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<v Speaker 1>My friend.

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<v Speaker 2>Good to see a happy New Year.

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<v Speaker 1>Happy New Year. It's been a minute, huh.

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<v Speaker 2>No doubt, because you're kind of one of the busiest

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<v Speaker 2>dudes on the planet. And the chance to catch up

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<v Speaker 2>with you about all the things that you are doing

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<v Speaker 2>involving Major League Soccer, about beyond goals, about all the

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<v Speaker 2>globe trotting that's going on where you are helping to

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<v Speaker 2>further the beautiful game. First off, I want to get

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<v Speaker 2>into the work that you're doing Major League Soccer once again.

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<v Speaker 2>You're having all of the diversity work that you're doing there.

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<v Speaker 2>What's the latest with that heading here into twenty twenty five.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, same old, same old. It's MLS Center Cultural Awareness

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<v Speaker 1>two point zero. Some different things that we're applying and

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<v Speaker 1>implementing within our trainings, but similar, similar cause and similar

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<v Speaker 1>project and initiative that I think that is of so

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<v Speaker 1>much importance. It's not only a fight against like discrimination,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just helping. It's helping players understand and not only

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<v Speaker 1>what is expected of them within the league that they

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<v Speaker 1>play in and represent what's expected of them living in

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<v Speaker 1>the United States, but also just kind of helping each

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<v Speaker 1>and every individual within every locker room understand where everyone

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<v Speaker 1>comes from and understand their background, their culture, their ways

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<v Speaker 1>of thinking, their views, whether it be political, whether it

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<v Speaker 1>be religious, whether it be and just kind of trying

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<v Speaker 1>to find a common a common ground to meet in

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<v Speaker 1>the middle, right. It's it's I think it's it's very

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<v Speaker 1>hard to say that you can change someone. I think

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<v Speaker 1>when somebody is really solidified into who they are, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not sure you can change them. But can you help

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<v Speaker 1>them see things differently? And that's a that's a that's

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<v Speaker 1>a big one.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, and no doubt about it. When it comes to

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<v Speaker 2>two point zero and what you're doing, how many players

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<v Speaker 2>understand what your message you're trying to get at in

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<v Speaker 2>that first meeting, and how many players take a little

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<v Speaker 2>while to understand about what they're getting into in Major

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<v Speaker 2>League Soccer, what they're getting into in the United States,

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<v Speaker 2>what the current temperatures are involving issues like, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>making sure that you're all walking forward as a group

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<v Speaker 2>and that you understand different cultures and ideals and everything.

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<v Speaker 2>How many folks get it immediately and how many folks

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<v Speaker 2>take a little work.

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<v Speaker 1>Uh, It's it's an interesting concept because these are preseason meetings, right,

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<v Speaker 1>and so you kind of I think them having the

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<v Speaker 1>idea to use former players to kind of build that

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<v Speaker 1>connection is key and essential to have a successful presentation

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<v Speaker 1>because you have a lot of players to where like

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<v Speaker 1>they're like, ah shit, I don't want to do. Excuse

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<v Speaker 1>my language, I don't want to do.

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<v Speaker 2>Is explicit grating on a variety.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't want to I don't want to do a

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<v Speaker 1>preseason meaning this sucks, man. I just want to go

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<v Speaker 1>home to my hotel room and sleep, you know. But

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<v Speaker 1>I think I think, you know, having having someone who

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<v Speaker 1>is a familiar face, you know, I just did enter Miami.

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<v Speaker 1>They were the first ones last this week on Tuesday morning.

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<v Speaker 1>So just just having a familiar face, and especially when

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<v Speaker 1>you have a lot of big guns that sit in

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<v Speaker 1>a room and could probably give two craps of who

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<v Speaker 1>you are, but you still have in the same room

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<v Speaker 1>people that you know, people that you've played with, and

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<v Speaker 1>people that you've been around. And I think having that

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<v Speaker 1>kind of relationship with a lot of players allows allows

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<v Speaker 1>me as the facilitator to kind of create a really

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<v Speaker 1>good vibe with the whole entire room. And they see

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<v Speaker 1>me as them, right, They don't see me as a

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<v Speaker 1>suited a student executive within the league coming and telling them,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, what's what's what's needed to make this league successful.

