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Transcript

Ice Ice Baby · The Mostly Football Show

• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is the Mostly Football Show, a uniquely Australian take on the NFL and all things in the world of sport.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_02: Over to you, Pete.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, everyone.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to episode 21 of The Mostly Football Show.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's uh me with the OG Matt, and today we're joined by a friend of Matt's uh Gordy, who is a commentator in the Australian Ice Hockey League.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_02: We'll talk a lot about that a little bit more.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um we'll talk also about the free agency and we're up to all the NFL news.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_02: We will touch on why today we are all Venezuelans and uh and do a bit more depth into the Australian Ice Hockey League that seasons is upcoming.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_02: So, Gordy, welcome to the podcast.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_04: Thank you very much for having me, Peter.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: Uh absolutely our pleasure.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh now uh the initiation, right for anyone who joins us, uh, is uh we are predominantly NFL based, is to talk about your origin story and the NFL team that you support.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: So rumors tell me that you're a Raiders fan, so you have my uh commiserations, but if you could let everybody know why you are a Raiders fan.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean it I I wish I could come up with some sort of um deeper kind of meaning for for my fandom, but I really like silver and black as a kid.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_04: And um uh growing up uh watching the NFL in the in the 90s and 2000s, um really loved watching the highlights, uh watching the games with Don Lane used to present uh down here in Australia and uh really loved Tim Brown.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_04: He was he was my favorite player.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_04: Um still is my my favorite player really of of all time in the NFL.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_04: And I really liked Jerry Rice, and then and then Jerry Rice came over to the Raiders, which made me a very happy man.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_04: And um that kind of uh the success that they had in the late 90s, early 2000s uh really solidified it for for me, and and now it's been a lot of a lot of anguish ever since.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: I could only imagine, and uh like our other Raiders supporting friends, uh do you jump on the the latest bandwagon or are you a Raiders fan until you die?
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_04: Um I I I'm a bit pragmatic in that I I won't support another team.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, very good.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_04: But it it's um if if the Raiders are having a season like last season, I'm I'm I'm I'm not watching all the games.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_04: I'll watch uh a couple of games here or there, I'll watch the highlights, but that's that's pretty much the uh the extent of the pain I can put myself through.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_04: I'm trying to spread it out because I follow a lot of teams that perform very poorly.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_04: So for my own kind of longevity, uh I have to pick my uh pick my areas.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_04: Very, very good.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: Gordy and I have a shared love of the Toronto Maple Leaf, so we um we comfort one another.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh very rarely sell do we celebrate together, but um it certainly um hardened us up, uh Gordy, and and uh made us more prepared and uh um better able to accept the down years that our NFL teams have, right?
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, well it's it's uh I I have to thank the Toronto Maple's for turning me into a better baseball fan.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_04: Um so so kudos.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_04: Kudos to them.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: Very good.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: Well, we'll touch on uh why you've stolen uh Tyler Rogers to the Toronto Blue Jays later.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_02: Let's kick off with some NFL news.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_02: The free agency has still been uh or the caratel is still turning.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Matt, what's the what's the latest?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: Who do we think is winning in the free agency stakes right now?
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: Well, the rumour has it, Gordy.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: Good job you're here.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Rumour has it that the Raiders are are winning.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um they've obviously re-inherited Max after trying to trade him, and they've taken some big swings for some other players.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_01: So uh yeah, if we believe the high Peter, um the Raiders are uh top of the class at the moment.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I mean there was an article by Mike Jones in The Athletic that puts them as the losers.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_04: So I guess it's all it's all uh subjective.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_04: You can you can kind of um I I I really like Max Crosby.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_04: I don't know if um sentimentality is able to get over his massive contract that's gonna be on the books for the for the Raiders.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_04: Um and they made a lot of moves uh assuming that that money was gonna be taken off.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_04: I know you guys talked a bit about this last week too, and the ins and outs and had some insights for both you know Baltimore and the Raiders, what it would mean.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_04: But it's um uh I I'm I'm in the uh wait until September and to to see um whether whether they're a winner or a loser uh or not.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_04: It's it's there's gonna be some more moves for sure uh still to come.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: Peter, I don't know if you've seen, but Darnell Mooney signed a one-year deal with the Giants today.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um the Panthers re-signed uh safety Nick Scott one year at 3.25.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: The Eagles doubled down and on Dallas Goddard, another one-year deal for the tight end.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and then there have been some interesting um uh trades.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_01: Andy Dalton, I believe, is on the move.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um Marquise Hollywood Brown also agreed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um so there's still uh that sort of second wave of um activity going on within the league.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we watch and wait and see what else happens.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so Gordy, the AA AIHL season is due to start in a couple of weeks' time.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, tell us what we should be looking out for this year, particularly based off of the 20 uh 25-26 season.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, who are the teams that um are going to be strong?
