Latest / Hey BigHead: The Vegas Local Podcast / Christian Pinzón on Leading Las Vegas Lights | 341

Transcript

Christian Pinzón on Leading Las Vegas Lights | 341 · Hey BigHead: The Vegas Local Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_04: Hey Julie, did I ever tell you that I used to be a soccer player when I was there?
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_03: I wouldn't believe that.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_04: Excuse you.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_04: I was 10 years old.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_04: Let me let me take a little walk down line.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_03: Ten years old.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_03: That doesn't count.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_04: A little walk down memory lane.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_04: I was 10 years old.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_04: My team, I was I played goalie, and my team was so good that I never got the ball.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_04: And so after that, I gave up after one year.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_04: You win some, you lose some.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: What other sports have you done?
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_04: Uh basketball.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_04: Big basketball.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you're pretty tall, so.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_04: I tall and I got these long, lanky arms.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_04: So I use use those to my advantage.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_04: Uh so while the the soccer thing didn't work out, still doesn't mean I didn't stop following soccer.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_04: I'm still hooked onto it.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_04: And today we have a very exciting guest on, Christian Pinzone.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_04: Before I even continue, the way you pronounced your last name, please give me the real way to pronounce your last name.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_04: Pinzon.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_04: Pinzone.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_03: Sounds so much better when he says it.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_04: He's just been saying it for 20-something years of his life.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_04: No big deal.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_04: I've only been saying it for the past few weeks.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_04: So, Christian, you have been with the team for three years now.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Correct.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_04: And you're the captain of the team, which is a huge fucking deal.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_04: For sure.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Big responsibility.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: I've been in on a handful of teams, and each captain is a little different, right?
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: But for sure, some things that they have in common is, I mean, leadership, right?
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: And not just verbally saying it, but lead by example.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um and for sure just someone who's who's always with the group, who who kind of reads the room a little bit and and kind of just make sure the the the locker room, all the guys are are tied, we're all on the same page, we're all rolling in the same direction.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: And um, yeah, man, just try to try to keep the the spirits up, you know, try to keep the spirits up.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_04: What did it feel like when you found out you're gonna be uh not only captain, but you were chosen by your teammates as as captain?
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think is uh no, I I really am grateful for that because you know, for the team, the staff to choose you as captain, you know, it's it's a big responsibility and um it's something that I'm I'm willing to take on and uh don't take it for granted for sure.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_04: Is there only one captain or how many captain how many captains are in the team?
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: But there is a handful of leaders, you know.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: We do have a leadership group.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, captains is this one.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_04: Congratulations, man.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_04: And you also, and so let me just kind of fill you in on what the this show is all about.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_04: This show is is we know a lot about random, we know a little about a lot of things.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_04: So we know a little bit about soccer, we know the you know the basics of it.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_04: We watched the World Cup, we enjoyed it.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_04: We watched Ted Lasso, we enjoy that.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_04: So if I ask you some questions that are very blatantly obvious to you, I I I apologize in advance.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_04: Nah, nah, don't worry about it.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_04: We're doing our best to worry about it.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_04: Don't worry about it, man.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_03: You can always tell them that's a really stupid question.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: On the contrary, on the contrary, you know, I feel like it's it's it's nice when people are trying to get into.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's my craft, you know, that's my sport.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: So like I cherish the fact that you're interested in that.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: So like nah, you know.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_04: Christian and I are boys now, Julie.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_03: Me and Christian were boys before you guys were be honest.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_04: Do you think 10-year-old you could have beaten 10-year-old me at soccer?
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_04: For sure.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_04: Were you this big?
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_04: Maybe not.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe not.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_04: That's right.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_04: I haven't I haven't I had a growth spurt at 10 years old.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_04: Oh shoot.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so you also have uh a lot of new players on there, 13 new players on the roster.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_04: Correct.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_04: How many players are on the roster in in general?
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_04: In total?
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Each team is different, to be honest, but I would say no less than 22, 23, and that's kind of like on the lower side.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_04: So 13, though, is a big chunk of of turnover with with all of your teammates.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_04: Was that hard to go into a new season with so many new teammates?
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, for the most part, you know, you're always trying to bring a big foundation, a base from the team.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: The first year I was here, yeah.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh three guys returned my second year.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: So that was even a bigger change, right?
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I think we brought back around like seven or eight guys.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, which I think even then, I think it's still a solid group to build off.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I think it took us some preseason.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's why we do preseason.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's why we try to get games in in the beginning of the year to to try to get the chemistry between guys and just um, you know, each player has different qualities, so it's just a matter of finding which players kind of link together really well.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: And and it is always a challenge, but yeah, you know, having good players, it's it's it's soccer, it's football, it's simple.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: So love that.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_04: Do you do you get mad if I call it soccer or do you want me to call it football?
