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Flowrestling's Christian Pyles on the advances and innovation of the company and himself over the years

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WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:13.279 WHOA. 2 00:00:14.199 --> 00:00:16.079 It's a Short Time Wrestling podcast. 3 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.199 You know, every time I do a show and it's 4 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.920 been a while, I always say it's been a while. 5 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.679 So if you are unfamiliar and this is popping through 6 00:00:24.679 --> 00:00:26.920 your feed, you're just finding it. My name is Jason Bryant. 7 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.960 I'm the host of this the Short Time Wrestling Podcast. 8 00:00:30.519 --> 00:00:33.200 Started it back in twenty and fourteen, so we're coming 9 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.880 up on twelve years. A short time, and it has 10 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:39.960 been a up and down world of podcasting because back 11 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:43.479 when I started this show, it was really one of 12 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:46.920 the few out there. And it started back in two 13 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:49.320 thousand and eight when Kyle Kleinman and I were brought 14 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:51.920 to Minnesota to work for the late J. Robinson and 15 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:56.479 his Media Sports Productions outfit, which created Wrestling Full one one, 16 00:00:56.600 --> 00:00:59.240 which was a great year in setting a lot of 17 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:01.799 innovation out there. The technology wasn't there with us. But 18 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:04.879 one of the groups that's really benefited from technology and 19 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:09.040 implementation of SET technology has been Flow Wrestling and Flow 20 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:14.359 Sports with its library of verticals across numerous sports, especially 21 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:17.159 recently with the college sports with Flow College and a 22 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:20.519 lot of the small college conferences and medium sized conferences. 23 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:23.680 And you've got wrestling conferences and hockey conferences that have 24 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:27.519 jumped on with Flow Sports. As a new hockey guy, 25 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:30.599 I know I can watch a ton of ahl ECCHL 26 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:33.680 college hockey on flow Sports, a lot of the junior leagues. 27 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:35.920 When wrestling is in a lull, I can pull up 28 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:40.280 a game and watch like the British Columbia Hockey League 29 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:44.000 for juniors. So it has created an environment for sports 30 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:47.040 fans outside of the sport of wrestling. If you're unfamiliar, 31 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:49.599 I do have to give them a little glaze here 32 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.959 because there's a lot of stuff there on flow Sports. 33 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:56.400 Today on the show is my interview with Christian Piles, 34 00:01:56.400 --> 00:02:00.760 Senior Content director at Flow Wrestling. Chris has been forward 35 00:02:00.760 --> 00:02:03.400 facing on a lot of this stuff over the years, 36 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:05.560 been over a decade at Flow Sports. So we're going 37 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.560 to sit down and talk to him at the nd 38 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:11.199 OFBCA convention about things Flows doing, things FRL is brought 39 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:14.759 to the rest in community and just checking the boxes 40 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:18.360 and answering some questions about what exactly are they doing 41 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.199 and what does the rest community need to know? And 42 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:25.039 as I told Christian after the interview, this might have 43 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:29.680 been the longest conversation him and I had with each 44 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.800 other just face to face because we've always been around 45 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:36.439 each other. We've always had conversations, We've had phone calls, 46 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:38.280 we've had texts. You know, I've been in the chat 47 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:41.800 on FRL. We've traveled the world and been in the 48 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:43.599 same place as a lot of times. But from an 49 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:45.800 interview perspective, this is the first time I've actually sat 50 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:48.840 down to interview him and talk about some of the 51 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:51.120 stories that led him to Flow, some of the things 52 00:02:51.159 --> 00:02:53.680 the Flow are doing now. So here's Christian Piles from 53 00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:57.080 the NDOBCA convention. We will have a number of shows 54 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:59.919 from the convention, including one with the New Hill College 55 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.680 coach Scott Tisher coming up and some of the session 56 00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:06.000 breakouts with Mike Moyer, Hella Marulis, and Brandon Slay. So 57 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:07.520 keep an eye on the Short Time feed for that 58 00:03:07.560 --> 00:03:10.960 coming up. But we'll kick off the convention coverage from 59 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:15.560 the first weekend in August in Baltimore with Senior Content 60 00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:19.000 Director Christian Piles of Flow Sports And as always, I'd 61 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:20.479 like to thank you for spending your time with me 62 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:25.719 because you've always got time for Short Time NWCA Convention 63 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.879 with Christian Piles of Flow Wrestling and Flow Sports, Senior 64 00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:32.800 Content Director, host of Flow Wrestling Radio Live, which we 65 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.400 will still forever disagree it's not Radio Christian. 66 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:36.840 But we're already starting. 67 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:40.000 We're starting with this no but for real Flow Sports. 68 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:40.199 Here. 69 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:42.719 You got the booth behind us, right, We've got the 70 00:03:43.039 --> 00:03:45.439 tech team with the h they're showing out
