Pitchers and catchers…

Welcome everyone to WFHRs, playmakers, proudly brought to you by our friends from quality

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We say good afternoon to fill in the gang and do the best listeners and radio out there.

Want to thank our pitch hitter today Seth Havigar for being here.

Seth, good to see you.

Good to see you.

Hello everyone.

We want to let you know that the phone lines are wide open, 424, 2600, 715, 424, 2600.

Call up and join the conversation.

If you're listening on the Civic Media app, you are just a touch or two away from joining

us.

We look forward to talking with you.

We're going to talk River Kings.

We're going to talk a little rafters.

We will talk, of course, a baseball because we've got just a day or two free training.

Opening, reporting, going out for baseball.

I want to get into some of that with you, Seth.

I want to talk a little bit of the NFL Hall of Fame and the announcements of that.

But of course, we have to start with the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl.

That was, now we had some breaking news go on that we double checked and triple checked

this news.

It turns out Kansas City won.

They did.

They won the Super Bowl, everybody.

What a shocker.

And just this just in, Andy Reed is not upset about Travis Kelsey bumping him and you

don't get to be more upset than the guy that was actually bumped.

Just drop it.

Just drop it.

We'll let it go.

He did the moment thing, obviously.

I mean, it's like, come on, it's Andy Reed.

We know how good he is.

He's just a laid back guy.

And he looked more surprised than anything else.

I mean, what?

What?

He looks as surprised as I think that if somebody waking up who had been in the, you know,

stuck in the ice for like, say, 10, 15 years or whatever, not even.

And you wake up and you find out that Andy Reed is one of the most gained, like, one

three Super Bowls and one of the most respected coaches, like, because he was the guy that

couldn't win the game.

Yep.

And now he's not.

And that's, that's one of the beautiful arcs of sports to me, it is seeing those kind

of things and seeing what can happen.

One of the main focuses I want to make is that's got a great take.

I want to get to right away.

But one thing I want to get to real early, when we're talking dynasties or greatest of

all time, there's a lot of talk with that with the chiefs and are they a dynasty?

Yes, three is a dynasty is patch my homes on the, on the cusp or going to be the greatest

of all time.

Whether he is or he isn't, he's my pick.

And Montana's always been my guy.

Montana's always been the greatest I've ever seen.

I'm getting my homes is getting there one because he tied him.

He can't beat Montana to me because Montana is undefeated in Super Bowls.

Right.

At the same time as youngest he is, he might.

But the thing to me is with the, the patriots in that dynasty, that felt like a bunch of

people that were willingly brainwashed.

With this, it's so much more, if I'm, if I've got a young kid and I'm asking, I'm telling

them the team to look up to, the team to emulate or whatever.

New England's got more Super Bowls and it's also a heck of a lot less fun and, and guys couldn't

wait to get out of there.

Everybody wants to play for Andy Reed.

Yeah, everybody.

And Andy Reed, his whole coaching career has done one major thing that I've never seen

any other coach do as good as he has.

I've got my playbook.

I'm Andy Reed.

I like to chuck the ball down the field.

I like to have some fun out there and I want to have a fast offense.

What is my skill set?

What do I got to work with?

Donovan McNabb.

I got him a young quarterback coming out of Syracuse.

I'm going to work with his skill set.

Yeah.

I got Michael Vick.

I'm going to work with his skill set.

I got Alex Smith.

I'm going to work with his skill set.

We completely forget if it was for Andy Reed in many ways and to credit to Alex Smith.

Yeah.

Alex Smith, we looked at as a, a, a, a flop.

A bust.

Yeah.

A bust.

Yeah.

My home comes into the league and I'm going to work my playbook to his skill set instead

of what we've seen in 70 years of coaching.

It's my way or the hardware.

I'm the, I coached this way.

You know what?

By that kid didn't work out because he's a flop or maybe it's because you didn't at work

your playbook to work to his.

I think that that's noteworthy and that's to me the best thing about this championship

and the best thing about Andy Reed.

You had an interesting take before we get to the, and we'll, we'll get to the phone calls

here in a second.

Yeah.

Well, I, I was watching the game yesterday and I am like, this, this game should have

been a blowout for the 49ers.

Yeah.

It should have been a blowout and, and it was with, if you don't have Patrick Mahomes,

the chiefs do not win this game.

Yeah.

They do not win this game.

I think part of it is the mystique he now has and, and I honestly believe when you get

it laid in the game, the other team is thinking, how do we not lose?

Yeah.

