WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Time for another soccer down here one v one and

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<v Speaker 1>for this one, we go to Buffalo and catch up

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<v Speaker 1>with one of the new entrants in the NPSL.

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<v Speaker 2>And full disclosure as.

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<v Speaker 1>We're joined by Mark Spocon, the head coach of the

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<v Speaker 1>new Buffalo Stallions. I know the old Buffalo Stallions from

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<v Speaker 1>the Major Indoor Soccer League. I know about the odd

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<v Speaker 1>I know about Rick Jenrett, I know about Usabio. I

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<v Speaker 1>know about all of these things. But it is now

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<v Speaker 1>Stallions two point zero. Mark, thanks for dropping by for

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<v Speaker 1>a one v one.

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<v Speaker 3>Glad to be here, and I'm glad you have all

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<v Speaker 3>those great memories because that's one of the reasons that

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<v Speaker 3>driving us to do what we're doing. Bring back those memories,

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<v Speaker 3>create new ones.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, So I'll bite you brought it up. What

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<v Speaker 2>was the genesis? How much thought went into this?

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<v Speaker 1>How far back are we going into the process of yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>let's do this to yell, let's be the Stallions two

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<v Speaker 1>point zero, to yell, let's go to the NPSL. How

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<v Speaker 1>far back are we talking here?

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<v Speaker 3>Just the past two years, I would say, the conversation

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<v Speaker 3>of moving up to the MPs cell ranks or to

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<v Speaker 3>that level, those conversations have been have been occurring. The

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<v Speaker 3>Buffalo Stallions two point zero has been in existence now

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<v Speaker 3>for five six seven years. When the club Empire United

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<v Speaker 3>was part of the US Development Academy, the Buffalo portion

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<v Speaker 3>broke off on its own took on the name Buffalo Stallions,

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<v Speaker 3>which they've owned and had control over since the Stallions ended.

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<v Speaker 3>So the youth arm has been around for almost twenty

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<v Speaker 3>years now, maybe even a little longer, and they rebranded

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<v Speaker 3>to the Stallions. Like I said, when they left the

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<v Speaker 3>DA Association that they were in with Rochester and Syracuse.

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<v Speaker 3>So two years ago then the talk started to come,

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<v Speaker 3>all right, well, let's get to the next level. What's

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<v Speaker 3>that going to be in PSL Otherwise, to try to

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<v Speaker 3>create a path for our players within the club to

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<v Speaker 3>play as a senior player, and not limited to just

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<v Speaker 3>players in our club, but try to now extend the

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<v Speaker 3>reach to Buffalo and Western New York senior players to

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<v Speaker 3>provide them a platform to play at a higher level

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<v Speaker 3>as either a college player in the off season or

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<v Speaker 3>a player that's recently out of college but still wants

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<v Speaker 3>to play at a high level.

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<v Speaker 1>So Kevin O'Neil, Director of Club in Soccer, ops is

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<v Speaker 1>joining us as well, And let me ask you this Ken, has.

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<v Speaker 2>Your phone blown up?

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<v Speaker 1>What's it been like to get the response that you've

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<v Speaker 1>been getting and what has the response been.

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<v Speaker 4>The response has been, you know, obviously pretty positive. I

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<v Speaker 4>think there's a lot of excitement about the team as

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<v Speaker 4>far as like kind of the history of the team

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<v Speaker 4>and just kind of getting back even though it's not

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<v Speaker 4>indoor soccer and kind of whatever remembers the Buffalo Stadions

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<v Speaker 4>for but just some excitement again with you know, getting

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<v Speaker 4>a team and a men's team going here, you know,

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<v Speaker 4>in a league that's you know, semi professional, and just

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<v Speaker 4>kind of providing that pathway for our our kids to

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<v Speaker 4>even kind of aspire to to you know, to look

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<v Speaker 4>at to be able to, you know, hopefully one day

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<v Speaker 4>play for that team.

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<v Speaker 1>So let me ask you this Mark, what has it

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<v Speaker 1>been like there in Western New York and in Buffalo

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<v Speaker 1>specifically to see the sports grow to where it is

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<v Speaker 1>over the last handful of years and how much growth

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<v Speaker 1>are we talking about here?