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_04: Be honest.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_04: That's okay.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_04: Be honest.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_04: It's okay.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_04: Okay, good.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's football, but it's soccer, it's cool.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: See, he's cool.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_03: Do you see how he instead of saying like, no, I won't be mad, he goes, it's okay.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: But like to be fair, I've I like I've done my whole soccer development here in the States, you know.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like I went to college, so like soccer, I've always heard of soccer as well.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you said you woke up, you had practice early this morning.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_04: Did you practice at Cashman Field as well, or no?
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, you did every day.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_04: This is the last year you guys are playing at Cashman, right?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_04: Correct, right?
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_04: They're gonna tear it down, right?
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_04: And do some apartments or something like that.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_04: It's wild.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Lenar, the developer Lenar.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_04: Lenar?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_02: Mm-hmm.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_04: Are we happy or are we upset about that?
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_04: You tell me.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think it's a club now that they gotta build a feel, so I think it's good.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's a big thing, man.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, change is always good.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_04: So do you guys know where with the next one?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: No, I think there's some possibilities, some options, but as of right now, I've I have no clue.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_04: So this is your, like you said, this is your third season uh with the lights.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_04: You've played around though.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_04: You've you've played in Mexico professionally, you you've played here.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_04: What made Vegas uh a place that you really enjoyed playing at?
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_04: Like what about Vegas is it that you really enjoy uh being a part of?
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, well, there's a handful, but I think one of the biggest ones is you know, I'm from Los Angeles, California, so I'm pretty close to home.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I'm pretty close to home.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: I've been kind of far.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, I've played in Mexico, I've played in Texas down south, so like being away from home, from family, it's kind of tough sometimes, you know.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: So um, once I realized Vegas was a was an opportunity and an option, I was like, yeah, man, they don't sound too bad at all, right?
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: And then you talk to the GM, we talk to the club, we talk to the owner, and it's like, okay, these guys, they haven't they're ambitious, they have a goal on what this club wants to be and compete for a championship, which is the goal always, right?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: At the end of the end of the year.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_04: How often do you go back to LA?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Any chance we get two, three days off, man.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: But that's very rare.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's very rare.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, we had a mental health break in July.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Or was it June?
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I think in July.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, July.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I was out there for like four or five days and yeah, I came back.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_03: That's that's great.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_03: Is mental health breaks is that something that you'll see with like the majority of teams, or is that something unique?
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: I would hope so, but this is the second year.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, do I look at her?
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_00: Look at my you can look at whoever you want to do.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever makes you happy.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: Anyways, um whatever makes you happy.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: This is a second year that they just did this in this league, like it's brand new.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: So um, I don't know if other leagues do it.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, when I was playing in Mexico and yeah, we didn't do that.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_04: So it's a it's a league-wide thing, it's not just the lights thing.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no, it's just it's a league.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't know if they get to choose based off their schedule when they want to give players like these days off, or or hey, this is the window, this is the month of the window where you know you could give guys uh the mental health break.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_04: So you know what?
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_04: I like you, Christian.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_04: I like you because you just you're you're so chill and easy to talk to, which which I feel like is gonna make this interview so much better.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_04: But I do like the fact that you got here right as Vegas started to become a real heavy sports city.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, the lights have been here for a long time, but it wasn't really until just the past, you know, maybe less than a decade that Vegas has slowly started to become like the sports capital.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_04: And I love the fact that all of our teams, the the WNBA, the minor league team, the the Raiders, we're all getting love um more and more as the the city continues to grow and as sports continue to be uh a main thing here in Vegas.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_04: Have you seen a shift in uh I guess sports fandom here in Vegas since you've been here?
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely my first year.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um I mean, although we do have still a solid uh fan base, sure, um even this year, you know, on social media, and that's props to to Gabe and everybody else who who was part of that team, like they're doing their job to make sure they try to pack out the stands.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, and I think we had a record-breaking attendance this year already.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wow.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: If I'm not mistaken.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, just giving exposure to the team and the soccer community is pretty huge out here.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if you're like if you've seen, but you go to parks and there's teams training, and and it's like the soccer fan base is here.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's here, you know.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: So it's just a matter of getting them to the games and and making them enjoy the a Las Vegas lights game and us winning, right?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's always a plus.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_04: How many games have you are you in this season so far?
