Ellie it's become the annual event. It is the thirty two thoughts holiday party presented by gm, see any new eighty four x merrick for men and damage, and a quick little bit of up? Aids is far as when the next few podcast are going to be released. This is the holiday special you to listen to this one enjoy it. The next pie cast you will hear from us will be, next wednesday, the twenty eightth and then we're back to a semi, regular schedule recording thursday, the twenty ninth for release on friday, the thirtieth so don't look for anything on Monday and you're, not getting it you're going to get hosts on Wednesday and you're going to get a regular podcast on friday now to the holiday special Try to keep this thing is as fresh as possible and bring on as many new voices from around our shop elliot.

Possible and this time weave we ve. the building as they used to say what Elvis would leave thirty. You thought has left the building as this year. The addition of a holiday special. You will hear from Leah mchugh from the any chanty anti and Emily kaplan from you spin fridge yeah If we wanted to invite some new people, the party we seen the same gas for so long at these sports that christmas. All the parties, and it gets of looking at people like David, amber and kevin be accessed. So we need to have some some new blind to talk to last it up a little bit afraid was classed as a little bit closet hating like the hitting a new level. So let's get right to it, so settling the the holiday special, the holiday podcast, welcome to the thirty.

two thoughts, supper club, put something in your own cup as well and enjoy our holiday party, the always good elia, to welcome rick ball to the party play by play, voice of the calgary flames and hockey night in Canada rick. How are you today and what do you find in your cup these days around christmas around the holiday season? First of all, I'm well thanks for asking guys- and secondly, it's always red lights- always probably some big old called orange tab a bit of a knucklehead when it comes to wine. I like it, but I'm not that sophisticated, so doesn't change that much over the course of the year at christmas is no different. Kelly Rudy says it's a three hundred dollar bottle of wine. Is that true,

because he's draken yellowtail talk about the park on its awesome. Well, first of over so glad to have you here today and a key update on your health and how you feeling we all know what you ve you been. through the last little. While, how are you feeling? How are you doing up thanks for asking Europe? I feel great yeah. It's guided turned into it. I was planning on saying something when it came back after I missed a month or so at that, but the cat kind now the bag and that every sort of meat, which is why with me, I wasn't trying to keep it a secret but tat for those might not have heard. I had a pulmonary embolism in october, which is basically broken my leg and then a blood clots formed went to my lungs appreciation. real quick show was scary weak when it all happened, but to the good news is so you don't want it. Hospital. They got me on a blood donors and thankfully I'm feeling much much better. So rightly,

I got work under after you go through Fifty plus years of your life, with no serious health issues and all of a sudden are really serious, wanted as kind of wake you up in some ways and in a while cliches applied, puts things into perspective, so I am really happy to be feeling better it and back on them on the road with a team and calling games. While you sound great, you haven't missed a beat at all. Like you know, sometimes you wonder is someone going to sound different? Is their work going to be different still top down for you read, but you said something there that I want to ask you a little bit about if you're comfortable with it and that how have things changed for you, since your diagnosis and your return are the odds look at life differently. You see things differently, how're you doing well only cliches apply elliot, like it seems tried to say it, but it's so true about appreciating every day or on the right side of the soil.

I just why not let things bother me as much just generally speaking in life and known as you get older. That tends to happen a little bit anyway, because it you'd realise that maybe this week isn't going the way you wanted to, but you know you to keep them the right things and trying to be a decent personal, Looking hearts are usually there come around and in a good way. So all things that I sort already knew: wanna and intellectual level and suddenly become more emotionally submitted in the way, I think, having said factor I said to my wife: after a while she was how you feeling I said, I I'm feeling better? She said why do you say that I go well, I'm starting to get annoyed again So I must be feeling better. So you know its day to day life. Does the same, you know is the little things buggy, but really guys it's more trying to let that stuff go probably more than he's doing like

I consider myself a healthy person, so the whole idea that it could just go like that. You know out of the blue, really make you appreciate every day and try to let the level stuff slide away a lot faster than you do. I think I know what did it record was the ninety third time the flames dumped the puck into the corner, the thats. What you finally said. I can't do this anymore. I I how many more times can I see it? Three ought to turn into a puck battle in the corner know before I start to lose it below, where Zevon always said enjoy every sandwich, and it sounds like you're doing that around this time of year. We we think a lot about. You know what we do and who we are, and you know, memories come flooding back, I'm assuming it's always been hockey for you going back to when you were a kid, or am I mistaken on that, my two sports growing up or hockey or football I loved both I grew up in b c, so you always said

an action lines were. My teams is as a kid and then the local team. I grew up in cologne, and so was the old colonial buck. Whose back in the day I went to a lot of junior hockey games to you know those the sports that I loved. I was not a very good hockey player as the funny thing as much as I love sport. That was the one game and I was terrible at my ankles were really bad. machine shop is a bad skater and I kind of got discourage at a young age. Windup grab it. More towards football, not ultimately rugby as I gotta it wasn't a sports. I wanted a plane but deep down hockey's. I still feel to the stairs the most fun sport to watch especially live. It's just nothing beats it now, football's a great sport to talk about in terms of broadcast. Because her so much strategy involved, but just the experience of being at the games and really doing play my play because they continue nature in the frantic pace of a hockey game. It is the best sport to do so. About the chancellor, both by the BBC lines for eleven years on the radio. So enjoyed it, but you know the fact that I'd like to.

Linda calibre. Now it's been nine years since I've been there, you know, I'm learning what I do. I love where I live, it's terrific city and dumb and getting a call, games and disappeared canada supply offices. Well, it literally a dream come true. When I see when I had an inkling, I wanted to get at the business. This is where I wanted to be at some point of my career. The fact that I've been able to do it, I can't tell you much remains to me Pause on one thing I gotta three toward third here and see where lands jerk do you have a face at cologne, a buck, a room, and you think back to that do have one one player who like- or he was my guy great arrows, of course, programmes the corruption, Why did the stairway got by the greatest robson? What they call you play from the court of operation? before he went on it. Did he go to denver gosh? I can't remember, I have to say it's my favorite but rear camera. What university, northern arizona, northern arizona

okay, well, there you go and winds up being a canals like you guys were really tight. I kept. I follow him like a like a family member. Clearly yeah, I loved him because you know it's interesting. This just spark because I always like to measure what junior team is now we spend all twine drop it in their occasionally what junior tat where's play lower. I love because what I grew up in calonna misplaced. Before the western hockey league got there because more players, especially back then they see a lot more guys, go through the junior, a route and now and then university and make the nhl that didn't happen as often back in the day. So what I grew up in cologne to have If the guy that played in cologne was from kawana play in the nhl met here, the broadcaster mentioned that on the air really meant something to me. You know- and I think about that now in small towns, you know some kid played for isn't that tigers or whatever I'll mention that I usually mention it, could kill it rudy's at medicine, hat tiger alumni. He demands that. I say it but,

it's just an example. I just number as a viewer back in the day when I was a kid to hear somebody mentioned areas. Is a former colonna baccarat break out of her whenever you know, I just thought that was Also I try to work out into the bright when all the time it can get distracted me just don't have enough time to do it sometimes, but once in a while I'll drop of mentioning. In specifically. For that reason, as I remember what that meant to me when I was young well when you think of hot, As a kid like, I always go back and ok. I got this present that president. I remember this. Your pair of hockey, hockey's gaizdorra, never was there anything from Miss time as a kid that particular he stands out for you. I got an old woman all they want. I got them, but they're, a pair of dough states that I loved we used to live next to a pond that would freeze over growing up a clone of the wintertime. When I go out there and you know, would shovel offer couple hundred square feet. Freedom So for me to go stateless bumpy old pond, but these are all those states that the two escaped

actually hold one in my neck, and I want to lie in the other day to see if I could see applied a pitcher of them, but I think I found the, but I could quite exactly how they look my gosh. I must have been seven years old, maybe six at the time when I was a christian Yes, that's definitely something that sticks out to me in terms of hockey related did you pronounce some doubt workers? We used always pronounced the dust, back then I probably said doused. you know what a change when dando, god traded. Israel may believe what you expect me to understand exactly. Those are what's your favorite hockey memory as a player as a player or not, I don't have a lot cause. I quit when I was still young, but I remember as a pad estate or I was not been able to keep up with anybody honestly The last year I did I play hockey. I was probably nine so yeah, I don't have a tonne

I loved that olympic friends of mine wanted me to play rights. They rejected it like they convinced me to come out and that's how I got started. I loved the games, while I want to try it, but I'd gravitate towards playing football at about that age as well played flag right after that. So I have more memories playing because I'm played too, as I got older than hockey terms at the place, I did it. Ok, I asked about the buck a ruse. You were the former payment play voice to the rockets as well, when I say colonna rockets. What comes to your mind right away, comes right away. I would have to say in the time I was there, probably the press try to get a new area built because they played when they move from tacoma. They played in the in the old memorial arena, which were so. You know, mid century sort of it's a war memorial arena built in the early fifties, I think so one of those great old ranks not really what you would expect for major her heart. Yet they can only sat under two thousand people. The ice surface out,

talking about this, a great many of the other two acres as an own goal. We were talking about the old boston gardening. You know the odd and buffalo and all those banks that have the small chicago. Of course, he played there and help change the game, but as a colonna memorial arena. The ice surface was twenty feet shorter than regular water. Eighty by eighty five, it was twenty feet shorter and five feet narrower. You know what that ST mike's arena in toronto. We had the exact same thing: ST mike's was the same while I remember stating in there like playing in there a kid in the board and then the end boards, like I'm six four. So if I we'll go on the ice even fully grown, that boards on the on the ends were like at almost the head height. a tall, and they were like conk readers like hitting a wall, so It was this kind of cruel old school arena, but totally under serving at the level of hockey that had come to town and they had a deal in place when the team moved to get a rink built and it all fell apart.

and it was a really tough for years for the rockets. It's interesting now, because there are born of the cornerstone franchises in this year, jail the hamilton still on it do a great job there. I did it for five years in the first four, when the old right for those borders It was on shaky ground because they were having trouble getting rid of built. It was atop deal financially as they couldn't put more than eighteen. Fifty people in the building I finally got the arena. Donald is a guy who has been in cologne all my life at that point. To see that arena get built really meant something to me, we had a similar deal fall through for a new rick prior at the corner wings were there, you may recall back in the early eighties. They did have a westerly plea for a few years at one of becoming the spoken chiefs because they loved because couldn't get an arena done? That deal fell apart, then we waited for another fourteen fifteen years to get a new right when I was still living calonna so really meant a lot to me to see that happen. There's a guy was from there and the sea. That it secured the western hockey league. It's been a fixture there now, since

be a lot of the stuff that we weren't getting in a city that was growing in a real nice place. To be all just in terms of you know, concerts and performing seven conventions and all the things that you gave it the new building started. The common Of course, I love shortly after that went to the coast to get to a joint that much. But that's it. Sticks out to be now on. The hockey sight was really cool. Just beyond. Like, I think about all of the great players I got to watch plain, five years I was there Marian hossa drama gila, you know, Patrick, well like so many guys who went on to be stars of the national hockey league. I knew it was a great league, but to see that up close and personal for half a decade and then see those guys, have incredible careers. They did really seems to me that its the best generally in the world, obviously in and it was a great place to my teeth as a play by plague I'd trying it have beaten at what I do Let me ask you, but one player specifically, we believe was there while you're calling. I think that we are fortunately totally forgotten how good scott Hannan was as a defence man,

I favour players, we played what was it to call him and junior Just saw him. I was just in San jose before christmas and had a nice chat with scotty bumpy on the elevator, no talk to him every chance I get so he I. I watched him from a sixteen year old right through the last year that he played junior before he went on to the nhl, and I told him the story we're doing gamma colonna timber. After scouting for San jose, and you know when you do junior hockey on the radio you're by yourself at the time, and I asked him- I saw him before the game and go hey. Can you come up on the first intermission and be my guest so it comes out. We talk about babies recast. whether international commercial breakin before the us would you like on the rockets, I said Scott had it now. I don't I'm not telling a lie like it's not like he didn't know. Scott Hanna was at that point. The guy was a highly touted prospect I slept called ever gave me down in the western. Arguably guineas. I don't think I've ever seen of get beat one by one

of course they wind up taking him in the first round of the draft, and then he goes on to play over a thousand games. So did you apply for a job after that? Rick, like did say like? Where did you found him? I found them when I saw Scott the other day. I said that I'm still waiting for my check from your body. I think you know who knows what would have happened if I had that conversation, so he was really good junior. He scored more in junior. Is a lot of guys do, but I knew he steady eddie. You know he was always built like that hasn't That's a teenager kind of it just a guy just wrong I was not surprised at all. He had a long career because he was a really good player, really good, loved okay, so favourite call like for favorite game favorite moment of your nhl career as a play by play guy

I mean obviously, that the game, seven, the flames and the dallas stars. Last year we went to or anytime you have a playoff game against eva go to overtime on home ice, the team windsor. That was a lot of fun to throw scores that vehicle. That was incredible. The end. All I think about people ask me about the ball. I don't think it was particularly great, but What I do remember it is that is to shut up, because the crowd was going crazy. I learned this mulatter the guys that I really enjoyed as play by play, guys Sometimes just let the pitcher speak themselves in. How do you talk that right guy? scores in overtime of game. Seven on home ice playoff series, the buildings going nuts they cut with the crowd outside your seats, are flying up in the air. I like this layout, so that was a lot of fun. The best game I got

it was that halloween gave in nashville a couple years ago. Workers score the overtime winter in the shop between elation cash, regional eggs holding onto the second time we ever since the private seriously. I dont know what to make of what we just witness. Your rig did even between his legs on that was unbelievable finish. I couldn't leave what I saw right, taking a second bridge, a register, how we scored, but what gets forgotten? Is they come from behind scored. He scored with, like twenty seconds left, to tie the game. The first place, so that had a bit everything's love was. It was a kind of them, nothing at all, the and gay, but in terms of excitement tat, it's definitely right up there with them.

Fun games. I've I've had a chance to get off. That is one. great cutbacks account. We flames history, one of all were used already that game, because it meant that you could get out to broadway. Like you were just add, it went to yeah, I'm always if the boy didn't want to go. Why I think we bought at the departed right after that, although I might have taken a tour up and down through a few of the honky tonks the night before it's mandatory, it is mandatory, absolutely when in rome this has been great, listen, go back and top off your glass thanks. So much as always, resolved by great to hear voice agreed to hear you in good health and voices screw I hear you call them flames games thanks. So much for this rick much appreciated a draft finale. Thank you very much for having me and you guys do a great job love the show and best of the season, already thicker, Yes, ruth talk in their freak out.

