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How about? This? Is Dmitry
felt from Lake pleased, New York.
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Thanks for joining us today. Thanks, Brenna. I was looking forward to
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connect with you also. We spent
a little time together and, like Plasid,
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a few weeks ago and I asked
you if you'd come on to be
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interviewed for the podcast. You know, at the time I was envisioning US
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chatting about some of your favorite lose
stories, since you have so many great
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ones from being a former junior national
coach and as the marketing and sponsorship manager
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of us a loge. Unfortunately,
I think it's going to take a little
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bit different tone, since now some
scary things are happening over in Ukraine right
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now. Yes, I agree with
you. I was looking forward for Nice
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relux and chat about stories that I
know, but unfortunately war happened in Ukraine
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right after the games and it's a
it's definitely on my mind and, of
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course, on the mind of billions
of the people around the world when they
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wake up or they go sleep.
Dmitri, I know that you were born
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on the island of come Chotka and
Russia, near Alaska. Yes, but
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but then when you were young,
three years old, you moved to Kiev,
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Ukraine, would you say you're would
you consider yourself Ukrainian or Russian?
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What do you consider yourself? Well, you know, I came, when
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I left at a Soviet Union,
basically product and then, of course,
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after Soviet Union collapse, it became
many independent states. Now I grew up
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in Kiv, Ukraine, from three
years old till I left to United States
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when I was twenty four years old. So it's definitely I consider myself American
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citizen, with my excellent connections and
my memories of my life in Ukraine since
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I was born what's now Russia.
It's part of me, also attached to
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the Russia and good Russian people,
not including president putting. Of course,
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while you were living in her and
Ukraine, you got involved in the sport
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of bluish. Can you tell us
how you got involved in sport? I
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was, you know, junior kind
of age guy. I played soccer for
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a little bad but I was a
smaller size guy. So my career of
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soccer player was basically stopped by myself
because I played defense and everybody beat the
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hell out of me. Baby guys
who would come and try get through me.
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So after after I told my coach
that can I play midfield? He
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said no, he could defender.
Said okay, I'm leaving. And one
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day I just open sport newspaper in
Kiev and I was picture of the loose
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guy laying down on led going down
and I was article about lab that functioning
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in city of Kiev and and the
coach of the club was guy by the
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name Clym got Ka. Yeah,
so what I did? I Call newspaper
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actually, and I asked them if
they had any connections or how do I
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find delusions? They said here's the
club, here's the name, and I
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call Clym, and after that it
was all history. So I know your
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father was in the Soviet military.
Where you ever part of the military?
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Oh yeah, I spent I spent
two years in Soviet Union army defending border
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between Soviet Union and China and actually, and actually, I was in the
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tank unit. So when I watch
now on TV Russian soldiers dine and those
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things, I feel so bad for
them because tank is as a trap and
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if the granade propelled like javelin going
to hit that, thank you, not
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gonna come out to life, and
I feel really, really bad for those
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young soldiers from Russia who's coming there
and thinking that they gonna Survive. A
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lot of I'm gonna die in those
things, and I didn't want to die
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either. But it was different ideology
when I was an army because our enemies
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was China. Here is no enemies, putting create this medical story of saving
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Ukrainian people who didn't ask him for
anything, from the Nazis and fascism.
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And and those poor Russian kids who's
on the tanks. They all thought they
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have a military game still. They
shipped them from Belarussia to attack, on
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provoke Ukrainian people. Right, and
they're just simply following orders. They they're
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doing what they are told to do. When you in army, you sign
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up that you will follow the orders
and some of them, who smart one,
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will try to avoid those orders and
the fact resign, run, stay
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alive, give up to Ukrainian soldiers. They not going to kill you.
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You'll be POW, but you'll be
alive. If not, you might be
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somewhere in the more great. Now, what brought you to the u?
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As? You came when you were
twenty four years old. Is that right?
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Yeah, after military I went back
to lose. I did my luge
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with claim clint was a one of
the best Soviet coaches at that time.
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But you know, my age was
kicking in a little bad. You know,
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as you've been in loge when you
twenty three, twenty four, if
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you don't show a lot of good
results, and in Soviet Union those days
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was almost impossible because it was so
many good much better lose at least than
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I was. So for my luck, because Colin was one of the best
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coaches and Soviet Union. I learned
so much from him and he thought that
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I have a good contact with young
kids. So actually, last year,
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before I left you, I was
working with little kids and our club and
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that's what I like. But when
I grew up in Soviet Unian I never
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liked that system and I always thought
that maybe one day I'll be able to
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get out from Soviet Union. And
yes, Opportunity arrived. Me and my
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mom we left in one thousand nine
hundred and seventy nine. Soviet Union puck
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in say goodbye and I was in
the United States and Brooklyn, New York.
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So you lived in the you ask, for about twelve years before the
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Soviet Union collapsed. How did it
fail to witness the collapse of the Soviet
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Union from a continent away. Well, you know the weirdest the weirdest thing
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was for most of us who left
Soviet Union, we never thought that Soviet
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Union will ever collapse. As President, current president put in, think he
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will never collapse either. But as
his story show to us, everything goes
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away at one point and he's gonna
go away too in history as a most
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terrible man in the world. But, like I said, we never taught
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Soviet UNI will collapse. But what
happened is when garbagechow became secretary general of
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Communist Party, he look kind of
a Chinese model, because China that time
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was much more relaxed Communist ideology for
the country too, because I was trying
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to build economy and garbage was trying
conder, to take the model and he
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relaxed a lot of things and Soviet
Union. And that would really push Soviet
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Union on the brink of laps because
a lot of those liberation thoughts for so
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wee people told them, hey,
we don't want to do what Chinese does.
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Or Communist Party want to be free
like Americans or Germans or Italians or
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French, and so that pushed Soviet
Union to collapse and it broke those fifteen
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republics. That basically broken to fifteen
independent republics, and Ukraine was one of
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them. Well, so you must
have been happy to see a collapse right
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like. Thank you didn't you didn't
want to be there, but we want
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them, you know, were so
happy that collapse. But the good thing
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was we saw how Russia became independent, Ukraine became independent, Estony a lot
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with, you know, Lithuania,
Georgia, Moldova. Were so happy for
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those people because they can find.
We was thinking, as I'll find the
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own identity. They become more independent, democratic and actually, at one point
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Russia was as independent and democratic under
Yelton as basically in United States. I
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mean Yeltsen was become of freedom there
and he was attacked by Communist Party and
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it was a coulder. They want
to kill him. But I didn't work,
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but we was. I was very
happy for them, and that's how
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I saw my coach Clin first time, when they relaxed the opportunities come to
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the West. I saw him first
time in Italy when he came. That's
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right. And that trap. Wasn't
it you who tried to convince him to
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come to the United States. Yes, I told them. I told them
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I'll take my car, take them
to Italian Police Department, police station,
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and we'll ask for political asylum.
And he said, you crazy, I
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have wife and two children that I
said, no big deal, you ask
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for political asylum, then they come. But they did reverse and they all
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came together in one thousand nine hundred
and ninety one. So during the s
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you were a junior national team coach
and the strengthen conditioning coach. who were
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some of your athletes back then?
Well, you know, I was a
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it was a great group of Atlets
who became Olympic medalist and Olympians. I
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mean I was so such a wide
variety of some of them that even someone
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who didn't make the Olympics, they
were great. You know, of course,
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Chris Thorpe and Gordisher and Margaret Matt
and Brian Martin, who became Olympic
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medalists. And you know, Mark
and Brian became two time Olympic medalist in
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five times Olympians. But I was, you know, team Violey's and and
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Betanicalkterra bed for WHO's now? I
mean I start them from day one.
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So it's a great memories to work
with those artists, Robert Pipkins, I
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mean Jason and Jason Mallolen's curly.
They didn't make the Olympics but they were
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great team. They were first who
won silver medal of the junior world championship,
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an exchange Soviets led. I mean
the stories, the story is about
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the whole thing was amazing. Was
the greatest times and those days. What
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were your proud of? The achievements
as a couch? Well, like I
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said, you know well, first
of all, when I came here,
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they hired me as a development coach
and when I came to the first camp,
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it was group of people starting from
age eleven to age forty, and
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one of those skinny little kids was, you know, Gordis share and Bettany
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Calcaterra, and then later came Robert
Pipkins and all other kids. But what
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I told you as luge, I
said we can't work like this. We
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have to have a junior national team
who will travel to abroad and learn how
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to slide everywhere. We need to
get out. That was, I think,
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very smart idea. So that's where
that's when they separate me and let
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me work. The greatest thing was
working with great coaches like Lynn Hancock,
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mirrors loaves, I owns, you
know, Fred Zimney. I mean we
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did great job, you know,
by winning first ever junior world championship medal,
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silver and doubles. And I think
then who was done? Ray was
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for or team, Whiley was fast. I mean I was unbelievable. And
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then grosser price. I remember it
was five US girls on the podium,
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including Aaron Warren, you know,
Kirsten Lynch bettany. I mean it was
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amazing just to see how much progress
was made. So so that was that
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was my first great achievement. Then, of course, when when Robert Pipkin
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became world champion in not in support
and bettenny was bronze. That was,
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you know, and then doubles was
bronze. That was great, great achieve
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yere was that was that ninety one
hundred and ninety ninety two, right before
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Olympic game to okay. Yeah,
and that was great. You know,
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the whole, the whole. I
mean traveling to Sarah. Yeah, I
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know Sarah, yeah, very well. Before the war we just get out
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right when war, start sliding there
and looking like a gypsy trail first because
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we had no money, sleeping at
the train station and to become, you
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know, really powerhouse and the junior
level and then moving up. I mean
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it wasn't it was the greatest time
to be part of the junior program.
