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Did you say that? I got shot. Brian Pata, senior defensive lineman from Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian.
An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with Tabak. This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. We had a killer amongst us.
Murderer you. Listen now. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show?
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Now, on with the show. But This is the Rich Eisen Show. Kirk Cousins is signing with the Raiders. You get a veteran to be in the room with this kid. Earlier on the show.
Actor Jane Kesmarek. Six-time MLS champion Landon Donovan. 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose. Coming up. Five-time NHL All-Star Chris Pronger.
And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Well, it's our final hour of our final show of the week before we get to the women's final for tonight in Arizona. The uh national semifinal uh being a repeat of last year's championship games, South Carolina and Yukon before UCLA and Texas take on one one another and uh watch the Michigan women. Get absolutely dismantled by Texas the other night.
So UCLA has its hands full this evening. Uh and then tomorrow night uh it's gonna be UConn. On the men's side of things, and the fighting aligni for the right to take on the winner of Michigan, Arizona. Jalen Rose was on last hour. He, like our guest yesterday, Chris Weber, being part of the Fab 5 alt cast during that Michigan, Arizona game.
Our number one, we had Jane Kazmarek of Malcolm in the Middle reboot. Coming back for four shows. Um on Hulu starting on April 10th. And then two Hall of Famers, Landon Donovan in studio and in support of his book called Landon. In our green room right now is a very tall hockey Hall of Famer named Chris Pronger.
His book is named Earned. There he is, he's a member of the Ducks. down the road here in Southern California hoisting the cup. And Chris will be joining us and we'll talk a little bit of pucks with him and his book and his Career, there's you at 844-204-RICH being the number to dial here on the program. We're about to get to what's more likely, our usual Friday staple.
Table is set, though. Uh to um Take a look at my favorite new April pastime. Which is the Major League Baseball standings, but just three teams in particular: the Yankees, the Mets, and the Red Sox. Yankees and Red Sox off last night. But the Mets lost.
We were off too. No, you weren't? No, we won. Oh, you were off rather than being on. We were definitely off.
We were on for like two innings and then we were off. Yeah. What was it? Two touchdowns and a field goal against the safety. Yeah, Mets now three and four.
Oh, nice. The Yankees are after going five and one, sweeping the Giants and taking a series in Seattle. uh home now for their home opener Will Warren gave up a solo shot in the first, but Allrise. Aaron Judge does what all the fans came to see in the Bronx, New York, a two-run shot to put them up two to one. After one.
Um, and the Yankees now eight innings away from being six and one. I can't get my three hours back. Are the Red Sox having their home opener? Yeah, home opener in about seven minutes. Who are they playing?
Who are we playing? Oh, San Diego Padres.
Okay.
Sonny Gray against Michael King. Ah.
Okay, Daniel Jeremiah will be on the other side of the aisle for that one. Let's go.
Okay.
Dodgers in Washington right now. Otani hit his first home run of the year. 7-4. 7-4. Bad guys.
What is that hat? Oh, this is uh Hermosa Beach Little League.
Okay.
Neighbor coaches, a team on the Rich Eisen show. I just didn't know if the Dodgers had come up with some new fangled hat like they were wearing for their first homestand. No, didn't know if that was UniClose logo or didn't know. Nope, it's repping the city. Hermosa Beach.
Hermosa Beach. Ah.
Look at you. Very good. Mike Del Tufo hasn't been here except for a brief bit on Monday to work on a couple of things. He's Redondo Beach. Aha.
Does he have an RB hat? Probably does on his boat. The only hat that we do know that he has is that Kakamame Yankee Dodger split hat. Bandwagon. That has officially been termed the bandwagon hat by Lids and an outstanding.
Uh April Fool's Day meme. That's our baseball coverage, by the way. You know, here's I'll give you one prediction, though.
Okay.
We're going to see. A player get ejected For showing up the umpire. By running off to first and then tapping it while he was tapping a helmet and saying, I know that's ball four, I'm going to first. See that? I don't know who did it last night.
Somebody did it, tapped the helmet, and was halfway up the line continuing to walk to first as the ABS. Hawkeye Reenactment was being put on the screen. It was Albie's. Yeah, yeah, yeah. As the Braves dismantled the Diamondbacks last night.
Yeah. Yeah, it was Alby's. That's what I saw. 3-2 pitch, strike 3, taps the helmet. Undoes the equipment and makes his way up to first.
They're going to come up with a rule that batters must stay in the area. Whatever that is, in the batter's box area, in the dirt circle area that in that yeah, or the area that of the dirt that encircles the batter's box and home plate. They're going to make that rule.
So I'm watching it.
