Subpar - Mike Commodore returns to talk his European golf trip and playing Bandon Dunes

Episode Date: November 29, 2022

On this week's episode of GOLF's Subpar, Stanley Cup Champion Mike Commodore once again joins former PGA Tour pro Colt Knost and jicky jack legend Drew Stoltz for an exclusive, in-studio, interview. He talks his European golf trip, starting his own hockey podcast and what it was like playing Bandon Dunes. Subpar Podcast: https://linktr.ee/Golf1271 Birdie Juice Merch: https://proshop.golf.com/collections/birdie-juice-collection -- Thanks to our official sponsor Dewar's. Make sure to check out their Reserve Bar listings today: https://www.reservebar.com/collections/house-of-dewars  Our sponsor Linksoul is kicking off the Holiday season with a huge 40% off event and you get a little somethin' extra for being a Subpar listener. Thru 11/30, they're upping this already unreal deal to 50% off your entire order when you checkout with code SUBPAR. Thanks to our newest sponsor Pinned Golf. Head to www.pinnedgolf.com and use code SUBPAR to get yourself a brand new rangefinder today for only $179.99!

Hello world, welcome back to golf subpar, Colt Nost and Drew Stoltz. Before we get going, just once again a reminder. You need to go check out our gear from our guys over at Link Sol. Look at this hoodie, by the way. Make par not war. That's good advice, by the way. Good advice. If you saw any of our socials over the weekend, you saw that the sale is still going on.

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you want to go. They do these events right, by the way. You will not be disappointed with this event. Go sign up for your chance to win all that action. All right. Well, let's get it going here, Siles. First time in a long time. We've had no PGA tour golf, but we did have some football. A little bit of football, bud. Just a little bit. It was Thanksgiving. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. Thank you, by the way.

Happy day of thanks to you as well. Okay, perfect. Cowboys win. TCU wins. Broncos suck. You're over them. Yeah, they're dead to me. But, man, I mean, how much football could you watch this past weekend?

Whatever the maximum is, I washed it. My eyes are bleeding from football. I actually had to turn off the Sunday night game this past week because I bet the under. And the over hit in the first half, and I said, you know what? That's probably enough gambling, enough football. I think I got to tap out. It was, it's a top, it's, you're hard pressed to find a better couch weekend of the year. March Madness is good.

Masters is good. There's some good ones, but this is right in the mix. And thank God for my boys coming through for me. They did. Frogs still undefeated. Looking good for that playoff spot. I mean, they got to really mess it up for this thing not to happen. Don't say anything.

If there's any wiggle room for the committee, they're basically a lock. No big deal. Don't do that. Do not do that. If there's any way, if we won't win by 21, and they're like, you know, should have won by 22, bump Ohio State. So anyways, I'm getting, this weekend is setting up for the most nervous I've been in a long time. Against K State.

Yeah, dude, conference championship. We should be in even if we lose. There's a huge argument we made for that. But if we don't, trust me, the committee is looking for any reason to keep us out of there. So another big weekend coming up with college football. Not as many games, maybe not the volume, but high quality. High quality. There's some very good games.

A couple that stick out to mind. USC Utah, a little rematch. That could be the pick of the week, possibly. T's. Oh, you're going with that? Maybe. Perhaps. We'll get there.

All right, but like I said, golf is returns this week. We've got the Hero World Challenge, which we'll get to here in a little bit. We also got a little early Christmas present for everyone, our guest this week. He's bad. He is great. We'll get to it. But first, what do Matthew Fitz, Cameron Smith, and Scotty Sheffler have in common with Dewers four-time Master Blender of the year, Stephanie McLeod?

They're all at the top of their game. In Stephanie's case, that means creating the new Doors, 12 year old whiskey. Double-aged in first field bourbon cast, the new Doers 12 is smoother and richer with a profile full of fruit,

vanilla, floral notes, and spice. It's earned a 94-point rating from Whiskey Cast, a 93-point rating from Whiskey Avetit and four stars from Paul Pawkin of the Spirit Journal.

It's a proof of what you can do when you're a true champion of your craft. Try it, enjoy it, and please drink responsibly as well. Well done. Always responsible. And our guest this week,

he can pound some doers. Responsibly. Keep teasing it. We'll get to it. But it's now time for the doers. Cheers moment of the week. And Sleaze, I know you have this same feeling when you're watching TCU. I'm a diehard Dallas Cowboy fan. I like to be alone, or at least with a group of people that enjoy the Cowboys as much as I do. They share the same passion. Yes, I want the sound up. I want to be able to hear it. I don't want anybody interrupting me. And it was Thanksgiving. I still had a lot of people left over from the wedding in town. So we went over to their place. They were gracious enough to host us. It was beautiful. Food was fantastic. All this.

Meanwhile, it's during the first half of the Cowboys. game, which I'm watching with everyone. Everyone wants to talk about the wedding and all this. And I'm like, listen, I'm trying to watch this goddamn football game. Okay? Everyone shut your face. Go against the giants. I hate the giants, almost as much as I hate the Eagles.

I need them to go. And they absolutely looked like shit in the first half. I was there. So I said, friends, family, I love you all. It's time for me to go home. But not that much. I kindly removed myself and went and watched the second half at home and cheered them on to another victory.

Eight and three. Boys look good, bud. The boys are good. This is setting you up for that very slippery slope of like, you care enough. You think this could be the year. It's going to happen. The motion is there. Anything but a ship is crushing.

I'm already out. I tapped out week six, basically. Like we suck. It's over. Move on. We got a very easy schedule, which I hope we're not getting too confident. We got Indy, Jacksonville, and Houston. You have a great schedule coming up.

I mean, that should be a lay-ups on Christmas Eve. Which will be a good one. So either my Christmas is going to be great or it's going to suck. You're right in that. spot right now where like I'm ready to be hurt you know no I'm ready it's you're ready to be hurt no it's been 26 years buddy I'm I'm ready for this thing that's true you were just a we pup the last time they hoisted that thing I was actually 10 it was gonna that year was my would have been my 11 10 you remember I do remember it it was actually out here Arizona

is that where they got the last one believe so it gets the Pittsburgh Steelers you know where it is this year he was the MVP because he kept throwing it to Larry Brown you know you know where it is this year right here yeah buddy pulling uh speaking of that let me go of mine real quick, Doer's moment of the week. Mine is, I said last week on the pod, can I just get one week of frogs not making me sweat this thing out, rip my hair out? Last week was at your wedding. A fucking woodland was wearing me out about the frogs. It's the worst environment of imagine. We'll be watching my boys and they pulled it out this week. Obviously, some big listeners of the program. They did it. They put this thing to bed quickly. And for the first time, I think I was like in the room with my family. Like, yeah, I can talk now. You guys want to have a conversation? We can do it because this thing's on ice early. And I thank them for that. And in the same breath, if. things no jinx here shake out the way they are currently if everyone it holds holds tight we could get a two verse three michigan versus tc u in glendale glendale arizona bud which i will be in the house going ape shit so knock on wood no jinxie poos a lot of football left to be played stay the course move the chains let's say this happens you know all the

cliches hours before tailgating oh i'm hammering you're not even remember the whole environment whole environment i will be i haven't seen them live in person in a while I used to go every year back to Fort Worth for OU Texas. Let me call Coach Dikes and get you down on the field or anything. Me and Coach D, you're listening right now. Big golfer, by the way. Oh, it's your boy.

Get you taken care of. If you want to swing the sticks around maybe before the game, loosen up a little bit. Gotcha. You know what I mean? Talk a little shop. X's and O's with the sleaze. I got you.

All right. Well, that's going to do it for the doers, cheers moment of the week. It is now on to our very special guests. Y'all asked for him. We delivered the beautiful man. Mike Commodore is back in the building. here he is on golf subpar.

Back by popular demand, one of the greatest performances I would say of all time here on golf subpar. Back with us, a champion of champions, Mike Commodore. Greetings, buddy.

Camp, it's good to see you. Good to see you, and it's nice. It's nice to thank you. It's nice to be back. It's nice to be wanted, especially, well, anywhere to begin with. True.

