Happy Father Day Dad

Welcome to the Mike Hartman Show. Mike is a performance coach and former Stanley cup champion with the New York Rangers. Topics on this show are focused around stories, mindset, and champions. Mike will also go into details about helping you with your pain points and struggles and finding motivational solutions on how to have the mindset of a champion. Now, here's your host, Mike Hartman.

Welcome to another episode. Today I have another special guest. It's my father. Dad, how are you?

I'm fine, Mike. How's it going?

It's good. I miss you. You're so far away in San Diego, and we're here in Charlotte, North Carolina, and wish I could be there with you more.

I'm in sunny San Diego.

Well, it's not too bad here. I mean, the weather's nice here. I mean, it's not that bad. So. Okay, so let's go into this a little bit here. We're talking about. I like the topic here of giving back. And you've always given back to me in my life. And we're just going to tell a few stories. And is there any story that sticks out in your mind that. That you want to talk about me? Because we keep this wide open. It's not scripted. It's just you and I talking.

Well, all right. This is. This is for Father's Day, so. As a son, I am extremely proud of you. Your accomplishments in hockey are one thing, but so many things that you've done in front of me during your career is just unbelievable.

Okay, well, I appreciate that, but it's. It can't be all good. I'm going to tell a couple stories. The one story that stood out in my mind was in Oak park, and I was trying to get in shape for hockey, and then you told me the best thing to do is work on my conditioning. So one Sunday, I said, dad, do me a favor. Let's. Let's go to the park. Do you remember that we went to the Oak park track? You probably don't remember. It's a long time ago.

No.

Well, I'll refresh your memory. So we go to the park and you drop me off, and, man, I think I ran. You told me to run about 12 times around the track. That would be three miles. So I started running, and you were reading the paper in the car. I got to the car and you asked me, did I run three miles? I said, yeah, and you said, no, you didn't. I said, yes, I did. And you said, no, you didn't. I counted. And if you don't want to Be a hockey player, that's fine. I'm not going to force you. But if you really want to make it, you can't take shortcuts in life. And that's the one thing you taught me, dad, is to never take shortcuts.

So you're saying they only taught you one thing?

No, you taught me a lot of things. But that's one of the things you're not used to. You being so silent, you're quiet. I don't know if you're thinking about your aunt answers or not, but I remember. No, just one of those things that, that meant a lot. I learned from you. You were maybe more from the old school. You were tough. You know, we grew up in Oak park and, you know, I knew that you were never going to make it easy on me, even in school. I remember said, if you bring home a C, we're going to have a long discussion. If you bring home a D, I don't recommend you coming home. Do you remember that? No, you don't remember that?

You know what I remember? I remember when you brought home the Stanley cup and we had a little. It was put on the bulletin board outside of the pizza place that you're going to be there with a cup. Well, the crowd was a hundred times more than we expected. So only a small portion of the crowd got in to see the Cup. That wasn't good enough for you. When everybody was done inside, you went outside, walked around the whole building and it took a long time. And you made sure that everybody that showed up got to see and touch the Stanley Cup. That's the kind of person you are. You know, because of the photography that I did, I used to see the games, the broadcast like 15 minutes to half an hour before they actually started. And every single time when you went off the ice, you picked up a puck and threw it to a kid in the stands. That. That's. I'm more proud of that, that I am of your accomplishments. Now, let's not knock the accomplishments. I mean, you had a great career and you won the Stanley Cup. You can't get any better than that. But.

Yeah, but people want to hear some good stories, so. Well, the one story, the. The story with Buddy's Pizza was, I don't know if you knew this, but they put a little thing in the det news. And I said, anybody can come see the Stanley cup and touch it. And that was the years before the Red Wings actually won the cup in their later years. So we had a huge crowd. And I just told Buddies, as long as you give us free pizza. You know, we love to have the Stanley cup here. And what a great night that was, that celebrating that with everybody. That was. That really meant a lot. For sure. But.

What do you want me to talk about with you?

If not, we're just gonna have a. This is the whole thing. It's an open conversation here. We're being recorded. Maybe I left that part out, but we're going to talk about some of the times that we try to teach people. Like everything we do on my show here. We talk about stories, mindsets, and champions. And not everything was easy. You were. You were tough. I tell parents that. You were. You were hard on me. You would ask me, you remember what the first thing you asked me after a game when I got in the car, right, when I was playing triple A hockey? What was the first thing you would ask?