So the pitch comes in. He immediately throws comment to the dugout because he knew it was ball four. Right. Gets punched out, turns and looks at the umpire, then taps, starts taking all of his gear off, and walks the first.
Somebody's going to get ejected. Yeah. And then I think that's because it was because you were disrespectful of the umpire. The umpires, I think, are going to at some point begin to chafe enough at this ABS system. Where they feel like, I've been great all night, but now I'm being clowned by this guy.
Or just do us a favor, baseball. Can you just have the players wait? Until The ABS Reenactment. is complete before they're taking off for first base. Right?
Like, because Umpires on a Called Strike Three. that they know is strike three. are not sending the batter back to the dugout while The pitch is coming in. On the ABS reenactment. They're not like ejecting the player from the batters' box and saying, I know this is strike three.
You're out of here. There's nothing for you to stand around here and wait. It's the same thing. They're not allowed to do that.
So players should not be allowed to Basically disrobe of all of their armour, and gear While going up to first base knowing that they're right.
So, what's more likely? A rule change or an ejection first? Ejection first. And then it'll be like, what the hell? Why am I being ejected?
You showed me up, you said something to me. An ejection first, and then baseball is going to have to figure something out because if players now start like. You know And then a picture of the celebrating or whatever or Being somewhat disrespectful, going, I know you're wrong. And I'll show the entire stadium I know you're wrong. I'll show the entire stadium that you're wrong before the entire stadium sees that you're wrong.
I'm off to first. I'm predicting that. I appreciate that. What's more likely setup? You're welcome.
What's more likely presented by Pello Windows and Doors? Hit it, please. What? What's more likely? Never say never, but never.
What do you have over there, Chris? What's more likely? Presented by Palo Windows Indoors here on this Friday. What do you got over there? All right, guys, happy Friday.
Let's get right to it. NFL story of the week: Kirk Cousins to the Raiders.
So, what's more likely the quarterback to throw more touchdown passes for the Raiders this year, Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza? I'll go Cousins. I'm okay. I'll go cousins. I think Cousins is going to come out of the gate and they're going to look good and He's going to look good.
And at the end of the day, um I'll give it to Kirk. Right now. Looked like he was throwing the Pella ball in there. Dude, what do you think? Yeah.
I think Bernadette Mendoza starts all 17 game. What do you think? I said yesterday, for months everyone's telling me this guy's the number one pick. He's starting from day one, and now all of a sudden he's not. Like, it makes it make sense, Brock.
It's got to beat Med and Doesn't. What are we doing here?
Okay.
What are we doing here?
He's going to have the number one-selling jersey in the NFL. Raider Nation. He's going to have billboards all over town.
Okay.
And then he's not going to start. And don't forget a sweet song by. The Swedish supergroup. Abba. That would What?
Dude, I didn't get that right. Abba? They sing Fernando. Abba sings a song called Fernando. That got very popular when Fernando.
Valenzuela was pitching here, and it was popular then because Abba was still basically alive. They're not now? And more relevant. That song came out in 1920. By the way, that song has been every time Fernando Doza plays their own.
All right, very good. All right, guys, we can't stop talking about these two individuals, so let's get right to it. More likely, occasionally, Moody receiver to have more yards and touchdowns in 2026. George Pickens or A.J. Brown?
I'll go Pickens. Yeah. You should. I'll go Pickens. You are correct.
Richison is right. Is Brown an eagle? No.
Okay, I'll go brown. Hit it, Chair. Richaison is right. Wait a minute, what? You said pickens first.
I mean. Then I'm like the Eric DeCosta. This is not over until it's official. It's not over. I haven't asked you to move on.
I'm playing chess. It's chess pieces. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Until I ask you to move on, I can change my mind. Right.
Right. This is like Jeopardy. There's no CDLM on the Patriots.
So I'm just saying. That's a fact. You know? Go with your first. Go with your first.
You got an Earth, Wind, and Fire joke you want to throw in here before we move on? A Moody Blues? You got a Moody Blues gear? Eve into this, TJ. Talking about Moody Receiver?
I'm doing a Moody Blues reference? Good one. Thank you. What is their most famous song? I have no idea.
I can't force these things, guys. I'm organic. Is that Knights in White Satin? Is that Moody Blues? No.
It was that deep purple. They always got them mixed up for us. Oh, they are Knights in White Satin. Moody Blues? Look at you.
Look at me. Pulling things out of my office. Tell me I can't get a point off of Alcarez. You can't get a point off of Alcarez. I know.
Those are two different endeavors. Are we doing a significant? I'm just talking about I surprise. 1968. I come at you.
Do you think I'm gonna go here? I go there. Cause I love you. You think I'm over here?
Okay.
I go there. See? What else? Yeah. Woo, woof, woof.
