Spittin Chiclets - Spittin' Chiclets Episode 163: Featuring Jon Hamm, Robert Bortuzzo & Larry Flowers

Episode Date: April 1, 2019

On Monday's episode of Spittin' Chiclets we have a jam packed episode. First, we were joined by Roberto Bortuzzo of the St. Louis Blues, along with everyone's good pal Larry Flowers. The boys join to ...talk about the Blues crazy season, the goal song, and a ton more. The guys are then joined by Hollywood Man Rocket Jon Hamm. Hamm joins to talk about his love for the Blues, his acting career, meeting Rear Admiral on The Town set and some more. The guys wrap up with some NHL news including Quinn Hughes NHL Debut, Tyson Barrie, some LA Kings milestones and a few other stories.  You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/schiclets

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, Spittin' Chicklets listeners, you can find every episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Prime members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. Hello, everybody. Welcome to episode 163 of Spittin' Chicklets, presented by New Amsterdam Vodka. Let's say hello to everybody today. Let's go to Grinnelly first. What's up there, pal? What's up, guys? Not doing too well. Lost a ton of money this
Starting point is 00:00:46 weekend. Worst gambling weekend of my life, but I'm sure we'll get into that. Yeah, just ignoring picks I send you and losing what else is new. Next up, let's go to the Whitthog. Ryan Whitney, are you home or on the road right now? I'm home. How are you guys? Mikey, so that seven grand you were up and I kept telling you to take out
Starting point is 00:01:02 and put it aside. You never did and it's all gone? Yep. I put it next to Uncle Whitney. Uncle Whitney? I've been telling you since you started gambling. He didn't even take out $2,500 for a month's rent or whatever. He just got nothing out of it. Ouch.
Starting point is 00:01:19 Tough, tough. You lose most. Yeah, that's true. And finally, last up, our boy Biz N nasty paul bisonette out in the desert what's up buddy oh boy it's tough loss on friday for the arizona coyotes fuck they they fell in a shootout to the colorado avalanche nice third period comeback though my boy oliver eckman larson with a couple tucks just kidding like six hours after i was saying he's not like a real true shut down defenseman also. Well, that is on the offensive side of it.
Starting point is 00:01:49 But, yeah, unfortunate for them. We are recording before their game today against Minnesota on Sunday. That's a big one. Must win for the Coyotes from here on out with their four games remaining. But, hey, the weather here is incredible. I actually went by the pool yesterday. I met up with Trevor Gretzky, and we went to this Hotel Adeline. It was a nice little pool, and there was some trim,
Starting point is 00:02:12 and I got a nice base tan, so look out, G. Wow. Uh-oh, get that flare up. Get back to New York City. You mentioned the playoffs, Biz, and we're in crunch time, man. There's one week left in the season. Things are still up in the air as far as the playoffs. Tampa's the only official division winner,
Starting point is 00:02:30 though Calgary's clinched practically a formality at this stage. Washington has a three-point lead over the Islanders with three to play for both teams. But Central, very much wide open. Winnipeg and Nashville both have 94 points. The Preds have played one more game. And now the Blues nipping at their heels with 92 points. And then out east, I mean, you basically have Carolina, Columbus,
Starting point is 00:02:48 and Montreal all clamoring for the last two wildcard spots in the east. And then, you know, Pittsburgh, we kind of praised them last week. They only get 95 points. They can still be caught. They need to win a couple more games to stay alive. Biz, how do you see things shaking out here, brother, and these things that change day to day? Well, I was critical of Columbus and the moves they made at the deadline,
Starting point is 00:03:08 and now they're making a push. They've been really good as of late. Even with the Duchesne comments I had about not sharing if he's a big game player, when they've needed him most, I think he's got five points in his last three games with the Blue Jackets, and they were against some pretty important opponents, one being Montreal, who they're going at that wildcard spot with. They're peaking right now, and that's a team I'd be scared to meet in the first round,
Starting point is 00:03:34 so I'm going to put my shoe in my mouth on that one. Now, saying that, they do have a game in hand on Montreal, so it isn't signed, sealed, and delivered. They are tied in points with them, but it seems after that first period they had in Montreal, I believe they were down 1-0, and torts came in the locker room, and there's actually video of it. And I wouldn't say a full-on tort snap show, but you could tell what he said resonated with the players
Starting point is 00:03:57 because they ended up going out there scoring 3 in the second and 3 in the third and ended up routing the Montreal Canadiens who they're competing with that spot for 6-2 so on the other side of that holy shit I don't know if you guys have seen Drouin's numbers down this stretch where they needed him most and I know he's faced a lot of criticism
Starting point is 00:04:16 with his play sometimes and being lazy defensively in his last 14 games this was before this was I think this was, I think, after the Columbus game, excuse me. He had one goal and one assist in his last 14 games. He's registered points in just two games in his last 21.
Starting point is 00:04:35 One of those games he had four assists, and the other one he had a goal and an assist. So to me, that is fucking crazy. That's a guy that they need producing offense. And surprisingly, they're able to still be in the hunt without him bringing his A game. Yeah. If you look at his numbers, though, career-wise,
Starting point is 00:04:53 I mean, he's probably going to finish with, like, the best year, you know, points-wise he's ever had in his career. I think that's kind of – he is what he is, 50-, 60-point guy. Unfortunately, you know, when getting hot early in the year, unfortunately it happened earlier in the year. He would do anything to switch it and have him be going right now, but I just think this is kind of who he is, 50, 60-point guy, maybe 70 if he gets some line mates he really clicks with,
Starting point is 00:05:22 but it's just tough to go this cold when everyone needs you. You mentioned Panera, and I was giving him heat. I said I think he had won in 15 or 16 games, one goal since Duchesne came, and he's been on fire. Last night, it was a pretty – I don't know if any of you guys saw it. I caught a little of it. Columbus-Nashville was exciting, and the end of the first period was wild. You know, Columbus is up 2-1.
Starting point is 00:05:43 Nashville gets an incredible chance, but Brovsky, awesome save. Like, just – like, a key moment of the first period was wild. Columbus is up 2-1. Nashville gets an incredible chance, but Brovsky, awesome save. Just a key moment of the game, 20 seconds left in the period. Panarin gets it. You think the period's just going to end. He dangles it up ice, crosses somebody over at the red line, then finds Atkinson who buries it with five seconds, 3-1 at the end of the first. They go on to win. So Columbus is finding what they needed to,
Starting point is 00:06:05 and it just took them way too long. I thought it was surprising, but I still think, I mean, if they get in the first round, nobody wants to play them. That's not a fun team that you're looking forward to. Like if Tampa played them, trust me, Tampa would much rather play Montreal than them, I think. Absolutely. I completely agree, and that's going to be a grind of a first round. We always talk about the bad luck that Tampa runs into in playoffs and just can't get over the hump. And to me, that's a team that I'd say they'd minimum take him to six.
Starting point is 00:06:35 Yeah, I could see that. I could see that. Definitely. going around before the weekend, so it wasn't updated before the weekend, but it showed that Duchesne, Dezingo, and Stone had the exact same number of points, 26, as Duclair, Lindbergh, and I think the third play was Brandstrom. I'm not 100% sure, but basically they had the exact same number of points like two, three weeks after the trade going into this weekend. So it was just indicative because I said to Grinnelli the other day when he asked about Betton, I said, these teams who are out of it, they're still playing for pride.
Starting point is 00:07:05 They're still playing for jobs next year. You know, I mean, like, it's young guys already, too. Like, you're telling me Brady Kachuk isn't fired up for these games? It's still his first year in the NHL. I mean, it's like, if you get a team with a bunch of 32-year-olds, it doesn't even exist anymore. Maybe at this time of the year, they're shutting it down. But all these teams with young guys, these dudes are getting their chances.
Starting point is 00:07:23 Like, first NHL game, you know, they're going to be going balls to the wall. Absolutely. Absolutely. These guys, they're playing their balls off. I mean, Detroit's a team, you know, they've been out there for a while, but they've actually been a pretty good bet lately. They've been playing their asses off, man. And, like, bringing up guys from the minors.
Starting point is 00:07:38 Actually, they brought up Jake Chelios. I'm not sure if you caught that. Son of you-know-who. He made his NHL debut for the Red Wings Friday night. 28 years old, man. You know, it's great to see. It's a great story. Playoffs are toast for the Red Wings.
Starting point is 00:07:49 So they said they wanted to reward some of their minor league guys. And, you know, he's the latest example of a kid sticking with it. He graduated college a few years ago, and now he's getting a shot in the show. Well, it was pretty nice to see, eh, Witz? It was great to see. And it's a cool story because it's such a different – it was so different for Jake growing up, right? So any kid, if you ever make it to play a game in the NHL,
Starting point is 00:08:11 that's an insane amount of odds against you for that to ever happen. So people don't really understand that because his dad's – Chris Chellios, this kid his entire life has just had a different perspective. And it's not his dad's fault for know, Chris Chelios, this kid his entire life has just had like a different perspective. And it's not, it's not his dad's fault for being an incredible hockey player, but this kid sees his, you know, his dad and probably does know how hard it is to be in the NHL. And, you know, people tell him, but he still is like, Oh, my dad did it for this long. I'm going to get there. I'm going to get there.
Starting point is 00:08:37 And so to, to finally get his first game, dude, after grinding that long in the minors, 28 years old, that's just such a special memory because I'm sure it is. I shouldn't say that. I know it is. But I just think that he's always going to remember, you know, I ended up getting to the league where my dad was a true legend, and that's awesome.
Starting point is 00:08:54 I actually fought him when he was in the American Hockey League. How'd it go? With the Charlotte Checkers. It was fine, yeah. He was a gamer, you know. They didn't have the best team that year, but, you know, he was a good penalty kill guy, a stay-at-home defenseman and uh congratulations to him they actually had chris chelios on the the tv broadcast they were joking around about how uh back in the day when
Starting point is 00:09:14 sean avery used to babysit him and how like he would never be in bed on time it would just be like you know like ruckus going around the house shocker but uh cool story i love i love the you know when those like those guys finally get their shot at at least getting one game you know you get the frame the jersey fucking uh probably probably didn't make a dollar though he had to put it all on the board for his first game especially because his old man played there for a thousand years but uh very cool yeah you got young guys uh well you know young 28 i guess but you know motivated guys that want to play spoiler to other teams and unfortunately won't be able to spoil the Blues.
Starting point is 00:09:47 They did finally clinch their playoff spot. In doing so, they became just the seventh team ever to make the playoffs after ranking last in the league at any point after New Year's Day. The last team to do it was the 97 Senators. I mean, we basically pronounced them dead on this podcast probably a handful of times back in November, December. What they've done is incredible. Also, too, we want to note we do have St. Louis defenseman Robert Bortuzzo
Starting point is 00:10:08 joining us shortly in addition to Blues superfan and Mad Men star John Hamm. Got some good stuff coming forward. But back to the Blues, man. Like I said, they were dead. They pulled the Undertaker gift. They woke up. They're in the playoffs, and they're another team, man. I can't imagine teams want to play with them.
Starting point is 00:10:23 They're throwing out Jordan Bennington. Eh, Biz? No. I mean, right now they're still fighting for home ice. I mean, Nashville has kind of tailed off in the second half of the season, and St. Louis has slowly been gaining ground on them. I know Winnipeg and Nashville are still fighting for that first place in the Central, so things are definitely very interesting here. Could you imagine St. Louis ends up getting first in the Central?
Starting point is 00:10:46 Like, what? Those other teams kind of had the wagon title earlier in the season. I don't know. Can they get first? They can get second, but I don't know if they can. Yeah, absolutely. You're right. Looking at it.
Starting point is 00:11:01 Even if they could get home ice, even if they get second, and they've dominated nashville too um that team has been really fun to watch and it's it's funny how how much they look so much quicker so i'm watching them now and it used to kind of be a slow pace and now it's like this team's flying so bertuzzo talks about that a little bit i was just surprised at the beginning of the year about tarasenko's start he just like you know you expect so much from knowing how good he is how great his shot is he I was just surprised at the beginning of the year about Tarasenko's start. He just like, you know, you expect so much from knowing how good he is, how great his shot is.
Starting point is 00:11:30 He wasn't doing that much. His points were kind of there, but not making a huge effect. And he got his 30th the other day. So that's 30 in five straight years for him. So that's just an incredible stat. So you see, as he got going, I think the team really started going. And O'Reilly, all year, has done it. Yeah, it's an unbelievable turnaround they had.
Starting point is 00:11:49 It's going to be interesting, though, to see what they do in the playoffs because, you know, St. Louis, it's been 50-something years since they've been in a final. Dude, they're cool with connection. Can we give them credit for a chicklet's bump by calling up Hughes, Quinn Hughes? Grinelli Hughes. Dude, it's uncanny how much this kid looks exactly like Grinelli when they trotted him out on the ice the other night. Case you're not familiar, Quinn Hughes, he was the seventh
Starting point is 00:12:08 overall pick on the last draft. He made his debut Thursday at home versus the Kings. And I mean, the kid made a hell of a debut right away. He made that unreal pass to himself off the back of the net and gave himself a great scoring opportunity and led to assist when Brock Besser put the rebound home. 22 shifts in his first game, 15 minutes, 36 seconds, two shots on net. But what stood out to me, Witts, and what I saw was the wheels on the kid, man. He was unbelievable, whizzing around out there. And I don't know if you caught any of the overtime. They had Hughes, Pedersen, and Besser out there in overtime.
