Wayne Gretzky | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #471

today's guest is a legend in the sport. of hockey and um and a legend just in in. humanity in human history it's a name. that's synonymous uh with being. Victorious he's a four-time Stanley Cup. winner he has more records than um than. Sun Studios this guy has more records in. hockey than anyone you can catch him on. the TNT NHL panel uh I'm so thankful to. spend time with him today Mr Wayne.

[Music]. grety I'll sit and tell you my. stories. sh know. me and I will find a song I will sing. [Applause]. it.

what's your accent yeah I'm from. Louisiana man it's pretty good we didn't. ever had we had a team I think it was. the algae or something I don't know what. are and was that the East Coast League. probably yeah yeah it was like or the. mud birds or something some team mud. burs yeah it was definitely like even. the mascot sounded like it wasn't going. to survive you know it was like the I. think it was the um that's funny I think. it was a mascot got traded I think it. was the oil spill pigeons or something.

like cuz there was we had a lot of. issues down. there that was very funny so I think our. mascot was uh yeah it was bad the mascot. always had bandages on and stuff I. remember they break it was just it. didn't do well no timing probably wasn't. great I it's kind of grown now like. there's a team here in Atlanta that does. pretty well NE like it's like comparable. to double a in baseball mhm not triaa.

and they do pretty good here they're and. they're talking about bringing another. NHL team to Atlanta no way be the third. time in 40 years but yeah they tried it. twice I know over the over the over the. history of time and do you know like. yeah why doesn't it succeed you think in. certain markets is it just not the is it. well does it just take people to be. there or does it take something special. to be in a market for hockey to survive. it's a little bit of both because we.

don't have you know we don't have um. like baseball and football it's been in. the south in the southwest forever right. oh yeah hockey's just kind of getting. there so back in the 70s when the Flames. first came in the expansion rules were. different the owners wanted the money. the league wanted the money but they. gave you the worst teams so they would. go five six seven years and go well it's. not a hockey City well people get tired. of paying to watch a team lose right. yeah so then they came back again it was.

kind of the same expansion rules and it. failed. again the everybody got wiser and when. Vegas came in they got the ninth best. player on every team they got low draft. picks and they built the foundation and. people got excited look our team's good. Seattle got the same sort of thing as. Atlant or as Vegas if Atlanta gets. another team they're going to get that. Advantage again of getting yeah they're. going to get good treatment and maybe. this will become a good hockey City cuz. people are saying Jesus we're winning.

and let's go to the games yeah so it's. not fair to people of Atlanta their. teams were so bad you just say I'm not. paying anymore yeah at a certain point. you can't yeah you can't go and be. really supporting some of the teams I. think in the South well the south is. also kind of religious there's more. religion there you know and the only. person we've ever seen even kind of or. the only person that people believe like. behaves like or gets Wild on water is. the Jesus really so I think the second. you see a guy saying hey look what I'm.

going to do out here on this frozen lake. I think it makes you wonder what's going. on here well in Canada we call our. Arenas churches oh yeah because you know. in Canada it's hockey and religion those. are the two biggest things right so you. can be you know Sports is very popular. in our country football Canadian. football baseball the Blue Jays do well. the Raptors have done really well so. it's kind of Canada's team the Raptors. and the Blue Jays yeah but is everywhere.

right so you can be driving in your car. in July and if you're listening to talk. radio it's still 90% hockey that they're. talking about June July and August. because you can still do it and it's so. popular right oh yeah people love it. people I think it's unbelievable yeah. it's you know like down down in the US I. always encourage parents to tell their. kids play every sport tennis baseball. football basketball soccer uh field. lacrosse and they're all big and if you.

sat down here you would say Okay. baseball is probably the most popular. sport or no it's basketball is the. biggest sport yeah and then you're like. well football's pretty big but in Canada. there's no definition it's one it's ice. hocke it's hockey that's it yeah I think. I'm trying to think of why we. never yeah I think yeah up there if. everything's frozen you you. know yeah well we got a big Advantage. because you got free ice yeah you got. free ice you know it's a big thing you. know yeah ice is I think $18 a bag run.

from yeah it it's it's ice is expensive. and you know parents a lot of parents. it's hard for them to afford hockey. equipment ice skates uh paying for ice. time but in Canada most of the places. you can play I grew up in Southern. Ontario which is uh basically between. Niagara Falls New York and uh Detroit oh. yeah that's I mean that's a third self. for the freezer section buddy that's it. gets pretty chill.

so we had an nice rink in my backyard. from the time I was saw I saw some lore. about that so my dad would go and he. would buy a sprinkler head in December. which they always thought he was. crazy who's buying a sprinkler head. Christmas time anyway and he would put. it out in the middle of the ice and he. would let it go back and forth for like. two hours and then go move it another. part of the ice and his ice was always. about this thick and it would last till. probably the end of March.

did he lay a good rank oh he had the. best really yeah and he was funny people. used to stop by the house and say how. does Walter get his grass so green what. do you do what are you putting in your. grass my dad didn't do anything it was. just probably from the ice being so good. for the the grass he always had the. greenest grass in in the neighborhood. and didn't do. anything that's pretty classic man yeah. we had some uneven areas I remember I. played baseball I mean I I don't know if. I was you know Mom signed me up a couple.

Seasons man and it wasn't great for me. but um our field was uneven we had an. uneven field so every ball if you hit. anything second base it was all ended up. in right field right we probably had 25%. gradient on the field so we had at least. two right fielders always at least well. that's probably now listen I grew up. loving baseball I went saw my grandson. play the other day he had his hat on. backwards I think he was picking Danny L. always yeah oh yeah there's always that.

kid out there who ends up doing being a. gardener or something yeah and then I. took him to we went to watch him play. Ice Hockey the next day and they're out. there sweating and skating for an hour. loving it yeah and they got to figure. out a way to get these kids more. enthusiastic about baseball because it's. not a lot of fun for some of them who. are standing out in the Outfield yeah I. think and I think that's one of the. reasons may I don't know if baseball is. I guess it's always America sport. because there's something rooted in. Tradition about it there's something I. mean you give an American a hot dog. they'll sit there and do anything for a.

little while you know but I think it's. true yeah it's and I you know I do it if. somebody's like and the history of the. game you know the history of baseball. from bab Ruth what he did to what Jackie. Robinson did for everyone there's so. much history and let's face it it's. economically easier to buy a pair of. shoes and a baseball glove than to have. to buy a whole entire hockey equipment. sort of yeah to set that up in certain. parts right and then in other. the other way you like it would be.

tougher to like heat a basketball court. in the winter in Canada so that people. have the opportunity to be there and. play as much you yeah we we don't you. know although the Raptors have really. found a niche in our country like. they're huge yeah people love them I was. in your country when they won the. championship and I wasn't in Vancouver. but people were like beating each other. and hugging each other at the same time. so like in our country like you're in. Vancouver you're Canucks fan and you're. in Alberta you either Flames Oilers and.

all the way across right but if you're. in Vancouver or New Finland you're a. blue jay's fan or a Raptor's fan it's. just it's Canada's team and they just. all cling to it it's something pretty. special about it and I always see when. guys get traded up they're more. basketball than baseball and guys well I. don't want to play in Canada I want to. stay in my own country but the guys who. go there will tell you they get treated. phenomenally it's a great city to live. in it's a great country and people are. nice oh okay people's always so nice in. Canada even if somebody was angry they. may I bet they would they'd come across.

the street and theyd just say hey I'm. angry but but I'm sorry yeah you know a. lot of stories up there they're just too. kind well I noticed even like you know I. grew up in the South there's a lot of. like I don't know if there's still as. much but especially when I was growing. up there was like more racial disparity. down there you know cuz there's a lot of. history of like black and white racism. down there and um and when I was in. Canada I don't feel that energy I I. don't everybody seems the same it's like. say that to people that we just we don't.