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the new 71 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:48.520 technology that they've got being able to stream events from 72 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.680 your phone and iPad. 73 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:51.479 Before we get into what's what's. 74 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.919 Going on the content side, talk about. 75 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:56.960 What Flow has been doing on the innovation side that 76 00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:58.879 that people may not know from behind a curtain. 77 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:02.479 Yeah, it's funny. I was like, man, he's probably gonna 78 00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:04.800 be asking me about this stuff and the way the 79 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.840 way the team works, Like I'm lucky enough, I'm on 80 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:10.080 the content team, so we're like we're focused day in 81 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:12.400 day out on like how can we get fans to 82 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:14.599 engage with the sport of wrestling. How can we you know, 83 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:17.720 serve those die hard wrestling fans, those new wrestling fans. 84 00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:20.519 But it's funny, I was talking with what they're doing. 85 00:04:20.600 --> 00:04:23.639 It's it's it's I was thinking, it's almost like full 86 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:26.839 circle because I'm sure you remember like when Flow started out, 87 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:29.360 even before I worked there it was like a self 88 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:32.600 Uh you could just upload anything. There's like old ufcs 89 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:34.000 that were just like she was just like it was 90 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:38.000 just like YouTube but Flow wrestling and so now you 91 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:42.800 know Pure Fight mentioned, Pure Fight mentioned right. Yeah, Actually 92 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:44.399 it created a lot of work for us. We had 93 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:46.199 to take so much of this stuff down because these 94 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.439 people were just upload like Olympic matches and all this stuff. 95 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.759 But anyways, my point being, now we got it. This 96 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:56.839 a new like self streaming thing that is just like 97 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:59.879 so cool. That's gonna enable you know, high school teams, 98 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.560 teams and you know, youth wrestling the ability to very 99 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:07.519 easily stream their events straight from their phone. We have 100 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:11.720 a not only just and we think, you know, not 101 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.079 only you can be able to you know, watch those matches, 102 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.600 but we have this technology that has like AI that 103 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.360 can zoom on the action. Don't ask me how that 104 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:23.079 they were able to do that, but it's real. If 105 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:26.399 you've watched Fargo, we had it. We've had it on 106 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:29.680 a lot of events now and including Fargo, so that's 107 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:34.000 obviously a difference maker and if if nothing else, it's 108 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:36.560 a way for more people to watch the sport. But 109 00:05:37.319 --> 00:05:40.000 it can be a way for these these teams and 110 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:43.720 schools to make additional you know money potentially you know 111 00:05:43.959 --> 00:05:46.199 how much. It's kind of based on on how well performance, 112 00:05:46.199 --> 00:05:48.680 but just a just a really a really neat thing. 113 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.959 And we're, uh, I'm obviously like super excited about that, 114 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:54.759 and the whole companies is really thrilled about that. And 115 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.240 the next the flow Flow Flow Wrestling next gen obviously 116 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:01.120 been great as well. So those have been the new 117 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:05.040 like technological innovations. I would say that I can say 118 00:06:05.160 --> 00:06:07.319 I only know about and had nothing to do with, 119 00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:09.319 but I am just just thrilled to be a part 120 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:09.600 of it. 121 00:06:10.160 --> 00:06:13.240 Going back to twenty thirteen, you know when you came 122 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:15.959 in from you know, from time with the open Matt 123 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:18.000 at the time on message boards vas for whatever's the 124 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:22.519 old wrestling talk the days there when you know you're 125 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:24.279 doing rankings and then all of a sudden, you know 126 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:29.120 you're elevating into a higher leadership role from from rankers 127 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:31.040 guild perspective, How hard was it for you to like 128 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:33.000 to give up something like doing the college rankings? 129 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.360 Well, yeah, I mean it was really hard, and I 130 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:38.639 didn't do it for a while. I continued to do 131 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:42.720 so I started the college rankings on Flow in twenty 132 00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:44.680 twelve really brought me in to do that, and I 133 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:48.639 did with my friend Ben Golden, who was was awesome 134 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:51.319 and really fun to do that with him. And then 135 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:54.720 twenty thirteen I started full time at Flow and I 136 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:58.879 continued to do them Spake and would have the exact 137 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:01.639 day but Spade and Start till twenty seventeen. And so 138 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.399 I moved into you know, kind of a leadership role 139 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:07.360 in twenty sixteen, and then it's probably eighteen or twenty 140 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:10.519 eighteen or nineteen before I gave him up. So that's 141 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:12.319 an easy way to say. It was not easy at 142 00:07:12.360
--> 00:07:16.279 all to do that. But my boss Ray is like, 143 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.800 you just you can't be Yeah. I had a lot 144 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:24.319 of mentorship from Ray that like said, this is not 145 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:25.759 where you need to be spending your time. You know, 146 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:29.240 we focus on other things and obviously Spay and now 147 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:32.560 Kozak and JD do do an awesome job. I think 148 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:36.279 like as you let go of things, like the first 149 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:39.040 time you do it, it's always harder, and then the more 150 00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:40.839 I've done it, the more I'm like, oh, okay, yeah, 151 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:43.240 now JD can do this for sure, and he'll he'll 152 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:45.959 crush it. And so that's a lesson. I've guess I've 153 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.120 learned over the thirteen or so years i've been at flows, 154 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:51.839 like we've got a great team and they're so capable 155 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:53.600 and probably in a lot of ways better than me. 156 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.040 Technologically evolves you talk, we talked about it with next 157 00:07:57.079 --> 00:07:59.360 Gen and what's going on with the live streaming, but 158 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:04.360 the technology with you know, podcasts were something that was 159 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:06.720 kind of fringe, you know when when I was doing 160 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:08.240 them and starting in two thousand and eight, and then 161 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.000 FRL comes aboard and you know, you're you're infamous first episode, 162 00:08:12.279 --> 00:08:15.319 but the uh, the evolution. 