Starting point is 00:12:35 They didn't score, but it was some of the most impressive hockey we've seen this year in the NHL. Did you see any of it, Witt? I did. I also, you know, Grinnelli, I'm thinking in another life, you could skate like the wind and were the seventh overall pick, and your younger brothers were really nasty, but instead you're losing $7,000 when that's probably like a month's rent
Starting point is 00:12:57 paycheck for you. So it's not smart. But still, I'm excited for this Hughes kid. I think the skating is what separates him. It's just the assist he got. He walked. I don't don't know who was behind the net he banked it off the net tight turn and then he comes out and does this like c-cut gets all the speed off that gets a great shot on that could have scored and the guy I don't remember who was buries the rebound but he got a quick point and the overtime was fantastic they were snapping around like they played together
Starting point is 00:13:20 for five years yeah and and talk about an organization I know they've together for five years. Yeah, and talk about an organization. I know they've had a few years of struggles, but with the young core group they have and more than likely get a decent high-end draft pick this year, they're going to be a team to look out for in the next couple of years, boys. By the way, NHL.com, you might want to update this kid's page with the headshot right now. It looks like a knockoff Chicklets logo that you'd see getting sold at pirated DVDs on downtown Manhattan.
Starting point is 00:13:49 The kid doesn't even have his picture up yet, so you might want to fix that. Got to get on that NHL.com. Keeping this theme of defensemen we're talking about right now, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barry became the most prolific goal-scoring defenseman in franchise history. He scored his 73rd career goal versus Vegas the other night. He passed Sand, Ozil, and Lynch for number one on the list. Number three on the list
Starting point is 00:14:08 is the man rocking himself in front of the show, John Michael Lyles with 68. Barry has spent his entire 480 game career in Denver. He's also first in assists with 231 and points 304 in team history. This is a note that jumped out to me, boys.
Starting point is 00:14:23 Ray Bork, he's 38th in games played in Colorado history, but he's 12th in points. He was only on the team for 94 regular season games, but he's number one in points per game on the avalanche list. I thought that was pretty interesting for a guy who played Bailey over his season there. And how old he was at the time. Exactly, in his 40s.
Starting point is 00:14:40 But Tyson Barry, you know him pretty well, Biz. He's a guy you talk a lot about, Chad. What do you have to say about his season? It's been great for him. Unbelievable puck-moving defenseman. Those do not grow on trees. They are going to have to pay him this summer. He'll have one year left on his contract after this season's up.
Starting point is 00:14:58 I would imagine on July 1st, if they were intelligent, they would try to lock him up as long as possible. As I mentioned, it's a classic case of like, if they were intelligent, they would try to lock him up as long as possible. You know, as I mentioned, it's a classic case of like, ah, you know, he's a bit of a riverboat gambler, though. It's just like, you know what? Every team needs an offensive defenseman, and once you give them up, they're difficult to find.
Starting point is 00:15:20 So I would assume that he is minimum going to get paid $7.5 to $8 million a year. I mean, Oliver Ekman-Larsen got $8.25, and Tyson Berry's offensive numbers are a little bit better. Mind you, he is playing with McKinnon, Lannis Gog, and Rantanen, but he has unbelievable chemistry with those guys, specifically McKinnon because, you know, they're buddies off the ice and everything. So I'd imagine Tyson Berry is going to be a Colorado Avalanche for a long time,
Starting point is 00:15:45 and then they're going to have to get that deal signed up this summer. He was hilarious. He came on NHL Now when I was at the network last week, and it was the day after that crazy game between them and the Knights, and they held on for a win. And so he comes on, and I think EJ Raddick was asking him, like, you know, what do you think as that game winds down and Vegas pulls the goalie? And, you know, they have this massive comeback going.
Starting point is 00:16:09 He goes, I don't really know what I was thinking. I was obviously sitting on the bench with a one-goal lead. I'm not on the ice during that time. He's well aware of what he is as a player. Yeah, that he roasts to me. He's like, I never heard the name Whitney used in a sentence with versatile because that was mentioned. He was all over me via a phone call.
Starting point is 00:16:28 But, yeah, dude, he buzzes around the ice. He snaps the tape. The tape's a lot different. I'm telling you, when Rantanen's got the fifth defenseman snapping one in his skate blade and he's trying to kick it up to himself like Crosby, you know, he likes Barry just chucking sauces, snapping one right on the tape as he's going full speed through the middle. That's how he's getting points. So maybe defensively he's not your number one guy, but you don't need him to be. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:16:50 That's a lot, though. What did you say, eight and a half, nine? No, no. I said I bet you get seven and a half. Eight years, seven and a half to eight. Is he UFA? No, he's got one year left on his contract. But I would imagine they lock him up because if he has another year like he had this year,
Starting point is 00:17:06 I mean, right now he's got 56 points. I'd imagine he finishes the season with 60. I mean, he's in top what? I would say that's probably top 15 to top 12 in defensive scoring in the NHL with the way other guys are getting paid. I mean, he can ask for, I would say at the time, probably eight and a half, nine in free agency.
Starting point is 00:17:27 Yeah, that's actually very true. I didn't even realize he had that many points this year. It doesn't surprise me, but yeah, he's going to get paid. It's funny now. We talked about this year. The points are definitely up. I mean, you look at guys with the chance to get 100 points this year. I mean, you already got four.
Starting point is 00:17:44 There's four or five that could do it if they really get hot with four games left. I mean, you look at guys with the chance to get 100 points this year. I mean, you already got four. There's, you know, like four or five that could do it if they really get hot with four games left. But I know that's a little off topic from Barry. But still, it's good for him. And Colorado, we counted them out. When Maniskog went down, we said they were done, or I did. So I look like a fool. Shocker on that one.
Starting point is 00:18:00 Yeah, I said it too, and I didn't like it. And Rantanen went down as well. So I'll put my foot in my mouth there now. I know there's still some time left. If Coyotes run the table and we get a little help from some other teams, we could still slide in there. So not out of the dark yet for the Colorado Avalanche. Not over yet.
Starting point is 00:18:20 And if you have kids playing hockey nowadays, man, make them puck-moving defensemen because these guys are fucking raking it in cash wise left and right. Yeah, exactly. Especially if you're from the South shore. And of course, call Colorado sitting on that lottery pick as well. The Ottawa pick they got. So the future is bright for Colorado. No doubt. We mentioned a few minutes ago, we have Robert Bortuzzo, St. Louis blues defenseman. You guys talked to him a little bit the other night.
Starting point is 00:18:44 I wasn't able to make that interview. So I think we should send it over to him now. Hey, boys? You know? You know how many times he says you know in this interview? I think he says you know. Memes will have a count, I'm sure. He might say you know 700 times.
Starting point is 00:18:59 Yeah. What a guy, though, you know? Look forward to hearing it, you know? I like Bobo. I didn't know it was Bobo. So I'm down with that. I mean, I'll tell you, Roberto Bartuzzo, I have to let him know that that was his name in my head for a long time.
Starting point is 00:19:14 So we're going to send it over to Robert Bartuzzo, you know. This interview was brought to you by SeatGeek. Buying tickets can be complicated and confusing, but there is a simpler way to buy with seat geek seat geek is the smartest easiest way to get tickets to every type of live event whether you're catching your favorite musician on tour shopping for the perfect gift or searching for a last minute deal to see your favorite nhl team in the playoffs because they're only a week away seat geek helps you find the best seats at the best prices fully guaranteed nothing beats being
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Starting point is 00:20:14 Make SeatGeek your go-to app for finding the best deals on every type of ticket, from concerts and sports, from concerts and sports to comedy and theater. Talk much? Best of all, our listeners get $10 off their first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app and enter the promo code Hockey today. That's promo code Hockey for $10 off your first SeatGeek purchase. SeatGeek, right seat, right now, right from your phone. I want to welcome a first-time guest to the Spit and Chicklets podcast.
Starting point is 00:20:43 This fine young lad was drafted in the third round, 78th overall in the 2007 NHL entry draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. And what do you know? I was there at the time, and I knew this guy was a special kid, a special player, a true guy's guy. And right now, he's got 331 NHL games played. And I'd say he's more of a stay-at-home defenseman, but a great guy. And we want to welcome to the podcast St. Louis Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. What's going on, fellas? Thanks for having me.
Starting point is 00:21:17 That was excellent. Yeah, not bad. I remember at training camp, Fiz, you gave me a ride home from the airport. It was my first training camp. We were sitting there, and it was pretty quiet. You go, I think I'm going on waivers tomorrow, buddy. You did, and you got scooped up, and the rest was history. Wow.
Starting point is 00:21:34 I called my waiver shot. You did. I don't know who grabbed you, but I don't remember that. What do you mean you don't remember who? Fucking Arizona Coyotes, buddy. Well, Phoenix Coyotes at the time. I think I called't remember that. What do you mean you don't remember who? Fucking Arizona Coyotes, buddy. Well, Phoenix Coyotes at the time. I think I called it, too. I thought I was going to either Minnesota.
Starting point is 00:21:50 He said many. He said many. Yeah. Because Fletcher had gone there, and actually, it's funny, three teams put a claim in for me. Toronto put a claim in for me, Minnesota, and Arizona, but because Arizona had finished with a worse record than those two other teams, they got the crown jewel.
Starting point is 00:22:08 They sure did, buddy. Hey, I can't imagine your first pro camp and you just got this weathered old bum in the car. He's like, I'm going all the way. Is this what pro he is?
Starting point is 00:22:22 I'm like 19 years old. What do I say to this guy? You'll get picked up, man. I don't give a shit. Just make sure I get my pretty impact and put your seatbelt on. Hey, I feel guilty that I should tell you this
Starting point is 00:22:38 right off the bat. From the first time I'd ever heard your name mentioned as an NHL draft pick, NHL player. I've called you Roberto Bertuzzo to every single person. It's on purpose. I just think it sounds so perfect. I just want you to know that leading in that you're Roberto Bertuzzo for me.
Starting point is 00:22:56 No, I appreciate it. I mean, we got a couple of Italians on the team. That's the most Italian name you got there is Roberto's a birth over to you though, I think. Should we talk about this turnaround? Cause you guys came into Arizona at the start of the year and you guys did not look good. It was ugly. Yeah. I mean, we came into the year, you know,
Starting point is 00:23:20 there was some expectations put off and whatnot. You know, it was just, we were just playing floppy hockey, you know. You know, we had the players, you know, so that kind of carried us through games. And we knew we were kind of still in the mix, you know, looking at the standings and whatnot. So, you know, the players on the team carried us through a tough stretch, but, you know, it was only until we started playing a team game where,
Starting point is 00:23:44 you know, things started turning around. I just had a brief moment, I guess, with Doug Armstrong two years in a row. He invited me to training camp. Not a big deal. A little tryout. Thanks for coming, PTO. I really got along with him.
Starting point is 00:24:00 I'm saying this was very quick, but I sense guys respect him and like him. He's kind of no bullshit. I heard that he came in this year and actually I believe saying this was very quick, but I sense, like, guys respect him and like him. He's kind of no bullshit. I heard that he came in this year and actually, you know, like, I believe in this group. I know this group can win. I don't want to start trading guys. I might have to. But I think he knew all along and let you guys know that he still believed
Starting point is 00:24:16 in you, right? Yeah. You know, there was points in the seasons where it was pretty bleak. You know, people didn't know what was going to happen with the group. We give him credit. He stuck with us. He doubled down, stuck to his guns. We righted the ship.
Starting point is 00:24:35 Now we're in a pretty good position here. We kind of punched our ticket into the dance here. It's been an exciting time of the year. We appreciate him sticking with us. It was quite the turnaround. Roberto, I want to ask you about the few guys you guys added in the offseason. O'Reilly, Bozak, another guy, Maroon.
Starting point is 00:24:57 It seems like great guys and were eventually obviously turned into a great fit. Oh, I mean, they're huge for our locker room. You know, they're consummate pros. I didn't know much about O'Reilly, but, like, boys, this guy is an absolute player. He's a son. He's a new center for that stretch.
Starting point is 00:25:15 And he, you know, he does, you know, I played with, you know, some high-end guys. He does stuff that reminds me of Sid did. You know, Bozak's been a huge does stuff that reminds me of what Sid did. You know, Bozak's been a huge addition for our locker room, and he's playing great hockey. And, you know, Paddy's been a monster in the second half of the year. So, you know, big-time players, and, you know, they've just been great for our room.
Starting point is 00:25:38 You know what it's like having guys that have been around the league, and, you know, seven-, eight-year-, nine-, ten-year pros is big for our group. And, you know, like I said, we're getting different contributions, but those guys have definitely stepped up and been huge for us. I feel like O'Reilly's just like a mesmerizing guy. He's handsome. He's got that beard. Apparently he's sick of playing the guitar.
Starting point is 00:25:56 He can sing a little bit. Smoke show wifer. Yeah, apparently. Can he play the guitar really well? This guy's the man. He brings his little baby guitar on the road. You know, he's got a couple, you know couple ditties that he's written over the years. Like I said, just a cool guy, good dresser, and a big leader for our group. He's been a huge addition for our group on and off the ice.
Starting point is 00:26:20 Like I said, I didn't know much about him, but this guy is an absolute player and what a guy. Like I said, I didn't know much about him, but this guy is an absolute player, and what a guy. Man, that guy, usually you kind of think, who's lucky enough to be the star, one of the best players in the league, and then also be cool off the ice? You think, hopefully that guy just dresses like a complete geek and has one pair of jeans. He's got it both.
Starting point is 00:26:41 I mean, that's like just give me one of those please i hear you buddy you know um you know there's certain guys over the years that you know carry themselves like that they're just cool guys on and off the ice and you know they just happen to be superstars at the same time um damn it all right i hear you brother Bortuzzo. Sorry, I just like saying that. Let's talk about Fabs, man. That guy's been through some shit, some injuries. He's finally back in the lineup. How has he been mentally after going through that full grind
Starting point is 00:27:17 of basically two years of being out? He's been great. To say he's a grind would be saying the least. You know, he's done an incredible job to battle back. You know, his game is right where it needs to be. You know, like for someone to go through that at that age mentally is such a grind. You know, I give him credit.
