WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.720 Four Nations face off final last night. Canada got it 2 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:07.480 done in overtime, and I am still buzzing from the event. 3 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:09.839 Not just last night, but I thought the tournament got 4 00:00:09.880 --> 00:00:11.839 a lot of people off guard in the best of ways. 5 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:15.439 Oftentimes that's how life works. Our next guest, I've never 6 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:17.920 interviewed them for We'll do a little hockey Little Utah 7 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:20.440 Hockey Club and obviously the Four Nations face off with 8 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:22.879 Tom Callahan on a Friday afternoon. 9 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:24.399 Tom, Happy Friday, sir, how are you? 10 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:29.000 Oh my goodness, it's Friday. I love it. I'm doing well. 11 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:29.399 Thank you. 12 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:31.440 I appreciate the time. Today I got to ask you 13 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:35.799 how many corny Tommy boy jokes have you received over 14 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:37.240 the years? 15 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:38.479 All of them? 16 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:39.679 Okay, good, good good. 17 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:40.280 Yeah. 18 00:00:40.439 --> 00:00:43.159 See, we were debating whether or not we wanted to 19 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:44.960 bring that up, and I'm like, no, with a name 20 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:47.119 like Tom Callahan, my man has heard this like his 21 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:47.960 entire life. 22 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.960 So it's good that we didn't lead with that, you know. 23 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:53.840 What I mean. Yeah, it's funny. 24 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:55.600 I like to tell people I heard the movie twice 25 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:59.359 before I ever saw it because people just, yeah, they 26 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:01.560 love giving me lines too. But you know, I mean, 27 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:05.560 it's a classic for a reason, right, So it's not 28 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:05.959 all bad. 29 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:09.000 Yeah, you certainly have the name that is tied to 30 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.239 a great movie, which I suppose is a benefit. But Tom, 31 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.640 since I've never interviewed you before, tell me about yourself, 32 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:17.799 you know, kind of growing up in this business, how 33 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:20.599 you kind of latched onto the NHL and what you're 34 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.120 doing now, and let's go from there. 35 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:23.959 Absolutely. So. 36 00:01:24.319 --> 00:01:27.959 I grew up in Buffalo, New York, so big Bills fan, 37 00:01:28.079 --> 00:01:32.079 growing up still Big Bills fan, you know, and grew 38 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:35.239 up rooting for the Buffalo Sabers as well, and just 39 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:39.879 always loved hockey, you know. Once I figured out I 40 00:01:39.920 --> 00:01:44.359 wasn't good at baseball I was like twelve, I ended 41 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:46.159 up playing hockey ye around. It was just my favorite 42 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:47.959 thing to do. And so eventually, you know, go to 43 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.400 college and try to figure out what you want to 44 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:53.200 do with your life. I ended up calling games and 45 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:58.159 spent nine years in the minor leagues calling hockey and 46 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.439 baseball and doing the occasional one off one there for like. 47 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:02.560 Football or basketball. 48 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:05.920 But that made it to the NHL with Nashville, did 49 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:09.240 five years of play by play with the Nationale Predators. Uh, 50 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:13.439 and after that I went from the Predators over. 51 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:15.240 To ESPN Nashville. 52 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.240 Actually, I did three years as a host there and 53 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:23.000 then like a fool, decided I missed hockey wanted to 54 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:25.599 go back to calling games, so I moved to Indianapolis 55 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:27.759 and then Tucson, and. 56 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:31.439 I just I missed him. It went two Son. 57 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:34.240 That's where the whole Coyotes scene comes in is I 58 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.080 was working for the Coyotes there. I had a chance 59 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:40.719 to start up the Tucson Roadrunners in a pretty high capacity, 60 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:41.000 so I was. 61 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:42.159 Pretty excited about that. 62 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.719 Unfortunately, that didn't last because when the franchise was sold, 63 00:02:46.759 --> 00:02:48.960 that all kind of fell apart. 64 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.039 But you know, it was a great experience. I loved it. 65 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:54.800 Spent two years in the Coyotes organization and met some 66 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:58.719 fantastic people along the way, and you know, just now 67 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:02.719 post pandemic and everything kind of coming back online with hockey, 68 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:05.400 I'd been looking for a chance to cover an NHL 69 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:07.840 team again, and that's how I ended up with the 70 00:03:07.960 --> 00:03:11.120 Lockdown Utah Hockey Club podcast where I'm a co host 71 00:03:11.120 --> 00:03:14.639 with Robin Leano. And uh Yet it was easy for 72 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:16.840 me as a franchise I already knew with some people 73 00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.080 I still knew in the franchise and have been watching 74 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:25.520 now for the better part of I guess nine years. 