I think they're on their heels because it's like, it's Patrick Mahomes, man.

We know what he does.

And, and then he does it.

It's almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Yeah.

As soon as it went into overtime and they kicked the field goal, then I was like, I think

the chiefs are going to win and just because they just need to go back down the field

and score a touchdown, which is exactly what they did.

And I give all the credits to the 49ers defense.

They did the, the offensive line of the 49ers, they were running over the chiefs defense

of line.

And the thing that bugs me the most though is what Kyle Shanahan said before the game.

He said, I'm going to run the ball 30 times.

He didn't.

No, no.

He has the best running back in the NFL as both a pass catcher and as a runner, as a

russure.

He's arguably the best offensive line in football.

Yeah.

Exactly.

The opening of the second half, first six plays, all passes.

They had the lead.

Yeah.

Yeah.

They need to keep Patrick Mahomes off the field and they didn't do it.

Yeah.

And then the overtime choosing to accept the ball, I don't give Patrick Mahomes the last

chance.

No.

That's another great point.

Unless you know you're going to get a touchdown on that first drive, you can't settle

for three.

I don't care if it's third and third.

You got to keep going for the touchdown because you can't give him just three points to

work with and a touchdown can win it.

Right.

They were.

I think Shanahan should have realized something from the Atlanta New England Super Bowl that

he was offensive coordinator for or the last time that Kansas City did this to them when

they had a lead.

Exactly.

Don't have a lead.

Don't have a lead.

That's all you got to do.

Just let them ahead.

You know, just keep it close like like you're following them, like you're tailing them and

not in a spy movie or something, you know, you want to keep it close, but don't let them

have the lead.

Okay.

That's a bad take.

I was going to say, but still it should have been there though San Francisco should have

had should have built up a big lead and then and just kept running the ball and just not

let Patrick Mahomes on the field.

Ironic to see what happened to Detroit happened to San Francisco in some way.

Exactly.

Let's take some calls.

Good afternoon.

You're on the air.

Oh, wait, break your news.

Oh, my goodness.

Taylor Schurz to it.

Just that TV again.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Did you see the numbers for that?

She was barely on TV.

Yes.

She was.

She was.

Melissa sent me over.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I thought that was funny considering how much everybody just couldn't couldn't lose their

minds every time this person.

I thought I was like it used to be if you were sick of her you were you were shunned.

Now it's become niche now now it's become niche to be sick of her I don't understand how

this happens.

I don't understand society or culture but I mean either I also don't understand how on paper

San Francisco lost that game.

I'm with you.

I don't.

How did you feel about it, man?

Well, I mean, I think, you know, like with Seth's point, you know, I do agree a lot

times more with Seth than I do you James.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You were my father.

It's they left points on the field.

Okay.

Well, the football they're in the first quarter when they're hoping to drive.

I mean, I mean, how often is Christian McCaffrey fumble the football?

Very rare.

I mean, they lost, they gave away seven points there because they were on the verge of

scoring a touchdown.

Yeah.

Um, then they turn around, you know, like Seth said, they just threw the ball to start

a second half.

It's like, really?

You know, you're letting them back in the ball game.

I mean, I know they, the defense stopped and they kicked that field goal and they're,

you know, 10-6 at that point.

The play calling is just, you know, bad, you know, and Green Bay gave everybody the blueprint

and how to play Patrick Mahomes.

Yeah.

I mean, when they beat him, I mean, how do you not put a spy on Patrick Mahomes?

At all.

I mean, you got great linebackers on that.

I mean, you almost can call, it's my, my opinion is you almost can call San Francisco line,

you know, and set it like how you got a Penn State called linebacker you.

Yeah.

I mean, you have it right there in San Francisco too.

They have some great linebackers.

Why wouldn't you have a spy on him and I know Bolsa trying to do his best by keeping

him inside the box.

Mm-hmm.

And he made some great plays.

Bolsa was just a maniac on the field.

That defense is one of the most stellar defenses any of us have seen.

Fred Warner, their linebacker, and I'm not trying to give a take here.

I'm not trying to be controversial.

Fred Warner is a predator.

That's not a human being.

Boy, yeah.

That's a predator.

Has anybody seen him in the office season?

In the office season, he's literally hunting human beings.

He is a predator.

He is not from this world.

That man is amazing.

That is one of the most impressive football players I've ever seen in my life.

That guy alone should be watching Patrick or Holmes 24-7.

I couldn't agree with you more, man.

And they've got a good defense.

They've got a good defensive coordinator.

I think that's why Cess Point is so strong to me.