Starting point is 00:27:40 He comes in, he works his ass off every day, whether he's in and out of the lineup, comes in with a smile on his face. He's just been a consummate pro. For a young kid, like I said, to come back from double ACL surgery is pretty impressive. He's going to be a big part of our group moving forward here. I'm wondering, with the difference with Craig Berube coming in and Mike Yo being gone, what has kind of changed? because it's obvious to everyone watching that it seems like you guys are
Starting point is 00:28:09 playing quicker I don't know if that that was something you're you're talking about right when the coaching change happens but what has it been uh what has changed with those two guys um you know um you know it's hard to say you know chief's been huge for us he kind of changed the culture a bit um he made us harder offensively and defensively he made us play faster with with a higher intensity um you know he's very demanding yet detailed at the same time you know anytime we slip you know he's going to let us know i think our whole staff as a whole has done a great job of you know not letting things get too far away from us and you know i just think he you know he's not he's a man of few words but he's instilled this quiet confidence in our group that um you know
Starting point is 00:28:54 if we just go about our business and you know there's so many good teams in the league but you know it's like he says you know we're a good team so like i said it's that quiet confidence he's instilled our group that you know if we play play our game, we got a chance every night. Bertuzzo, I got to ask you about Bennington, man. The Ben nasty. 29 games played, fucking 21 wins, five losses, and one – it says one T. I don't know what the fuck that means.
Starting point is 00:29:20 Maybe it's overtime loss. But this is probably the second biggest factor in the turnaround for this season for you guys. Yeah, he's been huge. You know, he's played – you know, he's been like a rock. Just steady, Eddie. You can just see the confidence he has when he goes outside the net with the puck.
Starting point is 00:29:40 You know, he's great with the puck. I think that's a true sign of confidence in the goaltenders when they're back there snapping it around, making it easy on the D-man. You know, Whit knows what that's like when they'll break it out for you. Oh, please. Love it. Please, just don't give it to me. I hear you.
Starting point is 00:29:57 Snap it right up to the center man if you can. But, yeah, you know, like I said, that quiet confidence I was talking about, he's definitely a guy who has it. He's got a swagger to him. But, like I said, that quiet confidence I was talking about, he's definitely a guy who has it. He's got a swagger to him. But like I said, very humble, goes about his business, and he's been huge for our group. Should we talk about the fact that you say you know about 600 times already in this interview?
Starting point is 00:30:19 It's my fault. It's my go-to. Is that your glitch? That's my go-to. You've got to have one. It's like hey you have stumbling over my words you gotta have something and if you and if you're doing an interview at the beginning you know that when you had to drop biz off at the airport to go to arizona you're just like i gotta feel something talking to these guys you know exactly exactly no you'll get picked up you'll get picked up well the biggest turnaround for
Starting point is 00:30:45 you guys was of course when uh when larry flowers brought you guys to that bar in philadelphia and you guys ended up getting your winning song and it seems like the ball started rolling after that yeah um yeah it was pretty cool experience um oh there was a lot of little turning points where you could have said things you know jumped off for us but that was a cool of little turning points where he could have said things, you know, jumped off for us. But that was a cool little thing for us where, you know, a wind song kind of came organically. It was a pretty cool night. Pulled out a wind there in Philly and,
Starting point is 00:31:13 you know, it's been the wind song ever since. So it's nice when the wind song kind of picks itself like that. Is Pareko like the Russian in Rocky IV? Is like, that's what I kind of picture. I've never met him. He is the Russian in Rocky IV, that's what I kind of picture. I've never met him. He is the Russian in Rocky IV. This guy's an absolute beast. Just the absolute nicest person you've ever met in your life.
Starting point is 00:31:33 Is he ripped also or just big? He's like 3.6% body fat, 6'5", square jaw. This guy's the man. He just stands there at the bar and he's like a bug zapper. They're all just standing around. Oh, is he single? Yeah, I believe so.
Starting point is 00:31:55 We don't need to throw him under the bus here. We should have Larry call in right now and tell the story about how he single-handedly turned your guys' season around. He would state it as such. Are you're gonna give him a call here i'll i'll send him the the number let's see if he can call in oh first appearance here i'll send him the number let's like he's going there's been like four four non-hockey players on the pod and larry flowers is going to be one of them yeah Speaking of non-hockey players,
Starting point is 00:32:26 we had Jon Hamm come on and we were wondering when he was there for that game in St. Louis, did he end up coming down to the locker room afterward? Oh yeah, I came down to the locker room. We were able to have a drink at the lobby after the game. This guy knows
Starting point is 00:32:41 his stuff. He is a fan of the Blues and like I said, anytime you know, you know, a sixth defenseman like Roberto Bortuzzo, you know, you're a true fan. So, great guy, you know. You know, he's pretty close with Steiner and Kelly Chase. And, like I said, a couple years ago when we had our deep playoff run, he was always texting Steiner and getting the load on, seeing how the boys were doing.
Starting point is 00:33:06 So, you know, he's a true fan, man. He's a great guy. Okay, so Larry just texted me. He's going to be calling in right now. But before that, so we found out that obviously we've seen pictures of Ham and how he has a huge wrench. I don't think the guy wears underwear. Before we got him on the pod, I think R.A. was the one who mentioned it,
Starting point is 00:33:26 that he doesn't like being asked about it because he's like, they're private parts for a reason. So thank God we didn't ask him about his weapon. But did he come in the locker room? Was his bat just flying around? I mean, I wasn't keeping an eye on it. I think, like I said, it's kind of like this unspoken myth in Hollywood or whatnot.
Starting point is 00:33:53 It wasn't going to be the first thing i brought up to him but uh let's see uh let me see your dick nice to meet you man i read something i read something he's like yeah i mean do they call it private parts for a reason and then later on i think he said i hope he i've read um yeah it's not the worst rumor to have started about you. It's not like somebody's talking about you got like warts on your hog. They're just saying you have an absolute hammer in your pants. I was going to lead off with it. He would have just got a click on the other line and we would have lost
Starting point is 00:34:16 our John Hamm interview. What am I stepping into, buddy? I just called in. You guys are talking about Cox. It's a 50-50. There's a good chance it's going to be about wrenches on this podcast. Hey, well, for people, that other voice is Larry Flowers. And Larry's a longtime friend. I'm so, so happy I got to meet this guy back in the day.
Starting point is 00:34:36 And I will say right now he's the number one jeweler, NHL, Major League Baseball. We're going to talk more about that. Believe it or not, he actually helped me find my ring. My wife has Jesus Christ, you saved me a little money, but I'm still hitting that one. I'm going to hit on that one. Thanks for joining us. It's a pleasure to have
Starting point is 00:34:56 you on, boys. I really appreciate it. Where should we start? Should we talk about you single-handedly changing the season around for the St. Louis Blues and how it happened? I mean, I'll take the credit. I don't know if it's really on me. But, yeah, look, the boys are playing in Philly.
Starting point is 00:35:13 And, you know, we have a private members-only social club down in South Philly right in the middle of the neighborhood. And the Eagles just happen to have been playing the Chicago Bears in the playoffs. And, you know, I talked to Bobo. I saido i said babo you got to get all the boys together let's uh you guys should come over it's a great time we have a great group um so he puts together the group you know our our closest buddies on the team steiner uh fabs schwartzy and and babo and uh and you know these guys guys getting an Uber and all of a sudden I give him the address and I get, I get a text message from Bobbo. He says, Hey flowers, are we the right place here? I mean, boys are a little nervous. Like, I mean,
Starting point is 00:35:54 this looks a little sketchy and, uh, I'm like, boys, you guys are safe. I mean, full disclosure, there may or may not be a couple of members of this, uh, of this club of ours that may, uh, may or may not be connected to members of this uh of this club of ours that may uh may or may not be connected to you know to the mob but uh that's another story but uh so they're pulling up and they're you know they're a little nervous and anyway i'm like listen you guys are good angels that day and they walked in and the boys went nuts and we had a full on just good time good party and uh so so so the gloria the the boys in in the in the club are part of a new year's
Starting point is 00:36:27 brigade it's like a new year's thing the floats and um it there's a competition in the city for obviously it's a major event and the this our crew our club the jacks club uh happened of one the entire new year's brigade it's a major, major honor. And their victory song became Gloria. So naturally, the Eagles were playing, and it was an unreal game. And one of the boys yells out, you know, play Gloria, play Gloria for the Eagles. And the boys on the Blues, you know, Bobo and the boys, the boys were like, Gloria, this is hilarious. And they just kept playing the song over and over and over.
Starting point is 00:37:03 And they kind of adopted it and kind of made it a fun thing for themselves. And it makes me real happy and proud. I love – the Blues are unreal. They've got a great, great group. I'm real close to the whole squad. And it's nice to see them doing well. Bert, you guys are part of a Cobble crew that you guys usually go down there during All-Star break as well, correct?
Starting point is 00:37:21 Uppy's the organizer. You know, he sets us up in this giant pad of a friend of his. Billy Quinn is his name. It's a house that definitely we have no business staying in. It's a beautiful place up in Calgary. O'Reilly, but not you. Literally, no. Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Starting point is 00:37:39 I'm staying in a $20 million pad with Kwame. The first time I went was with larry was uh oh we kind of didn't we knew each other we'd met but this was kind of our first trip together and uh you know this was my first experience with him we're all getting ready to go out we're getting ready for dinner and going out and uh you know me and schwartz you were ready already so like let's go check on flowers and clearly Flowers is Philly to the core. And so we start walking closer to his bedroom and the door's cracked and he starts hearing like music. And we walk in there and the Rocky soundtrack is playing on his little Bose dock.
Starting point is 00:38:17 And he's in his underwear doing some sort of like pump up, going out shadowboxing routine in the mirror so he's working the combos in the mirror as he gets ready gelatinous here so me and Schwartz we pop our head in and we just start dying laughing so it was good stuff that was the first encounter with Larry Fowler's really yeah yeah we've been putting this three years we've done this trip and it's a great group we just have so much fun and obviously up, Uppy Spears has the whole thing, like he does everything in his life. It's just, we have so much fun. It's a lot of fun, and it's crazy.
Starting point is 00:38:53 How did you become good buddies with Loops and Uppy Farrs? Yeah, so I've known Loops for about 10 years. You know, we had a mutual friend, and when he was playing in Philly, we met in L.A., and a couple years later um actually it's when i met you biz we uh he had a he had one of his legendary little july 4th shakers that it's had in newport beach california and um he's like hey flowers once you come down man i'm having a six shaker so i i get there and i walk in and i i gotta tell you i i was like wow yeah. You're talking about the ladies that were present? I'm talking about the ladies.
Starting point is 00:39:27 I had to stand up 69 upstairs in one of the bedrooms that afternoon. That was one of the best days of my life. That was probably top 15 days of my life. Listen, I'm telling you, I walked in there. I'm looking around, and I'm like, this is a shaker. And I'm watching Uppy, Loops, and O'Brien just kind of mingling within each other and doing their thing. And I'm like, look at these fucking guys. They are hilarious. I mean, they've got it figured out.
Starting point is 00:39:55 They've truly got it figured out. And I'm like, I got to get in this crew. This is what I've been missing in my life. And sure as shit, we just all get real tight. And so many years later, they're my best boys. And I'm the luckiest fucking guy in the world. They're great. So you weaseled your way in. Bertuzzo, I don't know if you've heard this story. Hey, tell that volleyball story.
Starting point is 00:40:16 This one's like, this one's all time. Fuck. So this is actually last year. We go to an unbelievable party down in LA at the beach. The private party. It's like Leo DiCaprio's crew. And they have their private party. I mean, you can't even get within like 500 yards of this place
Starting point is 00:40:34 unless you're on like a special list. I bet your RA can see me again. Oh, even he may not be able to get in. But anyway, we get to this party. It's me, O'Brien, Lou Paul. We get there. Lou Cheech is there. I mean, you want to talk about a party.
Starting point is 00:40:52 I mean, there were broads everywhere. And I'm not talking like really hot sevens. I'm talking like nines, tens everywhere. The setting's on the beach. There's a big volleyball court. And Leo and his crew are on the volleyball. They take this seriously. Every year they want to just play volleyball.
Starting point is 00:41:09 They're winning. They're winning. They're like three, four games deep just beating everybody's ass. It's Leo, Jamie Foxx, Gerard Butler, Kevin Connolly. And all of a sudden, you know, we call winners. Finally, it's like, hey, let's get on here and kick these guys' asses. So finally we call winners. Finally, it's like, hey, let's get on here and kick these guys' asses. So finally we get on. Like I said, it's me, Lucic, Shane O'Brien, Joppy Leupold,
Starting point is 00:41:32 and some other random. And I'm looking around like, let's kick these guys' ass. I can't wait to come home and tell my friends in Philly, well, we just kicked the shit out of Leo DiCaprio in volleyball. This is going to be great. And the game starts, and these guys get out on a little bit of a lead on this. And I'm like, what the hell is going on here? And I hate to throw my boy Lupo under the bus here.
Starting point is 00:41:52 For the record, obviously he's a tremendous athlete, but he's a sick volleyball player as well. But he just wasn't really on his game. I don't know if he was a little starstruck. I mean, I was starstruck too, but I'm like, fuck him. I want to beat him. This was Leo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx. These are celebs. I want to kick their ass.
Starting point is 00:42:13 Maybe we each had a couple too many cocktails. I don't know. But anyway, he was just not playing that well. He was missing a couple shots. And finally, I'm like, I walk over to grab myself. What the fuck's wrong with you, man? Wake up. Everyone's watching. Everyone Look, everyone's watching.
Starting point is 00:42:27 Everyone. Your girl's watching. Let's go. And he's kind of looking at me with a silly grin like, yeah, yeah, yeah, Flowers, yeah, yeah. And sure as shit, the next serve goes right to him, right through his hands. Boom, right off his forehead. And I'm like, fuck, we're done.
Starting point is 00:42:40 They whooped our ass. I walked off the court. That was your one chance. That was my chance. And then Leo fucks all your girls. If you think your girl wanted Leo before that, then you're a loser coming back with your tail between your legs. No shit.
Starting point is 00:42:55 That was one shot. One shot at it, we just choked. That was a great party. Are the boys thankful in that locker room that Larry Flowers brought you guys to that shady bar where you guys didn't die and turn your season around, Bertuzzo? Oh, yeah. That was big.