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It was so many talented kids,
were so many great coaches. It was
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great. US lose really want to
be one of the best in the world
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and, you know, tradition continue. Yeah, absolutely, and you had
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you know, I think it's probably
similar as it is today. We're countries.
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Were kind of working together and you
were, you know, I probably
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working with some of the other coaches
from the other nations to help me,
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yeah, build yourself the program up. Well, you know, it's a
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loose family, is a small family. I mean I remember Josh huckle when
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he was fifteen years old kid,
first time I saw him in niggles.
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I still see him and he gives
me big high five. Yeah, I
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know, I it was a great
time. And you know what was good
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about lose? We are as a
group of people, including like one of
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my most favorite guy, frank maisie, who's a true American, one of
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the greatest losers. But what was
interesting about the whole thing. We want
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to be best in the world and
we found that pass to keep continue to
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go. And you know, you
go through the mountains and valley. Sometimes
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you in the bottom, you go
down. You got to get out and
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be best again, and I think
we are. Maybe this Olympic Games was
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not our best, but we will
get out and we will climb and the
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mountains and will be in the army
of Olympic medallists again. Sometimes that's what
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you have to do. Yeah,
and and learn from what happened. And,
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yeah, and keep keep moving along. Well, I remember when you
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were growing up as a loose letter. That's right, it was very tough
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competitive. I remember at one point. Yeah, of you. Yes,
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no, I remember you were.
You were tough cookie. You know,
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you did your best. You was
you were great athlete. I think you
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can be great coach. But you
know, you and our foundation, which
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is awesome. You know, becky
wheels, like Ashley, Ashley Walden,
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and I remember all of you.
When I didn't had too much influence on
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your development, but it was coach
Clim who was developing you, and that's
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much better than me. I can't
touch that. None. Right. When
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I started Louis in one thousand nine
hundred and ninety two is probably right around
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the time you were transitioning off of
the track and into the office. As
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the marketing and sponsorship. I did
wonder, I didn't really wanted no idea
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what the hell marketing sponsorship was.
I know, but Bob Hughes, Buff
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Hughes, who was at that time
market team director I had buff us,
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was the guy who hired may be
junior national team coach and development. He
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for some reason he saw that I
have maybe that connection to the people in
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terms of men nonlusion. I think
at that time that's what US lose needed.
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Right now they aren't needed. They
have gored you share and many things.
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I'm an old guy now, but
at that time they need somebody who
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knows lose very well, who understand
international lose and who can talk. And
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I can't talk and I do what
I approached this marketing sponsorship. I don't
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approach but per sake maybe as a
regular way, I try and make sure
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that everybody who's was us they feel
like part of loose family and that's what's
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important. I think that's what separate
US loose from other organization. With tree
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to all our sponsors all supporters,
like our family. Nobody feels nobody fells
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through the crack. No, and
I was I think, you know,
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bullet Bob Hughes. He had the
right idea, because now if you,
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if you meet anyone who knows about
us a lose, they know Dmitri felt
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and they know that Dmitri treat them
like family, and it's absolutely they remember
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you a hundred percent, and so
I think you were a perfect person to
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be in the marketing and sponsorship because
that's exactly what sponsors want and need,
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is somebody to give them the knowledge
and the attention that they deserve. That's
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a bullet said. But you know
what, I don't know how to operate
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computer and write in English whole more. I mean, I knew how to
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do invoices to give money back to
round Rossi, but I did not know
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how to turn computer CHAROPE, how
to operate HMM. Yeah, definitely.
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What would you say your proudest is
achievement as a marketing and sponsorship manager was
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or as well. You asked me
cool question, but I want to tell
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you my most important achievement that I
became while working for US Louse. I
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became an American citizen, and I
was right. Great as achievement. Luche
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helped me so much. So that
was my greatest achievement, just to feel
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like a and belong to United States. In terms of marketing and sponsorship,
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like I say, I think I
think my strongest way, and you mentioned
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it, is just to have have
a good communication with sponsors. Doesn't matter
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who they names, what the names. You know, treat them like your
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family. Make sure they contact with
us a part of your programs. You
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know, I do like, I
do like it. Maybe I was a
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little bit fortunate or I don't know
if it was my success, but relationship
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was norton saying a Bain. It's
a long story. I mean I knew
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it started with George, an Sliman
who was engineer and who I would call
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and ask him for sand paper and
he would give me a sand paper every
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year and and then it just kind
of rolled in and on my luck and
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met one day vice president, who
was very nice guy, Paul Valley,
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and for his mistake he asked me
what else we need? I say,
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how about some money? That helped
a lot because you know the low relationship
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with Norton. Now it could be
perfect, perfect dynamic, because what I
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like about them they are American based
company. They have American employees. It's
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industrial company. So these people who
go to work, they don't wear suits
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and jackets and then sit in front
of computer. They go and they mix
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all those mixes to make send papers
and the industrial cutting wheels, and that's
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the hard and soul of America.
They go every day, they make seventeen,
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twenty an hour and they work their
butts off and I want to US
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lose at it's works the same way
and that's why, that's why I think
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I really like. I like that
when we hang out with industrial American companies.
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It's easy to hang out with COCACOLA. You know they have trillions of
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the dolls, but when you work
with companies like Norton Sandgabain, welcome,
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gmss US, vent, your dad's, the companies I really like. It's
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American heart soul. These people get
up every morning, go to work and
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if you win Olympic medal, they
very proud of our achievements. They not
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asking too much. They just want
us be American and be the best in
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the world like they are. So
I know another part of you that I
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know from can I kind of watching
from the outside in. Is that when
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you really do help out other teams, like when they come to the United
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States and they need a place to
stay and they need to know where the
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gem has they're always, especially the
Russians in the Ukrainians are always coming to
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Dmitry to help with housing and things
like that. Why is that important for
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you to do for those those teams? Well, you know the what's the
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Slavic people have? It's that.
It's that attachment basically to each other through
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the years, Russians in Ukrainians,
Bulgarians and, you know, Slavic countries,
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or even not Slavic countries like Georgia
or Minia, former Soviet Union.
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We have we have this admiration of
each other because we went through a lot
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of hard work and Ukraine become independent
and Russia and I really know many,
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many people there. They they know
me and through by basically by me being
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here, they have a really good
relationship with us loson. That's very important
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to me and so I'm happy.
I am happy to help Germans also or
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my regions when they ask me,
but I know needs of Russians or Ukrainians.
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They have a little different needs different
money amount. So it's always great
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to help them out. But when
German coach, coach call me for you
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whole truck, I'll be happy to
help him too, because I know them
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for years and years and years and
I want to I want to keep my
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pals on and anybody and that family. But yeah, you know, the
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former Soviet republic definitely very close to
me. Now, shifting gears a little
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bit, what were your in national
thoughts last week or you know, ten
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days ago, when you heard that
Russia had started to invade Ukraine? Well,
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I think most of the people was
in this belief, especially in the
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West. I was not as in
this belief as maybe other people because if
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you look last couple of days before
invasion, what put in was doing,
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he recognized those rebellious portion of Ukraine, the n Arn l and ore,
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which is nothing small enclaves of rebels
who don't want to be part of Ukraine,
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who wants to be in Russia.
And after he recognized them, then
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it was easy for him to attack
Ukraine because he can claim that those people
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told him they need to go take
Nazis and and and nationalist out of Ukraine.
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I mean it was it was all. It was all, of course,
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lies. What really struck me that
that Europe in the world was all
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sleeping at the wheels a new four
months that he might be attacking Ukraine.
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But they did very, very little, and that's why we now in this
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mess, with millions of people running
away, Ukrainians. They they fighting for
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their lives. The civilian die,
dying, Ukrainian soldiers dine, Russian soldiers
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dine for nothing for one man who
whose idea of ruling the world by by
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killing, which is all those dictators. Basically, if you look through the
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histories, it's always wars. It's
if or it's Napoleon, or it's Hitler,
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or it's putting or previous people.