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<v Speaker 3>It's fantastic. You mentioned before we got on air here

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<v Speaker 3>being a follower of this game when USA Network used

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<v Speaker 3>to carry them back in the nineties and cut away

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<v Speaker 3>from the game to go to a commercial, and then

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<v Speaker 3>you come back and next thing you know, the scores

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<v Speaker 3>one zero and you missed the goal. So we've come

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<v Speaker 3>from that to where the sport is everywhere. Now it's

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<v Speaker 3>on the internet. Kids are watching clips of highlights in

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<v Speaker 3>their favorite teams and EPL and Siria and La Liga

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<v Speaker 3>and legal it's all over the Bundesliga. They can watch

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<v Speaker 3>games whenever they want. You and I we'd have to

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<v Speaker 3>fight crowds in a sports bar to get a nine

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<v Speaker 3>inch TV turned off of baseball to watch a soccer game.

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<v Speaker 3>So today the game is everywhere. Kids see it. They're

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<v Speaker 3>falling in love with it, they love to play it,

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<v Speaker 3>and we're happy just to provide them a platform to

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<v Speaker 3>be able to perform.

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<v Speaker 1>Kevin, I know that when you talk about, oh yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the season, it's over there. Everybody might you might you know,

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<v Speaker 1>folks walk up to you sit there and go, oh yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the twenty twenty five season. Yeah, sure, it's you know,

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<v Speaker 1>may or whatever, But it's not just may or whatever.

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<v Speaker 1>It literally is like for planning purposes and everything. It's

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<v Speaker 1>like right here. I always ask this of new folks

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<v Speaker 1>that come online in the NPSL and when I have

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<v Speaker 1>these kinds of interviews across the board, where is the

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<v Speaker 1>to do list?

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<v Speaker 2>Is it on Google doc?

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<v Speaker 1>Is it on a palm pilot where you pull out

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<v Speaker 1>a stylust you sit there and you write something down,

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<v Speaker 1>you gam a stylist back, and you put the palm

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<v Speaker 1>pilot away.

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<v Speaker 2>Is it? Is it on your phone?

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<v Speaker 1>Is it on a legal pad or is it on

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<v Speaker 1>one of those six foot by eight foot white you

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<v Speaker 1>know boards that you can ride on with a marker

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<v Speaker 1>and it's got a bunch of lines and squiggles going

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<v Speaker 1>a bunch of different directions. Where is that to do

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<v Speaker 1>list for the stallions? And what do you think the

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<v Speaker 1>next thing that you can cross off it is as

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<v Speaker 1>you get ready for the season.

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<v Speaker 4>It's funny you say that, I think there's a Is

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<v Speaker 4>there a checkbox for all of the above? Yes, because

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<v Speaker 4>pretty much it's all of those things. We've had been

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<v Speaker 4>sitting in the office and we had the huge whiteboard

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<v Speaker 4>that we use for you know, tactical sessions with players,

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<v Speaker 4>and meanwhile, while there's nothing on the board, someone's writing

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<v Speaker 4>something that you know is relating to the MPs, and

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<v Speaker 4>we're like, okay, yeah, let's let's let's remember that too

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<v Speaker 4>obviously things that you know, yes, we're we're on Google

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<v Speaker 4>forms and things like that. I say, we kind of

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<v Speaker 4>just finalized that last week actually and got kind of

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<v Speaker 4>everything all in one place and in a Google forum.

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<v Speaker 4>That's just an action plan that we're just kind of

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<v Speaker 4>now working through all the different processes, and of course

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<v Speaker 4>even today I was just doing something like, oh, I

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<v Speaker 4>need to add that. So I think it's that's something

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<v Speaker 4>that's obviously never ending, will just continue to go, and

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<v Speaker 4>especially because like you said, it seems like, you know,

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<v Speaker 4>amaze that far away or it's you know that the

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<v Speaker 4>season still got a little bit, but really no, it's here.