75 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.039 Very nice, very nice. 76 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.879 So I am also a child of the Northeast, the 77 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.759 mean streets of Fairfield County, Connecticut, and grew up going 78 00:03:33.800 --> 00:03:36.319 to Madison Square Garden to watch the New York Rangers. 79 00:03:36.360 --> 00:03:39.000 And there's still my team this day. So you and 80 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.960 I are Northeast boys, which is always good. But let's 81 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:46.439 talk about this smash hit, this Four Nations faceoff tournament. 82 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:50.960 According to the reports from bett MGM, DraftKings, and Fan Duel, 83 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:54.479 all three sports books said it is the highest bettan 84 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:58.000 on hockey event of all time by total tickets and 85 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.080 we just have the ratings spilling, and I guessed that 86 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:03.960 it would scratch ten million. It came close nine point 87 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:07.280 three mil, which is the highest watched hockey game of 88 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:12.080 all time outside of Olympic hockey. So by all accounts, Tom, 89 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:15.840 this has been an unbelievable boom for this sport. Give 90 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:18.040 me your thoughts on it, and I also want to know, 91 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:22.040 prior to the events starting, what did you anticipate Because 92 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:25.160 we have Neil Smith on weekly to talk hockey, and 93 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:28.000 before it started, Neil, who was a general manager of 94 00:04:28.040 --> 00:04:30.959 a Stanley Cup winning team said that he was not 95 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:32.839 really excited for this, didn't think it was going to 96 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:34.759 be great. When we had him on on Wednesday, he 97 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:38.360 ate his crow. What were you anticipating and what are 98 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:40.240 your thoughts on how it kind of manifested? 99 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:43.360 Well, the first thing I'll say is, boy, doesn't that 100 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:45.480 gets excited for the Winter Olympics. 101 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:46.000 For Saltway for sure? 102 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:49.800 You know, I mean, how pumped are you now? Just 103 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:51.079 thinking down the road for that? 104 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:56.279 But you know what, I it's kind of funny because 105 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:59.439 being around hockey and being a. 106 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.079 Very vocal Team USA guy, mostly on a team full 107 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:06.360 of Canadians for most of the time I've been around 108 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:09.680 the sport, you know, you take your good natured riving 109 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:11.279 and you're not so good natured driving. 110 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:17.240 But I've never played for Team USA, but it's important 111 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:19.759 to me, especially when they go up against Canada. 112 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:24.040 Beating Russia or Finland or Sweden is nice, but beating 113 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.199 Canada is a must for me when it comes to 114 00:05:27.240 --> 00:05:30.160 Team USA and the sport of hockey and really any sport. 115 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.319 But that's where the rivalry is, right. Canada really says, hey, 116 00:05:34.360 --> 00:05:37.519 this is our sport, and the US, especially in World 117 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.720 Juniors lately and in a lot of other ways, has 118 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:44.160 been flying a lot of that away. So Canada had 119 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:45.759 a lot on the line for this, the US had 120 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:49.240 a lot on the line for this, and quite honestly, 121 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:52.360 not that Sweden and Finland weren't good rosters, but I 122 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:54.720 think it was obvious going into the tournament Canada and 123 00:05:54.759 --> 00:05:56.959 the US were the class of the tournament. So the 124 00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:58.800 fact that they met in the final was not a shock. 125 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:02.920 I think what was a shock to me. I didn't 126 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:05.439 know what we were going to get. I know that 127 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.120 the blood boils for these players when they play one another, 128 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:10.199 but I also wondered if because it's an All Star 129 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:12.879 Game replacement and you know that you have to be 130 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:15.079 a teammate with the guy, we're any other sweater in 131 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.800 another week, are you going to hold up on them? 132 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:19.800 Are you not going to put him through the glass, 133 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:21.959 like I wondered how that would pan out. Then we 134 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:25.199 got three fights in nine seconds and that answered my question. 