They want to invade, they want
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to conquer, they want to kill
them. That's how they satisfied. They
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hunger for something. I'm not sure
what's in his mind, but for some
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reason he definitely try to feed his
his hunger for for for attacking Ukraine.
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Will he and with Ukraine, or
do you think he'll move on to other
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old Soviet what I'd like to see
actually that Ukraine will will kick them in
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the butt and kick them out from
Ukraine. I'm not I think if Ukrane
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will not be able to defend themselves
and really stay their ground and kick them
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out, then he might move frather
way, because he already. They have
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this little republic of Moldova, which
is that which is not every being union,
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it's not unite, it's not Nata
and it's very weak military. I
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mean, you do about Ukrainian army? They small, but they've very tough
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in the last eight years. Ukrainian
government and army really change. Used to
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be nothing, but in the last
eight years they figured out that they need
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to be strong army, maybe not
biggest one, but strong one, and
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they fighting like like unbelievable. I
mean they fighting like those three hundred spartuns
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I'm thinking, or like Maccabi Jews, or or or during World War II
309
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against nats, even Soviets and Americans, and you know, I was fighting.
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And that's how these people fight.
They fight for the for the freedom
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of countries. They want to be
free. A putting doesn't understand it,
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and Russian, some of the Russian
people don't understand what freedom is. It's
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when I want to be free.
I know you have friends and both places,
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and Russia and Ukraine. Have you
been able to speak to any of
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them. Well, you know,
as soon as the whole thing started,
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of course I've been in touch with
my friends and Ukraine. I just visited
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Suchy. I wasn't such in November
with the USA Lushtiam helping them out,
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and suddenly, you know, after
attack on UNPERAVOK, attack on Ukraine,
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I guess immediately start calling all my
friends in Kiev and and of course we
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very close to the Ukrainian Lush Federation, and I start calling trask Hartula and
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other people and the sending any messages. So I've been in touch with most
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of my friends in Ukraine, including
Ukrainian lush team, and I've been in
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touch with some of my friends and
Russia. Some of them who I've been
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in touch you know, they shocked
and they really disappointed and really sorry for
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Ukrainian people. And of course they
can't. They can control what the president
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down down. But I think certain
population of Russia doesn't agree with putting,
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but because he put so much restrain
and they freedom of speech, freedom of
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expression, freedom of information. You
go to jail if you go protest.
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It's really no freedom and in Russian
republic. But Ukraine had really freedom,
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and that's what he was afraid of. It putting. was afraid of that
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freedom of Ukraine, my spill into
Russia. It wasn't Natas. He was
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a bullshitting the whole worldcuse my language. He was he was afraid of of
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exchange of people between Russian and Ukraine, because they all have friends, they
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have families and when Ukrainians go visit
Russians they say, Hey, you know
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what, we can do this,
we can do that, we can do
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this, we can criticize our president, and I think that's what he was
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afraid more Ukraine staying dependent. He
was afraid of them about a Nata.
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He keeps saying, Oh, I'm
a worried about NATA. Nata never attack
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Russia. He had nat on his
boarder before he got pull he got,
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you know, Romania, he got
a lot really training, Estonia, he
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got many other countries. Nobody want
to talk. WHO WANTS TO FIGHT?
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You know, I would imagine over
the last week or so, the restrictions
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on Russians are only becoming more and
more. So I can only imagine that
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they know what's really happening when they
can't have access to facebook and they hear
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that they can't protest or they got
to jail for fifteen to twenty years.
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They know that it's there. Their
freedoms are gone and therefore something much worse
347
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is happening over the border. Oh, absolutely. Well, you know,
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now dead bodies are coming back to
Russia from those soldiers who died, and
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now small number of parents suddenly saying
wow, why my nineteen years old son
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died, and so information start getting
through, or captured Russian soldiers allowed to
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00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:02.680
call their MOMS and dad's and Russians
and hey, mom, I've been captured
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by Ukrainians. Plus, you know
putting said, if you listen in Facebook,
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you might get fifteen years use in
jail. And that's what he's gonna
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do. It like a typical dictator. He's gonna Club on his own people.
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He's gonna destroy the economy, which
is not big economy. I tell
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one thing, if Europe and right
United States can unite and stop buying his
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oil, he'll be out of money
in about one week. And he knows
358
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that. And I think that's the
way to knock him out and let Ukrainian
359
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people live in peace and get his
army out of Ukraine now before more dead
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people from both sides. I hope
Russian generals will send them that message.
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I mean they are under, of
course, order from him, but I
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hope some of them much smarter right
now. What they see, what was
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happening? They attack and they attack
and their own people they not attack,
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and invaders invaded. Free Ukraine.
It's no Ukraine have a justice war.
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Now they defend the homeland. Russia. I have Russia have no justification,
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absolutely not. Last week a lot
of international sports federations, like FIFA for
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soccer and Fil for Louse, spoke
out and banned Russian athletes from competing in
368
00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:27.160
international events because of this Russian invasion. Do you think this is the right
369
00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:33.880
move? I think the whole world
soapist off it at putting and including every
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00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:41.519
federation who support him, and they
watching and TV how Ukrainian children dying and
371
00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:48.359
how Ukrainian city bombarded and how Ukrainian
city been burned. Yeah, I think
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00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:52.720
it's a right move. Right now
they punish in putting, while those artlests
373
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will no longer participate, they punish
in putting propaganda machine and his action.
374
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Those federations should go to put and
say stop the war and because they're not
375
00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:11.119
gonna play you or whatever years it
takes to get Ukraine free. That's not
376
00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:17.720
federation fauld, it's the Putin's fauld. You guys, go talk to himself.
377
00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:22.400
That war unless you support if you
support them absolutely, it just people
378
00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:29.319
soap pissed off around the world now
at Puttin and his cronies and his army
379
00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:33.759
that it's all gonna go to everybody
else. I know within the last year
380
00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:38.759
so you've gotten to know a little
bit more about ice hockey. You've helped
381
00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.359
European ice hockey player come to the
US and because of that you've gotten to
382
00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:49.720
know the world of Ice Hockey.
One of the best known ice hockey players
383
00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:53.640
in the world is Alex Ovatchkan.
Yes, Russian. Yes, I know
384
00:30:55.720 --> 00:31:00.680
there are some very people being pretty
critical to him, thinking that he should
385
00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:04.400
speak out more against this war and
against Putin. What do you think about
386
00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:08.039
that? I think it's not only
him. I say they all should speak
387
00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:12.680
out more about war. Yeah,
but you know he's one of those elite
388
00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:17.880
people. He he doesn't have a
company, but you know he makes a
389
00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:23.359
lot of money playing hockey in an
a hill and he's a personal friend of
390
00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:30.720
putting and instead of and instead of
be correct and see what situation and just
391
00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:37.400
defend Ukrainian people from being slaughtered.
He's not saying much and I think all
392
00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:41.720
those players should be kicked out from
a NHL to see. You think all
393
00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:48.680
Russian athletes in the US should be
sent back? I think anybody who support
394
00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:52.720
that war and whose neutral, who's
not saying anything, they have no room.
395
00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:57.000
And International Competition now, sure,
but what about you know, we
396
00:31:57.079 --> 00:32:02.440
know that you know of Atchkin,
for example, has family stell and Russia.
397
00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:07.319
Could could he be afraid for his
family safety if he speaks out against
398
00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:13.720
the war? It was person by
the name Navalni. You probably her who
399
00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:19.720
Sidan right now in Russian jail for
nothing. was poisoned. He's sitting there
400
00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.440
and they try and give him another
fifteen year of jail. Well, first
401
00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:28.400
thing he came out from his mouth
at the recent court hearing. He said
402
00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:32.680
live alone, Ukraine, free Ukraine. He's sending messages from jail and he
403
00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:38.400
did nothing wrong. He just was
a position to putting. I'm not saying
404
00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:43.640
that a which can should become a
position, but he should go watch more
405
00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:47.920
videos. How Ukrainian at least dying, you know, to Ukrainian by athletes
406
00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:53.960
got killed, to Ukrainian very famous, very well known soccer players got killed
407
00:32:53.960 --> 00:33:00.400
defending the country. What he's thinking
about them or what other people think about
408
00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:05.079
them dying? They were like a
witch kin happy. You have families,
409
00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:08.200
want to live free life. They
were just in Beijing. Yeah, two
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00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:12.799
weeks around. Yeah, well,
yeah, well, exactly. All Ukrainians
411
00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:15.640
and Russian at last. was there. I have no problem. Was Ushian,
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00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:19.599
was Russian people. We Love them, but we don't want them die
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00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:22.480
in Ukraine. We want them be
out. Take your army out, leave
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00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:28.880
Ukrainian people out. You know,
putting though that when he rolling to Ukraine,
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00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:31.880
he have people lining up on the
highway with the big banners welcome to
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00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:36.960
Ukraine, and what he saw rockets, fine and killing his soldiers because they
417
00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:40.440
don't want them there. He said
he coming to liberate Russian people. It's
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00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:45.839
a lot of Russian people. They
don't want them. He's bombarding his bombardian
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00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:50.359
second largest city in Ukraine, called
Harkive. It ninety percent people who live
420
00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:54.039
there. They all Russian ethnic people. He's bombarding the hewn. What he's
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00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:59.440
saying, you know, his own
people. So he's not going for liberate
422
00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:02.960
those people. Or anything else.