163 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:16.480 Of what your thing is? The second episode? 164 00:08:16.519 --> 00:08:17.639 Oh was it the second episode? 165 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:18.160 Episode? 166 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:20.519 Is that just preaching with CP? Was that that one? 167 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:22.480 Or was that the the first episode? I just had 168 00:08:22.519 --> 00:08:24.439 been on the second episode, I took the call. 169 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:27.120 Ah, Yeah, that was au We learned that one real quick. 170 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:27.759 Yeah. 171 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:31.480 Now, but the evolution of what FRL has become to 172 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:36.360 the Flow brand, it's consistent. It's something that each morning 173 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.919 people are up, they're watching it, they're involved in the chat. 174 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:44.399 How much has FRL really become a core content piece. 175 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:46.159 That is part of Flow Wrestling? 176 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:51.200 Yeah, well it was. I don't know how to answer 177 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:55.600 that exactly, but it does. I'm I'm flattered and humbled 178 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:58.120 that it is that for for Flow and for the 179 00:08:58.360 --> 00:08:59.879 for the company as well, that it's kind of the 180 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:04.440 flagship show for the whole company. And I think that's 181 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:08.919 really a tribute to the the wrestling fans and how 182 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:12.360 much desire there is for this content and how you 183 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.639 know excited they are to hear and you know, there's 184 00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:18.559 it kind of reaffirms the initial missions like we want 185 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:20.600 to grow these sports and make them bigger because there's 186 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.200 these fans that they're dying for this content. They want 187 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:24.759 to know more, they want to be plugged in, and 188 00:09:25.080 --> 00:09:29.000 I think FRL is kind of like it's the perfect 189 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:32.240 thing for a wrestling fan. At that time in twenty fifteen, 190 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:35.840 there wasn't a ton of that and I think, you know, 191 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:39.519 it's gone through as you kind of eluded a lot 192 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:43.600 of evolutions, I would say, but at its core, like 193 00:09:45.200 --> 00:09:49.159 you know what, I think, it's what wrestling fans are 194 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:52.320 excited about, and that's what we kind of have have 195 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.519 always focused on and that's but yeah. 196 00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:57.840 There's a couple of like eras of FRL. 197 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.679 We go from the starting years and and there's the 198 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:04.000 Willy years, then there's the the askering years, and then 199 00:10:04.080 --> 00:10:10.600 now through multiple studios and settings sometimes hallways, you guys 200 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:13.600 have gotten really into a groove. You know, you're kind 201 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:16.960 of like JD. Lee with topics. You're kind of anchoring things. 202 00:10:17.440 --> 00:10:19.000 But I do miss the guy on the couch. I'll 203 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:19.360 be honest with me. 204 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:22.120 I miss Bracky throwing strays from the couch. 205 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:25.159 You think I don't miss what was What's been the 206 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:31.279 most fun part about episode one, three and beyond and 207 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:34.399 then working with Ben and then now with what. 208 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:37.200 The show is today, Well, I think what what's what 209 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:41.000 made FRL fun is what makes Flow fun is that 210 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.039 we have a ton of autonomy and it's kind of 211 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:46.799 like you have the freedom to try things and see 212 00:10:46.840 --> 00:10:49.320 what works, what doesn't work, what you like, what you 213 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:52.480 don't like. And I think FRL like really is reflective 214 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:55.240 of that. Like it was just me
and I was 215 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:57.480 like and then Willie was kind of doing a podcast 216 00:10:57.919 --> 00:10:58.360 and then. 217 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:01.879 Like overflow, it's like, wait, why don't we do this together? 218 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.600 Because like we had a pretty obvious like connection at 219 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:08.720 work and it's like, well, this would be this will 220 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:11.039 work and we knew it would work, and it worked, 221 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:16.759 of course, so that was really fun and it uh, 222 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.639 I mean doing it with Ben was such a that 223 00:11:19.799 --> 00:11:25.600 was a real you got to remember Ben was he 224 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:29.360 was my like, my favorite athlete of all time and 225 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:32.360 someone I really revered on a personal level and didn't 226 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:37.240 know at all, and you know, the idea that I 227 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:39.679 got to do a show with him. For those years, 228 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:42.320 the majority of the episodes of FRL have been with 229 00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:46.720 Ben Askrin and just what what he brought, the level 230 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:52.919 of expertise, Like you lose something every every era loses something, right, 231 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:57.240 like there's no it's like, how do you replace this? 232 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:00.559 But there was no replacing Willie or Nomad or Bracky, 233 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:04.120 and certainly there's no replacing band. But you you kind 234 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:05.799 