But in the golf industry, it's shocking. But thanks a lot for having me. I mean, we've had a lot. a pretty big name golfer guests in the world and I believe it's not even close you have been requested to come back more than anyone

just add that to the list of accomplishments just a list of accomplishments what's the the what would be the average IQ of people to listen to or is it on our show in general is it really high or really low we don't go that deep into it they're very smart people it's nice to be back all three of the women that watch our show did request you as well oh good I'll tell you what my mom who doesn't know shit about hockey one

Couldn't tell you one thing. Watch us some golf, though. You're your all-time number one, bud. Really? Yeah, Susie. Wow. But I do believe I mean, Susie. Big feather.

It might have been Susie. You know, trust me. I think I was going to drive my chariot to pick up Susie with that Uber story. Yeah, she's probably hitting you up. Yeah. Late night. Have you been back to Uber at all? No.

Besides taking them, obviously. Taking them everywhere. I can't touch my keys and end up in a tent if they still do that around here. No. I am. I have been kind of honestly I've been thinking about it a little bit Oh

Just getting back in the game The rates are high as shit right now I know maybe Pay for my gas and tires But I've been thinking about maybe Dabbling a little bit Maybe back here in Phoenix when I'm down But well you actually know it

Let me take that back Right now when I'm down in Phoenix I'm only here for like a week or maybe two weeks I'm in no condition to drive Other than maybe six hours out of two week period Calgary though I mean maybe another thing is I can't be picking people up in a fucking pickup truck And you're a celebrity what are they going to do

You could boost those I could do whatever I wanted up there And you pay 10X to take the same ride But you get a guy like you that everyone knows That's actually a good idea It's not bad Yeah turn into like the Uber cash cab or something too Or they got lights and shit in there

Yeah and it's a show You get picked up by Timberlake in Nashville Yeah that's gonna happen No offense to you, Mike. He probably needs to cash. Like, Mike Commodore, slightly different. But you said, you're only going to be spending a week or two at a time down here in Scottsdale. It's November right now.

It was 73 degrees. What the hell do you want to be doing in Calvary right now? What's the weather there right now? Well, guys, look, I mean, this has nothing to do with the weather. I would say, you know what, in Cal, no, no, it's a good question. The temperature right now is probably in Fahrenheit. I always struggle with the conversion a little bit. Somewhere around probably zero.

Oh, okay. Zero. Probably minus 15 or 16 Celsius. It could get way colder. But, I mean, weather-wise, it's obviously a no-brainer. I mean, I have some commitments up in Calgary right now that I'm really, really enjoying. Okay. You want to elaborate on that?

I think we'll move past that. I'm very curious right now. She knows exactly what I'm talking about. And she's a big fan of subpar. I can't wait to get back to Calgary. That's incredible. Tell us about, because I know you take more golf trips than any man on the planet. Tell us about some of the golf.

I mean, I don't know how long it's been since we've had you on, but you've had a number of them. Yeah. Tell us some of the highlights from your golf trips as of late. Highlights, you know what? A couple of trips. Golf's been trash, as usual. It was the same last time I was in here.

Trash. I'm trying to turn. Still can't turn with a shit. Are you pauses? Is the Hadecki's still there? Is it gone? I think it's gone-ish, day-to-day. I played behind you yesterday, and there was a couple.

A couple pauses? The first time I saw it was like... Not the whole time. Well, you wouldn't be watching the whole time, but... I don't know. As slow as Joe Scoburn plays, I've got to watch quite a bit. God, he thinks he's fast, too. It's a joke.

Like, does he not understand when it's your turn to hit, and then you turn around and tell somebody a fucking story? You're on the clock? Like, you're... Hey, this just took you a two minutes put the ball in the air. You're telling some bullshit story. But anyways, pause can

come back. I felt it a little bit came in, played on your Friday deal. Fun. Actually, you know, hadn't touched a golf club in a while, which is probably why I played okay, kept 78. Pretty solid for me. I was just one like total

X of a hole. Other than that, it was in the mix. And then it's just, I played two times since and it's just been trash. Totally. Total trash. But highlights of some golf trips. I did a huge trip to Europe, actually, this summer with a rock member. I remember that.

Yeah. Way too much golf. Way too much. He's a fan of the show, too. When you say way too much, were you guys 36 a day? What were you? Oh, God. Walking, obviously.

Walking. Yeah. We played. I couldn't even take part, which was totally fine. Other than one round that was at Muirfield, I really want to check that one off. By the time I joined it, you had a tap on Mirfield. Well, I had to when, because I kind of signed up late, guys drop. It was a 24-man trip to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

So this is set up a year in advance. So guys are going to drop off, right? Whatever. So like if you would have done the entire thing, it would have been like 16, 17 days, 25, 26 rounds. 17 days? Yeah. Everyone just retired. Imagine how many kids you would have had in 17 days.

How many what? Guinness. Oh, God. God. Was that the trip? There was some sort of club debacle. I remember seeing you on Twitter. There was some debacle on, it was Europe, right?

Someone's clubs or your clubs? Yeah, yeah. There was some sort of shit show that went on. Yeah. Right? You were not happy about it on Twitter. It was not happy. I mean, I understand, you know, it's a big group of guys.

And so this trip was massive. We did like, I was there for 12 days, and I played 17 or 18 rounds. So we were like, like Royal Port Rush was great. We played our glass. That was one of the ones I hadn't played. We did three rounds, three or four rounds at Royal County Down. That was great. And then we went, we got on the ferry.

I'll tell you, now that we're all kind of retiring and shit, used to be a chopper. Now it's a ferry. It's bullshit. So we go up to Scotland. The only days we played 18 halls would be if we had to travel. So we get to Scotland. We go to Turnberry.

We play five rounds at Turnberry. Beautiful piece of property. Great golf course. But that was the spot. This poor guy on our trip, Rawi from Maui, his name is, very successful guy from Michigan. I mean, there was two things where, you know, this is, we're paying to be at this place.

Man, I'm showing up. I'm paying out of my ass. I'm shooting 95s left and right. I'm trying to get my shit together. So first thing in the morning, we're first off. There's 24 of us going off, and then it's a rush to lunch, and then it's a rush back out.

We're playing another 18. We're just grinding this shit out. And so my game is trash. I go down. I get up early. The wind is howling. They give you a little shitty bag of range balls, which is fine. I don't care if balls or shit.

You know, there's 20 balls in the bag. I'm sitting there. I'm clonking around for eight, ten minutes. I'm like, man, I've got to hit some more. This is not any better. I haven't found the club face even close. So I go into the pro shop right there, right in the training center. I'm like, hey, man, I need another bag of balls here.

He's like, oh, that'll be five pounds. And look, it's five pounds. I understand that. I'm paying, I don't know how many goddamn pounds to stay at this place. We're playing five rounds. I mean, you give me a couple floaters on the house. We're nickel and diamond here. So that was, I'm like, that's put me off on the wrong foot to start my day.

I'm like, you serious? And I know it's not that guy's fault. so I like didn't light him up, but I'm like, hey, I just want you to know this is a joke. I'm like, here's your five pounds. I've been put it on my room. I didn't even look at my bill when I left,

but anyways, go play. We're done playing. We're all, we're leaving first thing in the morning, and we are taking a bus to Royal Dornick, which was awesome, great spot. And so the bus is outside. So this guy comes, he's got his bag, or sorry, he's towing it.

Ready to go, and the bus is right there, right in the kind of little circle, there and you know those guys in the kiltz one of the guys comes up he's like hey you know hey you know i got this don't worry about it you know go enjoy breakfast he's like you sure it's like yeah i got it no problem he's like oh okay you know so goes and gets breakfast comes back out by the time you know everybody's on the bus the side you know everything's locked up you're not going to we got 24 guys it's not like they're just going to be sitting there you're going to have to route through things he's like well they got to be on the bus get on the bus it was I can't remember how many hours

that was five or six hour bus trip oh god yeah it's it's for sure five this is a diehard golf trip that's a long ass time and that's some tough diehard you got to love the game oh i mean i love the game and i was yeah you're a purest i mean those clubs almost stayed there when i flew well but we get up there so all the bags come flying out we're rushing the tea to play 18 holes in the afternoon no clubs clubs are gone so he's panicking And he's like, he actually took it unbelievable. So he's like, I got no clubs.