Starting point is 00:43:13 Like I said, it was a big turnaround for us. Larry always said, he said, you got to get me a mug. That's what he always said. He used that quote multiple times. I need a mug. I need a mug. Get me my mug. We appreciate the support.
Starting point is 00:43:26 Larry's kind of adopted the Blues as his team. Like I said, we've got a lot of good guys in the group and a lot of good buddies with Larry. I got to tell you, I mean, look, it's one thing to have some good buddies on the Blues. They've got an unbelievable group of guys. But, you know, a couple years ago, about a year and a half ago, Oppie and Schenner, Brad braden shen did something for me i'll never ever forget um the eagles played
Starting point is 00:43:52 in the super bowl and anyone i know is larry flowers knows i'm a diehard diehard eagles fan and i'm talking diehard and uh they shenner obviously they both played in philly and shenner real close to the owner of the eagles and they went out of their way to do something special for me they got me some tickets uh to the owner of the Eagles. And they went out of their way to do something special for me. They got me some tickets to the Super Bowl, which I ended up going to with some friends from Philly and watching them win their first Super Bowl against the Pats. And one of the best moments of my life. I'll never, ever forget it. That's a hockey guy's goal.
Starting point is 00:44:23 Listen, if there's one thing I could tell you, I'm truly, truly so privileged to have the friends that I have. And I've been around so many guys in the NHL. I've done so much business with so many guys in the league. And truly, the guys in the league are special, especially the people I hang out with. And there's a lot of generous guys out there, which I've taken advantage of as far as generosity is concerned.
Starting point is 00:44:45 But, no, listen, great, great guys, and I'm just very, very fortunate to be friends with some of the boys and some of the things they've done for me. Awesome, Larry. We love you, buddy, and we'll definitely have you on again if you've got any more crazy stories. Maybe next time we'll tell a story about how you went to high school with Kevin Hart.
Starting point is 00:45:02 We could tell that story. I mean, listen, if you really want to hear the good stories, you're going to have to pay me a lot more than you're doing this. Okay. All right. Fair enough. Thanks for joining us. We're going to finish off with Bert,
Starting point is 00:45:12 and maybe we'll see some St. Louis Blues fans with a Flowers jersey on if they really love the team that much. Bert, what else do you want to talk about, buddy? Very goddamn Flowers. What do you got for me, buddy? That's the perfect answer. Very goddamn flowers. Very goddamn flowers.
Starting point is 00:45:30 No, he's a great guy. And like I said, he's a loyal friend. And a lot of that carries over into his business. So, you know, we can talk about the up dog. You know, up dog. The up dog's feeling good. You know, don't count the up dog out boys you know the league's better with the up dog in it he's feeling better um you think the blues will sign up this offseason i don't know he's trying to set the record for most teams made on pto i think he's got three now
Starting point is 00:45:58 so um you know two on the blues for sure so um, like I said, the dream ain't dead for the up dog. He's going to make a push now. He said he got the clear bill of health. And like I said, he'd be a great addition to any locker room, in my opinion. Love it. Well, Bert, we appreciate you coming on, especially so close to playoffs. We wish you big-time luck. I know we don't know who you're going to be playing yet, right?
Starting point is 00:46:21 That hasn't been decided. Yeah, no. I mean, she's tight. Like I said, we're pushing every night to set us up with the best chance for success and whatnot. Like I said, it's a log jam right now. So happy we punched our ticket, and we'll just kind of be ready to go here.
Starting point is 00:46:40 All right, love you, buddy. Good luck to all the boys. All right, boys. See you, bubbo. Thanks for having me. Love you, buddy. Good luck to all the boys. See you, Bubba. Thanks for having me. Yeah. That interview was also brought to you by the boys from the James Baca band. You can hear them right now.
Starting point is 00:47:01 Grinnell, I'll tell you, that's the type of music that makes me want to crack a cold one and just kick my heels back. Yeah, you're a pretty big fan of these boys. Phil, in the audience, what's the James Barker band all about? Yeah, man. Country music's, they're one of country music's rising stars right now. Their current single, Keep It Simple, that you just heard is out now and it's taking over the airwaves. Also, be sure to check out their number one single, Chills. And while you're at it, you may as well listen to good together and it's working in their summer anthem lawn chair.
Starting point is 00:47:26 Crazy. Uh, James Barker band will be kicking ass and taking names for the rest of 2019. So stream James Barker band right now on Apple music. And I have to bust out my cowboy boots from Nashville again, huh? Big.
Starting point is 00:47:41 Thank you to Robert Pertuzzo. And of course, uh, our boy, Larry flowers who helped turn that season around for the St. Louis Blues. Great having them on, some great stories. And what else do we got, R.A.? The Professional Hockey Writers Association tweeted out
Starting point is 00:47:55 the Masterson Trophy nominees on Friday. The Masterson Trophy is awarded to the, quote, player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the sport, end quote. We talk about this award not at length on the podcast. We kind of emphasize the other awards a lot. So that's what we want to talk about a little bit today. A lot of times it's old guys who just stuck around a lot.
Starting point is 00:48:15 And I see a lot of guys on the list this year, which I think is good biz, because usually it's a guy who had a real bad injury or might have had some personal difficulties. My pick is probably Robin Lehner. He's a guy who battled back not only from, you know, addiction issues and mental health issues, but he had an unreal fucking year. I mean, 22-12-5, 2.17 goals against and a 9-8 save percentage. After battling what he went through, he wrote that piece, I believe it was in The Athletic.
Starting point is 00:48:42 Unreal, he really bared his soul. That's not an easy thing to do, and I got to think he's probably the favorite to win it. Is there anyone you were looking at in particular, Biz? No, I think that would be a great pick. I believe Grabner was mentioned from the Coyotes as well. He almost lost his eye this year in a game. He ended up missing 40 games. But, yeah, anytime anyone can overcome addiction
Starting point is 00:49:01 and get back on their feet and then, of course, play up to world-class standards. You know me, boys. I'm a sucker for a comeback story. So I think that would be a great pick. All right. I looked around and I looked at the list, and it's cool to see all the names.
Starting point is 00:49:16 But one that popped out to me is Taylor Ferdun. And I don't know if you guys know what happened to him, but he was in camp with Edmonton when I was there. It was his first year out of school. He played at Princeton, I think. Either way, he played four years, goes to Edmonton training camp, and was lighting it up. I couldn't believe it.
Starting point is 00:49:36 Every guy was like, who is this kid? Great gap, playing awesome, great breakout passes, gets in a game, plays awesome, gets in the power play. Dude, this kid's like an – he could play in the NHL. And nobody knew a thing about him. And we're in Minnesota, like two games left in training camp. So, you know, you got about six extra guys. Maybe there was three or four extra games,
Starting point is 00:49:59 so you still have six to eight extra guys. But he goes back and gets stuck. Actually, it was with eric nystrom i believe totally fluke play and broke his femur and i was sitting in the balcony with horkoff taylor hall and he and and fedzi was screaming dude you could hear him screaming and i was like sick so sick to my stomach forget about what he was doing playing wise just like what was happening to him. You're like, oh, my God, like somebody I know is in this much pain.
Starting point is 00:50:28 It was still, oh, it gives me the chills thinking about it. And then, you know, you start thinking, dude, this fucking kid out of school, like was dominating. Talk about just unfair. Fuck such is life. But I'm so happy now that he's come back from that. And that year he did such intense rehab in Edmonton. He did a great job getting in the pool and all the guys in Edmonton did
Starting point is 00:50:50 awesome. The entire training staff, but still, you don't know, dude. I mean, you break it. How do you do it?
Starting point is 00:50:55 Just like going into the wall. It was like, I think Nye went to, he was like for checking. And I don't remember exactly. I'm pretty sure like his stick, kind of an escape, whether it tripped him or whatever happened,
Starting point is 00:51:06 and just went in just at the wrong angle. It just gives me the willies. Oh, man. To come back, and he was a great skater, too. So then you're like, oh, fuck, that's the kid. And it happened to Curtis Foster, too. I played with him. He never was the same player.
Starting point is 00:51:21 I mean, it's like you have a fucking rod in your femur, dude. And so for Taylor Ferdinand to make an impact I think with Dallas and play some good hockey, the fact that he's gone through that and done this is a testament to him. So it's cool to see his name on that list. Well, that's a great call. I remember he broke his leg, man. That was a terrible video and a couple other names on the list to, you know, Corey Crawford's been battling from concussions and nice to see him come back. And, you know, even Curtis McElhinney, he's a guy I've talked about quite a bit this year, kind of a journeyman backup, and now he's having a career season.
Starting point is 00:51:50 So a nice story. But like I said, my money's on Lena. We have a few more milestones. We seem to be having a ton of these lately, and we like to recognize these guys in the NHLPA. And Thursday night in Vancouver, Dustin Brown became the L.A. Kings all-time leader in games played when he took the ice for his 1,112th game wearing the crown. Now in his 15th season, Brown passed forward Dave Taylor, who spent his entire career with the Kings and was also the guy that drafted Brown, 13th overall
Starting point is 00:52:16 at the 03 draft. Dustin Brown, of course, captained the LA Kings Cup winners in 12 and 14. At 23, he was the youngest captain in team history and also the first American to do so for LA. He was the captain from October of 08 till the end of the 16th season before giving way to Andrzej Kopitar. Pretty cool thing they did with the jerseys. I don't know if you caught it, Biz.
Starting point is 00:52:36 They made a unique label on the collar to mark the occasion. It was pretty cool. I'm not sure if you saw it. We can tweet it off in the account. But you played with and against them. Biz, what do you have to say about Dustin Brown? Well, I was on the ice with him in training camp.
Starting point is 00:52:49 I didn't get to play any NHL games with him. But I appreciate you trying to kind of dress it up a little bit for me, all right? Respect, buddy. But talk about a gamer. I mean, I know people rip on him about his contract. But last year, he had a very good year statistically. This year, he's kind of kept that pace as well. But, buddy, just a piece of shit to play against,
Starting point is 00:53:11 the type of guy you want on your team. And when you use the word gamer, you kind of reference when the games matter most, and especially in that first cup run. I mean, he was a point-of-game guy. We won't talk about the knee-on-knee with Roosevelt at the blue line in the defensive zone against the Phoenix Coyotes at the time, which pretty much cost us
Starting point is 00:53:31 our chance at the cup. No grudges here. He's had an unbelievable career and he's a honey badger. I just can't stop thinking back to the World Juniors. He came second one in Halifax. He was a magician.
Starting point is 00:53:46 He was doing fucking magic tricks on everyone. I was like, come on, Brownie, tell me how to do it. He's like, no, get out of here, Witt. I was like, oh, my God, who is this kid? He was trucking people then. So he's always been someone I think that looks like he could play in the NHL. He was a stud when he was younger. I'm just happy to see the career he's had.
Starting point is 00:54:03 He's a really nice guy, and I think that he'll go down as a great leader for all those teams in LA that that were hard to play against they kind of embodied how he played and his only non-NHL games were during lockouts he played for Manch Vegas back in 05 and then in Zurich for the Swiss League back in the 13 lockout also congrats to Kings goalie Jonathan Quick he played in the 600th NHL game that same night. Just the 51st goalie all-time. They hit that number, so congrats to the American Quick. Saturday night, boys. We got a nice little dust-up, a little playoff preview, perhaps,
Starting point is 00:54:34 between Vegas and San Jose. Very physical game, so a lot of chippiness, a lot of after-the-whistle stuff. Looks like each time, each team was trying to send a message for next week when the series starts. The only difference, I'd say, San Jose, they won an OT, but they did face Malcolm Shulbin and not Marc-Andre Fleury. That'll change come playoff time.
Starting point is 00:54:50 But, Biz, what did you think of that game? That was setting the table for the playoffs or what? I love the way Vegas plays. They come at you in waves. And, you know, with the struggles that San Jose have had lately, I think that was the perfect game for them to get back into playoff mode where all of a sudden, you know, you got to keep up. And we know the type of pace of play that Vegas plays with, you know.
Starting point is 00:55:12 And, yeah, I think it should be interesting moving forward. And maybe this is kind of the kick in the ass San Jose needed. So a big win for them. And a lot of times in playoffs, it may take a period or two for the nastiness to start, for the hatred to get going, but they just got it going earlier. They're going to play each other. And I think that they're probably thinking, all right, well, going into this game, like Biz says, San Jose is saying, we've had our struggles.
Starting point is 00:55:36 This has been embarrassing. But now we're facing this team in two weeks when it really matters. So let's fucking go. And then after that, it was an effort. I mean, the whole game was exciting to watch, and then the chippiness really did make it feel like a playoff game. Yeah, it was good stuff if you hadn't caught it. I can't wait for the playoffs.
Starting point is 00:55:51 I know Vegas isn't in California, but it's interesting that the California rivalry, it's sort of like the New York City rivalry. There's three teams instead of a two-way rivalry. You know, you got San Jose, Anaheim, LA. They all hate each other, it seems like, equally. And then, you know, you got the Islanders, Rangers, and Devils. It's not like a one way rivalry. It's kind of a three way thing.
Starting point is 00:56:07 Yeah. But I feel like like Rangers Devils to me is the big rivalry and LA Anaheim. Like I feel like the Islanders and the Sharks are a little bit on their own. Like I don't think like it's an equal rivalry between all three of them. Right. No, no. There's definitely a bigger rivalry of them. But it seems like each team has fucking hate for the other teams. One other career note before we send it off to the Hollywood man rocket,
Starting point is 00:56:31 John Hamm. Devin Dubnik, we reached the 30-win mark for the fifth consecutive season. Only one other goalie has an active streak of five or more consecutive 30-win campaigns. That's Braden Holpe at Washington. So shout out to Dubny for another great achievement, having a great year. But, boys, John Hamm, man, this is a career thrill for me,
Starting point is 00:56:48 talking to the guy who played Don Draper on Mad Men. Wits, I know you had a couple questions about Roger Sterling toward the end there. You're a big fan of Mad Men. I love Mad Men. I forget when I started watching it. But I remember being like, this is slow. But all of a sudden, I was into it and watching them all.