of you Just the main thing is you just got 235 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:09.440 to keep it moving, keep moving forward. And I think 236 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:12.960 what helps the current iteration is just like and what 237 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:14.960 I tell people, like what it's like working at Flow. 238 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.600 It's like we're very very close, We're really close friends, 239 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:22.200 and that's not lost on me, and that makes the show, 240 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:25.600 I think a lot easier to do. So yeah, that 241 00:12:25.799 --> 00:12:28.240 was I don't even know if I answered your question, 242 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:30.759 but I'm done talking about that at least for now. 243 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:33.840 Take take the historical drama out of the equation for 244 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:35.799 a moment. How easy was it to get Willly on 245 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:36.679 tilt on the show? 246 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:42.840 You know what? You say that, but I've listened. I don't. 247 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:46.360 Sometimes I'll go back and listen not for I forget what. 248 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:48.799 I'll be trying to find, Like i feel like we 249 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:51.360 talked about this, and I'm trying to find the episode, 250 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.200 and then I'll listen to it. I'm like, oh man, 251 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:57.960 I'm kinda I feel like I'm kind of getting thrown 252 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.200 off my game. And maybe it was noticeable, but it's 253 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:05.960 very noticeable to me. So I don't know. I listened 254 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:07.879 to it, and I feel like it was I got 255 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:12.320 thrown off more than he did. But yeah, obviously, uh, 256 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.480 there's I would say there's. I think people would probably 257 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:19.840 describe Willy as more volatile than me, and in a 258 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:22.000 lot of cases that's probably true. But I would say 259 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.080 in on the show and maybe in some other. 260 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:28.159 He's not allowed to the studio. Now he's photobombing your interview. 261 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.120 Oh yeah, I'm sure he is. I'd say I have, 262 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:35.039 I've and this is a learned like I definitely I'm 263 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:38.840 not anymore, but I definitely had my own volatility as well. 264 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:43.960 That made it made I think a lot of people 265 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:46.240 liked it, But what it was never what we were 266 00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:50.919 going for. We were never we never ever went into 267 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.799 it like let's you know, like I think you see 268 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:55.600 this a little and I don't know if they do 269 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.679 it in barstool, but it seems like they might. Like 270 00:13:57.720 --> 00:14:01.559 it's almost like scripted to fight, like I never wanted 271 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:05.200 to and he never wanted to, but it happened, and 272 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:07.159 I don't, I don't. I didn't like it, And as 273 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:09.840 I listened to it, I didn't like it much in 274 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:12.440 the time, and now as if I hear like a glimpse, 275 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:16.159 I'm like, you know, I was like, man, live, live 276 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.519 and learn, right, live and learn for sure, absolutely, I'm. 277 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.320 Talking about learning though. 278 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.320 I mean, this is something where a lot of you 279 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:26.879 guys came in not as media professionals. You guys are 280 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.159 blessed to have guys like Andy Hamilton and Kyle Klingman 281 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.399 who have gone through those reps in their career. You've 282 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:32.679 got a lot of you guys are learning on the 283 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:35.600 job with it. How have you guys personally evolved with 284 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:40.120 covering the sport uh with with a non traditional coverage background. 285 00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:44.120 Well, I would say, I would say currently we have 286 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:49.480 a ton of expertise on the
team, obviously Andy and Kyle, 287 00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:53.639 but I would put Tyler Meisinger and Connor Petros up 288 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:57.399 there with anyone anywhere, uh, in terms of their expertise. 289 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:04.679 And I think you know, the flow flow was and is. 290 00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:11.159 It's so much about the passion element, the fan element, 291 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:15.759 and it feels like if you have enough energy and 292 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.600 excitement and you want to do something like you can 293 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.679 you can figure it out. And I'd say figure it 294 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.080 out as kind of the word I would use. That's 295 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:27.960 maybe that's a beata uh phrase. He he said, may 296 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.080 we'll figure it out, figure it out, and it's like 297 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.639 all right. I wouldn't say it was it's fake it 298 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:34.799 till you make it, but it's like, all right, it's 299 00:15:34.919 --> 00:15:38.440 like this now, it's like this now, all right. If 300 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:43.360 you are, if you are, if you have self awareness 301 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:46.200 and you know what what good looks like, you know 302 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.360 what bad looks like, I think you can progress progress, uh. 303 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:54.559 And I think that's what we've done. Certainly Episode one 304 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:57.519 and episode whatever we just did is they're pretty different. 305 00:15:57.639 --> 00:15:59.840 I think you're like thirteen five hundred and twenty. 306 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.519 It's a lot. 307 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.679 Yeah, twelve forty eight. So yeah, it's like it's a 308 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:07.679 it's a it's a big change. But I think, uh, 309 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:10.120 I think more than anything, that's been a huge advantage 310 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:14.039 for Flow. It's like we don't come in, you know, 311 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.600 with like a narrow band of like how it should 312 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:19.080 be because we're all we're at that time, we're all 313 00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:22.000 figuring out and now we have you know, it's the 314 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:26.399 most viewed wrestling channel in the world when you look. 315 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:29.399 At what's coming up, what the content. 