Let's never know where I'm going.
So, there was something about Dan Campbell in the news I saw. How about this one? More likely, a disappointing 2025 team, aka Rich's Super Bowl pick, to win their division this year: Chiefs or Lions. Mm. Oh man.
Where are you asking? Wow, more likely to win and I'll go, Mahomes. Come on. No, gee, a shocker. Yeah.
I mean, he's a guy. He can barely walk right now. But I mean, why else would he put out that video of him throwing and looking great? 'Cause he's Patrick Mahomes. That's the guy.
Come on now. I'm gonna go with the Chiefs. They're coming back. Like they never left, right? Like they never left.
The enemy's there, probably MFing everybody up and down, and they're like, we're back. Eric, sleeping with the enemy. This is why I brought it up. Dan Campbell wants the lions to be more salty, get their edge back.
Okay, I like it. I take it. Jameer get okay. Uh Bijan or Jameer Gibbs, first overall pick in fantasy? Oh, I think people are going to go Bajan.
Which means people go Bajan. I think they're going to do. I'm going Gibbs. Gibbs is basically going to get the ball. He's not coming on money.
What are those guys going to go for in your auction? Look, as the ranking defending champion, I'm going to try to run my team back.
So I'll spend top dollar on Jameer Gibbs. Runs like smoke on the water.
Okay.
Are you Googling it now? No.
Okay, good, okay. What else? All right, a little final four action. We know a one seed is going to win the women's tournament. That's a fact.
All four number ones are in the final four. By the way, more likely a number one wins the men's side. or either UConn. Illinois cut the next town. Are you asking him this?
What's more likely on the men's side of things? Yeah, yeah. Oh, the number one seed's going to win. That's more likely. But I'm not sitting here saying whoever...
wins Yukon versus Illinois is like the Washington General's speed bump. No way. No way. No way. But I thought you were going to go on the women's side of things.
What's more likely? You connor the field.
Well, I think Connecticut is They look like a wagon, but there's South Carolina. You can never count Don Staley. You know, our friends in Westwood have got a really talented team in Texas, also. My God. Yeah.
They looked incredible against my alma mater. What else you got? All right, a few more here. Basketball. Again, I'm not saying who actually wins the trophy, TJ, but who is actually.
More likely, the MVP of the NBA season, SGA Joker Wemby Luca or Jalen Brown. Who actually is the MVP? Not who's going to win the trophy. You know how it's going to be. Yeah, but that's not no no no I'm saying Not who wins.
Oh, who is actually the MVP of this? This whole business, like, who's the most valuable player? Like, this is not a what's more likely construct at all. You want it just to say Jalen Brown and move on.
So I'll just do that. I don't mind. I mean, he's been incredibly valuable. I mean, without any of these guys, the teams aren't as good. And I understand that they'll take that guy off the team.
But Jalen Brown, what he has done this year with Tatum out. But also, that team has played incredibly well. I mean, Richoker is having his best at Sydney. That is true. I know that.
Ever, and he's already won a bunch. But you want to say Jalen Brown. That's not what I did, though.
Okay.
I'm going to give you what you want, though, in this case. What about Wendy? I'm going to save Jalen. Yeah. I weirdly want to make the case for Luca.
Well, he can't. He's averaging 34, 8, and 8. In any other season, he runs away with this award. Certainly with being a Los Angeles Laker, but he doesn't have enough games, Chris.
Sorry, because teams can't be trusted enough to not tank. I don't make load manage.
So let's come up with some crazy-ass collective bargaining teams. You know, Frankenstein type of rules. The spirit of that rule, I do, I kind of am behind.
Well, just to try and force you to play. Yeah, play your game. Why are you going to force somebody to play basketball, man? This is starting to aggravate me. Why are you going to force somebody to go out there and do this thing?
I used to do this in the snow, in the heat, in the rain. Uphill both ways. Uphill both ways, like you said. Like after work, I used to wear shorts under my foot locker pants every single day we'd hit the court. How are you gonna like have to make somebody play basketball?
That's so annoying. Wait a minute, you didn't have somebody making smoothies for you? I wasn't that good.
Okay.
Well, then that's why you're not in the NBA. I'm already behind on this one, but more likely to be the higher total this weekend. Aaron Judge home runs or Red Sox wins? Aaron Judge Home Runs already up one. And the Red Sox have no wins.
So, Aaron Judge home runs. Think. When's football? I'll go Aaron Judge home runs. Yeah, bud.
Yeah, Padres in town. I got the Marlins. You got the Padres. What's more likely? What's more what's What's more likely?
Um Let me see this here. The Combination Of seed numbers.
Okay.