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: What happened in the league last year and what's gonna be new for us this season?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so the the NHL uh since since they came to Australia in 2023, um the uh there's been a real boost to to the sport and and to the popularity of ice hockey.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_04: And the Australian Ice Hockey League has been a beneficiary of that.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_04: The they've seen attendances in the last couple of years really skyrocket, um getting sellout crowds.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_04: Uh you know, they're they're playing in a in a bowl arena in in Canberra at the Australian Institute of Sport and selling out over 3,000 tickets every game.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_04: It's uh it's a really exciting moment for the sport.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_04: And uh last year there were uh issues with the um rinks in in Sydney.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_04: The Macquarie Ice Rink was um uh uh the good news was uh that there was heavy investment into the rink to put glass in, uh fix the seats, uh put in a jumbotron, but it meant that the rink while that work was being done was out of commission.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_04: And so both Sydney teams uh unfortunately had to withdraw from participation in the league.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_04: Um so this season uh we're really uh going to see uh evidence of this growth that we've seen over the last couple of years with the injection of the Sydney teams, which I think is really important for the league.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_04: Uh it's a good revenue driver, both both those Sydney teams.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_04: And and the Sydney Bears, you know, you'll you'll know this, Matt.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_04: You know, they were regular season champions in 2024.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_04: So them missing out on a season and coming back, there's a there's a lot of intrigue, there's a lot of storylines uh that you can go down as as far as okay, are they going to be and Gordy, just talk uh for the listeners that may be new to the sport in in Australia, just talk us through how the league works, where the teams come from.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I know in the past there have been conferences, whether or not those conferences are still in play this season.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, just give us a little bit of a background on who the teams are and how how the league works.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so the there's 10 teams in in the league uh as as standard, and they're divided into two different conferences.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_04: Um, and uh so five teams in each.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_04: There's uh a team in Perth, team in Adelaide, uh two Melbourne teams, team in Canberra, two Sydney teams, team in Newcastle, a team at at Arena, uh, and a team in Brisbane.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_04: So the the ten teams that make up the league.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_04: Um last season the the final was between the Canberra Brave and Melbourne Ice, and the Melbourne Ice uh won uh that that game.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_04: Uh it was broadcast on ESPN, um which was huge for the league.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_04: Um it was on Disney Plus, uh, so anyone with a Disney Plus uh subscription could could go on and watch the game, uh which which is pretty big for a sport which is competing against some pretty pretty other h heavy um competition.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: So our friend Kerry Goulet is head coach of the Melbourne Ice, a huge figure and a great um ambassador for the sport in Australia.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um is how's Kerry's team shaping up?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: Are the Melbourne Ice going to be strong contenders again this year?
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: You you would have to you would have to say yes.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_04: It's for for people who aren't familiar with the Australian Ice Hockey League, it's very unique in that uh teams rely on on import players.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_04: So you can have uh four um you know uh North American or European import players playing in a game at any one time and one Southeast Asian import player.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_04: So five players who aren't local.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_04: And this they become almost because of the investment that the clubs make in them, they become almost the five most important players uh on the ice.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_04: Not always, uh, but often they are out there when the game is on the line, you know, when uh to either close out the game or to chase it.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_04: Um and that creates an incredible um uh like I love it as a dynamic, but it makes makes it very difficult to predict.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_04: So if you can imagine using uh an NFL example, if you can imagine late 90s Dallas Cowboys, the difference between having a Troy Aikman, a Michael Irvin, and an Emmett Smith on your team in those three key positions, as opposed to Vinnie Testaverde, uh James McKnight, and uh Troy Haywood, like it it's there's no comparison.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_04: Right?
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_04: So if if with teams um you know they may on paper, as you look at them today at their roster, you may look at it and think, well, this team doesn't have a chance to compete.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_04: But if they get their import recruitment process correct, that can elevate them to another level.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_02: So for for the ignorant, are you allowed to play all five imports on the ice at the same time?