seem to have racism in our country. people all seem to get along you know. and. it's that's why people always come up to. and they say you're from Canada right. and I say yeah they're like Canadians. are all so nice and I go yeah I think. they are and I said but you know I got. five American Kids five American. grandchildren and they're all nice kids. too so you can meet a lot of nice people. in the United States right yeah well I. think if you're coming out of that. Gretzky lineage I think you guys have to. see you guys I mean it seem pretty just.

like nice folks you know um well they. had a they had a good mother so yeah you. know listen when you're when you're. working and playing hockey you know it's. hard you know the schedule's tough oh. yeah you especially playing on the west. coast in LA and Edmonton we're always. either playing or in an airplane right. so listen uh I love my kids dearly but. it was the mother who was around them. the mothers are so so vital it's like my. my relationship with my mom and dad was. very close my dad was sort of this.

hockey father of the country you know. people loved my dad yeah Walter grety. man but I would always say but it was my. mom behind the scenes that kept her. family she was a wonderful lady and she. always kind of stayed out of the. Limelight like when I was a kid and I'd. play all the parents used to sit sort of. together and my mom would sit in the. corner by. herself so what did she like to do your. mom like what were some like when she. had time for herself what were some. hobbies that she liked cuz I I mean from. what it hear from what it sounds like. your dad probably got pretty involved.

with you once you started playing hockey. as much so a lot of people don't know. this but I had a um Down syndrome aunt. and she was born in the ' 50s and back. in those days they would take these kids. and basically they put them in asylums. and medicate them. and people yeah people didn't know what. to do so my grandmother said you know. I'm not sending her to school so she. never went to school a day in her life. um she was was by the end she was a.

little bit blind she lived till she was. 63 and my grandfather was from uh Russia. bellarus Minsk Russia my grandmother was. from uh. Ukraine and the kids were born in Canada. and my grandfather would speak to her in. Russian my grandmother would speak to. her in Ukrainian and we all communicated. with her in English oh and that'll give. anybody down syndrome I feel like and my. dad used to always say if you don't. believe in the good Lord there's a great. example right here but so when she was. Tri then she could understand but she.

spoke only English and if you didn't. know her you'd have a a hard time. understanding her but we grew up with. her so we were fine so when my. grandmother was passing she said do me. one favor don't put her in her home and. of course my mother said I'll take care. of her so she lived with my parents for. at least 12 years I guess and then um uh. wow yeah and then you were a child too. it was when you were a kid no she so my. grandmother would have passed in 88. um and that's when she moved in with my.

mom and dad so she had her hands full. with her own kids grandkids my U my aunt. um if she her enjoyment really was uh. Friday nights going with her her mom who. was my grandmother they go they love. Bingo that was a big thing in our. hometown and she could my dad said she. could play Bingo every night she loved. it that much and I used to did how'd you. do today I want $7 I'm like okay at. least you're.

winning so her her life was around our. kids and the grandkids but her enjoyment. was going to Bingo wow so she was kind. of she just found a lot of joy in her. family and then some simple pleas sounds. like just Simple Pleasures kind of she. was very simple like she was um I'll. tell you when I turned Pro um I said to. my parents I'm going to buy you a house. and my mom and dad said we don't need a. house we we're we're fine right here and. and I so there was a little piece of.

property was an acre just down the. street from where where I grew up and. where they were living so I went and. bought it secretly and I took them over. there and my mom said what are you doing. I said well I'm going to build you this. house here you're going to something. really special she goes no no my house. is fine she goes but if you want to do. something you can put a pool in her. backyard I put a pool in the backyard. sold my piece of property cuz they. didn't want to move into it and she and. they lived there to the very end and.

when my dad passed recently I bought the. house and so now it's I own my house oh. yeah I was going to ask actually where. what that was like so your mom was like. now that all that skating's done I want. to I want to pool back here yeah oh yeah. she said your your father's not building. a hockey rink anymore I want a swimming. pool she loved having the swimming pool. in the backyard there is something nice. about it isn't it yeah and she loved the. barbecue I was telling the story you. know now they have everything so. regimented right so back in in back in.

when you win the Stanley Cup they have. these two guys that travel with the. trophy cuz it's so special like they. don't want anything to happen to it and. they don't want it to break and so they. keep a good eye on it right like kind of. like a like a n like a little bit of. like a um like um little um gargoyles. kind of but like like yeah they just. protector whatever yeah they just watch. it they travel with it like Hitman or. whatever yeah oh my mom got pissed if we. got buy her nice dishes she would get. yeah so there they are days um when I.

when I won a championship I remember one. day was the summertime I was at my folks. house my mom was doing a barbecue my. both grandmothers were there and I'm. sitting there and I said to my dad gez I. should just I should get the Stanley Cup. here and get some pictures so I called. the Hall of Fame and I said hey I'm. having a barbecue this afternoon can you. guys drive down the Stanley Cup and they. said yeah yeah we'll be down in an hour. they got in the car put the cup in drove. down gave me the cup we took pictures in. the backyard Y and then they took the. cup back to the Hall of Fame now it's.

all organized right now each guy gets a. day with the cup it's all organized and. the guy's travel with the trophy but. back then was just like hey uh can I. have the cup this afternoon they say. yeah no problem bring the cup down yeah. so some of the best pictures I have with. my grandmother my mom my dad in the. backyard just holding the Stanley Cup. yeah plate of beans in one hand and the. Stanley Cup in the other corn oh yeah. that was big huh yeah oh wow yeah I can. only have so much corn and then I wish I. had some beans usually um yeah dude.

you're like a ice Master do you ever. realiz like you kind of mastered like a. or anyway to me it seems like you know. like do you ever go to like are you ever. at like Disney on Ice you ever take your. kids to Disney On Ice and you're just. like yell you know you're like those. Chipmunks are off sides you know like. like do you have that much of a or when. you see an ice maker on a fridge you. just growl at it I feel like you just. have that no that you're a frozen water. master I will tell you this so I said to.

somebody the other day we were on a lake. and they said you want to jump in and it. was kind of a cold day I said you know. I'm way better when that water's frozen. I'm not going in but I did go to Disney. On Ice one time because my friend and. and neighbor Scotty Hamilton I went to. see the show one time Scotty Hamilton. he's a dancer he was a yeah he was an. Olympic gold medalist he's Olympic gold. medalist yeah and then he F skater yeah. figure skater so he was really. phenomenal figure skater and one is. right there yeah wonderful guy so I. think it was at either Disney on Ice or.

one of those shows and we went to see it. and we sat down by the ice and I think. the time Kar vit was in it oh yeah. yeah it was pretty phenomenal like what. they can do it's so different than ice. skating like I think there's a lot of. figure skaters that could transfer to. ice skating but I don't think there's a. lot of ice skaters that could put on. figure skates and do well it's a whole. different thing they're so athletic I. live with a guy for like probably four. months and he was uh I don't know what.

he was he was pretty tall but he would. he was a figure skater and he took us. outside one time they had a Volkswagen. Rabbit outside and he ran and jumped. over it from one side to the other side. that's pretty amazing it was just. unbelievable and it was just an. afternoon yeah it was just like it just. blew my mind man well they're they you. know the training and the techniques. that they have because they have to do. those turns and they have to get high in. the air to be able to do a triple so. they probably in the off season they. probably do a lot of squat training you.

know so that when they do get on the ice. that they're they're much it's much. easier yeah but yeah they're really they. get out there yeah those guys can really. can do it I think ice skating is pretty. incredible yeah I think we just missed. being in the southern part of the us we. miss all of the lacrosse we miss all of. the you know the sports really the the. the the uh whatever it's called the. difference of sports just changes over. you know as you go down south but you. know um I was talking earlier about how.