Okay, you got the two and the three against a one and a one. Yep. And number of games, the Red Sox will be trailing the Yankees on Monday.
So, add up the seed numbers of who's in the national championship game.
So it's either three or four. Right, right, right, right, right. And the number of games the Red Sox will trail the Yankees by the end of the week, it's four right now. When we come on the air Monday, what's the larger number? What's more likely?
Socks trail. Probably. All right, two more fun ones. It's the Phil Michelson announced yesterday. If I'm right, and Michigan's one of those teams, yeah, I mean, honestly.
But how much better can it get than Michigan making the final four and Duke getting late in front of the whole country? That's pretty good. Gets what a freeze-dry that moment. I don't think it was that great. Oh, it's amazing.
Pretty good. First Masters since 1994 without Phil or Tiger. Yeah. With Phil announcing yesterday that he's got some personal issues that he's not going to play. Do we get a first-time Masters champion or a previous winner?
I'll go previous winner to take the Green Jacket. I'll go previous winner for the green jacket. Hey, Brockman, my boy Colin hasn't won the masters yet, right? He is questionable with a back injury.
Okay, then. And lastly, TJ, it's Eddie Murphy's 65th birthday today. More likely to be your favorite Eddie Murphy movie character, Axel Foley, Billy Ray Valentine, Prince Akeem, or. Donkey. There's two of those I can't choose between.
You gotta choose one. Then I'm going to go with Billy Ray Valentine, Capricorn. Oh, my God. Got to be Axel Fole. It's Axel Foley.
I will. You also didn't include his character from uh Forty Eight Hours. I know. How many look at that? I go Axel Foley in the order that you have him.
Axel Foley, Billy Ray, Prince Hakeem, and then Donkey. Don't kick! We just want to do that. I'm putting Billy Ray first because Trading Places is like my favorite movie. Yeah, but Beverly Hill's Cop is.
As great as it gets, isn't it? And I love trading places. I do love Beverly Hills Cott, but I love trading places and coming to America more than I love Beverly Hills Cotton.
Okay, very good. Fun. Donkey! Let's take a break. Chris Pronger is here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Before we do, what's more likely? We appreciate that. Is brought to you by Pella Windows and Doors. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always have the winning game plan. That's why your neighbors trust them.
Visit pella.com/slash Eisen. All right, Chris Pronger is here. I want you to interrupt me if Aaron judge Homer, so it makes what we just said even better. Fair. But in the meantime, nobody interrupts Chris Ponger and gets away with it.
The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. No one likes having to choose. That's why, with America's best lineup of hybrids from Hyundai, you get the best of both worlds. Like the reliable and efficient Tucson hybrid with America's best warranty or the stylish yet capable Santa Fe hybrid with the power to navigate the toughest terrain. It's like having your cake and eating it too, but, you know, better.
Hybrids from Hyundai. It's the best of both worlds. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for more details. Rich Eisen here. The April 15th tax deadline is coming fast, but don't worry.
Hand off your taxes to a TurboTax expert today. You know how April feels. Everything speeds up, games matter more, hoops and hockey schedules tighten, your phone won't stop buzzing, and somewhere in the middle of it all, there's that quiet little reminder. Taxes. You'll get to it tonight or tomorrow or after the weekend.
And if you handle it the old way, you're refreshing your inbox like it's breaking news, waiting, wondering, hoping everything's squared away. That's a lot of mental bandwidth. With Intuit TurboTax Expert Full Service, you can match with a dedicated expert who understands your specific tax situation and handles your taxes for you, start to finish. You can do it all online or meet in person at one of their new tech-enabled store locations. Have your tax forms imported directly into the app and hand everything off to your TurboTax expert.
While they work to get you every dollar you deserve, you can go about your normal routine, giving you time back to focus on what actually deserves your attention, like rooting for your team to make the playoffs. April 15th is not waiting, people. Visit turbo tax.com and hand off your taxes to a turbo tax expert today. Rich Eisen here. Every time I travel for a major sports moment, whether it's a playoff run or a huge prime time matchup, I see firsthand what happens to a city.
Hotels fill up fast. Energy builds. Everyone wants to be part of it.
Now imagine that. On a global scale, the FIFA World Cup is coming this summer, people, and with it thousands of fans traveling to host cities across the country. If you happen to live in one of those cities and you're planning to be away, maybe you've got your own summer trip lined up. This could be a practical opportunity. While you're gone, you could list your space on Airbnb and welcome traveling fans who want to experience the FIFA World Cup in person.
You're not changing your routine. You're not committing to anything year-round. You're simply making the most of a moment when your city is in the global spotlight. I know when I'm on the road for a huge event, having a comfortable home base makes all the difference. And that's what fans will be searching for.