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: I think 17 or something like that.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: I think there's there's like 12, 13 games left or something like that.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_04: In terms of change from what you know where you are now and you know where you were last year and the season before, what have you changed to really kind of ramp up your productivity and the the results that you've been getting?
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, of course I want to score goals and I want to give assists, right?
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: But I think that's just shows like how good the team is doing.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like obviously if I give a pass to a teammate, it's you know, it's because they finished the the shot, right?
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like they made a goal.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, I take pride in and not only scoring goals and and try to give assists, but it's also like creating the play from the back, whether it's being in the pocket and giving the right pass to start the play.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, I'm I'm kind of more on on like on that page.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I feel like don't focus too much on wanting to score, wanting to give assists.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, play, be with the flow, and and opportunities will come.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, and I think it just shows like how how well this this team is doing.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_04: I always like asking like either performers or athletes or whoever it is that we have on the show, when you're playing, you're you're right in the middle of a game, are you thinking of anything or do you kind of just zone out and you're just you're just going?
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's kind of like flow state a little bit, right?
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: But you do go into certain scenarios or or at least me, right?
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: Like I'm kind of imagining I'm imagining I'm in this pocket, some defender's gonna come press me.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: So, like, what am I supposed to do?
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I do have like a handful of um ideas that if if I'm at that moment, that's kind of what what I'll do.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but it's kind of like let flow state kind of take over.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you train every day.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_00: So like trust your instincts, trust your training.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Trust your training, yeah, trust your training, and you know, just make sure you're you're nice and rested and then ready to go.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_04: What feels better?
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_04: Scoring a goal or an assist?
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_04: Be honest.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: Man, I think scoring a goal is right.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Scoring goals is is is the toughest thing to do in in in football.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_04: So what does it feel like?
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_04: Describe it to me as a non-soccer player.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_04: Right.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_03: Because he didn't even do it when he was 10.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_04: Because I've yet to score a goal in my lifetime.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um there's some goals that matter more than others.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Especially if it's a tight game versus a uh a tough opponent, but it's just it's ecstasy, man.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Like you you score and it don't matter how, like, you score the ball went at the back of the net, the whole team is is right there congratulating you.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh it's a weight off your shoulders, and team gets momentum off that.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: And it's crazy what what a moment can do because there's been a handful of times, not just me, but other players, they can score, yeah, and then the rest of the game is easy because now you got that confidence.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: Now you're you're hype and and it's just flow state at 100 at its best.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: You feel like this is the best you've ever been in your life?
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I feel like I've physically and even mentally too.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: You know, mentally, even confidence-wise, I feel like I've it's the best I've felt in in my career so far.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_04: Mentally, what do you think?
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_04: What's something that you've incorporated that's helped your mental game recently?
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Meditating, do you meditate?
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: I don't, but I pray a lot.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, you know, so I think that has a lot has a lot to do.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I think just being like present, right?
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like I feel like sometimes we get ahead of ourselves, whether it's a play as well, right?
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: Like, uh, what if I don't beat this guy in a one 1v1?
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: What if I miss this shot?
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like, no, no, no.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Like, focus on your training, right?
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Focus on right now the play that you're in.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, just don't be too hard on yourself, man.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone's human, be everyone makes mistakes.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like, just be a professional.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: Be a professional, and it's always about the next play.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_04: Let me tell you something.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_04: You are a professional right now.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_04: You're a professional PR guy.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_04: Like, I'm sure the PR team loves you because you're so good on the mic, you're so eloquent, you're so correct.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_04: He loves you.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_04: I know I love him too.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_04: Um, do you ever look back at your uh old games like from previous seasons, or do you just kind of stay with the the this current season?
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_04: Not really.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, not really to be honest.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: From time to time.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: From time to time, like it's mainly if I'm gonna show like my my family members or like they'll bring it up to me, but nah, I try to not to play too many games to kind of you know, like, I don't know, kind of like, all right, we played well this weekend, whatever, let's move on to the next one.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_03: What about and this might be a dumb question?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_03: I've never played soccer and I don't know.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: There are no dumb questions here, Julie.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_03: It's really nice.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_03: But like you don't even watch like like old games like film-wise.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_03: Like, do you review film and and watch those or no?
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I give myself maybe like that week.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_00: So for example, this past weekend we played on Saturday.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, Tuesday we usually do film.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: So by Tuesday, I've already re-watched that game.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_03: And but you don't go back further than like that one week.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, no.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: Gotcha.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_04: I try to like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_04: Listen, trust, trust your training, trust the research, trust the scouting.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_03: You better trust your research.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_03: I do the research.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_04: Julie is my research, so yes, I do trust my research very well.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_04: That's good.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_04: Um, I want to get back to the the 13 new players you have on the team because that it's it is a really big change in terms of how many you know new faces you see.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_04: As the captain, did you feel like uh pretty heavy weight on your shoulders when you found out there's gonna be a lot of new people on the team?