popular hockey is and it's definitely. huge in our country but if you were to. go around anywhere and interview people. outside of Canada and say what is the. national sport of Canada they' all say. ice hockey or 90% of them but it's. lacrosse but it's actually lacrosse. lacrosse was invented in Six Nations. Reserve which is just outside of my. hometown of Branford so a couple things. we're very proud of Alexander green bell. his first phone call from Branford my. hometown did he really yes who' he call.

he called somebody in Paris Ontario. which was like a 15 minutes away 15. miles away probably a chick I. bet who you going to call if you get. your first call you're going to call. probably some woman you or you know some. lady you might want to say you know so. they actually have the telephone I don't. know in in in Branford no yeah and uh. the other thing is were very proud of. was that lacrosse was invented in in. Canada it was it was a great sport yeah. dude I didn't I even know about can I. mean I didn't even when I was growing up.

we didn't even really believe in Canada. you know listen I I will tell you this. in Canada and I don't mean this to be. controversial we learn growing up the. geography of pretty much the world but a. lot of Canada in the United States when. American Kids kind of grow up they. didn't learn a whole lot about Canada. that there's provinces like a lot of. Canadian kids can name every state in. every Capital but there's only a handful. of people I know that can name all the. provinces probably 70 people that in. America I'm not even joking I remember.

in our school we learned about America. right some kids can barely do that but. then above it on the map they had a. picture of a it was like a wolf chasing. a boy you know and that was and we're. like what is that and they're like. that's that you know that's Canada one. of the one of the first things I learned. was the capital of Louisiana Baton Rouge. oh yeah I always remember that I don't. know why I remember that but I did it's. a pretty good place they had a hockey. team for a little while didn't do well. but I think hockey's going to start.

going back there now you watch cuz. people are the greatest thing about our. sport are the people who are in the game. like oetkin and Crosby and McDavid and. Matthews and some of the Bruins too yeah. they're they're just good good kids you. know like they understand like they're. hardworking and they they love they're. unselfish to their teams but they're. unreal for the league and in their. communities like these kids are good. kids so our sport is growing expanding. all the time and more and more kids are.

playing hockey in Arizona Texas. Louisiana Florida so Nevada Nevada's a. hot bed right now because the they the. hockey team done so well yeah people it. gets infectuous yeah and everybody loves. it yeah so I think more and more kids. will start playing hockey and I see our. game just growing all the time um what. was was there a part of the game that. you like did you ever play goalie like. because every time I see clips of you.

and everything you're always not playing. goalie right which is fine if I was a. goalie I'd be more like playing. dodgeball right getting out of the way. but did you ever did you ever do it to. uh to learn about what it was like like. did you ever like um the only time I. ever did it was when I was a kid we. played ball hockey M ball hockey played. with the tennis ball and running shoes. Okay un like a sport court or gymnasium. and so the only time I would play goal. where I wasn't scared to get hit by a.

puck it was a tennis ball every now and. then I play goal but I was. listen people used to ask me do you ever. block a shot and first of all do you. know how hard that puck is and for the. average hockey fan they don't realize. those pucks are every Puck is frozen so. the pucks that you're using not only. hurt but they're frozen too man who. froze them so they're in the referee's. box and so they're fro Patriots probably. did it Frozen so they don't bounce so.

they so it doesn't bounce really because. it's made out of what rubber rubber yeah. so oh my God and so they used to sayt do. you ever block a shot and I said why. would I that's how why they pay the. goalie that's not my job I don't ask him. to score goals he doesn't need to ask me. to block shots I kind of faked that you. like think you're in the lane but the. guy had a lot of room to shoot around. you you know when I started podcasting. and online store was probably one of the. furthest things from my imagination or.

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tho manscaped get your jingle balls. ready for the holidays was there a um. you had so many records man was there. something that you felt like you wanted. to get that you couldn't get kind of was. there or were you even keeping tabs on. that kind of. stuff yeah I didn't really keep tabs on. it um I never I did when I retired I. knew it was time to retire and I didn't. think back and say gosh I wish I would. have done this or accomplished.

this but I did I did look back and say. okay cuz people ask me what is your. favorite record and they're all they're. all fun they're all you know I'm proud. of them all but I got my favorite record. is the year I scored 50 goals in 39. games and for me it's my favorite record. your third season or something yeah and. and that's my favorite record because. listen all records are made to be broken. but to me that's going to be the hardest. record to break to get 50 goals in 38. games so from that point of view is my. favorite you seem like the kind of guy.

that if somebody broke it you would even. be you would applaud the fact that they. did that well yeah you know listen I. learned from two of the best people in. the world my dad who was a wonderful man. and Gordy how and Gordy how was my idol. when you when you're when you're a kid. and you have an idol a lot of times you. meet them and you go W it was just okay. maybe that guy had a bad day or whatever. and you go well I met Gordy how when I. was 10 and my dad said to me how was. meeting Gordy how and I said I I can't.

believe it he goes what I said he was. bigger better and nicer than I ever. imagined in my little brain at 10 years. old you know and so when I was breaking. records Gordy how was always there he. was the first guy to shake my hand and. give me a hug and so you know oetkin is. going to break my record uh which is. going to be great for our game and when. he does I'll be there for him I hope I'm. I'm on the ice and I hope I get to be. one of the first people to congratulate. him. uh because it's a it's it's a special.

record and he it's good for a game if he. does break it. yeah um oh that's him right there it was. so exciting cuz I got the afternoon off. school and I got a new suit that morning. so it was a big day oh yeah dude look at. you know who you look you know who you. look like a little bit who's that you. know who I'm going to say or no no no. idea Princess Diana a. [Laughter]. little just the fact that she's a female. I don't know if that that's a compliment. not and I just mean look man and the I.

think it's very much com she was a tough. lady heard I've heard it before yeah you. have yeah yeah man I thinkk God every. now and then when my hair is a little. whatever some guys see guys should got. Rod Stewart hair oh I think there's I. bet a couple of men played on your team. just because they wanted to be near you. B but no Gordy Gordy was so nice he was. just so it was a dinner it was a charity. dinner this is an incredible story uhhuh. and 700 people at the dinner and that. was the year I scored 400 goals so the.

city wanted me to be part of it and you. know when you're 10 years old you can't. even stand up and do a speech in front. of your classmates right so they had. told the guy so you're only 10 at this. time yeah so they had told the MC Wayne. just introduced him he's not going to. talk and so um Joe thyman was. there yeah Gordy how when you were 10. yeah Sandy Holly a famous jockey and so. they all get up and they kind of talk. for seven or eight minutes and people. laugh and G go so the guy announces my. name and I'm like oh no and I'm already.

Frozen and Gordy says to me now listen. when you go up there just tell them. you're lost about your skates and your. hockey stick and so I got okay okay so I. got up there and I was shaking and I I. remember I said Thank you and I started. balling I got a standing ovation I went. and sat down so years later I called a. friend of mine called me and he said. Gordy's hometown of Saskatoon they're. doing this Charity Dinner which like a. Lion's Club which was very similar to.

the one I did in my hometown mhm yeah we. had Lion's Club in our town too yeah so. I called Gordy and his son Mark and I. said listen Gordy came to my hometown. when I was 10 I really like Gordy to. come with me to Saskatoon and I want to. surprise everybody so we were in. Saskatoon this dinner and they sold I. think there was about 3,000 people there. and the prime minister of Canada. happened to be in town and he go he. called me and he say is it okay if I. come over there and sort of MC this and. ask a few questions for the people and I.

said absolutely no problem at all so I. said oh by the way uh nobody knows this. but I flew Gordy in he's at the hotel. and gord's going to come tonight and. we're going to introduce him well it was. like I wasn't there anymore the Prime. Minister was like okay maybe somebody. will do do you and I'll do Gord so. anyway when I got up on stage I said to. everybody uh I got a great surprise he I. met him in my Hometown I I figured I. should come to his hometown and Gordy.