135 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.399 In that first time that Canada to the US, Matt 136 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.120 and I'm like, oh, okay, it's on, gloves are off. 137 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:34.319 And literally it was great. I loved it. 138 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:37.079 I think that a lot of people were very excited 139 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:42.879 by it, and I think it brought some needed attention 140 00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.480 to the sport right now, if I could take a 141 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:48.639 broader tack for just a moment, Metia rights are all 142 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:51.399 over the map right now, Spence, and this is something 143 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:54.000 that I'm keeping a close eye on. I've always been 144 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:58.040 a sports media junkie, but ESPN and MLB are getting 145 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:02.199 a divorce now, Formula one is leaving and I'm a 146 00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:06.120 big F one guy is leaving ESPN and a lot 147 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:08.800 of rights are coming up, and it just seems like 148 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:12.160 at the moment, with all the rsns going down, it's 149 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:15.560 a very tenuous moment for sports in general to be 150 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:21.160 carried over any medium. So I'm kind of wondering, you know, hey, 151 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:23.120 how important is this going to be the fact that 152 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:26.279 we really got some big time attention to this game? 153 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:30.560 And do you keep this format? It was successful? Next year? 154 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:32.360 Obviously you have the Winter Olympics. 155 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:34.319 But you know, is this something that maybe you try 156 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:37.519 to go and expand the format to maybe do another 157 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:39.920 team that's Team Europe as a catch all for the 158 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:41.720 guys that maybe don't have. 159 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:42.560 A country to play for. 160 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.680 But I think they finally hit on something that quite 161 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:48.800 frankly flought some attention back to an All Star game. 162 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.120 You know, baseball is all about the home run derby, 163 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:53.120 not so much the game. Basketball it's the dunk and 164 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:56.399 the three point and nobody cares about the game and football. 165 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:58.120 I can't tell you the last time I watched the 166 00:07:58.120 --> 00:07:59.800 Pro Bowl. I think I was still a kid. So 167 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:03.360 I think it's a great injection into the sport. 168 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:06.959 So, since you are a sports media junkie, how did 169 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:11.839 the Kurt Russell plane Herb Brooks miracleonized speech land with you? 170 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:13.639 Did you think that was the right move or did 171 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.519 you think it was incredibly corny and also a bit 172 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:19.680 misguided because there are two very different situations. 173 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:24.399 Absolutely two different situations. 174 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:27.079 I was actually a little surprised that that popped up. 175 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:29.680 I understand the illusion, but yeah, I mean that was 176 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:33.080 nineteen eighty, that was USA versus Russia. And for folks 177 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:34.720 who don't know, and you're kind of wondering where that 178 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:39.360 came from, it's from the movie Miracle, which kind of 179 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.000 you know, details as much as it can. It's like 180 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:45.039 a little bit of historical fiction around the United States 181 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:49.559 winning the gold medal. But you know, for Russell did 182 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.240 a tremendous job playing Herb Brooks. Talk to anybody who 183 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:56.440 knew Herb, and they felt he was channeling herb. Very 184 00:08:56.440 --> 00:09:01.519 important speech, very important moment in the United States history. 185 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:05.320 Do I think that the USA Russia game had anywhere 186 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:07.120 nearly important to that game last night? 187 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:07.639 No? 188 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:14.559 And I thought that was out of place. But again, 189 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.080 I mean, look what we're dealing with here. I mean, 190 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:21.639 it's a Disney funded movie, ABC EST and. 191 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:23.320 Disney they own the rights to the speech. 192 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.600 Gives them a chance to revive kind of a movie 193 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:28.639 that nobody's talking about for a long time. Maybe give 194 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.480 it a little extra life and a bit of a boost, 195 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:32.000 and maybe somebody watches on Disney. 196 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:33.799 Plus. I understand why they did it. I just I 197 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:34.639 wouldn't have done it. 198 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:37.440 Tell me your thoughts, because every time I hear Sean 199 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:39.679 mcdonnac call a game, I'm like, this dude doesn't give enough, 200 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:42.679 get enough credit for how what a mastery is at 201 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:45.279 his craft. So give me your thoughts, Tom on the 202 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:47.360 actual broadcast and how that was handled. 