The the other holiday party here soldiers on, and I have always maintained that this industry needs to things, people with more ink and pro rustling backgrounds and our next yes, you're on the party has both lake murphy he's one half of the fan dr time show monday to friday on Van five. Ninety in toronto, blake murphy. How are you today, sir? I am actually that's a great introduction. That's a great tagline For when I bring to the table nice elliot's gonna play bartender now go ahead. Freeze! Well, first of all, before we start pepper you with questions, we always ask someone if there's something they like to sip weather alcohol work or non alcoholic is. Do you have a preference this time of year, I'm going to ask for a hot toddy just eyes so my dad likes.

or by that all you needed. If you were under the weather, warm operating. There is a high priority. Like boiling water, whisky, honey. I know some but like the sentiment in it, I go with lemon instead time a year. I have, say that during one of the nhl lockouts, which was two thousand and thirteen gary lawless is now in vegas and was covering it further when a peg free press at the time he me too, the hot toddy. I was never a big fan, but we had some cold knights and in manhattan, and he said, you want a warm up. This is what you do and I am a fan. So blake you are a man of great taste. I am very appreciative I would almost guarantee that I had several ha tatties around that same time, because I was in turning into edmonton at that point and If you guys know this being an hiv guys if you're in and enduring and an hiv walk out as a sports writing in turn, there is not what kind of stuff to do

worked attitude had to fill in the gaps between like high school volleyball tournaments and you away wrestling tournaments and stuff like that, somehow well blake You are clearly a gentleman, a scholar and a judge of good liquor. So welcome to the program. You will be right at home here, I'm going to ask this open ended and I'm hoping you can. Maybe I'm going to try to bias the jury here when I think sports around christmas. I always think of growing up and going to see wrestling maple leaf gardens on boxing day for our american friends that's december. Twenty six twenty used always want to show was the the promoter of north America that did it so they drew in a bunch of you, know, tat and from all over florida, georgia different parts of canada michigan, and it was a really cool card when I say sports around christmas, blake murphy and I'm crossing my fingers, hoping something rustling to offer what come to your mind. Unfortunately, I don't have much wrestling offer. I don't want to

need you, but I would have been a little too young for those that he shows I have gone. They do house shows at coca cola coliseum right before new years. Every year I've gone to those four times and their just like that, more like nothing's televised, big names really, but I actually I ran into your innocence at a company and a couple of the bucks there one year they were just like in toronto a year early. So that's my best like holiday wrestling memory. For me, though, the sport things all my parents are separated, my dad lives knew full well now when he still lived here. It was we did christmas day at my mom's, and we did boxing day my dad's and that's when we do in the presidents, and have like a christmas dinner and stuff. But the reason we did boxing day with my dad was we would that around the world junior opener every boxing. Obviously, for me, christmas day is a big nba day. Five games in a row you just kind of keep half an eye

while europe opening presence in getting drunk with family and stuff like that, but until my dad move back to new land a few years ago, add the the boxing day christmas built around whatever time the world junior opener was, that is the big hole they sports one. For me, I see you're on twitter ear you're very well rounded you're. All I mean I know you for primarily from your raptors covered you're, always twitting about wrappers in basketball, but you tweet about hot three about wrestling. You tweet about you have see anger, your very knowledgeable and all of this stuff. What is your favorite I have to say hockey just cause your the the podcast it might dear you more to the listeners, but I don't have to say hockey by the way. It's not even our favorite blake. So go ahead pick a name from a playing standpoint. It's definitely hockey hockey's the one that I'm best that that I've played the most that I you know if you threw the

out there on a basketball quarter, baseball field are or ice rank, I'd be way more at home on the ring from a coverage standpoint though, unlike as a fan, I would lean basketball he's bombast bar kind of one a one b. I know they spoke, they just scratch very different issues. me like basketball? So entertaining it's so personality driven, it's so fund write about it and be in all the games are then baseball is just well yeah giant nerd, unlike numbers, so here's all the numbers you could possibly want I'll say, basketball for the purposes of giving an answer. But the reason that I'm you know I still tweet about all those things to talk about all those things is because I like what kind of hockey player. Were you not a very good one? give us discarding report on your. What level did you play too? I gotta as high as a. I think I pray did like a cup of coffee a triple a one point, but I In very good. Like I'm five foot tat, I was

fence men kind of like not a stay at home, like a steady para hands like enough to if it gives any idea like I transition for! being a defence within hockey to being a defence spending lacrosse pretty seamlessly. So you are used to chop people and the like once people caught up, To my size I was five nine or five ten like early, and then everyone else, Qaeda outgrew me as far as defence when go but yeah, that's the sales pitch for lacrosse. When I stop playing travel hockey was hey if you could play hockey defence, but the stick is legal and was a very easy sell for me, and you know usually at that age when you say I'm a stay at home defenceman. Usually that means I am. Fast enough to join the rush? So I get it trust. No, the opposite, honestly is like really an I yeah. So when I stop playing travels around the cameras, I think sixteen, its around when my parents separated, unlike the drive

tall and cost all of play on rap, like my dad was kind of like. Do you not make any junior like what are we doing here? That's when I started playing lacrosse and I started wrestling, I went down to house league for hockey and I just played one We can and then I moved forward, and I was like ledy, it was the best is like you score way. our points here, but he got from being like the fifth defence meant We like the number one centre is great speed wasn't at issue is more the size. Once you got to the contact ages, tell us about rustling, tell us, but that because I one of my best friends is Shaun pearson who fought in europe, see he's got an amateur background. We work out together and every now and then he'll say like hey, let's spar and I'm like, oh god here we go, I've never even come close to taking them down. I've never come close. I even some I do like hey. Let's just hit shoulders and knees, I haven't come close like he. He just like does whatever he is: it's it's humiliating kind of ressler, where you again

very good one. This is this is why you try a bunch of different sports when you're done playing the one. You thought you are good at that to find out where your strengths lie. I really liked wrestling so the high school that I went to bridge ontario. It's called months your doyle. It was. Small like seven hundred fifty or eight hundred students, as like the smaller the vital, no seven or eight high schools in cambridge, and we want good at anything for sports, except we had one like fifteen straight district wrestling chips. It made no sense like there was a high school in our district. That was very heavily like farmer and there's a man I community not far outside of cambridge. So you These, like dude sue, look like their full grown adult yeah and monsignor doyle would just dust the it's from drink and farm water, their whole lives trust, and we see that I'm in the oh, my kids playing on a chair. We see that we got some of these towns, like all spokes, where this mutant come from yeah

and obviously there are way classes, but it still intimidating when I have the most facial hair on my team and that's like bats, burns at these guys covered with full beards. No, but so because in large part, because we this coaches, nameless chris lowry or Mr Lowery he's retired, now awesome awesome, Jim teacher and breast and coach from London who would come into cambridge as one of our teachers he's the best and yet for for that and we had just all this success at the high school district level. I I think I feel she's best, there's like third in turn him at once, but that very good yeah we're not talking like offs or anything like that? Like a regular district tournament? I was kind just a guy- and this is similar to like I don't know this- up a lot in my life, where, like I'm, spiritually the backup catcher in every sport where'd you Damn around good vibes. All like hold the clipboard help me

the team if one of the good players who are friends with need something I'm I'm there. So I was like nick gavel one of my best friends in high school, and he was probably our best wrestler as a gap. stay after practice for like an hour, so nick can get extra work and that's it at teammate, I was wrestling dummy that was you you're the wrestling. Now we throw them around. I look at it. This way, like the battle is showing up man like that, like that's half the battle like you're talking down your hockey you're talking down, Your rustling, you were there a lot of other people would all I saw I'm impressed now. I wanted to Aren't you about your route here right now Oh you and bananas. Co host the afternoon drive on the fan in toronto. You also did a lot of blue jays last year, I think you call hosted like the pre and post game stuff right, not the broadcasts, but before and after the broadcast came on, you love your jays,

where's your kind of path here? Yes, oh it's a long and kind of convoluted one, so for anyone No, I have a business degree. I was working for toyota and I would die but the couple years, just kind of writing on the side for fun and on point I was enrolled in law school and I was like. I don't think this is for me and I don't know that I know yeah feeling. Yes, Eventually. I decided you know what I'm going to try the sports thing and I went back to school. They get a masses. Listen, but I didn't finish it. It was more about elliot, you know, Catherine, that's your friend from c b c and from you b c, the all she was an awesome kind of med torn advisor and I was there and at one point I had some offers in the industry was like, while that's gonna way more helpful than the piece of paper, because if this doesn't work out, I'm not going to have not come back, the journalism I'll go use my business degree, but at that point in time,

doing everything like I was blogging about the canucks and the leafs living out in vancouver. I was and the right for just about every baseball, analytic side. I was out at the sloan sports analytics conference in Boston a couple times, and at that point I think I was probably more it is like an analytic sky, then that a basketball guy and then those analytics people all started like learning, programming and learning how to do like actual math and then like with hockey and wrestling, I gotta, get left behind and then so yeah. So when I landed, I worked at the score for two years and a rigid, the idea was, I could be this versatile piece that would bounce around and then really really quickly. I had kind of gotten established as one of our top basketball people I'd, also for a long time, written ad and helped run raptors republic, which is like one of them. I think probably the longest running, raptors, blogger and reason. You know we produced a tunnel,

writing talent around the city and around basketball. It was so cool during the NBA finals. I think there were eight people credentials who had at one point written for raptors republic. So the combination of those things just kind of made it so ask a ball was where my career it was going and then, when I went freelance full time you I did the eye baseball or wrestling or rugby thing, but I more established on basketball and if you ve done freelance before you got all aware? Your opportunities are coming and that was primarily on basketball for me, so yeah the opportune. You come to sports nedda and do a little bit more show. I could do a little bit more than riding on a little bit. More than just basketball has been really fun, but You ultimately want to do I don't have a good answer for that that's ok, cause I'm the same. I've always been the same way like I'm, not someone that set schools. I just way up and say everyday, I'm going to work hard, I'm going to see what happens yeah,

like so much of my career has been like get to the next thing and, like ok, see if this war and then see if I can get a job and then see if I can make it work, doing my own thing and then each successive step. So you don't really at least the path I took. You don't really get the scent like five year goals. I like and although I like doing tv and radio, I miss writing a little bit right now, where I haven't written in a in a couple months. Yeah and that's- war wise at all. I don't really care either. It's just like The end of the day it is talking about sports are writing about sports. Is there's not a bad path from here? I don't ok, so I introduce you, is a heavily inked broadcaster and there's not enough of us undamaged. What's your next piece gonna be, or are you done? Why not I'm done for right now, so I actually just finish my second sleep. So my arms are completely done. There's no more room unless I become like a hand tattoo guy, which I don't they gonna do loom my wife just got hers done. It looks great the hands,

yeah. She got her right hand Alex fantastic, I'm of the mind. It looks better on women than men the hand tat to, but maybe that'll teens now that my sleeve of so you're hurting space by japan replay direct. Now I think I probably go thigh next, but I gotta take a little break because Jeff you know this like getting. Tattoos is time and given that that's a lot of disposable income to that's treaties to sleeves over like a decade yeah, but I don't know what it's like for you now, but like once upon a time I, like my back, I did a six and a half hours all at once and no problem, but now like now that I'm a little bit older and three hours three and a half now that's when I that's when it starts to feel spicy for me to have that. Yet are you getting that like ooh, I gotta tap out after three hours. Now, I'm not as tough as they used to be I've. Never tapped out. I haven't gone as long as like six and a half hours. I think my life

The session was pry like five hours or something like that has long man. I think a good part of it is I've, worked with the same couple of artists several times. You have a relationship with the artist. The time goes by a little easier term or with the one artist I have as like. If it's not a day were we're chatty or the spot, where it's really really painful, just throw like a true crime, podcast or something I just try to so no festival is there anyone this particularly meaningful to you? Oh yeah yeah. They all have like some sort of meaning somewhere like I have, for example, my grand my leg and father who is on the new financing like I have a big puffin on my left because when I would go visit in the summer's, when I was little, I was like obsessed with them. Oh while that's cool and as part of that part of what we built

There are also has like my grandfather's tags from the cream war. On as well so that re. Why that's an example of one I have one for it does I'd say their name or any like that, but one of one each for, like my brothers and my nephew and my mom like just especially like, as I got down to the like running at us it was so easy to find little fillers that are just like kind of wink. Wink to this family member or this thing out of my life. But this is the most sports related one that I have and it's going to sound stupid, but I have a little car moose and my own drawing, so what and there was during the raptors championship season. I've always taken handwritten notes during raptors games and people get a kick out of like I use a shorthand and have messy writing, so it looks like scribbles, but sometimes, instead of using a players initials or players number, I would like draw little symbol for

and when the there's had great monroe, whose nickname is moose he was supposed to be like the fifteenth man never play. And I would draw when he checked in a little moose and I'm a terrible drawer, but he started playing that I was drawing a moose like almost every game of my moose drawings, we're getting better and then both after centres got hurt, so he was like starting games at one. wait. Some was like of the rapid win the championship. You gotta get that tattooed and I was being a smart ass. I was, I sure, if the rapid When the championship I'll gap is the worst part, is like I went through with that. Obviously after the rapids win the championship, but they try a greg monroe away at the trade deadline and then played It's him in the play ops, but I didn't feel comfortable getting like raptors. to you or something like that. So that's kind of my comments, furtive I covered an mba championship, that's who that is

who'll listen, there's been a lot of fun, listen best to you and your family, the holiday time Mary. Christmas best of the new year to you and your family, and let's catch up soon, blake a lot of fun. Yeah thanks so much gas appreciate. Have me shit the hardy elliot great that you mentioned it and have an awesome holiday and a great two thousand twenty three, your stars rising. It is you know elliot or next. Yes, in a previous life work for both national predators in these for the panthers in scouting departments. How he now does some, for us here he's also an analysed and he's also a bond vivid and a man about town and someone that we all I wanna know what's going on jason buckler, and he joins us here on the other holiday extravaganza books. How are you today?

paper iron. I have no idea what you just said, because I'm just a hockey scout but I'll fantastic. Thank you very much. Ok! Well, the one thing we know about hockey scouts is they? Don't like their cups to be dry, the leg them into a runneth over. What's in your in your mug these days, my wife, Michelle and I are huge craft beer connoisseurs like we've, been touring around during the craft beer thing all over the place, so I am a lager she's, an ip, a but anything craft, beer lager local, look at the world juniors. If I happen upon something up there, I'm having it for sure, ok give Your favorite want to plug here on the show. What's your favorite craft brew, while powerhouse brewery here in london, is our goal to favorite right now: excellent, excellent, excellent So our around this time a year for you traditionally in, however many years back, it's all been about tournaments. Just then the world juniors of the? U twenties, but there's a kinds of tournaments, both in north america and overseas as well. Do you have it?

a writ again, public one favorite tournament. You ve ever been- maybe it's because of one dynamic performance by one player: abs, the dominant team. Maybe it's just you had a good time. Is there one favorite turn in your history, lemme predate my time and then a child in and satisfy. You love this stuff Jeff like good the trottel morleys tournament. When I worked with the sioux greyhounds way back in the day and wireless was always, you know, it was always a wet, be silver. Stick by everybody. I look forward to the morrow these right, and that was that I was alive. Find it was just action packed in that was always a fund about to go to my favorite overseas event. I have to say world juniors helsinki. What are we talking? two thousand and fifteen. Turning into two thousand sixteen, like the polio redeem when finland wanted there that place was just a lecture

is probably more satisfying world juniors and I have ever been to was awesome are. The top line was a priority. Linnaean, oh it was. It was, and then on the. back and the right shot d that Dallas drafted and has since gone back and I'm dating myself. I thought heavier by honk honk, exactly haka any other brother to write, elliott and so atmosphere was absolutely electric and if you guys have been over there in the big rake in helsinki, you'll yogurt play sitting, it is. It's kind of sad cycles are just sitting there right now right with what's going on in the world, but It was it wishes outstanding in the fence. They know how to throw a party and when their winning its its double downtime over there? I saw your jason. What I want to ask you was your path like IRAN, sports net. Now in and many people will know that you spend about fifteen years with the panthers, but you talked about

saint Marie. How did you get from london to hear such tax for the question? It's I don't get ass. It often enough, and I think that people have to understand that to become an aunt rachel scholar to become anything in the end, a child, a journey if you're not a player at second apprenticeship and never ends, and when I was done playing junior hockey and say marries a strafford. I was a ali. I immediately got into coaching coaching. Led me through the junior ranks, a junior development aki in the area than junior, be in Saint Mary sent as a gm there- and I was fortunate, goes tori, whose approach scope for the other kings got hired. Is the gm ensue saint, Marie craig? programmes a lot of time in precarious brigadier that coming back to us of the suit the edge carter. There we had a heck of a team back then anyways. They. He brought me as a director player personnel who samaria stay there for four years. We had a really successful run and, as you guys know, success breeds

opportunity saw a lot of any child geyser right, rubbing, elbows with me, just ask me what our players and- I got hired and ass for the start. Paul fenton give me my opportunity in nashville I interviewed one summer didn't get. It went the gourd donley, a kind of stuck with it. I got it stayed a national for five years. The italian takes over in florida, scott loose, and I have a history together. You know really, scott I'll bring me over from Nashville and then to be honest with you, it was never going to be a director scouting in florida we had an awesome, awesome staff there, lake orange now scott loose. tour I mean You guys are some of the basque people best human beings, you're gonna, find on the tour. Unfortunately, we went through some people, their Tom Rawle, I decided that he wanted to make some changes and ended up being the director. So am I grateful for the journey? Absolutely am I fortunate one hundred percent

You know now get the robbers will guys like yourselves in and it's been really oh boy, What has been energizing and all that gets interesting and it's been energizing. I'm really really having a lot of fun doing what I'm doing now. One of the things that I always love asking scouts, because everyone's got a different story, is who's. The one player you thought was absolutely can't miss who missed who for a while there's somebody every year rate, far this guy's a we drafted. I have to say that we the two thousand and sixteen draft. In florida, when we were going through those changes, we had a couple of pigs in their than I thought. We're gonna be at least better than What they turned out to be an second round, we dropped out a masquerade who is coming off like incredible junior career and scorpions on in kitchener.