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<v Speaker 4>And I would say the next thing, and probably the

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<v Speaker 4>next thing to cross off that list is going to

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<v Speaker 4>be the uh the actual stadium, the home venue. We're

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<v Speaker 4>hoping to just finalize that negotiation, and probably that would

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<v Speaker 4>be the next big announcement, so that way we can

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<v Speaker 4>kind of really start preparing for all the things that

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<v Speaker 4>we want to do on site for game day experience

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<v Speaker 4>and all that kind of stuff.

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<v Speaker 1>So, Mark, are you gonna break news here? You're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>you're gonna you're gonna let us know the where and

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<v Speaker 1>the when, and the why you're gonna tell us that

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<v Speaker 1>you're gonna let us know.

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<v Speaker 3>I wish I could, but I haven't said it. I'm

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<v Speaker 3>because Glad haven't said what he said, because he's absolutely right.

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<v Speaker 3>It's like you're clairvoyant. It literally all that information was

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<v Speaker 3>housed in all the exact places you just said, and

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<v Speaker 3>it's finally now being we're actually it's there in one

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<v Speaker 3>spot where everybody can see and add to it and

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<v Speaker 3>change and delete and check things off. But prior to that,

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<v Speaker 3>it was exactly like you said. And we've been loving

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<v Speaker 3>the adventure. It has been a great journey. We know

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<v Speaker 3>that May is going to be here before we blink

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<v Speaker 3>our eye, but we're loving the experience and the journey

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<v Speaker 3>and the dialogue to get to where we got to go.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeavin, what's the biggest lesson that you've learned so far

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<v Speaker 1>in this journey to get ready for the NPSL With

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<v Speaker 1>Stalling's two point zero.

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<v Speaker 4>I'd say that the biggest lesson is just kind of

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<v Speaker 4>like not being so maybe afraid to take some risks

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<v Speaker 4>and just kind of go after it. I know, like

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<v Speaker 4>you know, we've always been a pretty conservative group as

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<v Speaker 4>far as like planning and different things, and you know,

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<v Speaker 4>sometimes we're maybe a little too overcautious. I think we

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<v Speaker 4>finally reached the kind of thing like, Hey, this is

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<v Speaker 4>something we really want to go after, this is something

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<v Speaker 4>we want to do. Let's just go and let's just

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<v Speaker 4>take the risk and you know, make it happen.

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<v Speaker 1>Mark, what about the on the field perspective? What's the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest lesson you've learned about.

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<v Speaker 3>I think, I'm sorry?

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<v Speaker 2>What about the Yeah?

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<v Speaker 1>About the on the field version of that same question,

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<v Speaker 1>The biggest lesson that you've learned about the on the

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<v Speaker 1>field aspect of it, whether it's WhatsApp or your phone

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<v Speaker 1>blowing up, or having unlimited text, or needing international minutes

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<v Speaker 1>more than you've had previously, or folks knocking on your door.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, at two thirty in the afternoon, sitting there

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<v Speaker 1>going coach, I heard something's going on. You know, what's

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<v Speaker 1>the biggest lesson you've learned about? Assembling things from an

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<v Speaker 1>on the field perspective?

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<v Speaker 3>Just having more of a runway, just for more context.

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<v Speaker 3>We were planning to make us jump to the next

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<v Speaker 3>level in twenty twenty six, so the MPSL reached out

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<v Speaker 3>to Kevin and the guys and proposed doing it in

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<v Speaker 3>twenty twenty five, a year early. So that's why we're

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<v Speaker 3>kind of on a short ramp. But it's again, if somebody,

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<v Speaker 3>if if there's another company or person that developed some

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<v Speaker 3>other app that is redundant with team snap and Snapchat

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<v Speaker 3>and the sports Engine and all these applications, is going

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<v Speaker 3>to absolutely drive me crazy. So that's my learning. My

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<v Speaker 3>learning curve for apps and technology has just skyrocketed.