No.

Well, I do. You would say, how do you think you played today? And I said, well, I thought I played okay. He goes, really? You were awful today. You had your head down. You didn't go to the net. But back in those days, a little tougher, you know, we had a little bit of tough love, but you taught me never again to take shortcuts. So then you would ask me another time, well, how do you think you played today? Well, not so great. And then you would say, no, no, you did well. You worked hard. You did everything you could do to help your team out, because you.

You based how you did on whether your team won and how many goals you got. And it didn't matter. I was more interested in position, teamwork and things like that. And you came around. You want to hear a story?

Love it. Let's go.

I remember sitting with you in the backyard just after you were drafted by Buffalo. And we practiced interviews so you were ready when the reporters, some of which have no class, would ask you questions that you couldn't even answer. And you. You learned and you did so good. It wasn't you, it was your teammates, it was the defenseman, how they passed it up to you. It was your coaching staff. It was everybody other than Mike Hartman, and you learned that. And I listened to a lot of your interviews, and you were great. You did an awesome job, but not everything is on the ice. You were good with people. Anybody could stop you walking in a street in New York, sitting at a restaurant. Anybody could come up to you, and you would give them all the time they wanted and talk about hockey, talk about what to expect. And you were fabulous. You were Absolutely fabulous. And I'm as proud of that as I am about the Stanley Cup.

Well, thank you. That means a lot and I knew that. But again, it's not so much Patty me on the back there. There's some stories that I, that I remember, and they're good. And this is what you were. You were upfront, direct and honest with me. And one night I just got back from junior hockey in Belleville. It was the worst year of hockey I've ever played in my life. Do you remember that year?

No, Mike, I don't remember much anymore. I really don't. You can't expect me to remember these things.

Well, I'll share the story with you. So I just get back from Belleville. They had me playing defense and forward. And the first couple, you know, months, you know, playing junior hockey, you would run into Jimmy Devilano when you were taking pictures for that for the Red Wings, and he would say, hey, Mike's going to be rated in the first three rounds. And then you ran into him again and he says, man, Mike's not playing well. He's looking more like around the fifth to the eighth round. And then you ran into him one more time and he said, I don't think Mike's going to get drafted this year. He didn't do anything well. And then we could talk about. I mean, Mr. Devilano really helped me, almost like a mentor later on, but. So I asked you, I just got back from Belleville. There were a bunch of former players, college players, junior players, some average shiny hockey players playing in at the Berkeley Ice Rink. And I said, hey, dad, come and see me play. So you show up at the Berkeley ice Rink now that my season just ended. We got knocked out in the first round by the Peterborough Pete's. And I go to the rink and I'm playing hockey. And there you are, probably around nine, nine o' clock at night. And I'm out there for five, six minutes, and I look up and you're gone. You went home. Now, I know you're not going to remember this, so I'm going to share the rest of the story. So I look up and I go, where did you go? And then back then, we didn't have the cell phone. So after I called and I said, dad, are you okay? And no, you just woke me up. What happened? He says, what happened? I just came back from Joe Louis Arena a couple days ago and I watched Steve Yzerman ride the bike after practice. I watched Claude Lysell go right to the weight room. And train and Lane Lambert do extra work on the ice. And Mike Hartman, who was not even drafted yet, thinks he's a big shot, flipping pucks off a stick and shooting pucks in the top corner and having, you know, like a good old night. And I said, but, dad, I'm having fun. He goes, you want to have fun? Hockey is fun. If you want to have fun and play that one game in the NHL, do what Steve Iserman, Lane Lambert and Claude Lazell do. They have fun, but they're training every day. And those are the things that you taught me. I don't know if you ever realized that.

Yeah, I just. The whole situation with. Even when you were a kid, going from there all the way up to now, it's been wonderful. I am more proud of you than any father can be, and not just because you played in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup. It's how you talk to people, how you treat people, how nice of a person you are. I'm proud of you, Mike.