Starting point is 00:57:03 So, yeah, I had to ask about that legend, Sterling. R.A., I'm surprised you didn't say this is an interview but all of a sudden I was into it and watching them all. I had to ask about that legend Sterling. R.A., I'm surprised you didn't say this is an interview with your co-star. I figured I'd let one of you guys say it instead. With that, we'll go to Hollywood superstar Jon Hamm. This interview was brought to you by HelloFresh.
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Starting point is 00:58:36 go to HelloFresh.com slash Chicklets80, and then enter Chicklets80 for $80 off your first month of HelloFresh. 80 and then enter chiplets 80 for $80 off your first month of hello fresh you know our next guest for his sublime emmy winning work as the brooding boozy don draper or dick whitman on tv's mad men his frustrated fed adam frawley and the ahmed kahaistrola the town and his hilarious turn as cult leader richard wayne Wayne, and Netflix's unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Welcome to the show, Jon Hamm. Well, the reason that you're on and the main reason that I think that we know you as hockey fans is your diehard passion for the St. Louis Blues. This year, I was blown away by your call. I think it was Barbashev's goal in L.A., one of the calls of the year,
Starting point is 00:59:25 as you saw that go down. I'm just interested in your beginning as a Blues fan. I know you grew up in Missouri, but tell me how you got into hockey and the game overall. Growing up in St. Louis, it's a Cardinals town. It's a baseball town, right? That's just – it is what it is. But in the 70s, there was – the Blues played in what was called the old barn,
Starting point is 00:59:46 because it was an old stockyard where all the cattle used to come up. In the old days, they converted it into an arena in the 50s, 60s. So the Blues came around in 1967. I was born in 1971. I'm almost as old as the team. But tickets were cheap. And my dad would drive by. The arena was right off the highway.
Starting point is 01:00:14 My dad would drive by and say, you want to go to a game? And I'd go, yeah, let's go. We would pull into the parking lot, grab a couple tickets, and go watch the game. And it was really exciting and fun. And I didn just, we would pull into the parking lot, grab a couple of tickets and go watch the game. And it was, it was really exciting and fun. And I didn't know how to play hockey.
Starting point is 01:00:29 I didn't grow up playing hockey. I couldn't really skate. We didn't have access to ice that much, but I just loved watching it. It was so different and fun and exciting. And then throughout the eighties and nineties, when we started getting good and we had, you know,
Starting point is 01:00:43 we had marquee players like Holly and Shani shanny and and chris pronger and guys like that and that's around the time uh just after college i started waiting tables and so all the boys would come in after after the games and come into the bar that i worked at and eat and drink and so i got to know a couple of those guys and i still do and it's uh it's just it's it's a really nice kind of community of of you know friendship that's that's uh bonded by this love the game they're like uh I'm in the NHL why is my wife game facing the bus boy over here right now what is going on so it's funny you mentioned that how your father was the one hey you want to go in because I think most kids who play like you know,
Starting point is 01:01:25 Paul and I, our dad's got us into the game. But I'm guessing your dad knew nothing about the game either. It was just, hey, cheap ticket, let's go in and support the local team. Yeah, he was a business guy. Like, he ran a trucking company. And I think he just knew that it was a fun event. It was very social back in the 70s in St. Louis. Like, it was a you know it was a fun event it was it was very social back in the 70s in in in St. Louis like all it was a very social event like just a bunch of uh people you know uh and
Starting point is 01:01:53 and and kind of celebrated it was always a boozy night like it was always people would would would get their drink on and there was a bowling alley right next to the arena and people would go bowl after the games it was just like it was it was a very fun kind of to the arena and people would go bowl after the games. It was just like, it was, it was a very fun kind of Midwestern night. That was, it was always, I remember it being very, very fun. John, when you were busting tables, were there any players personalities that stuck out to you from the guys who would come in? Like, would you buddy buddy with any of them or, or any of them assholes?
Starting point is 01:02:22 No, they were all nice. Being a dick in St. Louis doesn't get you very far. So it's like everybody was pretty nice. I do remember when Pronger first came in because we traded Brendan Shanahan for Chris Pronger. He was like 19 years old. And I just remember him sitting at the corner of the bar. Of course, he's not old enough to drink, but that didn't really matter. But he just seemed like such a sad dude.
Starting point is 01:02:49 And I remember going over to him, because I think I was barking at the time, and I just remember going over to him and saying, like, hey, man, just give it some time. It's going to take a little bit for everybody to forget about Shanahan. He was a pretty beloved figure around here, but they'll come around on you. And it took a little time, but everybody eventually did, and he became one of St. Louis' favorite players.
Starting point is 01:03:10 Which Blues era and particular group of players had the biggest impact on you becoming a fan? Was it the 70s, the 80s? It was definitely the Hall & Oates era. So it was Hulley and Chaser, Shanahan, Adam Oates.
Starting point is 01:03:27 Oh, God, we had so many crazy players back. Garth Butcher, Ujo and Manette. John, I had a question for you. Do you think it's ironic that all of a sudden you have that awesome goal call for the St. Louis Blues, and then Ron Burgundy comes back out of nowhere, and all of a sudden he's back in the NFL buildings? I did notice that. I mean, I got to say, like, you know, kind of biting my style a little bit there.
Starting point is 01:03:49 It was fun, though, man. I love going to hockey games anywhere. I'll go anywhere. I've been to several arenas around the country and in Canada, and I just love going. So I like going to the Kings games, but I especially like going when the Blues play. It was a blast.
Starting point is 01:04:10 They kindly enough asked me to come up to the booth. I just saw it. First of all, it's a great place to watch the game because you can see the whole ice and it's a great angle. I'd never really been up in the booth before for a hockey
Starting point is 01:04:26 game and um i just saw the play develop and it was like oh this is this is this is looking good and and that sammy blake kid is he's really good he's getting for for a tough guy he's got pretty soft hands and it was a beautiful passing into barbershop and barbershop just buried well it's funny you mentioned being up top i think it's just cool because you can see the entire play develop whereas you know you're down near the near the ice it's tough to see how things are kind of happening but you you mentioned you you've been to a bunch of arenas is there one that sticks out as your favorite and you know you can't just say saint the scott trade center whatever it's called now in st louis you've been to i don't even know what it's called anymore i I think it's the Enterprise Center now. But I've literally lived through about 10 different names of Blues buildings.
Starting point is 01:05:10 I will say that I haven't been to see hockey in Montreal or Toronto, but when I was in Vancouver, I shoot up in Vancouver quite a lot. Their fans are pretty lusty and loud, and that was a pretty great place to go watch a lot. Their fans are pretty lusty and loud and that was a pretty great place to go watch a game. I watched the Blues play there once and decked out entirely all my Blues gear
Starting point is 01:05:34 and everybody was not thrilled but it was really fun and everybody gets into it. It was the first time I had mini donuts so it was pretty good too. A lot of funny smells in the air at that Vancouver Arena too. You're always burning it during the game. It's pretty funny.
Starting point is 01:05:48 How many games a year do you get to between L.A. and St. Louis? Not as many as I'd like, and I try to go. If there's a special event, like a couple years ago, the Winter Classic was in St. Louis, and me and about six or seven friends of mine from, from going back in St. Louis, we all made it a point to get tickets and go. And then, and I'll go, if I'm, if I'm around, I'll go to during the playoffs. That's, that's generally when I, when I'm able to go, cause I'm usually out here and the way the schedule works, you know, the, the, the teams
Starting point is 01:06:20 don't play the West coast that often. So the blues never get out here, and I'm rarely back home. Do you still have that anytime pass? I know you had that card a couple years ago. You can just show that and get into any game anytime you want to. Do you still have that? I do, but I think that was a different ownership group. I don't think it works anymore. It's still sitting in my desk.
Starting point is 01:06:39 So shift that over to the Blues. I mean, it's been almost 50 years since their last cup final appearance, 1970. You know, where do you attribute the biggest obstacle to them getting to a cup final? Has it been ownership? Has it been management? Has it been bad luck, a combination of the three? What do you think the reason is they just haven't been able to get over the hump as a franchise? Well, I
Starting point is 01:06:57 think it's obviously it's a combination. I think, you know, we've had the right pieces and it's just for whatever reason they haven't. Playoff hockey is like a game of Tetris, you know, we've had the right pieces, and it's just for whatever reason they haven't. Playoff hockey is like a game of Tetris, you know. It's like fitting everything into the right form to make it into a straight line. Sometimes you don't get the right pieces, and sometimes you get bad luck. And so, I mean, we've had some amazing teams.
Starting point is 01:07:18 I'm thinking specifically the year we won the President's Trophy. I think it was 91, 92 maybe, but that was Holly scores 50 in 50 games. And I mean, we've had elite players at every position on our team and it's just not worked out. And I think some of that is just the way the playoffs go, you know? I mean, a couple of years ago,
Starting point is 01:07:38 we were two wins from Nashville over going to the final and we just couldn't get it done. You know, Pecorine stands on his head, and he can't solve the guy, and that's going to happen too. You know, you run into a hot goalie, or the other half of it is you're the beneficiary of a hot goalie. You know, you see guys flurry the other year.
Starting point is 01:08:01 You know, these guys, all of a sudden, they just go on these runs, and, you know, we've been fortunate enough to have in a guy like Bennington, a guy that's been doing that and hopefully can carry it over through the playoffs. I think this team's got the skill and the youth and hopefully the health to make a pretty deep run. How confident are you in this year's team? You think they have everything that it takes to win a cup or what? You know, what I think is great about this team in particular is that they've experienced getting close
Starting point is 01:08:32 and they've also experienced not getting in, so they're hungry. And I think they've got guys like Alex Steen in the clubhouse that are leaders. And they've got young guys that really want it. And I think, I think that's a really, that's a pretty deadly combination. And if you guys, if you guys between the pipes are, are solid and they're scoring goals, the way that these guys have been scoring, when they put three in against Tampa Bay in a minute and 15, you know, it's obviously things like this happen in streaks but it's it's been pretty
Starting point is 01:09:06 it's been pretty fun to watch john if there's uh if you had one opportunity to go back and put the gear on and fight one of your your nemesises from other teams that st louis have played against who's the one guy you like to beat the wheels off uh well you know the during the 80s and 90s the big rivalries for st louis were always detroit and chicago and we had some pretty epic uh hate for bob probert and you know it's obviously never speak ill of the dead and god bless him but he was he was uh he was particularly hated in st louis uh and i remember talking with with Kelly Chase a little bit. He's like, oh, man, whenever we get on the ice, he's like, I knew I'd have to go out there.
Starting point is 01:09:50 He's just such a tough son of a bitch. I look at Chaser now, and I'm like, he's such a little old man. He's such a sweet guy. And I just remember back in the day, he'd just go out there and mix it up. He's a sweet guy. We had Chaser on on and he's he's an animal he likes to tell some stories too the best he's the best and his uh his wife his family
Starting point is 01:10:14 he's just such a nice guy he's uh that's the kind of thing again that's that's that's what i remember about that particular era of the st. louis blues is it's just guys like that. Him and Shani and Hulley, just nice as the day is long and great players. We actually had Adam Oton too and we were begging him for Brad Hull stories because there's just so many legendary Hull stories of him just basically not, it seems like he doesn't care but he goes out and he just snipes. Did you spend some time hanging with him or have you gotten to know him in the past? Oh yeah, I've hung out with Hulley. He's a
Starting point is 01:10:47 great guy. He's an icon at St. Louis, obviously. And yeah, Hulley had that ability. He's the kind of guy, like you said, it doesn't seem like he's trying. Except you know that that guy shot three million
Starting point is 01:11:03 pucks in the nets. It's not a mistake that he's that good. He's blessed with an incredible talent and an incredible ability to, you know, lean on that talent and make it happen. So watching him, I remember I was in a game, the Blues were playing, this must have been 2001, in San Jose in the playoffs. And I was shooting up in Central California. And I mean, this was in the early days of the internet. I bought tickets off eBay.
Starting point is 01:11:32 I was like, whoa, I can do this. And arranged to like meet the guy at the thing by the statue. I've never been to San Jose, so I don't know where it is. I meet the guy and I give him a couple hundred bucks. And I say, hey, I'm here by myself. If your buddies want to go, I'll just sell you back the other three tickets if you it was on the way of course that'd be great so me and his friends all sat with me and I never met these people and I bought them all beers and we watched and first period how we were right time
Starting point is 01:12:01 on the glass and he scored a goal it was I was. I just saw the puck go right off the stick, right into the net. It was so cool. He was so good. Such a snipe. No, he's so incredible. And we talk a lot with guys who, you know, formerly played the game or currently, and people who, you know, cover the game.
Starting point is 01:12:18 But for someone like you who's, I mean, a big Blues fan, but you don't get to see a ton of hockey, I'm curious on your thoughts to where the game is now, to where it was in the 80s when you're talking about Bob Probert and Chaser and those amazing fights. I mean, do you miss that part of it, or do you actually enjoy the skill level and how it's changed as the game's gotten younger, basically?
Starting point is 01:12:37 It's gotten younger. I think everything's gotten younger. You look at baseball, you look at basketball, you look at even football, and every sport has trended toward the young. And hockey is no exception. It used to be in the old days you would get these guys on the ice that were 20, 21 years old, and they couldn't hang. They'd go up against Grimson or whoever, and they'd just get destroyed.
Starting point is 01:12:59 And they'd miss two weeks with a lower body or whatever because they're just not big enough. Well, now the way they're conditioning kids and the way their youth programs are run, these kids are coming out of college, you know, yoked. And they're just in amazing shape. So they're ready to play at the professional level. And you watch, and it's amazing to watch.
Starting point is 01:13:21 Is it better? Is it worse? I think it's probably better on the whole. It's certainly more entertaining than watching a 1-0 Devils team play a neutral zone trap for 60 minutes. It's allowing for the two-line passes and moving through the neutral zone a lot faster. It's more exciting hockey. When you watch these guys that can skate
Starting point is 01:13:45 90 miles an hour sideways, that's pretty impressive. Put a tape-to-tape pass from two zones away, it's impressive. It's fun to watch. That's why I think the Blues have done a lot of that.