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<v Speaker 1>Marx McCone head coach, Kevin O'Neil, director of Club and

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<v Speaker 1>Soccer ops for Buffalo Stallions as they jump back into

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<v Speaker 1>the NPSL here in twenty twenty five. Here for an

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<v Speaker 1>odd man rush that developed over time here on the

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<v Speaker 1>SDH network, as we catch up with them about the

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<v Speaker 1>announcement and the build and getting ready for the sprint.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, Kevin, you're looking at a Great Lakes conference

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<v Speaker 1>and I don't know where they're going to put you

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<v Speaker 1>yet but unless they've told you, but you're in a

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<v Speaker 1>footprint in Great Lakes where you're staring at Eerie and

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<v Speaker 1>you're staring at Flower City, and you're getting ready for that.

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<v Speaker 2>You know.

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<v Speaker 1>NIAGRAE eighteen twelve was a part of it last year

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<v Speaker 1>You've got Keystone, which is a nasty It is a

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<v Speaker 1>na nasty conference that that really where the winner comes

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<v Speaker 1>out of a lot out of Keystone East, whether you're

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<v Speaker 1>looking at Motown or Atlantic City or in the West,

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<v Speaker 1>you're looking at you know, west Chester and Hershey who

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<v Speaker 1>have made deep runs. When you look at the competition

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<v Speaker 1>that you're going up going to be going up against,

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, if you want to tell us what

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<v Speaker 1>conference you're going into, you could do that too. When

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<v Speaker 1>you look at the quality and the competition and the

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<v Speaker 1>conference that you may or may not be in. When

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<v Speaker 1>when you think of the quality of the competition, what

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<v Speaker 1>are you looking at the NPSL that you're diving into

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<v Speaker 1>and having to assemble here in basically three.

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<v Speaker 4>Months, I think you hit you hit it on the head.

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<v Speaker 4>I mean we're kind of gonna just be tossed into

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<v Speaker 4>the fire. And obviously those teams are are you know, established,

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<v Speaker 4>and and some great teams to play against and things

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<v Speaker 4>like that. I think we're looking forward, obviously to challenge.

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<v Speaker 4>We have a lot of confidence in Mark to pull

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<v Speaker 4>this group together and and and pull a team together

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<v Speaker 4>that can compete. You know from day one. Obviously it's

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<v Speaker 4>going to be something. I think, uh, learning curve is

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<v Speaker 4>going to happen, and we're going to really kind of

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<v Speaker 4>get into, you know, the type of players and the

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<v Speaker 4>type of systems and things like that that we're gonna

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<v Speaker 4>need to be successful. But again, I think it's just

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<v Speaker 4>part of that fun, it's part of that excitement. It's

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<v Speaker 4>just kind of what drives us as far as soccer

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<v Speaker 4>people like, yeah, we look forward to this kind of

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<v Speaker 4>thing and just you know, can we can we compete?

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<v Speaker 4>Can we get in there and and make something happen

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<v Speaker 4>and you know, make Buffalo again successful as far as

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<v Speaker 4>being able to compete and just get into that division.

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<v Speaker 4>And no, we don't know which conference yet for sure,

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<v Speaker 4>but again we're going to prepare, you know, the best

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<v Speaker 4>that we can with with with players that we can

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<v Speaker 4>and let Mark just kind of take it over.

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<v Speaker 2>Man.

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<v Speaker 1>I had to ask, you know, I didn't know, like

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<v Speaker 1>I said, you were you were thinking about break You're like, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, look working on the stadium, you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>have to ask we journalistically sound Mark when it comes

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<v Speaker 1>to the kind of player that you're looking for. Uh,

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<v Speaker 1>for those that don't know you stylistically, what is your

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<v Speaker 1>approach on the field. What kind of a product do

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<v Speaker 1>you want to put out there? What kind of individual

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<v Speaker 1>are you looking for that can represent the Stallions both

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<v Speaker 1>on the field and off the way that you're looking.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, it's exactly that. Just the person that has those characteristics,

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<v Speaker 3>that has pride and wearing the shirt, knowing what this

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<v Speaker 3>franchise name and logo means to people from thirty forty

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<v Speaker 3>years ago, and having again the excitement to revive that.

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<v Speaker 3>Play with excitement, play with heart, give one hundred percent

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<v Speaker 3>of your effort and training it in gains and then

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<v Speaker 3>off the field, just just do the right thing, be

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<v Speaker 3>a good person and fulfill what your parents or friends

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<v Speaker 3>would describe you as in terms of a person. Fulfill

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<v Speaker 3>that in terms of how you carry yourself off the field.