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: And and the reason I ask is they used to have similar rules in British basketball, however, you could only have so many on court at any one given time.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_04: Yes, so you you can have them all on the ice at one time.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_04: Those uh limitations are are based on like your game day roster.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_04: So you may have uh I know I know a number of years ago, for example, the Canberra Brave had like six North American import players, but they could only ever in a game play four of them.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_04: Um so then you've you've you've just got two sitting at home um twiddling their thumbs and enjoying life in Canberra.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_04: Um so it's it's it's a very unique kind of dynamic where teams uh are recruiting players right now who are still playing their seasons.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_04: So they're trying to get players to come over and figuring out, well, when are you able to come over?
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_04: The season starts in you know, towards the end of April.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_04: Um maybe they're in they're in playoffs, they're in finals, either in Europe or North America, and they can't come until May, or they can't come until June.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_04: So basically, you're you're in a position, and this has happened, for example, to the Canberra Brave many a time, where they have high-quality import players.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_04: Their season starts in April, they're not coming until June.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_04: So they're in survival mode.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_04: They're just trying to stay in the playoff hunt, and then those players come like they did in in 2024, Matt, as as you saw, came across, lit up the league, finished the season strong, and then ended up winning the championship.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_04: So it makes it that kind of dynamic makes it incredibly difficult to predict, well, this team is the the top team.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_04: They're they're the one that that we think is going to be first, and and so on and so on.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_04: But you can make assessments based on how well they've recruited in the past, and you can kind of extrapolate that to be like, okay, these are the teams that are going to be contending there or or thereabouts, and these are going to be the teams that may struggle.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_02: And and does that mean it's a much more even competition because you can you can have the the off-balance like maybe teams of five and five suddenly become ten and five because their imports have turned up, uh uh and the the teams who have benefited from playing them early, uh you know, kind of sitting at eight and two rather rather than stuff like that, and end of the season it all balances out?
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_04: Well, I guess it depends on who you who you ask.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_04: Like I I think there are certain certain teams that are always going to um be more appealing for import players to come and play.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_04: So if if you're one of the Sydney teams or if you're one of the Melbourne teams already, you're you're you're in a good position.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_04: If if you're in Perth, you you may you may struggle, although they have very good re recruitment.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_04: Um if you're in Adelaide, um you you may struggle.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_04: And so there's different things that can work in your in your favour, just purely geographically, you know, guys come over to either work or to study and and then they're able to play at the same time.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_04: So there's yeah, there's there's a lot of there's a lot of variables.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: Before we dig down into potentially the two Sydney teams, given um they're the local teams to many of our listeners.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um we've obviously talked a little bit about the Brave and we talked about the the Melbourne Ice, who are both historical powerhouses.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: Who else should we be looking at this season, Gordy, as potential dark horses?
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_04: I think the Perth Thunder is they they're always there or or thereabouts, and they uh they announced uh one of their import signings is going to be coming over that has been playing in uh in uh France, uh averaging like two points a game in the in the Magnus League, which is you know that can translate over quite well into the AIHL.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_04: Um so that I I would expect Perth to be to be a good contender.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_04: Uh the Newcastle North Stars, they always recruit very well and and they're very active.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_04: Um and um of course I've got to give a I've got to say the Sydney Bears who who were the the regular season the minor champions in in 2024.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_04: Um they they've already announced quite a few new player signings trying trying to kind of um uh look at look at junior players, uh particularly junior forwards, to be able to rebuild.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_04: Um so that that that would be kind of my five in addition to the Melbourne Ice and Canberra Brave.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: Gordy, we're and we're both unashamedly huge Sydney Bears fans.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: So let's talk about how exciting some of these new signings are.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um I was lucky enough to get along to a training session the other week, and I know you're gonna um join the team for a training session in the next in the next couple of weeks.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: There's some very, very exciting and promising young players there.
• 16:08
  SPEAKER_01: So who who should we be watching out for in this next wave of young talent we're in the red, white, and black of the Sydney Bears?