He just want to capture Ukraine. He
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00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:07.000
knows it's a strategic country. He
wants the chunk of it. He wants
424
00:34:07.159 --> 00:34:10.800
Ukrainians work for him. It's not
going to work. It doesn't matter what
425
00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.280
he does. Only if he look
at the whole that country, they will
426
00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:17.800
give up. But but they will
not give up. They they are show
427
00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:22.159
to the world and whole Europe in
the United States. That's how you defend
428
00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:28.119
your country. You know, this
whole time, when when I woke up
429
00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:30.920
and heard that the invasion at start
did, all I can think about where
430
00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:37.119
the Ukrainian luge athletes, who literally
just got back from Beijing representing Ukraine and
431
00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:44.360
the Olympic Games, and about how
luge itself is, as you've described,
432
00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:50.960
as such a small family, and
how now they went from competing to being
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00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.480
in their home country. That's that's
just under attack and it you know,
434
00:34:54.559 --> 00:35:00.960
it just has me thinking about like
so much empathy and in sympathy for them
435
00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:05.360
and it makes me really sad.
Do you know if any of them are
436
00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:09.840
fighting? Are The luge athletes?
Are they soldiers? They all in civil
437
00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:15.000
defense force, so they're not trained
soldiers, but what they do is they
438
00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:22.440
trained them to assist soldiers as like
an emergency service person. So if Ukrainian
439
00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.880
soldiers get injured, they need,
if somebody need to take them out from
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00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:32.599
the front and bring them back for
the medical attention. That's that's what Ukrainian
441
00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:37.559
lush team gonna do it and I
speak to Taras every day and that's what
442
00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:43.559
he's been training. They all training. They very fortunate that the Ukrainian Lush
443
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:49.159
Federation based in Louviv, Ukraine,
western part of Ukraine, right next to
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00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:55.280
Polish bordering. Right now it's the
safest, most protected place in Ukraine because
445
00:35:55.360 --> 00:36:00.039
Russian army was not able. It's
too far for them. Yet they I
446
00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:05.039
to encircle key of Harkive Suns,
you know, they fighting there and every
447
00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:09.960
day one Russian soldiers, one hundred
or three hundred gonna die and Ukrainian Civilians
448
00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:16.920
gonna die and Ukrainian economy getting ruined. In Ukrainian economy getting a ruined,
449
00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:22.320
and so the Russian economy is soon
going to be ruined. Stop buying oil
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00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:27.559
from Russia. I'm asking president,
by then, any European stop buying oil.
451
00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:30.480
And I, you know, I
think about the athletes I used to
452
00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:37.280
compete against Lilya Ludan, Natalia Yakashenko. You know, they probably have children
453
00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:42.719
who are the age to be fighting, and I just I can't even imagine
454
00:36:42.760 --> 00:36:46.199
as a mom, I can't have
you imagine that being my child. Well,
455
00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:51.159
my my time losers, who I
compete or slid with them. They
456
00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:53.400
have children too, and I actually
I know one of them. And Civil
457
00:36:53.440 --> 00:36:59.039
Defense and key right now and here. They all need helps, they need
458
00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:02.880
foods and need protective gear. They
need to stay away from Russian artillery.
459
00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:07.239
You know, KIU is the IT'S
A it's a capital of Ukraine. Will
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00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:13.119
See, they will never give up
and I think Russians, I think they're
461
00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:16.239
going to be very sorry was they
did. Do you have a message for
462
00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:22.679
your Ukrainian and Russian friends? Absolutely, and I try to give him this
463
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:28.320
message every day when I talk to
them on the phone. Stay alive.
464
00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:30.639
If you need any help from us, let us know what to do.
465
00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:38.679
We believe Ukrane will prevail, you
will be free. And for Russian,
466
00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:45.039
our Russian friends, take if you
have any children or anybody know, take
467
00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:49.199
them out from that war, because
they might die. We don't want it
468
00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:52.760
and we wish that war never start. For Russia, and for Ukraine,
469
00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:59.880
of course. What about your Americans
friends? What about US Americans? What
470
00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:04.719
message do you have for us?
You know we live in America. Of
471
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:07.559
course, it's a very prosperous country
and we have a lot of courses that
472
00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:15.280
we help in, donate, we
volunteer our times and we very generous.
473
00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:20.360
So I think in this time I
want American people just to pay attention what
474
00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:23.800
going on in that world, because
he might come here if we don't stay
475
00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:30.280
against this, this brazen aggression,
and we don't unite it against that that
476
00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:38.239
put in President, who's probably going
to be accused of aggression against humanity and
477
00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:46.320
crimes. Don't forget Ukraine. If
you have time, go visit sites that
478
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:52.159
help Ukrainians if you have two dollars
to share. I know we have a
479
00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:59.159
lot of charities we donate and help, but right now our future future of
480
00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:04.320
Democracies and freedom and republics is on
the line. So help Ukrainians as much
481
00:39:04.360 --> 00:39:09.440
as you can. Assist Ukrainians if
they hear. Do not be prejudiced against
482
00:39:09.519 --> 00:39:15.920
Russian people who's in America, because
it has nothing to do with them.
483
00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:20.599
WHO's here? They all left because
they want to be free. But support
484
00:39:20.760 --> 00:39:29.920
Russian people who's they're under this government, who oppress everybody, and continue think
485
00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:36.840
about future free Ukraine and hopefully democratic
Russia at one point. Two help Ukraine,
486
00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:40.920
let them be free and no wars. Well, thanks so much,
487
00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:45.000
Dmitri. I appreciate you coming on
and giving a lose world. You're very
488
00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:52.000
important perspective and next time you talk
to the Ukrainians, please send them our
489
00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:57.760
love. Thanks, brand I will
be talking to them and about our half.
490
00:39:57.800 --> 00:40:00.840
I will tell him I did talk
to you and you send them your
491
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:05.760
support and they appreciate I don't know
if you knew it. I think I'm
492
00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:09.480
not sure if you knew it.
You know, we display twenty Ukrainians flags
493
00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:14.119
and main street very touch because of
that, and they send us, they
494
00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:16.400
send me many knows saying thank you, thank you, thank you. Little
495
00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:21.639
things like this and support. They
really appreciate it. I'll make sure they
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00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:27.000
they knew we was talking about them. I'm sorry that today's conversation with Dmitri
497
00:40:27.239 --> 00:40:30.519
was one that was so somber,
but I hope that every and here's the
498
00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:36.119
resounding message of support for our louge
colleagues that are affected by President Putin's invasion
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00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:40.159
of Ukraine. As both Dmitri and
I said throughout the podcast, the Luge
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00:40:40.199 --> 00:40:45.239
community is a family and whether it's
the Ukrainian louge team or the Russian Luge
501
00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:51.239
team, we want all of them
safe and healthy. We send all of
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00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:55.880
our love to our international family and
hope everyone stays out of harm's way.
503
00:40:57.760 --> 00:41:00.320
Thank you for listening to blank,
a podcast about what it takes to win
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00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:27.639
a lose race in the blink of
an eye.
1
00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:11.439
How about? This? Is Dmitry
felt from Lake pleased, New York.
2
00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:16.719
Thanks for joining us today. Thanks, Brenna. I was looking forward to
3
00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:20.719
connect with you also. We spent
a little time together and, like Plasid,
4
00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:23.480
a few weeks ago and I asked
you if you'd come on to be
5
00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:27.519
interviewed for the podcast. You know, at the time I was envisioning US
6
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chatting about some of your favorite lose
stories, since you have so many great
7
00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:36.679
ones from being a former junior national
coach and as the marketing and sponsorship manager
8
00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:39.640
of us a loge. Unfortunately,
I think it's going to take a little
9
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:44.200
bit different tone, since now some
scary things are happening over in Ukraine right
10
00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:49.560
now. Yes, I agree with
you. I was looking forward for Nice
11
00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:57.920
relux and chat about stories that I
know, but unfortunately war happened in Ukraine
12
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right after the games and it's a
it's definitely on my mind and, of
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course, on the mind of billions
of the people around the world when they
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wake up or they go sleep.