Yeah. But I'm going to get into one more story, because he had me working, and you had me working for you in the summer. Even when I came back from Belleville. That was probably one of my last years I worked. And, man, I remember this time you. I just got to your office and you just didn't like my attitude. You said, boy, you have a tough attitude. I said, dad, I just, you know, I'm gonna make it to pro hockey one day. I don't want to work. And that was the last time I ever said that. Well, coincidentally, the next year, I played in North Bay, and following that, I played in the NHL. And you always taught me, try to save every dollar you have, because as fast as you're there, you'll be gone just as quick you're not going to be a big star in the NHL. That's just. It's all. That's the realistic side of it. So save every dime you have. And I remember you told me to get a car, and I went out and got a red Jimmy truck. Do you remember that?

No.

Okay, so I got a red Jimmy truck, one of those Jimmy GMCs in Detroit. Not bad. Like, I think it was about $18,000. And then the next year, I was up the year in Buffalo, played in the playoffs against the Boston Bruins, made a lot of bonus money, and I got bonus for going to the playoffs and had most of my contract was based around the bonus. And I came back and I was going through Detroit, stopped off at Telegraph Road, at Glassman I think that's where I bought the automotive, the dealership there. I get off and I get the car. Look that. And they said, you know, for a $5,000 upgrade, you can get the digital dashboard. The tire won't bounce. It will be underneath and not on the back of the car. Do you want it? I said, oh yeah, five grand, why not? I show up at your office, I haven't even been home, spending the summers in Detroit to train in Detroit. And I get to your office and you look out the window and you say, wait a sec, you have a sticker on your car. Didn't you buy a red car last year? And I said, dad, I just, you know, I upgraded. He goes, what do you mean you upgraded? I said, I upgraded. Upgraded for what? I said, well, I get the digital dashboard. Now the car. You know, when I'm in Buffalo driving in the snow, I'm not going to hear that tire rattling in the back. You pulled me by my ear and you took me outside and you pointed to seven other of your co workers cars that had tape on the bumper. And you said, this lady here has three kids. She makes enough money just to eat and pay her bills. This lady car here, she can't even come into work because she only can get a spare tire. And you went down the list. He said, why don't you go home and really think about what you're doing? And I said, daddy, just come on, I just played my first year in the NHL. And you said, I don't give a rat's ass. You know what? You live modestly. You live to do the right things in life and you don't need something like that. And I'm disappointed. And you know, what happened is you made me think so these are the values that you have really taught me, dad. So you, you brought a lot to me and some of these things that I try to instill in my own children today.

Well, I'm glad it worked out.

Well, we hope it did.

I didn't even know you were listening to me.

Well, I tried not to. I mean, when I didn't have a choice. But just so you know, when I do these podcasts now I do it. It's a lot of it is about giving back, helping people, living through experiences, living through stories. And I thought it was important to have you on with us. You really taught me a lot. I love you. You were tough. People say, oh, boy, your dad was. He was tough. Oh, he was tough. There's no quitting, there was no, no issues. You know you were tough on me, but. But overall, I'm so appreciative for everything you've done. And as the years go back, I look back at some amazing times. The time when I did get drafted and Jimmy Carson's father called you and I didn't even go to the draft, and I ended up when I walk, walking through Alding Brook. Do you remember that?

Yeah, I do. That's one of my favorite memories, when Chuck Carson called me.

And we heard the news because we put so much time and energy in. And there we were walking through the parking lot, say, boy, I just got drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, and if I could play in the minors there and just play one game. And I didn't know where this podcast was going to go. I didn't want it just to be about me. Do you have any stories? Is there anything stupid that I did? Because without using bad language, I have to say, is there anything that I did? I'm sure I did a lot of dumb things. Does anything stand out in your mind? Because people say, okay, great, everything, while this kid looks like he had an easy life, which isn't true. But I just want you to share something that. Is there anything you can remember? Besides washing my mouth out with soap for swearing at the neighbor? But anything that you have in your mind.

Go ahead. You were a kid, I would say you were about 11 or 12, where you were still playing in a house league in Oak park, and the team lost the game. And there's a whole locker room full of kids. They can't wait. They want to go out, get their ice cream and party, but there's two players that are sitting in the corner with tears just flowing out of their eyes because it meant that much to them to lose that game. Do you remember that?