• 16:17
  unknown: Yeah.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_04: So I I think there's there's um there's a handful of guys to be really excited about the new signings.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_04: Uh so Hugo Arps is is one of the guys um who he he had in um he played in the Ginsburg tournament um a uh a year or two ago and and put up something like 46 points in seven games.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_04: Um so just just incredible offensive production.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_04: Has played it with um over in Finland, uh, has been going to school over in Finland and and and lighting up the Under 18 league over there.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_04: Um so yeah, he he'd be one.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um sorry, Pete, were you I I gotta say for the ignorant of the monsters, 46 points in seven games.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_01: I know, it's as ridiculous as it sounds.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_02: What what do you get points for?
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_02: Turning up, being uh not falling over, that kind of stuff.
• 17:12
  unknown: Yeah.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_04: If you say you're pleased and thank you, yeah.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_04: As you enter the ring.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_04: No, but uh so uh for a goal you you you get a point, and if you get uh if you assist on a goal scoring play, so either um the the two players to have touched the puck prior to the goal scorer um in that possession, they'll they'll get a point.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_04: So it's it's basically yeah, either a goal or an assist is is a point.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_04: Um so in in um again in a in an NFL context that would be that would be like um yeah, like a seven touchdown um contributing on on seven touchdowns in a in a game, like each each game of of a tournament.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_04: It's pretty special.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_02: That that means you're pretty good then.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: And and um Matt always talks about how really good he is at fantasy hockey as well.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_02: Is that what it's based on?
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: Just goals and assists and presumably clean sheets and and saves from a goalie perspective.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, there's there's uh hits and blocks and shots, and look, Matt Matt I I don't know how much he pumps his his tires about how how good he is at very much so, very much so.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_04: He is better than whatever he says.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_04: I I was in the same league as Matt for a couple of years, and I would end up ahead generally towards the end of the week, and every single time Matt would find a way to break me mentally.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_04: I'm second, I'm second guessing my bench options, I'm looking to the waiver wire, trying to add players and trying to pick up players that I think Matt would like, and he always, always uh would would get the best of me.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_04: So whatever he says, he he he he he backs it up.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_02: He backs it up.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: You're very kind.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_02: That was 50 bucks well spent, Matt.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_02: Well done.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, thanks for coming up, Roddy.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we've talked about a few guards.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_01: Any any of the other young boys that we should be keeping an eye on?
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, Logan Brody, uh who was part of the Nashville Predators uh kind of setup.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_04: Uh Bodie Jerome, uh another, another great young player.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_04: Um Ruby Ruben Nalos Um is another young young guy that that I think is going to have a bright future.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_04: Most of these guys play have played for Australia at the under 18 level.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so this is uh a chance that the the city bears have always historically been a more veteran uh laden team.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_04: And so this is this season they're starting to pivot.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_04: And they've they've already got some good young defensemen in Tyrone Oxlade and Mac Tutten, who um you know I'm excited uh to see them take the next step this season.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, I think it's it's it's an exciting time to be to be a Sydney Bears fan and and you know to see some of the young talent that that our country is starting to produce as well.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: Amazing.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: So for those of us who are uh fledgling supporters of ice hockey and and and have probably leaned into it since we started the podcast, where do we get to watch the AI AIHL?
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so yeah, if you go to aIHL.tv, uh that's the the official uh streaming platform for for the league.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_04: Um and so it's kind of very similar to like NFL TV or something like that, where you have all the games on demand, all the games, whichever game you want to see live, um, you can see replays of the games, etc.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_04: Um, so yeah, that's uh AIHL.tv.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_04: Um I I'm not sure this season if they are there was rumors that they were gonna do a game of the week on ESPN.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_04: Um I'm not sure if that's still still happening.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_04: Um, but yeah, uh AIHL TV.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_01: And if you want to go along and support your local teams in Sydney um or Melbourne, Gordy, where should fans be um heading along to to watch?