Dmitri, I know that you were born
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on the island of come Chotka and
Russia, near Alaska. Yes, but
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but then when you were young,
three years old, you moved to Kiev,
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Ukraine, would you say you're would
you consider yourself Ukrainian or Russian?
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What do you consider yourself? Well, you know, I came, when
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I left at a Soviet Union,
basically product and then, of course,
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after Soviet Union collapse, it became
many independent states. Now I grew up
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in Kiv, Ukraine, from three
years old till I left to United States
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00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:52.599
when I was twenty four years old. So it's definitely I consider myself American
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citizen, with my excellent connections and
my memories of my life in Ukraine since
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00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:06.719
I was born what's now Russia.
It's part of me, also attached to
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00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.840
the Russia and good Russian people,
not including president putting. Of course,
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while you were living in her and
Ukraine, you got involved in the sport
27
00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:20.000
of bluish. Can you tell us
how you got involved in sport? I
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was, you know, junior kind
of age guy. I played soccer for
29
00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:30.560
a little bad but I was a
smaller size guy. So my career of
30
00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:37.639
soccer player was basically stopped by myself
because I played defense and everybody beat the
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hell out of me. Baby guys
who would come and try get through me.
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So after after I told my coach
that can I play midfield? He
33
00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:49.479
said no, he could defender.
Said okay, I'm leaving. And one
34
00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:54.520
day I just open sport newspaper in
Kiev and I was picture of the loose
35
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guy laying down on led going down
and I was article about lab that functioning
36
00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:06.719
in city of Kiev and and the
coach of the club was guy by the
37
00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:10.639
name Clym got Ka. Yeah,
so what I did? I Call newspaper
38
00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:15.159
actually, and I asked them if
they had any connections or how do I
39
00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:19.159
find delusions? They said here's the
club, here's the name, and I
40
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call Clym, and after that it
was all history. So I know your
41
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:28.159
father was in the Soviet military.
Where you ever part of the military?
42
00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:36.159
Oh yeah, I spent I spent
two years in Soviet Union army defending border
43
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between Soviet Union and China and actually, and actually, I was in the
44
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tank unit. So when I watch
now on TV Russian soldiers dine and those
45
00:03:47.240 --> 00:03:53.400
things, I feel so bad for
them because tank is as a trap and
46
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if the granade propelled like javelin going
to hit that, thank you, not
47
00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:03.000
gonna come out to life, and
I feel really, really bad for those
48
00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:09.400
young soldiers from Russia who's coming there
and thinking that they gonna Survive. A
49
00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:12.240
lot of I'm gonna die in those
things, and I didn't want to die
50
00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:15.759
either. But it was different ideology
when I was an army because our enemies
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was China. Here is no enemies, putting create this medical story of saving
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00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:30.000
Ukrainian people who didn't ask him for
anything, from the Nazis and fascism.
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And and those poor Russian kids who's
on the tanks. They all thought they
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00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:40.879
have a military game still. They
shipped them from Belarussia to attack, on
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00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:46.319
provoke Ukrainian people. Right, and
they're just simply following orders. They they're
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00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:49.040
doing what they are told to do. When you in army, you sign
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00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:54.879
up that you will follow the orders
and some of them, who smart one,
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00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:00.519
will try to avoid those orders and
the fact resign, run, stay
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00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:03.279
alive, give up to Ukrainian soldiers. They not going to kill you.
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00:05:03.079 --> 00:05:09.120
You'll be POW, but you'll be
alive. If not, you might be
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00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:12.079
somewhere in the more great. Now, what brought you to the u?
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00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:15.160
As? You came when you were
twenty four years old. Is that right?
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00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:18.279
Yeah, after military I went back
to lose. I did my luge
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00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:25.000
with claim clint was a one of
the best Soviet coaches at that time.
65
00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:27.600
But you know, my age was
kicking in a little bad. You know,
66
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:30.319
as you've been in loge when you
twenty three, twenty four, if
67
00:05:30.319 --> 00:05:34.079
you don't show a lot of good
results, and in Soviet Union those days
68
00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:43.000
was almost impossible because it was so
many good much better lose at least than
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00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:46.199
I was. So for my luck, because Colin was one of the best
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00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:50.959
coaches and Soviet Union. I learned
so much from him and he thought that
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00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.680
I have a good contact with young
kids. So actually, last year,
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00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:59.120
before I left you, I was
working with little kids and our club and
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00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.199
that's what I like. But when
I grew up in Soviet Unian I never
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00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:08.639
liked that system and I always thought
that maybe one day I'll be able to
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00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:13.279
get out from Soviet Union. And
yes, Opportunity arrived. Me and my
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00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:15.600
mom we left in one thousand nine
hundred and seventy nine. Soviet Union puck
77
00:06:15.720 --> 00:06:20.639
in say goodbye and I was in
the United States and Brooklyn, New York.
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00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:26.480
So you lived in the you ask, for about twelve years before the
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00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:31.240
Soviet Union collapsed. How did it
fail to witness the collapse of the Soviet
80
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:36.959
Union from a continent away. Well, you know the weirdest the weirdest thing
81
00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:42.199
was for most of us who left
Soviet Union, we never thought that Soviet
82
00:06:42.279 --> 00:06:46.839
Union will ever collapse. As President, current president put in, think he
83
00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:51.519
will never collapse either. But as
his story show to us, everything goes
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00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:56.800
away at one point and he's gonna
go away too in history as a most
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00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:00.720
terrible man in the world. But, like I said, we never taught
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00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:08.759
Soviet UNI will collapse. But what
happened is when garbagechow became secretary general of
87
00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:13.439
Communist Party, he look kind of
a Chinese model, because China that time
88
00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:17.199
was much more relaxed Communist ideology for
the country too, because I was trying
89
00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:21.759
to build economy and garbage was trying
conder, to take the model and he
90
00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:28.639
relaxed a lot of things and Soviet
Union. And that would really push Soviet
91
00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:35.000
Union on the brink of laps because
a lot of those liberation thoughts for so
92
00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:39.839
wee people told them, hey,
we don't want to do what Chinese does.
93
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Or Communist Party want to be free
like Americans or Germans or Italians or
94
00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.040
French, and so that pushed Soviet
Union to collapse and it broke those fifteen
95
00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:53.839
republics. That basically broken to fifteen
independent republics, and Ukraine was one of
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00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:58.240
them. Well, so you must
have been happy to see a collapse right
97
00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:01.079
like. Thank you didn't you didn't
want to be there, but we want
98
00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:05.160
them, you know, were so
happy that collapse. But the good thing
99
00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:11.240
was we saw how Russia became independent, Ukraine became independent, Estony a lot
100
00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:16.480
with, you know, Lithuania,
Georgia, Moldova. Were so happy for
101
00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:18.839
those people because they can find.
We was thinking, as I'll find the
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00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:24.120
own identity. They become more independent, democratic and actually, at one point
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Russia was as independent and democratic under
Yelton as basically in United States. I
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mean Yeltsen was become of freedom there
and he was attacked by Communist Party and
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00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:39.360
it was a coulder. They want
to kill him. But I didn't work,
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00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:43.519
but we was. I was very
happy for them, and that's how
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00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:48.480
I saw my coach Clin first time, when they relaxed the opportunities come to
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00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:52.960
the West. I saw him first
time in Italy when he came. That's
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right. And that trap. Wasn't
it you who tried to convince him to
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come to the United States. Yes, I told them. I told them
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I'll take my car, take them
to Italian Police Department, police station,
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and we'll ask for political asylum.
And he said, you crazy, I
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have wife and two children that I
said, no big deal, you ask
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for political asylum, then they come. But they did reverse and they all
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came together in one thousand nine hundred
and ninety one. So during the s
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you were a junior national team coach
and the strengthen conditioning coach. who were
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some of your athletes back then?
Well, you know, I was a
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it was a great group of Atlets
who became Olympic medalist and Olympians. I
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mean I was so such a wide
variety of some of them that even someone
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who didn't make the Olympics, they
were great. You know, of course,
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Chris Thorpe and Gordisher and Margaret Matt
and Brian Martin, who became Olympic
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medalists. And you know, Mark
and Brian became two time Olympic medalist in
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five times Olympians. But I was, you know, team Violey's and and
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Betanicalkterra bed for WHO's now? I
mean I start them from day one.
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So it's a great memories to work
with those artists, Robert Pipkins, I
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mean Jason and Jason Mallolen's curly.