And one thing that I wanted to add on to that, along with the guys that play hard, the

teams that are known for rough neck football, the Detroit Lions, San Francisco, even Philly

to a degree.

It's great in the regular season.

And it's really good.

It's football that most of us traditionalists and all that love and everything.

But it's a different game now.

When the bears and teams like that used to play that way, it was a 16-week season.

And the playoffs were two rounds.

It was so different.

Right.

A very, very different game.

You've got to the Super Bowl.

Debo Samuel was a shell of himself.

He was taken out of the game like three times.

That's one of the best players in the NFL.

And most of the time, he gets that slant and he's taken at least 20 yards.

He looked like he could barely get out the cut.

There was a couple of things like that in this game that, look, nobody, I'm not playing

a violin or making excuses by any means for them because Kansas City played just as many

games and plays a pretty hard style of football too, but not as hard.

I don't know if the future of the NFL, you can play that way anymore.

I don't know if you can keep doing that to the human to these guys unless you have

depth beyond belief.

Exactly.

Yeah, unless you have someone who can at least step in, maybe not be as good, but at least

fill it in competently.

That green law situation was one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever seen in football.

Yeah.

I don't even, I mean, I like the kid, but it's not like I'm a San Francisco guy right now.

Heck, I was rooting for Kansas City, but I, that was heartbreaking to see that.

I felt bad for that guy.

Like, all he was doing was what we've seen every single player do.

Our whole lives going back to, like, onto the field.

Yep.

I'm guessing we need to get out there and everything.

Well, guess what?

That wasn't turf.

That was a great deal.

Yeah.

That's, you know, come on.

You know, so it's going to happen no matter what.

Someone's a killer.

I mean, these guys as much legwork as these guys do and how strong these guys legs are.

You're going to have hamstring issues because their legs are going to be so tight and you're

going to have a killing heels to issues.

But it's more likely to happen on turf.

It's more likely to happen on turf, though.

They have to change that.

That rule has to change.

The owners are going to show you this or in the winter meetings coming up.

How much they care more about money or the game.

They're going to show you and I think we all know the answer already, but they're going

to show you.

They're going to make it evident now.

No more hiding behind words.

They're going to show you with their dollars.

They're going to show you with their vote.

If they don't agree that every NFL stadium should have the same grass and the right grass

and all that and spend the money on it and everything like they don't want to do.

Like Mr. Woody Johnson doesn't want to do.

Mr. Johnson and Johnson, everybody should feel sorry for him and have to spend money and

everything.

They don't want to do that.

They don't care about these players.

They don't truly care about safety and they don't care about you fans.

And that's every owner that includes Green Bay.

That includes Detroit, Chicago, Minnesota, all of our teams.

Yeah, well, then you got to, yeah, but if you take it to the NFL, then you're going to

take it to the universities and then you've got to take it to the schools.

Then they got to do it.

Then they got to do it.

Then they got to do it.

They're doing it in soccer right now.

They're doing it.

They realize they've got young ladies that are dealing with cancer right now because

of the asbestos fields they were playing on and everything.

Like they're doing it in soccer.

They could do it in the NFL.

And soccer certainly doesn't have the money that the NFL does.

No, they can do it.

And the NFL, if they wanted to make right here, if they wanted to do like a good public service

which I don't know that they necessarily ever care about because they don't have to.

But if they really wanted to, they could do a baseball and hockey is done.

Hey, small town that doesn't have a, of a rink, it doesn't have a field.

We'll do that.

We'll do it.

That's the, you can't, you can't pay for that kind of PR.

Like, hey, yeah, NFL, you really want women to watch your sport.

Forget about the bedazzled jersey.

Okay, they don't care about that.

They don't care about the pink bedazzled jersey.

They want their, their children to be able to play the game safely.

You want young men to play the game.

You want kids to play popcorn or football.

Have a safer game and on the field.

Like, there's only so much you can do.

I'm not, I'm not expecting, it's a gladiator sport.

Right.

You're never going to make it completely safe.

But there's certain stuff you can do in having a playing field.

Like, having them not play on concrete.

That seems like a, I don't know.

I don't know.

Of all the takes I may ever have in my life.

I feel like that's the safest one I could have.

Well, I mean, I understand.

I mean, I guess we're going to, you know, agree to disagree on that one a little bit.

But, you know, do I, do they, I don't know, I guess I, I, I mixed on the whole thing.

I mean, you can get injured, my, at any level or any field, you're going to get injured.

You're going to get injured.

You, you made that choice.