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so in Sydney, all the games are at the Macquarie Ice Rink.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_04: Uh it it's uh an amazing venue.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_04: Um you make sure you you get down and check it out, it's newly renovated.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_04: It's um the atmosphere of a game.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_04: I I I I I don't know about you, Matt, but watching a game on TV is one thing, but going to the rink and the sound of the game, the the sound of the skates on the ice, the puck, you know, reverberating around the boards, like there's nothing like it in my mind.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_04: And it's it's just uh it's just a symphony um of chaos, and um it's it's beautiful.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_04: So I I highly encourage people to get to the rink to watch uh to watch uh a game live if they can.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_04: can whether they're in you know those cities that we mentioned the eight different cities um you know obviously there's O'Brien Icehouse in in in Melbourne but yeah and if anywhere you are uh get get to the rank and and watch a game.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah fantastic how many games in a season Gordy uh thirty games so fifteen home fifteen away um and that's um uh the schedule's out on on uh the AIHL.com is where you can find the uh the schedule and the and the details and then there's there's linked uh there's a link from the schedule to be able to to buy tickets from from each team's uh respective page I think round one kicks off around about the 17th of April or something like that that weekend it's it's the Sydney derby that that opens up it is yes um so Sydney Bears versus Sydney Ice dogs Friday night 7 30 pm if anytime there's a there's a um uh friday night game uh it'll it'll always be either a Melbourne derby or a Sydney derby um and the the Sydney Bears Sydney Ice dogs um you you got to a few of them uh Matt and the the the atmosphere is unreal it's it's incredible um so if you're in Sydney on on the 17 yeah get yourself down down to the rink and Macquarie um the Macquarie rink has increased its capacity considerably this year so I'm expecting the uh the atmosphere to be even better we're planning uh a boys' trip uh Mr.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_02: Thompson's very keen to come along um so when I get back from um my trip overseas um we'll be taking Peter and a few friends along to a game um and um yeah very much looking forward to seeing if he enjoys it as much as we have mate I'll I'll never shirk an invite to the commentary box either uh Gordy Thanks Gordy that was really really informative especially for me um I've never been a big ice hockey fan either NHL or or obviously here in Australia uh Matt has persuaded me to take up supporting the San Jose Sharks this year the method in the madness is my basketball team is the Golden State Warriors my baseball team is the San Francisco Giants I have stayed in the Bay Area for anything other than NFL so um and speaking of baseball uh uh you're a Toronto Blue Jays fan uh Matt is obviously a Cubbies fan but I think this week we are all Venezuelans what an absolute blast it was watching the final the final three games uh or four games even of the world baseball classic I think in terms of atmosphere um you could almost feel it coming through the TV watching especially Dominican Republic versus Japan huge huge game but the final itself just different level I don't know if you gents have had a chance to watch highlights or anything like that.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: I'll I'll make one of my bold claims later um but uh did you either of you get to watch the highlights at all?
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: I I didn't see all the highlights Peter but I did take enormous amount of pleasure and pride watching Daniel Palencia close that game out.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: So um Craig Counsel went on record saying um Palencia will be his closer this season.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: I love seeing a Cubbies player um do the business.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_02: Well there is a some shoddy behaviour though right there they did try to pull him from the game um um and the was were told the only way they could play him was if it was closing out the ninth innings.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_02: Anything else he would not be allowed to play.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_02: So you know well while it's great the sh the Cubbies can hang their heads in shame that they didn't let the guy just uh free himself up a little bit more.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: They are looking after their Aptat Peter and obviously he was insured he was there.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: What are you worried about?
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously it was a dress rehearsal for the season ahead but no I I mean I think the um just seeing the end of the game the emotion uh you know was very evident and good on the Venezuelans it was um it was great to see them get up and over the US I suppose as big a story as as Venezuela winning is the fact that the US didn't so um building on from the controversy of uh certain someone thinking he'd qualified for the quarterfinals before he had and um some questionable team selection what are your thoughts around that one gentleman can I just uh talk about a missed opportunity I feel a miss a missed storyline so uh I I don't know if you if you realize but earlier this week uh Jeff Hoffman the closer for the Blue Jays replaced Clayton Kershaw on the T USA roster now I just think it's a tragedy as a Toronto sports fan that Jeff Hoffman was not the player who gave up the two-run double to uh Eugenio Suarez in the ninth inning I think Jeff Hoffman I mean I'm glad for him that he didn't have uh you know give up two uh you know uh twice within uh a matter of months important RBIs in in in the ninth inning um but I just think it's a missed storyline well I I I think there's a lot of hidden storylines in there uh um first let's talk about Aaron Judge dreadful absolutely dreadful uh and I know he'll go on and hit 60 something I think he's predicted to hit 52 I mean predicted to hit 52 home runs he's probably gonna hit 60 and we'd all love him on our team but it's again it's the big games and he's disappeared.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yes he threw the guy out and yes it was a great throw and all of that but he's not there for that he's there to score them runs and he was wanting again um so someone did uh joke with the team selection and pitcher selection that that Mike DeRossa thought it was uh best of three so um uh uh so it's there but I I don't think you could take away anything from the Venezuelans uh as a giant I was very happy to see Luis Areas uh draw the uh uh lead off walk at the start of the ninth innings uh and I I think that set the table for everything else that was to come.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: Eugenio Suarez had not really shown up so it was time he did um and a great two run double and and really you know apart from Bryce Harper's big shot the the Americans were were not there.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_02: I mean they pitched themselves through the game against uh Dominican Republic and and kept that massive offence from scoring runs but they were just lackluster and I and I don't think they really picked themselves up massively from losing to Italy.