316 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:31.679 Goals are, whether it be world championships, you twenty three 317 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:34.360 is Fargo, or even high school state tournaments or you 318 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:37.200 know those events that you guys staff the big ones, 319 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:40.279 you know, the majors handing out the golden tickets. Where 320 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.960 do you still want Flow to be that you're. 321 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:50.320 Not at right now? I don't know. I mean there's 322 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:55.120 like ten of us, so I feel like that's I mean, 323 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.399 I've always said, like, not always said that. I don't 324 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:00.279 know I would say that, but I have said like, 325 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:02.759 and it's been said about full like one of our 326 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:05.839 biggest weapons is our is our budget. Like we're we 327 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:08.279 have to be really really smart. We don't have unlimited 328 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:10.920 money to go everywhere we want, whenever we want, Like 329 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:14.680 we have to be really thoughtful and prioritizing. Stay in 330 00:17:14.759 --> 00:17:18.160 murder hotels. Stay in murder hotels. Baby, that's right, dude. 331 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:22.359 And I feel like, you know, obviously my my resume 332 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:25.039 of staying in dumps is is uh, I put it 333 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:27.759 up with anyone. But I'm telling you Kozak and Bray 334 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:29.920 have have great promise and I think when it's all 335 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.720 said and done, they they will surpass the murder hotel. 336 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:37.119 They will stay in dumps. But but no, I think 337 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:41.920 we're kind of we go, but we're we prioritize. I mean, 338 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:44.680 I wish we could be at more, but it's uh, 339 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:49.680 it's I would say our limitations are never you know, 340 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:52.960 for lack of desire. It's just like we we just 341 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.400 have to be smart and what is the what is 342 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:58.480 the way with the team we have we can get 343 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:03.960 the most people to see them most wrestling stuff, videos, articles, 344 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:06.359 you know, short form, long form like how can we 345 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.759 do it? How can we do it all? And you know, 346 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:12.799 over time, I feel like we've we've been able to 347 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.640 improve that a lot. 348 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:18.319 Yeah, where do you think you've grown from twenty thirteen 349 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:23.599 to today, whether it be personally, whether it be professionally, 350 00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.160 I mean as a parent, because we both are parents 351 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:27.799 and kids are at the same age. So I know, 352 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:29.680 I've learned a lot about myself in the. 353 00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:31.960 Last ten years especially. 354 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:35.519 I would say, I mean, I've learned a lot. I mean, 355 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:38.079 I think just the the anecdote I was given about 356 00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:43.240 old shows, I think, I mean, you've got to it 357 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:46.240 was I mean, it was a it was a crazy place, 358 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:49.400 and I'm dropped in there
and I'm like, I'm a 359 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:53.400 sort of an intense personality myself, and like I'm kind 360 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:57.720 of a confrontational person also, and so I just learned 361 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:01.359 a lot about like leadership, how to work with people, 362 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:07.240 how to lead people, how to be led. And I 363 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:10.000 would say that's for me personally, you know, because someone 364 00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:12.599 who had I never I was a teacher, I never 365 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:16.160 managed anyone to then you know, at a point I 366 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:19.880 was managing across a bunch of different verticals and probably 367 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.759 had you know, fifteen or more direct reports. You just 368 00:19:23.839 --> 00:19:25.799 learn a lot through that. It's a lot of hard, 369 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.400 hard things and it was difficult, but it was a 370 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:34.039 great experience for me. I Uh So I would say 371 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.079 that I've definitely learned a lot. I think my own 372 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:40.240 temperament is I'm most proud of it's improvement. I feel 373 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.319 like as much as I've talked about this, like I 374 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:44.880 sound like I was like crazy and I wasn't. But 375 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:52.599 it's like for my own like personal uh, what's it? 376 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:57.519 What's the word expectations? Like I you know, there's you're 377 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.200 you're basically living this life. It's not just a ah, 378 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:02.720 this is just like kind of everything I was doing. 379 00:20:02.839 --> 00:20:08.599 So I definitely learned to on top of that, like 380 00:20:08.759 --> 00:20:11.519 just time management, given time to my family. There was 381 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:14.279 a time where I wasn't doing that. I felt like 382 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:16.960 I couldn't do that. The job was really intense and 383 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:19.759 I was remote, and I just felt like I just 384 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:23.559 got to show them everything I've got every day and 385 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:26.079 I'll just never stop. And you know, I missed both 386 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.680 my kids' birthdays one year and like I'm on the road. 387 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.920 I totaled it up with a one year and it 388 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.480 was I was gone three total months of a year. 389 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:36.519 I was like, this is not this is not tenable. 390 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:38.200 I had a four year old and two year old, 391 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.880 and I was like, all right, this is not this 392 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:42.319 is not good. So I've learned a lot in that 393 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:51.119 Trust people trust your team. The importance of high or 394 00:20:51.200 --> 00:20:55.480 slow really