If you've ever thought about listing your space, this summer is a great time as we welcome FIFA World Cup fans. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. The true cost of greatness from one of hockey's fiercest competitors is available everywhere on Tuesday, April 14th. Go and pre-order the book wherever you can get them.
Chris Pronger is here on the show, and we're here in Southern California. All the fans are. All the duck fans there in Southern California, Orange County, Anaheim, all over the place, dude. You probably don't buy a meal anywhere in that part of the country. I did last night.
I did eat at Solana's Steak Tavern.
So that helped. Timu picked it up for me? No, the Ducks actually did. I think they were supporting Tamu's steakhouse. Right.
Well, I did a book event for them last night.
Well, that's awesome. With some other premium seat holders, and it was a great night. And, you know, I. By the way, he did the forward of the book. He did indeed.
Tamu did the forward in the book.
Okay.
It's in Finglish. English! I've never heard that word. And I most people do not realize this. I am 50% Finn.
My mom is from Finland. Yay, go figure that out.
So we have that connection, albeit. We used to butt heads a lot prior to us playing together in Anaheim.
Well, you and I both got our career starts in Connecticut. Um, you know, professional career starts. Uh, and I will never forget. You started as a member of the Hartford Whalers. Thank you.
I will never forget when my ESPN colleagues, after I first arrived there in 1996, said, Let's go to a Whalers game. And I'm like, sure. And they took me to a mall. And I'm like, is this where we're going to eat first? Like, is this where we're going to?
You know, we're going to go get, like, thank God it's Friday. Is this really happening? I know. I couldn't. Like, no, that's where the arena is.
Yeah. I couldn't believe that. You know? And that's where you got things started off. Yeah, you know?
Guess who I ran into a couple months ago in St. Louis? Who's that? Chris Berman came up to the booth. Came to say hi.
Bernie was there. They were telling old war stories from way back in the day.
So Berman probably was he telling heart whalers. He was telling a lot of Whalers stories. I remember that back in the day, man. And that was when, you know, obviously Yager and Lemieux were killing it. Yes.
Yeah, they whipped in 90. You were gone in 96, by the way. In 96, I had just left. You had just left to go to St. Louis and start that big part of your career.
I just remember I went that night. It was the Penguins against the Whale in the mall, 7-1. Both of them had hat-tricks. Unfortunately, when I was with the Whalers, we had a few of those nights, too. I was not wearing a gray jacket.
I was wearing a green jacket because I led the tour that day. And I was minus five. Whatever I was. The best player you ever played with, I think I know who it might be, but I'll give you that on the floor. I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot.
Of great players, right? Obviously. For a period of time, 99, the great one, right, in St. Louis, and actually, at that part of my career, he was instrumental. In us getting him, he kind of took the focus off of me and the booze.
And everybody, as should be, all eyes on him and You know what he brought to our team, and it kind of gave me that quiet time to get away to kind of find my game and really. Find myself and no kidding. Yeah. So he.
Well, just the notoriety, like the scrutiny of everybody. The attention was on me and it went to him, rightly so. Yes. And, you know, just to watch him, how he handled the media scrutiny and the fan attention and. how he practiced, how he you know, how he came to play every night, and just being able to to watch somebody of that caliber every single day.
If you're a sponge, you can take a lot in. I bet. What was the best piece of advice he gave you? Do you recall that? I think just.
I don't know if I ever asked him that. I think it was. Did he ever impart anything? Impart some wisdom? Not really.
Not really. Okay.
No, I think he was more in awe of what was going on around him with my Keenan. Yeah, Keenan Howell coach GM. Yeah, he was coach GM at the time. And. I will say the second game of our second-round playoff series against the Detroit Red Wings was on an afternoon game on Fox.
Yeah. And if you remember, they had the laser on the page. Yeah, yeah, the glowing puck. The glowing puck. And we lost, I believe it was 8-1.
Don't quote me on that. A little foggy, but 8-1, I think. And Mike came in the locker room. And Berated every single person, and then he got to grats. And I don't know if you'd ever been talked like that before.
He absolutely laid into him. To Wayne Gretzky. Yeah. And I think that was about it. He had seen enough.
He's like. I don't think I'm going to be signing here. No kidding. Because I know Keenan was no wallflower. But he laid into Wayne Gretzky.
Yes. Uh Very intently. He did not pull any punches, let's just say that.
So it was. That's something you won't forget. No.
No, and I get it, you know, my first my third year pro, my first year there, I get I was kind of the whipping boy, so if he's going to land to me, I get it. Right. But at that stage, to him. probably not the best idea. I've got Chris Pronger here on The Rich Eisen Show.