how came out and I swear to God if. people didn't stop clapping they'd still. be clapping today because it was the. most it was the longest nicest Standing. Ovation that I've ever seen somebody get. and he so was so genuinely loved and he. he was such he was a really people don't. realize this Gordy how is a dirty player. first time I play against him I took the. puck from him and next thing I know I. got a whack I was 17 years old and he. cracked my thumb he said don't ever take. the puck from me again I said okay never.

going to happen again yeah anyway so he. got such an evasion and after the event. we went back to the hotel and Gordy had. brought back a couple of his buddies. that he knew they he hadn't seen in a. while a couple older gentlemen and we. just sat around and he he had a he. remember he sat there and he had a cold. beer and he said this was one of the. greatest days greatest nights of my life. so it was very cool when you when you. look at like. um like when you were a kid was most of. your relationship with your dad like.

hockey like was it tough to cuz if you. became like if you excelled at something. early right and a lot of times Fathers. and Sons will it's tough for Fathers and. Sons to find like a common ground. sometimes to connect on on things you. know parents are always putting their. kids into different things and and dads. are always trying to connect with their. children you know was there other ways. that you could like was that most of. y'all's relationship like I'm just kind. of like like I guess I'm curious like. what it was like we had a normal.

relationship like normal fatherson um he. was both parents tremendously supportive. um you know by the time I was 10 11 12. years old I was playing in arenas that. were selling out that's crazy you like a. circuses in town a little bit and I not. like that but I you mean but in those. days too it was such a big world because. there was no internet there was no cell. phones and so yeah a kid might be 3. hours.

away and you would hear about him and. then when you play against him my dad. would be in the car and after the game. he would say to me his favorite line was. always no matter how good you think you. are there's somebody out there better. than you and I'd say okay and even when. I was 15 16 when people said okay he's. going to be a professional hockey player. my dad never one time said you know oh. he's a can't miss or he's going to make. it I mean he hoped cuz he knew how much. I loved it but he never pressured me the. only thing he pressured me about is he.

would call me say you didn't miss any. classes today so oh yeah he I said dad I. don't miss class because if I miss class. the team so I was playing Junior Hockey. and it was hard cuz we practice every. day and we travel a lot yeah and so they. were the team was always on you like you. better be in class so he was more. concerned that I was in class I remember. I was uh 17 and I had this uh school. teacher and he it was I was taking a.

physics class and I hated physics and. chemistry was I kept thinking now where. is this going to where am I going to use. this in the world yeah that's all I kept. thinking um anyway and he said if you. just put the work in I'll pass you so I. did I went to class I went to an extra. class every day with him and he worked. an extra half hour every day he passed. me and that was the year that month I. got offered to turn pro and I signed a. pro contract and I remember I came back. and I I bought him a gift it wasn't a.

whole it wasn't a big thing it was like. a briefcase or something thanking him. for not for being so patient with me and. being so nice to me he was so grateful. and it was always sort of when I signed. my dad said you're going to stay Pro. Hockey you're going to stay in high. school till you're 18 I don't care what. you do but you're going to school till. your 18 so here I am playing pro hockey. and going to high school I was picking. up my teammate's daughter we were in the. same class no way the guy's name was Jim.

neelson and I would pick his daughter up. we were in the same school same class. then I go to practice you were like ice. V Presley so the principal called me in. one day and he said son I don't know. you're not going to amount to anything. you're missing too many classes and I'm. like well and he said you know I should. just kick you out and I said listen it. was like early January and I said listen. do me a favor and he goes what I said. give me till January 26th and if if I. haven't changed my ACT by then you can. kick me out but I knew I couldn't go to.

class cuz we're always traveling and. playing I was playing pro hockey playing. in Quebec City and going to Cincinnati. and you have an ego were you in were you. like the fwn at this point in class I I. sat in the back corner I just minded my. own business so the day I turned 18 I. walked into the principal and I said I. just want to thank you for not K kicking. me out but I quit I'm done and I quit. school and my I said I called my dad and. and my dad said well you promise me stay. at 18 cuz the contract wasn't valid.

unless he would sign it un your father. would sign it cuz I wasn't 18 yet and so. he said I'll sign it but you got to stay. in high school so did you ever finish. High School technically um no but I'm a. doctor. yeah does that mean anything I'm an. honorary doctor um hey it counts to me. bro so you get most of the 12 grades I. think that's a lot people are always. like you got to do all of them yeah um I. always yeah you know what I I I'm an. honorary doctor it's funny I I did the.

commencement speech for I said okay I'm. going to pick one and people have been. kind enough to offer me and I said you. know what I'm going to do one and so I. picked the University of Alberta which. is in Emon which I thought was fitting. and I have it's so funny cuz I have. different nicknames so in the hockey. world they call me Gratz graty great one. no just. grats and in the golf world they call me. cuz I was telling the guys one day was. playing with I think it was Dustin and.

Jordan spe and I said you know I'm a. doctor something to that effect so the. golf world calls me Doc and the hockey. world calls me gretz do you you ever get. to play with Sheldon Sor you know. Sheldon I play a lot with them we're. next to neighbors oh that's awesome. Sheldon's a friend of mine he's just. going to have a baby right now yeah. that's so exciting no he's unreal guy U. he's a beautiful guy like I'm not saying. he's beautiful but somebody said it I. said yeah he's got a big heart he's got. a huge heart he's so mellow Sheldon's.

not going to have a heart attack like. he's always mellow he's always happy. he's never upset a very calm person um. yeah he's one him and his wife are great. people yeah he's handsome dude I think. that's the weird thing about some oh. yeah he's violently handsome you're like. damn that dude's handsome and then he. hits you yeah and that's why I always. say to people I looked at guys like him. and that's why I retired they're soig. they're so and today these guys are so. big today and the equipment is so much.

better and the skates are so much better. and the teaching that they get at a. younger age is so much better these guys. are incredible athletes and I'm I'm glad. I played when I played I'm glad I'm gone. now yeah yeah sometimes it's like you. fit in time in a certain space you know. I was yeah time means everything I know. yeah you would know man I got lucky you. know listen um I came in at the right. time. I I came in when I came in they had a a.

a wh which was similar to Aba AFL and. they were signing kids under 20 which. seems illegal in some place I mean it's. like how well so I signed but had there. not been that League I might have had to. play another three years a junior you. never know if you get hurt I may never. have made it right so my timing was. really fortunate really lucky do you. like to read any books are you reading. anything I'm reading one right now uh. Albert everything I do is sports related.

oh yeah you love it that much huh so. I'll give you an example when I was 15. years old I was playing on a junior. hockey team M and it was so exciting. because my one of my teammates was. Murray how who was Gordy how's youngest. son oh wow and he's just a wonderful kid. and I wore number nine that year cuz I. always loved Gordy and so when he came. in I said look you should wear number. nine your dad's Gordy House s my number. of and he goes no no no no this is Wayne. this is my last year of hockey um I'm.

going to enjoy it and I go okay he goes. I'm going to be a doctor he was a really. intelligent guy and he did go on to. become a doctor so we get on the team. bus and we travel to the. city he he'd get on there and he'd have. all these books right and I'd get on no. books and he goes Wayne you got you got. to get your education you gotta I I'm. going to a hockey game I can't think. about reading right now and doing. homework. and so about two weeks later I got on. the bus and I had like five or six books.