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_04: Or did you feel like, you know, I got this little nah not really.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's just more of the curiosity of how this this group is gonna mesh together.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: And because it's not always, you know, you can have the best players on the team, but it's not always you guys gonna play well, right?
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: Like sometimes it's a thin line of having good players and and making sure eagles are not too high and everyone's we're all working together for the same goal, right?
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I think just slowly but surely, as weeks went on, as games were playing, you know, I was talking to one of my boys, and I'm like, hey, we're pretty good, man.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we're pretty good.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: We just gotta continue pushing, don't don't don't get too ahead of ourselves and and you know, trusting the staff and and and their plan and the tactics.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: And nah, man, I was I was honestly more excited than anything.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_04: Which one of the new teammates did you uh connect with faster than anyone else?
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: That came in this year?
• 14:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: Man, it's a handful.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: But just on top of my head, Carson is one of uh the youngest players, one of the youngest players.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know, just kind of I don't know, kind of put my arm around him a little bit, and he's a good player as well.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_03: So um is it kind of like a like mentor mentee big brother situation?
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I mean I guess, you know, I guess in a way.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um but it's just like I wish, I don't know, but I'm 18, he's 18, right?
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: He's 18 or 19?
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's 18.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I know how important it is to have somebody older, and especially like come man, play your game, don't worry about it.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: Like leave the pressure to the older guys.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, right.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's it was just easy to talk to him, and especially when someone as professional as him.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's great to see him see how how professional how how you need to move in in the soccer club and as a professional, and it's nice to see that he's picking up on all those habits and he's doing well.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_03: So sorry, I thought that was on mute.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_04: It's all good.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_04: Um it's great that he has a strong support system around him.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_04: Like the the team chemistry you guys have is is it sounds like it's through the roof, which is great.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_04: How old are you?
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_00: 28, just in June.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, happy birthday.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_04: What'd you do for your birthday?
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: That mental hood.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, actually, it was in June.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_00: That mental hood break, I was actually at home.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, was it?
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I got to I got to spend my birthday with my family.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_04: When you came in the league, who was your or did you have like a mentor that kind of did what you're doing to him?
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course, of course I did.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: And when I came, you saying uh when I came to the club at first or come when I came to the league in general?
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, man.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's always the older guys that always have like the respect and always been the captains and their trajectory, right?
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, and even coaches themselves, you know.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_00: I've had some some good coaches who who've always given me advice and and just giving me the freedom to express myself.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I think hearing that from older guys, and like it's just it gives you a little bit of peace, keeps you a little bit a little bit more calm.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_00: And since I get those sensations, I know how important that is.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, if if I could give that a little bit maybe to to some younger guys, yeah, you know, that's that's good.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_04: That's great.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_04: Do you still keep in contact with any of them?
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, for sure.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, one of the captains actually, he's now he retired, but now he has an academy and his son plays, and um, they do tournaments out here in Vegas.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, you know, the source community is huge out here.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: So they did a tournament out here, and um he'd always like hit me up, like, hey bro, I'm gonna be in town for these for these days.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um come through.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, I get along well with his wife as well and his children.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, soccer.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: I met one of my best friends or the best friends through soccer.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: Really?
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Just everybody, like all my friends that I have now, it's because I've either played with them, I shared a pitch with them at one time in my life.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and even like one of my best friends married my sister, right?
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_00: That's crazy.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, no way.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's crazy.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, were you cool with that at first?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_00: But he went about it the right way, right?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like he told me, like, hey, listen, bro, like, I'm in love with your shit.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: You know, get that respect, right?
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yeah, you know, just hey, I want to let you know, you know, I'm just not messing around, you know.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I care for her, you know.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: So it's old school.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, hey, who am I to say who you're supposed to love, man?
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, just make sure you do right.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_04: Well said.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_04: Well said.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_04: Uh speaking of like the older brother, little brother kind of relationship.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_04: Your older brother was a big part of you getting into football, right?
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_04: How'd you know about that?
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_04: Come on now.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_04: Research, man.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_04: Trust my research.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_04: Trust my research.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, tell us about that, little bit.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: Huge impact, man.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: I think I was always uh the younger brother who always just with the older brother.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm surprised that he never like like get away, you know, like annoying, you know.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_04: What's the age difference between the two of you?
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: He's I think he's about to hit 40.