But having said that, I thought that he would be like a middle six power play guy. Stop me a bit only because there's been a lot, I hate to say it like that. Scouting is not an exact science. You they hit on your first and second round guys. The guy that, though, that comes to mind, is henrik reports from for sure he's the one I keep coming back to hundred ports firms in the washington organization. Now he was our first round pick in two thousand and sixteen he might have been, and I think if you asked most- scouts on the tour. He might have been one of the best college players after he was drafted that we ve ever seen like this guy was absolutely electric with the pot. Mickey. I he was a cat, mrs, while with us, but it just never worked out and without going into it, deeply. I would say that, given the state of the world right now, one of the things the borg was, he wasn't prepared. When the ears he wasn't mature enough yet- and I

We could have done a better job, developing him and taking care of him off the ice to maximize his potential, and I think teams ever since that time, two thousand and sixteen are doing a much better job That was the two thousand sixteen draft ray. We guys got burst from an atom aspirin yeah that was through sixty Still, we got stolen in the fourth that year it was there the next year that you guys. Was it the franchise up for a decade? Tell us about number forty and tell us about pick number thirty, nine of the two thousand and seventy eight raft. It's a good. Why? This is the fourth part of scouting, and so were at the draft. An hour were rossetti relatively close to the front and to the left of us this, the chicago draft and then a laugh, as is the dallas table, Joe mac than our jim nill and so dealt alan, and I are sitting obviously at the front of our table and we're managing our list, as we always do we're sitting.

a player and we're sitting on a player, and it's like do we want to make a trade or we just, and you know, you're rolling the dice. You sit there and get nervous when it comes to number thirty, nine and from five feet away from me, Joe now now jason robertson, dale and I look at each other like just got. stop them and then you know you're trying to be cool about it and keep looking straight ahead at the screen. Right by you know we're irritated we're not happy at this point in time, so the little three minutes. You get gotta between packs weep. We selected happen emmy next, that forty swift current the for then he was a hell of a junior boys lies. I got me a cup, a cup of coffee right now for florida, but I not sure it's gonna work, oh, but Can you imagine if we would have got robertson, but to Joe MAC denounced great what I can't even say to you what we said on the on the four to each other? I can't I The interaction between that especially draw deal- and I was classic Joe Magda now is- is one of the best guys historically at draft declares what

where'd they go out. We were one people wonder like well. Why did they just move up like three picks? It take this player because it at the time lag people want, in art scouts and they don't understand the value of these guys, and sometimes you know moving up a few picks to get the player that you want. Even though Acosta you know a couple of, picks later on in the draft leg. stories like this. You go if you're panthers Why did we move up a couple of pigs to make sure that we got the guy that we want You know what we would have had to do. Jeff as we would have to get on the horn with whoever was picking two or three pigs in front of dallas and you know, I wonder, been like a dallas kok is obviously they were sitting on the same player but you're. Absolutely right. You know that's the role of the dice. If the draft I mean, if you look at the mackenzie weaker peck going way back to whatever new jersey and fourteen- I guess We were sitting on mackenzie weaker and you know he had in his back pocket invites the train campsite development camps, but we were sitting on em,

I turned to dale and told him to call burj montreal and calm where you wanted to flip. Our seventh convert. Berge didn't think he was out of players on his list so bored you're seventh next year and we're like perfect will take your summons right now and we sat there. We sat there and theirs. storing reverse order for because no third last pick about dropping becomes begins weaker yeah. We made a trade to get an extra pixel yoga stay alive or to the seventh round. A guess is the moral that story. Do you have to who tell teams who you wanna take. If so, they don't lose their guy, making those kinds of deals, no No, no, we don't have to do that at all at all. I can recall elisa conversations that I've had elliot with other teams will work. Holding things. That's never come up on my watch. I can't say for sure that that has been a conversation A couple arouse, if you're doing something like that with, the general managers, because you know there are sometimes at a prospect, might be involved in those transactions. Are there might be a player, roster players while so clearly,

general managers having a conversation I'm very busy on the floor. You guys have been on the floor. You see the way it is in that got very busy on the floor, managing a lot of things and the red that conversation. What is the biggest fight you ve ever seen in our draft? a player who or a list or allow swell k. We never really by too much in nashville. There's a lot continuity in nashville in florida, The make up of our room was very aggressive by trade. I guess you could say one better better hated this actions- and I was one hundred percent wrong. Honor they don't have to sugar quota was We rarely a lot of our staff were looking at adam flocks of that same draft in in buffalo and as much as some people on on my side of the room, not because I am a dividing the ruined. You say where we were sitting on. My site was like a lot

in the room. There's a lot of action in that track, as we are transitioning along a large group of people, but I have to they, the billy ryan, whose thou mature all here We pushed random flocks and it got heated that conversation went on for a good thirty. For forty minutes there was one of those is like what christmas time. It was like you know the pope we're voting for the pope type thing like we took ten votes on who was going to get drafted at this time and anyways. I missed on that one that that one got very heated and full closure, I wasn't sure that his play making ability we nobody as rabies is outstanding, with the pot play makers sees plays, develop with before they actually happen, makes place. Who seems, I wasn't sure that he could play fast enough and defend so let his element can produce the way it has been a chop and boy was IRA. I loved story. So I'm not going to see the names of these two managers to to protect to protect the guilty here.

But one of the funniest things I ever saw to draft on the floor was I was watching. One table and one manager walked over and these two managers were standing there and one was holding something in his hand like up way above his head, and the other was jumping up trying to grab. Unlike what the heck is this, and so The draft I asked one of the scouts was at the table like what was that all about he said. Ah, there's one Integer again, I'm not saying who it is called the table and asked the farm manager had any cigarettes. Cause was really nervous about something without a cigarettes or something so he came over and our manager made him like held it up and made him jump in front of everybody in the other table had to tell him had to tell them to stop, because they were embarrassing themselves made one manager jump for cigarettes that was funniest thing I ever saw on the floor books. Is there anything? similar obviously similar, but is there anything that you can think of the elect egg? While that's really funny right over there that table,

While I haven't seen that the jumping jack thing or reno for smokes, that's for sure. I have seen, can I I can assure you two fantastic stories. I had a guy on my staff, I'm not going to tell you who he is he's a little longer while I'm no longer in florida, and neither is he but when we were hosting the draft in florida on the friday after round one. He went to the approach of the buyer draft memorabilia for some people back home while he gets back to his hotel and he calls back. He says you know I got you. This is and size large. That's a size me away. So the person on the other end says on the top. The wrong sizes your own way, so. The guy's flying out immediately after the saturday saw he's run. A computer at our table. It's like roll call and am looking he's nowhere to be found, and I look up in the player section there with the agents in the parents here comes. Skull running down the stairs with two bags full of member bianca

well cause already happened because he went shopping before the draft started. I just I've seen that before I was absolutely disgusted as discuss it, the other one, that's going to say, and this one blows my mind, but especially in today's day and age, I have- side of the table where a general manager, I don't know, stymie spent, but it said ty writing only three ring binder paper or notepad in this hotel room. All players available in his organization and come on. And handed them to urge turkey to general managers table of meeting. We have fewer like we can look at your damn charity, just good pick up the phone it does. I I don't know how much time you took ready on all these lesson in opened a paper, but that I thought I was a little. Some the caveman area. Now before let you go jason. What have you learn about being in media that you didn't real and the answer is not there. A bunch of slots like give us something else besides, although that is true,

Why? No not even close from where I come from. Well tell you right now you guys her gazprom improper The thing that I will say is that my role is to give a different perspective, as you guys, no kind of food for thought, and my role is to give some background insight into the private Sesar goes on with decision making at every level The draft vienna jaffrey agency- you name it whenever you guys want like you, just wants to talk to you a minute, knowing the response that the most curious singing I find mostly on the dossier side. Is people don't take enough time to read the details of what you're proposing and they immediately get emotional and jump to a response? That's in all at times aggressive and it's my first taste. doing that and getting it all the time. I guess I've learned not to read the responses anymore. The law thing that I have learned is that exactly that I love the passion out there, especially in the canadian markets. I like that. I can need the bare once in a while, and it's gonna go one way or the other, but the

The thing that I really enjoyed is that I can just stay true to my belief like here. It is take it or leave it, and I'm not in to mislead anybody, or you know, take anybody in the process I'm just giving you the goods, because behind closed doors, orders involve agents involve people. Have you families have babies. The wife doesn't want to move. They don't want to live in that market, like there's a lot of moving parts, so I try and propose as much as I can there's much clarity in there and then its entry. see the feedback by the way speaking of that a love, your piece with rain dixon on possible destinations for both more about that to me- and I think a lot of yours is well listeners and readers is catnip toe. total catnip keep more like those coming as you're right. You provide a different, in an opening to areas that I don't think fans are necessarily accustomed to. So listen man have a good rest. Your holiday will check back soon, you're the best thanks. So much by thanks?

happy holidays, and I appreciate it taken the phenomenon today. The he's one of our favorites she's, one of the best elliott she's, Emily kaplan from E S, p n. She joins us at the thirty two thoughts holiday party, Emily. How are you great I feel honoured that impertinence this and we should be asking me please, we're really glad to have you, you class it up yeah. Exactly about time. We brought some class to the joint speaking of which, what can we pour into your into your mug of your tumbler? Great question: well right now: I'm sipping tea because it is chicago winter, and that is what we typically sip, but on the night I changed my hot beverages to a hot honey, a scotch honey and lemon and set with water delicious. Ok, you, you know what I'm always curious about between the benches is such a fascinating position and talking to people that have done it you

to have a very quick mute finger as much as can tell getting us all in hot water. What's the one that you really didn't want to mute, but because you want to save your job you had to So you want me to review, and here I see I see I see you know It- When do you like my position between the benches, my raw I'm different than anyone who's ever done it? I think in eleven I have done it or analysts who are former players and may follow the same code of conduct of this is what should be shared of the broadcast, and I can medical reporters point of view where it occurs: Is that him down there and I want to share the best inside the have- would still be there, I'm somewhere that no one else can be an olympic and they are so sometimes at europe's. I do here. I do share and air, and maybe the guys aren't super cool the time I feel like I'm always towing that line of what boundaries and at best, not to cause harm or not to embarrass anyone, but

forgetting in opening night last season, first game, usb Hannah had eyes in ten years alone, tat father buying pittsburgh penguins likely are reported better choice. Parents, to the bench with a death glare, Somebody and for some reason, everyone thought that was super offensive, but I'm like what he did. I don't see any problem with that like who who's offended at that exactly and you know what maybe there was somebody else. I said that was a little more definitely important to, unlike some of the actual chirps that I hear, which I just find them using. I just think it's high entertainment well I'm a member talk in england healy about this, and I said what was the worst game or series you ever worked as far as interplay between the benches and he said: hands thou not even close chicago blackhawks, philadelphia, flyers, two thousand and ten stanley cup final. It well thus salty is no holds barred gloves off from the opening. Puck drop,

Is there one game for you? That's that stands out relay guph. This is NASA's, isn't just you know, clever chirping. This is like really nasty between these two teams. the most recent jim I did begin. The rangers and blocks was interesting because it was actually a blood between those two teams in nominal plainer. Reopen know how to do it Jacob. True back, There is often a see you I'm listening. over there, the was he. Last year early in the season october, I had a vegas golden knights, vs, colorado, avalanche game and jonathan marcia sale sitting in the seat closest to me, which was an absolute treat because he was helping off the entire game and ultimate heard the church. The bigger share, the times, but some of the biggest bench just told colorado get out of it, second round I dont travelled to me was most piercing tat. You can see the power of problems in that moment because of all the people strong enough, they had so came to me. I was like, while these seemed really don't like each other. This awesome.

Emily you ve had quite a journey. You were you're a sports writer before you became a sports broadcaster. What we goals. What did you think that this would be where you would I want to say end up because you ve got a huge career in front of you, but did you think that, would be where you'd be at this point in your career now I never dreamed about. All I ever wanted to do was be a writer. Serious mental talisman black. I thought my dad hated me so heartily to get closer to home the fashion he was a sunday sports editor at the new york daily news. While I was growing up, he was also a hockey, and so we binding watchin hockey games on the legitimacy to be a writer I went to. The state university because sent by penn state with where ohio state offered him just like that we're now, but I chose it because we were the only school in the country at the time. With a specific sports journalism. Major journalism thing made us take a minor, pretty much to safeguard our saying journals and to top it all. I think the angle.