They didn't make the Olympics but they were
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great team. They were first who
won silver medal of the junior world championship,
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an exchange Soviets led. I mean
the stories, the story is about
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the whole thing was amazing. Was
the greatest times and those days. What
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were your proud of? The achievements
as a couch? Well, like I
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said, you know well, first
of all, when I came here,
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they hired me as a development coach
and when I came to the first camp,
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it was group of people starting from
age eleven to age forty, and
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one of those skinny little kids was, you know, Gordis share and Bettany
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Calcaterra, and then later came Robert
Pipkins and all other kids. But what
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I told you as luge, I
said we can't work like this. We
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have to have a junior national team
who will travel to abroad and learn how
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to slide everywhere. We need to
get out. That was, I think,
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very smart idea. So that's where
that's when they separate me and let
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me work. The greatest thing was
working with great coaches like Lynn Hancock,
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mirrors loaves, I owns, you
know, Fred Zimney. I mean we
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did great job, you know,
by winning first ever junior world championship medal,
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silver and doubles. And I think
then who was done? Ray was
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for or team, Whiley was fast. I mean I was unbelievable. And
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then grosser price. I remember it
was five US girls on the podium,
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including Aaron Warren, you know,
Kirsten Lynch bettany. I mean it was
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amazing just to see how much progress
was made. So so that was that
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was my first great achievement. Then, of course, when when Robert Pipkin
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became world champion in not in support
and bettenny was bronze. That was,
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you know, and then doubles was
bronze. That was great, great achieve
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yere was that was that ninety one
hundred and ninety ninety two, right before
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Olympic game to okay. Yeah,
and that was great. You know,
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the whole, the whole. I
mean traveling to Sarah. Yeah, I
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know Sarah, yeah, very well. Before the war we just get out
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right when war, start sliding there
and looking like a gypsy trail first because
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we had no money, sleeping at
the train station and to become, you
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know, really powerhouse and the junior
level and then moving up. I mean
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it wasn't it was the greatest time
to be part of the junior program.
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It was so many talented kids,
were so many great coaches. It was
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great. US lose really want to
be one of the best in the world
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and, you know, tradition continue. Yeah, absolutely, and you had
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you know, I think it's probably
similar as it is today. We're countries.
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Were kind of working together and you
were, you know, I probably
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working with some of the other coaches
from the other nations to help me,
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yeah, build yourself the program up. Well, you know, it's a
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loose family, is a small family. I mean I remember Josh huckle when
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he was fifteen years old kid,
first time I saw him in niggles.
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I still see him and he gives
me big high five. Yeah, I
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know, I it was a great
time. And you know what was good
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about lose? We are as a
group of people, including like one of
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my most favorite guy, frank maisie, who's a true American, one of
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the greatest losers. But what was
interesting about the whole thing. We want
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to be best in the world and
we found that pass to keep continue to
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go. And you know, you
go through the mountains and valley. Sometimes
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you in the bottom, you go
down. You got to get out and
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be best again, and I think
we are. Maybe this Olympic Games was
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not our best, but we will
get out and we will climb and the
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mountains and will be in the army
of Olympic medallists again. Sometimes that's what
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you have to do. Yeah,
and and learn from what happened. And,
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yeah, and keep keep moving along. Well, I remember when you
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were growing up as a loose letter. That's right, it was very tough
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competitive. I remember at one point. Yeah, of you. Yes,
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no, I remember you were.
You were tough cookie. You know,
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you did your best. You was
you were great athlete. I think you
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can be great coach. But you
know, you and our foundation, which
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is awesome. You know, becky
wheels, like Ashley, Ashley Walden,
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and I remember all of you.
When I didn't had too much influence on
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your development, but it was coach
Clim who was developing you, and that's
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much better than me. I can't
touch that. None. Right. When
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I started Louis in one thousand nine
hundred and ninety two is probably right around
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the time you were transitioning off of
the track and into the office. As
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the marketing and sponsorship. I did
wonder, I didn't really wanted no idea
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what the hell marketing sponsorship was.
I know, but Bob Hughes, Buff
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Hughes, who was at that time
market team director I had buff us,
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was the guy who hired may be
junior national team coach and development. He
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for some reason he saw that I
have maybe that connection to the people in
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terms of men nonlusion. I think
at that time that's what US lose needed.
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Right now they aren't needed. They
have gored you share and many things.
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I'm an old guy now, but
at that time they need somebody who
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knows lose very well, who understand
international lose and who can talk. And
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I can't talk and I do what
I approached this marketing sponsorship. I don't
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approach but per sake maybe as a
regular way, I try and make sure
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that everybody who's was us they feel
like part of loose family and that's what's
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important. I think that's what separate
US loose from other organization. With tree
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to all our sponsors all supporters,
like our family. Nobody feels nobody fells
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through the crack. No, and
I was I think, you know,
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bullet Bob Hughes. He had the
right idea, because now if you,
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if you meet anyone who knows about
us a lose, they know Dmitri felt
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and they know that Dmitri treat them
like family, and it's absolutely they remember
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you a hundred percent, and so
I think you were a perfect person to
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be in the marketing and sponsorship because
that's exactly what sponsors want and need,
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is somebody to give them the knowledge
and the attention that they deserve. That's
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a bullet said. But you know
what, I don't know how to operate
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computer and write in English whole more. I mean, I knew how to
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do invoices to give money back to
round Rossi, but I did not know
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how to turn computer CHAROPE, how
to operate HMM. Yeah, definitely.
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What would you say your proudest is
achievement as a marketing and sponsorship manager was
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or as well. You asked me
cool question, but I want to tell
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you my most important achievement that I
became while working for US Louse. I
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became an American citizen, and I
was right. Great as achievement. Luche
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helped me so much. So that
was my greatest achievement, just to feel
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like a and belong to United States. In terms of marketing and sponsorship,
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like I say, I think I
think my strongest way, and you mentioned
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it, is just to have have
a good communication with sponsors. Doesn't matter
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who they names, what the names. You know, treat them like your
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family. Make sure they contact with
us a part of your programs. You
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know, I do like, I
do like it. Maybe I was a
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little bit fortunate or I don't know
if it was my success, but relationship
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was norton saying a Bain. It's
a long story. I mean I knew
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it started with George, an Sliman
who was engineer and who I would call
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and ask him for sand paper and
he would give me a sand paper every
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year and and then it just kind
of rolled in and on my luck and
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met one day vice president, who
was very nice guy, Paul Valley,
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and for his mistake he asked me
what else we need? I say,
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how about some money? That helped
a lot because you know the low relationship
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with Norton. Now it could be
perfect, perfect dynamic, because what I
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like about them they are American based
company. They have American employees. It's
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industrial company. So these people who
go to work, they don't wear suits
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and jackets and then sit in front
of computer. They go and they mix
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all those mixes to make send papers
and the industrial cutting wheels, and that's
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the hard and soul of America.
They go every day, they make seventeen,
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twenty an hour and they work their
butts off and I want to US
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lose at it's works the same way
and that's why, that's why I think
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I really like. I like that
when we hang out with industrial American companies.
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It's easy to hang out with COCACOLA. You know they have trillions of
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the dolls, but when you work
with companies like Norton Sandgabain, welcome,
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gmss US, vent, your dad's, the companies I really like. It's
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American heart soul. These people get
up every morning, go to work and
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if you win Olympic medal, they
very proud of our achievements. They not
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asking too much. They just want
us be American and be the best in
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the world like they are. So
I know another part of you that I
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know from can I kind of watching
from the outside in. Is that when
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you really do help out other teams, like when they come to the United
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States and they need a place to
stay and they need to know where the
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gem has they're always, especially the
Russians in the Ukrainians are always coming to
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Dmitry to help with housing and things
like that. Why is that important for
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you to do for those those teams? Well, you know the what's the
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Slavic people have? It's that.
It's that attachment basically to each other through
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the years, Russians in Ukrainians,
Bulgarians and, you know, Slavic countries,
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or even not Slavic countries like Georgia
or Minia, former Soviet Union.
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We have we have this admiration of
each other because we went through a lot
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of hard work and Ukraine become independent
and Russia and I really know many,
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many people there. They they know
me and through by basically by me being
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here, they have a really good
relationship with us loson. That's very important
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to me and so I'm happy.
I am happy to help Germans also or
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my regions when they ask me,
but I know needs of Russians or Ukrainians.
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They have a little different needs different
money amount. So it's always great
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to help them out. But when
German coach, coach call me for you
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whole truck, I'll be happy to
help him too, because I know them
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for years and years and years and
I want to I want to keep my
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pals on and anybody and that family. But yeah, you know, the
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former Soviet republic definitely very close to
me. Now, shifting gears a little
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bit, what were your in national
thoughts last week or you know, ten
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days ago, when you heard that
Russia had started to invade Ukraine? Well,
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I think most of the people was
in this belief, especially in the
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West. I was not as in
this belief as maybe other people because if
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you look last couple of days before
invasion, what put in was doing,
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he recognized those rebellious portion of Ukraine, the n Arn l and ore,
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which is nothing small enclaves of rebels
who don't want to be part of Ukraine,
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who wants to be in Russia.
And after he recognized them, then
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it was easy for him to attack
Ukraine because he can claim that those people
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told him they need to go take
Nazis and and and nationalist out of Ukraine.