I mean, we just like me, you know, when I play football and I used to go, I mean,

it's part of the time I got, I mean, I made the choice to play football.

I mean, I got to get more injured playing the sandlot football than I did playing

baseball football.

Well, I agree with that.

I don't necessarily mean any of this like people should feel sorry.

I mean, everybody's doing this willingly, you know, it's, it's a very, but it's a very

similar thing.

It is not the same thing, but it's very similar to some jobs in life where we ask people

to take a certain job and to do certain things and they chose that job.

They chose to do it.

We can still have empathy for it.

You could do two things at once.

You can chew gumbo walk at the same time.

I think you can still, you know, want these, especially how much entertainment we get out

of this, we don't have necessarily some responsibility in this, but I think empathetically we do in

the sense of like what I just said about the green law situation and things like that.

You don't have to go send them a thing, you know, get well soon card or anything, but

I think in your own mind and your own heart, you can have some empathy for the man in

the situation.

Well, and then at the same time, you have to include the owners in that too because they

are the one, I mean, they can, if they can walk away and sell the team, they, I mean,

they're there as part of this too.

And this is good for them.

Keep your, keep your best players on the field.

You know, do the best you can to get them on the field so people will come and watch

them.

You know, I mean, I get that and, you know, I do, I mean, I do feel bad for green law.

I mean, that just, that just, because now it almost to the point is he got hurt now, is

he going to be able to play next season?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, you feel bad for the guy, but, you know, like you said, you put him, you put themselves

in that position, but to bring it back to the game, I mean, but the death fact to game

at all with him being out.

Oh, yeah.

It's hard.

Yeah.

Uh, the overtime rules situation, uh, I'm curious between you two, between our listeners

out there, 424, 2600, please feel free to call, join the conversation.

Did you guys know the rules of overtime?

Because I, I, I knew him only because I remember what being a big story the last time this

came up in the Super Bowl and, and I felt like it was such a well-covered story because

it was the NFL and it was a big deal and all that.

I just remember that the, the story and I haven't really thought about it probably since.

But I, I vaguely remember and, and I'll admit that I, I care way more than I probably

should about sports and pay more attention than I probably shouldn't all that, but I only

have so much bandwidth and, and I really hadn't thought much about it.

The fact that there were NFL players and coaches that were not 100% sure.

That's a little, uh, uh, concerning.

Yeah.

I feel like that's not just, it's, it's kind of easy to say that's a failure on coaching.

It is, but it's also a failure on being an adult.

Make know your job.

You've got, you've got, you've got a certain list of things to know and I granted, I am

not making light of what it is to be an NFL player.

Oh, no.

If you're a third string offensive lineman and this stuff that you've got to know, you've

got to know lots of stuff.

But you get paid a lot of money to play a kids game.

Come on, man.

I mean, you got to know these things.

I have no sympathy for that.

I have no empathy for that at all.

As a fan, sure, if you didn't know, that's fine.

I don't expect everybody to know that at all.

The person that people in the room I was with didn't know necessarily.

But is a player, you, that's a bad look.

If I, if that happened to me, I ain't telling nobody that's between me and God.

That's it.

You know, but the thing is, so when it comes to these overtime rules and NFL, I'm sorry.

If I take the ball first and overtime and I score, it's over.

What happened to Hunky?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

If you score on top of that top after the whole team has a chance to win, but it's over.

I mean, I just, this, to give the offent, the opposite team, they have a chance to,

I mean, if I score a touchdown, it's over, but if I take a field goal, it's not over.

I just scored points.

They didn't stop me.

I like the old time rules, you know, yeah, I'm with you.

I like the old time rules, but as it is and how it is now, I will admit it was awfully

exciting.

I will admit, too, what I wanted to have happened that last couple of drives actually all

happened.

I wanted San Francisco to only score three.

They did.

Then I wanted to say, can you see the only score three to tie it to go to overtime and then

I want to cancel you to win.

Exactly.

What happened?

It's a fan.

Selfishly, I got everything I wanted.

I enjoyed that.

I thought it was exciting and fun, but I'm with you, man.

I think it would have been just as exciting, had whoever got the, the only thing I don't

like though is the whole season coming down to a coin toss.

That's why I like the new rules better.

I like the way they do it now.

That's what bothered me the most was it has to come down to a coin flip and that really

that bugs me.

That really bugs me.

Because I also see the side of it where if you don't want them to score, stop.

Right.

I get that too, you know, but if you want it to be that way that we got to go back to

the old rules of football, because the way that the rules have been skewed for offenses

is insane.