203 00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:54.399 ESTN does. I almost think ESPN is a little guilty 204 00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:57.720 of doing too much. They're trying so hard, you know 205 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:01.240 what I mean, And you don't mind McDonald's call at all. 206 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:04.399 I enjoy listening to those guys, and you know, maybe 207 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:06.799 I'm probably a little more critical having actually. 208 00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:07.480 Done the job. 209 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:12.240 Than most people would be, But I don't think there's 210 00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:16.639 anything wrong with their personalities that they have, and especially 211 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:18.320 when they let them stretch their legs a little bit, 212 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:20.840 even in your mission with Sue Ban and Messia and 213 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:25.639 letting those guys be who they are. Is everybody's trying 214 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.399 to catch that magic that the NBA on TNT has, 215 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:34.360 right like, that's what everybody wants. They want that whatever, 216 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:36.759 that thing that Barkley and Shaq and Ernie and all 217 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:39.399 those guys have, and everybody's trying to capture that lightning 218 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:42.039 in a bottle. ESPN's trying that. What I don't like 219 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:46.600 about ESPN is how they really graphically overload the broadcast. 220 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:48.399 I wish they'd let it breathe a little more. 221 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:51.279 You know, there's always a pop up marker and this 222 00:10:51.320 --> 00:10:53.639 guy's here, this guy's here, that guy's here, and here's 223 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:55.240 where the puck and the shot and the stats and 224 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:57.799 the thing and the like, Holy cow, guys, can we 225 00:10:57.879 --> 00:10:58.639 just watch a game? 226 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:01.879 And I don't know, maybe that's just me. 227 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:06.279 Being a little more old school, I think, you know, 228 00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:09.000 I just wish they'd lay out with some of that 229 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:09.879 stuff sometimes. 230 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:12.000 But they're they're trying. They're trying to come up with 231 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.200 a formula, that's for sure. 232 00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:15.960 Okay, fair enough. Now, I'm genuinely curious. I've never called 233 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:17.759 the hockey game in my life. I've watched the grip 234 00:11:17.799 --> 00:11:19.879 of them, but since you have, I'm curious as to 235 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:20.759 what your thoughts were on that. 236 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:23.320 So, you know, Tom, whenever, and I don't. 237 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:26.360 Mean this disrespectful at anybody, but if it's not football 238 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:30.679 or basketball or baseball, you know, the fringe sports outside 239 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.240 of the Big three, whether it's hockey or soccer or whatever, 240 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:36.639 whenever there's a moment like this and this feels real 241 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:37.879 to me, it feels different. 242 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:38.320 You know. 243 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:41.000 In the nineteen eighty miracle on ice led to a 244 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:44.120 lot of people watching hockey in the way they hadn't 245 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:46.399 prior to, led to a lot of parents putting their 246 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.159 children in hockey in a way that we hadn't seen 247 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:50.039 that prior to. And as you reference, the US just 248 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:52.480 won the World Juniors and a lot of people drawn 249 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.639 a straight line between the interests that was generated in 250 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:57.720 nineteen eighty and the evolution of the hockey that has 251 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:01.039 played in our country. Does this feel like the same 252 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:04.159 type of seminal moment? I mean, Eruzione, that was cool, 253 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:06.519 I'll tell you that. Like when he walked out, I'm like, yes, 254 00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:08.919 very nice. I thought that was really cool. But he 255 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:11.639 said the buzz in that building reminded him of that 256 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:15.000 game in nineteen eighty And ERUZIONI can be a little performative, 257 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:17.879 as we know. But for a guy that's been in 258 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:19.960 this game for a while, in a hockey historian, does 259 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.960 this have the same type of juice? And what do 260 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:24.080 you think this can do for pro hockey in America? 261 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:30.840 Did it have the same juice? No, the juice I 262 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:31.879 would compare it to. 263 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:34.279 It's funny you mentioned that because I was one of 264 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:35.240 those kids that got on. 265 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:36.600 The ice after the gold medal game. 266 00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:40.320 I started playing hockey in nineteen eighty one, so that 267 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:43.080 that kind of tells you where I come into the equation. 