Overview of Spittin' Chiclets Episode 633: Featuring Ernie Clement, Ryan Miller, & Gary Lawless
This special Monday episode mixes clubhouse/golf hijinks with serious hockey conversation. Hosts recap their viral “Sandbagger” Blue Jays golf trip with guest Ernie Clement, then sit down for a lengthy interview with former NHL goalie Ryan Miller. Longtime hockey reporter Gary Lawless drops in to react to the breaking news: Bruce Cassidy’s firing by Vegas and the hiring of John Tortorella. The show also covers NHL playoff races, NCAA Frozen Four, the new MLB balls-and-strikes challenge, the Utah Mammoth experience, and a frank discussion about Tiger Woods’ recent crash.
Main segments
Ernie Clement — Blue Jays sandbagger / golf trip
- Ernie calls in to recap the sandbagger episode (the hosts’ viral golf trip with Toronto Blue Jays players).
- Highlights:
- Blue Jays fandom in Toronto: massive crowds and energy.
- On-course antics: “Pink Whitney” fueled chaos, players going shoeless, putts, birdies and dramatic back-nine moments.
- Guest anecdotes: Johnny “Longshorts” and Greg (played vs. Bobby Orr — some debate and an on-pod apology); Schneider’s clutch putting; socks left unwashed in the clubhouse.
- Team vibe: Clement emphasizes strong clubhouse chirping, close teammate relationships, and how the podcast’s jabs may have helped their focus.
- Light personal asks: Whit asks if he can throw a first pitch in Toronto; Clement offers to put in a good word.
Ryan Miller — long-form interview (former Vezina winner, Olympian)
- Where he is now: living in Newport Beach, CA; family life; coaching/mentoring work in pro development.
- Career arc highlights:
- Michigan State background, long family/college ties.
- Draft and early pro years, AHL development (Rochester), lockout-year growth.
- Buffalo years: strong connection with Sabres fanbase; playoff runs; emotional ties to the community.
- Olympic 2010 run: Miller was the tournament MVP for Team USA; he prepared his year to peak for that event and still views it as a career highlight.
- Later stops: St. Louis, Vancouver (son born in Vancouver), Anaheim — retired with respect from teams that allowed him to say goodbye.
- Style, mindset & preparation:
- Mental routines (visualizations, “positive affirmations” while warming up).
- The value of patience and development; why extra junior/college time helped.
- Thoughts on goalie usage today (loads/rest challenges) and why sustained playoff performance is different.
- Anecdotes and locker-room color:
- Stories about teammates, trainers (George/“Georgie”), and personalities (Lindy Ruff’s evolution, Andrew Peters as the prankster).
- Recollection of big moments, including the Hall of Fame induction and emotional retirements.
- Advice to current Sabres: “Keep doing what they’re doing — don’t change a thing.”
Gary Lawless — Vegas firing of Bruce Cassidy; Tortorella hire
- Breaking reaction to Cassidy’s firing:
- Gary frames Kelly McCrimmon’s move as decisive: “status quo wasn’t working…he made a chess move.”
- Context: Vegas has high expectations, been ruthless historically; Kelly acts quickly when he feels it’s needed.
- On John Tortorella:
- Lawless expects an energy/attitude jolt; believes Tortorella’s style can shake teams out of “vanilla” play.
- Suggests Tortorella’s personality & past USA experience may have influenced the hire.
- Analysis of Vegas’ problems:
- Underperforming shooting and save percentages, streaks of “flat” play despite underlying quality.
- New additions at deadline (e.g., Anderson) and how they’ve settled.
- Other notes:
- Marner discussion: Lawless thinks Marner can thrive under Tortorella (defensively strong, versatile).
- The hire’s timing (eight games remaining): McCrimmon opted to act before playoffs.
Other noteworthy topics covered
NHL standings & team updates
- Playoff picture: Colorado and Dallas clinched already; divisions & wildcard races very tight (Atlantic, Pacific especially).