He's kind of a quiet guy. He's like, where am I got my clubs? I got no clubs. I'm like, are you serious, Maui? And he's like, I got no clubs. So I call, the guy never loaded him on the bus, just sitting at Turnberry. So as a first class resort like that, you would think, hey, you know what? I understand mistakes happen.

One of these bell boys should have been like got, hey, look, you got the day off. Take these clubs driving five hours. This is going to be a 10-hour trip for you back and forth. Get these clubs to this guy. They refuse to do it. Won't send anybody up. And they just ship them to Edinburgh.

They ended up getting there like six days later or five days later, whatever was. So this poor guy ended up having to play with rentals. Paying $8 million a ride. Fly across the world, all the shit, and you got to play with rentals. Joke. I got to be honest.

That's a brutal. You would have handled that well, I feel like that was your clubs after the range ball scenario. Oh, God. Could you imagine? I guess in one way maybe it would help me. Play with a little shorter clubs and no expectations. Smooth it down, a little regular flex.

Oh, God. So when this happens, you lit them up on Twitter pretty good? Let them up on Twitter. I remember that. I had to. Yeah. You were not pleased with the service. No response.

Oh, no. No response. It's here. Like none. I feel like you would play good. I feel like Europe's where your game's suit. You used to hit that really low ball flight. You brought it up a few stories.

I hit it way too high. But I feel like you would thrive in the links. I hitting everything straight up in the air. Yeah, you're Americanized now. You can't keep it down. Neeler told me, he said he played with the other day and said he's never seen anybody hit it so high. I know.

Dude, when we first, you got out of shots. You just don't know when they're coming out. When we first started playing. It's crazy when you flip it, you're not sure where it's going to go. And left high, low, shanked. You got all of them. You said that head high just screamer that would get out there. When you get some firm fairways, you can get it out there.

Nice. It used to be like a pretty not solid. It was definitely not solid. But my range then was like, I mean, it sounds so stupid now, but 0.5 if I made some puts, which I usually do, because I can roll it to like maybe three or four, you know, if things are blowing up. I've been with you. Shoot some low diggies. Now it gets up in the air. I can't knock it down to save my life.

And then when things go wrong, I used to just think like, you know, before I knew anything about the golf, so we just get up and hit the thing. So it was all arms. and it's like just, and then things will be going, I just hit it better. I just swing harder. I have no clue what I'm doing. Well, now I've taken some lessons. Yeah.

So it's like, well, you should do this and rotate more and not pause. But now I got, it's like, oh, I need to do this now. Now I'm thinking, I mean, it's a plethora of. You're turning into a tour player kind of though. You're blaming the coach, which is smart. Multiple coaches. Multiple coaches. That's where the pause came from.

You think about all the shit. You're like, I got too much shit. I got to stop here and think about all of it. and then you go down. You didn't used to do that. You used to be able to chip the lights out of it for a golfer like myself. Went to Band and Dunes.

We're talking about golf trips. I went and spent with the same guy, Ken Holland, who loves subpar. Fuck you, Ken. Went to Bandin Jones. What up, Kenny? Played 15 rounds in nine days.

You take monstrous trips. Dude, why do you play so much golf? Golf trips like three days, four rounds. At a warm, you go to only cold places, too. You're a polar bear. I saw some pictures of you, by the way, at Kiowa from a few years back. Yeah, I don't even doing to me. Never seen a human sweat like that.

Holy shit. You go to the hardest places to have a golf trip, like the most brutal. I know. I'm 18 and done. I want to go do something. I teoff around 11, 12, 18, cocktails, and then go have a fun night. And you're going to walking places. That's 18 and a cart.

Oh, there's no car. It takes a special place to get out on. This is why we go to Shadow Creek in Southern Hotlands. Man, no. That's the program that I like. But I have most things in life, I have a hard time saying no. So I'm like, God, and Ken puts a little pressure on me. He fucked me in Detroit, too.

He was the general manager to Detroit back in the day. I don't know. I should just tell this guy to pound sand, but he's like, I hate calm, he really need you. I'm like, ah, you know what? I got 10 days. And then go to the, went to Banon Dune's, 15 rounds, 10 days, left with the yips. That was two years ago.

Left with the yips. I can't chip it. I'm horrified. Now it's all bumping. Putters from everywhere? You go to those two. You go to Europe and the band and you're putting from 60 yards. It's normal.

So the cooch is a little hairy off the green. I use the old bump and rum with the old. Hybrid? What do you got? Hybrid? I got a high lop three wood. I mean, it's just,

I just want to get it on the ground and get it forward. No disaster. Just don't blade it and don't leave it right of your feet. I went on this little golf trip. It was 17 days, 42 rounds. I don't know. Just some of the fellas. You play more golf than Sung J.M.

It's not even close. I'd say it something, but he keeps getting better and I'm getting way worse. You both peer it. Both right out of the middle. He paused a little bit, doesn't he? Oh, he's got that slow takeaway. He kind of stops about halfway back and then keeps going. He's thinking.

I need to start swinging it like him, maybe. Before we get back to the beautiful Mike Commodore, I got to tell you, it is still time. You still got time to go over to the golf.com pro shop. Pick you up some birdie juice merch like this hat right here, the gravy bird. We've got hoodies, towels, tumblers, everything you can want. No code needed.

When you check out, it's 20% off. So head over to the golf.com pro shop. Check out the birdie juice collection and get 20% off. Back to Mike Commodore. What about your member guest? You play a lot of member guests. You had any good runs in those this year? Any trophies?

Since you've been on, we played Southern Highlands member guests in Vegas. And after four days, we realized our room's actually connected. Which was awesome. That was nice thing to give me that room. I had no idea. literally next door. Yeah, and we had a connecting door that had no clue. Oh, you're right here, cool.

We also rode up with a rather famous DJ, who you just thought he was a normal fellow, having a nice conversation with him. Yeah, who was that again? Zed. Zed? That's, I do remember you. No, he was telling it all about my golf game.

He was asking all this stuff. No clue. This guy said like a huge deal. I sell out. I sell out. And then he thought we were following off the elevator. We were actually just on the same floor. Zed?

You know what? I actually completely forgot about that. I would know me. No. I have, We get to the room and I'm like, do you have any idea who that was? He's like, that fuck, that guy? We just followed?

I was like, yeah, his name is that. He's a DJ. He makes about $400,000 a night. Yeah, damn. Yeah, that should have been a DJ. That's a fucking gig right there. That is the gig. Other than your hours for a month, I'm going to make $25 million.

And then I don't know what I'll do for a while. Other than your lack of sleep and probably the drugs you have to do. Yeah, but it's cost of doing business. You know what I mean? You can get a good rehab for 25 mil. Right now I'm paying way too much money for golf and I got a drinking problem. Yeah. I mean, it can't be any worse in Vegas being a DJ.

25 days in Europe. Yeah. 60 rounds, you're going to need a little rehab too. Well, you've been obviously going on some fancy trips, spending some cash. I just heard an incredible story how you possibly might have tried to make some side cash, not Uber, but possibly putting some golf clubs on Craigslist. Oh, okay. So real quick, before you get started, because there's two versions of this story, they're very different, but I like both versions. So take us through it. James Neal, the real deal, had some very fancy PXG clubs.

Well, apparently, yes. So he paid, you know, PXG clubs aren't cheap. I've never ordered them. It doesn't matter. Aren't they the same thing as Pangs? I don't know. Allegedly. Yes, allegedly.

Anyways, James is to kind of, James has come here to Scottsdale when I've been in town, I'd say, to golf. he's coming to town. This would probably be he's here right now. His fifth time, he just saw Whisper Rock two days ago. This is correct. So the first four trips here, not even close to the golf course.

So he comes in, he's staying with me. This is a few years ago. I think it was, might have been an all-star break or something for him. I was retired. My recollection of it is he shows up with these clubs, tailor-maids,

shows up these tailor-maids, doesn't come close to the golf course he's on it there's a bunch of guys in town because it's the all-star break the clubs end up getting left at my at my house he ends up calling me later like a week or two later hey my clubs

I'm like yeah dude I got him right here they're still in the bag like whatever's in there is still in there I haven't opened it up then he starts telling me with this story about how he ordered PXG he spent eight or ten grand he's never seen him so I'm like well that sounds like

bullshit and I know food you a little bit so I'm like well maybe I'm like James are you sure I mean how do you just order clubs and I'm like where'd you get him shipped to do you have any idea he just goes off so I'm like look I'll go over so I go over I see food is the only time I've ever been at PXG it had nothing to with myself

I go hey man the real deal order clubs look I have no idea but you know is there any way maybe tracking these things down yeah we'll get on it So from my recollection, I never saw these clubs. Fuge did not hand me a set of clubs. Nothing got shipped to my house. But his golf clubs is Taylor Mays.