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<v Speaker 3>So we want to be competitive, and we had one

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<v Speaker 3>try out. The turnout was great. Express what I just

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<v Speaker 3>expressed to you to those gentlemen in the room. We're

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<v Speaker 3>looking for people that have the pride and have the

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<v Speaker 3>motivation to want to do something special as a new franchise,

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<v Speaker 3>because we know how new franchise is often fair. And

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<v Speaker 3>we have another tryout coming up on the twenty seventh.

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<v Speaker 3>We actually we had to close it out because the

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<v Speaker 3>turnout in response was fantastic. We had to cap it.

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<v Speaker 3>We couldn't take anymore. And we have another tryout on

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<v Speaker 3>February third, and that's going to be the message. Who

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<v Speaker 3>wants to represent this team, who wants to represent the city,

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<v Speaker 3>our fan base, and do it in a way where

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<v Speaker 3>they can be proud of their effort and work as

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<v Speaker 3>a team and be proud when they're out in the community.

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<v Speaker 1>Kevin, let me ask you this, when it comes to

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<v Speaker 1>getting the word out outside of you know, things like

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<v Speaker 1>this and doing interviews and such, what are you the

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<v Speaker 1>most confident about in the growth and the launch And

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<v Speaker 1>what do you think, as someone who is in the

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<v Speaker 1>operation side, what do you think is going to be

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<v Speaker 1>the biggest challenge in getting the word out and making

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<v Speaker 1>sure that Western New York knows that the Stallions.

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<v Speaker 2>Are going to be active in the Npso, so.

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<v Speaker 4>I think obviously, I think that, you know, the things

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<v Speaker 4>that we're most confident about is just the fact that

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<v Speaker 4>we've been kind of running with this late and you know,

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<v Speaker 4>just getting out there like to through social media's and

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<v Speaker 4>different things. But whether it's you know, interviews like this

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<v Speaker 4>or just our own platforms kind of getting the word

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<v Speaker 4>out a little bit, like the announcements. You know, we've

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<v Speaker 4>had such a good response from the player perspective, like

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<v Speaker 4>people wanting to kind of get involved and you know,

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<v Speaker 4>see whether or not they can make a team like this.

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<v Speaker 4>So I think that's been really good and kind of

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<v Speaker 4>encouraging because I think that'll translate to to obviously, you know,

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<v Speaker 4>the fans and things like that wanting to get involved.

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<v Speaker 4>And Buffalo seems to be obviously we're sportstown, you know,

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<v Speaker 4>regardless of if it's Sabers, if it's Bandits, if it's

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<v Speaker 4>you know, the Bills obviously and as well as they do.

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<v Speaker 4>But Buffalo's always been kind of a sports town and

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<v Speaker 4>will follow teams. I mean, I think I was reading

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<v Speaker 4>some study a while ago that like, even if we're

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<v Speaker 4>not involved in different national things, whether it's NHL playoffs

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<v Speaker 4>and things like that, Buffalo is still usually one of

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<v Speaker 4>the televised era of the areas that has like the

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<v Speaker 4>best televised like rates or fouls because we just we

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<v Speaker 4>love our sports. So I think that's what's going to

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<v Speaker 4>be encouraging. And you know, soccer is something that obviously

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<v Speaker 4>is kind of still kind of up and coming in

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<v Speaker 4>this area a little bit, but you know, clubs here,

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<v Speaker 4>there's different teams here now that have been going, and

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<v Speaker 4>there's there's some excitements around the area. So with the

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<v Speaker 4>old brand too, I think that's gonna help. And probably

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<v Speaker 4>the most challenging is just on our part, just again

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<v Speaker 4>getting this all together, getting it ready the way we

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<v Speaker 4>want it to be, ready for the you know, those

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<v Speaker 4>home games. You know, we have certain kind of visions

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<v Speaker 4>that we're hoping that we can provide as far as

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<v Speaker 4>the fan experience and making it cheap for families and

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<v Speaker 4>allowing you know, that group to come and still be

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<v Speaker 4>very affordable, but also giving them something when they're there,

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<v Speaker 4>you know, giving them an experience so that they kind

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<v Speaker 4>of remember, like when they come to these games that

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<v Speaker 4>obviously competitive that the team's going to be, you know,

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<v Speaker 4>competing and stuff like that, but also is it fun

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<v Speaker 4>that type of environment that people want to keep coming

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<v Speaker 4>back to.