• 18:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's like a 10-year, 10-year gap.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: And like he was the first person to ever take me to to like club trainings and stuff.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_00: And he would train with with his friends, and he would bring me along.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: And nah, man, he's been a huge influence on on why I play footy, and he's good.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, is he?
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, he's good.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: You think he you think he can make the team?
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: Nah, nah.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: At one point of his career, you think he could have?
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: For sure, for sure, man.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_04: How much is it, because I gotta imagine, obviously, there's there's a skill and talent involved, but also it has to be timing and luck, right?
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_04: Of getting to the right place at the right time.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_04: With with you, do you feel like I I guess a better question is at what age were you like, okay, I can actually become a professional, I can actually do something with this?
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: To be honest, as crazy as it sounds, like I just always knew like that's what I wanted to do.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I always wanted to do.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: And and I kind of knew I was always gonna get there in a way.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: But I think a moment where it just started like feel a little real was I think when I was in college, and then I entered a draft, and then that's when coaches were calling me and and stuff like that.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: And you just see, like, oh man, this is this is happening very fast.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: So I think, yeah, I think just being part of the draft and then getting drafted by by Chicago Fire, I think that was like a okay, now I'm somewhat in the professional realm and the real work starts now.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: You went to Fulleton, right?
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Cal State Fulleton.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_04: I went, I lived in uh Huntington Beach for a long time.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_04: I loved it.
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_04: Oh god.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_04: Huntington Beach before it became commercialized.
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_04: Right now it's like you know, big brands and all that stuff.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_04: When it was like the local spot, right, beautiful, phenomenal.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_04: The weather, amazing, huh?
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, compared to this, especially just like this.
• 20:24
  unknown: Yeah, just like this.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_04: At least they have the ocean there.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_04: When you were in college, where'd you go to when you were out and about with your friends?
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_04: Remember?
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_00: When we had time, yeah.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: Honestly, I would go back home because it wasn't that far of a commute from the university to my home.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I would be I would get housed out there, so any free time that I have, I would honestly go back home.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: Or if I'm with my teammates, it's gonna go eat.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um who's back home?
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: Mom, dad, siblings?
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, mom, dad, uh, brother, sister, aunts, cousins.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_00: They all stay close.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_00: All of them.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: They actually all came out here for the 4th of July.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_04: So what is your mother I'm assuming your mom cooks for you guys?
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_04: What does she cook when you come out?
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I miss the most, man.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: I bet.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Homemade meal.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, every time I go back home, I always have two like traditional dishes that she knows are my favorite.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's Lanches de Pierna, which is um how would you how would you translate that to Lunches de Pierna?
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: You ever heard of that?
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: The meat is like pork, and it's like a um bolillo.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: You know a bolillo, like a bread?
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: Nah, that's more.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: Anyways, it's uh it's a bread sliced, toasted, pork up top, some cream, a little bit of mustard, and like it's it's it's good.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's good.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_03: So is it like like an open face sandwich?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yep, you're gonna messy for sure.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we're real messy.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_04: We're a bib, Julie.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_04: Okay.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_04: I dated a uh my ex was Mexican, and I don't miss her, but I miss her family's cooking.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_04: Because it was let's make that clear.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_04: We do.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_04: Not mid her up.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_03: But the cooking is canceled.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_04: She was gonna oh god, it was like that that was one of the hardest parts about breaking up is like breaking up with the family, leaving all the food.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_04: Like she would make yeah, it was funny as I uh I befriended, I became friends friendly with her mom after we broke up.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_04: But just like, hey, you know, Merry Christmas, happy Fourth of July, whatever.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_04: Can I still get a plate?
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I got the recipe.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_04: I got the recipe for one of the meals.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_04: A man with a plant.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_04: You're making me seven awful, Julie.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_04: How dare you?
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_04: A man with a plant.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_03: I have a question though.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_03: So I grew up in Texas, lived all over.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_03: So like Tex-Mex, very familiar to me.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: And then I lived in Alhambra for like two years.
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_03: So, like, obviously, got some great Mexican food out there in Las Vegas.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_03: Where does someone need to go for like real, like good, authentic Mexican food here?
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: Man, I'm gonna be honest.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: Or you don't uh he says I don't eat Mexican food because it's very do, I very do.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: But I try to keep my meals as like basic and simple as possible.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I try to try to make it clean.