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<v Speaker 1>It's having a former player telling them, Hey, I've been

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<v Speaker 1>in your shoes. We're all in this together. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm on your guys side. But this is this is

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<v Speaker 1>how we have to continue to help this league grow,

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<v Speaker 1>continue to have it one of the most viewed leagues

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<v Speaker 1>in the world, continue to make it one of the

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<v Speaker 1>most diverse, which it is the most diverse league that

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<v Speaker 1>has ever existed on planet Earth at any point in time,

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<v Speaker 1>and just kind of continue to create those opportunities for

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<v Speaker 1>so many people around the world. So I think it's

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<v Speaker 1>a very well accepted message there. There are some times

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<v Speaker 1>where you do have a few you do have a

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<v Speaker 1>few moments to where you have some kind of talking

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<v Speaker 1>back or some I would say, kind of healthy arguments

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<v Speaker 1>that you have to have because you have to try

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<v Speaker 1>and find a middle ground in someone's views of maybe

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<v Speaker 1>a certain word that can be said in another in

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<v Speaker 1>another place that might not mean something as bad, but

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<v Speaker 1>here in the States it is something that is forbidden, right. So,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I've been in locker rooms to where those

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<v Speaker 1>things happen, and it's that it's a very fine line

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<v Speaker 1>between the banter that you have in a sanctuary I

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<v Speaker 1>call the locker room. It's a sanctuary. It is a sanctuary.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody's allowed in it. I was a veteran player to

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<v Speaker 1>where even if an assistant coach came inside the locker room,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd be like, get the hell out, because this is

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<v Speaker 1>a player's locker room. This is our this is our

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<v Speaker 1>it's forbidden. It's our sanctuary. You know, whatever happens in there,

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<v Speaker 1>it stays in there. Nobody knows what goes on in

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<v Speaker 1>the locker room, but it's it's one of those things

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<v Speaker 1>to where the banter is is is I love I

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<v Speaker 1>missed the banter. I miss the banter. And there's certain

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<v Speaker 1>ways that you can have types of banter, right, but

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<v Speaker 1>there's a difference between a lot of banter and in

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<v Speaker 1>a moment to where that can turn into disrespect. And

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<v Speaker 1>that's that's ultimately the kind of key key thing to

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<v Speaker 1>these meetings is to help these players understand that, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>there you are in a microscopical, you know, world to

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<v Speaker 1>where people have a lot of eyes on you. There

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<v Speaker 1>are a lot of views on what's happening around you.

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<v Speaker 1>So the role modelship that takes place and everything else

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<v Speaker 1>of just understanding that, hey, when you're playing in the

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<v Speaker 1>competitive stress that happens along with it, of wanting to win,

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<v Speaker 1>you're fighting for money, you're fighting for positionings. You know

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<v Speaker 1>that that that these things just cannot happen if we

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<v Speaker 1>want to keep our league the on on the upward

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<v Speaker 1>trend of what it is right now.

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<v Speaker 2>I do have allow my own question to ask before

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<v Speaker 2>you get out of here, because it could be the

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<v Speaker 2>return of Meggy fairly soon.

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<v Speaker 1>I did see that, Yeah we can. We can go

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<v Speaker 1>straight into it, uh return of Miggy, and I mean, look,

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<v Speaker 1>it could be potentially the return of other people as well.

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<v Speaker 1>So uh, I'll just I'll put that out there. But uh,

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<v Speaker 1>it's not me. My body can't take it anymore. But uh,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I think I think it's this is my

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<v Speaker 1>personal opinion is is uh is Meggy beyond the MLS?

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<v Speaker 1>Is Miggy beyond? And this is no take. But I

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<v Speaker 1>just feel I don't know if our team can be

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<v Speaker 1>built around MEGGI. We have a very European base like

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<v Speaker 1>team right now, and I feel that with Miggie, you

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<v Speaker 1>have to play Meggie in a free role and so

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<v Speaker 1>I it's I don't know, it's it's a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>questionings that I have in that. But I can go

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<v Speaker 1>deep into it and give my personal opinion on why

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<v Speaker 1>I think the fight to bring Meggie back is real.

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<v Speaker 1>But I think it's to put a lot of smiles

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<v Speaker 1>on a lot of faces. That is. That is my

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<v Speaker 1>personal opinion. But to build a championship team, I don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean, he would be he wouldn't be the guy.

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<v Speaker 2>He would be a guy. They're looking at bringing in

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<v Speaker 2>a number nine from the the EFL Championship. They're looking

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<v Speaker 2>at bringing in a guy from Middlesbrough. So what you

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<v Speaker 2>would have is Meggi as a lot of the weaponry

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<v Speaker 2>that is, it would be Saba the new number nine,

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<v Speaker 2>midan Chuk, it would be you.