Now he's playing the last 40 games in the NHL season. I thought it would be funny. I'm like, gas, I kiss my ass. So I thought it would be funny to put the... He was like kind of chirping me a little bit. I think on Twitter or something. I'm like, nah, you know what? Is this bag still sitting in my house?

I'm going to put his clubs on Craigslist. She wants real deals clubs. So I took pictures. I'm like, for sale, I don't remember any PXG's been in there. They were the tailor-made. I didn't end up selling them. But he hasn't seen him since because then I sold my house. And I just tossed him to somebody's storage unit.

And I have no idea where they are. They're gone. Yeah, his version is much different. So you didn't sell them on Craigslist, though. Somebody definitely could have sold. You just put them in a store. Okay. That could have been Jack, but you didn't sell them.

You didn't ship them to somebody on Craigslist. No. No, no, I don't know how to do that. He says you sold him for $3,000 and just pocketed the money. I mean, that's really what I put them on. Like, yeah, I was definitely having fun online. It was the only time I ever posted anything on Craigslist, but I didn't actually sell them.

And then when I went from to your condo, because I bought my condo off view. Home of Champs. God damn right, the place was beautiful. When I went to my house to a condo, I'm like, I'm like, I'm downsizing here. The last thing I need is Real Deals Club. I'm going into a condo, so I threw them in a storage unit and haven't seen them since.

I couldn't even, I have no idea where those are. Tough shit. You leave your stuff at the crib. I don't feel bad about it all. He'll be okay. He'll be fine. You mentioned the chirping on Twitter a little bit. I feel like you've kind of calmed it down a little on Twitter.

Quiet it down a little bit. Is it down a little bit? Is it a reason? Yeah. Corporate man. No. No. A little bit that.

No. You're a working man now. Kind of. Did you get in trouble? No, no, no trouble. There was two things. I mean, I guess at the end of the day, my not main goal, that sounds a little bit weird. Kind of one of the things that I did on there was to give it to Mike Babcock.

So, yes, maybe sometimes I went too far. It was very subtle. Yeah. Hit by a bus. Go fuck yourself. But he ended up getting canned in Toronto. And then it ended up. I'm not going to say that, I mean, well, it kind of went.

There was like a month and a half in the hockey world. There was like kind of a four to, all of us, Babs got canned because, you know, and then guys started saying like, you know, mistreated and the guy's an asshole and he's a piece of shit, which he is, 100%. He's a terrible human being. I'm all for that one. And I guess I'm all for all of them, but then it ended up being like, it ended up being more coaches canned.

And, I mean, I got into a spot, at least from my, how I was looking at it, where I'm like, all of a sudden there started to be like this whirlwind a little bit where it's like everybody's just coming out and firing shit at coaches and kind of expect, not expecting me to be involved, but kind of had something to do with it. And all of a sudden I'm like, oh, my God. And, you know, we got one guy giving it to Peter Lafielette, who was my coach when we were in Carolina, when we want. I like Peter.

And I like 99% of my coaches. And it was just, I'm like, oh. God, I'm like, I don't want to get all of a sudden, like the sounding board for people getting shit canned. And when I, you know, because I had good experiences with most people. So that was kind of part of it. And then I was up in China to, and COVID hits. I mean, you can't, in my opinion. Look, it's been a rough.

I mean, COVID lasted here for, what, four months maybe? Depends where you live, I think. Right. Yeah. It does and we don't need to get into that whole angle of it But I mean I would read some mentions a little bit and I'm about my head's about to explode I'm like I have to so to be honest since Since that piece of shit got fired I would I used to look at my mentions like

Honestly like daily daily for sure and I'd interact and stuff and then that combined with a few months later COVID I mean I'm like I got to back this off for I'm going to say something that's really going to get me in trouble. And so I've actually pumped the brakes. But we miss you. You moved it from Babs, though, to Trudeau for a while. Right. Which, yeah, which, I mean, this guy, like I said.

Just kind of move the aggression. He's the prime minister of China, though. I think he's pretty much getting what he's wanted. And I don't know enough to like, I don't even want to get into politics. Let's not get into politics. Yeah. So I have gone the Trudeau way because it is a joke up there in Canada

It is now more normal But we are a breath away from From more to China So I have just tried to take a step back And kind of But I do need to get more involved I am I started a podcast finally

I guess in one way So you need to What's the name? Yeah plug Yeah Yeah We're in the crease Yeah I learned a valuable lesson on Sunday

We just did our second episode First episode what I thought went fine. Second episode, the day after your wedding, learned a valuable lesson. Tough day to record. Tough day to record. But, you know, we got Andrew Raycroft.

He's in Boston. We got James Sebalski. He's in Vancouver. We got to put guys together. They're like, can you make it work? I'm like, yeah, sure. You know, I can make it work. Ah, you know, let's take it easy today.

You know, Sunday. You know, if I'm in Calgary, I'm not doing anything. Real deal stays another day. Next time, I'm like, well, just have a cup. couple so I ended up doing the Sunday podcast. Let's just say it needs some heavy, heavy editing to make sure I don't look super, super wasted. That's just the cost of doing business, dude. I did tell you, though.

I know it's tough scheduling when people are all over the place, but Sunday is just not a good day to record. Because you never know where, I mean, we ended up going down to the whole town watching football, having some pops and the next thing you know, oh shit, I got to go film. Right. And now's not a good time. No. I was sitting at Worms Place there, and I thought it was okay. But at the end of the day, I don't remember anything I said. People know you for you, and they're going to love it, no matter what.

But I will have to say. I think it's, I mean, but I don't need to be going on there just being right wasted. A little buzz. A little buzzed up. Yeah, a little tuned up is totally fine. I get that, but I'm mean. But I do have to thank you for coming to the wedding because you were one of the stars of the show. You absolutely killed it.

You're out on the dance floor. shirt kind of open a little bit. I do have to ask, though, do you think more red wine hit your mouth or your shirt? I just actually saw my shirt. Yeah, you were, you were purple. I don't even remember drinking. Like Barney walking around that bitch.

I was like, God damn. I don't think. Is this a costume wedding? I don't think you did drink it. You just spilled it all over yourself. No, there's no way I was drinking. I usually don't drink wine. I will say the wedding was incredible.

Our table was incredible. There was a lot of people there that I hadn't seen and a lot of new people that I met from my recollection. and then we ended up up on the dance floor. I'm a terrible dancer. I don't belong anywhere near it, like, at all. But everybody was having fun. And then, yeah, I've seen a couple pictures.

God, it was a good time, though. There was a lot of goals scored at that table you were sitting at. Yeah, there'd be about, Jesus, yeah. Brett's, did Brett have 800? Close enough. Close enough. Let's just call it 800. Real deal?

Real deal has got to have 300? There was over a thousand goals sitting at the table. Yeah, I had 21 of them. Yeah, exactly. You don't get over a thousand without that 21. 1.1 goals a year. You got more cups than the real deal. Yeah, you had that big boy.

That's right. You had that big boy for a day. That's right. Let's stay on hockey for a little while now because you have some of the best stories in the history of the best storyteller. One thing we didn't get into last time on the show. Okay. And this is legendary era in your life, I would say, is your time in Russia. Okay.

The Continental Hockey League. Yes. Is it called it the K, KHL? Yeah, the KHL, something like that. KHL, yep. Give us a little bit, like, that was your, into your career, right? You're kind of like, I'm not ready to hang it up, but NHL missed my time, you know, missed the camps, all that. They were done with me. Let's go over there.