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I think them losing the final just reshines a light on you know how serious or how complacent people felt they were about the the you know the entire tournament so um yeah I would think that some serious questions have got to be asked of you know the manager and potentially the leadership group which is you know headed up by Aaron Judge we've seen the best team on paper um fail to deliver um and not only that but they've they failed twice they failed big time against Italy got in by the skin of their teeth um and then um failed to beat Venezuela in in the in the championship game but I I believe it it's 2017 is it since the US last won the WBC so it's a number of years now um but what a what a missed opportunity yeah absolutely and uh I want to backtrack to my comments last week about Kansas City winning the World Baseball Classic.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously first run was scored by uh Salvador Perez uh I think Kansas City fans will be weeping when he joined the desk afterwards and said I've I've won the World Series, I've won this, I've won that, now the WBC maybe it's time I retire.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_02: And obviously make Al Gussi as well who is the overall tournament MVP I believe plays for the Royals as well but I think there are many teams out there who'll who will lay a claim to uh winning the WBC from the Giants perspective uh Luis Arayas played really really well I'm very happy to see him come back unhurt and Jerry Botto as well who or Botto um who we acquired from the Mets I think we got him from the Mets last year was pitching like a demon in the middle innings across whenever he was asked to so um exciting times ahead which brings us on to opening day opening day is or opening night is uh next Thursday.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_02: Your boys are on uh on Netflix aren't they?
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think most of opening day is on Netflix.
• 31:10
  SPEAKER_02: I I'm not quite sure how it all works but yes uh Netflix uh are covering opening night uh the Yankees against the Giants at Oracle Park first time Oracle Park has hosted an opening day game for seven years or more so um looking forward to working out what hell time I've got to watch that as I'll be in India next week.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_02: So um yes interesting interesting times and looking forward to the next 162 games um and seeing if we can come up and have some decent playoff chatter next week.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_04: Absolutely who do the uh Blue Jays kick off against Courtney um have a look at that now they don't play the first uh couple of days they play on the third day of the season they play the athletics yeah it's it's I I the the T Vs are getting too much involved.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_02: I mean 162 days you shouldn't have to stop anyone from playing on any given day I it's uh I think the the the series with the Giants and the Yankees they start on Thursday but then they play on Saturday and Sunday.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_02: So you have a series that has one game and then a day off and then it's it's you know two two more days and I think there's another a day off and then then you start getting into it properly and I think virtually every team will have its own 17 game streak in the middle of the season.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_04: But uh as a Blue Jays fan with all the acquisitions uh especially Tyler Rogers um you must be very happy with the way they've conducted business over the offseason Gordy I think they've done very well I was a bit um I was a bit perplexed about Bobichet going um but it it really felt that the that the organization kind of knew that he was going to be going because they were pursuing uh you know the uh they they got the the infielder from Japan they were pursuing you know uh another big bat in the outfield um I think I yeah I think they did really well um overall and and you know what w one of the classy things that I like about uh about them is that the opening day pitcher is is still gonna be Kevin Galsman.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_04: I think that's really nice he's he's another ex-giant yeah another ex-giant very much for Kevin Galsman he's um he's quickly become a a fan favorite and and you know the there's there's Trey Yesavage was absolutely unbelievable in in the in you know in in the a playoff run um in the World Series run and and you know and they picked up Dylan Sees as the the biggest free agent contract in their in their history but I really like the fact that they're sticking with with Kevin Galsman for the opening day start it's a nice reward for his consistency.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_02: Well he's just a a solid pitcher right he he rarely concedes a lot of runs.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like most of San Francisco's best pitchers they get little or or zero run support every time they get on the mound and so their their win-loss record is not that great but man they're solid you you get a good uh close to 200 innings out of him every year as well so um that's uh again a great acquisition three years ago so hopefully this year um if it's not the Giants in the World Series you can beat the Dodgers that's that's what we all hope.