Yeah, but I'm talking about a story, like something that, you know, I remember. We're not going to say the kid's name. I broke a kid's nose in school. We were going to Sweden and you punished me. You told me I was not going to go to Sweden. You made me get up at 6am every morning and work. I got suspended from school in sixth grade for punching a kid in the nose. And we don't use names here, which I regret to this day, which I was embarrassed about now in my life, because sometimes people remember you like that. I had a kid that. Actually. Which is a real funny story, there was a kid named Mike Rubin, and He was born February 6th, and we went to school together in Detroit. And Mike, he Was a nice kid. And, you know, once I moved, we moved to West Bloomfield for one year and moved to Canada. I lost touch with a lot of people, lived my summers in Buffalo for most of the time, and really didn't stay in touch with anybody. So when I got traded to the Rangers, there was a reporter outside the dressing room, and the team PR says, this guy Mike Rubin wants to talk to you outside. So I'm thinking. I'm not even thinking the same Mike Rubin. How many? Mike. There's probably a lot of Reubens in. In New York, and I know one of them. So I go outside, and it's the Mike Rubin I went to school with. He's a re. He's a reporter. I said, mike from Oak Park. He goes, yeah, this is me. He goes, I want to talk to you and talk about some stories. And. And he was writing for this. This. This, like. It was like a magazine in. In New York City. So I said, sure, let's do the interview. Well, he's a nice guy, but he totally twisted stuff. He talked about how I beat up a couple kids in school and broke this kid's nose. And. Anyway, so those are days you don't forget, but that. It's funny how he. He brought back old memories, and he. He. You know, it's funny. That's why we have. I tell people, be careful what you do or what you say because it might haunt you later. Next thing you know, I'm reading about myself in this. In this magazine in New York City about as a kid, how I broke this kid's nose. So I don't. You. I'm sure you remember that story with. With the kid's nose.

Well, how about Chuck Grillo and Kamloops?

Well, we're talking. You know, we don't want to talk. We got too many hockey stories we got to make. You have. There's got to be more than the. The sports. There's got to be something. Come on. Pulling teeth. Here, tell me one. Give me something. Give me a nugget here. Give me. I mean, come. I wasn't. Listen, I got in trouble, you know, a few different times. There has to be. Does anything stick out in your mind of anything stupid that I did as a kid? Because, you know, we just got to be open on these podcasts. I try to keep it authentic and as real as possible. So we got to leave something. Leave me with something. Come on. I gave some stories about how you were trying to teach me a lesson. Is there anything you. You could remember?

How about when you had your friend downstairs and you were young. Young. Okay. And you wanted a little bit of privacy, but my love of photography. All I wanted to do is get a picture of the two of you.

Well, that's. Now we can't talk like that on the year because now we have. We work with a big sports association, so you can't. Yeah, that's a story we're going to leave off the year. That's a story we're going to leave off the year because it's.

Okay.

Not appropriate.

Oh, there wasn't anything that bad.

Well, just the typical kid stuff. But anyways, Dad, I just want to say happy Father's Day. I love you. You mean a lot to me. A lot of great memories. I'm going to leave one memory. We don't. We don't have time to really talk about it too long, but the. The memory of having grandpa and you come to the Montreal Forum and grandpa had tears in his eyes. Your father being in the Montreal for him on a sold out Saturday night game. Hockey night in Canada. And I remember after. And he didn't even really follow hockey too much, but he knew the magnitude of the Montreal form and the great history behind it on a Saturday night. And here I was, 19 years old, skating around and you were there. And that's something I'll never forget. In fact, I got him the game pack that was there. One of the pucks that was there. And those are memories that will never be taken away. And that's just something I wanted you to think about. I don't know if that slipped your mind all those years, but this, that was something that was really special for him, especially at that time. And you, I remember.

I've got a lot of memories from you, but a lot of them are the way you act, the way you treat people. But a lot of them involve hockey.

Really, it was a big part of our life. Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you. And when things get better, we're going to. We're going to be out there. We spent a lot of time over the years out there, except the last couple of years, and it's great. Hey, I love you. Happy Father's Day, dad will talk to you soon.

I love you too, Mike. Happy Father's Day to you. Thank you. I hope you have a good one.

Thank you for listening to this episode of the Mike Hartman Show. If you're enjoying what you've heard so far, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review on your preferred podcast listening platform we really appreciate that effort. We'll catch you in the next episode of the Mike Hartman Show.