Because there was a mocking easy to me, rope and scope here, All three years got a dream job. Sports illustrated after college. I you know, I thought that was a m. He came over to e s p n again because of my love, the hockey, because it gave me an opportunity to write for years and are common on the hockey beat in that way. Then, when we got the rights, the candidates, volunteered hey I'd, love to try some stuff on her he'd. Give me the opportunity. And again, the fact that, like I was between the benches opening night, when I gave in tat all it still is the real tonight, I'm gonna have the impostors hinder master covered, because I really, adding value and deserve to be here and it work really hard for it at the same time. Little happened did not doing these things. First of all, let me just say the idea that You would have impostor syndrome. I understand why it happens, but you shouldn't think that, like I mean you do an unbelievable job, elliot so gets out when we do the podcast. You can't believe resign with me

I appreciate you saying that I just think it's a real thing that a lot of us deal with, but never really name on it once I was able to name it, and you know I am somebody who's been a big proponent of mental health. I go to therapy about a therapy honestly, since I was ten years old, but once I was able to speak on it, I felt like it was powerful to speak on, because I think it could help a lot of people realizing that they were in that position and they should get pasta to know Emily Why could follow up and that a little bit this particular podcast of ours, the one that we do over them was holiday season. There are people who requested- and one of the reasons. I asked someone once like why this particular idea that we had and what, told me was that know the first time we did. It was during covert and a lot of you I couldn't see their families and that made life challenging on everybody and users. talked about how this is something that you dealt with for quite some time. What

vice would you give to people who may be have the mental health challenge, and how would you tell them like this is what helped me in soil The holidays are a tough time for you, here's what you can do and other people's perception of you become your perception of you, it so easy to say, but so much harder to follow. I think we're all feedback oriented people are always looking for input from the outside world and that's fine we can always again put those voices really matter and keep that circle? Small and the voice that matters the most is the one inside your head and, if you're, confident in what you're doing- and you are infection, then you're gonna. Let your help with life must revise grave eyes. and they pick up on that a little, but how many people have you noticed since you ve been so visible on on games now, more so than ever have come up to specifically younger girls. That of said, I want to be like you and how do you handle that when it happens, honestly the cool thing about. What's happened to me in the last year, little girl

you connect me again. Sometimes you know this is why search on twitter, sometimes if they find these girls that are tweeting on me at me, or sending me direct messages that I want to empower them and show them like I'm a real person and a cu, and I want you to achieve your dreams to authentically and, however, that may look and it's really really cool because I don't think again has been many women, taken my path to get to the robot roma women, who don't like me, sound like me The same background as me, and then I want to show like a you'll, have to call my path either to staff at the to yourself and why authentic yourself, you can add value and you'll follow in this crazy sports industry as well That, though, is the advice that I get and it's really empowering. He began. Brawls, alot of parents of young girls at me and said the girls like watching it on t v or they liked the fact that the girls can watch me on tv and the boys can watch me on t v two and I think that's another really important aspect: That word is normally as it is for everyone.

So what was the first time in an age? Old player came up to and said I saw what you said about me on tv and they weren't that happy about it honestly elliot, never and methods for aid laws will hear the bank the late. When we get there It is the and our big belief was working to grow the sport through storytelling that was so important to us where disney company that's the fabric of all that we do and for me, what I'm really looking to do is create storylines and characters endlessly in the same way that we see me aunt, Ellen NBA gazetted came in and that's what the fans really care about with these guys are, made up a through line of all of my reporting weathered sharing the term play here between the benches, whether profiles the more news angle that I do it's always the, This is what I do is, I feel it might that's not getting out there. They think I do understand

day. Situation situation why we got in last year it looked awkward unthinkable to a lot of people, but is the placid where the current hurricanes bench interviewed brought Brenda more like two minute. Before I'm back to get up there, he pulls anti wrapped up my job is as a reporter and if I'm not doing my job on, you know when producers get napa, fans get mad, and so I have to ask rod. Hey take us. A decision and pull out deronda wall Camera did me a little bit dirty there, because I am asking it. You see me in rotten. The screen and sulking indeed a sitting right in front of us not looking too pleased, and it was an awkward moment and a lot of people are like. Oh my god, I can't believe you to theirs and let that lot alot long like I was so inappropriate. but what I was doing my job and too I said you know Let's say if I showed up at the rag in either rod or onto an issue with it, they would have madman had been rally for like a month. At that point they knew me and neither ever address it with me once on. I think, because said that I was doing my job as professional, just as I respect them, professionals as well

that's a great story by the way, and yet you did nothing wrong in that situation and anti, it is in the shotwell management is in the shot. I dont know why we think that or a suit that everybody in this industry has really thin skin and we have to act so delicately around them. Trust me, by the time we get to is what I always say: bye, time. Any player gets a dna gel. They ve heard everything both positive negative nasty all of it. Three game. Nothing, I'm gonna, say or you're gonna, say or elliot's gonna say is come as a really jarring remarked to these guys, because they ve all heard it before something. asked Elliot a couple of weeks ago in the park, gas and we'll ask you the same thing. If you could have been ad me sporting event at any time, any place any sports. What we you choose doesn't have to be hockey could be anything is there one that stands out in your mind? Wow, I really wish I was there.

I just wonder your few american doubts on the this a big round table podcast- maybe not, but are we in america are obsessed with a certain olympic hockey game that we did turn to disney movie and nineteen. Eighty miracle on ice in lake placid take me there and inject that game into my veins. Have you had a chance to meet or talk to anyone from eighteen Maybe he only about me yeah she came and when I was a student to speak- and I was so get out to me- I am, I thought it was just like my biggest elaborate and I'm come to camp ass. He was just as Nathan. lovely, as I imagined that's fantastic yeah I mean if you gonna pick one special hockey, that's a huge. what's that yeah, it's either him or Jim craig on the team for most people. There's no question about that. Now, Emily I've seen you do your around the horn segments. I've seen you start to branch out. Do you think stay in hockey, or do you think there's going to be other things that

I loved my time when I did a lot of other stuff, I love turkey, but I love sports and I wondered you think that hockey will be your stay, or do you see yourself, branching out and doing more as a loyal listener of thirty two thoughts I had to say: didn't we hit the bingo card where you reference your career, covering basketball ha. I didn't even see basketball. I said yeah, I read between those lines, elliott. You know I love it. I initially covered football. That was my first job. You know going to penn state as a football school and a sports illustrated cover. The nfl three years and I loved it- and I think I miss along aspects of it honestly, just the attention and gravity that it gets in a country that I live in a company that I work for it still can. and hockey in so many ways as much as we endure this forward and asthma we are seeing growth on the need for another is the fourth most popular birthmark and professional sworn in indonesia.

decent margin between it and the NBA all of that said hockey he'll like my community keep everything tat covered hockey. I never really missed covering basketball and away because I felt like all the people I met me and I thought likeness born. I wanted to be a I'm just so humble by the community law exists hockey and welcoming not only under journalists are in jail. it's the coaches, the players, the agents, people who reach out and say, like hey, I see what you're doing and I want to see you succeed and I almost feel like not in debt to those people, but like I want to see this through and one day and open minded to the fact that my careers going to evolve, and recently, I'm really into the other type of football soccer I'll be kinda, chelsea supporter of super into the world cup like maybe

the day that a golden broadened- agora, english premier league- and that would be a super bowl challenge for me to flax but again and exceeded all goals that I ever imagined for myself, and I don't look that far ahead. I'm just trying to enjoy this moment and right now I love hockey and alone. Working a monkey and I think it's sick and then again, gonna ifrits everyday forward. So Emily you mentioned penn state worden, heaping this interview on Wednesday, the twenty first and this morning came the very knocking news about the passing of franco, Harris the great pittsburgh stealer and intends Running back- and you know, chancellor view of franco harrison Jerome better at the outdoor game in pittsburgh, and I couldn't leave how massive the Two guys were particularly franco something better as a kind of new, but seeing franco harris of close it was it was something else: he was a massive human and I know he's a little bit before your time, but I

gases? Is a pen stayed student that the legend of franco harris is a very big one for you absolutely any. He had come to canvass all the time in tibet. students. He was of definite beggars, elaborated micro resonate but everytime. You andella pittsburgh airport and you see the statue of famine and takes them. Right and that the police data gotten upon its got you he was the man, I'm any mention to embarrass him Just as I remember my recovery football, I only say, is certainly not a voice meals on your phone, cause you and you want to save it. Actually, to say that I wasn't you recently. One is like. reach you also recently passed away and just a hilarious rumbling bumbling voice not from him and the other is highly. This is your own venice, and I just thought I was the coolest fucking thing so, Those are the two boys on that sent on my phone along a month and make them feel like you're, her voice That's amazing and you're amazing things for sharing all of this Emily, your great hockey's lucky to have you thanks somewhat.

top and by the little holiday party that we do every year and continued success. Like you're men Star is rising thanks so much for our part. In a little bit of time of this today, eighty based are always being so support about me. When I got the happy community, I tend to be achieved. So I really appreciate the support and I wish you guys bulky I'll be in the OECD. You through remilly, you two legs, Emily cheers. Guy start you to listen to the thirty three fast podcast ad free on amazon news, including with from. follow me.

Our next guest has one of the best and most distinctive calls in all of hockey play by play. He has a great jack michaels the play by play voice of the edmonton oilers. He joins us now jack. How are you today and what can we pour in your glass? Sir well, first of all, quite a quite a buildup, so I think you've already poured something that you know for christmas, and I know Elliott will probably grimace, but I'm actually If it not a heavily spite agnor duh yeah, I know no one likes. I actually do for some reason, but I don't know whether I was watching Roy. Turkey is a kid when he emptied only eight or ten. Maybe that created some sort of this rule fresh with me. I'm a rocky junkie, I'm a godfather junkie, so hours. But yes, I have one few bad taste and drinks, great tastes and movies. I'll say that for our parents,

fair enough? I've never met Iraq. You re right! I have liked. I ve probably watch the first bore movies, probably sixty times each especially rock, three will that's the best one? Yes, except that movie they have the worst two minutes seem of any of the rock. Movies and that's the singing to adrian in bed? I cannot abide by the fact that I've seen that seen since I was about eleven okay. So then, let's see how you can do do do do oh, my gosh. It just need to think about it. Well so and romance thy name is jack. Michael, I can deal with. I can't deal with it. Let's, let's see how you stick handle this one then what is the best line and rocky and why is it catch the chicken rocky catch the chicken? well you're all these scenes with a training schemes are phenomenal and I do like it when he grabs the check. It began

make, as you know, urging about surveyed. You know. I realized that yeah, that's the trading schemes. I can appreciate how many guys must have gotten beaten up. after the rocky movies who there will be on it all four and then just got stopped at some bar because they thought some out would translate it does it. So Jack were a word. We get you on this day, you're in Dallas, right with the orders yeah corrected. This is the last road gave before the christmas break so. You have one of the great jobs in all of pro sports, and that is every night you know that it's cod, Mc David and leon dry sidle. Why that like to know every night Well, I mean I would suggest to you that you know you're gettin, basically the two best players and argue the two.

irresistible forces and a hockey. Maybe it's a better wait upon it. I think karmic gave it the best player and Aki, and I think, at times he's the second best guy on his own tee sal goodly andres idlers, it's like so many of the great players. You'd know what's coming and your powerless to stop it, and there too Wheatley different players. Dry sidles is much like ovechkin in the sense that you'd know where his favorite spots are of the ice are, and he can help it. You end up getting beat no matter. What, because he's that good and Mc David, his breathtaking moves with the puck and his play with the puck and his speed with the puck everything's with the park he's. Not just you know, quick or lightning fast. Everything is with the puck and in some cases

I suggest you he's faster with the park than he is without an and really when it. When you have that privilege, you ve gotta remind yourself of what they're doing, for instance, in our own says, Ahmad David leads. The league by a ton was sixty four points well he's one of seven guys in the history of the Lee. That's off to this kind of start. You know what does we say always gotta in the scoring race, but you got it add on? In my opinion, that fact- and those are the kinds of things that I think escape especially me on a day in day out basis, because Almost become harder to it, here's the thing about Leon than most impresses me, because you talk about spots on the ice that players own. We think about wing gretzky. We think behind the net he own, that we think about alexander vetch in the top of the face off circle, the one timer he owns We think about no toilets. Along. The blue line nicolaides from owned that

leandro cycle is the best player I ever saw set up. The goal line to this side the hardest position to be successful to create something to score neg job That is one of the don't think we it enough audience. That is one of the most impressive skills that I've ever seen in my life on the ice. I don't care any league and any player that is incredibly hard to do the attic you're mad, she was a very good top of the circle. Dry said Elizabeth. Even you know, at the below the surface, these subs realize that it's space around the goal line and he's got that club and and most people look at that stick and wonder how he can do anything with that. Stick and yet in dry cycles hand it may as well be a little toothpick that he can manipulate, because he can where he wants it when he wants it and he's destined to become the greatest power, but

goal scorer of all time at edmonton, oilers history, and when you look at who they add over the years, the power play that that's pretty breaths and, like I said the thing? dry cycle is got a little bit of mary, oh aunt, em in the sense that he is impossible to get the wrong people forget. How that guy is and is only about. Six to twelve, but I would suggest the way he squares and hunches up those shoulders when you're not get the park and when he is honest game and move at his feet. He is like mary, oh in the sense that that talk is lou, dawn and you're, not gonna, get it you're, a pre excitable guy, tough to tell from this interview, is there's something in particular the You really love to say, I've got a few key phrases. I know certain points in the broadcast I'm going to hear them, but what the one that you really love to belt out

It is a really good question. I don't really think about. It. Is the game moves along to be honest with you, the one that I then I think it, and it's probably less frequent as my gas by when again gets go on and it turns into a great game and- and I'm lucky enough with the with the players that I cover and and to be also you admittance there. Never content with prosperity, so there are some knights were Edmonton is really good that they can help themselves. They wind up in a closer game them. You should be- and I would say it's it's it's what a hockey game has turned out to be. because usually when I say that it's just this is one of those games were we. Got to highly skilled teams on the ice and they're making each other look very good. I dont, know really kind of where that came from, but I usually it means it's great. And I'm having a blast and

to be honest with you and am I I get it. Alot of people sometimes think Naturally, you you know excitable or or some people think oversell. But to be honest with you, what you ve asked me: recourse to this. This interview is, is part of reason. Reason like like that. I'm evidence is not the best tea in the original, but it's the most exciting team in the annex and I'll- tell you what, when you grind it out- and I am not alone in this, so I am not trying to take away anything, but when you call a thousand minor league aims and you get to the national regulation, you wind up in a situation where you've now got arguably the two best players in the game on a team that you cover, I'm excited to be there. I I think this sport as the world's best athletes. I think this sport is the most exciting sport to call in of professional sports. I feel like there is no idle time in the a job and may

that's why I seem like always on or whatever, but I think combination of what my career is like at all so. The action that I get to see, I think, is different from even the other thirty one too. If I get a lot of four three and five for games and even the three too it seems like there's a ton of chances on both sides. I dont get many snoozing, so Oh, you know when I realized there are some over the course of an eighty two games easy. I dont see that many. So maybe that's why it seems like I've had about twenty three lattes before You know why passion is contagious. Excitement is contagious if you're not excited about the game. You're gonna be broadcasting how's. The audience expect it's exactly exactly and I I mean that's sam, like you know, sometimes like you'll, get the autocratic guy gauge with everyone. I don't I don't mind if I were in a busy

swear not hamper the legends and arguing the bob coals decurrens. There are people in like them. What I somehow says: look out. I'm sorry I'm not doing ball. You know, I don't want to besmirch any sport, but I just might one is. How could I not be excited like what are you spected? This is not an elevator ride. This is the national hockey leg and I am in some small way up- part of it, and that is willing in and of itself, and then you multiply that by again the team that I have the privilege to cover in some of the match. Ups elicits I mean you, don't you look in the last twelve months. I've done what what I done. I've got nine six. You know I've done eight six and apply off came I've had some unblock it. I've arab golly, brawl on the battle of albert I've had a battle of albert.