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah yeah you haven't talked about Mad Max uh either Cordy Oh how good was that letter from his daughter yeah I don't know if I don't know if you saw it but his um his daughter wrote a letter you know dear blue jays um you know please can you um you know we we love the city love being here please can you um bring my daddy back next next season and uh it came out after uh Scherzo signed his contract and they were talking to him about it and he said yeah he said they didn't send it off to the Blue Jays because they felt that it wouldn't be the best negotiation tactic to to send that before him but that's yeah I I love Mad Max I love I love Schertzo you you know you're not gonna get um that dominant seven inning performance in a world series anymore those those days are done but what you get is a guy that gives you but he's still got game right he's still got game and he he's such a a good presence in the locker house and he's just such a weird cat and I love weird cats and I think weird cats should be protected at all costs.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_01: His pregame routine is is off the hook and it's beautiful uh it's it's something different so yeah I'm I'm happy for I'm happy for him and and the Blue Jays before we we wrap up with the Blue Jays Gordy I mean obviously you've touched on some of the signings but it feels like after the Dodgers they're the team that has pushed more chips into the middle of the table than anyone else so I would imagine that the front office there feel that they're not that far away I mean given what we saw in in the World Series last year they're they're materially not that far away but it feels like they're taking a a a real strong run at it this season.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_01: What are your thoughts?
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_04: Well I think Rogers looked at the at the numbers for uh television ratings during the World Series and saw 40% of Canada tuned in uh at some point to watch you know the you know the World Series.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_04: So for them you know they're like okay we yeah we can make a lot of money from this um so they're happy to to reinvest that money into the team which I think is you know um say what you will about about ownership but if you have an ownership group that's willing to reinvest into the team and to pay the luxury tax and and all that that comes with spending a lot of money because you know the Blue Jays last season it's not like they were 29th in in league spending there were they were fifth overall in in the league in in in spending so they weren't they weren't you know uh paying peanuts this isn't like a rags to riches kind of story but I think what is nice is that you have a a a a front office that seems to know what they're doing they've stuck with it for for a couple of seasons they've made some really smart adjustments and and avoided kind of popular kind of knee-jerk reactions they've weathered disappointment in you know they were right in on Shohei Otani they thought they they they had him and then you know had their heart broken ended up finishing dead last in the in the division but picked themselves right back up and look what they did so I think this is a team if if you're just a uh casual sports fan this is a team that's easy to like on a lot of levels um and and that storyline with the Dodgers I think is going to be a fascinating one I would love to see another rematch and I think you know I I I know I'm not completely objective here but I think a an unbiased neutral fan I think that would be a pretty cool thing to to see as well yeah part two let's show us part two yeah but now you've told me about all the money you're spending now it's just you know we had a it's yet another richest to riches story right we had a bit of a clue a few seasons ago when they spent all that money on Vladdy but um yeah good for the blue jays mate I'm I'm I'm delighted for you and you know I was cheering your team along uh with you in the in the World Series final um on the flip side of the Rogers ownership I did see on Toronto Maple Leaf's uh social media thank god it's less than two weeks until the Blue Jays start playing again so uh it's been a horrible season hasn't it it's been dreadful and it's it's it's the the sort of season that you can find things to cheer for if you are the 2015 Toronto Maple Leafs and you own your first round picks for the next two seasons.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_04: But we this is a team yeah this is a team that doesn't own their first round pick for the next two seasons.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_04: So what do you have to look forward to?
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_04: Usually you have the draft to look forward to you don't even have the draft to look forward to you've got I I know Matt this is just therapy between you and me but we've got a a general manager who's put us into this position who seems to now have the task of getting us out of it.