Yeah.

It's insane.

What you, Andy Reed got closer, what he did to Chris Jones is more than Chris Jones

did to a black party in that game.

If you saw Andy Reed fall on Chris Jones, is they are celebrating?

Like he, he was all over him and that was more physical than you saw any defense of

line.

And due to a quarterback in that game.

Yeah.

Well, if they don't come down to a coin flip, let's start out as a rugby style.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The XFL.

Whoever gets the ball at that point, then you got the ball and say, you know, we're

about to coin flip.

Yeah.

I just think that, you know, if it comes down to a coin flip and might, you know, I don't

know.

I mean, if you flip into Packers and Mary and all of a sudden, you know, they didn't

win the flip.

And the Kansas City went down and scored to one of that, that was on the defense for

not stopping them.

I mean, I don't know.

I just, I don't know.

Well, and then, but then Kansas City's defense did stop them.

And then they were able to score the touchdown.

So that's still hell.

I mean, yeah.

Yeah.

And I think that only proves your points, sir.

I think what Kansas City was able to do now, they did get in the field goal.

Would have won the Super Bowl.

San Francisco would have won the Super Bowl and then feel goal if that's if it was the

old rules.

To I think everybody's point overall, I think everybody's nobody's wrong here.

I think everybody kind of wants the same thing to see a great offense and the great defense

match up and when two unmovable forces collide, what happens?

Yep.

And not in all on the line, everything right here, you know, no clock.

Just one dry one, you know, one two drives.

That's it.

And we decide everything.

It's kind of exciting.

That's kind of fun too.

I don't know that you have a wrong answer here because I think that they're it could

work either way.

Yeah.

You know, it is what it is.

They ain't changing it because of us.

That's for sure.

No, they're not.

I always appreciate the time, sir.

One thing when I'm going to get back to your point about the dynasty thing though, I don't

know it in today's football or today's sports world.

Can you really have a dynasty now because what's going to happen after this year?

I mean, San Francisco and Kansas City both have salary issues.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

And also can you can you build a dynasty?

I think the term and I think the term has changed.

I think what we were kids, what a dynasty was was for, you know, being completely down

for straight.

It wasn't this, you know, best three out of five year kind of thing or nothing.

And to your point, and I agree with you, that's kind of where it is.

Is it is now where we've lowered our standards on what a dynasty is?

I think I don't think it's the traditional, what a dynasty was when we were young or even

when our parents were kids and the Steelers and the page of Dallas and that kind of thing.

If you look at the 70s and who were dominating the teams, then yeah, exactly.

Yeah.

Pittsburgh and Dallas.

With salary caps and injuries and egos and all these different things in sports.

Nowadays, I don't know if you'll ever see anything like that again.

And that's into to that.

I think it's all the more impressive what Kansas City has done and what San Francisco has

done.

I know that I don't know history or members of these things differently.

I look back at those Buffalo Bills teams and the last word that comes into my mind is

loser.

Oh no.

The last thing I think of Jim Kelly or Thurmond Thomas or Audrey Reed or any of those

guys is losers.

They did something no other team has ever done.

They got to four straight super bowls.

No one has ever done that since or before then.

It's still, you're still AFC champs.

Yes.

It's still impressive.

Absolutely.

It isn't everything.

It's not as impressive as those nine or Dallas teams are still impressive.

I think what San Francisco has done in the last four or five years is impressive.

I agree.

Especially with, I don't, just don't, not everybody has to be a genius.

You just don't have to quit calling him a genius.

Yeah, he's kind of things around.

Let him win something and then maybe you can go ahead and do it.

There you go.

Oh, thanks for the time, sir.

All right, guys.

You have a great day.

You too.

You too have a good week.

I think we have exhausted the Super Bowl now.

I think so.

I think we got through everything there.

We did a good one.

So next year.

Well, it's our, we have to.

As a sports show, we have to talk about the Super Bowl.

We come back.

Well, so let's make our first predictions.

Let's see.

Before who's going to be the Super Bowl next year, I'm going to go way out in a limb

here.

I'm going to say it's going to be the Lions versus the Chargers.

Oh, nice.

I like that.

Oh, I like that.

That's a good one.

Ooh, that's good.

I'm going to go.

Jim Harbott is that good.

Yeah.

I'm going to go with the Lions and Jacksonville.

Oh, it's just because of no reason whatsoever, because predictions are that ridiculous.

Yes, yes.