Yep. You go over there. Give me what your time. It was one season, correct? One season. Give me the one season over there, and I know a few of the stories, too, but you got to tell everybody because they're all time. Yeah, it was, I was, I was, everything was done here. for sure nobody there's nobody calling i put the work in in the summer

um where i thought i'm like ah and i want to play and so that's kind of a common move in hockey is when you're kind of done in north america i didn't want to play in the america league anymore because i'm like i did that when i was 21 22 23 going back when you're 34 i mean it isn't that much fun so i'm like i'm going to try something new so the only league there's a lot of good leagues over there Like Switzerland's good, Sweden's good, Finland's good, Finland's good, Germany's good. I mean, for the game that I wasn't a goal score, so like those, I mean, Switzerland's not interested in me. And you can only have so many roster spots on your team.

But I played the world championships seven or eight years before in Moscow. And so for whatever reason, I'm like, you know what, I'll go back and play there. I would like to play there. So I ended up through a former coach. of mine, Slav Thysov, who's like literally, I mean, I think if you were to say who's, which hockey player has the most money in their bank right now? Is it? I think he's it.

I mean, I'm going to assume if you're Putin's right-hand man, you are probably swimming in it. Now, their roubles are going to need a ton of them. So I ended up going over there, sign on a team where I, I was familiar with Russia a little bit. I knew where kind of some of the teams are. So it was like Russia and Europe. And I ended up signing. I signed the contract, which I didn't care anyways.

I just wanted to play. But I ended up on a team that was on the Pacific Ocean, like 60 miles from North Korea. Oh. Convenient. Very convenient. Good spot to be. Great spot to be. Great spot to be.

Right there within range. We had one team called Haberos that was like an hour flight north. And then other than that, every single team was at least a 10-hour flight away. Sounds awesome. Oh, my God. So, and they had it set up back then. I haven't paid attention lately,

but there was 28 teams in the league then, and you played a home-and-home with every team in the league, and that was your season. So it was 54 games. So the point of the story is that team that was an hour away that would have been very convenient to play quite a few times, We played once in Habrass. They played once in Vladivostok,

just like Prague, which was 15 hours away. Holy shit. Oh, it was insane. Tell us about your 15. Tell us about where you're sitting on that plane, though. So my first, so if it made, so if we're looking at Russia, there's the two teams out there way out east, and then there's kind of a pocket of teams like Yakaternberg and Olmsk

that are kind of like, I mean, Russia's nine time zones. I think of nine or ten. So there was a couple of teams, there was a handful of pocket of teams, probably five or six, something like that, that were kind of two thirds away, like of the way across the country, where it didn't make sense,

and the rest of it was like Moscow or further west. So if it made sense, and we played four games on the road, four at home, four games on the road, four at home. So if it made sense to fly to Moscow first, we would take like a, we'd take an arrow-flot flight, which would be a jumbo jet. The tickets were like,

This is a nine-hour flight. The tickets were like 50 bucks. Maybe. So, very reasonable. Pre-inflation. Yeah. So, and, you know, I'm on a professional hockey team, so I'm not paying it first. So my first trip, I learned real fast.

So I'm like, oh, perfect. Yeah. Okay. Airflot. That sounds good. You know, I'm not thinking, like, first class, but, you know, I'm not thinking, like, the $50 ticket where we're like, we're back with the sheep. I mean, then it just put me in a kennel and throw me underneath the plane.

Ex-in-row, maybe at least. Oh, not even close. So the first flight, so they have nobody in these areas. I mean, obviously, I mean, it's a nine-hour flight, so it's a jumbo jet. First class is huge and wide open. And then the back of the plane, because the tickets are cheap, all of Coach is just rammed. So I did one flight like that. And I'm sitting there, you know, not all Russians, but, I mean, we were kind of out in the country a little bit.

a little different smell on the plane. I'm like this. I'm 34 years old. I got some back problems to begin with. I am rammed in this seat for nine hours. I'm like, this is never happening again. So from that point forward, I would get my ticket.

So from every trip on, when it was an arrow flood flight, other than that, we charter a plane, but it still took 10 hours because you had to refuel in the middle of nowhere. So I check in, hey, guys, you know,

coming up the team to the airport. I'm like, hey, you know, give my, ticket. I'd be like, yeah, and I'd do it in a good way where it wasn't being a dick. I'm like, I ain't sitting in that seat. I'd be like this with a ticket, right in the airport, just rip it up, go right to the first class desk. And so I'd check in first. Literally the rest of it was me, the sport director and the head coach. None of them spoke English. So I was up there on my own. I had all the space in the world, free booze. So I'd stand there as coaches walking in,

like the coach seating, all these guys. I'm like, hey, how you guys, do you guys? Don't. I forget what I said. There was a Russian term for it. It'll come to me. But anyways, I never came close to sitting coach again. It was the greatest money. How did your teammates feel about that? Do they care? You know what? I did it in a good way. Well, there was a couple of they actually well most the other Russians couldn't but I did it in a way where I mean I was paying for the ticket. They could have done that too. True. I mean there was literally 30 seats up there. They weren't Stanley Cup champions though Mike. Hockey question for you. How do you play for a coach that doesn't speak the language you speak? How does he coach you? So that seems

great question. Yeah, great question. Like a barrier. The thing is, hockey-wise, when I was in Russia, I thought, when I first went over there and watched a practice, because I was, I mean, they screwed my visa up for six weeks, which ended up being good because I would travel with the team. Well, the traveling part I could have done without,

because it was too far, but I would skate with the team. I mean, I showed up. When I said I put the work in in the summer, I did with them. There was kind of a gap there for three weeks, so things kind of went out with the window. As they do. So I needed to catch up a little bit. So the fact that I couldn't play for six weeks

actually ended up being okay because then I got back in decent shape. But as my first practice that I watched in Vladivostok, all these Russians, like they can all skate, they can all shoot, they can all pass the puck, they can all handle the puck. I'm like, I was watching practice, I'm like, Jesus, these guys look like they're moving out there.

But the problem is, and then I figured out once I started playing is that they can all do that, but I mean, this is eight years ago, but I'm sure things haven't changed that much over there. The problem is with Russian hockey is that, yeah, they all have individual skills, but they have no directions. Their coaching is still stuck in the 60s. So like one of our assistant coaches played 500 games in the National Hockey League. He was a good player.

And I asked him, when I first started playing, I'm like, his name is Alex or E. or you've got a pretty good chance that's her name. I go, hey, Alex. I go, hey, where am I supposed to go in like the Z zone? Or, you know, what are we doing here? He's like, Mike, yeah, or Misha. Misha's Mike and Michael and Russian. Misha.

Misha, you're a pro, you'll figure it out. I'm like, and that's this guy who played the NHL. So I never spoke to the head coach. Beautiful. That's an idea scenario. Can't get your ass chewed, can't do anything. actually great. I never, we come in between periods, practice. I wouldn't even pay attention to

shit. No, fuck. Nobody's talking to me. I can't understand anything. I can't understand anything. But the shitty part was, was I'd be out on the ice. I can't communicate. I mean, there's, there was five other imports on the team. So there was some guys I could communicate with a little bit. But if I'm out there with Russians, which usually it was, I mean, I'd go back for a puck and, you know, to pick the puck up and, you know,

break the puck out or whatever and try and go on offense. And it is, you don't hear anything. I get the puck, and I'm like, I have no idea where anybody's going to be. They just all skate around, like flying around and,

but, I mean, made it work. Yeah, how many years? Triple champ. Yeah. How many years do you play over there?

Just one. Just one. All right, well, you do have to go to, because there are some rather nice things over in Russia, including some fine dining. Fine dining,

yeah. If you ever get to experience any of the fine dining over in Russia. Well, yeah. Yeah. We had a good spots, huh? We had a really nice French place in Vladivostok from what I remember. Okay.

Yeah. I did get in trouble there. We came back for one of our trips. So like I was touching on earlier, so we went out. We played the Red Army in Moscow. We do the nine or ten hour flight back. And so by this time, this was kind of like halfway through the time I was there where I'm like, I figured out with the jet lag and everything. I'm like, you can't just go to bed when you want.

Like you have to grind it out. Otherwise, your hours are going to be totally screwed. And it's not like we had a ton of time. There'd be like a couple days and then another game. So you have to try and stay on some kind of program. So anyways, to shorten it up, land. I'm at my apartment, downtown flat of Bostock. And I'm like, I have to stay up.

I'm so tired. I have to stay up. So one of the Russians that actually spoke English. She played for the senators, Ilya Zubov. He messaged me. He's like, hey, let's go for dinner. I'm like, yeah, sounds good. I have a condo right downtown.