I sit down beside him and he he goes. good to see your taking notes Here Wayne. that's good good for you and he said he. goes what do you got geography history I. go well I got Gordo hockey my way Gordo. hockey tips I said you want to be a doct. Christmas you want to be a doctor I want. to be a hockey player but he went on to. be a a tremendous doctor and he actually. gave the eulog for his dad's funeral. when he when Gordy passed away which was.

pretty. remarkable um do you did you speak at. your dad's funeral what was that like. yeah I did I spoke both at my mom and my. dad's um and sorry to hear yeah sorry. about your folk yeah it. was you know what it was funny cuz. there's something that just takes over. inside you that you get through it right. like I remember my mom passed my dad. called me and said you know we you speak. and I said of course so when my dad was. passing my brothers and my sister said.

you know will you speak and I said yeah. the ironic thing was when my dad passed. we were still in the midst of the. pandemic so it was actually in a lot of. ways it was nice for our family cuz. there was only 22 of us there and you. know cuz you couldn't you couldn't. invite everybody had it had it not been. at that time he probably would have had. to get buried or had the funeral in a in. a hockey arena with so many people he's. so he was so loved by so many people so.

when I I found both times sitting there. going oh this is going to be hard and. when I got up there it just kind of. flowed because my dad when I spoke at. his he was so religious my dad and you. know he never missed Church on a Sunday. when every Sunday and he used to tease. the kids because he tried out for the. church choir and they wouldn't let him. in it. come on yeah so there was a little boy.

across the. street disabled and blind and my dad. picked him up every morning at 10: a.m. every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. and. took him to church every Sunday and then. brought him back home he taken. McDonald's and then back home and he did. it every Sunday so when my dad was. passing he's so religious but I remember. he was still fighting to stay down here. so to speak um he was 22 days and know. basically on a deathbed right and U the. minister would come every night at our.

house and he would give him his lost. rights and I said yeah I say to minister. my dad's got the biggest heart you're. coming I'll see you. tomorrow so anyway when when we did give. the uh when I did give the US I could. feel like he was there and he he got me. through it wow that's fascinating man. yeah I remember I went to my dad's. feeling it was like I don't know it's. just such a Str it's such. a I don't know it's wild seeing.

something like that happen I think do. you think it helped that your father had. such a faith did he give you so like a. oh yeah yeah like he knew there was life. after death he was going to see his. mother he's going to see his father so. probably part of him was probably. excited huh yeah I. think yeah in some ways but I think he. wanted to be here as long as he could he. loved being around his grandkids he. loved being around people um he was just. really special in that sense um you know. I don't not too often you can say that.

people don't have enemies but I don't. think my dad had an enemy like he was. beloved by everyone um I remember one. time I came home when I when I would go. home and visit him every now and then. you know my dad would tell the whole. city right you were coming yeah so I got. smart on that I I I call my mom and I. said I'll be home tomorrow don't tell. Dad so I get there in the morning this. is hilarious and I walk in and there's a. guy lying on the couch oh yeah I get.

over to my mom and I kind of know. everybody that goes in and out of our. house you know my mom was in the kitchen. and I said who's lying on the couch who. is that she goes I don't know um but. he's hitchiking across the country from. Newland wanted to see the house so your. dad told him to spend the night and have. a good. meal so that's the kind of guy my dad. was and the guy spent the night and got. up in the morning and him and I had. coffee at the dining room table way got. to get a picture with my jersey on when. I happened to be home that day and he. was hitchiking rest of Canada that was.

the kind of dad my dad was wow they. should put a they should put him in a. jersey and let's let him hitchhike the. country forever and just make it like a. thing you know yeah well you know it's. not the Stanley Cup but hey guys have. you met Stanley and everybody just picks. him up there you go yeah be funny um I'm. trying to think about something else. that's pretty neat man do you. uh well we talk about my wife's family. they my mother-in-law's 102 no way which. is amazing yall got that long blood in.

you homie she she's 102 she's a great. lady she lived with us helped raise our. kids for 30 years um but she lives in. our house in St Louis and when we're. there she likes to go for lunch or. dinner almost every day and she gets. around on her own it's truly remarkable. and what's amazing is that unfortunately. her her dad passed away at 56 uh which. is awful cancer and two sisters who had. breast cancer both passed away and the. mom was 102 and still going strong wow.

that's incredible you got some longevity. then in your uh jeans huh my my dad. always said it's the hours you get. before midnight for sleeping for. sleeping oh God gives you longevity and. my mother-in-law is asleep by 8:30 and. gets up at 4:00 I think there's. something to that I think there's. something to it there's something nice. when you're up in the morning and you. feel like you like just kind of got up. with the sun you just feel like you're. kind of dialed in you know it's amazing. the older you get the earlier you get up. right and the less you sleep for some.

reason yeah a that weird man and my dad. used to always say I remember he had a. famous quote to me he goes uh you know. you spend your whole life as a kid. trying to figure out how to stay at a. bed and as an adult you try to figure. out your whole life how do I get to. sleep how do I get in bed it's so true. yeah yeah I think sometimes when people. are like sometimes if I even think about. like leaving this Earth You know and. passing away from here I think about. just getting some good rest you know. it's kind of the way I think about it in.

my head it's like you know some of that. will be relieving did you guys ever go. any vacations and stuff when you were a. kid cuz if you always doing hockey it. seemed like you probably always on the. run did youall ever go to Florida or. somewhere the North. Pole that's funny North Pole um well two. things are are my mom's life and this is. sometimes she would complain about this. U so in the winter time it was hockey. tournaments summertime was aome baseball. tournaments so that was our vacations. and then every 3 years my dad's.

sister uh cuz my parents grandparents in. the ' 50s had tobacco farms and people. from the South would come up to work in. the summer cuz the the season for. picking is a little different so they. can make money in Canada then go back oh. that's nice so my uncle was from. Greensboro Carolina he married my dad's. sister and every two years we would go. down there for two weeks we drive down. for 2 weeks um and and and um stay there. with our cousins and my aunt and uncle. and that was probably our vacation right.

uh I remember one time driving back I. convinced my parents to stop in Cooper. toown which was a little out of the way. and my mom was so mad she said we spent. an extra six hours drying so you could. go to Cooper town and my dad would say. this is good for him it's. okay oh that's so much fun man I love. even when you were talking about like. the lore like back in the day if you had. like if you heard a kid playing you'd. have to go and see him like oh yeah yeah. that was the way it was back then oh.

there was something so much more magical. about like lore like they don't have as. much of it anymore because everybody you. know everybody I don't know but you know. the funny thing is like if you say to. kids. today like New York to London England's. not that far we used to think Branford. to Windsor Ontario which was a 2 and 1. half hour drive was like going to the. other other side of the world right like. the world was so much bigger back then. oh we thought Florida if we saw somebody. had a shirt on in Louisiana if said. Florida on it it was like You' been.

there was only two places to go must be. the richest guy here yeah heaven and. Florida here you go yeah like dang. you've been to Florida we we never got. to Florida uh but we got to Carolina. which was really nice it was great going. with our relatives that was and when you. guys just all get in the car and just. drive down there yeah we had a um old. car a station wagon um and where would. you sit I was always uh in the back seat. yeah you know and then it's like school. huh yeah and we would drive and gosh we.

didn't have air conditioning in our car. so every now and then you roll down the. window so it wasn't as hot U but then. you get down to Carolina it was so humid. right you be like oh put the windows up. and let's sweat um so I my dad used to. always tease me when I was 14 13 14 15. he'd always say if you do make. professional hockey just remember by I. just buy be a Cadillac yeah so I bought. one of those big for its Cadillac I. brought it home right so the summer goes. by the year goes by I go back home the.

next summer and I look at the car and. there's like 80 miles on it and I go and. I said to my mom I said I bought dad. this car why is he not driving it she. goes he does he can't drive it to work. cuz he doesn't want to have a nicer car. than his. boss so he ended up I think he sold it I. don't think he really ever drove it but. it was a it was a good fatherson thing. that we had together growing up as a kid. right yeah is pornography causing a. problem in your life it's a fair.