And because we're seeing them already, including in Vegas, that already had the odds of

San Francisco going and winning the Super Bowl next year.

That's great.

Does that make you feel better if you're a 49er fan or player?

You're probably not.

You're on the long playing home and you're feeling horrible.

One of the worst games of your life, or something like that.

You're looking at the odds for next year, like a little silver lining.

We will take a time out.

We'll come back with the fourth period.

We've got coach and GM of your Wisconsin Rapids, River Kings, Paul Peckman joining us

coming up on Playmakers right here at WFHR.

Welcome back everyone to Playmakers, the show inside the show, the fourth period.

Welcome to the show where we have Seth with us, of course, and we want to welcome to our

WFHR Rink.

We have coach and GM of your Wisconsin Rapids, River Kings, Paul Peckman, coach.

Good to see you.

Thanks for being here.

It's more like a locker in here right now with a ring.

It does kind of have a locker room feel as it is hot in here.

All right.

Coming in.

Yeah.

We got excited about these studios when we first saw them.

And there was a couple of things we did not see.

This was one of them.

The afternoon.

Yeah.

No way you can play hockey in here.

No way.

We are excited about talking hockey with your coach, especially after the weekend we had.

Nice games for the team.

Looking at the, let's start right there with the scores.

Taking out on the outlaws this weekend.

Two back-to-back nice games.

And almost, I had to double check because it's a 5-1 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday.

The double check that I was seeing that right.

That was just a repeat page there.

Those are great.

If you guys don't mind, I just want to spend a second.

To talk about the Fresno Monsters and Long Beach Shredders.

Did you see the score of this game?

No, I didn't see that.

Friday night 24-1.

What?

Oh, oh.

I have not seen many scores in hockey like that before.

That's a rule, man.

That's a tough one.

I just shut up to the Shredders.

It is a tough season.

It is tough playing this game.

A good on them for finishing that game.

Playing as well as they did in those circumstances.

Because that's a tough game.

Man, with the other week when the River King scored nine.

Yeah.

Oh, that's a lot of goals.

That's, oh, my God.

That's a tough one.

Coming into this weekend coach, a lot of momentum for the team.

And I would think feeling pretty good coming off

of the last couple of games, win or lose.

How was it in the locker room for you?

What was the vibe of the players for you going into Friday's game?

Going into Friday's game?

Yeah.

It's just we understand where we're at and we control our own destiny.

I mean, if we continue to win, we win at the vision.

So with the games that we have in line with us, we listen,

it's a game by game.

Take focus on what's ahead of you right now and take care of business.

And I think we did that pretty well.

So Hudson lost on Friday.

So that certainly helps in the standings

and what you're talking about.

So that if I more and more of that second play spot, that's great.

The, well, we do have a chance at that number one seed.

As I saw the guys the other day, to me, one of the things

that I enjoy is the excitement and the pure joy

that this team has and that you and your coach,

your staff even have, it's infectious.

But what I saw about these kids last Friday was just a focus.

Like they're locked in.

Is that even in practice?

Are you seeing that where they're just locked in like that?

Sometimes.

Yeah.

Sometimes, you know, it's a grind, yeah.

It's a grind, right?

Oh, yeah.

It's a grind.

So this is the January, February coming back from the breaks.

Sometimes you lose the momentum that you build.

So getting them back, you know, listen, you know,

this is where we're at.

This is where we need to go.

We can't afford certain things.

And so that's the hard part is, you know, again,

they're teenagers, right?

So keeping them focused and making understand

what the goal is here, right?

Always referring back to the beginning of the year.

What do we say, you know, what are our goals?

What do we want to be?

Well, can't lose sight of that.

Got to stay focused.

Got to keep working hard.

So we try to do that and some guys get it more than others.

So we're trying to pull everybody in the same direction here.

And I think we're doing a pretty good job.

Motivation, so he's been confusing to me.

And putting motivation on another person

is interesting to me.

If I'm a player and I never played it at a high level

by any means and I'm not Al Bundy, I don't think that I did.

But I watched a lot of it.

I saw a lot of it from a third point of view.

And one thing that I always saw,

I never saw, like in my dad or any of the guys he played with,

that they needed to be motivated.

Like they were motivated.

They wanted to play this game.

They were driven, they were there.

It's motivation is one thing,

but it's to be focused on things.

It's difficult for anybody,

especially a young mind and everything.

They may have the energy.

They may be, you know, as far as wanting it and everything,

that's there.

But to get them to lock it and that's got to be difficult,

it is.

And that's why, you know,

we have our player one-on-one meetings every week, right?