decided by the game's greatest player in overtime. I mean that's just like right off the top of my head, so yeah I mean Why would I want anyone to be sleepy watchin wanted games that I'm covering it to me. It makes no sense. One of the nice things about it, a show like this right now, this time a year is, are we get a good chance to look back and we talked about condiment gave it only Andre sidle on ask you about, call in shock terry ryan and then an kirk tomlinson. What can you tell us about the colorado gold kings? I believe you are there for three or four years calling games. It's fun. and I think it's a little bit. The united states versus. Can I dont think alike, canadians realise the connections you make an minor pro hockey because there are growing up with with major junior and from

that's a little different like when I first moved a candidate. You really come to grips with the idea that you, Europe, kids at fifteen and sixteen are moving away from their parents. That's a completely for concept when you grow up in america, but we'll say in admire pro hockey. It's amazing you! You just mention some of the relationships I've had over the years and some of those have then come to fruition the national argue like I mean I remember. For instance, you know talking a bill Armstrong when it is culture that threatened titans MIKE Havel, and he was also coach of the Threatened titans is some of the relationships. Bob woods was a coach of the mississippi, see, wolves now, a long time, the system and the image Of course, I had Davis paying up in alaska. You know Saint louis blues, goats want I'm a jealous. done under darrell solder. You know and then,

those that you don't see again in the end, I shall accept you somehow, terry ryan. Is I mean what a character him in his dad we're like a trout. road show. They came. I mean my wife's store remembers entertaining than we used to have an annual new year's eve dash for the colorado gold kings. We have three new year's eve parties and erode our house, and it was fantastic and zack boilers for the game when a goal, the memorial cup one year for kamloops, was on that he made an you mentioned column chalk, why thou veronica this. Just acres feel neighbouring bakersfield american arguing his assistant keep my cambridge was by our job in alaska when they went all the way to the Kelly cup final and was beaten by south carolina gold tender james. river at head coach jared better and one other replaying, captain spencer car buried. I mean it's just

those things and they were so high a lot they pile up over the years that certainly when I did a thousand games of minors, I dont. to say all. It was necessarily agree because the relationships that connections arches spectacular over the years and and especially in a space, place like alaska win just in on some chopped down, you know, John, scott. I had a chance. You know I mean that was like I do that guide. You know we're good friends and I textiles that I wanna go great fight. You know goggles as one up there during the lock out you're and remains one of my best friends to this day and I'm not a guy who pals around within a child dies, but the connection in the end, the relationship to you form at the minor pro level are really interesting, and indeed you- and you mentioned- I mean just that my first ever game was one of the bloodiest fights I ever called and one of the most challenging names. I recall his flight was with a guy named

we're gavi sugar, a chap. If you could say that name, I don't remember all eyes knows where I live in the face and they work away after the game, speaking of which- and I mention kirk tomlinson for one very specific reason when he played yonner heap one of my favorite and he played in the oil shell with hamilton and bill of forage was a coach and tomlinson was real, tough flare, as you well know, what was she like? As a coach ended? He ever share any bill afford stories I'll tell you what occurred tomlinson. I've got a story for if we ve got time. what time zone everyone called of gunnar. You know when he wade in the easy, a joy thing he had a year where he was thirty goals, three hundred minutes and he you know he played at like two hundred and two pounds and he's naturally a five ten one hundred and but he powder see get imagine what was going on in the year. now these, but the bottom line is my favorite kirk tomlinson story is we were

been anchorage, and I wasn't even anchorage yet. This is before my time with the asians enemies isn't there you know with me: we we would stay at this hotel called the northern lights hotel, which would subsequently be condemned. less than a year later, but at this time it was open and that's where all the aces players lived, and we were in the midst of a play off series. It was before game for best of five two games to all right up inter tomlinson, and I are sitting there haven't a cocktail having a meal in this hotel which it's not only home to the aces, but also the visiting team out of we must have paid like forty nine bucks, a night oodles what it was. It was too much whatever. It was trust me. I mean you crawled under those blankets and you just you know what you didn't even look. He didn't want. Well bottom line is Herc and I are sitting there and he goes watch what happens here. I can totally stir something up. There was some tension between the late, great walt puddle

who was the head coach or the alas cases at that time, anchorages and probably still the best player on that t. Now he was two hundred eighty pounds. You didn't he didn't play, but he would always we'll around in practice, and you can see the rent. And of the nhl all star that he was just a decade before that I mean he's not even he's air forty at these forty at all. At the time he was coach of the aces yet a very uneasy relationship with the owner, the aces at that time, a gentle by the name of might, and he goes up to wall put up nearly said No, I don't know how you how you deal with. Does ownership you're, you're, a grey player, a good coach and you ve got his team living in a hotel there, so talented, but you ve got. No, you know support you. Ve got no found look at him over. There is he's here beers. The night before gain its unprofessional, ball blot. Many goes over to buy kisyak and he says, look at your coach. What is it

do it in a bar when he's gonna play off game, the plain and it's like it's like well, what are you doing a bar? He goes. I have nowhere else to go. I'm stuck at this hotel that you guys shack us up at the next thing we know q, sack and predominate. in a wrestling match. They tumbled down the stairway. The back stairway and put doubly suffers a compound rapture of his leg. It stick it out through the skin almost like I got nauseated spot so the next night. I gotta do by pre game interview and these ready to go ebony sitting there about the pass out up anchors and he says, jack just by the way. You know, let's not get into this, the terms a wire broke, my leg. I know you were there last night, whatever so I'd conducting the interview and he's I mean here, Barely you know functional, but he's impressive pay is in so we finish does the game that I'd and sure enough? There is a controversial call. People are shocking,

is on the ice, including my anchorage counterpart, in the booth curls of big gulp on the ice from the top of the first level, which I still think is one of the greatest throws I've ever seen and penalty is shaking his crotch it. And ends up not only throwing sticks on the ice basically hobbling around, but then having to retrieve his crutches and an egg When you get kicked out of the game, you gotta go across the ice The library orders crutches off the ice rush off a compound fracture gold kings close out the serious three games, the one, sorry that so long that encapsulates my experience in the mileage just great people- and I I preface this- I admit I was on great terms- walk I'm not. I still miss him. He was one of the great characterised our game and all the guy that found a way to spend five minutes What do I believe originally from thunder bet. My

Regardless of what might be the clothes gold kings win three games to one an island in the next round. Jack there's been a lot of fun things some for stopping by happy holidays to you and your family have a great little break. for the game against the stars- will catch up soon. This had been fantastic. Why I appreciate your time guys, I think, the the world your show thanks. So much and the best over the holidays. To you and your family's, you too, thanks very much by the you know, eat a lot of great hockey families around us as sports that here's one justin born of the legendary born a family. We talk so much about the new york islanders, so we always talk about bob bourne. Now we're talking a lot about a rising star in broadcasting justin born former for hockey player we should add, as well, will throw that in the next just and welcome to the end. Holiday party have been pal. I've been create emigrate. I appreciate you, you guys having me on you guys, do a wonderful work. That's not true!

Bugger up buttercup to go has always always the best thing to do right away. No just, and we always ask people at the top of there's something they would like to be served. You ve been very open and public about what you ve gone through. there's something non alcoholic that we can offer you. Yes, I appreciate that it's actually, you know, since I stopped drinking, so I you know, that'd be february of two thousand and nineteen the options for p I, like myself, have honestly exploded, like you know, a lot of people when they first come out of rehab or they decided to stop drinking. You know the program sort of doesn't ort non alcoholic beer. Some people find that a trigger, but it all I wait, the year before trying one to see how it felt for me if I felt comfortable having one I'm lucky that I am someone who it doesn't seem to bother me. So I do like to hold a beer,

this to feel like I'm. One of the boys again partake is by drink of choice. That would be my go to europe coming out with a book which is being launched soon and you recently had a twitter thread. Were you laid it all out there and I think it's important to recognise that, because I guarantee you just in there's someone out there who saw you doing that and said that will give me the keys to do it, and I was wondering how nervous you were and what you felt like as the positive reaction port. Eighty well, yeah. You know. I appreciate having a platform to discuss it, because I was You know. Uncertainty for me is the worst thing in life and I think a lot of people feel that way and when I put that twitter throughout their my biggest fear was, I just didn't, know what it meant for me: I dont know how that changes. How people perceive me. I dont know how it's going to change opportunity, is that come by way or the people who lean on me or

whatever, so I guess just that Add me feeling a little uneasy and seeing the overwhelming in a flood of man, judges from people, the positivity, the people who could relate in particular in a way it makes me confident that I've done there. thing anne elliot, you make a great point about young people making it because this time of year is very challenging and this time of year coming off a pandemic. I know that there are people who in a bad way in the holidays are a trigger for a lot of people just going through. It know, these situations and every event is. tailored around where we going. We drinking- and so can be hard, and so I just wanted people to be able to connect us something- and you know when my life really fell apart for me, was that ass, I went to the gillies four years ago. I had tried to get sober, For that I went to come each year in toronto. You I was oversee, you go there for it.

and will oversee you stopping drinking to make sure you do have a stroke or a seizure however, and I committed to not drinking for three weeks to my wife, just to show that I could and then I would be able to have a couple drinks over the holidays. I drank every day of that three weeks in seek. got to the holidays and was finally allowed to have another drink or two and in public again- and I just couldn't- keep together guys in that that was a bad christmas for myself for my family, it was the month after that in january, when it became clear, I just couldn't live like that, any more and so the time This is not unintentional. I'm here for peace. Over the holidays. If you do want to reach out, it can be particularly hard- and I just I know what you're going through out there. So yeah happy to be here, your group person. thanks, guys, bluntly, you're you're, a great person just and more as an I'm, pretty sure the one of the things that you found Is that there's there's a great hockey communal,

of people that are in recovery. Whether it is alcohol substance whom, whatever is that some that you ve been able to lean on I'm sure people in the sport? Have you no reached other previous or or since you put out your your twitter threat, yeah gay and I appreciate that question. Jeff, it gives me an opportunity to talk about someone. It means a lot to me. So it's like, february, early february, twenty nineteen those days so drop my kid off a day care, and then just you drink vodka before to do that. So I didn't shake on the way to into welcome to day care and then come back on my couch, and I would have a couple, a pause and just I too kind, what sport centre and settle in for the morning and adjust? I was so embarrassed of who I had become and I was in shambles and I just knew it had to change, and I called rich clun and I called dickie- and I just said your eyes crying- and I just said I, you know I need help. You know I'm in

bad way, and I don't know what what to do now and he had to say he was support of is just a wild understatement. He dropped he was doing to get somewhere where he could talk to me. He told me where he went reticent my fare. You know that I end up going when I was there for about a week- so in treatment for about a week The more these were in town for, like a day lay over in dickie showed up in his suit before he had to go to the bus, the The person who saw me and treatment outside of my family was rich clun and just wanted to know how I was doing you. I went to meetings with. And when I got sober- and there is a even law large community out there are people in recovery that I you know. What's that not everyone would know who is involved, in that and that by design, obviously, but those people I found who they were heard their stories and yeah. It is,

You support, and I will say the h lp deserves a lot of credit for handling a lot of people heavily people's issue, in secret, with dignity and too often without looking, for you know public acknowledgement of the help that they give to a lot of people in my eyes, I don't know how you feel, but in my eyes this doesn't define you. It's part of your journey and I want to talk about some other things, first of all, just in what is your fee. the memory of playing hockey throughout your career, that's great no college for me with such a sweet spot. So many people, I think, look back those college years because in pro hockey year all competing against one another right like if the right winger My team does better than me and the easy h l he's the next guy to get called up. Not me, you're, not rooting for each other as much it's just there's not this.

Of camaraderie that you have in college when there are there for four years and there's always internal jockeying for rice time and all that, but you know you're you're. Eighteen, that's be together for a good time so plain for alaska you'd play fair banks for the governors cup you're, my foot been year. showed up in alaska so committed to alaska there, like one in one in this really early in my my junior hockey here. Take oh for the rest, the refugees, my own thirty, after that, their awful just awful and so the next year on there and all the sudden. It's like there's not really pride. In the logo- and we know what have I done, but we were really good my freshman year, we surprise a lot of people in a week fair banks, you went to a shoot out. We got to go to the frozen five, which is the w c h h, play asked by beating wisconsin who had you know,

adam boorish and brian Elliott and Robbie Earle, who didn't make it on their team. Yeah Joe pavelski was a superstar too obviously, ryan suter like they were loaded and we beat them in playoffs as an underdog. So you know playing in front of fifteen thousand people chant watts, see wolf, green this. The offs very fair question, as we beat them in west It was for me just wonderful hockey memory. Did you do prevails. T like the juicy circles right around them- you know first off absolutely not the second year. We almost did it again to wisconsin and we had him down as best best three we had about four too in the third period of the third game and ski show. I can't even tell you how ridiculous he was beating guys why'd. He ends of scorn, one from behind the goal line intentionally banked off our gullies head, like just the smartest mnestheus player. They know we didn't get it though,

at the time. Five. Four you later way to go yeah. It was heavy heavy times, but yeah d he was a better player than the rest of us. Was he best player, you ever shared the ice with or there there's someone else that I'm that I'm missing here. Well, that division was loaded. Actually so Jonathan tapes was there phil castle or thomas vanek t J oshie like it was a division and guys I was. I was the best one of the few best players on my college team, so I was trying to go out there at twenty three playing against eighteen year old, jonathan tapes, just getting my way we ve blown off like it's. You know the. I told the story the other day, but at one point we decided to have me try to play de on the power play in may

Raymond blocked. One of my shot, so I the chase mason raymond guerrilla lightfoot teeth ass. He saw it. I had a pretty good sense of where I was in the hockey world. After a few years and university, I was a pretty good player, but couldn't hang with the likes of those guys, what kind of boss was kyle dubious, a very competitive guy you know he wanted to come in and be a lighter environment. He wanted us to be different right. That's I think part of the reason there is hope and that he wanted the colorado job at one point, because he could go there, try new things and no one would know you know people wins it wouldn't be in the limelight as much so You know he wanted everyone to say what they think he wanted to hear from we won? He was trying to promote this like inclusive environment, but at the end of the day, was a hockey guy. When things got intense, he I didn't want to see that stuff as much as that. He didn't want to see five forwards on the power play if we're getting scored on. He didn't want to see you know he. He came

the winning and he knew in the end of the day. That's what defines anyone. So, yes, I would say more competitive than people. lies. If you look up- and you see some of those videos of him in the press box or he's freaking out like you- get a little bit of clue into it, but you he was gunnar unless mature. Then I've also told the story him we lost my first, you they're tearing pitchers off the walls of other guys and breaking the frames and glass, and you know like mad mad competitor. I think he's grown up a little bit since there are a lot since then, but certainly know the really that he's not just some computer geek push numbers around. What about sheldon keep Sheldon is tough to get close to. I think a lot of people have tough putting a finger on what kind of guy sheldon is, but he worms and inner circle of people that he leaned on trust and believes in which, to this day it shocked me that age maclean is not with them, because when I was there that was like his guy, you know that he went to her for everything

I would say the least or a bit. Organization. I think he trusts a small amount of people within that dubious, obviously m mar inside people in that regard, and I met this in my book when I write about sheldon, but I respect how he pushed me, to another level of professionalism in like I would if our system sheet and I'd be like, go to post it for the team here, here's how going! play against them show at the sheldon. What do you think guys a comma out of place there and I bet yeah yeah and he would seriously you would circulate in so he started. Circling like chrome, ethical errors and like you, thing that he would say to us is that it you're going to ask them to be perfect, then we have to present ourselves perfectly in a week go to them with sloppy work and incomplete information and expect them

to do everything were asking of them. If we don't show up prepared for them, so he was really. He really prioritize presenting ourselves to the team as having all the answers put together. Having worked hard because it made it, here to ask that of them. Good, the It's never my blog! Listen! I go through that. Serious worry! Thank god for him, and do you do you ever miss adjusting to the this part of you like you've got a real career coming here, but do you who ever miss being part of that world. I will say that I don't sit here. today, and say to myself, I'm done to win stanley cup nice, you know like I'm, you know I'm forty years old as of two days ago. you know I. I don't know that I am ready to say I'm I I'll never win a stanley cup so yeah. I I keep my ears and options open. You know I have talked with teams about certain things, but I will say my priority. Now is a guy