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instantly in bonus bets only on. draftking sports book an official sports. betting partner of the NFL with code. Theo the crown is yours do you remember. like the first date you ever went on. when you were a kid or something like. that oh really hockey was my life it was. huh it was your girlfriend I didn't have. one just hockey yeah just you know I had. a. um Junior a coach when I 16 years old. playing with 19 20 year olds and he.

would say playing Junior Hockey really. hard um but being a professional hockey. player is a great life and so you said. you got hockey you got um uh schooling. and you got uh night life and you can. only do two of the three so make sure. you pick the right two so when you're 16. years old it was my life I loved lived. and died it go to school from 8:30 to 3. o'. practice 4 to 6 every night play usually. Thursday Saturday Sunday back to school.

same things same routine when you list. when you see like how you were compared. to like how some other players were. right did you think that you almost had. like a uh abnormality how much you liked. it or how much you focused on it like. was it that kind of thing um because I. see players I have friends that are good. at things and friends that really are. let's put it this way um I know there's. a lot of other really good good players. and athletes but for us for me you know. especially when I got to be 16 I knew I.

knew that was my life like I knew it. wasn't going to be a great student um I. knew it was going to be hard for me to. get a college degree I I understood that. I knew my forte was going to be hockey. and growing up playing baseball tracking. field across and I encourage parents all. the time all those Sports helped my. hockey oh yeah and so by the time I got. to 16 I was like okay this is what I'm. going to do I I want to be a. professional hockey player um and so I I.

really that was my focus and the only. advice my dad used to say give me really. was um you got a great opportunity here. to really have a wonderful life and the. good Lord blessed you with a love and a. passion like I've never seen before and. sort of like don't blow it don't throw. it away and so I always kind of thought. that that I never thought I was missing. out going to a different city or going.

here or doing this if I was my enjoyment. was being on the ice yeah I didn't think. I was missing anything else like wow I. never even never even phased me yeah. that was the thing and you know I can. remember. um my dad saying you know you're going. to have so many opportunities here for. some reason you know with your aunt. being down syndrome and and you growing. up with that in the Canadian Institute. for the blind was in my hometown of. Branford like there's more than just.

hockey like you're going to be one day. you're going to be a symbol for good. things and so I always I kind of grew up. with it right it was that was kind of my. education what a powerful thing to say. to a child too you know that they have. the that they if they do their bet you. know not even do their best but if. they help people they make enough effort. that they have a the possibility to be a. a symbol for for good and that's really. powerful yeah and so you know I.

just I that's I guess you know I became. way Gretzky and so just had a love for. it that's all is it hard like did trust. trust me there was a lot of guys with. more Talent than I had right there's a. lot of guys who were better than I was. really and then there's some guys that I. just wanted it more than yeah but by by. no means was I the best player ever. there was so many great players did any. players ever smoke cigarettes like at. halftime or whatever no it that kind of.

faded out in the uh late 70s you know. 60s and 70s people grew up with that. unfortunately that's what happened to my. my mother she was smoker 16 years old. but that was that era right yeah and. there was there not a lot of hockey. players who smoked but there was a few. but by 1980 that was all it was gone. some you like to romanticize seeing. somebody spark you know well I think it. was Mickey Manel or Joe deio didn't they. do ads for cigarettes in the 50s they. used to get paid to be on.

pictures and everybody just kind of. accepted it and now they get mad if you. endorse um betting that's the new big. thing yeah a lot of people are doing. that now everything's kind of become. like every a lot of the ads now are. gambling I think a lot of people are. gambling on stuff and all the owners. they a lot of them own their own places. and you know all sports baseball. basketball football so you know I just. did a wonderful commercial with Jamie. Fox for B MGM and I had a ball doing it. with a wonderful guy yeah it was fun did.

y'all wear tuxedos or something in we. wore suits though yeah their ads always. had like a polished look yeah it was. pretty cool he was it was his first. working day after his injury um but he. was great he was fine he was he worked. all night the night before then he. worked all night with me that night had. you ever worked with him before no no I. hadn't worked with them before but you. know small world we lived 5 minutes. apart in Thousand Oaks so I used to see. him periodically different things but he. was beloved in the community and another.

guy he really didn't have any enemies. everybody loved him well he's one of the. most Talent me people forget also that. he's a standup comedian oh and how great. he was and Living Color was like the. best TV show they ever had when I was. growing up he he he the Jamie Fox show. was unbelievable he was so talented and. then he went a Oscar for I forget oh. yeah Muhammad Ali maybe no it was uh r. um Ray yeah yeah he was Unreal Ray. Leonard no who was it Ray l montine no.

no the singer Ray Charles yeah I was. going blank too but he was phenomenal in. that so anyway I had fun with him he's a. wonderful guy did he seem healthy yeah. he's fine he was great he was happy um I. don't even know really what happened he. didn't you know it's not my business and. he didn't talk about it but but if you. didn't know something happened you. wouldn't even know no you wouldn't have. know he was doing fine and and like I. said said he was working late like he. had worked the night before sort of 9:00. to 5: cuz they got to shut everything.

down so they can film it an actual place. right until the next night was sort of. 8:00 to 5 again he was Unreal he was. fine did you guys go see a show or. anything while you were out there or no. no no I'm not big on going to shows. although my friend who I work with. Henrik lanquist went to the opening of. the sphere in Vegas wow and he said it's. not like anything you've ever seen. before first of all you two and then. so it's the future huh yeah he says they. have these AI robots that you talk to.

them you think they're real. people reminds me this girl I dated for. a while I said we're going to have a a. hockey coach that'll be the first one. hockey coach AI he's our hockey. coach you know I always fantasize if it. would be pretty cool not fantasize. that's a weird word to say to another. man but I always thought about wouldn't. it be neat if there was a team where. people could sit at home and make like. as a group vote really fast on what the. next play should be and that it would. almost be a completely controlled team.

by like fans you know you probably would. struggle in hockey because it's so quick. yeah but you could probably do it. football for sure set up the play um. yeah football was I think the sport that. I thought about it the most yeah hockey. be hard maybe even baseball because you. could pick the pitch that the pitcher. throws yeah and who's pitching that yeah. it'd be pretty interesting two of them. you could do probably um did you ever. get to Michael Jackson or not no but I. used to do hot yoga in Thousand Oaks uh.

with his brother Tito yeah it was fun. nice nice nice guy so yeah but I never. met Michael Jackson though I remember um. I got to talked to Hulk Hogan and he met. Michael Jackson one time it was just. interesting you I got a great Hulk Hogan. story yeah so people don't know this but. Hulk used to live in Thousand Oaks too. mhm and it was it was December 24th we. go to this Thousand Oaks Mall and I'm. getting last minute Christmas gifts for.

my kids who at the time sort of 10 12. and. 14 so I put them all in the car and they. had a valet parking for the at at the. mall so I get come out and I put all my. bags in the car and I drive home so I. get a call around 7:00 and he goes Wayne. I go yeah and he says Terry I think his. real name was Terry Terry blea he goes. Terry. Terry he goes Hulk he goes we got a. problem I go what's the problem he goes.

we got the exact same car I got your car. in your presence and you got my car my. presence so I go outside and I'm like oh. my God he goes yeah my kids are older. it's probably not going to work so I. said I'll meet you halfway so we drove. back halfway together and we switched. the cars out got the presents went home. true story you guys got in each other's. cars well cuz the valet gu just come out. and they were exact same cars and we. were you know was we weren't really. paying attention cuz it same color same. car but your kids wake up in Christmas. morning and they all get.

bandanas. like they get bandanas and Body Oil. isn't that funny though your 12-year-old. daughter is getting a jar of body oil. you're like this seems a little weird. D I do remember him saying I don't think. your kids are going to like when I got. my kids they're older it's all cold they. got his kids did you uh when you met. your wife how did you know that she was. like the wife for you like dad told me. really gosh he was a real leader then. about the first week I said what do you.