We talk about certain things

and we're watching the prior weekend, right?

Or these games this weekend.

So, and it's just reminding and talking about certain things

and making sure we're doing the things that we need to do,

which is the core is the D's own structure

and all that stuff and protecting our house

and make sure nobody gets that in that, right?

And so everything stems from there.

So as long as we stay focused on that,

we have enough guys that are creative offensively.

Let's just make sure we keep the puck away from our net

and everything comes from there, right?

So it's just reminding guys now.

It's not harping, it's not, you know,

you're not yelling, screaming as much, right?

So now it's about either you get it or you don't.

We just sign two guys coming in.

So we have a guy from the NCDC

that'll be joining us in Chicago this week.

Yeah.

And then we just, a Minnesota high school kid.

And then we have, you know, we have five injuries right now

that top five guys.

So that's just tough to fill at the time of year, right?

One of the talks to you about that,

both not only the injury, but the players coming in.

The injury, how that affects the team, the staff

and how he's doing and certainly how these new players

are gonna go because we know so much

of hockey is chemistry.

So much of hockey is trust and trust the guy next to you

and all that.

Well, yeah, I mean, you know, the guys that we're bringing in

or one of them is from the NCDC a higher level, right?

Who happens to be a good friend of all comps.

So they've been playing together since they were eight years old.

So obviously, he's gonna slide right into that spot.

And we're gonna move certain guys around to, you know,

give us more depth and still have chemistry on each line

and continue to be strong.

This Minnesota kid is a very, very good occupier.

So he'll fit in nicely and that deadline here

is about an hour or two.

So we'll see if we got one more guy.

But you know, Bagno got a back in cushion

so he's back in Chicago, senior neurologist

and I'm hoping that everything's okay with him.

Yeah.

Atkins has a broken hand right now.

So I have no idea how long he's gonna be out.

David Chemi, who was out leading score most of the season,

has just been released because his visa expires.

Oh wow.

So he's gotta go back and, you know, we lost Varga

and we lost Hill and, I mean, these are all top scorers.

Yeah, so now it's crunch time.

And with what we have on the line, you got to fill the spots

and so hopefully, and I think with the guys that we have,

you know, when guys get hurt, get sick, do stupid stuff, right?

Was that to create a opportunity for other guys

that have been busting their butts all year long?

Here's your opportunities.

Some guys like Katie Schweitzer and a Dan Upton

and Hogan-Meyn-Niche, all these guys

are stepping up to the plate here and playing good minutes

and start, you can start seeing the progression here,

which is, that's the development.

And we've had times, we've had conversations in December

and November and January about it, you know, coach,

you know, what do you see me, or this or that?

And it's like, just keep working.

Don't give up, just keep working.

You know, when your number's called, you got to be ready, right?

And some of these kids are responding.

And everybody on their team notices it

and that's encouraging, right?

And you can see the difference, not just me, but them, right?

And then you get games like that,

where in the mallets, where you win night, too, right?

Well, those guys, and Luke Grooters and other kids

coming along nicely, those four guys had,

had each of them had three, four points, right?

So you start to get, now you get everybody

going in the same direction here, right?

And it's exciting.

And that's what helps in practice, right?

Well, you got everybody chipping in.

Well, now they get all of a sudden,

they get a little jump in the step

and it makes it a little more competitive,

a little more energy and a little more fun.

That confidence, we're gonna need that.

We're gonna need that going forward,

not only in the playoffs, but this coming week here.

We got these games going to Chicago, as you mentioned there.

What are you, we hear actually your first question

before that coach, because if I'm looking at the schedule

right here, we got four games left in a regular season.

We got these two games you're gonna be taking on

against the Chicago Crush on the 14th and the 15th,

this week, and then on the 23rd, 24th,

we get to take on Hudson, and we're going to their rank

to take them on in their home.

Hudson, for those that don't know, if you should,

you shouldn't know.

Hudson's ahead of us in the rankings.

This is a great opportunity for us to possibly take

that number one spot, if things play out the way

we'd like him to and everything.

That's a lot on the line, and it plays out perfectly,

whether you're a Hudson or a River King fan,

you've got to be excited about that.

How do you keep them focused on Chicago and the Crush,

and not looking ahead at Hudson?

I'm always curious about that in sports and coaching.

We talk about the, oh, they were caught looking ahead

or something like that.

If there's any truth to that or not?

Well, yeah, I mean, you talk about a lot.

Listen, let's take care of business

and what's ahead of us, right?