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<v Speaker 1>So, you know, Mark, let me ask you this, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>are you're going to have like you're gonna have Dane

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<v Speaker 1>Smith come by or to you know, or a Natteco

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<v Speaker 1>come by or Matt Vince come by to kind of

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<v Speaker 1>help things out. You maybe if you had Matt Vince,

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<v Speaker 1>you could put Matt in Net. I don't know about

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<v Speaker 1>in the National Lacrosse League gear between the sticks. But

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I just I say that somewhat, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>in jest, but just the the the idea of mentioning

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<v Speaker 1>as Kevin said, it's a sports town. And I think

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<v Speaker 1>that when everyone understands that the individuals on the field

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<v Speaker 1>or in the arena, they're out there one hundred percent,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, the heart's on the sleeve and they're given

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<v Speaker 1>nine thousand percent and they're laying it all out there,

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<v Speaker 1>and the city naturally wraps themselves around those individuals, whether

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<v Speaker 1>it's you know, Bills in the k gun Stallion's one

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<v Speaker 1>point zero, the Bandit's winning championships, the Sabers.

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<v Speaker 2>And hearing Rick Jenrett going may day, may day, may day.

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<v Speaker 1>All these kinds of things add to I think a

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<v Speaker 1>very very special fabric there in Western New York when

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<v Speaker 1>it comes to franchises and what they mean.

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<v Speaker 2>To everybody there in Buffalo on the field and off.

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<v Speaker 3>For sure, And it might sound cliche that we're a

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<v Speaker 3>blue collar town, but we really are a blue collar town.

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<v Speaker 3>Buffalo is center for manufacturing. We're talking about people who

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<v Speaker 3>work third shifts or or work twelve hour days and

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<v Speaker 3>pack their lunch and bring it in their metal lunch

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<v Speaker 3>box to work. That's the mentality that people you appreciate,

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<v Speaker 3>and those are the kind of guys that we want

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<v Speaker 3>to see on the field, Guys that are willing to

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<v Speaker 3>lay it on the line, give one hundred percent, like

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<v Speaker 3>you said, wear their heart on the sleeves, and then

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<v Speaker 3>that in and of itself should make us competitive. And

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<v Speaker 3>then I think people will appreciate that. If it's a

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<v Speaker 3>bunch of prima donnas who you know, don't want to

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<v Speaker 3>put in the effort or think that they're going to

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<v Speaker 3>play champagne football all the time and not give one

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<v Speaker 3>hundred percent, well then you know our audience in the

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<v Speaker 3>sports market here their culture enough to know the difference

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<v Speaker 3>between the two.

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<v Speaker 1>And we are looking forward to seeing it all. Let

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<v Speaker 1>me see Buffalo Stallions dot org, at Buffalo Stallions, on

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<v Speaker 1>the Facebook, on the IG, the gram or the insta

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<v Speaker 1>is the kids call it, It's at Buffalo Stallions. Eighty

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<v Speaker 1>character app it is at buff Stallions, which I think

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<v Speaker 1>is both figurative and literal when it comes to the

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<v Speaker 1>individuals that are going to be out there in the NPSL.

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<v Speaker 2>Guys, it was.

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<v Speaker 1>Great to catch up with you, Mark Spaccone, the head coach,

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<v Speaker 1>Kevin O'Neill, director of club and soccer ops for the

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<v Speaker 1>Buffalo Stallions as they get ready to come back in

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<v Speaker 1>the NPSL. Gentlemen, thanks for an odd man rush. We're

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<v Speaker 1>looking forward to it and we'll see how it goes.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll catch up with you soon. We're keeping an eye

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<v Speaker 1>be safe, guys.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you, take care.

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<v Speaker 4>Yes, thank you so much