think he goes oh she's a lifer I go you. just met her you know what we had the. same similarities like we love we love. both want to have a family we want to. have kids um we both love sports it's. wonderful that I I actually her and I. watch hockey together baseball football. basketball she loves going to game she. loved growing up with our kids going to. all their sporting events and going to. The Girls D B ballet and dancing we just. um we think the same way I guess and.

we're born 16 days apart she's January. 10 I'm January uh. 26 um yeah so we lot in common go you. know is it different being a dad to like. a girl and a boy like I don't have any. children like I like to have some one. day you know but I don't any some ways. it's different in other ways it's it's. not. um you know. it's just it's just a little bit. different but not really did it come. easy to you being a dad some of my.

friends have a tough time and some of. them oh yeah I was I loved being a dad. so yeah you know I always told my. friends you know you do all your. parenting till about 13 or. 14 um if they haven't learned by then. you haven't done the job right right. yeah and our biggest thing in our house. was everybody can say please thank you. and excuse me that was our biggest fight. not fight but that was the biggest thing. we drilled in all the time and then when. your kids get to be 16 17 18 then you. become best friends and so I don't. really look at my kids as kids anymore I.

look at them as my closer friends simple. as that so oh it's interesting yeah they. kind of evolve then huh I'd rather hang. out with my kids at this age now than. travel somewhere to go visit somebody. for two days you know it's yeah just as. fun did you ever have to take your kids. like what did you ever take them. trick-or-treating or something like that. so this is a funny story too so we when. I played for the New York Rangers we had. a apartment in a w play there or no no.

no um Mark massier was on that team. Brian leech so we lived in this. high-rise 16th floor right so it was our. first year in Manhattan and your whole. family is living in a highrise in. Manhattan we had a three bedroom there. was at the time we only had three kids. so we had bedroom for my wife and I one. for the two boys and one for Paulina and. so I remember I said to the dman the day. before Halloween I said where do we. trick or treat here yeah he goes oh. everybody just walks through the. building and I'm thinking no no no no so.

we left on just off take them out in the. street of Brooklyn no no no listen so. I'm like we're right on Madison AB 63rd. Madison so I go out there I said okay. and I walked into every one of those. stores that I know my wife had ventured. into a lot Prada Gucci on I said you. guys better have candy tomorrow at 6:00. and so we walked the kids down m you got. to be outside right you can't be walking. so we go into like Gucci and they give. them stuff we go Prada they're getting.

candy I still think they do it today but. it made more sense to me than walking. through an apartment building kids want. to be outside on Halloween oh you have. to you have to run inside yeah yeah so. always fun when you did you was it fun. doing trick- or treat when you were a. kid like do you remember what you. dressed up as you just dressed up as a. hockey player just I always went as a. hockey player so but and I'll tell you. why because every Halloween it seemed. like we had a practice that night so we. would be on the ice from like 5:00 to. 6:00 and you know it gets dark by 6:30.

at that time of the year in Canada so we. my dad would race me home I'd get a. pillowcase and I'd go up and down the. street get a ton of candy and that was. my and I just left my hockey uniform on. just took my helmet off and every place. I went to the people they all knew as. com as a they used to laugh cuz it's. small community small Street you knew. everybody right oh Wayne's here Wayne's. here again the hockey guy. gosh that's wild man that it was that. much of your life that it was your. Halloween costume that says a lot I feel.

like yeah you know well when I was seven. I went to a barber shop and um I asked. the barber If he if he could cut my give. me a Gordy how haircut that's how much I. like the Gordy how and hockey it was. crazy what's something that you like. admire about each one of your children. kind of no I just they're all nice you. know they're polite they're not. egotistical uh they're they're not. um uh in the slightest jaded at all.

they're just good kids that's you know I. my youngest two are still in college and. they love it I have a son NYU and a. daughter at SMU and three kids who have. children of their own now yeah they're. just they're nice none of them are jaded. that's the best part when you finished. uh hockey like as a um employee as a. player did you um was it did you find. like was it tough to like take that. energy and all that Mo like that cuz you. have you have such a focus and there's a.

focal point was it interesting to see. like how that popped up in other places. in your life or was it that that was a. that was a big issue um it hasn't and it. doesn't wow you know I I my life was. hockey um if I go play tennis. uh I just play I'm not I don't really. even care about the score if I go play. golf it doesn't matter if I shoot 83 or. 93 I don't worry about it I don't stress. about it you know I did all that you.

know and I loved it um but I don't have. that same like fight or battle for fun I. just don't have that and you know people. always say Michael Jordan's so. competitive of everything he does and. that's not you that's that's not me I I. just I'm fine I'm happy with what I. accomplished I'm happy I'm I did it I'm. happy I'm done but that's all kind of. behind me now I don't worry about it. it's like uh I get parents who come up.

to me you know mothers are hardest right. and my mom was worse too She chased down. Bobby Hall to get an autograph for me. and and so when moms grab me I go I get. it I get it my mom did it for me too but. the moms will always say to me will you. tell my son how many hours a day he used. to practice and I go that's not it and. she go what do you mean I go that's not. it I said I just did it cuz I love loved. it if you have to say you got to be out. there 2 hours or 3 hours you're in the. wrong thing I just was there all day.

long cuz I loved it yeah wow yeah moms. would be nuts I remember Michael Landon. was coming to our town once and mom was. all excited but he didn't show. up he couldn't leave the. Prairie yeah yeah every week on that. show one of his kids was like getting. beaten by a kicked by a horse like yeah. somebody had dementia I was like what do. you mean a 9-year-old has dementia like. every every week it was like there was.

like yeah there was iron in too much. iron in the water or something or. somebody was blind so when you get on. one of those early teams like did it. were you guys on a bus just cruising. like through like Canada like you guys. like just heading all over the place did. you ever have that kind of time or no um. so when I played Junior Hockey in the. league I was in Ontario M I was on a. team called Sous St Marie Greyhounds. which was the farthest north in Ontario. wow so our our closest bus trip was 3. and 1/2 hours to Sudbury so the team got.

an airplane it was a DC3 no and we used. to fly to all the games and basically. played Thursday night Friday night. Saturday afternoon Sunday afternoon and. fly back to S St Marie and we do that. twice a month and then when I turned Pro. you know Edmonton we flew commercial. everywhere and you know it was a lot of. flights that we went Edmonton through. Minnesota or Edmonton through Chicago to. get. there wasn't a whole lot of direct. flights from Edmonton to Manhattan. uhuhuh so yeah we I traveled a lot we've. been around a lot I remember I went to.

Florida so I was in Florida right I've. been on a cruise ship and I had to go to. Edmonton to perform right at the comedy. club there oh yeah it was like one of. the first I've been in there oh yeah in. uh at the Mall of America right or Mall. of of Canada yeah they built that one. before the one in Minnesota well that. one first of all you guys has a gun. range in it which isn't crazy you know. and we got a we got a lake with waves we. got a hockey rink in there it's pretty. much everything in there yeah yeah yeah.

there's like four American Eagles in. there and there actually there was an. actual American Eagle in there last time. we were in there yeah and it was. hatching it was doing like a um I think. it had had a couple of chicklings or. whatever near Payless Shoes yeah I I've. never been a hunter you know hunting. duck hunting big in your country huh. it's big in Alberta big in saset we went. hunting one time I went one time in my. life went with three teammates we were. 19 years old we didn't know what we were. doing and uh we're 2 hours in we were.

duck hunting and we couldn't figure out. where the Ducks were and this guy come. over he said you guys got a goose. call that's how bad our hunting was and. we're standing there going no we just. thought there was no ducks yeah you look. over just Tony s there you got the wrong. you got the wrong horn or whatever I'm. like okay that was my last time I had to. go to this store and it was $5 to get a. permit I never even fired the gun it was. the last time I ever went never shot a g. gun since who's one of like the funniest.

guys that you spend around Time Around. in the league like who's somebody that. you love being around that really makes. you laugh Brad Hall is a genius and he's. Brad Hall is one of the funniest nicest. people you ever ever meet he remembers. every word and every song he remembers. lines from movies like he's just and. he's got a big heart he's a tremendous. guy did you uh what's a good concert. that you went to that you enjoyed over. the years um you know what I'm seeing. Elton John this weekend Elton John is. phenomenal I saw Elton John and Billy.

