00:00Welcome in on a Tuesday. We've got just an absolute doozy for you today.
00:06Sometimes the sun shines upon your ass because multiple relevant local news stories plus college football.
00:18So kick back, relax, and let's get to it.
00:21Rico, you know where we're starting.
00:24And we call this a half measure.
00:27You know what a half measure is?
00:30Like you kind of did something, but you didn't really do it.
00:33You tried to run the okey-doke.
00:36We have caller DJ.
00:38What's he?
00:38The oil can.
00:39Oil can.
00:39All right.
00:40The kids would say 6'7".
00:42So I've been saying Chris Illich needs to speak.
00:46Well, he did a little half measure because he found himself a comfy pair of casual shoes known as Wojo
00:54and just walked all over them.
00:57We call that a safe space.
00:59There ain't nothing in that interview that was going to be asked or cross-examined, or if it was, it
01:05was never going to make the paper.
01:06So that's what we call a half measure.
01:09He talked, but did he?
01:12Question mark.
01:14Wojo asked some good questions.
01:18But as I sat there reading, I was trying to get the, let's get the follow-up to this.
01:24Right.
01:25Okay.
01:25He opened the door.
01:27You can't do that when it's not live.
01:28Right.
01:28So, look, you juxtapose this with the news today that after their extensive 100-person list search process,
01:38they've landed on Sean Horkoff as their just-kidding general manager.
01:44It's your job, but it's not your job.
01:47It's your job and you have complete control.
01:50No, you don't.
01:52Like, if Sean Horkoff rolls into the world headquarters today shirtless and oiled up with Crisco and says,
01:59I've traded Dylan Larkin for a hot dog, they ain't letting that happen.
02:04No.
02:04I kind of imagine Chris walking down the hallway sticking to his head.
02:07Hey, Sean, want to be the GM?
02:09All right.
02:10For now.
02:11So, listen.
02:12All right.
02:13So, you have that as the backdrop to all of this and the Wojo interview with Chris Illich.
02:20Now, I'm going to do something I rarely do.
02:23I'm going to read some stuff to you.
02:25I know reading is not great for radio, but I want you to be equipped with the quotes before you
02:31call up
02:31because the headline today is, this has finally reached the bottom of the ocean.
02:38There is no lower.
02:40You are sitting with the dinner plates of the Titanic.
02:43The Red Wings have fully dead cat bounced.
02:46This is a bleep show.
02:48Wojo.
02:49Since last season ended, a lot's happened.
02:52Steve Iserman's removal, Larkin's trade request, without many answers.
02:56Fans and media have complained the Wings are in disarray with no coherent plan.
03:00What is your response?
03:02Here's what Chris Illich said.
03:04I would say first and foremost, I have a clear vision,
03:07and I know exactly where I plan to take our organization.
03:10I'm very confident we're going to find an excellent leader to help us.
03:14I believe the future of the Wings is exceedingly bright.
03:17Okay.
03:17You answered nothing.
03:19Correct.
03:20I have a great plan.
03:22I'm now going to not explain any of it to you.
03:24My plan is to one day have a plan.
03:26Gotcha.
03:27Question number two from old G&T.
03:34The season ended on April 15th, and Iserman was moved from GM to an advisory role three
03:40months later on July 15th.
03:42Why the delay?
03:44Answer.
03:45Well, on January 26th, the Red Wings had the fourth best record in the NHL,
03:50and making a change wasn't on my radar whatsoever.
03:53But after the team slide through the spring, we started studying potential root causes,
03:59and I wanted to be comprehensive.
04:01After those determinations, we were beyond the traditional GM recruitment window.
04:07The draft and free agency were approaching, and the preparation was done by Steve and his staff.
04:13So I waited until those two events to let Steve know I was making a change.
04:19To quote the Ying Yang twins,
04:22Huh?
04:23Let me get this straight.
04:25I mean, I want to just make sure.
04:28You knew you were going to make a change.
04:31You didn't tell Steve.
04:33You let Steve run free agency and the draft only to then tell him we're moving on.
04:40So he made long-term decisions when he had a no-term future.
04:47Once again, Ying Yang twins, verse three.
04:51Huh?
04:52Right there with you.
04:54That's where I'm...
04:55Wait, wait, wait.
04:56Say that again.
04:57In my good ear.
04:59You let him stick around, knowing you're going to get rid of him.
05:03Well, the work was already done.
05:05And what does having the best record on January 26th have to do with being out of the playoffs for
05:12all of March and April?
05:14Sounds really good.
05:16Trust me.
05:17You'll see that same thing.
05:18Well, you know, right before the White Sox series, the Tigers were in the playoffs if the season ended that
05:24day.
05:25Cut scene.
05:25They are not.
05:28All right.
05:29Question number three, presented by Hendrix Gin.
05:32I don't know how much you pay attention, but there's a perception among some you've put the wings on the
05:38back burner behind the Tigers.
05:40What is your response?
05:42Answer.
05:43I got to say this with a straight face.
05:47Illich leans forward and his tone hardens.
05:51My response would be plenty.
05:54First, I would say I care deeply about our teams.
05:58Hockey and the Red Wings have always been a big part of my life.
06:01I learned to skate when I was three.
06:03I pushed a chair around our backyard rink that my siblings and I made.
06:08I played travel hockey.
06:09And in high school, I played all four years.
06:12Co-captain.
06:13All state.
06:14I played pickup hockey at Michigan.
06:17And then after college, I played hockey for 20 straight years in men's leagues.
06:22My first Wings game was with my parents at Olympia when I was 10.
06:28Spent many amazing years watching Red Wings hockey from a luxury suite with my family in Section 118 at the
06:35jail.
06:36Okay.