important. And I think that you look at 395 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:58.880 the team we have and have had for this extended 396 00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:02.920 period of time, that's not easy to do. It's not 397 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:06.079 easy to do anywhere. It's not easy even at Flow, 398 00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:09.240 and I think it's a tribute to the to their 399 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:12.480 character and the people we have and kind of putting 400 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:15.640 the sport first and you know, people with high character 401 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:16.160 as well. 402 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.359 Last serious question before we get to the fun stuff. 403 00:21:19.400 --> 00:21:25.559 Okay, when we look at moving forward, mission forward, future coverage, ideas, 404 00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:28.039 things are gonna get implemented, how much more can you 405 00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.720 guys get better? 406 00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:34.839 Man? There's all yeah, there's so much we want to do. 407 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:37.799 There's so much. I feel like there's still so much, 408 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:44.599 so much opportunity, there's so much great wrestling. There's so 409 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:47.480 many stories. Every day I'm talking to someone and we 410 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:50.279 get you know, we're lucky enough. People are just like, hey, 411 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:54.160 this happened. What do you think we have? We're rife 412 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:58.400 with opportunities, and you know, it's like for us and 413 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:00.599 like for me and Bray, it's like, all right, how 414 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:03.400 can we we think more about We know we have 415 00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:05.880 the team to go out and extecute basically any video 416 00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:08.039 project we want to do, it's like, how can we 417 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.640 efficiently get to them as many of them as possible? 418 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:14.079 So that's really the next The next thing is as 419 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.240 far as I'm like, how can we get get to 420 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:20.519 more with it with the team we have. But you know, 421 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:24.359 we have some really cool series in the can that 422 00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:27.839 are that are gonna be great, like top high school wrestling, 423 00:22:27.960 --> 00:22:31.559 dual environments. I think we did one in Pukosa, Yeah, 424 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:34.319 your alma mater. So we've got a bunch of those 425 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:39.640 in the can. So that's and we we got some 426 00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:41.759 other things that are not done yet that are gonna 427 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:45.799 we're we're working on. So there's I mean, you're asking me, 428 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:48.839 what what can we still do? Man? I think I 429 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:49.599 think so much. 430 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:52.680 I think there's a ton still You
just touched on it. 431 00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:56.039 You and I are both from small towns in Virginia. Granted, 432 00:22:56.359 --> 00:22:58.200 yours is in the mountains. Mine is kind of surrounded 433 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:01.519 by a major metro area. One of the things that 434 00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:03.160 I get had lunch with a buddy of mine from 435 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:05.759 high school that I hadn't seen in twenty years, and 436 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:08.680 people ask us when we get to go all these 437 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:10.640 countries and see these cool things and go to the 438 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:13.519 Olympic Games and countries. A lot of people can't spell 439 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:18.000 what has been one of the most I guess fulfilling 440 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:22.119 things about world traveling, which you've openly admitted to being 441 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.559 kind of hesitant on some things. 442 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:27.839 I definitely was, and just that's so, I mean, you 443 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:32.400 gotta remember, I didn't fly, Like my flight to Austin 444 00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:35.640 for this job in twenty thirteen was was my first 445 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:39.640 flight since like seventh grade, and I'd only flown two 446 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:44.519 times ever. So I'm just I'm a total I don't 447 00:23:44.519 --> 00:23:48.160 know anything of how the world, okay, And so it's 448 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:50.200 like maybe just a little small town like I don't 449 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:52.759 I don't know what happens in Uzbekistan. I don't know 450 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:56.000 what happens in you know, even Paris or whatever. It's like, 451 00:23:56.039 --> 00:24:00.519 I'm not going there. And Mark Flow shamed me one 452 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:02.920 one time when I had told him I had actually 453 00:24:02.920 --> 00:24:06.240 never traveled abroad for Flow and He's just like, it's 454 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:08.000 just like, what are you doing? You need to do this. 455 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.599 It's like I was like, you're right, I do okay, 456 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:12.359 And then I went, you know, I went to Paris 457 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:13.359 and I've been I've. 458 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:16.359 Been on quite a few now, was seventeen, your first 459 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:21.200 international trip, no, no, later, I hadn't the twenty one Olympics. 460 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:24.240 That was the first time you left the country just 461 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:25.359 to go to the Olympics on. 462 00:24:25.319 --> 00:24:28.240 An empty plane in the middle of the pandemic. So 463 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:31.440 that's what I wow. But I wasn't scared at that 464 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.559 point in time. I was like, I've traveled so much 465 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:35.279 around the country. I'm like, I'm not worried. I was 466 00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:36.759 really not worried. I can't be a
