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

Full Transcript for 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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