Why'd you write the book? What about it? It was probably time. You know, I've been doing building out a speaking platform and kind of thinking about. As of building out these speeches, kind of a lot of life experiences and things that I've been fortunate enough to be a part of, good and bad.
Sure. And I think just showcasing the journey that I was on and the decisions that I was forced to make.
Some good, some bad. And then living with them and taking ownership of them and then learning from them. And so Uh the book is kind of part memoir, part life lessons gleaned from My life and career, and kind of a playbook of sorts to how to level up. And in terms of your career, where do you keep your m your gold medals? They are currently hanging in my wall.
I have a little basement area walking towards my man cave area, and I have trophies on the left. And my medals on the right.
So I battle box. I don't know if you could rank them. Because gold medals are gold medals. But I imagine winning in Vancouver in overtime. With Crosby lighting a lamp.
Is does that one or is the first one in Salt Lake? Um No.
Well, the first one's always the best. Yes. But winning on home soil. In that manner. with that kid at the time.
The golden goal. Uh I don't think the NHL could have scripted that any better. Mm-hmm. But that Olympics in particular, Vancouver showed so well. They were such a great host And then for us to be the 25th gold medal.
the most in Canadian history in the Winter Olympics. And I think we won the most uh medals period of in a Winter Olympics for Canada.
So just everything surrounding that was awesome. And then to win in that fashion against the U. S. who had beat us earlier in the tournament five two and kind of pounded us. Uh you know to get our Uh comeback aim or our Come uppance, if you will.
Yes, sir. A revenge in that fashion, I think, was fitting. Yeah, of course.
Well, you also don't want to win a silver medal because you get a stuffy with that. Correct. Thank God they weren't giving those up. Where does that rank on my list? Yeah, not very high.
I don't understand where the stuffies come from. Yeah. I'm not sure they thought that one through quite well as you're getting a silver medal and you're doing that. I could tell you right now, he's looking at that going. Which garbage can can I throw this in when I get in a locker room?
That's a Nate dog right there, not happy at that stuffy. I mean, think about the idea of.
Somebody coming up. Here's what we need to do. Let's soften the blow of a silver metal. By giving them a stuffed house. I know your heart just got ripped out of your chest.
Here's the stuff for you to make you feel better. What did you think of the Four Nations when there was a throwdown? You know, all those fights in the first few seconds. I know I'm going further back, obviously, the most recent USA and Canada moment. uh from the Olympics, but that one, I mean True bad blood, right?
Like real throwdown. I think it just showcased. Our game in the greatest light, just from an energy that, you know, I talked to a bunch of players and former teammates that had, that were in the building that night, and just the electricity in the air. To start a game like that, just to everybody was on the edge of their seats. And from this first fight with Hagel and Kachuk to then.
Bennett and the other Kachuk. And then for Pareco and Miller to kind of finish it off, and then all of a sudden we're 35 seconds into the game. We've had three fights, and now we can get into playing. We've got this part out of the way. This part of the rivalry is now set.
Now let's go play hockey. And just the level of play and the caliber of play of these players leaving it all out in the line was awesome. Who's the guy in the NHL right now? And I know you're in the media, you know, doing hockey night in Canada and all the other things that you're doing. But if you're just a paying customer, you're gonna you're gonna put down hard-earned Pronger dollars to see this player.
Who is it? There's a few. The kid up the road here in San Jose is pretty special, Macklin Celebrini. He comes every single night. He's got a motor on him.
Nathan McKinnon's must-watch TV. Uh Connor McDavid and Edmonton, obviously. Uh and, you know, I think said the kids still, like just how he shows up and how he prepares and how he meticulous he is with his game. At his, we'll say it, his advanced age. He's, I believe, 38.
Mm-hmm. Um is it's not easy to do. And so and and how consistent he's been year in, year out, you expect a drop off at some point. Father time is undefeated, as you know. Yes, sir.
And at some point, you have to think, but just. Still clipping along at that exact Consistent Sidney Crosby-like effort every single time he steps on the ice. What was your first impression of Olvechkin when you saw him for the first time? On the ice. Just his Speed, power, and Level of passion for the game.
You can see how much fun he has playing the game. And I think when you're in that locker room and you have some, you know, Tammy was like that, not quite to the physical level, but just the joy they get from strapping on their skates and going out and playing the game. It's infectious. And, you know, just here he is beating Gretzky's record. And doing that slide and all the rest of it, it was great TV.
Yeah, the fact that he beat Gretzky's record, which is something that I think when it happened, you're like, will it ever ha will this will we ever see this again? Right? I mean, and and he's the one to do it. And you know, Gretzky being there and I I think we're about to. These are the final two weeks of seeing her.