And I'm like, where are we going? He's like, I'll meet you at the brazary. I'm like, okay, perfect. It's like a couple blocks away. So I walked everywhere. I had a full-time driver there, full-time driver. Wow. For $500 American dollars a month.

God, full-time. Sounds incredible. Call them whenever. Oh, my God. I mean, when I left, and I gave him some extra cash and everything, because I felt bad. Give him some extra cash.

When I left, he was literally bald. falling at the airport. Like when the season was over, Igor, he was a good guy. No English either. I got one of those Google, or translate apps or whatever. Yeah.

And just go like this, show them. Or play it. And it would sign play it and get a little screwed up. Anyways, go to dinner. But I like to walk to and get moving around a little bit and walk so I can stay awake. So we go to this brochury on a, I think it was a Sunday night place.

We'll get there at like five or six o'clock at night. Place is slammed. Totally packed. And on a North American standards, it was like a five-star restaurant. It'd be like a Scottsdale. Like a Astros? Like, let's call Mastro's a five. I'd say this place is definitely no worse than a four, four and a half.

Okay. It was solid. Nice spot. Classy. Very classy, yeah. We get in there, it's me, Ilya. He speaks English and another Russian guy, no English, young kid, he's like 18 or 19.

So we get in there. I mean, the point is to have dinner. I think I had, I ordered a shrimp salad. I think I had a couple pieces of lettuce. I think maybe one shrimp. And we were just smashing beers. And we were over, I got into the Sapporo's until I got gout. I got into the Sapporoos over there because we were basically in Asia.

So we are smacking. And Russian beers rude. Don't ever drink Russian beer. so we are smashing. Well, we all are, but I'm really smashed them. So I end up not really eating. I am pretty hammered. It's like 7 o'clock.

And from my recollection of it, place is packed. I'm like, all right, let's go. So I pay the tab, rubles who gives a shit, get up and we're going to go to the music bar. Like this bar, like literally 24-7, it doesn't matter. Year-round, this place never closes.

So that's kind of the plan where we're going to go. So the 18-year-old goes to the bathroom Ilya was talking to somebody in the restaurant or something So I walk out and I had to walk through like a little kind of Entryway, a brick entryway Next thing I know I am shoved up against the wall I've got a hand around my throat

And I've got a guy punching me right in the face in front of me And I got a guy punching me in the face from the side So like I said I was crushing a few beers And I'm like, holy Christ, what's going? So I like, tuck my chin. I'm like, don't get knocked out. Don't get knocked out. Don't get knocked out.

What is going on? This is in the restaurant. Right in the right? Just out of nowhere. Just like the restaurant. Just ambushed? From what I remember. Okay.

All right. And yes. So like not in the actual dining room, but like. The little entry. Eight feet away. So these guys are teeing off on me. I'm getting my, you sober up quickly when, I mean, this is Russia too. The first thing I'm like, A, what is going on?

B, this is Russia. I don't speak to Lange. There wasn't a whole lot of English, like, at all in Vladivostok. So I'm like, as far as I'm concerned, I'm like kind of fighting for my life. I mean, I can't talk to these people. I have no idea if they have a knife. I mean, I need to kind of show up here a little bit if I want to make it home. That's what was going through my mind.

And so anyways, I kind of get it together a little bit. I shove the guy off. It's, you know, I mean, it was a joke two on one. And I grabbed the guy in front of me and I just, I mean, I did hit him hard. right in the middle of the nose, bust his nose, but he's all over himself. He's kind of down a little bit, and I go right after the guy that I just shoved.

We end up going flying in, to the guy's credit, I just smashed his nose. It didn't even really seem like it mattered too much because he stayed right in it. So the three of us go flying into this packed restaurant. Like, I mean, this is a nice restaurant. Very nice. We go flying into this thing,

right into a table, food everywhere. And, I mean, as far as, like I said, earlier, as far as I'm concerned, this is on. So, I'm throwing chairs. I am throwing whatever I can get my hands on right at them. People are screaming, run another restaurant. The staff goes back to the back corner. They're horrified. And it is on. I found it the next day, the 18-year-old who went to the bathroom. He said he walked through a translator the next day. He was like, you know, Misha. He's saying it in Russian, obviously, but he's like, Misha, I'm sorry. I had to go, which I understand that because he's 18 years old.

He gets caught in something like that. I mean, I'm 34 years old. What are you going to do kicking out the team? Go ahead. I don't give a shit. Him, like, he's just trying to get his career going. So he ran out the door. Ilya kind of figures out what's going on.

He kind of gets into it. So I end up tweaking my knee a little bit, but I stay in the fight, throwing chairs, tossing tables. I mean, they're throwing shit at me, too. It's not like it's a one-way street. I mean, I'm in trouble. I'm in trouble. I mean, I'm in trouble.

kind of hangs in there. From what I remember, the end of the fight, I end up in a chokehold. So I'm on the ground. The guy's, like, I mean, he's underneath me. This guy's choking me out. His buddy is just booting me in the face. Booting me.

Booting me in the face. My buddy Ilya, like, jumps on top of him. I'm trying to reverse head button. You know, underneath me, like, trying to get out of this. I hear sirens come. All of a sudden, these guys get up, and they're out of the door. I'm assuming they,

probably didn't have a real stellar criminal record, I'm going to guess. So, I said this before, but I should have taken a picture. Because I'm like, get off the ground. Thank God these cops came, or a cop. I like, pull myself off the floor. My knee's a little sore. I'm like, God damn it. I look around the restaurant, and nothing was like broken, but there was shit.

I mean, everywhere. Cotlery, tables. chairs, food, everything I'm like, I should have taken, I want, I should have taken like a panoramic picture. I was like, oh, what the fuck just happened? So walk outside, thrown in cuffs, back of the cop car, get taken to the police station, I get thrown in jail. Like I said, we're kind of in Asia, Mongolia. I get tossed in jail or whatever. I don't want to drunk, whatever the cell in the police station with like 25 30 I mean this is a bunch of Mongolian looking Asia I mean I am I stand out let's put it that way and I'm just like what the fuck so I end up in there for two hours

my buddy I'll yeah there is making phone calls he's like calling the mafia in Moscow I'm like I mean I got jumped at a restaurant what do you still don't have no idea why no idea just out of nowhere you're walking out there and the dude just I don't know where 100%. I ended up getting out because there was a guy walking by he was like in street clothes walked by a couple times. He was looking at me and then after like walking by a couple

times he just opened up the jail cell. He's like Nisha. I'm like Da, which is yeah in Russian. I'm like da. He's like okay and so we just I just walked right out the door and I walked right out of the police station. He took me straight back to the

bar. He just comes in and snaps his fingers. I in the door? He just walked in, grabbed him. You wasn't a cop? No. I thought he was. He definitely was not. Should introduce him to Brittany Griner. She needs a little, I'll tell you a little up like that. Brittany needs my boy. I think his name was Igor too. So you got out of there and then after that it was just like, all right, that happened. It's over. Nothing. Never. Out of there. He takes me back to, he takes me to that music bar. I am like, you know, my face is swollen. I've been kicked in the face. I've been punched in the face. I'm like, I need to get out of here. I do not need to be sitting at the bar.

We got practice tomorrow. So I'm like, I can't remember. I think his name was Igor. Alex. Yeah, Igor or Alex. And so I end up walking home. I show up the next day. Long story, super short.

They're going to kick me off the team. They're pissed off at me. I'm like, I can't go out to eat. I went out to eat it. This wasn't at two in the morning. It was at like five or six. What do you want me to do? I can't go outside my apartment?

They have a little discussion. And like I said, I can't understand anything. There was a translator in there. So they're like, you know what? We'll keep you on the team. But we're finding you a month's pay. And so I do a quick man. I'm like, months pay.

I'm like, these guys are fined me. I think it was 45 grand American. I was making a month. I'm like, this, I thought it was going to be like a thousand bucks. So I'm like, this is a joke. And there was a sport director for the team who was a, I mean, he had the, I didn't know what it was when I got there, but tattoos all over his hands and on his neck, jail tattoos.