I never lived in a house for more than three years in my entire life scenario after doubt at seventeen to go play junior hockey. To this day, I've never lived in one place for three years, drawn us I guess I've lived in a city, but I just don't want that. For my kids, where a chase me for an opportunity that comes up and columbus and then one that comes up and wherever and it doesn't work out now for years, and they don't have routes in a family in whatever. So, for me, a big part of it will be. Can I do something that allows me to keep my family stability and you know, that's a hell of a contrast ass for in the Joe. You know that The problem with you going now back into coaching is kippur is going to be calling you six times a day, looking for scoops right, yeah I'll feed him something so obviously untrue that you guys know it's me and see if he says yeah it'd be fine skipper. What's going on out there give me something give me some

I love it be created to have your m vp vote this year. What what what's up with the other kipper experience been like forty I've gotta? We all do have a lot of time for him yeah. I know it's, it's been Honestly, I feel blessed to be working with them. The when we came whether we didn't know each other, they asked me you know, would you be interested if we were able to get caprio? So I was like, oh my god, like absolutely. That would be unbelievable and I heard nothing but people loved working with him I will say that I am so glad that I and ii stand him now, and I know that what he brings to the air is he recognizes we're in the entertainment business and he was ass, hard ass. He does you know what I mean like. He works hard off air, so we can get formation and he brings it in the compelling way, and he pulls me places. I wouldn't bring myself because by preferences to kind of be and whatever they like

guys you know I want to stay and like this little pocket, where I don't have to bring myself out there, but sometimes skipper, this may places where I have to be more out there and I think that's good for me in my career and expanding myself and working with him has been been awesome. He had nothing but great things to say, while you're awesome endlessly nice has been your eyes and you're. The best warranty at the end of every christmas party has had a year that there is no use in the parking lot. I love you worry. I, with some of those listed, have a great holiday with you, you're beautiful family, everybody wishing everybody all the boston will I will space in the new year. Pal have a great one, yeah right back, as things are much round me, and I can remember a conversation that I had with my wife a few years ago where it was late at night I was watching a calgary vancouver game, she's an artist and she was doing wood burning

he turned to me and she said Jeff. I finally figured out what you do for a living, and I said this will be good. She said you don't actually do anything. All you do is talk about things if other people dead- and I had no answer so it is with great pleasure and delay that we welcome in someone who is actually done something and continues to do things. She is diedre dionne for the purposes of roger she's, ahead of business affairs for the purposes of sports shoes, they bronze medalist in freestyle, skiing in two thousand and two diedre dionne. How are you today? introduce who, as someone who has done something how's that I like that, I like that that's how I'll introduce myself going forward. I'm diedre dionne. I've done something. I've done something well, we all start off veto by asking people. If there is a certain libation that they prefer can be. Alcoholic can be non alcoholic when you the change your holiday parties, your christmas parties? What do you serve yourself.

I mean, if I'm not a holiday party, I'll, probably do the rum and acknowledge that probably bourbon, if it's like just sitting by the holiday fire. So one of those two I like the bourbon I'd be ignored is disgusting. The soul I much happier than the verb we really need oliver ignored listeners Elliot well done. You gotta, think of all the demos at all time, all demos at all to help get over it, so under the umbrella of sports deidra and christmas time holds a lot of memories for a lot of people. Maybe it's a present, maybe it's a pair of tickets, maybe it's a sporting events. Maybe playing. Maybe it's tournaments, I'm sorry acting? Maybe it's skiing for you, but I'm not gonna buy us. The jury, christmases ports. What does that mean for diedre die? mean christmas is always actually a break from sports, which was probably nice. It was the time you got to go home and see your family for most of my childhood, so it was friends

family more than it was sport. A sport was every other day of the year, but it was also the days a kid that I got all the sports equipment. That would feed me for the rest of the year, so it was we're too far from under the christmas tree. Was there one thing under that tree in red deer that you at all? While this, I can't believe I got. This I remember getting like, as Key suits that was just shiny and purple, and I probably would have been about I then, because I used to ski and a penguins starter coat, which is so not cool for a skier and- and this was like my first legitimate ski suit, so my early freestyle days, like everyone, has pictures of me in my penguins coat and it's it was to show me for many years now Diedre you, I don't want to get your home robbed or anything like that. But where do you keep your olympic medal, two thousand and two bronze medalist in aerials

behind the computers. Zoom call veal that way you know if I need to establish a little bit of like legitimacy and a conversation just move one way or the other. What are you when you see it, when I think of when I see it, it's complex did I say when I see it, because I'm really proud of that moment. It's huge. It change the course of my life by also a reflection of like a split second of what my career was, that defines me as a human, when other people hear that success, they automatically think things that, like I'm far more proud of other things, but in my career, so I understand the value of it and it it can be a long time to appreciate that define many conversations that I'm a part of, but it doesn't to find my identity. This is an incredible sir and really fascinating. So if I'm I too much you can tell me to get lost, but I'd like.

To hear more about that answer. Deidre because I think a lot of people from the outside your right would look at that olympic madeline think, while canadian olympian diedre dionne. But how do you think more of yourself or what other Do you look at and say? I think that defines me more. I like spore, was simple right. Sport to me was like chasing the end of a rainbow and the olympics was always the end of the rainbow and the olympic metal was that goal, and I think very quickly realized that linear goals don't equal happiness in life? So I got. The end of the rainbow and what was at the end of the rainbow was another rainbow, because a metal is never an off and then a gold medal is never an often. Then you need two or three, but to me, like. hu. I am, as a person is probably filled with many different aspects of life in its about more of that balance towards like how my feeding my mind, how If eating my emotional south? How am I feeding my physical self soften its

taken me a long time to realise that, like linen, pass past, don't equal happiness or success, so I look at it more like a circle and sometimes or buckets are filled. One side in and they take a lot more energy. And then you get a little more balanced by making sure that none of them are empty Was there one moment for you? Diedre word all sort of collecting you said hold on a second. Yes, that was an achievement, but I much more human? Being then, this metal indicates I think it was one moment, but just like a compilation of feelings like you can walk into a room and be the most successful person from an accomplishment just the same. I could walk into a room of olympians that had seven olympic metals and I never felt like I was enough, so it was always that feeling that that ebb and flow with whatever room you're an end. If I started defining myself that way, then

never have any self worth, and so I've tried. we spend a lot of time. Valuing myself more is like the twelve year old that wanted to accomplish thing and trying to harness traits that got me there and putting my value on my work ethic and my letty to fail and everything that actually help me achieve that one success. It was this skills that twelve and thirteen sport that are going to continue to be the thing that I'm the most products Well, Diedre, I think, you're, a huge part of of the sportsmen organization. Your official title now is heading business affairs and one the things you oversee. It must be like hurting cats, but you oversee a lot of sports net talents I can't imagine which group is a more difficult to deal with

freestyle scares or sports net talent, but what I want you to tell me is: who is the most? high maintenance, annoying sports. Talent- and I apologise in advance- If the answer is me, isaac, as you just left the door right open railway line. Did he just ask you a question? Is is the man in the room right now I mean the hardest person to track down for a meeting, I think is Mr Elliot Friedman for sure You know what I I love working with people and I like no. people and understanding people's different role in the universe and not making assumptions on what their life is lacking and so I've enjoyed getting to know. Everybody's unique experience in media is so fascinating and ever changing, and so even standing from those before me in the industry like her

what has changed in the impact that they feel daily is its fascinating do you find because you when a rubber shoulders and been around elite level athletes, your entire life, we just spelling out you're athletic background. You were one anything in this is a really naive question. Is there anything that you've noticed that is different about them, they're good or bad, I would say, like failure is just a part of everyday thing and it's not a scary occurrence for most people on high performance board who fail more than they ever achieve. So the verdun in putting yourself out their daily and understanding that you may follow up short a thing come into into the world outside of high performance sport, that's a fear that isn't exercised enough to become the norm for a lot of people. This probably should be a up. But here we go

your favorite- you talked of a red deer- your favorite red deer rebel, ever while o gates. That should be easy right as it is called the arms round. I don't know I don't know you tell me what your lease red deer man, where we pelleted right. So I feel like I'm thrones of people under the past year, but we ve captain contact with coal b, our entire lives, and so we knew him when you is like this. Guinea is fifteen year old kid that just chirped every human you could do you can't even have a conversation without having a monopolizing. Oh, it is with his wit and and then seeing him grow up in his family and they're, just the kindest humans ever so I'll go with all go with kobe's good answer. Well done. This has been a pleasure, listened best of the holidays to you and your family healthy

happiness, airborne everyone, two twenty twenty three thanks, so for doing this, Diedre anti usury as well. I hope you get a chance to relax. Elliot the holiday party continues, there are tongues hanging out everywhere. Everyone is thirsty. So my first question for a summer farouk who works with us as wars night, is who saw first of all, welcome second of all. What are you thirsty for right now? Thank you. Anne elliot and I'm having me right, now I'd say I want a nice hot chocolate a nice frothy hot chocolate with a dash of cinema Are you a whipped cream guy? Are you a whipped cream person or marshmallow? For that matter? Only the kremlin special occasions. No wonder you're in such good shape somewhere

and this elliot is not a special occasion. This is just this is just an annoyance yeah thanks thanks to solve all of our who's, the next guest. Listen thanks so much for stopping by today. You know we would like to do this with them people that are listers may not be familiar with just sort of surrender the floor and me you feel, uncomfortable by letting you and encouraging you to talk about yourself? What should we know about you with some we should know, is I'm a suffering leafs fan, I've never seen a play off series when how old are you I'm twenty six, While your man looks. No, I saw and seriousness I work with you guys and on. force net with the actual department and in the news department. I've been, working with horses now, since twenty seventeen and

I mainly work in the hockey department so helping out with pretty much whatever needs to be helped out with b on the eye so producer side or helping you guys with your grandfather and graphics, and this year started working in remote truck productions Also, what are you doing in the trucks now working? I so that their ok, so tell everybody what that is explained. Everybody with that so that role in a truck production, mediators, multiple positions to help to broadcast the game and I suppose your job is to sit all of our era, replay operators, the people, were working. The machines warm enough when the place obviously others camera angles, the ice, producer during the game helps direct the producer, which angles are the best to go for a given play in real time. and also to the fore, the ice or cameras before the game. The director goes over the cat. We would camera people and says these are all the individuals we want you to follow. Are you part of that to picking who the care you're gonna. Isolate on

pretty much the clerk to follow our almost easily figure easily forget which prayers our interest for im pretty much the directors and producers here are very good at picking out the correct players to follow so most of the time you don't have to go against them or bring new ideas. Now do teases I saw a thesis, yes saw. The cheeses for people who are familiar with that term is that's the musical at the opening of the shop and that's a big deal ad hoc uniting can a good teases is very important to you. Remember the first time You were told you were going to do one of those, because people get excited and nervous the first time they're going to do it. Yes, I do. I was doing my second year. It was for a wednesday night hockey between the washington capitals and when a peg jets- and I remember being so- excited to dignities that I swear a solid I'd, say. Twelve hours each day, just sitting at my desk,

try to recreate the world when I did that yeah, I always try to recreate the wheel and I don't have to buy gladly eternal oil was did you have I was an instrumental track. It was pretty much lighted for the game. Wasn't that big at the time, so just instrumental track with some nice or that skin line a sound ups. All your view did some really good forest now, because people in a list of this legacy wait, wait, wait, wait, sure it was washington and winnipeg. Was that what you said it was yes, so all the winnipeg fans are going to be like? Oh, oh, okay, so we don't get the leaf budget thanks a lot of sama just ruined our entire christmas of ad. Hopefully the bosses aren't listening right now to this episode. You know you you said so a couple of seconds ago. That's interesting! It is an interesting story that comes along with it and that is identifying players and for the longest time. I don't know why it took so long for the any chance to get there. You will remember this elliot. finally did away.

Say, was two thousand and ten, or maybe two thousand eleven somewhere around there. Where the Nature finally started to put the numbers of the players on the front of the helmets and people may not be familiar with the story or or I've wondered why the numbers are on the further helmets. That's so people in that can identify the players like, oh grab me marian gabarus, ok, minnesota, looking round find trying to find hand trying to find and trying to find in. If you don't know, the players is by looking at their face. and this is for maybe you know new hockey markets and new people that are working. You just say pick me up. Number, ten and them easily identifiable. That way, that is a nod to television feel like em grandpa, I'm sitting here telling all these stories from from tv's past, but that is why they have the numbers at the front of the helmet, Was your schooling? How did you get from

First of all, you said your bigley fan, I assume you're from the toronto area right, correct No that you wanted to go into tv, do kind of production. Not at all. It was pretty much in why, finally, Europe high school winner, sit down a short figuring out what you really want to do that. I was thinking that. Could I turned my passion into a career and that's why Why too, the now tirana metropolitan university in the archie programme got in and from there the ride began, studying how to make television in, media production happen. And so why did you choose this path? What got you? Well, I couldn't play because I was good enough for you. I swear ross gets in there during the club is exactly I felt that working influx with the next best thing did you ever want to be in front of the camera in front of the microphone like that are always behind the scenes,

I did for a while, but then I've Romano mind said being informed the camera. Sometimes it limits you on your creativity, and we can do so I always thought that you're more in control behind the camera. I there is there ever a time where the edge scratches you- and you say you know what maybe someday I'd like to you know, remove kevin from the panel Consumers find out when one or move Kevin only then oh we're running out of people were elliot. I probably might want to just because I think I could hand I can be an alien in a fight could go well. Yeah I do so right now I really don't have an itch at all could be honour. So what are your? chemicals. What what would you like to do some day? I mean that asked a lot these days so

go eventually about those entered the truck world. I love the live truck environment, of being lied and being having a quick split, second decisions and no line up or scrap yes go with, however, the game is flowing and there. You can try to prep. You do weep, there's so much prep people do curse due at do back up that's always use the backup plan exactly it gets thrown up quicker than yesterday. Lunch. It say, you gotta be ready on your heels or us pressure. When you tell us, I still can't remember each time You gotta be ready at any point to start making a new plan and a new course of action which I love. What was the first thing? You saw a truck that made you think, I'm in a different world here like this, is crazy, I love it. Apart from how cold it is, the first thing I saw was just pretty much all the camera ankles

when we work backing studio will see all those cameron was available to us, but track. You see them on a big, monitor, split screen all up about like I wanted a lease game. It was about twenty camera angles and all of them showing different things. I wish I had twenty more pairs of eyes. He whispered, Are you and I will always get ass? You know who are in who the people it influenced us and its other broadcasters like it there's a of other people, you you mean your lighted influence you it comes to like the actual broadcasting. What we do is we reference other broadcasters, who are some of the names that you could mention as far as being influential to you, people that might not be household names, but we get games on the air without them? right now, I think of pretty much all our head producers and I wonder how can you get unanimous view, namely that artifice anybody are the fact that they are going to you and saying to you? What would you like