Yeah, potentially. And the level of consistency that that took to beat that record, I don't think people realize. With how physical he plays, and his style of play. To not miss very many games. You know, I think that year he broke his leg, missed three weeks or four weeks.
Outside of that, I think he'd only miss like 13 or 14 games. Who's the guy that could take Ovechkin's record down if he had a peg one? Right now. It's going to take a lot of longevity. You could say nobody.
Right now, I don't think to have that. level of consistency and longevity. You know, he's again, he's in the same as Crosby, the same year. Yes. That that that's twenty plus years of Forty plus goals a year.
Mm-hmm. Can you believe you played 18? When you're you're sitting here now? In one piece? Kind of one piece.
You know what I mean? Yeah. Kind of one piece. I mean, I have had 16 surgeries. I got a new knee and a bunch of things.
I mean, I can rattle them all off, but. Just like the operation. Three wrists, three hand, five right knee, one left knee. Foot, back, jaw. I kinda You're the operations.
Yeah. Who hit you the hardest? Yeah. Who what? Who was the hardest that hit you?
The hardest hit ever. I got hit one night in Edmonton. Yes. Ethan Moreau.
So this is. all you know like right before the lockout Pierre Tourjean was standing right in front of me as I was coming up. And all of a sudden, he just got out of the way. And I think the pot kind of flipped on me a little bit, so I put my head down to kinda Flatten it, thinking Turge is in front of me. And all of a sudden, the train was coming right at me.
And I picked my head up. I was like, oh boy, this is going to hurt. Steam rolled me. Yeah. And I popped right up.
It's fine. Heck, you're a hockey player. How about this one? The time you drop your gloves. And you thought to yourself, what did I get myself into?
Is there a moment like that? I drop my gloves against another dude, and you're just like, What am I thinking? What's happening? No? No, it's normally you're seeing red.
If you're going to get rid of them, you better either be mad or have an intent or purpose to what you're doing. Right. Otherwise, you're going to get into trouble.
So, let me ask you this question. 'Cause my my youngest son asks me this frequently. Why does hockey let people fight? And stay in the game. where any other sport If you fight, you're thrown out.
Now we're going back in history. Please. I don't really know why there's five minutes for fighting or whatever. I just think. Because they didn't used to wear helmets, and you have a stick in your hands, they would prefer you fight than.
Chop you over the head and various other places on the body. I'm gonna guess going way back. We're going back 20s, 30s, et cetera. But what about now? Like, we're more fighting people, we're more than five minutes for fighting in the rule book.
And I'm gonna be honest with you, it Relieves a lot of tension in the game and relieves, you know, things can be boiling over, and there's a fight, and it just. It's like a pressure valve. Things can either go off the rails or they can be tightened up real quick with a fight or a quick conversation of We can always handle it right here. If you have a problem. And you can send a message to the other team.
You can send a message to you know to star players, it's always like people think. You know, we'll go back to the situation in Toronto. Aussie Matthews gets hit. It's not you're not going after Gudas, you're going after The star on Anaheim. Right.
You want to do that to him?
Well, I'm going to do it to him. And things get handled. Quick when that happens. Right away. Similar to what we just said with the Four Nations.
Paulie just told a story the other day on the Ice Guardians podcast. He's like, I would Kelly Chase would not go at the guy at me that was hacking me. He'd go over to Steve Iserman and be like, You tell Proby to leave him alone, or I'm going to beat you up. And things, you know, then it's a quick conversation of, well, I don't want that.
So, can you just calm it down a little bit?
So, Eiserman would go up to Bob Probert and say, Well, probably not, but he might, you might have to. Probert, man. I was now you're naming within the game.
Well, now you're naming wings when I was in school there, you know. When Bowman was, you know, and Jock Jock Demaires was the was the was the coach. You know, now you're naming names from back in my showy coach or Bob Probert. Let's just give the fans who are listening locally here in Los Angeles on ESPN Radio who are Anaheim fans something. Yeah.
I mean, if I told a kid from Canada, growing up in Canada, that you're going to win your cup. in Anaheim, California, you'd have said what? You know? In the 80s, they have a team? What?
They didn't have a team yet, right?
So their first year was actually my first year. Draft year.
So they came into the league. And uh no, it it's funny. I came to Anaheim My draft year, it was me. Rob Niedemer and Chris Grattan, we went to Disneyland and kind of they were promoting the game and the team and the And to think now that was uh fourteen years later I would then win a Stanley Cup there. Uh was was pretty special.
And You know, for that to be the first in their franchise history, first at the time in California. Uh, to be able to do that and celebrate that with the great group of guys you had was incredible. I bet. So, what uh what did you do with the cup and the day you had it? Uh, I got it a couple times.