Starting point is 01:14:03 John, there are other fan bases. They have shorter droughts than the Blues have had, but they're real pissy about it. How come Blues are other fan bases. They have, you know, shorter droughts than the Blues have had, but they're real pissy about it. How come Blues fans, like, on his anger, they don't come across as angry.
Starting point is 01:14:11 Do you guys just hide it well? Because it seems like you should be pissed off as much as, like, say, Flyers fans. Why aren't we angry? I don't know. I think, you know,
Starting point is 01:14:22 to go back to your hometown, I think it's like the Red Sox. Once they won it in 2004 against, you guessed it, the Cardinals, the fan base then started expecting it a little more. Before that, it was just they were kind of the lovable losers, right? It's the Cubs the same way. And I think we have a little bit of that mentality of just like, oh, well, you know, it wasn't our year.
Starting point is 01:14:48 Next year, we'll go get them. I think if we ever get close again, if we ever threaten the finals again, I think the fan base will get a little more rowdy. John, hypothetically. I don't know if you've ever been to a game at St. Louis. It is loud. We support our team. It's a great place to watch hockey. I thought't know if you've ever been to a game at St. Louis. It is loud. We support our team. It's a great place to watch hockey.
Starting point is 01:15:07 I thought you said you were a fan. You didn't know me and Ryan went to training camp one year on a PTO game? I went two years in a row. They brought me back to be a jester. Well, there you go. John, I have a hypothetical. If you could trade in your acting career for a 20-year NHL career playing for your
Starting point is 01:15:25 hometown team would you do it right now would I do it honestly no it takes too much out of you like I've seen what it does to your body I watched after the game here in LA I went downstairs and some of the boys and you know just watching everybody get taped up and put back together after games I'm just like, oh, man. Like, for me, when I'm done acting, I get to go take a shower and, you know, have a cup of coffee. Like, this is a lot easier. I'm like, this is what it is.
Starting point is 01:15:59 Are you married, John? No, no. I was with the same girl for about 16 years when we broke up a couple years ago. Oh, geez, way to kill the buzz, Des, Jesus Christ. I was in St. Louis when the Red Sox did win the series, and it's the only time I ever had a fan base actually congratulate me on winning. Like, the Sox won, and Cardinals know, Cardinals fans would come up and say,
Starting point is 01:16:25 hey, congratulations, and shook my hand. It was pretty acid. I've had a lot of friends that were from Boston that mentioned that that was the case. Do you have a hard time finding fellow hockey fans when you're on set, you know, just to shoot the shit about the game with? They are not as plentiful as baseball and football. I will say that. Um, obviously it's way more fun when you're, when you're shooting in Canada because everybody
Starting point is 01:16:51 on the crew talks hockey and half of them are in more than half are in fantasy hockey teams and, and they all know a lot about the game. So it's, it's a lot more fun up there, especially during the season when you can, when you can bullshit with people. Um, but yeah, no, it's, with people. But yeah, no, it's not hard. Plus having the app, the NHL app and the NHL network now,
Starting point is 01:17:14 that's been huge. I can watch it on the fly all the time. John, R.A. often pumps his own tires about his acting skills. I've been starting to push some content out, and you're pretty okay yourself. Would you ever be down to maybe do a collab
Starting point is 01:17:29 where we maybe have an act-off for some content? Because I don't know. I've been pretty good. Yeah, sure. Anytime. Yeah, sure. As he changes his number after this interview. Well, and we don't have a big budget.
Starting point is 01:17:45 I just wanted to save that for last. All right. I got, you know, I got, I've worked at all budget levels. I'm working on Top Gun 2 right now, and I've worked on, you know, any movie. R.A. just creamed his pants. Let's go. Let's wait a minute.
Starting point is 01:17:59 Top Gun 2. I missed that casting call. No shit, Doc. Congratulations. They didn't call you, huh? No, man. Oh, I'm sorry. They didn't call you, huh? No, man. They need a fat Baldwin guy to fly a jet.
Starting point is 01:18:10 I'm your man, brother. Yeah. John, do you remember R.A.? No. Are you kidding me? Of course I do. Yeah, fuck off. And I totally remember Joe Lawler. I mean, we're talking about 10 years ago now yeah 2009 but uh but it was uh i have a lot
Starting point is 01:18:32 of fond memories about about working on the town and most of them was um meeting because there were so many folks like you that were locals that were cast in it and it was it was really fun kind of talking everybody and meeting everybody and the first time i'd spent any any time longer than like a day or two in boston so i really got to got to know the city too i'm guessing you had a fun time working there then blast absolute blast well it was funny we mentioned joe he was originally selected he was supposed to be the fourth bank robber um you know uh in that crew there but Blast. Absolute blast. Well, it was funny. We mentioned Joe. He was originally selected. He was supposed to be the fourth bank robber in that crew there. But because of his colorful background, shall we say,
Starting point is 01:19:15 his insurance, he was going to need more insurance because he was going to be handling weapons. So they're like, sorry, Joe. And Ben Affleck was crestfallen. He's like, oh, my God, Joe, I wanted you so bad. He goes, but I promise I'll put you somewhere else in the movie. So what's he end up playing? A Fed. They wouldn't let him play the bank robber because of his records, but they let him play a Fed, which I thought was absolutely hilarious.
Starting point is 01:19:30 So good. I remember going back for the premiere. They had the premiere of the film at Fenway Park, and they put a screen up, and everybody sat down at the first baseline, and they showed it there. It was really great. And one of the guys that was one of the federal FBI guys that was our technical advisor on the show,
Starting point is 01:19:49 I was sitting next to him and he was sitting next to one of the guys who was one of the advisors on the bank robber side of it who he had arrested like 25 years ago. And they're bullshitting back and forth about how I remember I put you in jail, you son of a bitch. He goes, ah.
Starting point is 01:20:04 And these two guys are going back and forth. It's like, what's going on here? This is too weird. Like life imitating art. Um, well, we talked to a lot of former players and we kind of asked them if there was a
Starting point is 01:20:19 moment that really helped them make it to the NHL. If there was a certain person, was there a gig you got a job you got where you job you got where you look back now and you're like, dude, that kind of got everything rolling here? You know, like I think part of it was literally just moving out to L.A. Everybody, and I have a lot of friends back in St. Louis, and they're all kind of mystified with even now I've been out here for 20 some odd years oh my gosh how did you move to LA it's such
Starting point is 01:20:51 a big city and it's that kind of like well you know there's there's the time to do it is when you're young obviously and then it's you know it's a risk but it's it's one you think well I might as well try it now I remember being 25 I just taught school for a year and I thought if I'm, if I'm going to do it, it's now or never basically. And, and I figured there's, there's, you know, what's the worst that can happen? I'll come out here and I'll suck and I'll not work. And then I'll turn my car around and go home. And I came out here and I sucked. It took me a while to get a job and then I'll turn my car around and go home. And I came out here and I sucked. It took me a while to get a job. And then slowly but steadily, I started booking gigs.
Starting point is 01:21:33 I don't think there's one I can point to. I think it was more about the process, you know? John, I know it wasn't overnight success to you because you were humping for a long time, but to fans and TV viewers, it seemed like overnight success. What was that like going from a relatively unknown actor to now you're playing fucking Don Draper slash Dick Whitman? Spoiler alert. Now you have this huge role and tabloids are all over your ass and you're a star now.
Starting point is 01:21:59 What was that adjustment like? That must have been a troublesome thing. Was it hard to deal with? Well, it's not easy, but it's also because there's no rule book right there's no handbook you don't you don't no one says all right here now you're famous now here's what you're going to do and you're going to talk to them this is what's going to happen and these people are going to start following you and this is what you're supposed to do uh you just kind of have to, uh, go through it. And it's not the worst. I mean, you know, it's obviously, uh, it's great to be, uh, recognized for the work you're doing. So that
Starting point is 01:22:34 part of it was fantastic. Like, you know, being in a show that became a cultural phenomenon and became a hit, uh, is a, is a phenomenal experience phenomenal experience and you know going to the award shows and going to all the photo shoots and this is and that's that was all really fun um you just have to kind of remember that it's it's kind of all bullshit too at the same time like it's you can't you can't put too much credit give it too much credit or else you go crazy john i always wondered i don't i'm not saying necessarily you got uncomfortable but making out with an actress and then like maybe like after the show having to meet their like significant other like how fucking awkward is that it is pretty weird i will say that it's like hey are we gonna take it what's up, bud? Her breath's awesome. Yeah. You have to be very kind of, you know, honest and forthright and polite.
Starting point is 01:23:32 And, you know, obviously you don't want to come off as some kind of weirdo creeper. So generally, it's an awkward situation. It just is. It's, you know, 90% of making movies and television is, is, is awkward because there's just so much that can be misconstrued and what has. So it's, uh, it's just important to be, uh, you know, polite. That's, you know, I think my mom taught me that at least be polite. John, your dramatic bonafide is obviously well-known with Mad Men and The Town, but you've shown you're pretty adept at comedy as well.
Starting point is 01:24:10 Bridesmaids, Kimmy Schmidt, the cameo in the outstanding show Barry on HBO. Do you have a preference comedy over drama, and is it true that comedy is harder to do than drama? I don't have a preference necessarily. necessarily um i'm very fortunate to to uh have some kind of credibility in in both sides of the of the of the world in that respect which is really kind of great you know and i get to work with people who i consider you know incredibly talented and funny whether it's Peter or, you know, Kristen Wiig or Tina Fey or what have you. Part of that was being asked to host SNL by Lauren back in 2009. I mean, I just, he, for whatever reason, wanted me to be a part of the show,
Starting point is 01:24:58 and I was able to do it, and I had a great time doing it, and people liked it. So I got to do it three times, which is really fun. Um, is one harder than the other? You know, they're, they're both tricky. Uh, but they're, they're both the kind of thing where if you surround yourself with the right people, they become a lot easier. And when you're working with a guy like Bill Hader on Barry, people they become a lot easier and when you're working with a guy like bill hater on barry for example it's easy to be funny because he's just funny when you're working with kristen wigg on bridesmaids it's i mean it's not that hard to be goofy because she's just so good um tina is the same way you know polar maya all those guys they're're just great. And so, again, I'm lucky. A lot of people don't get asked to go play on that side of the pond.
Starting point is 01:25:52 You're only asked to or you're made to kind of stay in your lane. And I got lucky. John, was the pizza review at Dave Portnoy one of your hardest acting gigs? Was the pizza review at Dave Portnoy one of your hardest acting gigs? Was the pizza review? That's the funny thing. I'd never even heard of that thing. And then the kid that came by was like, oh, my God, you're the pizza review guy. And we were like, yeah, he also was nominated for an Academy Award.
Starting point is 01:26:22 was nominated for an Academy Award. It reminds you of where you exist in the cosmology of kids. Are there any directors you want to work with in particular? There's so many great ones working today. Any one or two that you're dying to work with? Oh, yeah. The list is long. I mean, you know, you at the the Gignari 2's
Starting point is 01:26:46 and and Alfonso Cuarón's and Scorsese's still making great stuff Chris Nolan but I've had the
Starting point is 01:26:55 very good fortune to work with some great directors you know Edgar Wright I mean Ben Affleck
Starting point is 01:27:01 Ben was a fantastic director and the proof's in the pudding you know he's I mean Ben Affleck Ben is a fantastic director and the proof's in the pudding you know he's made three great movies but Edgar Wright I got to work with he's also very good yeah it's an
Starting point is 01:27:15 impressive skill it's something that I'm really impressed especially with Ben because I know I know how good an actor he is but also like you just think oh I'm just going to go ahead and be really good at this, too. Good for you, dude. What about for the Blues?
Starting point is 01:27:32 Back to them a little bit. You're busy, Top Gun, too, but are we going to see you at a Blues playoff game when the second season gets going? I hope so. You know, I haven't really been paying attention to the standings too much. I know we're two points out, two points behind, I think, Nashville, the second spot. But I don't know what seedings would be like.
Starting point is 01:27:54 I don't necessarily know who I'd want to play in the first round. But I don't know. I haven't gotten down that rabbit hole yet and freaked myself out with that whole matchup stuff. But I hope eventually they get out to the West Coast because it'll make it a lot easier for me to come see them. Well, don't forget about the content and movies we're going to create together. Maybe we can compete with Goon 1 and 2. I don't know what you got on your plate after this Top Gun thing,
Starting point is 01:28:23 but let's get down to business, John. Don, stop laughing. I'm dead serious, buddy. I love it. This is a verbal contract that we're going to get some stuff done. And, R.A., what do you got to say to your buddy here? Hey, it's been a treat, man. It's funny how life can take you funny places.
Starting point is 01:28:38 I mean, we were on a movie set 10 years ago, and now I'm interviewing you on a hockey podcast. It's pretty wild. Now, your buddies are at Ruddd too, right, Paul Rudd? Yeah, Paul and I go way back. He grew up in Kansas City. I grew up in St. Louis. We met each other back when I was 17 years old. That's funny
Starting point is 01:28:53 because I actually interviewed him when he was doing the junket for I Love You Man like eight years ago. I interviewed him at Fenway. It's kind of crazy how life turns out, but it's been a pleasure talking to you, John. We really appreciate you coming on. Hey, last question I have. The guy, I feel bad not knowing his name, the guy who played Roger Sterling, is he as cool of a cat as he comes off?
Starting point is 01:29:12 Is he as cool of a cat to have a beer with, like, in real life as he just looks on screen? Absolutely. He is a very, very dear friend of mine, and he's a great guy. He's got a great kid. His son Harry is I want to say he's got a sophomore in college now. I've known that kid since he was six.
Starting point is 01:29:34 And then, yeah, he's a great guy. Newton Mass. He's dialed to Boston, so he is a proud Red Sox and Pats fan, and other than that, he's a good kid. Well, we appreciate you coming on. And that kind of makes up for you for getting to send R.A.