Do that's in all seriousness. That's a really good sign, because that means they see a future in you and sometimes speak to young people, they ask. How should act when I get into a new environment like when I'm going. to say, aachen and care for the first time How should I act and in my answer and spend a long time since I started? Is you speak when you're spoken to your quiet, but dress nicely and you try to be confident and it's a difficult mix to find something. But that's what I always try to people. Look everybody in the. I only speak when you're spoken toward the beginning. Ask Anyone- that you really need to ask if you're not sure, don't be shy but use more recently than I have an obviously your stars rising. Is there anything that you did when you first walked into the company that you think it will be helped? You the great question earlier, the first they I do when I started. I was wrong. By cathy roderick?

as a runner and, as you know, Cathy is pretty much reduced spiteful for fifty five percent of people in this industry. Yes skating their start, absolute self I started that as a runner, when I was when I was a runner, I had one. I used an inspiration from Alex It was pretty much so when, when our santa was a little story, I dunno, if you guys, wanna, hear the story here, yeah but alive, tat was when he got hires a gmo blue jays. He gave an interview in a future and they asked him hey alex like how did you get to this point and heat a story about how when he started, he started a volunteer fan mail handler for the of logic and their products and it was a small gig, not even paid, and he started there. He sees talked about how he gave so much importance that job, even though, was a minor job, considered a minor job, and you we spend so much time there any spanish extra time just talking to people around the club, us and the organization of getting tips and learning the way

about me and I'll, be executive self from took inspiration from that's, not what I got in as a accordingly her and fewer with hockey night? I saw myself the best job in this role? You can the rest, will follow and try to find and learn as much as you can. You got up front rosy to a national production on on the lawn. running sport, show in the history of television I can learn as an insult in as much as we can and show how your interest you are on the path man like Elliot says, rising star is awesome to watch thanks so much for stopping by continued success, and I very much look forward to the day you replace elliot on hot thanks. So much for doing this request, almost at all, just get a gm seized. One should I expect my They were settled, get line, gettin lost mysteriously disappear in the sales. Yes, indeed,

thanks so much roundly guys thanks osama thanks not evade holidays, great job, Elliot. The elliot he's the host of the nhl on t n t he's a longtime friend Liam Mchugh and joins us here at the holiday party. Liam a. How are you and b? What can we put your glass. This festive season great it's gonna be out with you guys I am tempted to get like seven red ball, so I can start this party of the way this would I will stick with my standard, which

is a a nice fake the year. So I can trick myself into being an adult for about ten minutes and then proceed to have zero point: zero fun for the rest of the night. So no one's going to be around me at the bar, so it's just like you're hosting the show they clearing yeah I'd like to have fun, but then there, like you're the adult, look at the other three, It is no like you're, the one who is supposed to be in charge and how does it feel to be the grown up in the room on that panel? is a pretty easy transition from my home life, with my nine year old, my eight year old in my four year old, you go into worth slightly different language, slightly different content, although really in terms of just childish, humor, really not that much however, I would say subway nicely my flight to this? video and my one night of eight hours of uninterrupted sleep are really the one thing I look forward to the envy.

We in the three kids at home and my three kids at work? That's the one thing about the tea into panel. That is consistent between both the incredible inside the nba and your pre game show to is that the johnson Leah mchugh role year required to be the straight man that your job you're there to make sure the show gets on the air make sure the show gets off the air, and while there are suggestions, as opposed to guard rails, prevented from going way over the top challenging, is it with that group of people It is uniquely challenging. Let's start with the easiest part, for the most part, is anson carter, just because I've worked with him for so long. So

yeah? I think I've known him. I know where he's going. I trust him, although there is a new freedom in this job and aunts and occasionally yo goes off, and I got to follow the twists and turns of where his mind takes us. Then there's target who, for the most part, I feel like. I know where he's gonna go, except that he's often just reacting two days and you can start see like the veins pop in his net and he's gettin upset about. Something, and I I wonder like How far should we take this? Is he going to step up from our walk over and they're gonna start thrown down with biz the ideas can ask me very simple, very straightforward, very basic question and I have no idea where he is going to go and the cool part of the job, like you said, is am sort of driving it, and I have three guys trying to grab the steering wheel and I have to decide when we're off the road is the view from off the road.

or intriguing than the view was on the road. And how long can I keep it there before they do so? that none of us should have jobs anymore, so there's debt- they responsibility there. But one of the great things about the job is that I get to spend the rest of the week. planning things for them to react. So in many ways it's a job of entrapment, where I put them in situ nations where I know they're going to react and they're probably gonna get themselves near the near the edge of trouble and I spent most of my we deciding like eight- can we something in the said, bring a live animal in the set. They get. Turner is a lot of the answers to those questions. Unlike other places, I've worked are not met with silence, unlike what does he do? I met with right here's the money do it. It doesn't cost that much go right ahead. Now we're you intimidated by gretzky, theirs natural intimidation with asking here it's hard to think of him as a regular human being and just think it.

Guy doing regular human being stuff, you remember you know he's very casual these very nonchalant about who is when you walk to the room. But then you have a conversation with an anti says things k which do this, we can you Tom, and then you are what you do. You say that you now is out there playing down then Jay, and he shot okay and you're like whoa. Like do you mean Michael Jordan, he's like oh yeah yeah like, but it's it's a regular for him. He lives in a very different universe. So I think there is this feeling of like he's revered, and he is the great one I mean it's insane, that this person walks amongst us, but he got on the show he started chirping people and then chirped pretty early on and he was willing to go back and forth and that changed the entire dynamic of the show

because the one thing I was most nervous about going into the show was: would wayne Gretzky want to do this? Would he come in here and decide? I don't need to do this and wayne Gretzky. This is ridiculous. I don't need to spend my time doing this. I don't need to deal with liens ridiculous questions, and this is antics. Instead, he fully embraced the show- and you know when you get Wayne gretzky out there talking to before the opening night talking to Nathan, mackinnon and Caleb carr about the stanley cup. and what it means I mean there is not better tv out there. So it's been such a pleasure to work with a guy. You know the great thing about gretzky to his. You know we had while he played he was never the most vocal player about hockey issues at all. The only real time that I can recall him doing anything. Maybe

controversial was during the ninety four ninety five lock out. He grew a goatee as a sign of protest. I don't know he wasn't it to be the marketable wing gretzky anymore. That's one of the things that I'm really impressed about. Like to your point, he doesn't need this. He doesn't have to do it, but does really very much feel like he wants to do it of course, opinions and now we're really hearing him share, some of them opinions. I'm curious as a studio host I mean one thing: you can do as a whole. Is you make frames and you put frames around people? Let's you know where the arts- jobs and life begins? How do you frame wing gretzky as a studio host? I think when I first went into this. My hope was that you just get me insight into really greatness and the pressure that comes with it. And he could lead us into a gala economy. David's mind with no one else can and see. That would have been good enough, because such rare insight into someone

it was clearly the most talented at his craft in the entire world, but that isn't good enough and he brought us through that. What it was like the first couple of seasons and when it started to get to him that you know it's not enough to light up the league, you have to win, you have to, and it's going to consume you. That alone was gold, but you know where he has surprised me is his willingness to come in and here. I d is and share his thoughts on topics that I did not believe he would want to end without product, and I go back to early on when Dominic cassock was speaking out against russia and the war in ukraine and hasn't pointed messages. for Alexander Ovechkin, and we were going on that day we had one of our outdoor games were doing it from the studio. And it was something we had to address during the show wanted. redress, but I also thought that it may be something gretzky would not want to- and I was

the basic going to the studio wondering how I was gonna, bring this up with everyone and bring it up with gratitude, and instead He came to me and said. Did you see this I would like to talk about? This is something that important dottie on and off the ice, and to give an opinion on, and I was surprised and generally taken aback. You know it's. It's also such an important thing that and analyse the wants to come out, wants to speak from the heart because really what you want. Your entire showed a b is honesty righty. Watch out come out and give honest takes about hockey, but also about things that are important to people and when gretzky came in and said that that was something you want to do. I would say in men, other situations that are similar to that. You have very sporting. You know I'd give the news. I want to go anywhere near that, I'm afraid to say the wrong thing, which is understandable. You know

you have someone who is the greatest athlete in sport that people are gonna, stop and attracts and listen to what he has to say and he wants to come out something that is meaningful to him on a subject as sensitive about its great tv, its compelling and is one of those dreams and areas is what you want. Your show to be- and I think I look at our show- is something that you know it's fun. It's passionate it's off the rails the times, but I also love the fact that our shows able to pit We are not a show that is going to step away and avoid difficult topics You have the best in the world. Why do you have along with that and add to it? It makes for me, for meaningful gotten. So I'm looking at your wikipedia page by the way I want to say when it with Gretzky, I'm not surprised at all. He be incredible person to work with life. Kelly Rudy here urine and run Maclean. Who knows very well. I've had some sperience he's just a fantastic human beings by

I'm looking at your wikipedia page Liam, and the first thing it says, is liam acute born nineteen. Seventy six, slash, nineteen, seventy seven wikipedia it does not know how old you are, so I want to solve this mystery. How old are you I am forty five, nineteen. Seventy seven is the correct, I enjoy that its loafers up for a very time. It was just wrong it out of date, a year and it was wrong know about it, and then I believe it was catherine to happen gallagher can put going out and social media on the fake birthday. happy birthday and I had no idea was even out the caverns like did I that two thousand dollars and white Catherine most of those values are very nice people, so they are just like all about it and this

while ago and I get kids in their little and I was just getting of sleep and I wake up and there's like hundreds It's a message, it's on social media for me, and I'm like. Oh my god, like what did I tweet before I went to bed like, I feel in trouble, and it's nothing we're gonna be birthday, edward going on here and then after a while It was great I didn't want to change. It was like six months after my birthday. I had a day where everyone was unbelievably nice to me. So I just started thanking people I was like this is great thanks, yeah, you know it's been a great day and I'm not I'd go so I'd, but I love that that's an idea, like you should say, I'm from ports on There is no you you ve had you ve had quite a career and I think you're, probably like a lot of people in our business. That's you Were you dream that you are going to get here but you never honestly expect that it will. and I'm wondering when you look at your path,

Just what was the craziest thing that you kind of went through to get here and was every moment. You said, oh, my god, I'm actually going to do this. There? There are generally lot of ups and downs, and I start in small markets Burton terror home Oklahoma city, for, while their forbid year, my wife, you indeed tv. She was a tv reporter and anchored in the roanoke converging injuries, lebanon, lynchburg bridging and about a year I lived, we were engaged ideas. They lived on her couch unemployed find a job, this was my first attempt at drawing a terrible beard. It was even worse than the one I have now couldn't be worse than mine. Liam could be worse, though, and yours is real. At least nine requires a lot of special effects to make it actually appear decent on tv.

Do you know what random jobs in town I actually worked at did or station station video for like reporters who, who were denied ten years younger than me, and I didn't know, I was going to do and then I get a break and I came to new york and I start working for verses of that point, but I think I knew I need it all of a sudden, living in new york city the NBC was, was alive, yeah. I got to do a little thing for NBC and it's like a two minutes. Sport update on a sunday. You know the eu I dubbed it and am I take the subway there and how do I get crosstown? They said honour will be sending like a black ass. He read your apartment, you know and the guy's a my abarbanel like what are you? I know they see me I've dressed in sweatpants, all the time like when I'm not working. I think they thought I was a drug dealer, so they were, who is this gigantic daubeny s day and life felt different on my website what is going on here and I think for her.

You know just changed ass. It is I who I do not think that the sports, but she saw me, I'm like a commercial she's like that's just bizarre. You know when you're watching one of your own shows and you're on your own world, and then your husband appears tv promoting something's up. It's been a wild ride. I did not expect this. I, like I, didn't anticipate it at all. I mean people have these dreams, and I remember gazi grad school at syracuse are like I'm going to be the next sports center anchor. I was just like like. I just want to be good market and work and make a living. You know they are some of the student debt and I think we get caught up in light What's the next job, what's the next big thing we can do in this world and donna hanging on at times because is about all industry, but over the last for years, I've had as much fun as I've ever had doing this job which is the best part about this group Its enjoyable is not grind ever even during the plants will working crazy ours, and I wanted to stay like this. Much as it possibly can. I want to be

The goal in every day, and just it's fun about today? What can you know what we bring to the viewers? That's joyful, and if You keep that go in for as long as possible, keep as teeth John, say just keep forum for as long as I shall be happy to hear that there is that power rate the power of having enough like I'm good. This is where I want to be. This is where I'm happy and one ass one One final question I'll be here and it's about one of the panel us as well. Every time a coaching position appears in the end aid shell, do you get nervous and do you get you call rick target and say: are you going to vancouver? Are you gonna win a peg? Are you going to seattle what happens, The coaching vacancy do you call wreck, always always you better break that story here target you better break it yeah? Oh! Well, that's the other thing right. If I get to read about this somewhere else, I mean you know, but

immediately? I tax, and I I told us about the job maybe going to I usually just set of attacks like hey you come. Work on wednesday, and then she dot dot dot I just wait. I like Are you gonna be a ladder? You move it and just wait for his response, and then I think what I did last year a lot and I kind of want to do, more. This year I haven't done a good job is sabotaging, is ready to get jobs. Because I don't want to leave? so for a while last year, like I would give someone random stat about his teams. That was completely negative. You know that baby that team looking for like goober like yeah I've given up this many shots per game. I'll talk brutal with that, like you know what you know, we been through. This is well what's the problem and the cool thing is and I'm listening

I think that once the college again, I think he's just so compared to be so fiery. He loves doing this. He loves doing this and even when it was really really starting to heat up with different jobs. I remember like flyers when all these vacancies were out there He was calling me and say: hey we're good first year and we're finishing it up and there's been a lot of great press But you know as well as I do that it's always the new kid. It's always the out. The first time are people didn't a great expectations, so they're all impressed, and he would say what are we doing to be better next year, how we this next level and sitting there like this guy's got up. So I couldn't go other, posing coach and go back but his mind. still on like how do we get how do we talk things that need to be trimmed. What do we need to add How does he need to get better at the job as well, and it's kind of cool does Ivan work of many analysts like that who really respect it

and I want to get better, even though that they have one foot still back in there for world leader, not an awesome story. Keep burying talk! It keep him on the panel he's a lot of fun to lodge. I know he's got, I know, he's got that burn inside I mean really competitive guy butts alone, with the rest of your paneless. You guys are awesome top notch up thanks, so much for stopping by have agreed, holiday. Break hope is a lot of time with friends and family and will we'll catch up down the road, hopefully sooner than later, continued success leo. Happy holidays, guys appreciate. I take care thanks. So much I'd side takes a ban with bitter guys only if you ve ever seen my radio show on television either it's worse than three sixty or sports net. Now over my left shoulder there is a large oversized novelty button of the queen,

when crusaders of the world hockey association as given to me as a pre christmas present. By our next guess? He is researcher for hockin in canada, amongst other, to tease, namely any child teams. He is then roger and he joined. At the holiday party stanley. How are you today friend excellent. How are you guys, we are doing well. First of all, welcome to the party and at said holiday party. What do you normally have in your glass? What are you drinking this time of year, jack Daniels, If you got wrong, you got it neat, okay, on the last leonard mello, are you one cube or multiple know several several alright? Now now that that concludes my questions for this entire segment. I know I know I'm going to be pointed to the sideline for this. I only have one question. I only have one the question for you stand the briefcase

Those of you don't know legendary. He carries an old old school brief case. It might not even be one your dad had. It might be one. Your grandfather had my dad had won, but I'm fifty two how old is it? Where did you get it and what is it covered with? I got that christmas Eighteen. Eighty three gift from my mom and the euro? This of it is that I put all these stickers on it and I gotta get to sharp ought to samsonite because I've had it all these years and it's still perfect. It looks great like it's become lobby. I mention researcher for hearkeneth can now

okay. Hang on! Let me let me let me pick it up. So I mentioned off the top stealing as part of your introduction or researcher for hockey night in Canada. Want you to tell people what that entails. then telling me jokes, every saturday night, which I really really appreciate and stand by the way, always wears a vintage, something whether it's hat. A t shirt and I always get a smile because it's usually w h, abe related, but you also do research for any child teams as well. It is going to give us the bio give us the business card right now stand out. I've got some. Things going like right now, I'm sitting at scotia bank korean and I'm going to be doing stats for the Tampa bay broadcasts. Tonight, so allow me actually in the booth tonight, but I produce things rather, teams make mostly colorado saint louis and vegas at this at this juncture, and as well as doing saturday night hockey night in Canada. So it's a pretty busy slate of stuff to do you busy. What's your favorite thing to do.