I had a couple pretty nice parties. You did? I had so I had a party at my house in California. I lived in what's called Shady Canyon. Yeah, yep.
And uh. And so I did Maguire live there? McGuire lived in there.
So he just lived up top of the hill where I was situated. Right. And Sugar Ray came to play my party because they're from Newport Beach. Yeah, yeah. And so I had them set up out by my pool.
And then I had a subterranean garage.
So I blacked it out and set up a club down there. And I had a DJ set up, kind of pumping tunes in. And things may have gotten a little crazy at times. And the band came down, we're all partying down there, and it's about two o'clock in the morning. And I happen to go upstairs 'cause somebody wanted a bottle of wine or something.
And I'm farting around in my wine cellar, and all of a sudden, my party planner comes running up, and she's like, Oh my God, Chris, the cops are here. And I'm like, Bring him in. Let's get him. And I go down, I grab him. I'm like, hey guys, let's go get a picture with the cop.
Go downstairs to the party room, and everybody's like, oh my God, the cops are here. Take some pictures, do whatever. And then they're like, hey, can you turn the music down? I'm like, oh, yeah, I got you. No problem.
No problem. Moment they leave, crank it back up. But the funniest part of this story is, it took them about three hours to find my house. Because I lived in that canyon, the music was pounding into my garage and then reverberating all over the canyon. They were, I lived right off the 405.
They were across the five looking for this house because it was echoing all through the canyon.
So they were like, oh my God, we finally found your house. Oh, my God. 2007 Southern California neighbor of the year, Chris Pronger. Incredible. Here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Dude, what a blast seeing you. It's been too long. It has been too long. Don't be a stranger. You too.
Oh, my God. I'm around here. Let me know when you're around here. Joe's been married, what, like seven, eight years now, or something like that? Probably six years, whatever.
It's been a while. Do you really want me to tell you? How long has it been? 12 years. No!
It is not 12 years. It was 2014. Wow. Joe and Michelle have been married 12 years already. They officially got married then, yeah?
Unless that was all staged. Damn. I mean, we are in Hollywood, right? 2014. Oh, my God.
Well, thanks for that. That flies, right? It does when you're having a good time. Everybody, check out Earned the True Cost of Greatness, Chris Pronger's book, its memoir. The true cost of greatness from one of hockey's fiercest competitors.
Let's do this more often, brother. Absolutely. We'd love to. Excellent. Chris Pronger here on the Rich Eisen Show, back with more in a moment.
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I'm constantly. Returning to a take or an opinion or a moment from the week. You guys sitting here thinking. Indiana is just gonna fall off. Not go anywhere.
You guys think they're not going to win the Big Ten again, or you maybe not make the college football playoff again? And I'm like, Google their coach.
Now, Sonny Dykes, the head coach at TCU. Uh Their quarterback Josh Hoover is transferred to Indiana.
Okay.
And Sonny, who, by the way, you got a new contract today, I believe. Congratulations to him. Had this to say about the new offensive coordinator and obviously. Old quarterback there. Hit it.
Look, numbers are numbers and stats are stats. And I think you look for us and I think Josh started 31 games here as a quarterback and we turned the ball over 40 he turned the ball over 42 times in those 31 starts. And you go and you look at Gordy who was the offensive coordinator last year at Connecticut, and their quarterback turned it over twice.
So, Gordon Samus is the new offensive coordinator, but at TCU. But what about the kid Hoover? in Indianapolis, Um or Indiana, pardon me, in Bloomington.
Well, Coach Signetti, you have the floor on that and this comment. as well. I think the great thing is I'm excited about Josh, first of all. Let's be clear about that. And he's got a body of work in terms of winning football games.
Passing yards. Touchdown passes. Uh Okay. got to clean up some of the turnovers obviously which uh Coach Dykes. Made light of.
But you know when Josh got here He met his two new best friends. Yeah. Great defense and a really good run game. And he was never the same after that. Radio audience, there was a wink at the end of that.
He was never the same after that. His two best, new, two best friends. A great defense and a running game. And he's also siding with his new guy. Firing a little dart in the direction of TCU, Coach Dyke's made light of.
Oh. Mm. He's motivating in April. I'll take Signetti. You go ahead and bet against him.
Go ahead. That's not what we were saying. Uh-huh. We said not making it. Not the same.
No, no, no. Started off, they were prime time, right, Chris? We were watching them prime time do the pro date. Uh-huh. And we said that you like, what did he say?
I've never seen him play the interpretation. You said he's not going to make the playoffs. You said you won't see it again. I mean, I'm just doing the thing. Oh, you're doing the thing?
No, I'm being serious. You will not roll your break. We'll chat again Monday. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast. You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
