Anya's point. I think that is so true, and I think the first time I saw this movie, I really did like it, but I was a younger person. Sadly, not that much younger, I guess, because it came out in 2004. Well, it was 20 years ago. I know, but I'm an old person. So I was still an adult male, like, which probably should

have been like, wow. But I think I was. And I would also give it a 3.5. I think it, like, the speech he gives, where he's like, there's a speech he gives right before the game about not tonight. I really liked that speech, and I did grow up in Wisconsin with the story, so that helped my enjoyment of it. But also, there's a lot of dumb shit, and it's really long. Yeah. Okay, I'm going to say it gets one star as well. Let me think of how I want to phrase this. I wish the movie was really good, and I could have given it five stars. Very delicate. Yeah, but I didn't really like this movie So I have to give it one star

I wish this movie was better So I could give it five stars You have the cadence of like It's big, like you're to be delicate But it's actually brutal, yeah Yeah Yeah, you know what? I feel like I'm usually even

I'm like I'm softer on a lot of movies Like there's a lot of movies that I'm like groaning the entire time through But then I can find reasons why I like to like Once we talk about it And this didn't really do that just feel like I was kind of like, okay, like I just kind of wish it was more intense. I think you're right, Anya, that if it was not Disneyified, it would have been more

exciting. I, I'm going to need like action if I'm going to get really invested in a story I've never heard about. Like, this is not from, this was not something that was on my radar and my life. So, like, they need to, like, tell me the story. Like, I'm fresh eyes, you know. So, yeah, that's my complaint. Well, but congrats to everyone involved. Yeah, congrats. Everyone did a great job. I know it's very hard to make a movie and I think Everyone's a great actor. And I think everyone did a great job. Everyone did a good job.

The sandwiches were hot. Okay. It just didn't care. Yeah. Okay. So you guys, you respect the people who worked on the movie. Absolutely.

Oh, I always respect you. You're not a union or something. No, no, no, no. No, no. All right. Every movie I've seen on this podcast, I respect everyone involved.

Okay. Because everyone is trying their hardest. Even the person in charge of the wigs on Miracle? Yes, because they tried their best. She didn't know about how to wash it. She didn't know about how to wash it. And it's okay. It's okay.

Wait, can we add that to my review that like I don't want to shit on movies? And respect everyone involved? I want to say that in mine too. That should be a disclaimer on our page. Do we have like a bio? Oh, yeah. We have a bio. Be like, we love movies and we deeply respect everyone involved.

Everyone should have a hot lunch and an actor shouldn't have to pay for it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, Gareth, do you have anything that you want to plug? And is Gareth short for anything, or is that your full government name? It's the full government name, but that's, that feels like, it feels like I'm accustomed. But that is, no, that is the full name. Gareth, Gareth, it's Welsh, it's a weird name.

I grew up with it here. It's that Garethton? No, but I kind of might lean into that for the second half of the career here a little bit. Gareth hasn't been doing much. No, so Garethton, you can find me on, on social media at Reynolds, Garethton. And you can listen to my podcast, The Dollop, and we're here to help, and then go watch me do standup. Garethrenalds.com, soon to be Garethandrenolds.com. Thank you for fixing that.

And thank you for having me. Yes. Thank you for doing this. You were delightful. You were wonderful. And we really appreciate your hockey insight. And we really need everyone out there to please review newcomers on Apple Podcast. Please.

Please rate the podcast on Spotify. Oh, please. We're going to be back next. week with the karate kid hiya see then everyone everyone say newcomers on three one two three newcomers! Newcomers! Newcomers is a headgum original hosted by us Nicole Beyer and Lauren Lapkis. Our executive producer is Anya Kanofskaya. Our producer is Ali Khan. Our theme music editing mixing and mastering is done by Ferris Mongey. Listen to new episodes wherever you get your podcasts every Tuesday.

That was a Hidgum original.