• 23:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so you're not eating that stuff.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I am, but like on days off, you know.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_00: But my go-to spots is I don't know if you guys heard of the taco stand.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's on it's like by Chinatown.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: And it's it's not a taco stand, like that's what the restaurant's called.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: The taco stand.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: And the maritiera burrito, oh my god.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's grilled shrimp, steak, a little bit of cheese.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: I I suggest you go there.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_03: That sounds great.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_04: I'm gonna have to have I'm gonna have him write that down, and I'm just gonna present it to the the the front desk or the the we have it on recording.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_03: Perfect.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_04: There you go.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_04: What so what are you eating now?
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_04: When you're when you're eating.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm kind of just in charge of dinner or like a mid mid snack.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's either Chipotle or if I cook, it's just simple rice, ground beef, avocado, like, and that's it.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: All the essentials, man.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: All the essentials, yeah.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_04: What do you so it's let's say game day?
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_04: So you you guys have a game coming up August 1st.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_04: Uh at 7 30.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_04: So take me through your day leading up to the game at 7:30.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_04: On Saturday, right?
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_04: You what's that?
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: On Saturday, right?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_04: On Saturday, yeah.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_04: So what time you wake up on Saturday?
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: Saturday, that's where I try to sleep in because you know we we wake up pretty early for trainees, and that's kind of part of my my my routine.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_00: Try to get at least eight or ten hours.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: If I get if I can hit the 10, I'll I'll I'll wake up.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: Good for you.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_00: Nah yeah, and from there, uh kind of have a slow start, get a quick breakfast in.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: I like getting the coffee shop.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna put you guys on a good coffee shop.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_00: You guys like Vietnamese coffee?
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Finn Smith.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_00: You guys heard about that spot?
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Nope.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Nope.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_00: Write that down.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: Finn Smith.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: Julie, write that down, right?
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: P-H-I-N-S Finn Smith.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to Finn Smith.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_00: Delicious, delicious.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's by Durango.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then come back and it's honestly just trying to stay off my feet, you know, stay on my feet, be in the AC because yeah, game days are tough, bro.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_04: What do you listen to before?
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: Music, audiobooks, sounds like.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, music for sure, man.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh it depends on my vibe.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I'll be hearing cumbias, like just kind of like the being happy and stuff like that.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: If I feel like I need a lock in, I'll probably put a little baby or something, you know?
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: Or something, you know, just depending on how I'm feeling right there at that moment.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, my music is kind of everywhere.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, love that.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, in terms of the last few seasons that you've been with the team, um, how are you, how would you guys say that you're doing this year compared to last year or the year before, or the year prior?
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it's kind of a tough question because each year is so different, man.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's so different, right?
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: And we had coaches, different coaches every year, different systems, different players.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um But I think we've now gotten a little bit of like it's clicked earlier than before.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I feel like the first year we made we made our way to the final, but it wasn't until like the last few games where we actually ramped it up and and we made a made a good uh run.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: A good run.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: Second year, um, unfortunately I was hurt like half of the year, so um that sucked.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we didn't do too well, and this year we have good players, we understand the tactics, and you know, it's starting to click, so just now is yo, let's let's win games, pick up points, and and try to put ourselves in the best position for for playoffs.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_04: Is not knowing, I mean, I I can't imagine, because you guys are all pros, like I said.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_04: I can't imagine you guys look too far ahead.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_04: But does not knowing where you're playing next season bother you at all, or you don't even think about that?
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think when I was the younger me, yeah.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the younger me, yeah.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I feel like, you know, I've been doing this for for some for some time.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: And even if you have a plan, like, okay, I have interest from this club or whatever the case may be, so much variable, so much things change by the end of the season, and even in the offseason, that is that you really can't plan anything.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it's focus on what you can now, just try to have a good game this weekend, try to have a good season, and you know, like opportunities will come.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: Love that.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_04: What do you think the difference is between playing in the USL and playing what's the Mexico League?
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: Liga MX, Liga Expansi.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, yeah, yeah.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_03: You're not gonna try?
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_03: That's what I was gonna say.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, what's what's the major difference as a player uh between the two leagues, would you say?
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I've played in Mexico about three years ago, four years ago.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: And just how when I already got into this league, like this league has changed so much.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: So um just talking based my based off my experiences from over there, I mean, each league is so different.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember out there in in Mexico, it was I think it's more catered to my style.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm Mexican, right?
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like Latinos kind of have a different style of of maybe American and and I don't know, guys from South Africa have a different type of style, you know, it's just it's just what you're looking for.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_03: Well, what do you what do you mean by your style?
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_03: Like what makes your style align more with like the Mexico League?
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like here in the USL is very physical.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's very physical, and and I think when I first came here, this is one of the first things I noticed.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's very physical.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: Guys are athletic out here.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I saying guys are not athletic over there, but of course, um, like out there in Mexico, it was very, very technical.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_00: Very we have guys, short, really short Mexican guys that know how to move the ball, right?