And he's the sport director. He loved me. Didn't know a whole lot about hockey, but every once I'd run somebody over me, he loved that. So he starts talking, and he goes, you know what, we're going to find you a month's pay. We had four games left in the regular season.

This was, and this was, this happened right before the Sochi Olympus. We had a month off, then we had four games. We needed to win three of them to make the playoffs. We're in a expansion team. It's a pretty good accomplishment with that, travel. It's actually kind of crazy because it is a really good league. So long story short,

they find me a month's pay. I'm like, well, fine. I go, you guys are two months behind. You better pay me or I'm out of here because they're like, we'll kick you off the team. I'm like, that's fine. I'm like, I'll leave this afternoon. Take and keep all my shit. I don't care. I'll be out of here momentarily. Good luck making the playoffs with your best defenseman. No, I was probably pushing it. But that's how you sell it. Yeah, I'm selling myself. So anyways, we end up. They find me, if there's one thing, if there's One thing Russians really, really care about, two things. Russians care about rubles and don't ever make them look bad in front of women.

They don't like that either at all. But the point of my story is rubles. They want cash. So I got to grab whatever 45,000 times, I think 60 is. That's how many rubles had to go. So I had to go to the bank. I'm like, I'm getting jumped for sure out of this. I put this, it was cold there, obviously.

So I'm putting this shit in my park. I got rubles everywhere. So I'm sprinting back up the hill to get my condo. I'm going to go to practice next day. I had all these guys calling me. Where are you? We need our money. I'm like, would you guys relax?

I have the money. I'll be there tomorrow. But they just get all heated up when it comes to rubles. But in their defense, I handed it to them the next day. We ended up winning our last game to make the playoffs. And, you know, everybody's all pumped. It was a home game too. Rina's going crazy.

These guys are all screaming playoffs. whatever in Russian, I'm assuming. And I'm just screaming. I'm like, rubles. Where are my rubles? I'm in the dress room. Where are my roubles? And to their credit,

he kept $3,000 worth of rubles to pay the police, to buy them some new TVs, and the rest went right back into my pocket. I thought it was a pretty good deal. It worked out all right. I can't look you have to go down to the bank and get the cash and then can they just withhold your pay?

Well, they owed me a couple of months. Yeah, they already owe you money. It's like, all right, you owe me too much. Just give me a month. Good question. Sorry, it took me a second there. You got to run down to the bank and stuff your Parker full of 300,000 rubles. Yeah.

Oh, it was more than that. It was 60 times 45. Yeah, way more than that. Oh, it was rubles. Two billion. I'm not a big math guy. It is nice to have a Russian mob guy as your sports director. So have you been back to Russia since you played?

No. So when I left there, I'm kind of. I did leave there. I guess on my own accord. So I wired all my money out of there, whatever I had left. And you have to keep a certain, you have to keep a million roubles,

which I think right now is probably in America. Well, right now, probably not much. But at the time, it was probably 20 grand America. For some reason, you couldn't, like, close your account and wire everything. You had to keep some in there. I left. I'm like, and I would, like, I actually,

you know, obviously that was a terrible story. and that wasn't a whole lot of fun. But I did. There were some long days there. But I enjoyed Russia. Like I thought the people were awesome. I thought the people in charge, like they're just so used to the people in charge

just totally screw them. But I did have a good time there. But then I heard those two dudes that I got into a fight. I had to go give a police statement, which was the biggest joke ever. I had a couple of, I actually literally had a beer in my hand as I'm sitting in the police station

and the guy's translating from the, team and I'm like look I don't know what happened I went to the brasserie I was drinking soda water I had a steak and then just all of a sudden these guys started punching me the police officer this woman was laughing just okay through laughing because you knew it was all bullshit so anyways I heard those guys it went on for like I have no idea what's going on now that was eight years ago but a couple years later Ilya messaged me on WhatsApp and he's like man these guys are still trying to press charges against you. Oh my God.

So I would say it's pretty safe to say that I won't be going back to Russia. Okay, we'll stay. We'll keep you here. Yeah. Or you can shake down. Like, here's an American, putting in the NHL, got some money. Let's go jump them. And then we can file some charges.

I'm going to say it was probably something like that. Some sort of bullshit. I'm hammering some beers. One of the guys I'm with speaks English. I'm talking English, which would be weird there. These guys probably aren't the most, you know, reputable dudes in the world. And they're like, ah. We must do something here.

And I would guess. But then I got a weird tweet too. That it was, anyways. I don't think, I didn't do anything. I mean, what was I did think about? Because I'm like, there's no way I did anything. Like, I was hanging on with these two guys. I speak a language.

Nobody understands. So what I'm going to say to anybody in there? Nobody's going to understand what I'm saying. That's why it's scary. And you don't even know if the translator, as you're telling under your story is even saying the right shit. Good point. Yeah, I wanted to kill him.

I started it. That's a good point. You could be making up anything. Good point. You get locked up over there. It's hard to do. reverse that. What was the tweet? The tweet was like

I came out of nowhere from an account that just, that was their only tweet. It was like, I can't believe a man of your like reputation. I think what they meant was like a reputable guy. Like pro athlete would do something like that. I remember reading it. This was like two days later

and I read it and I'm like I mean, don't get me wrong. I did have a few Sapporo's. But it's not like, I don't run my mouth like to the random people, like to my buddies. Yeah, but I didn't do anything. There's no way. That's weird. Well, yeah, let's just not go back to Russia.

But you got out of there. I got out of the bottom. I got to ask because I think one of the favorite stories from everyone that has listened to your first podcast was when you were Uber driving. And in your passenger, Phil. Yeah. Any contact with Phil. No contact with Phil. No, no contact with Phil.

I've thought about getting back into Uber driving a little bit. Even up where I'm living right now, up in Calgary, thinking about that. I'm not sure a pickup truck is real conducive to Uber driving. That's what I drive. I drive a raffle truck up there that I wanted a raffle. It actually does happen, which is unbelievable. Yeah. A raffle truck?

Yeah. Not like a whole in one truck. Raffle truck? A whole in one. I mean, I got a couple of them. I mean, I'm sure you knock those down. Oh, yeah. Guy like you.

I always aim at flags. Pre-Hedeki? Oh my God. You were lasers. I actually did win a truck and a raffle. I am thinking about getting back into it, but we shall see. But no, no contact with Phil. After a shaky start, Phil was a good dude.

I won't go that far. I didn't know him that well, but he finished strong. I'll give Phil that. So no. Not yet. But I almost feel like if you guys are going to have me on a third time, I might have to drive through. I think you should.

Because there's still more stories to get to. Calgary. Just do it for a few days. Some shit will happen. I guarantee it. And you can come back and tell it. I do it in Calgary. There could be,

I could have some good stories. Are we going to see you at WM Phoenix Open? So I was on the fence about that until you told me about your event. Possible event. We don't want to tease it too much right now. Okay. I won't say anything. Okay.

A possible event. Where you might have the chance to play off with Mike Commodore? Maybe. For an enormous sum of money. A lot of rubles. rubles for days if you want to play with Tommy. I got a million rubles in You gotta go get them, but

We got these weird two Russian guys that really want to play with you, dude. We put your out, you're on 13 pieces. So safe to say you will be in town. I mean, dude, it's feet. I know, I know. Yeah, I'll be in town, yeah. I mean, I got a little scramble to do it because I don't want a place here right now, but yes. I mean, who am I kidding?

Where's the condo? Where's the champions layer? I don't have one. I sold it. You can stay as Joe's guest. Crazy. I'm just going to take over Joe's house. I'll volunteer just the whole house. The whole house.

Joe can sleep up at the course. Actually, as he should. Yeah, as he should. He needs to be up there preparing. He's going to buy a new mansion soon anyways with his new boss. I know. How about this guy goes right from Ricky Fowler, a couple tough years or whatever,

and then just, I mean, I don't even think Joe is a good guy. And goes straight to, I mean, well, you guys know way better than I do. If you were to pick a young guy, I mean, Justin Tom, but a young guy's bag, if you were to get canned, you get canned, and then, okay, who can we, what would be a great, but that's got, had to have been like a top three bag, maybe. He was like 20th in the world at the time, I believe. Right, at 20 years old. Now the President's Cup happens, everyone in the world knows him. He's flying over to Japan to play. It's crazy.