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<v Speaker 1>Have some danger. Yeah you're I was talking about this

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<v Speaker 1>with one of my menties the other day. You can

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<v Speaker 1>have Meggy as the free free roaming role. You're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>have Saba on the right, you can have Shanda's Silva

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<v Speaker 1>on the left, and you have this new number nine

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<v Speaker 1>up top. Like that's that's I mean, it's I just

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<v Speaker 1>see one of the comments. I don't think the team

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<v Speaker 1>will be built around Meggi. The team has to be

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<v Speaker 1>built around Meggi. You're talking about one of the best

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<v Speaker 1>players that has probably demolished this league in every way

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<v Speaker 1>possible when he was here. I mean there was no

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<v Speaker 1>stopping him. I mean, I know Joseph had, Joseph had

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<v Speaker 1>so much of the kingdom of just scoring so many goals,

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<v Speaker 1>But I mean Meggi was Miggi was our Miggy was

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<v Speaker 1>the player that if he was standing two feet away

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<v Speaker 1>from me and I had the opening, I would give

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<v Speaker 1>it to him because I know that he would create

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<v Speaker 1>something much more, uh, you know, much more special than

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<v Speaker 1>I could have ever done. So I see another one

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<v Speaker 1>of the comments, Meggi was the man. Yeah, Biggy was

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<v Speaker 1>the man when he was here in the MLS. I

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<v Speaker 1>truly think he was. So I think if you do

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<v Speaker 1>bring him back, you have to think about even this

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<v Speaker 1>number nine that comes in. Still, the game that you

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<v Speaker 1>build within Atlanta United has to be built around someone

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<v Speaker 1>like that who can change a game within seconds. And

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<v Speaker 1>that is that is the that is like the key

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<v Speaker 1>sauce to the league. Right, We've talked about that before.

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<v Speaker 1>You have to have a few players who can change

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<v Speaker 1>the game within a second, you know, a few seconds,

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<v Speaker 1>and then you have to build guys that can be

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<v Speaker 1>industrial players to work around them, and guys that are

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<v Speaker 1>going to just work their absolute asses off every single

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<v Speaker 1>day and put in a shift and know for a

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<v Speaker 1>reason why you have those players. So can can can

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<v Speaker 1>it be uh? Can it be convinced within that locker room?

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<v Speaker 1>I would, I would hope so.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, yeah, when it comes to dealing, you mentioned

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<v Speaker 2>the conversations that you have with your mentees. What how

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<v Speaker 2>how in depth do those conversations get about? Okay, you

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<v Speaker 2>have a teamwork that has a framework, and then you're

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<v Speaker 2>bringing in the guy or a guy you know that

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<v Speaker 2>has been the guy capital T capital g and having

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<v Speaker 2>to to rework the dynamics of a locker room and

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<v Speaker 2>all these kinds of things. How how how deep do

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<v Speaker 2>you get.

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<v Speaker 1>Into That's a great question because I always speak about

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<v Speaker 1>just knowing your role. Yeah, that's what you're saying right there,

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<v Speaker 1>is just knowing knowing the role that you play in

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<v Speaker 1>every organization that you're in, anything that you do in life,

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to have some sort of role, right, You're

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<v Speaker 1>going to be a role player in some sort of

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<v Speaker 1>fashion or way. Biggie is a player that does not

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<v Speaker 1>have a role. He does what he wants and and

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<v Speaker 1>and you you as that I kind of the industrial

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<v Speaker 1>player around someone. You have to be very understanding of that.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's that's uh, that's that's just my personal opinion.

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<v Speaker 1>And so hopefully all these other guys can can can

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<v Speaker 1>unders can understand something like that. And I mean, I

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<v Speaker 1>just see one of the comments. The next comment is Mironchuk, Right, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>can he be understanding that if they bring in Miggi, Well,

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<v Speaker 1>Miggi's not Miranchuk and Mirnchuk is not megg and so

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<v Speaker 1>can he be bought in to say, all right, man,

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<v Speaker 1>I'll be the I'll be the Carlos Carmona of I'll

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<v Speaker 1>put it in a shift and work my absolute tail off.

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<v Speaker 1>Although I've been playing Atalanta and in Italy for the

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<v Speaker 1>last twelve years. And Miggi, you've come from you know,

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<v Speaker 1>wherever you've come from before. But you're the guy and

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<v Speaker 1>I'll make sure my work is put in for you.

