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<v Speaker 1>All right, the Dodgers are getting set for the final

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<v Speaker 1>game here in Miami, and how could we be in

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<v Speaker 1>Miami and not talk to a man that made his

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<v Speaker 1>name in Miami high school baseball? And that is the

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<v Speaker 1>legend himself, nineteen year veteran for Major League Baseball and

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<v Speaker 1>now part of the Dodgers front office staff, the great

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<v Speaker 1>Raoula banya Is. Raoul, thanks a lot for the time,

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<v Speaker 1>appreciate it, Thank.

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<v Speaker 2>You so much. Pleasure always a pleasure of saying hi

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<v Speaker 2>to you. Thanks for the warm intro.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey man, I thought Miguel Rojas was popular in Miami,

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<v Speaker 1>Raoula Banyas has his roots here in Miami.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you. Miguel Rojas is definitely popular Miami, as he

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<v Speaker 2>should be, and he's had a tremendous year for us.

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<v Speaker 2>This year brings so much value as a winner in

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<v Speaker 2>every aspect and every facet of the game and every

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<v Speaker 2>aspect of the word. So really, yeah, I don't want

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<v Speaker 2>to be in the compared to the legendary Miguel Rojas,

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<v Speaker 2>but I did grow up here and I do love

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<v Speaker 2>being here.

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<v Speaker 1>What was it like playing high school baseball here in

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<v Speaker 1>this city?

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<v Speaker 2>Friday night lights is what it feels. It still feels

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<v Speaker 2>that way. Now it's Friday Night Lights. It's baseball is

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<v Speaker 2>the main sport here in Miami. People have soccer football

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<v Speaker 2>it's Friday Night Lights as well. But yeah, it's highly competitive.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, at age eight and nine, you have parents

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<v Speaker 2>yelling at at kids on the field of the opposing team,

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<v Speaker 2>and you just kind of get hard into the environment.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's very passionate community that loves baseball.

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<v Speaker 1>You also played college baseball here in Miami. Was that

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<v Speaker 1>part of your vision when you were in high school?

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<v Speaker 1>Did you ever think you were leaving Florida?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. All I wanted to do was get an opportunity

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<v Speaker 2>to play professional baseball. That was my entire goal. I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to be a big leaguer, but I knew that

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<v Speaker 2>the first step was to get the professional baseball So

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<v Speaker 2>I was fortunate that the legendary, late great Coach Green

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<v Speaker 2>decided to take a shot on me at Miami Dade College,

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<v Speaker 2>and he taught us more about not just how to

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<v Speaker 2>be professionals, but also how to be men.

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<v Speaker 1>I know you obviously have a lot going on in

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<v Speaker 1>that baseball head of yours. Do you see the game

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<v Speaker 1>the same way you saw it? As a player, or

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<v Speaker 1>do you feel like you have a better perspective on

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<v Speaker 1>it now time.

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<v Speaker 2>You always gain a little bit better perspective when you're

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<v Speaker 2>in it and you're in the trenches daily. You just

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<v Speaker 2>have to focus on what you need to do that

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<v Speaker 2>day to get better, to you know, try to master

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<v Speaker 2>your craft every day, getting a one percent better, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>it's point zero zero one percent better, And however, you

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<v Speaker 2>can impact the game for your team and try to

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<v Speaker 2>help your team win. As you get older, you hopefully

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<v Speaker 2>get wiser. I've been fortunate and a blessed to be around,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, guys like Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes and

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<v Speaker 2>Josh Burns and Dave Roberts and all of these guys

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<v Speaker 2>who are not just mentors but just brilliant baseball minds.

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<v Speaker 2>So I think you gain a little bit better perspective

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<v Speaker 2>when you can step outside of yourself and see how

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<v Speaker 2>actions on the field or actions that you take off

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<v Speaker 2>the field could impact the greater good and the future

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<v Speaker 2>of your franchise.

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<v Speaker 1>Raoul Labanyaz is our guest here in Miami. I know

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<v Speaker 1>we always talk about your knowledge or a coaches knowledge

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<v Speaker 1>helping a player, but how rewarding is it for you

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<v Speaker 1>to teach the teachers in this capacity.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's actually just I view it more as a

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<v Speaker 2>part partnership. You know, we're all in it together. We

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<v Speaker 2>all want to help our players become the best version

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<v Speaker 2>of themselves, which ultimately will help the Los Angeles Dodgers

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<v Speaker 2>win multiple World Series titles, which is what we're all

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<v Speaker 2>here for. And so I view it as a as

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<v Speaker 2>a very as a partnership that we're all in this together.

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<v Speaker 2>It's a collaborative effort. Andrew is big on collaboration and

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<v Speaker 2>everybody pulling together, pulling their resources together. And if I'm

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<v Speaker 2>week in one area, then I will ask for help

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<v Speaker 2>and vice versa hopefully, So I view everything as a

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<v Speaker 2>collaborative effort and everybody working together towards a common goal.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you see with this Dodger team as we

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<v Speaker 1>get closer to the end of the regular season in

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<v Speaker 1>preparation for the postseason.