268 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:47.279 I was a child of that boom. You know. 269 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:52.480 That's so I understand that completely. What I would actually 270 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:58.080 compare this to is a couple of different games. Number One, actually, 271 00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:59.919 the last time the Winter Olympics were in Salt Lake 272 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:03.120 and that game there where Sidney Crosby wins it in 273 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:07.879 overtime or actually sorry, that was twenty ten. And then 274 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:11.639 Salt Lake Olympics. I think both of those were big, 275 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:14.039 and also the nineteen ninety six so it's really three moments, 276 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.519 and the nineteen ninety six World Cup of Hockey. I 277 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:19.600 think all three of those were important. I think they 278 00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:22.679 were best on best. They were a great showcase for 279 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:25.399 the sport. And what happens is when you get people 280 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:27.519 who don't normally watch the sport and then they follow 281 00:13:27.559 --> 00:13:30.279 through in the timing on this is perfect because we're 282 00:13:30.279 --> 00:13:32.480 about to hit the trade deadline in the playoff race 283 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:37.240 in earnest and there's nothing like playoff hockey, and I 284 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:39.919 think people will stick around for a month or two 285 00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.320 and watch the playoffs this year. So yeah, it's going 286 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:44.559 to grow the game. It's going to grow interest in it. 287 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:49.320 Youngsters are going to want to play. Is it going 288 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:51.799 to be the explosion of nineteen eighty I don't know, 289 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:55.360 simply because the US won the gold, you know what 290 00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:58.200 I mean, It's hard to top that. But I do 291 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.840 think we're in a different day and age where the 292 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:04.080 people who are now. 293 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:05.240 Going to be reached by. 294 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:08.360 This, It's not going to be this explosion of a 295 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:11.519 moment that happened on TV and then people talk about 296 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.639 it for months. This is going to be something where 297 00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.559 it's going to be highlights on your phone, It's going 298 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:18.200 to be on NHL dot com or on your team's 299 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.480 web page. Guys are going to be talking about coming 300 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:22.879 back from four nations. This is going to be the 301 00:14:23.120 --> 00:14:25.559 topic of conversation for a while now, and we're going 302 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:28.679 to easily be able to recall those moments through video. 303 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:31.720 So yeah, I think it is going to be a boost. 304 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.039 I just I have a hard time comparing anything to 305 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:35.000 nineteen eighty. 306 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:35.440 To be honest with it. 307 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:38.679 Yeah, totally fair, and I was only two, so I 308 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:40.960 don't have memories of it. But it's just kind of 309 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.759 interesting watching the reaction after this tournament. The leak has 310 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:45.159 said has got everybody off guard. 311 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.320 All right, let's move. 312 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:49.399 Over now to do a little Utah Hockey Club. Here's 313 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:52.559 where I'll start this portion of our conversation. You know, 314 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:55.679 now that we have seen the majority of the game's play, 315 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.919 we do this thing where it's like, hey. 316 00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:58.799 It's halfway or halfway through the season. 317 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:00.639 Well, we're very much not We were a number of 318 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:04.720 weeks ago they played fifty six games. When they're successful, 319 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:07.279 because it's been such an ebb and a flow, you know, 320 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.440 they'll go on this streak and then they can't win. 321 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:12.000 They have trouble closing out games. They don't win at home, 322 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:15.840 which is wild. But when they're playing their best, excuse me, 323 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.759 what are they doing well? And when they struggle what 324 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:19.559 tends to happen? 325 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:27.440 So all those are excellent questions, and I think with 326 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:32.120 the Utah Hockey Club, honestly, it's pretty easy to identify 327 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:35.320 a few things that go well and go poorly. First 328 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.679 of all, when they're playing well, special teams is doing 329 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:41.279 its job. The penalty killers are taking care of business. 330 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.759 When they're shorthanded, they kill those those penalties off, and the. 331 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:45.840 Power play produces. 