Starting point is 01:29:52 his Oscar invite in the mail. You know, people make mistakes. Extras matter too, John. Thank you so much. And I'll run into each other one time and enjoy a beer at a game i hope so fellas thanks again i really do appreciate uh you having me on that interview was also brought to you by net suite if you don't know your numbers you don't know your business but the problem growing businesses have that keeps them from knowing their numbers is their
Starting point is 01:30:20 hodgepodge of business systems they They have one system for accounting, another for sales, another for inventory, and so on and so on. It's just a big inefficient mess, taking up too much time and too many resources, and that hurts the bottom line. That's why we're introducing NetSuite by Oracle. It's the business management software that handles every aspect of your business in an easy-to-use cloud platform, giving you the visibility and control you need to grow. With NetSuite, you save time, money, and unneeded headaches by managing sales, finance, and accounting, orders, and HR instantly right from your desktop or phone. That's why NetSuite is the world's number one cloud business system. And right now, NetSuite is offering you, our listeners, valuable insights with a free guide seven key strategies
Starting point is 01:31:05 to grow your profits at netsuite.com slash chicklets that's netsuite.com slash chicklets to download your free guide seven key strategies to grow your profits once more netsuite.com slash chicklets big thanks once again to john hammock like i said man it was such a thrill to talk to him it's pretty funny 10 years after being on a movie set with him I get to interview him for a hockey podcast so I loved it loved it great stuff biz you got something to share with the audience I understand story I just current events I you know I go through all these situations and uh and I figured I should share this one some of you might learn something from it some of you might
Starting point is 01:31:42 think hey you're an idiot how did you not already? Well, so I don't know much about cars, right? So I usually buy new vehicles and I'll make them last about five or six years. But I, you know, whenever I go to the dealership to get oil changes, they're going to say, Hey man, you know, you need a new air filter. And I kind of roll my eyes and if I don't really need it, I wouldn't know, but I don't want to fuck around with my car. So I say, all right, just put the new fucking air filter in there then. And how much is that going to cost me? Oh, this plus this plus this. And it's like, oh, fuck, here's my credit card.
Starting point is 01:32:13 Just take it. Well, we're the marks for them, basically. Yeah, exactly. They see a sucker from a mile away. And I'm a principal guy. So as long as like you're being reasonable and i'm like hey at least throw me a car wash in the detail and then i can go away happy so i pull up and i just hit 30 000 miles on my jeep and uh the guy's like oh are you gonna get your your your 30
Starting point is 01:32:37 60 90 done like like throws out some term like that and i'm like i'm like what the fuck does that mean and he's like well typically every 30 90,000 miles, people get like a little like package where they, they, they revamp everything. And I'm like, okay, well, what's in the package. So he, he starts listing everything off. And I said, I said, well, I remember coming here a couple of times ago and, and, and you sold me a couple of those things you just mentioned. Like, I got a memory, like an elephant like that. So I said, pull up my, my, my list. So he goes into it and sure enough, it shows like a couple of things that he's already sold me in that. I said, okay, we'll take that off the list. And considering you tried to charge me, whatever it was, 599 plus tax for it, dock that off of it and I'll get the rest
Starting point is 01:33:17 of it. So he's like, oh, okay. Like I can do this. What I can do for you. I said, buddy, I said, get it under 500 bucks, wash my car, detail it and vacuum it inside. And I'll, and I'll get this package. Cause I know I'm getting bent over a little bit, but I let's meet halfway here. So he kind of rolls his eyes and, you know, cause he wasn't able to sucker me into as much money as he thought he could. So I, you know, I, I go away for two and a half hours. I come back. I said, all right, where's my bill and he goes oh yeah it's just over 500 and I'm kind of like well no I said get it to under 500 and we're doing this so I look at I said show me the itemized list shows me the itemized list
Starting point is 01:33:54 the air filters on there I said bud you fucking sold this to me last time I came here we had this conversation before I left are you fucking kidding me and like I'm in there and like the lady's like oh Oh, I'm sorry. I'm saying it's not your fault. I said, it's that guy's fault right there. He's trying to rip me off. I know how this goes. I know he's going to see commission from that. So it's a principal thing. So I fuck, I tell you what, if I go back to this dealership one more time and I get, I try to get fleeced, I'm going to fucking put the number on this goddamn podcast. I'm going to have all our cult leader, our cult following, just dummy their reception. I'm not fucking standing for the bullshit.
Starting point is 01:34:31 Dude, I've been into it. I swear to God, I went. The third time I went to get my car serviced, like over a couple-month period, the guy's like, hey, you need new brakes first time. Yeah, okay, put new brakes on. Hey, the other brake pads are worn out. The front's now screwed. All right, put them on. Third time, he's like, you just want need new brakes first time. Yeah, okay, put new brakes on. Hey, the other brake pads are worn out. The front's not as true.
Starting point is 01:34:46 All right, put them on. Third time, he's like, you just want to buy a backup brake pad. I'm like, really? Like, I would have done it. And finally, I text him. I'm like, do I need to buy backup brake pads? They're like, what are you talking about? So I'm like, I can't even go in there now without someone that knows cars
Starting point is 01:35:00 because I'll be like asking, what else can I get? What else can I get? I feel so lost in those places. It drives me insane. and I'm sure a lot of people are getting fleece and once again like do I know I'm getting ripped off yeah but it's just like okay we'll lower the number to a number where I'm okay with paying it and and I get the peace of mind that my car is not going to fall apart which it won't but hey if I need a new air filter and he's telling me I need a new air filter I guess I need a new air filter and he's telling me I need a new air filter, I guess I need a new air filter. I'm not going to sit
Starting point is 01:35:28 there and argue with the guy because I don't know that I don't need a new air filter. How many times can I say air filter? As many times as Bortuzzo said, you know. I do like the feeling of driving away like after just getting a car, just like detailed and serviced or whatever. You just feel like a new man.
Starting point is 01:35:43 And the guy's kind of like rolling his eyes like I'm the bad guy here. I'm like, bud, I just put money in your pocket. I really, you just feel like a new man. And the guy's kind of like rolling his eyes. Like I'm the bad guy here. I'm like, but I just put money in your pocket. I know you've got a sales commission on that. I told you that I got the air filter last time you showed me. Cause you pulled it up on the iPad. I said, see, I knew you. So you sold me a couple of these things that are on this list. And he's like, Oh yeah, no problem. And then tries to put it back on the fucking list.
Starting point is 01:36:04 Give me a goddamn break nobody fucks you like the dealership though they have like the last resort i brought my car for a brake light and they're like uh we'll do an estimate 58 fucking hundred dollars they wanted to fix every little thing on the car that's where i go the dealership oh they always fuck you there you gotta find like a local guy who fucking does it on the side i know but if the garage looks dirty and disgusting i'm not going there no those are the those are usually the best ones fuck that make your place look nice all right that's my little rant for the day so i'll keep you guys but i'll keep you guys in the loop and if they try to fleece me again uh we're gonna have some fun with them we're gonna be
Starting point is 01:36:43 calling in we're gonna be be doing like, what's her name? Like, Laura, love me long time type shit. People are listening like, no, please, no. Please don't fuck over Biz again. Hey, on this show, we dump on social media and humanity quite a lot, but this
Starting point is 01:36:59 story is one that might restore your faith in both a little bit. Penguins fan Kelly Sawatsky, she held the sign at a recent penguins game and said hey genzel i'd love a hockey stick but what i really need is a kidney uh the penguins eagle-eyed social media director saw a bright sign from up high she sent down one of her dispatches to go take a picture of it and then the penguins tweeted it out on social media the girl like, like I said, basically kind of half joking, but dead serious. I need a kidney. Well, lo and behold, another Penguins fan, a teacher in Delaware named Jeff Lind.
Starting point is 01:37:30 He saw it. He got tested. He was a match and he gave his kidney to a total fucking stranger. It's just such an unselfish act that, again, on social media, this dude decides, I'm going to give a kidney to a total stranger. Again, this world is fucking cold, hard, mean. We talk about it a lot. So it's nice to have a story like this from the hockey world that literally warms your heart.
Starting point is 01:37:51 It's such a nice story. A stranger would do this for somebody that he doesn't even know, never met before. You saw the Instagram. Who posted it to their Instagram channel? I started on the ESPN Instagram. That's the one you sent to me. They put it on IGHTV or whatever, like Instagram TV
Starting point is 01:38:09 because it's a long clip. I believe it was about six minutes. If you guys get a chance, go watch it. It's a little emotional. I sent it over to R.A. today. What do you think, R.A.? How much later did it take? When she was at the game with this sign, when did he give her his liver?
Starting point is 01:38:27 They didn't say actually how much in the clip, but it seemed like it was pretty fast moving. I mean, I would say it probably happened over the course of maybe several weeks to a couple months, you know, because obviously it's, you know, time is of the essence when you need to give somebody a transplant. But what was pretty funny and pretty cool, she was in recovery room number 87. So naturally she named it Sydney the kidney. I love it.
Starting point is 01:38:50 I love it. So, yeah. So it's, again, a nice story. We don't get too many. A good social media story. That's good. Exactly. Like that.
Starting point is 01:38:57 Oh, boys. And I got some clarity on the mustard pack situation. Oh, I've been waiting with bated breath. Yeah. Apparently, mustard is like an allergen no that's what people tweet me it's like it's something that a lot of people are allergic to so because of lawsuits and stuff they don't want to be liable so they have you put it on yourself because they don't want any cross contamination now saying that oh like what
Starting point is 01:39:21 like so what is so why does subway not do it then I don't know what's gone on in, like, the last, say, 25 years, but I didn't know one person growing up with allergies. No one was allergic to anything. Why the fuck is everyone allergic to everything now? I mean, like, you can't tell me something weird isn't happening with either the food we eat or, God knows, the water we drink. Because why now do all these kids have peanut allergies and shit? The only kid with allergies actually was Tom Pote.
Starting point is 01:39:49 He couldn't be around anything. He could actually eat McDonald's. He crushed McDonald's. It was one of the only things he could eat. One time somebody left a little, might have had a peanut butter bagel or something, and there was peanut butter on the phone. He picked it up, and it was like it could kill him almost.
Starting point is 01:40:03 So I know it's obviously been around forever but i feel like now everyone is a lot more commonly allergic to stuff than before absolutely the modification oh the modification of food has definitely i don't even know what that means but as in like like like they create like wheat in labs so they can make it way cheaper it's like it's i mean that's a that's a i mean i'm probably not the first guy to ask about the science side of it but just a modification of natural foods and and preservatives and all this bullshit that they put in it now keep in mind it's it's one of those things where in order to feed north america think about how much food that we have to produce. And the population keeps growing and growing and growing. So, you know, in order to feed everyone, you got to do it cheap.
Starting point is 01:40:51 Yeah. I mean, only certain people can afford to eat and go shop at Whole Foods where it's all natural food and the cost to produce the natural. Maybe this is why people are eating. You said people are eating the TV dinners, Biz. Yeah. I mean, well, that's another reason. Back to your other point.
Starting point is 01:41:06 Yeah, I mean, you go get a nice steak from Whole Foods. I mean, for a pound steak, you got to pay like 20, 25 bucks for like a grass-fed organic steak. Grass-fed. I think it's just indicative of other medical issues. I think diagnoses are way up, but not actual cases. I saw that ADD documentary on Netflix. Oh, fuck.
Starting point is 01:41:30 Everyone had ADD back in the day. Just because they're diagnosing it doesn't mean somebody actually has it. Because once you diagnose somebody with something, then what happens? Then you get a script. Now you're on the prescription train for fucking life. And fucking who likes that? Insurance companies, big pharma. Everybody makes money off it when you get diagnosed with something.
Starting point is 01:41:47 By the way, I misspoke there. It wasn't back in the day. Back in the day, it was like, this kid's dumb. This kid, why can't he pay attention? That was me. That was me in high school. Yeah, that kid probably has learning disabilities or ADD. But yeah, I mean, those Ritalin pills and all that shit,
Starting point is 01:42:03 I mean, people are making banks selling that stuff, so I guess you're right. But I still think allergies is different. I mean, that's like, well, you could die if you have peanut butter. I mean, that's like a little different. You think that people are still like almost getting diagnosed with allergies, but they're so minor that it doesn't even matter, you mean? No, not so much with allergies.
Starting point is 01:42:23 Obviously, you don't want someone allergic to something eat something but i think just like in medical world yeah in in general right diagnoses for a lot of things are up because again once you're fucking once you're on that script train then and then they fucking love you then they can cha-ching you got insurance can i just thank you ra for bringing up the fact that if we would have talked to john ham about his wrench that he probably would have hung up the phone so we would have wasted a full 30 minute interview with a movie star because I thought it was pretty funny how all these pictures were on
Starting point is 01:42:49 Google of this guy going commando and his we're talking about like a horse cock right like a soft baby's arm just hanging down in these pictures walking around the street I don't he definitely doesn't wear underwear. Either way,
Starting point is 01:43:07 was it RA? Did you see the thing that was like he was he got like rattled about it one time in an article? Yeah, they mentioned to him. It could have been TMZ asking him to like, you know, they're already fucking fed up with those idiots. But yeah, he mentioned their private parts, their private
Starting point is 01:43:21 for a reason. And yeah, we don't want to torpedo our interview just for a laugh, but it was funny when we tweeted out we were having them on i think 75 of the replies were the fucking wrench emoji yeah and a big reason why a lot of people hate our podcast because we talk about dicks too much yeah i don't know i think people kind of like it you know i'm in a i'm in a group chat uh with like like my wife's family and her her sister's husband's in it and he's he sent me the whole group chat a video of his with like, like my wife's family and her sister's husband's in it. And he's he sent me the whole group chat a video of his son like using like putting a screw in with a tool. Obviously, there's women on this text like, Hey, Ryan, what's this tool? I'm like, you motherfucker.