Joel together no way at the Forum years. ago which was remarkable but you know I. my very first concert I every went to. was um uh Chicago remember of the band. Chicago and I remember I was 16 years. old and I was good friends with David. Foster who was he's the producer right. producer writer he's Canadian boy and so. two years later I was playing in the. World Cup for Canada and he calls me and.

he said uh there's a couple guys from. Chicago that want to come to your. practice can you get them in I'm like. yeah of course so they came in I think. the drummer's name was Johnny pazo right. and he used to play a little bit of goal. tender and hockey so they came to. practice and I'm sitting there we went. for lunch after and I remember saying 2. years ago sitting in the last row. watching their concert and two years. later I having lunch with them so I. always said that was one of my favorite.

concerts oh yeah yeah I remember I got a. t-shirt I don't even know who gave I. think where we got it from I didn't even. know it was a band I thought it was just. for the city yeah that I wore when I was. a kid it was just a nice shirt it was. like pure cotton and I remember just I. remember wearing that Chicago shirt I'm. trying to think of the first concert I. ever went to might have been like. Smashing Pumpkins or something well our. big ones up there are Pink Floyd and oh. yeah the hit and tragically hip. tragically hip yeah Brian Adams and of.

course oh dude I met Brian Adams in. South Africa at a breakfast. buffet um and uh he's a wonderful guy. and of course Selen Deon oh yeah she was. uh Burton Cummings was big in Canada. Burton Cummings yeah they were in a band. called The Guess Who Um I think maybe. I've heard of them I'm trying to think. of something else I've heard of um you. know I uh my mom used to make us clean. the house right. and we she would put Brian Adams on.

repeat we got on like one of those CD. like you know where they mail you seven. CDs for 40 cents and then you get sued. over the years that was the first album. was Cuts Like a Knife right yeah yeah. Cuts I met him when he was 17 you met. him when he was 17 and that album had. just come out he was 17 when that came. out I was 17 was 18 he was a year or two. older than me he was that young when he. became a star oh yeah yeah and he was. good cuz from there he just got bigger. and better it's funny cuz my my friends.

and all laugh at me because every time. somebody comes on whether it's a singer. or an actor or whatever I'll go you know. he's Canadian like there's so many. people that you don't know that are. Canadian that I know I go he's Canadian. you know there's so many greats Jim. Cary um hoe Mandel yeah there there's a. lot of really good Canadians are you the. most famous Wayne do you think no Wayne. Myers from Wayne's World oh yeah Wayne's. World. huh Mike Myers Wayne Newton he's he's.

not Canadian though yeah oh no but just. a Wayne overall oh Bruce Wayne yeah I. didn't think of him yeah I think Batman. might have you Lil Wayne Lil Wayne I met. Lil Wayne recently at a hockey game he. was very nice and did he come up and say. I'm also Wayne like does that happen. when you're a celebrity like that like. hey I'm Wayne too or. no he just it was ver cordial just I. said hey I actually stopped him I said. can I get a picture with you he was like. of course it was at a hockey game it was.

a Vegas nights game oh there you are. right there I was like I grabbed him I. was like gosh I got to get a picture of. him cuz all my kids would always say dad. you know you're in Little Wayne song I'm. like okay and so when I saw him I said. gosh I got to get a picture of him I. kind of fanned it up I kind of like. became a. mom yeah yeah became Princess Diana for. a second Lil Wayne looks a little high. in that picture too I say that I don't.

blame him is there something is there. Canada doesn't rever celebrity it's. different right than in America they do. oh they do they're listen Canadians are. very proud of their country right no oh. yeah no doubt but if yeah there's. something they like the story back like. my Canadian friends love stories like. bizel M tour maner is Canadian and he. loveso like the he there's always like. yeah but this guy you know like they. love the uh well right now. probably Drake's probably are biggest.

Canadian right now would he say he's. probably he's probably the he's the. closest thing right now to to Taylor. Swift I would imagine Drake or. Santa no Drake's pretty big I got to. meet Drake last weekend actually yeah at. a concert no it was um I was hanging out. with this guy David grutman he's like a. okay he's a restaurant tour I was. hanging out with this restaurant tour. guy I was in Miami and Drake had had. some uh was having like a little get.

together in a bar that he rented out a. small bar and he knew it so we went by. and he and I had had messaged each other. what's that what city were you in in uh. Miami Florida okay he and I message each. other he had a concert there last week. bunch of our friends drove down for the. concert from where from Canada no no we. live in Jupiter oh you do Fort. Lauderdale area oh it's pretty over. there yeah yeah see I I got to Florida. once and I just stayed it's nice isn't. it I'm telling you I couldn't get there. as a kid but now I live there people.

were on to it brother but um I got to. yeah I said hey and then we started. talking for a little bit and um it was. really nice I thought I was going to be. nervous cuz sometimes if you meet like I. think celebrities you know sometimes you. can be really nervous you know and I. just I'm glad I wasn't like real nervous. I I I get like that sometimes still is. there somebody that you met that over. the years and you were like cuz you get. surprised sometimes you're chill as. could be you're like oh I'm doing good. yeah know there's people that I've met. over the years and you go oh wow that. guy's really cool or yeah I don't know I.

met President Clinton about a year ago. at the golf course and he was so nice. and yeah he like most people are pretty. nice right yeah yeah and I guess with. golf you get to probably play games with. a lot of neat people huh yeah some of. them are nice guys. um on the golf course some of them get. get competive yeah and sometimes. sometimes they don't you know yeah but. I'm not competitive so people that play. with me know I'm I'm having fun you're. just taking it.

easy um what are some what like your dad. had a pretty strong religious belief did. did that carry over into your family or. what is that kind of like for you oh. yeah yeah we real strong belief you know. um when I was a kid uh I got confirmed. when I was 14 years. old um but we we have a belief of you. treat people the way you want to be. treated that's our big religion in our. house um that there's no reason to be. mean to people that's kind of what we.

live. by um when you look at anything else. like in life that you want to do like. are there things that like you find now. that kind of um or when you look to your. future obviously like spending time with. your family super important do you have. any big goals still no I really don't my. wife says to me you you got to I said. you know I'm going to be 65 soon and my. goal is retirement really you know I've. traveled a lot I've done a lot I'm. loving being on TNT it's a riot great.

people wonderful. organization I'm I'm thrilled doing that. a few times a month and I love it. because I'm still involved with hockey. but I don't have to stress out over. winning or losing so so when I go and. I'm doing the games people go who do you. want to win I'm like it doesn't matter. to me now my heart is obviously with. Emon La St Louis and Rangers so if. they're and I'm kind of pulling for them. but other than that I'm like whoever the. best team is hope they have a great game. oh. yeah um yeah you score kind of all your.

goals I guess on the ice maybe huh there. you go um thank you so much Wayne for. your time and just for uh yeah I don't. know just being a fascinating person to. talk to and get to spend time around. it's inspiring just to hear like um that. being a human is uh just as important to. you as being a a great athlete I never. looked at myself as somebody different. we're all the same right just be nice to. people and listen I love doing your show. it's fun yeah thank you so much for your. time. brother and I feel I'm falling like.

these leaves I must be. Cornerstone oh but when I reach that. ground I'll share this piece of mind I. found I can feel it in my. bones it's going. to.