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<v Speaker 2>I see a resilience and a perseverance. I know that

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<v Speaker 2>that that's maybe not synonymous with the roster that's as

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<v Speaker 2>talented as ours, or people may not view it that way,

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<v Speaker 2>but you know, we've had to overcome a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>adversity and we will continue to do so. It certainly

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<v Speaker 2>helps when you have this type of talent on the

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<v Speaker 2>roster and and you know, in the lineup and also

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<v Speaker 2>on the coaching staff obviously the front office as well.

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<v Speaker 2>But what I see as a resilient team that really

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<v Speaker 2>can compete at a high level, and not only that,

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<v Speaker 2>that's a team that's focused on winning. These guys every

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<v Speaker 2>day are preparing themselves. You have guys that are on

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<v Speaker 2>a quest for mastery self, mastery, masters of their craft,

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<v Speaker 2>but also guys who care about the scoreboard and are

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<v Speaker 2>hitting and playing for the scoreboard and ultimately to win

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<v Speaker 2>baseball games.

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<v Speaker 1>Were you a big believer when you played and still

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<v Speaker 1>now that obviously you have yourself and what you do

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<v Speaker 1>as a hitter can help the team win. But at

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<v Speaker 1>a certain point in time, at this juncture of the season,

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<v Speaker 1>do you have to start thinking more about team at bats?

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<v Speaker 2>I think you always have to think about team at

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<v Speaker 2>bats and being able to recognize it. I just think

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<v Speaker 2>it's part of the overall not just the development of

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<v Speaker 2>the young hitter, but also part of being a cog

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<v Speaker 2>in the wheel of the again for the greater good

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<v Speaker 2>of winning baseball games. I think you build habits of

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<v Speaker 2>excellence from day one, and building habits of excellence is

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<v Speaker 2>building and creating a habit of excellence in your thinking

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<v Speaker 2>that ultimately, your entire objective is to help this team

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<v Speaker 2>win baseball games. And maybe if you're an outfield you

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<v Speaker 2>cut a ball off, you threw the ball to second

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<v Speaker 2>base instead of throwing at the third base. You kept

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<v Speaker 2>the double player, the force out in order. And you

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<v Speaker 2>may not be a productive player that day in the

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<v Speaker 2>batter's box, but you made an impact on your team's

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<v Speaker 2>ability to win that game. And I think you always

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<v Speaker 2>have to view the game through that lens in your

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<v Speaker 2>preparation and ultimately and how you think about the game

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<v Speaker 2>and how you and not only how you prepare, but

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<v Speaker 2>also again creating the habit of excellence and execution.

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<v Speaker 1>That's refreshing, Raoul, because all you hear about is guys

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<v Speaker 1>talking about hitting and pitching. But there's a lot more

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<v Speaker 1>to winning baseball.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot more to winning baseball. And nobody gets this

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<v Speaker 2>better than Andrew Friedman, Brandon Gomes, and again Josh Burns.

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<v Speaker 2>Our organization, it's about you have to be able to

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<v Speaker 2>impact both sides of the ball. As you see our roster,

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<v Speaker 2>you have a bunch of players who not only are versatile,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, there's always positional versatility, but at the same

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<v Speaker 2>time guys who are really above average and exceptional at

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<v Speaker 2>fielding their positions as well. Dave Roberts also emphasizes, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the impact of base running. Clayton McCullough does a tremendous

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<v Speaker 2>job with base stealing base running. So all of these

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<v Speaker 2>details of the game actually matter. It's gonna be hard

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<v Speaker 2>to outslug number you know, one and two starters and

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<v Speaker 2>back end of the bullpen guys in the postseason. And

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<v Speaker 2>so this team is committed to excellence not just in

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<v Speaker 2>the batter's box, but also in every aspect of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Before I let you go, speaking of all that, nobody

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<v Speaker 1>seems to talk enough about the acquisitions Andrew Freeman made

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<v Speaker 1>at the trade deadline, specifically Tommy Edmond. How does he

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<v Speaker 1>work into everything you just described.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you have an elite defender. Hits from both sides

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<v Speaker 2>of the play can impact impact the game, as he

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<v Speaker 2>already has in the batter's box, but he plays elite

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<v Speaker 2>defense in multiple spots, and not just multiple spots, premium

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<v Speaker 2>positions at shortstop and center field. He's a gritty player.

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<v Speaker 2>He knows how to compete in the batters box, and

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<v Speaker 2>he's actually been incredibly impactful. And you know, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>kudos to Andrew and Brandon for a job extraordinarily well done.

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<v Speaker 1>Rale, Well, you're so humble, but we love talking baseball

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<v Speaker 1>with you. You have so much to offer this game

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<v Speaker 1>and the Dodgers are lucky to have you back in

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<v Speaker 1>the organization. So thank you for the time. I know

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<v Speaker 1>you got a lot on your plate. Appreciate it.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you. I'm humbled and on here by your statements

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<v Speaker 2>and the opportunity, So thank you.

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<v Speaker 1>He is the best and also has some good Miami

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<v Speaker 1>recommendations for food.