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<v Speaker 1>And that and that's that's the type of guys that

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<v Speaker 1>you need. You need those type of guys that are

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<v Speaker 1>going to be willing all though they might have a

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<v Speaker 1>stature to where they've done really well for themselves. They

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<v Speaker 1>can they put their egos aside and understand their role.

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<v Speaker 1>And that is a huge piece of conversation that I

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<v Speaker 1>have with a lot of the mentees of understanding moments

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<v Speaker 1>like that, because that's what makes great teams.

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<v Speaker 2>All right. So then before you go, let me ask

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<v Speaker 2>you this, and I know you're on the clock, and

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<v Speaker 2>thank you for.

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<v Speaker 1>You can go a little over and we have a meeting,

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<v Speaker 1>but Parky can take over. We have our marketing meeting

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<v Speaker 1>at ten, so Parky can take over the first five

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<v Speaker 1>minutes from me.

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<v Speaker 2>That's fine, okay. So then I wanted to ask you

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<v Speaker 2>what you thought about twenty twenty four for beyond goals

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<v Speaker 2>and what you're looking forward to in twenty twenty five

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<v Speaker 2>the most with this marketing meeting coming up here in

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<v Speaker 2>less than a minute.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, it's a very fun one one that I

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<v Speaker 1>think created a lot of experiences for us to understand

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<v Speaker 1>what it means to be more of a mentor. I

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<v Speaker 1>think Parking and I would consistently grow each and every

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<v Speaker 1>year and in in a good way and from business

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<v Speaker 1>development way, and and and growing as a company and

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<v Speaker 1>understanding the sales perspective, but and also the most important

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<v Speaker 1>thing is just understanding kids more and seeing how how

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<v Speaker 1>different they are, how unique they can all be, and

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<v Speaker 1>just teaching them wonderful values to live by and and

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<v Speaker 1>things that, you know, things that things that can ultimately

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<v Speaker 1>help them, not within the sport that bonds and that

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<v Speaker 1>uniquely bonds us, but ultimately in life in general. And

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<v Speaker 1>that's that's uh. And I think that's the coolest thing

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<v Speaker 1>for me. It's UH. I was in Cali one day

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<v Speaker 1>and I had a mom call me. Uh, I was,

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<v Speaker 1>I was, I was, I was. I was selling one

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<v Speaker 1>of my homes in California and and and and and

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<v Speaker 1>on the Tijwana side. And I was over there and

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<v Speaker 1>I was with my best friend who's as a mortgage consultant.

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<v Speaker 1>We're having breakfast before crossing over the border. And I

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<v Speaker 1>had a mom like deliriously call me and just like

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<v Speaker 1>crying and you know, something had happened with her son

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<v Speaker 1>and you know, just going quite crazy with every I

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<v Speaker 1>guess the whole situation. And I like I was able

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<v Speaker 1>to calm her down and speak through things, and and

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<v Speaker 1>and my friend looked at me, He's like, dude, like

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<v Speaker 1>holy crap, Like you do this every day and I'm

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<v Speaker 1>like pretty much every day all day, man, And he's like,

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<v Speaker 1>you're He's like, you're the You're the soccer therapist. And

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<v Speaker 1>I was like, I was like, I guess, I guess

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<v Speaker 1>so because you you you, I don't say deal, you

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<v Speaker 1>you experience and you are able to be put in

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<v Speaker 1>front of a lot of different personalities and ways that people.

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<v Speaker 1>It's it's so cool because I get to use that training.

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<v Speaker 1>Like even in what I'm doing right now for the league,

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<v Speaker 1>everybody is so different, but there is something that uniquely

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<v Speaker 1>does bond us all I use and I think like

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<v Speaker 1>even all these interviews from our new head coach and

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<v Speaker 1>from our new GM and from you know, everybody or

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<v Speaker 1>the new VP or everybody that's under Garth. Now what

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<v Speaker 1>I think, what I think is missing, like from a

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<v Speaker 1>couple of those interviews, is that Atlanta is Atlanta because

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<v Speaker 1>the fan base has found a way to uniquely be

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<v Speaker 1>together from being all over you. If you go to

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<v Speaker 1>an Atlanta United Stadium is the only stadium in the

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<v Speaker 1>United States that fills up in a way to where

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<v Speaker 1>you have these sections of just so many different colors

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<v Speaker 1>and races and views and like nationalities. Not many people

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<v Speaker 1>know this, but there are over eighty five different countries,

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<v Speaker 1>over eighty five different countries that are represented, close to

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<v Speaker 1>ninety countries that are represented within the league.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, if anybody that's in the comment session can name

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<v Speaker 1>ninety countries, have at it.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I know Abby can come close, because she's the

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<v Speaker 2>one who puts up the flags of Mercedes.