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I mean it was it was all. It was all, of course,
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lies. What really struck me that
that Europe in the world was all
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sleeping at the wheels a new four
months that he might be attacking Ukraine.
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But they did very, very little, and that's why we now in this
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mess, with millions of people running
away, Ukrainians. They they fighting for
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their lives. The civilian die,
dying, Ukrainian soldiers dine, Russian soldiers
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dine for nothing for one man who
whose idea of ruling the world by by
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killing, which is all those dictators. Basically, if you look through the
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histories, it's always wars. It's
if or it's Napoleon, or it's Hitler,
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or it's putting or previous people.
They want to invade, they want
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to conquer, they want to kill
them. That's how they satisfied. They
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hunger for something. I'm not sure
what's in his mind, but for some
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reason he definitely try to feed his
his hunger for for for attacking Ukraine.
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Will he and with Ukraine, or
do you think he'll move on to other
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old Soviet what I'd like to see
actually that Ukraine will will kick them in
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the butt and kick them out from
Ukraine. I'm not I think if Ukrane
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will not be able to defend themselves
and really stay their ground and kick them
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out, then he might move frather
way, because he already. They have
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this little republic of Moldova, which
is that which is not every being union,
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it's not unite, it's not Nata
and it's very weak military. I
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mean, you do about Ukrainian army? They small, but they've very tough
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in the last eight years. Ukrainian
government and army really change. Used to
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be nothing, but in the last
eight years they figured out that they need
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to be strong army, maybe not
biggest one, but strong one, and
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they fighting like like unbelievable. I
mean they fighting like those three hundred spartuns
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I'm thinking, or like Maccabi Jews, or or or during World War II
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against nats, even Soviets and Americans, and you know, I was fighting.
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And that's how these people fight.
They fight for the for the freedom
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of countries. They want to be
free. A putting doesn't understand it,
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and Russian, some of the Russian
people don't understand what freedom is. It's
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when I want to be free.
I know you have friends and both places,
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and Russia and Ukraine. Have you
been able to speak to any of
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them. Well, you know,
as soon as the whole thing started,
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of course I've been in touch with
my friends and Ukraine. I just visited
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Suchy. I wasn't such in November
with the USA Lushtiam helping them out,
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and suddenly, you know, after
attack on UNPERAVOK, attack on Ukraine,
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I guess immediately start calling all my
friends in Kiev and and of course we
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very close to the Ukrainian Lush Federation, and I start calling trask Hartula and
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other people and the sending any messages. So I've been in touch with most
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of my friends in Ukraine, including
Ukrainian lush team, and I've been in
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touch with some of my friends and
Russia. Some of them who I've been
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in touch you know, they shocked
and they really disappointed and really sorry for
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Ukrainian people. And of course they
can't. They can control what the president
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down down. But I think certain
population of Russia doesn't agree with putting,
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but because he put so much restrain
and they freedom of speech, freedom of
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expression, freedom of information. You
go to jail if you go protest.
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It's really no freedom and in Russian
republic. But Ukraine had really freedom,
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and that's what he was afraid of. It putting. was afraid of that
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freedom of Ukraine, my spill into
Russia. It wasn't Natas. He was
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a bullshitting the whole worldcuse my language. He was he was afraid of of
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exchange of people between Russian and Ukraine, because they all have friends, they
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have families and when Ukrainians go visit
Russians they say, Hey, you know
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what, we can do this,
we can do that, we can do
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this, we can criticize our president, and I think that's what he was
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afraid more Ukraine staying dependent. He
was afraid of them about a Nata.
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He keeps saying, Oh, I'm
a worried about NATA. Nata never attack
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Russia. He had nat on his
boarder before he got pull he got,
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you know, Romania, he got
a lot really training, Estonia, he
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got many other countries. Nobody want
to talk. WHO WANTS TO FIGHT?
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You know, I would imagine over
the last week or so, the restrictions
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on Russians are only becoming more and
more. So I can only imagine that
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they know what's really happening when they
can't have access to facebook and they hear
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that they can't protest or they got
to jail for fifteen to twenty years.
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They know that it's there. Their
freedoms are gone and therefore something much worse
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is happening over the border. Oh, absolutely. Well, you know,
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now dead bodies are coming back to
Russia from those soldiers who died, and
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now small number of parents suddenly saying
wow, why my nineteen years old son
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died, and so information start getting
through, or captured Russian soldiers allowed to
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00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:02.680
call their MOMS and dad's and Russians
and hey, mom, I've been captured
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by Ukrainians. Plus, you know
putting said, if you listen in Facebook,
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you might get fifteen years use in
jail. And that's what he's gonna
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do. It like a typical dictator. He's gonna Club on his own people.
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He's gonna destroy the economy, which
is not big economy. I tell
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one thing, if Europe and right
United States can unite and stop buying his
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oil, he'll be out of money
in about one week. And he knows
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that. And I think that's the
way to knock him out and let Ukrainian
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people live in peace and get his
army out of Ukraine now before more dead
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people from both sides. I hope
Russian generals will send them that message.
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I mean they are under, of
course, order from him, but I
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hope some of them much smarter right
now. What they see, what was
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happening? They attack and they attack
and their own people they not attack,
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and invaders invaded. Free Ukraine.
It's no Ukraine have a justice war.
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Now they defend the homeland. Russia. I have Russia have no justification,
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absolutely not. Last week a lot
of international sports federations, like FIFA for
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soccer and Fil for Louse, spoke
out and banned Russian athletes from competing in
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00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:27.160
international events because of this Russian invasion. Do you think this is the right
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00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:33.880
move? I think the whole world
soapist off it at putting and including every
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00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:41.519
federation who support him, and they
watching and TV how Ukrainian children dying and
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00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:48.359
how Ukrainian city bombarded and how Ukrainian
city been burned. Yeah, I think
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00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:52.720
it's a right move. Right now
they punish in putting, while those artlests
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will no longer participate, they punish
in putting propaganda machine and his action.
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Those federations should go to put and
say stop the war and because they're not
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00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:11.119
gonna play you or whatever years it
takes to get Ukraine free. That's not
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00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:17.720
federation fauld, it's the Putin's fauld. You guys, go talk to himself.
377
00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:22.400
That war unless you support if you
support them absolutely, it just people
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00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:29.319
soap pissed off around the world now
at Puttin and his cronies and his army
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00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:33.759
that it's all gonna go to everybody
else. I know within the last year
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00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:38.759
so you've gotten to know a little
bit more about ice hockey. You've helped
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00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:45.359
European ice hockey player come to the
US and because of that you've gotten to
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00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:49.720
know the world of Ice Hockey.
One of the best known ice hockey players
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00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:53.640
in the world is Alex Ovatchkan.
Yes, Russian. Yes, I know
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00:30:55.720 --> 00:31:00.680
there are some very people being pretty
critical to him, thinking that he should
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00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:04.400
speak out more against this war and
against Putin. What do you think about
386
00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:08.039
that? I think it's not only
him. I say they all should speak
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00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:12.680
out more about war. Yeah,
but you know he's one of those elite
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00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:17.880
people. He he doesn't have a
company, but you know he makes a
389
00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:23.359
lot of money playing hockey in an
a hill and he's a personal friend of
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00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:30.720
putting and instead of and instead of
be correct and see what situation and just
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00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:37.400
defend Ukrainian people from being slaughtered.
He's not saying much and I think all
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00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:41.720
those players should be kicked out from
a NHL to see. You think all
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00:31:42.039 --> 00:31:48.680
Russian athletes in the US should be
sent back? I think anybody who support
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00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:52.720
that war and whose neutral, who's
not saying anything, they have no room.
395
00:31:52.799 --> 00:31:57.000
And International Competition now, sure,
but what about you know, we
396
00:31:57.079 --> 00:32:02.440
know that you know of Atchkin,
for example, has family stell and Russia.