friend of Tokyo. 467 00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:37.960 You're stayed in the murder Hotel. 468 00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:42.480 I know exactly nothing can touch me. Now I would 469 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:45.839 say this, I've gone n as many places to you, 470 00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:48.200 but everywhere I've gone, I've liked it, and I've liked 471 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:51.279 the people, and I've I've had a deep appreciation for, 472 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:56.200 you know, the opportunity to go, and it just it 473 00:24:56.240 --> 00:25:00.000 does feel very special, and it's definitely there's a lot 474 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:02.880 lot of moments where I'm like, I cannot believe I 475 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:05.079 get to do this Like that happens to me for 476 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:07.279 sure a couple of times a month where I just 477 00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:09.920 probably say it out loud. But man, when you're at 478 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:13.960 When I was in Albania for David's last match when 479 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.279 I was in Tokyo. When Tokyo was like weird, I 480 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:21.519 felt mad. I was like, I'm hearing David Taylor's Dad's 481 00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:25.519 not here, like this is this isn't right, this is wrong, 482 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:28.519 like but I'm but at the same time, I'm like, man, 483 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:31.000 I'm so glad I'm here to see Tamara Mensa Stock 484 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:34.759 winning Gables, you know, win like and really what was 485 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.200 maybe one of the greatest Olympic performances for Team USA 486 00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:43.559 and wrestling on the men's and women's side, And I 487 00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:47.440 don't know, you got to you gotta go back, So 488 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:50.640 I mean that was really special. But every trip special 489 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:53.839 you're going with the team. You're never really going by yourself. 490 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:57.200 And so just imagine traveling for a week and change 491 00:25:57.240 --> 00:26:00.400 with a dear friend that loves dear friend ends that 492 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:02.839 love wrestling and that crack you up and you crack 493 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:07.960 them up. It's it's great. And then you know, but 494 00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:12.519 more than anything, like getting to there's something specially. You know, 495 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:14.480 you go to NCAA's now there's so much media and 496 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:16.200 you go it kind of anywhere. There's a lot of meeting. 497 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:19.799 It's like, man, it's just me and Kyle Dake and me, 498 00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:21.960 it's like a meet a lord. It's like we're the 499 00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:24.559 only ones here. It's like, man, this is this is 500 00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:28.839 really cool. This is what an opportunity to, you know, 501 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:32.920 have more people know about how incredible these these wrestlers are. 502 00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:38.160 As obviously they're amazing athletes, but they're very different people. 503 00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:40.880 And I think maybe that's bringing a full circle, but 504 00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:47.039 I think that's what drew me to my wrestling fanaticism 505 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:53.000 more than anything, is the unique wiring of wrestling people 506 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:55.759 and how I felt like sort of a commonality with 507 00:26:55.920 --> 00:27:00.440 like that in some ways, and even of it that 508 00:27:00.599 --> 00:27:03.400 was like whoa, that's even that's really extreme for me 509 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:06.960 to even understand. But that's what I've always liked about it. 510 00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:09.559 It's like me and these are not freaking you listen 511 00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:13.920 to NFL and NBA interviews or baseball or it's like, man, 512 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:16.759 these people are just are so boring to me, and 513 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:20.640 like there's not many people if if, if the guards 514 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.279 are down, these wrestlers are really really interesting people. So 515 00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.799 from being in a small place where I just you know, 516 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.160 would not go anywhere to travel in the world, they 517 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:35.640 I think Mark is it a Mark Twain quote, you'll 518 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:38.079 correct me, but He's like traveling is the best education 519 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:40.559 or something like that. It's like, man, it really is. 520 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:45.119 You learned so much about about people and so yeah, 521 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:48.359 it's it's really cool that being from a hometown of 522 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:51.400 like ninety you know, one hundred people to you know, 523 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:53.759 Tokyo and Paris is pretty cool. 524 00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:56.599 Yeah, you might have to get Spade to correct you 525 00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:57.640 on the Mark Twain quote. 526 00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:00.200 It's not gonna be me but out. 527 00:28:00.680 --> 00:28:03.319 Shifting back back to both both of us being for Virginia, 528 00:28:03.359 --> 00:28:04.799 you went to a single a high school or to 529 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:06.920 double a high school. Our state tournaments were in the 530 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:09.839 same spots, right, notorious or. 531 00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:11.680 Infamous Salem Civic Center? 532 00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:15.440 What are if somebody says the word Salem Civic Center 533 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:17.559 to you, what's the first thing that comes into your mind? 534 00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:22.400 I am nervous. To me, it's funny because I have 535 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:25.039 a totally different perspective I think from you, just based 536 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:26.960 on how you ask that question about the Salem Civic 537