You know my favorite thing was just seriously was when we had our eyes surfing, show so the rod I miss that show you me yorkie, dangle dangler, always great man that was fun it was sort of raw before its time kind of thing that we did that, and it was a black. doing that kind of stuff because it was on the go and when I was a little bit more free form kind of thing so the things that you always come up with an you. Have your status you're, I mean you're, a euro must follow for me on twitter. You come up with leg I love like random, obscure facts. Do you have a pet favorite, random, obscure facts? You know the your version of vienna wing gretzky had more five goal, games or wings Yet more five point games and zero point gave little things like that. You have anything in the back. Your mind does when now, because we are doing vancouver the other nine. I found a couple there like, for example,

Quinn. Hughes has got twenty six assists, but no goals, So I was curious. How many assists What was the most number of assist somebody had without scoring ago for a whole year and the just twenty nine, which you have to go back to nineteen. Forty eight with the least jimmy Jimmy thomson did that oh wow. So carvings obscure thing as well and in the other other vancouver. One was a wise pedersen who has Jeanne goals, but none of them on the power play so this year has the most goals without a power play go and he had ten last year see I love it. corky kind of stuff like that people that stuff people die. I am one of those people and listen stanley. I get the other and we tend to tell him to this. Conversation about the saint stays. The american

arguably saints you were a part of it. Big names rolled through. I want to ask you about a couple them, but when you think of the saints all day its prey I started my career. I started out in now on a radio station in this the least farm club move to Saint Catherine and I applied for the position and got it and part of it was simply doing everything and including being the radio our guy for John Kelly, whose now the voice of the Saint louis blues, so that's pretty cool. Whose father was was obviously the legend dan. Yes absolutely What was the craziest thing you saw there like? What was the wildest? you ever had to do or you saw happen. Oh mostly basically just having too, take care of everything. The worst was. We had a zamboni that actually crashed and

built oil all over the ring, playing new haven? And now at the end of two periods, so we had to scramble like crazy. We ended up please the third period of that game at ten o clock the next morning the next morning the next morning, because we couldn't get a zamboni. We couldn't get the ice fixed in time. So we scrambling and we were up all my trying to get this thing done and we the pay, no new haven for the extra night and they hotels and all that kind of stuff? Will you with it When- and this was a camera was like five or maybe seven of them but val James and mike stop others feud like few have ever seen with, like just insane fights real the team. Then what do you remember from that feud there, several fights- and we knew all along that this is going to be the case, but we pay. Actually was funny, because the last series

but the saints aeroplane and Saint Catherine was against her. She they beat us out and val James actually scored the last golan saints history or dirty. Yes, yes, and it was it was weird and he she beat us and the hershey's back go tenure that season was run hacksaw races. The foreign team for the philadelphia fires. At that point and the growing aimed therein Jensen was the guided, beat us and you so you would have seen tie domey makers. Protein you not with us. We had the players, lakes. eve thomas Kenny, ragged, steve, thomas one rookie the year for us in Saint katharine's, your big daddy. Miguel was with us all right. That was when he was a new mark. That's right, they told me was a new market. That's Riyadh us right! a guy like that and John, Brophy was the coach the last year and a half, and how did that go he was everything you thought he would be right

Ok, come on he's laughing. Tell us something give us all, but here it is also the nicest purse, because he would all he would take care of the people that live trainers and guys, like us, yards aching money, and he would always take care of us in that respect, and no one would No one did it more for us than he did was true, the brophy use do get Val James, shortlist with his eye poppy, pants and so on, but surely is stand in front of the visiting teams dressing room to intimidate them as they came in not so much but what he would do in the pre? It would be. The pre game are war in the morning skates. So if we were the visiting team, we will go out there and finish first, but invalid, come back out and just look at it, stared down the other two It was effective and you can see some guys weren't when exactly trying to make eye contact.

Yeah. No, I understand that he was. He was rob, went off all the way through his pro career stand. When you are, would you look at your time and you're still, you know with everybody had hockey night in canada, and I I can't count the amount of time that I have heard you stand. We need this that stanley. We need this fact when did you realize that this was something you could do and how did you get the hockey night gig what sickly. I was doing working some games here at the year at than it was at the arena. and they needed somebody in a hurry and they asked me to go there Joel darling the next day and John was interviewing me and he hired me, and I did when apply for the job, which is pretty cool. They just need someone to do stats yeah They need somebody in a hurry and I was available and they said that the when he interviewed me. He materialise then, and I had a sort of connected with joy because I cover

neighbours when he was an intern there, so Who are the demanding hosts? Who are the ones that ask you, for the most because I don't even think demanding is the right word the hose that really depend on you? I went seed. But the weirdest one. I was always MIKE melbury because he's here I was the one I remember the most was when he was a stand. What's yours, our play in the last ten games and work. in five four any while you know I've been I've been guilty of that before too I don't like it, but I've been guilty of that before yeah yeah. That's that doesnt work. That's that's not easy. Are you sure that's the hardest thing is? Sometimes you got very little time to define this stuff, sandlot last one for me and jesus- and you mention your. You got a game to work here tonight. You and I and I know, Elias a fan as well, but we have a love for the late gilbert gottfried

and you've listened to you know: stanley. You've listened to all abstain, but, like shoot me know, take another podcast drop, hey another podcast rap. We all miss gilbert godfrey absolute and my favorite podcast, the ones that he had penn jillette, which was outstanding and bob costas sopcast of bob costas. One is legendary. Yet do you have a favorite podcast from the late great comedian, two of them cost us would be one. and the other was bob saget. Oh yeah This was a bob saget. You didn't see on full house no? I saw him do stand up. He was incredible incredible you could take. To the extreme on this, when it may gilbert freed, look sanitized, Oh man, he was great, listen, you're great! You do fantastic work. Everybody relies on you. Listen best of the holiday season, always look forward to seeing you on saturdays.

which aware and by the way what you fail? What's your favorite pisa, like old leg, either w h, J or obscure to fund any child team, clothing that you have It's not game worn, but I have an old new york. Americans, what a sweater own nice. Yes, those are taste, is it actually from nineteen? Forty two, it's just a red make, but their hard to get and its hanging up at my basement, and they look real cool and I'll just drop once one more. now. You probably know the answer to this, since we the christmas spirit whose, for the last christmas goal in nhl history? hang on, what your wages audio year, seventy one so I would have been. I want to say, was a minnesota los angeles as it stands, will correct pull my soul guy. What what's wrong with you to all day, I think staying gilberts and lost his leg years later. California beat that

kings, forty one- and that was the last. I was alive, one, see I was wrong. I thought I thought it was minnesota in l, a it was california in at least the merry christmas stat hole is small, dude, I assure you that was something ridable, no less annoying suffolk. This kept me single for lahti years. Don't worry, don't feel too don't be too pressing, my family, I don't be too abreast thanks daily are take your guy snake scrambled eggs there the It is a pleasure and anne, oh she's, eager to share a drink with this right now elliot to welcome to the broadcast the holiday show unworth girl producer reporter we think of her from hockey aid punjabi and I do have to add you really

did pull off wednesday items. That was all you and you looked fantastic doing it. Oh my gosh, thank you. Those are my grandmother, his braids from back in the day, all my skull pictures are kindergarten to about one is a great six as the braids covenant hot suggest, just love it, okay, so the obligatory. What will you be sipping on this evening? Question? Okay, guy, as if he is there at the bar, I want that molecular cocktail. What is that molecular cocktail? Helps you kind of go through a sensory experience when you're drinking, so it could be a cocktail There is like food items and display so makes you think thirty two thoughts really

Hang I so I'm I'm looking at this and there's like steam coming off the street, convinced her eyes and like I want you guys. This is all new to me. You ve just open up a whole new ties. We have significant molecular during said, there's no chance of me getting anything else on this week. After opening this, like that, oh, why these look there find those they preferred eddie. I think- and I hope it respects your creative muscles a little bit more- that you thinking unsightly box. I could definitely you that now amr, the one thing I want to ask you about. First, is you have a pinned tweet at the top of your account from a face off? You did between the florida panthers and the l a kings. but what I'm more interested in is the jacket. You have a jacket with an imprint on it, and I wanted you just to explain what it is.

Yeah, so I got a chance to drop the park at day, ellie kings game earlier this year. but our honourable lifetime, first foreign, those but the jack- and I m wearing it, a jacket that my best friend, jasmine by new designs is an artist, and I think you know what I'm getting this opportunity to drop pack. I want it send a message, so I thought about all the things that I cared about and it came down to social justice and having more women that you know, look like myself, rationalized woman in this hockey sphere, and having their beliefs, their interests and, basically giving them an opportunity to adopt this back with me, so the jack and has a woman holding up her fist cancer, where it at an hour kings, game authorizing attack and when I was younger, the first hockey pick that ever had

It wasn't me in a jury. Ceos myself any india in traditional suit and black and gold and so a kinder. It was a full circle moment for me. Her make zero enables to forgeries back in the day, but That's how the jacket came to be a lover, those beautiful, sorrow that has such a beautiful story. We vastness of a few people today was it always hockey for you, going way way back as it always hockey's permeating drying up Canada absolutely, but I wasn't. Watching for the game and necessarily as much as I was watching for the story I learned early on it was the here inside of the game that I love the human consequences to sport. So it has.

Been hockey from day one, but I never got a chance to play. I used it taken the broadcasts. I sign up from my house where's, film and television, the class and say hey. We need a sport segment talking about social justice and then use hockey as it what's a kind of get into various routes that back over daylight answered, it's simply because one of the things- and it can mean a lot of different things as well, and one of the things that I firmly believe in about hockey is. Is that the saying use hockey? Don't let hockey use you and you're, obviously using hockey in a very positive direction I mean you mention, you know you always look for the the the human side of things and the human story, who are some of your inspirations along the way and who are some of the operations now young It's a great question We get this question early on and make rear and as his main role modeling, in

he would give you mean own. I have anyone to really look up to take inspiration from various people who have a child. Systemic norms in their respective fields. That is its diversity of thought that I look up to its, not necessarily a personage, your civil rights leaders, who have you no sir and framework or a message that has helped create systemic change, but when I think of who I look to where I take inspiration from then gives me sustenance to keep going. It's really the kids. it's the future generation and help speed that. Why, in that sense of purpose Wasn't a big name it it's my community, it's the people that are doing grass root sam, to help bring the data, bring the science bring.

History and the education word at my community and the kids that I look up to four inspiration. You are part of a group they made a big leap for your community by eating hockey night in canada, punjabi and growing it into something in everything, start small and and grows bigger, hugging can't open. It is a big success story. I think- and I just wanted to ask you: what do you remember about the first time you were told about the possibility, and what was it like to go on air and do it yet so when they talk about that, possibility. I go back to my teenage years. Re happens. I fled, the channel and as they go away and my watching hockey, no language that my grandmother's speaks and urges like a big wow moment, because now my grandmother understood They came verses and he gets

valet shot and there's a girl like she was able to understand the workings of the game and helped route. Is that accessibility, barriers? That's what I of it I didn't really speak punjabi, but it might be. Is- and I understood a little bit, but it was never a language that I was familiar with those using english. All the time but when I realized it was, there is an opportunity. Broadcasting school. I want to say, and twenty fourteen fit team, and I learned that the studio was in vancouver onwards. At a time. and while I was in squares and first year we weren't to have any internships, but we'd have speakers come in on offer their advice and their learning served from working in the industry and at that time in their handle. Who's the new structure for omni and are one of the reasons why how can I ve been job such a success

come in and give us a speech on the industry and what to expect to expect, but afterwards I went up to him. It was ok. Have an internship. Can I pressed the button? Let me just get in there is derives the show as a kid and months later, had an internship was able to press one by one season, two buttons inaction than I think. Ok, hey there's avoid here. We need to start telling stories. Let me do it alone. The language and you ve ordered me that opportunity, along with my aunt ass dick producer back in the day, Nathan's they're gone. now you have big goals That's one thing I've heard about you. You have things that you would still like to accomplish. What? What are you? What are those goals? What were you look,

to go on you're, really putting me in the hot seat and I'm going to have some empathy moving forward and I'm not sure you're altered altering the construction of my brain with the molecular mixology like I gotta come back on, so you know when I walked into this industry, I did I do not know where I was going to fit in that that I have right now. Hockey ain't Canada's punjabi addition: there is no job posting. I created that role and as I've worked my way through this industry and had great relationships and have been offered fantastic perspectives from everyone that I work with I'm finding that sport is really a tool further greater goods and I'd like to continue using sport as a tool for the greater good I love hockey. I love the game, but I feel like my purpose in life,

solve some of the global challenges that we facing today, whether the climate. in other words the wealth and income inequality gap, the glow complex, there is seeing systemic racism, miss and distant relation is. How do we use sport as a tool for sustainable development and peace. so obviously right now, I'm almost a decade career making some inroads. What hockey helping slowly but surely reduce the systemic racism that we ve seen through education at first and foremost my goal is to help solve some of those global challenges and continue to use sport as a tool on earth. If you could see one team lift the stanley cup, who would it be? While here let me let me a merry add something I'd like to see another layer of color lift the cop another

it comes from. The marginalized groups. Lester We saw the impact Contrary had in his community and globally. We identify as muslim and those who don't as well when he was lifting that cop it went beyond port, and help reduce that accessibility barrier as well, sidelined, to see someone from a marginalized groups, left the traffic That's an hour. I answer dodson excellent answer, listen! We! We wish you nothing more than continued success. Thank you for it drink tip as well. You've opened our eyes to molecular cocktails this morning. I never thought I'd year molecular cocktail, but there it will mean either I'm learning about it and

and we thank you for that, and we thank you for appearing today. Thanks so much for stopping by please take care of the pieces there. It is that was the holiday extravaganza. Thank you. If you made it this far, I know one of the things that always impresses us is how deeply you listen to this holiday podcast too. If you're hearing me right now, bravo, you are as used to say at the montreal forum, la premiere. It was the first star well done and thank you then happiness to you and yours at the holiday season again a reminder about the schedule: no new podcast. Until we Did you hear our interview with marian hawser? So that's twenty eight and then we're back to a regular schedule? The newspaper Friday december. thirtieth until then be safe.

Be happy- love one another more podcast coming coming up ones.