Starting point is 01:43:57 That's a wrench. It's fucking hilarious. Why is this that type of talk getting brought to the family group chat? Boys, what else do we got? You know what, Biz? It's been a couple weeks since I had some wages for the crowd, but I'm going to bring the game back a little bit. I need some picks, RA. Give me the good stuff here. You're going to use them this time?
Starting point is 01:44:17 Grinnelli texted me Saturday. Who do you like? And I give him fucking Ottawa. Who says bet fucking Ottawa on the puck line, and he doesn't do it? Plus, whatever, they were at 380 or something. He lets it go by the buy side. The problem was you gave me two picks. You gave me Dallas and Ottawa, and I picked Dallas,
Starting point is 01:44:33 and I hammered Dallas, and it was like a save me Saturday night pick. And that's just like – my bookie texted me this morning and was like, are you okay, man? Like, you need some help. You don't look okay. He's tired from his fucking NHL debut the other night. But anyways, I did mention the last couple weeks of the season, it's tough gambling, man.
Starting point is 01:44:52 It's like you got teams looking to upset, teams you think are going to suck, they don't. Having said all that, I do like a couple teams in the next couple days. Monday, April 1st, Colorado is at St. Louis. The Avs need this game a lot more. St. Louis is in the playoffs. They're jockeying for position, Colorado is at St. Louis. The Avs need this game a lot more. St. Louis is in the playoffs. They're jockeying for position, but Colorado needs W. So on that game, I'm going to go with the IRA special,
Starting point is 01:45:11 which is a money line for a unit, puck line for a half a unit. My second and final pick on this week's, this episode's corner, Tuesday, April 2nd, Carolina is at Toronto. Again, another situation. Carolina needs this game. They need to get in the playoffs Toronto is basically locked in on that third spot right now in the Atlantic
Starting point is 01:45:29 or whatever the hell the division is Northeast whatever they call it same thing there Carolina for a money line for a unit puck line for a half unit those are the two picks we'll see what happens but if you are gambling again
Starting point is 01:45:39 careful out there tread lightly a lot of weird shit happens the last week of the year I love R.A. picking against the Blues during our Blues-centric episode with Jon Hammond and Roberto Bertuzzo. Roberto. Because that's a ballsy pick.
Starting point is 01:45:53 You're picking against St. Louis. Toronto's got a good team. I'm impressed by that. But obviously Grinnellian impressed enough to listen to you last night. Maybe I'll smarten up in the meantime. This week's Gambling corner is brought to you by TripActions. There's a reason half of business travelers do not use their company's chosen travel management platform. Booking business travel is still ridiculously outdated, time
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Starting point is 01:46:55 their business travel and you should too because TripActions rewards travelers for saving their company money and they'll reward you just for checking them out. Reshape your company's business travel today with TripActions. Go to tripactions.com slash checklets, complete a 30-minute demo with a TripActions account executive, and you'll get 20% off your booking fees in 2019. It's that simple, but it's this month only. TripActions.com slash checklets for a free demo and 20% off booking fees in 2019. TripActions.com slash checklists. Biz, you had an interesting note for us. Alexander Bakov, who a lot of people think he's Russian because of his name, but he's actually Finnish,
Starting point is 01:47:34 became the fourth Finnish player in NHL history to reach 90 points in a season. Yari Curry did it eight times. Taimou Salani did it a half a dozen times. Ole Jokinen did it. And Alexander Bakov, he may well be the first Finn to lead the NHL in scoring someday, eh, Biz? He's a stud. And he kind of went from the most underrated player in the National Hockey League
Starting point is 01:47:53 to where now everybody knows who he is. And he's solidified himself as an NHL superstar, and rightfully so. And moving forward, boys, I think that Florida Panthers team is just going to keep getting better and better. They have a great core group. I would imagine that they dive into free agency a little bit this summer, especially with the rumors that we've heard about Bobrovsky and Panarin potentially heading there.
Starting point is 01:48:14 Could you imagine that team with a star goalie and then adding another superstar forward to that mix? I tell you what, they've done a good job. A bit of an unfortunate year for them. I know a lot of people are talking about the fact that they've blown so many third-period leads. So, you know, hopefully they can figure that out because that's a market that could use a couple playoff winning seasons in order to get going.
Starting point is 01:48:39 Yeah, Biz, unfortunately they didn't get the goal 10 that I think they needed this year. You know, they're spending almost $8 million between Luongo and Reimer. Both those guys are on the hook for two more years after this year. So they're going to have to make some really hard decisions as, as, as it pertains to their goaltending situation. Obviously,
Starting point is 01:48:55 if you're going to throw money at Bobrovsky, you're going to have to get rid of one of those other guys. And if they had, you know, even I would say slightly above average goaltending, they're probably competing for a playoff spot right now. So we'll be interesting to see what happens because they certainly have a great forward core down in Florida.
Starting point is 01:49:09 Yeah, they need to add something because I'm surprised. I thought this year they were going to get in. I really did. So goaltending is an issue. Whitney, one thing that people have been asking for the last few weeks, we teased it a while back, but we haven't actually talked about it. Oh, Free Solo. Free Solo, the documentary.
Starting point is 01:49:24 Go ahead. Biz, do you know what it is? I have no idea what this is oh is this the the hiking one yeah if you want to call it hiking hiking on steroids and hgh and crack this this guy is a he's a like he just climbs mountains with no rope it's like he's just i've heard reclimber so i got into this movie that my buddy said he watched he's like dude it's unreal it's He just climbs mountains with no rope. He's just a free climber. So I got into this movie that my buddy said he watched. He's like, dude, it's unreal. It's like you're actually sitting on the edge of your seat.
Starting point is 01:49:51 So they're following him around. First of all, the guy's very a little different, a little weird. Oh, yeah. You got to be right to be doing this. But there's something. There's some screws missing up top. Speaking of diagnoses, right? Yeah, exactly.
Starting point is 01:50:11 Diagnosis says this guy's a nut dude he's he was so flexible he would be doing pull-ups by the tip of his fingers because when you're climbing on these mountains you got you got one fingertip holding you if you slip you're done and the craziest part about the entire thing is he's got this girlfriend so he meets this girl, the girl came to his book signing. She was a She was a soupy. She was a straight up soupy. He starts dating this girl but she's on the entire
Starting point is 01:50:35 movie. Dude, he couldn't stand her. He couldn't even stay. I feel like he was like get out of here to this girl. Because she's trying to talk about it. He doesn't want to talk about anything. I understand why. I don't even know why he would have a girlfriend. The guy can pretty much die any day he gets up, but it was the most insane
Starting point is 01:50:52 footage. I mean, the guys that filmed it, dude, they were fucking climbing this mountain. I think it's El Capitan in Yosemite National Park or whatever. I'm just looking at this mountain. The fact that he climbed up it with no rope and he's doing the tryouts with the rope is he's doing the tryouts and he's getting to this one place and he keeps
Starting point is 01:51:09 falling keeps falling keeps falling I'm like bro what are you like how and he gets up there and he crushed it obviously he's alive wait so he so so he eventually passed that part with the ropes to know which which course to take through the hiking of the mountain. It's funny. I don't remember them showing him get past that. They must have. They must have because I don't think he would have done the entire climb until he had done the entire route with a rope.
Starting point is 01:51:38 Well, because he has to know which way to go, right? So that's the whole purpose of him taking the ropes up. And he would go up and like shave down some areas. Like, I mean, he's getting like the tip of his sneaker and his fingers are like holding him. I don't even, I still don't understand how it's possible. At some, some of the points he's hanging pretty much. How is that fucking possible? But it was like edge of your seat thriller watching it.
Starting point is 01:52:02 And I was kind of pissed. I knew he was still alive because it took a little bit of, not the fun, I'm not going to say fun, but it took a little bit of watching it, the excitement, because I knew he made it. But still, even watching just blew me away. But, I mean, I don't know. What's the name of it?
Starting point is 01:52:16 It's called Free Solo. And here's the issue. I don't want to be, I'm not a bad guy, but he's going to die doing this. Yeah, it's just a matter of time, right? Because if you keep doing it. They talked about other climbers that did it. They listed like 28 guys or 30 guys who died.
Starting point is 01:52:34 And they're just like showing them their pictures, names. I'm like – so obviously something is wrong with them, I guess I could say. But either way – Well, they're adrenaline junkies where like they only feel alive when they're putting their lives on the line climbing a mountain just and and it's really just for the respect of the community i don't even think it's a community i think it was it's just him he he's wired away where yeah so is he the only one that's alive right now that does it the way he does it uh no there are other no there are other other client there are other climbers you're right i mean i guess that is mad respect you know what
Starting point is 01:53:08 and i said i said he's gonna die he was talking to a guy like training leading up to it who's still alive and he's been fucking doing it for 30 years so at some point they get to a certain age where they just probably can't do it or do they not think like that who knows who knows i just it was the most interesting movie like this this dude and his life and every day. And, like, he was going to do it one day. He started biz, and then he, like, stopped. He's like, no, I don't have it today. And it's just a wild watch.
Starting point is 01:53:34 I mean, I recommend it to anyone. Recommend it to anyone. But I'm interested to see what other people think about it. If, like, if he's still with this girl, I'm shocked. I've never seen somebody hate their girlfriend on camera more than this guy. How was she? How was she? Did you see it already?
Starting point is 01:53:49 Yeah, I did. Excuse me. I did see it. What did I miss out? What did I leave out? You know what? You pretty much summed it up. Just listeners who want to watch it, I believe it's still on Netflix.
Starting point is 01:53:58 It's also been airing on the Nat Geo channel. But you did mention that montage. It was basically like a faces a death rail. Like, let's look at some of the legends of free solo sport. And then every guy fucking died. Like, everybody who's good at this sport eventually dies doing it. But I thought it was honestly one of the most impressive athletic accomplishments I've ever seen.
Starting point is 01:54:17 Just the fact that this guy, like you said, no ropes, no gadgets, nothing. He just fucking scales the mountain with his hands and feet. It's like watching sci-fi. And there was a couple of similar documentaries. Maru, I don't know if you saw that. It's very similar, free climbing a mountain. I think that one's over in the Himalayas. And then there's one called The Dawn Wall as well. That's also on Netflix. And these guys, it's absolutely crazy. I think one of the nuttier things they do, which is when they like sleep overnight and they, I think it called bivouacs they just literally it's like a little pod and they sleep on the side of the fucking mountain just hanging
Starting point is 01:54:49 there they're literally just dangling off the side of the mountain what oh it's so yeah i've never even seen that yeah i've seen the dude to do like the bat suits and jump off the mountains and they like kind of fly down the side it's like getting a bat suit yeah yeah base jumping but no this is people when they're climbing the mountain they'll take a break and they'll it's in that maroon they literally sleep in this like a sleeping bag but it's a cocoon a cocoon biz right but they're on the side of a mountain like 20 000 feet those people are tapped yeah it's definitely crazy it's not something fucking you ever catch me doing but i think you wrapped it up pretty pretty well have you caught anything else lately you don't think that he hated that girl?
Starting point is 01:55:26 I think, honestly, I think he has – I hate diagnosing people. I think he might be on the spectrum, as they say. Yeah, yeah. He doesn't like looking at people when they talk to him. He's socially awkward sometimes. And, yeah, you wonder why a girl is even with this guy who's – every day he goes to work, he might die. But, you know, women –
Starting point is 01:55:43 Is somebody going to answer my question? How was she? She was not bad. Really? All right. All right. I'll watch it. I mean, put it this way. If you're doing a book signing and, like, she plops your book down in front of you, you're like, whoa.
Starting point is 01:56:00 Okay. Okay. I mean, it's not something like Troll. Did you catch Green Book, Whitney, at all? I know you liked the movie. Yeah, I did. I liked it a lot. I mean, it's not something like Troll. Did you catch Green Book, Whitney, at all? I know you liked the movie. Yeah, I did. I liked it a lot. I liked it a lot. Yeah, did we? I don't know. I don't know how the hell that became an issue. I thought it was a great movie
Starting point is 01:56:15 with a great storyline. I'm not getting into that shit, but I liked it a lot. Did you see it, Biz? No. No, I kind of started watching it on the flight, but I cried enough on the other two movies I watched, so I figured I'd put that one on hold. What movies made you cry? We've got to hear this.
Starting point is 01:56:31 I told you about it last podcast. I'm sorry. Yeah, I forgot. I didn't realize it was the same thing. I mean, Bohemian Rhapsody made me cry a little bit. Like, give me a break, Biz. Stop being a pussy. Oh, you know what made me cry in the bad way was the dirt.
Starting point is 01:56:45 I watched it on Netflix, the movie about the Motley Crue. That's what I wanted to ask. You didn't like it? I don't know. I wasn't the biggest fan of it. It felt like cheaply made to me. That's exactly what I've heard from everybody else about it. It felt like a cheesy.
Starting point is 01:57:00 I don't know. I was expecting more. Sorry, Biz. Oh, no. That's fine. That's exactly the consensus I've gotten on it. It was just like the stories and stuff were cool, but it was like amateur done.
Starting point is 01:57:13 Amateurly? Amateurly? Yeah, I don't know. It's really hard to describe. Somebody help me. We'll call it amateur hour, Biz. How's that? Amateurly done?
Starting point is 01:57:21 We're creating new words on the pod. Amateurly. Yeah, I thought it was kind of cheesy, kind of trashy. I mean, basically similar to Motley Crue itself. It kind of captured the elements of the band in the movie. I thought it was a fun movie. It wasn't an outstanding, but fucking worse ways to kill an hour and a half. But, yeah, that's going to wrap up this episode unless anybody has anything else.
Starting point is 01:57:41 No, no. We're getting down to the nitty-gritty and doing our playoff picks. I'm petrified of doing it, but that will be coming up soon, and there's some really great hockey on Monday night, Tuesday night, some big games. So we will see you again or talk to you again. I'm a loser today. I can't talk.
Starting point is 01:57:59 I've had a tough episode. We'll see you guys on Thursday, okay? Have a great week, everybody. Thank you.

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