Because that weekend doesn't mean anything

if we screw up this weekend, right?

So you've got to take care of business,

and, you know, playing in middle of the week,

I'm not a big fan of, right?

So it's not a lot of time.

Short break, too, yeah, so it's not a lot of time.

But on the flip side of that,

it gives us more time to prepare for Hudson.

So, you know, it depends, right?

So the Crush is a team that has beaten us

already once in overtime.

Yeah.

So if we're not careful, you know, we'll get bit here

and it'll affect us against Hudson.

So we've got to take care of business,

and I think with the guys coming in

that I mentioned, you know, good win

is the kid that will pick up in Chicago.

So he'll help fill that spool spot for bags,

and I think we'll be okay.

Yeah.

Any other news or anything else that you want to make sure

that the audience and the fan base here's going

into these next couple of games.

Again, the River King's taking the ice

in just a couple of days here in Valentine's,

take on the Chicago Crush in Sweet Home Chicago.

Yeah.

Did I say that?

Did I show my bio?

Did you say that?

We're in a Black Hawk jersey.

Come on.

And I'm wearing it in part because the Black Hawk's

got the next winter classic.

But also because you guys are going to Chicago

and I'm trying to support the Kigs here,

but I am such a dig over.

I'm so sorry.

And I apologize.

Yeah, what is anything on your top of your mind coach

or anything you want to the touch on,

waiting to get a chance to?

Well, no, you know, I mean, when we go down to Chicago,

it will mention this.

We're going to stay next your night.

We're going to play outdoors, Thursday night.

So we're going to do that blue-white in the squad here.

We're going to play outdoors Thursday night and have

some fun with the boys in Georgia City and enjoy that.

And then we'll have a long weekend off.

And we'll get back at it for Hudson.

But the locker room situation is the thing

that we're working on.

And we're getting close to, came up with another option.

So we're talking to a few people here.

It's still in the ring, but just different locations,

stuff like that.

Yeah, we talked about that off air.

So I don't want to put you on a spot with it.

But thank you for bringing that up.

And it is encouraging to hear.

Because we want our Kings to not only stay here,

but to thrive here.

And we want to give you and your team

as many recruiting opportunities and advantages as we can.

And that's some of the stuff that we can do with this.

The River Kings have a fundraiser going on right now.

They have had our backs so many times.

Let's show that we have theirs and help them build hockey up

and down the river.

Look at more.

Get your tickets at riverkingshockey.com.

Riverkingshockey.com.

And we'll have another fourth period coming up real soon.

Thanks for joining us, Coach.

Have fun this weekend.

Safe travels.

Say hello to Chicago for me.

Enjoy yourselves, OK?

We'll do.

Thank you.

Thank you, Coach.

Seth and I will be right back with more playmakers here

at WFHR, locally grown radio.

Welcome to WFHR's playmakers.

Probably brought to you by Quality Plus

Printing, getting your words out here

and Wisconsin Rapids.

Be sure to be joining us on the morning show on Wednesday.

Phil Hartley will join us with our wicked awesome word

of Wednesday.

We're looking forward to that.

Look at it.

Look at it.

And Phil and the gang over at Quality Plus

have a brand new business going on over there.

We're going to be talking more about that with them

on Wednesday and coming up on our shows here at that.

I think we might have some fun stuff on the way.

That's right.

We're going to have fun listening.

We of course got fun stuff coming up

in spring with your Raptors coming up.

They're so excited for Raptor Baseball.

And for those that are on the Raptor's messaging,

you know, mailing list.

Yeah, mailing list.

I couldn't think of mail.

My God.

It's super bowl, super bowl week.

It's a bed that your brain is gone.

Yeah.

The Raptors are seeking host families for this for the 2024 season.

Just a reminder to everybody out that they have a meet

and greet coming up that we're looking forward to not only

them doing, but them having.

If you are interested, it would like to be a part of things.

Give them a call at 4245400.

That's a that's get you in touch with their front office.

Or go to rafterbaseball.com to find out more.

A couple of our long time callers have done this

and talked so highly of it.

Yeah, it's something a really cool experience.

Really appreciate not only the families that are going to do

this this year, but families that have done it in the past.

I generally appreciate you.

We don't get these players without those hosts.

They need to live somewhere.

Yeah, we greatly appreciate them.

We can talk about whatever you want to talk about out there.

7154242600.

It's your show, everybody.

Right now I do want to shift gears a little bit to baseball.

Yeah, Super Bowl's over done football.

No more out of my brain.

It's kind of what we do, right?