00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.359 Center and this kind of maybe brings it full circle 538 00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:34.960 to me. The Salem Civic Center is is this giant 539 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:39.920 event arena where you have the like this is I did. 540 00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:42.200 I hadn't gone to NCAA's before I had gone. I 541 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:44.559 hadn't been to a you know, any major Like you 542 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:47.319 go to the Salem Civic Center. It's like this place 543 00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:50.119 is big, there's a lot of people. It's like the 544 00:28:50.200 --> 00:28:55.519 mats are down below. I'm like it it's an intimidating thing. 545 00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:57.759 It was intimidating for me to just go there as 546 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:01.920 a coach, and you know, it was intimidating the kids. 547 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:06.000 Like that's how I think. I think I get nervous 548 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.960 when I think about it. I think I have some 549 00:29:08.759 --> 00:29:11.279 it's it's it's mixed because like I've I've had some 550 00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:13.799 of the worst memories of my life there and just 551 00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:17.079 like I just lived and died with it. And but 552 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.960 then I've had some great moments of where I saw 553 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:24.279 kids make their dreams come true that I said I 554 00:29:24.279 --> 00:29:28.440 would help them, you know, reach and to see them 555 00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:30.240 do it and know when you know all the work, 556 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:34.119 there's no club wrestling, and where I'm from, it's like 557 00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:36.440 I was the club coach. We were practicing year round, 558 00:29:36.519 --> 00:29:37.880 like that was the only way they could do it. 559 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:39.759 So it's like either I go to the high school 560 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:41.319 or they don't do anything. So it's like, all right, 561 00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:43.720 well let's do it. And so with with all that 562 00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:46.880 in the background, it's like at the Salem Civic Center, 563 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:49.680 you got the guy winner about ping. Yeah, that's great, 564 00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.559 that's how you say it. 565 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:54.359 And the same jock jam CD since nineteen ninety five. 566 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:57.960 I hear you Dropped a Bomb on Me by the ojs. 567 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:01.079 Do you know what that song? It's the Gap Gat band. Yeah, 568 00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:04.319 and I hear that song. I'm like, dude, I remember, 569 00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:08.359 this is so weird. I remember that song playing and 570 00:30:08.400 --> 00:30:12.519 my my, my brother had his semi final match against 571 00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:16.079 his kid from Radford named William Saunders, and I knew. 572 00:30:16.119 --> 00:30:18.680 I was like, if we beat him, will win States. 573 00:30:19.240 -->
00:30:23.720 And he had beaten us pretty bad, not pretty bad, 574 00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:25.960 but like it wasn't that close. A couple of takedowns 575 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.920 to none. I was like, all right, this is the 576 00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:28.920 guy we gotta beat. I just remember watching him warm 577 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:30.640 up and that song was playing. I remember watching the 578 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:32.799 warm up he was doing. I don't know why I 579 00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:35.799 remember that, but I really do. We lost, but we 580 00:30:35.799 --> 00:30:40.000 were right there, so yeah. I have some insanely vivid 581 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:42.960 memories of the Salem Civics Center. To me, it's a 582 00:30:43.160 --> 00:30:46.480 it's a very very special place and a great place 583 00:30:46.519 --> 00:30:50.880 for to watch wrestling. I watched Virginia Tech wrestle Iowa State. There. 584 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:56.160 Kj's first year, so yeah, great, great memory. He's at 585 00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:58.759 the Salem Civic Center, all right. Keeping it on Salem 586 00:30:58.759 --> 00:30:59.119 for a minute. 587 00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:03.519 Even though you were they were your division, the Grundy side, 588 00:31:03.839 --> 00:31:06.079 because it was the whole town. We had to wrestle 589 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:08.839 against them. They were our double A rivals. But you 590 00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:12.319 first walk in there and you see experience Grundy. We 591 00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:16.079 won't we won't experience Grundy proper anymore as it's consolidated. 592 00:31:16.119 --> 00:31:20.279 But yeah, explain that wall of people at the state 593 00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:21.359 tournament in Virginia. 594 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:25.000 Well, it's kind of like I would say, like coal 595 00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:29.440 mining Iowa fans, like you've got I mean, I'm from 596 00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:33.000 the freaking country, like the country you drive your tractor 597 00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:36.960 to school day. We had like riverheads did that too, Yeah, 598 00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:40.319 but they're freaking they had long hair. Riverheads is freaking 599 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:43.880 don't get me started. They were too pretty. We had 600 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:47.640 the land. But I would say like I was like, 601 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:50.640 oh there's another this like we're the JV country compared 602 00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:56.000 to like Grundy. But just like insane passion, you know 603 00:31:57.039 --> 00:31:58.759 a lot of them. I mean, it's just what I 604 00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:02.480 love about wrestling. It's like I've always said, like I 605 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:05.119 want to I want to live in a place someday 606 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:07.960 that loves wrestling. Like every time I go to Iowa, 607 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:10.920 I was like, man, I want to be here. I 608 00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:14.119 just want to go everywhere and everyone is like into 609 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:16.519 the thing I'm into. That's what drew me to Like 610 00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:20.200 message boards, It's like there's no one into I could 611 00:32:20.240 --> 00:32:23.400 Who could I even talk to about wrestling in Churchville? Nobody. 612 00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:26.440 So it's like, all right, there's there's the Internet, and 613 00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:28.680 there's flow wrestling, and there's the wrestling talk. All right, 614 00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:30.759 let me go be a spaz online. But there for 615 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:31.279 a little bit. 616 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:34.000 Uh, we've all been there. 617 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:36.720 Yeah I was there, but I got out of it. 618 00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:40.680 But that was like, yeah, so anytime I have common 619 00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:43.240 out here, if you love wrestling, man, we're probably gonna 620 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:43.720 get along. 621 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:49.640 The Short Time Wrestling Podcast has been outfitted by Compound 622 00:32:49.640 --> 00:32:54.079 Sports where since ever since you need something, shirts, hats, gear, 623 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:56.480 team where you need it, they've got it. Call up 624 00:32:56.519 --> 00:33:07.160 Cliff and the crew at CMP Sportswear dot com.
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