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like here that's that's probably a big hurdle for for small guys, you know.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe teams don't want them because they don't fit their their style of play or stuff like that.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_00: Out there is more is more technical.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: You need to know how to play.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because if you don't, then uh you will get exposed.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_04: Who's the best player you've ever played against?
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_00: Against or with?
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: Both.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_00: Man, that's a good question.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_00: Making you think.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: Sebastian Jovinco.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Who?
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_00: Jovinco, he's an Italian.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, yeah, he's an Italian good player, man.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_04: You played against him or with him?
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: Against him.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_00: And he's as tall as this right here.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: I promise you.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_00: And he's he's such a baller.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_00: Such a baller.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, but that's it's it's refreshing to see, right?
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's like that's that's the beauty about football.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: Like, don't matter your height, it don't matter your size, like no, like it's it's it's your craft.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_00: Like I love that.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: And who I played with?
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: With is probably tough.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_00: I know you got a lot of good players.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I got a lot of good players, man, but the first name that just pops in my head is Alexis Vega when he was when I was in Chiva.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_00: So very good player.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 29:18
  SPEAKER_04: What makes him so good?
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, he could shoot with his right and left.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: He's very he's very uh like attack-minded.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um he just went to the World Cup also in the Mexico, so yeah.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_00: Now he's he's a very, very good player.
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_00: Scores goals.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: Who'd you who'd you root for?
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_00: Mexico or US?
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_03: Or neither.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: Or neither.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Mexico.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Mexico.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_00: But US too, you know.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted them to do well.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_04: Why not?
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_04: I wanted them to do well.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_04: Um let's say next World Cup is what, 2030?
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_04: Who would you rather see in the World Cup?
• 29:47
  SPEAKER_04: Mexico or America?
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_04: Mexico or US?
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_00: I gotta go with Mexico, man.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry, man.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's a fair answer.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_03: I also for some reason think that's a more reasonable answer.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_04: So he's a pro.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_04: He's a pro.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_04: On Saturday, August 1st, it's Ace's night, right?
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_04: Julie, is it the the jerseys that you guys are?
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, they're they're aces soccer jerseys, right?
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_04: Ace's soccer jerseys.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_03: I know.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_04: 7 30 at Cashman.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_04: How many more games you said you have left?
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_04: Like 12?
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_04: Hey, Gabe, do you know that number?
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_04: Gabe, help us out.
• 30:19
  unknown: I think we're at 17 right now, so it'd be like 12 or 13.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, something like that.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_04: Dang.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_04: Just a few more games left in Cashman, too, man.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_04: What other teams have you seen play in Vegas, like professionally?
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_04: Not just soccer.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_04: You played you seen any Raiders games or WNBA games?
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: Last night we actually went to go see the Aces.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we were Course High, watched them play.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_00: They won.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, haven't been to a Raiders game, and I don't really want to go.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_04: Uh, I've been to a Raiders game.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_04: Uh football's weird because uh foot American football, I feel like it's better to watch uh at home on TV because you have the announcers, you got the you got the the screen, like you got everything telling you what you should be focusing on.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_04: I feel like with basketball, it's so much fun to watch live.
• 30:59
  SPEAKER_04: Um with baseball, it's so much fun to watch live.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_04: But for me, football is the only one I I don't enjoy watching live.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_04: But listen, you should go.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_04: Have you been to Allegiant Stadium?
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I have actually.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah?
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's a nice stadium.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_00: I think we went our first year, the club got us like a suite to watch like some friendlies.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was like Brazil versus like I don't know what game it was, but man, it was nice.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_00: It's huge.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_00: Did you you've never played though in Italy?
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_00: I haven't played in there, no.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: That'd be cool.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_00: That'd be nice.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: That'd be nice.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe maybe have DR Stadium next year.
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, Christian, don't tease me like that.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I'd be at every game.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_04: You kidding me?
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_04: That'd be cool.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_04: You should come out to one of these uh Las Vegas Lights games, man.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_04: I want to.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_04: I I want to come out to Saturday, man.
• 31:36
  SPEAKER_04: I want to come out and get an Aces jersey.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_04: That's what you want.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_04: There you go.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_04: How often does the team go out together?
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like just like as a team event?
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_00: Umce a month, you know.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: Guys are busy too, right?
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: Guys got families.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we see each other almost every day, too.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: And the away trips, honestly, it feels like it's it's such a team bonding thing, right?