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<v Speaker 1>She's had a good idea, right, But it's uh, it's

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<v Speaker 1>it's that for me, is like that if we were

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<v Speaker 1>to if this is a great question for if she

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<v Speaker 1>were to put up flags not necessarily of players, but

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<v Speaker 1>the countries that are represented that come and support Atlanta United. Wow,

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<v Speaker 1>I would love to see that one day because that

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<v Speaker 1>is like the true blessing of what Atlanta is. It

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<v Speaker 1>is one of the is a melting pot, one of

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<v Speaker 1>the most diverse cities within the United States. But New

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<v Speaker 1>York doesn't. New York doesn't, you know, come together as

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<v Speaker 1>much within the NYCF Stadium or the New York Red

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<v Speaker 1>Bull which is not even in New York. But uh,

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<v Speaker 1>you know it's they don't come together as much. And

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<v Speaker 1>whatever the special sauce or the the special dust that's

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<v Speaker 1>been sprinkled upon Atlanta for some reason, it brings every

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<v Speaker 1>culture and country together, so a lot of I guess

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<v Speaker 1>just going back with what beyond goals is really learned

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<v Speaker 1>this year is just I think for me, even being

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<v Speaker 1>involved in a lot of these trainings and this initiative

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<v Speaker 1>and this project has allowed me to kind of further

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<v Speaker 1>further my insight on how to help better kids grow

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<v Speaker 1>and mature in the best ways possible and just give

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<v Speaker 1>me new ideas. I think. I think ideas are amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, we're having new ideas and and and trying

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<v Speaker 1>to apply them to what we know and to try

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<v Speaker 1>and spark new things has been extremely beneficial for Parking

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<v Speaker 1>and I this year.

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<v Speaker 2>No doubt about it. One thing before you go, when

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<v Speaker 2>you head into the meeting. Clearly this should count as marketing.

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<v Speaker 2>So consider this work study.

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<v Speaker 1>I would be whoever said that, I would be, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>this is uh marketing. One on one. I there was

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<v Speaker 1>a point in time this season where I think all

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<v Speaker 1>of us thought the season was going to absolute shite ish, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>And I just remember being at the stage and somebody

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<v Speaker 1>had got me tickets at all the where all the

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<v Speaker 1>season ticket holders are, and I probably had over ten families,

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<v Speaker 1>over ten families come up to me, and everybody always

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<v Speaker 1>takes picture. Everybody's so nice and and I mean, I

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<v Speaker 1>still can't believe we still get the recognition that we do,

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<v Speaker 1>which is insane and so humbling and so awesome. It's great,

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<v Speaker 1>so gratifying. But I probably had over ten families come

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<v Speaker 1>and ask me, Hey, what do you think about the

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<v Speaker 1>new you know, the new prices for the season ticket

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<v Speaker 1>holders next year, like we're out, We're out. Like I

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<v Speaker 1>had so many people come up to me, and it

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<v Speaker 1>was like it was so surprising because that was the

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<v Speaker 1>first time I think in the history of Atlanta and

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<v Speaker 1>I had to where like I started to realize, man,

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<v Speaker 1>like we need to we need to rebuild, like we

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<v Speaker 1>need to do something here to kind of these are

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<v Speaker 1>fans that have been here from the very get go,

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<v Speaker 1>and these are a lot of fans that are I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>they're upset. They're upset, not not just at prices, they're

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<v Speaker 1>just upset with what's going on behind the scenes. And

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<v Speaker 1>I totally think this is an outstanding, amazing marketing move

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<v Speaker 1>to get those people back into their seats and back

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<v Speaker 1>to being season ticket holders, because he is someone that

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<v Speaker 1>I think can do that.

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<v Speaker 2>And on that note, go to your marketing meeting, sir,

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<v Speaker 2>and then that way you can continue to continue to

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<v Speaker 2>grow things here in twenty twenty five and we will

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<v Speaker 2>get the updates and we get marketing one on one

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<v Speaker 2>from you as well.

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<v Speaker 1>Be safe, my friends, I appreciate it. Always good to connect.

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<v Speaker 1>Happy New Year to you and your family man, and

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<v Speaker 1>we'll speak soon.

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<v Speaker 2>You got it, There goes Greg. Greg's going to meeting