332 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:51.799 When Utah's power play is going, they really can get 333 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:54.519 this team over the hump in a close game. And 334 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:57.039 we've seen it time and time again this year, and 335 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.039 that is one of the big things they do. Another 336 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:02.639 thing that they do when they successful spences, they they 337 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:04.600 spend a lot of time with the puck. Their puck 338 00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:07.600 possession numbers are good, their four check is good. So 339 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.200 in hockey, it's not always a dump and chase. You 340 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:12.799 don't always throw it in the corner and go get it, 341 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:14.639 but a lot of times you do. But or you 342 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:17.679 have a way to enter the zone when their zone 343 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:20.480 entry plays are good and they maintain possession off of those, 344 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:23.960 or they're dump and chase and that four check results 345 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:28.080 in then maintaining possession of the puck. That's when they're 346 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:32.600 playing well. And when they don't do that, when they 347 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:35.200 turn the puck over going into the offensive zone, or 348 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:37.000 when they don't come back up with it, when they 349 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.279 don't win the battles on the wall, that's when they're 350 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:44.360 playing poorly. So to answer the poorly side of the equation, 351 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:49.159 it's that, and then it is also defensive lapses. I've 352 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:51.960 taken to calling them naps a lot of people. If 353 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.200 you listen to Lockdown Utah Hockey Club podcasts, you've heard 354 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:56.679 me talk about the naps. They take naps, They just 355 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:02.600 blow coverages. They lose their like energy and enthusiasm and momentum, 356 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.839 and they sleepwalk a couple of shifts and inevitably the 357 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:08.200 puck ends up in the back of the net. They're 358 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.839 just not consistent when they're losing, and they don't give 359 00:17:10.839 --> 00:17:13.240 you that same effort, shift in, shift out. 360 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:14.400 Is part of that. 361 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:17.079 Being a young team, yes, is part of that. The 362 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:19.319 fact that you know they've gone through all these injuries 363 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:23.400 this year. Yes, but those are reasons not excuses. And 364 00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:25.720 I think that you know, if this team is ever 365 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.000 going to make the playoffs, and they certainly have the 366 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:32.079 ability to, they just need to be far more consistent 367 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.720 than they've been. 368 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:36.880 So help me understand they're at times inability to close, 369 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:38.960 and maybe you just outline some of the some of 370 00:17:39.000 --> 00:17:41.559 the issues they have when it comes to the defensive lapses, 371 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:43.839 because there've been and I think I've been i think 372 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:45.759 five games at home, and I try to tune into 373 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.559 every game when they're on the road, and oftentimes they'll 374 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:51.279 enter the third period, I'm like, they got a shot, 375 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:53.799 and then so many times they just tend to blow it. 376 00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:55.759 Is it youth? Is it lack of execution? 377 00:17:56.200 --> 00:17:58.319 Why is this team struggling to close when they have 378 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:01.000 a lead or close in that period? 379 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:05.920 You know, So there's three reasons why teams fail. 380 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:07.920 It's gm, coach. 381 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.480 And players, right, because those are really the three places 382 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:14.480 where you get the contact in the games. I believe 383 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:16.279 in Bill Armstrong in the way he's building a team. 384 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.000 I like his philosophy. I don't think that's it. Andre 385 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:23.839 Tourney is doing a good job as a coach. I 386 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:27.160 don't think a seat is warm in any way. A plus, 387 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.279 he seems to have very good relationship with Bill Armstrong, 388 00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:32.000 so I don't necessarily think that they don't like what 389 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:35.079 he's doing. So to me, it kind of boils down 390 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:41.440 to the players in their consistency. Some guys, like it 391 00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:45.680 or not, just for whatever reason, cannot apply themselves for 392 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:46.640 that sixty minutes. 393 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:49.759 And it's not that they're not gifted. Some guys take risks. 394 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:52.160 Some guys are so gifted that they believe they can 395 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:54.880 cover for themselves and always recover. And you know what, 396 00:18:54.920 --> 00:18:57.720 you can't in one hundred percent of those situations. You 397 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:00.839 can sometimes and what it works out awesome? Right, you 398 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.440 score this dynamic goal, the roof comes off the building, 399 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:06.680 everybody's fired up. But then there's every other time, And 400 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.279 I think. 401 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:09.480