06:36Oh, no.
06:37He addressed that further.
06:38I'll either watch from a suite or I'd like to sit in the lower bowl to see the games from
06:43a different perspective.
06:46So, have you put the wings on the back burner?
06:49Cutscene.
06:50I love hockey.
06:51That's the equivalent of the I Like Turtles kid.
06:56You're on fire.
06:58This is...
06:59Hey, I played men's league hockey for 20 years.
07:05On the search and where it stands.
07:08This question was brought to you by Plymouth Gin.
07:12We're focused on identifying an innovative decision maker who can lead the wings to Stanley Cup success.
07:19We've had substantive conversations with talented executives over the past two months.
07:24None of them wanted the job.
07:26And it's been gratifying to see such strong interest in this organization.
07:31Cool.
07:32So, those interviews were so sweet.
07:35You've named an interim GM two days before training camp.
07:40Once again, from Ying Yang Twins Corinthians.
07:45We'll continue.
07:46On the transition from Iserman and its timing.
07:51Old G&T asked this one.
07:53The answer, a thorough evaluation of our hockey ops following this season's disappointing finish,
08:01led to discussions with Steve Iserman and a determination a change was necessary.
08:05The decision was driven by our need for a new vision in hockey leadership,
08:10while preserving organizational continuity through the offseason and stands independent of other matters.
08:18We're grateful for Steve's invaluable contribution.
08:25That should be presented by Chunky Soup.
08:28What does that even mean?
08:31Okay.
08:32Here's just where I am.
08:34I have one more.
08:36Oh, dear God.
08:36Okay.
08:37Well, just the whole Dylan Larkin thing.
08:41Were you disappointed he wanted to be traded?
08:43And I assume he still wants to be traded.
08:46The answer, I'm disappointed that our Red Wings team is not where we want them to be yet.
08:54So that's where I understand the frustration, fan frustration.
08:58But I want fans to know we're going to find a great leader.
09:03Okay.
09:05I want to tell you right now, this is my viewpoint.
09:09You have the worst organization in the sport.
09:12You are a clown show.
09:14This is a complete and utter embarrassment.
09:18And this is why he should have been made to stand up at a podium and in real time,
09:23essentially be cross-examined.
09:26These answers are an insult to bad.
09:31They are pablum.
09:34And I just, I am so sorry for you guys who have major deposits because I would be in rapture.
09:45I want to set the stage again.
09:47And if the hockey elite, I need you today.
09:50I am putting up the bat signal.
09:52Okay.
09:53Somewhere like in the, in the sky, you see Don Cherry's weird collar and tie.
09:58Here it is.
09:58Two, four, eight, five, three, nine, 97, 97.
10:02Listen, this gives you all the red flags about ownership, about the situation.
10:11The fact that you've named Horkoff, your interim GM, you know what it tells me?
10:15Nobody wanted this job.
10:16Nobody wants to work for Chris Illich.
10:18Nobody wants this situation.
10:21Or, or, hear me out, the other side would be, they just don't know what the F they're doing.
10:27Now, you can pick, but the spectrum resides between those two things.
10:32Nobody wants it, or you don't know what the hell you're doing.
10:35That's it.
10:36I'm going to use a show favorite, Mike.
10:38Hold on.
10:39Let me help you.
10:42Both things can be true.
10:43Perfect.
10:44Both things can be true.
10:45Nothing about reading this interview, this article that Rojo wrote, if I'm a Wings fan, is encouraging to me at
10:54all.
10:55It's embarrassing.
10:56Not the present.
10:57Not the future.
10:58Not what happened in the past.
11:00Nothing is encouraging me of saying, okay, we stubbed our toe, but we're going to come out of this on
11:06the other side looking great, going for a cup.
11:09Nope, nope, none of that.
11:11All I got was, yeah, you know, I played hockey and I like this team and I like our organization.
11:18I heard people mocking us, but, you know, inside this organization, we know what we're doing.
11:30I just throw it to the people.
11:32And it's just, it makes me sad more than it makes me angry.
11:37The Detroit Red Wings are the New York Yankees.
11:39The Detroit Red Wings are the Green Bay Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
11:43The Red Wings are the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics.
11:46They are a Tiffany franchise.
11:49They are a franchise upon which this league was built.
11:52They are featured in every meaningful historical era of this league.
11:58This is a disgrace.
12:00And those answers, oh my God.
12:03Hey, are the wings on the back burner?
12:05And the answer you get is like, like when we used to joke around like, you know, Kenny saying, I'm
12:11not racist, but like, no, the wings aren't on the back burner.
12:15I love hockey.
12:18What?
12:18Did you know I play pickup games at Michigan?
12:21Yeah, beer league and things.
12:22Dude, Rico, I'm telling you.
12:25I mean, I'll give you a real-time example.
12:28So, Iserman was allowed to man this thing.
12:31Go through the deadline to buy out contracts without buying out contracts, the likes of a JT Comfer or a
12:39Rasmussen.
12:41Because the work was already done, so you didn't want to make a move.
12:47What happened in March when you were watching your ceiling cave in upon you?
12:52Are you with us?
12:54Here's where it really doesn't make sense.
12:56I'll give it to you next.
12:58Okay.
12:58Because there's more to this.
13:02Hockey Elite, the lines are open, and I have a feeling the lines won't stay that way.
13:07So, if you want to talk about the Chris Illich interview and the state of the Red Wings, I would
13:11call now.
13:122-4-8-5-3-9-97-97.
13:15The floor will be yours.
13:16I'm trying not to get angry because, honestly, I'm more sad.
13:19It makes me very sad.
13:22I am borderline speechless at the answers given by Chris Illich.
13:28Wow.
13:30Here's Rico.
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