Steve Dangle – The Ultimate Leafs Fan
Steve Dangle might be the single most passionate Toronto Maple Leafs fan in the world. I’m sure there are people who will argue otherwise, but nobody else is making 10-minute YouTube videos after every Leafs game and has been for the past 11 years.
Dangle, real last name Glynn, started making videos in his childhood bedroom in his parents house during the 2007-2008 season after the Leafs lost their first game of the season 4-3 against Ottawa.
Toronto media is notoriously harsh to the city’s teams, but especially the Leafs.
“The first video I made was after the Leafs lost their first game of the season in 07-08,” Dangle said. “I saw the Toronto Sun had a front page that said ‘Leafs, better luck next year’ and I was like well that’s not right. So I made a video where I cursed at the Toronto Sun. The next game, the Leafs won so I made another video, but this time about them winning. In between videos two and three I thought wouldn’t it be fun if I did this for every single game? I did it as kind of an internship that I gave to myself.”
Dangle has added full-length podcasts to his already busy schedule in addition to the 10-minute videos that helped launch his career. He says that the idea for starting the podcast came up in his 11th grade mixed math class while having a conversation with his future co-host, Adam Wylde.
“We went to high school together, we both sucked at math, but we were both too proud to take college math and also too stupid, because we should’ve taken college math.” Dangle said.
The pair knew that they would not be able to goof around in class, since their teacher was infamously difficult. They needed to get in his good books.
Their plan was to be as nice as possible and it paid off. The teacher told them if they did their homework and paid attention for the first half of class, they could do whatever they wanted for the second half of class.
It was during the second half of classes that the two would talk about whatever they wanted. Wylde told Dangle one day while discussing their futures that he thought one day they would have a sports show together.
In spring 2013, Wylde was invited to a dinner with a representative form CHFI. There they decided to start a podcast.
With Dangle’s audience already firmly established, the podcast got over 1000 listens on the first episode, exceeding everyone’s expectations.
Dangle has what would be called an eccentric personality when in front of the camera, usually succumbing to excitement and screaming at the top of his lungs whether the team wins or loses. Victories are typically followed by a trademarked ‘LEAFS WIN’ fist pump and Dangle feeding his two dogs, Iggy and Charlie, also known as the victory puppies, treats while making as many references to the game as he could.
A loss, while there is still yelling, it’s directed at specific players. Pointing out each and every flaw in the game, as well as a substantial lack of victory puppies.
Dangle’s audience grew over the years, currently sitting at over 77,000 subscribers on YouTube, but with a reach that extends far further. He regularly produces content similar to his own videos for Sportsnet for Hockey Night in Canada. Having previously worked with CBC, LeafsTV and Nike, Dangle has had a few instances where he thought his career was about to take off.
“I kept getting laid off from ‘made it’ so that’s changed over the years,” Dangle said. “I’d say when I got my job at Sportsnet, that was definitely a game changer. It was a behind the scenes roll to start and they didn’t put my stuff on the website right away after I started working there. So I think that started around November of 2014. That’s when the Leafs lost 9-2 to the Preds. I made this two and a half minute video where I just lost my mind and I knew it was something new because it already had more views than most videos get by the time I went to bed that night. I woke up and it just kept going. I think it hit 100,000 pretty soon after.”
The next day, Dangle walked into the Sportsnet building to Sid Seixeiro standing and clapping for him. That is when he said he knew he had hit something big.
With the Leafs making the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the first time that has happened since 2003-2004, Dangle and his dogs will have a lot to cheer for in the coming weeks.
Are you in?