- Team chatter:
- Boston: still dangerous; strong defensive core and goaltending.
- St. Louis: red-hot surge — 11-2-2 in recent stretch; thanks to physicality, goaltending, young talent.
- Vegas: turmoil, Cassidy fired, Tortorella in.
- Edmonton/Oilers: improving; McDavid & co. long-game approach.
- Montreal: young core looking strong (Demidov, Caulfield, Suzuki, Hudon) — potential second/third-round dark horse.
- Flyers, Sabres, Winnipeg, Utah — playoff pushes and crowd/ticket notes (Sabres offering $30 playoff tickets to season ticket holders).
- Stat notes: Arvidsson/Cole Coyle/others mentioned; Luongo/Boston/Line stats thrown around for context.
NCAA hockey — Frozen Four
- Frozen Four preview: North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Denver (all to play in Vegas).
- Discussion of regional hosting issues (empty arenas, bad TV presentation), plus praise for Wisconsin’s emotional storyline (strength coach battling cancer) and Denver’s dynasty-level consistency.
Utah Mammoth (NHL expansion coverage)
- Biz’s on-site report: great fan experience, steep lower bowl, visually stunning arena, owner-focused fan accessibility and fair pricing, NHL-level enthusiasm.
- Improvements planned over next two summers to make upper-deck sightlines better.
MLB balls-and-strikes challenge (ABS replay)
- New system lets batters/teams challenge balls/strikes; instant jumbo-tron replays create viral, in-game moments and crowd fireworks.
- Hosts praise the rule for adding micro-content and energy; predict chaos (ejections, arguments) but a big content boost for baseball.
Miscellaneous
- Tiger Woods crash: hosts discuss possibility of painkiller dependency and the need for help; debate about public reaction vs. empathy.
- Advertising spots and sponsor reads (Body Armor, Jackpocket, Roback) sprinkled through the episode.
Key takeaways
- Sandbagger clip = viral success; shows crew-player chemistry and produced high-engagement content. Watch if you missed it.
- Ryan Miller: one of the more thoughtful goalie interviews — emphasizes preparation, patience, and community ties. His Olympic year and Sabres tenure remain defining career highlights.
- Vegas move (Cassidy out, Tortorella in) is major late-season shake-up — expected to add energy, accountability; still uncertain how much X‑factor a coaching change adds with eight games left.
- Baseball ABS (balls/strikes challenge) is a quick, clip-friendly rule change that instantly amps in-stadium energy — other sports (hockey) should keep experimenting with similar micro-content ideas to drive engagement.
- NCAA regional organization needs improvement (empty buildings, poor TV look) — hosts call for better home-ice regional hosting to preserve atmosphere and reward regular-season success.
Notable quotes
- Gary Lawless: “The status quo wasn’t working for the Vegas Golden Knights. Something had to be done. Kelly made a chess move.”
- Ryan Miller on Olympic prep: “I planned out my entire year around it… I was dialed.”
- Ernie Clement on Jays fans: “We feel the love, man. These fans are incredible.”
- Hosts on MLB ABS replay: “It’s one of the greatest rule changes I’ve ever seen for generating instant in-stadium energy and social clips.”
Action items / recommendations
- Watch the Sandbagger golf episode clip (hosts say it’s their best yet).
- Listen to the full Ryan Miller interview for goalie prep insights and long-form career stories.
- Read Gary Lawless’ column on the Cassidy firing / Tortorella hire for fuller media analysis.
- Check MLB ABS (balls/strikes challenge) highlight clips — fast, viral, very engaging (search recent Red Sox–Reds/ Twins–Orioles clips).
- If you follow NHL playoff races: tune in next few weeks — multiple divisions are extremely tight and late coaching moves could reshuffle outcomes.
If you want a one-line summary: chaotic, entertaining golf content with the Blue Jays + an in-depth, reflective Ryan Miller interview, capped by breaking NHL news and smart context from veteran reporter Gary Lawless.