397
00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:07.319
Could could he be afraid for his
family safety if he speaks out against
398
00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:13.720
the war? It was person by
the name Navalni. You probably her who
399
00:32:13.799 --> 00:32:19.720
Sidan right now in Russian jail for
nothing. was poisoned. He's sitting there
400
00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:22.440
and they try and give him another
fifteen year of jail. Well, first
401
00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:28.400
thing he came out from his mouth
at the recent court hearing. He said
402
00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:32.680
live alone, Ukraine, free Ukraine. He's sending messages from jail and he
403
00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:38.400
did nothing wrong. He just was
a position to putting. I'm not saying
404
00:32:38.400 --> 00:32:43.640
that a which can should become a
position, but he should go watch more
405
00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:47.920
videos. How Ukrainian at least dying, you know, to Ukrainian by athletes
406
00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:53.960
got killed, to Ukrainian very famous, very well known soccer players got killed
407
00:32:53.960 --> 00:33:00.400
defending the country. What he's thinking
about them or what other people think about
408
00:33:00.440 --> 00:33:05.079
them dying? They were like a
witch kin happy. You have families,
409
00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:08.200
want to live free life. They
were just in Beijing. Yeah, two
410
00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:12.799
weeks around. Yeah, well,
yeah, well, exactly. All Ukrainians
411
00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:15.640
and Russian at last. was there. I have no problem. Was Ushian,
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00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:19.599
was Russian people. We Love them, but we don't want them die
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00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:22.480
in Ukraine. We want them be
out. Take your army out, leave
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00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:28.880
Ukrainian people out. You know,
putting though that when he rolling to Ukraine,
415
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:31.880
he have people lining up on the
highway with the big banners welcome to
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00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:36.960
Ukraine, and what he saw rockets, fine and killing his soldiers because they
417
00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:40.440
don't want them there. He said
he coming to liberate Russian people. It's
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00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:45.839
a lot of Russian people. They
don't want them. He's bombarding his bombardian
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00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:50.359
second largest city in Ukraine, called
Harkive. It ninety percent people who live
420
00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:54.039
there. They all Russian ethnic people. He's bombarding the hewn. What he's
421
00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:59.440
saying, you know, his own
people. So he's not going for liberate
422
00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:02.960
those people. Or anything else.
He just want to capture Ukraine. He
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00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:07.000
knows it's a strategic country. He
wants the chunk of it. He wants
424
00:34:07.159 --> 00:34:10.800
Ukrainians work for him. It's not
going to work. It doesn't matter what
425
00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:15.280
he does. Only if he look
at the whole that country, they will
426
00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:17.800
give up. But but they will
not give up. They they are show
427
00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:22.159
to the world and whole Europe in
the United States. That's how you defend
428
00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:28.119
your country. You know, this
whole time, when when I woke up
429
00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:30.920
and heard that the invasion at start
did, all I can think about where
430
00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:37.119
the Ukrainian luge athletes, who literally
just got back from Beijing representing Ukraine and
431
00:34:37.159 --> 00:34:44.360
the Olympic Games, and about how
luge itself is, as you've described,
432
00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:50.960
as such a small family, and
how now they went from competing to being
433
00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.480
in their home country. That's that's
just under attack and it you know,
434
00:34:54.559 --> 00:35:00.960
it just has me thinking about like
so much empathy and in sympathy for them
435
00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:05.360
and it makes me really sad.
Do you know if any of them are
436
00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:09.840
fighting? Are The luge athletes?
Are they soldiers? They all in civil
437
00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:15.000
defense force, so they're not trained
soldiers, but what they do is they
438
00:35:15.079 --> 00:35:22.440
trained them to assist soldiers as like
an emergency service person. So if Ukrainian
439
00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:25.880
soldiers get injured, they need,
if somebody need to take them out from
440
00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:32.599
the front and bring them back for
the medical attention. That's that's what Ukrainian
441
00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:37.559
lush team gonna do it and I
speak to Taras every day and that's what
442
00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:43.559
he's been training. They all training. They very fortunate that the Ukrainian Lush
443
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:49.159
Federation based in Louviv, Ukraine,
western part of Ukraine, right next to
444
00:35:49.239 --> 00:35:55.280
Polish bordering. Right now it's the
safest, most protected place in Ukraine because
445
00:35:55.360 --> 00:36:00.039
Russian army was not able. It's
too far for them. Yet they I
446
00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:05.039
to encircle key of Harkive Suns,
you know, they fighting there and every
447
00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:09.960
day one Russian soldiers, one hundred
or three hundred gonna die and Ukrainian Civilians
448
00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:16.920
gonna die and Ukrainian economy getting ruined. In Ukrainian economy getting a ruined,
449
00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:22.320
and so the Russian economy is soon
going to be ruined. Stop buying oil
450
00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:27.559
from Russia. I'm asking president,
by then, any European stop buying oil.
451
00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:30.480
And I, you know, I
think about the athletes I used to
452
00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:37.280
compete against Lilya Ludan, Natalia Yakashenko. You know, they probably have children
453
00:36:37.280 --> 00:36:42.719
who are the age to be fighting, and I just I can't even imagine
454
00:36:42.760 --> 00:36:46.199
as a mom, I can't have
you imagine that being my child. Well,
455
00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:51.159
my my time losers, who I
compete or slid with them. They
456
00:36:51.199 --> 00:36:53.400
have children too, and I actually
I know one of them. And Civil
457
00:36:53.440 --> 00:36:59.039
Defense and key right now and here. They all need helps, they need
458
00:36:59.079 --> 00:37:02.880
foods and need protective gear. They
need to stay away from Russian artillery.
459
00:37:04.039 --> 00:37:07.239
You know, KIU is the IT'S
A it's a capital of Ukraine. Will
460
00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:13.119
See, they will never give up
and I think Russians, I think they're
461
00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:16.239
going to be very sorry was they
did. Do you have a message for
462
00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:22.679
your Ukrainian and Russian friends? Absolutely, and I try to give him this
463
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:28.320
message every day when I talk to
them on the phone. Stay alive.
464
00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:30.639
If you need any help from us, let us know what to do.
465
00:37:32.679 --> 00:37:38.679
We believe Ukrane will prevail, you
will be free. And for Russian,
466
00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:45.039
our Russian friends, take if you
have any children or anybody know, take
467
00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:49.199
them out from that war, because
they might die. We don't want it
468
00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:52.760
and we wish that war never start. For Russia, and for Ukraine,
469
00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:59.880
of course. What about your Americans
friends? What about US Americans? What
470
00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:04.719
message do you have for us?
You know we live in America. Of
471
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:07.559
course, it's a very prosperous country
and we have a lot of courses that
472
00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:15.280
we help in, donate, we
volunteer our times and we very generous.
473
00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:20.360
So I think in this time I
want American people just to pay attention what
474
00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:23.800
going on in that world, because
he might come here if we don't stay
475
00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:30.280
against this, this brazen aggression,
and we don't unite it against that that
476
00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:38.239
put in President, who's probably going
to be accused of aggression against humanity and
477
00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:46.320
crimes. Don't forget Ukraine. If
you have time, go visit sites that
478
00:38:46.480 --> 00:38:52.159
help Ukrainians if you have two dollars
to share. I know we have a
479
00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:59.159
lot of charities we donate and help, but right now our future future of
480
00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:04.320
Democracies and freedom and republics is on
the line. So help Ukrainians as much
481
00:39:04.360 --> 00:39:09.440
as you can. Assist Ukrainians if
they hear. Do not be prejudiced against
482
00:39:09.519 --> 00:39:15.920
Russian people who's in America, because
it has nothing to do with them.
483
00:39:15.960 --> 00:39:20.599
WHO's here? They all left because
they want to be free. But support
484
00:39:20.760 --> 00:39:29.920
Russian people who's they're under this government, who oppress everybody, and continue think
485
00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:36.840
about future free Ukraine and hopefully democratic
Russia at one point. Two help Ukraine,
486
00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:40.920
let them be free and no wars. Well, thanks so much,
487
00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:45.000
Dmitri. I appreciate you coming on
and giving a lose world. You're very
488
00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:52.000
important perspective and next time you talk
to the Ukrainians, please send them our
489
00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:57.760
love. Thanks, brand I will
be talking to them and about our half.
490
00:39:57.800 --> 00:40:00.840
I will tell him I did talk
to you and you send them your
491
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:05.760
support and they appreciate I don't know
if you knew it. I think I'm
492
00:40:05.800 --> 00:40:09.480
not sure if you knew it.
You know, we display twenty Ukrainians flags
493
00:40:09.480 --> 00:40:14.119
and main street very touch because of
that, and they send us, they
494
00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:16.400
send me many knows saying thank you, thank you, thank you. Little
495
00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:21.639
things like this and support. They
really appreciate it. I'll make sure they
496
00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:27.000
they knew we was talking about them. I'm sorry that today's conversation with Dmitri
497
00:40:27.239 --> 00:40:30.519
was one that was so somber,
but I hope that every and here's the
498
00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:36.119
resounding message of support for our louge
colleagues that are affected by President Putin's invasion
499
00:40:36.199 --> 00:40:40.159
of Ukraine. As both Dmitri and
I said throughout the podcast, the Luge
500
00:40:40.199 --> 00:40:45.239
community is a family and whether it's
the Ukrainian louge team or the Russian Luge
501
00:40:45.280 --> 00:40:51.239
team, we want all of them
safe and healthy. We send all of
502
00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:55.880
our love to our international family and
hope everyone stays out of harm's way.
503
00:40:57.760 --> 00:41:00.320
Thank you for listening to blank,
a podcast about what it takes to win
504
00:41:00.360 --> 00:41:27.639
a lose race in the blink of
an eye.