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_00: You guys are traveling together, flying in hotels.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um yeah, I think we're actually organizing uh like a team outing.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_04: Nice.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_04: So during the offseason, what are you doing?
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_04: Are you playing soccer somewhere else or are you back home wrestling?
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_04: Are you training?
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: What are you doing?
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: A little bit of both.
• 32:11
  SPEAKER_00: The first, I ain't gonna lie, the first couple weeks, I shut down everything.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: Anything I shut down everything, kind of get out of the sun, um, and kind of like reconnect with everybody else, the fam, and do things I wouldn't usually do, sleep in, sleep late, you know, all those things.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have hobbies?
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: What was that?
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: You have hobbies?
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I just got into golf.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: Oh shit.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_00: A couple of my boys are are uh are into it.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to get into it.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_00: I got my own golf set now, so but it's tough, man.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_00: Have you played?
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I I've played.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_04: I'm not good, but I've played.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I play too, but I'm not good.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not good either.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_00: But uh yeah, I'm trying to pick up on golf.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a very cool hobby to have because it's not too like physically demanding.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_00: It is, you know, but it's kind of just like hitting the ball instead of like playing basketball around running, right?
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_04: Golf is something that you can play until you're you know 67 years old and still be you know capable of handling it, which is.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_00: I feel like more than ever you've seen athletes, right?
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like athletes now, ex-athletes are now playing golf, so it's uh it's the trend, I guess, right now.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it is.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_03: What is it?
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_03: It seems like every athlete either starts golfing or decides they need to be in like WWE, yeah, MMA.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_04: You're gonna be in you're gonna be in WWE or MMA?
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_04: What are you doing after after soccer?
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_04: My hey, hit me up.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_04: I don't know, man.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_00: We can work something up.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_04: How many more years do you think you got left?
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: God winningly, man, I'm gonna go to the knees can't.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_00: But I would say I got another four or five years where I'm like 11s, like outdoor.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I do want to make a the smooth transition to indoor.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_00: Like I played futsal a lot growing up, so um hopefully the last few years, get on and get on the team and and kind of enjoy enjoy playing.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: Is indoor easier on the knees and easier on the body?
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think so.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think so.
• 33:57
  SPEAKER_00: Because grass is like much more forgiving.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_00: Ankles, knees.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, depending where you play futsal, sometimes it could be like a mat, or sometimes it could be like a turf field.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I I think that's a little bit more rough on the joints and all that.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: You're saying futsal.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_04: What is futsal?
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_00: Futsal.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh like futsala, it's um so indoors usually indoor is 7v7 on turf, but futsal is 5v5s on a mat.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_04: Okay.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they're actually having a tournament out here in this weekend, the US National Um futsal tournament.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a little bit more like it's more intense.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's like you can imagine, right?
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's only 4v4 in a very tight space, like I would say maybe twice the length of this room.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like fast play, fast.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_00: You gotta think fast, be creative.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_00: You're always attacking, defending, and yeah.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a big uh big part of my my older brother.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_00: My older brother, you know.
• 34:45
  SPEAKER_00: I I didn't play outdoor until I was eight, uh, I was gonna say eighteen, so I was thirteen.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_00: You know, which is very late in in most people's like career in a way.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_04: Um when you when you score a goal, do you have a celebration that you do?
• 34:59
  SPEAKER_00: I do have a handful, but that that flow state takes over sometimes.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: Flow state, you know, state every time I promise you, like if it's a good ball for my teammate, you know what I'm running to him.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if if it's if it's a good goal, I'm just screaming, or I don't know, I'll go to the corner flag, it's just right there on the spot sometimes, you know.
• 35:16
  SPEAKER_04: Have you practiced like dances or any celebrations when you're in front of a mirror?
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I had to.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_04: I had to.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_00: Because when it comes out, it's gonna be fly.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_04: I'm sure it will be.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_04: I would expect nothing less.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_04: There you go.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_04: I'd love that.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_04: Well, Christian, you're a rock star, man.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_04: We're excited to see you this season.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_04: We're excited to see more of you.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_04: Um and uh excited for the team, man.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_04: This is this is uh I'm so happy the team's doing so well, and I'm so happy that you know Vegas is slowly becoming more and more involved in uh the the the club.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_04: Um so I think it's great, man.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_04: And I'm really excited for that you came here and stopped by and you know chat with us for a little bit.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate the invitation, man.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: Have fun.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_04: Christian Ponzone, man.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, thank you so much.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, of course.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_04: Boys and girls catch new episodes each week on heybighead.com.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_04: We'll see you at Cashman Field this weekend.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: Show up or blow up