He won twice already on the PGA tour. Oh, it's a joke. With Joe on the bag. Bogie free. And what, you know, the whole tournament. Yeah, no bogeys. And Joe gets to talk now. too, I've noticed that.

I watch a lot of golf channel up in China. And Joe's, this guy actually listens to Joe and wants Joe Pena. Makes me sick. He's hanging on his shoulders and their best buddies already. I was like, he just slid into this. He's like winning a truck and a raffle. Joe thinks he's the man now, too. Went for Taco Tuesday.

I went out to eat with him yesterday. You wanted to go to Taco Tuesday. They picked up the tab. He bought? Wow. If I would have known that, I would have come. Well, you would have got $12 for the tacos. We got $10 of them for $12.

box. That's incredible. Cobby, as always, my man. Can't wait for the third, Doug. Can I'll be back. I'll be back. We got to,

thank you. We're actually filming this in front of a live studio audience. Yes. Oh, yeah. We are. And I'm not asking the question. We just got to submit it.

So that's going to do it for this edition. Chop it off. Thanks, Covey. Appreciate it. All right. Well, I cannot wait for episode three. There is.

Beautiful Mike Commodore. I mean, is there anyone better than this man? I had a couple other stories like written out. Like, I make sure he tells those. And by the time we were over, I was like, damn, there's more. Believe it or not, the Russian story is all time.

But there's so much shit in that. I mean, imagine, like, for him, I get it. Like, didn't probably need the money, but they pay well over there. I'm going to go over there. I'm playing Russia. Didn't even know where it was on the map. All of a sudden, you got 10-hour flights every which way. But to end up in a Russian prison, especially after what's, like, I made a joke about, like,

introduced that guy to Brittany Griner. She could use a little help right now. There's one place you don't want to be. It's in a Russian jail. I'll be honest. I don't want to be in any Joe. Or just Russia, period. Seems like a pretty sketchy situation. But God damn, the man is a beautiful, beautiful individual. When he talks about his golf game, I just love to trash.

Everything. Just trash. Everything's so good. We will have him back. We got to get him in spurts, but there's just, that's like, we're at the tip of the iceberg on the story. He's one, too. You don't even have to have him on to talk about himself. We can just talk about other stuff.

Anything. He could just be a state of the union with comedy. Like, give me your takes on everything. It'd be hot. And now he's in the podcast game. too, which is, by the way, where he belongs. Clearing the crease. If you're a hockey person, I got to imagine, it's pretty good.

It's got Kami on it. And he already said his second one. He got a little too tuned up. I was there for the three podcast. It happens to pros, you know? Even the best of the best occasionally. We get a little too snapped up. We were out watching football Sunday after the wedding.

And I was like, what time is that podcast you got to do? He's like, five. I'm like, you should probably go home. God, I came up to him. He had the shirt down, like you said, flow. Chess flow is everywhere. And I came up and just gave him like a big, like a bear hug or whatever. I wrap and I was like god damn imagine this dude being pissed off at you coming at you he's a

shit house of a human being but he's just solid but he's a teddy bear yeah he would do anything all right well thanks to call me for coming on once again hope you all enjoy that right now i want to tell you about pinned golf because lees we're out there playing we're not stepping off yardages we're going to use a range finder and who wants to go spend four hundred dollars or more on a range find not me bud all right well pin golf was started by a few recent college grads back in 2018 when they couldn't justify spending that $400. Knew was necessary to take their game to the next level, but couldn't pull the trigger on something that expensive.

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I used it this past weekend while I was playing got out there shot the laser fired some lasers you know how it goes all right well you can also all that money you saved you can go spend it on us with our expert gambling picks of course what would make more money you buy several range finders what else would you do with it but this past I lost my football bet again though god damn it did you yeah I had LSU over A&M the shock of the weekend by the way A&M finally decides to show up played like what they should have been playing like all year. I'll be totally honest. Put LSU to bed.

Hard. I'll be totally honest. I don't even know if mine hit, but I'm about to look for you right now. Who'd you have? I had West Virginia over Oklahoma State. So let me look in this big 12 area right here. And I will tell you that West Virginia won 2419

and they were getting nine, they were getting five and a half. Chicken. Winner. I don't know if we've both gone with an L. No, I start off hot. I've come back to Earth a little bit. I'm getting back on track this week.

Guaranteed. I shouldn't say guaranteed, responsibly guaranteed. Well, while we're on football, let's go. What are you got? Do our picks?

Sure. I'm going USC over Utah minus two. Oh my God. Is I. We both like it. If it was golf or some other shit, I'd be like that's the problem. But with this,

I feel like we're a bit aligned. It's hard to beat a team twice. It's hard to beat a team twice, but this Utah team is banged up. They barely skated by in Salt Lake, which they're a different animal. There's some suspect, by the way,

calls in that game. And I don't, I'm not even a USC fan, but I was like, wow, If that was my team, I would be livid. Greased by. They're playing the best football of the year.

Utah's a little bit dinged up. Probably not playing as good, I would argue. I'm smashing USC minus two and a little. For the playoffs, by the way. Got a win for the playoffs. They got everything on the line. We know Lincoln Rally is a hell of a coach. But to go out there first year.

I know he got to bring Caleb Williams with him. Pretty damn impressive, though, that they're a win away from being in the college football playoffs. Yeah, the defense, I think you can light him up, but the offense is a joke. Caleb Williams, I'm pretty sure, just won himself to Heism. He is good. He's, I mean, he's the closest thing to Patrick Mahomes.

got so i'm heavy USC minus two and a hook all right well the pj tour is also back we got tigers event the hero world challenge down in the bahamas 18 guys that's all yeah probably no we won't be doing any dark horse can finish top 20 this week yeah keener's your only real dark horse he's the only one outside of 50 to one sorry kids i love you okay ain't no hobby but john rom is the favorite victor hovlin defending champion and tiger woods is teeing it up yeah back for the first time of three that we're going to see in December. You're going to get a little tiger fix,

give you a little sneak peek of what to expect next year. You've got the hero. You've got the match where he's teaming up with Roy McRoy, and then you got the PNC parent child where, I don't know if we're more excited to see Tiger tee it up again or Charlie Wood's teed up again. I don't know what tease they got Charlie on, but I don't think Tiger's going to need to pull a driver out too often.

I just saw his little swing, his swing down there they video to one of the junior tournaments. I mean, it looks like, dude, I'm not shitting you. This is like, I don't want to freak out over a 12, 13-year-old. That golf swing looks like Rory Macroy's golf swing. Tiger and Rory had a baby. And he's Charlie Woods, and that's a good thing for him. Going to be all right.

All right, well, let's get to some picks. It's going to be very, we're going to get four days of tiger, which is great. I'm sure he's going to be laid back, relaxed. I hope he plays well. Not sure what to expect. I don't really care. I don't care at all. I just want to see him swing it.

It's going to be rusty. Of course, it's going to be rusty. I'd be shocked if he didn't play bad. But I don't give a shit. He's playing again and just look forward to next year and some real tournaments. All right, I'm going with a guy who I feel like when he finds a course he likes. he seems to always play well at it. You look at Myakoba.

He went win, win, and I think he finished 11th this past year. And he obviously likes this golf course because he won this golf tournament. We're going Victor Hodlin, 14 to 1. Love that pick. That was one that jumped out of me, too, especially at 14. There's only 18 dudes in the tournament. I feel like that's pretty good juice for Victor. I'm going to go with a guy that won the last time he was out.

When he gets going, he really goes, Tony Fienow, plus nine-hondo. I know he took a little time off, was going to play RSM and said, nah, I just won. Don't blame him. Maybe he's taking a little time off. with the fam of which there are many. That's a lot of time to spend with everybody, but I'm going Tony Fino plus nine, Hyundai.

Ride the hot hand. Not the best odds in the world, but hey, why bad against him? They're all pretty short, but. What's he won? Three of his last seven events. Yeah, exactly. He's starting to go and there's only eight, 17 other guys. All right.

Well, it's the holiday season. Make sure you go get you a pin golf range finder. Pick up some links sole, 50% off, and some doers to wash it all down with. And sign up for that event. Free everything on the way down there. You will not be disappointed. All right.

That's going to do it for us. Everyone have a great week. We'll talk to you on next week's golf subpar.