• 39:35
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah it's scary and I don't I don't think he has the the capacity for it.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_04: So it's um you know I I I could go on for for hours about this but yeah it there's not a lot to cheer for which is why it's great the baseball season is is almost here.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: But even even when there was something to cheer for when your players were doing well at the Olympics all Matt could moan about was that they were doing well at the Olympics so I don't know Gordy would 110% agree with me I was like bloody Austin Matthews he finally wins something as captain of America anyway let's move on from the uh from the Maple Leafs.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_02: However Peter you're not allowed to move on from the Maple Leafs and mention the words Gary and bears ah damn well I'll have to think of some other segue then but uh look again we'll we'll we'll dive more into the NHL probably later this week I think uh Matt and I have significantly failed not to find some time to set up our joint band fantasy baseball team so maybe we'll just have to have competing ones um and see where we go and that way uh my team will be called a certain name and we can go from there Gordy how you fix for a for a co-manager uh role with me then if that's the case hey um Peter before we um before we move on to anything else did you want to ask Gordy about the UFL?
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yes I did.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_04: So the first question Gordy is do you know what the UFL is I'm looking at Google now which uh the United Football League it was uh formed in uh 2024.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yes it was is that correct uh the XFL and USFL yes uh an amalgamation of the USFL and the XFL um obviously the XFL and the and the the uh UFL is co-owned or part owned by Dwayne the Rock Johnson.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_02: So in order to keep our American football fix going uh we have uh cornered uh a couple of people to join us in a a small bet.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_02: There are eight teams in the UFL we've all picked uh four of us have picked one each and the team that finishes worst off uh the the person who has assigned themselves to that team will have to buy the shirt is the deal.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_02: So um Matt is the original Stallion I am the original Birmingham Stallion I am the Birmingham Stallion years yeah yes uh uh KG is the original uh Dallas Renegade I am a St.
• 42:14
  SPEAKER_02: Louis Battlehawk and I believe uh our good friend McKund uh chose the Columbus Aviators as his team so that leaves you a choice of the DC defenders the Houston gamblers the Louisville Kings or the Orlando Storm oh boy um wow such great options that I know so much about well um let's go uh let's go let's go the Louisville Kings hey very good yes locked and loaded uh I think it kicks off on the twenty eighth of March uh runs for ten weeks so we'll uh we'll definitely bring you back on mid season if they're doing well and expect a full update um but uh we'll see where we go so it will just keep our American football fix going for a little while and obviously you you'll see some failed players from the NFL and some uh lower round draft picks kicking around so hopefully it'll be fun um the NFL has taken things like the kickoff from them so they do try a few rules here and there so we'll move on to our feature that we started last week with our favorite number players this is episode 21 so uh we are going to talk uh about our favorite players for the Bears and the Packers who wore number 21 but I am going to step in for KG I don't have to ask him I know who his favorite player is um for those of you who listened last week KG did go chicken watching and um Alex Johnson we should really give a shout out to Alex Johnson became the overall top tri scorer in the NRL last week.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_02: I Believe after the pitch invasion, I saw KG escorting the Prime Minister onto the pitch.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I was going to say the Prime Minister didn't get fined five and a half thousand dollars to the Are you sure you're not paying that from your tax bill?
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_01: Well, yeah.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_02: So uh so uh he would ultimately pick from Dallas Cowboys the only person you could pick who wore number 21, and that is prime time Neon Dion Sanders, one of my favourite athletes of all time that I had the pleasure of watching play for the San Francisco Giants in the mid-90s.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_01: Oh yes, yeah.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_02: In the mid-90s.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_01: He played for the 49ers as well, didn't he?
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_02: He he did he did.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_02: I actually went to the Giants versus the Rockies, uh mid-season game, and it was the game after uh Dion had announced that he was leaving the 49ers to join the Dallas Cowboys.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_02: So the reception he got at Candlestick Park was uh nothing short of hostile that evening, apart from me, because I was just honored to be able to watch him play sport.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_01: So, Matt, who is your favourite number 21 from Yeah, my number favourite number 21 for the Bears is uh Donnell Wolford.
• 45:16
  SPEAKER_01: He was drafted in the first round in uh 11th overall in 1989, a cornerback um out of Clemson.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um he uh played for the Bears between 1989 and 1996, finished his uh career with one year at the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997.
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he went to the Pro Bowl in 1994.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_01: He was voted one of the 100 greatest ever Bears.
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think he was number 77 or something like that.
• 45:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, consensus uh All-American at college in 88, um, first team All-American in 87, uh Rolls-Royce of a cornerback, um, Peter, um, finished his career with 36 interceptions um and returned one for a touchdown.
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_01: So Donnell Wolford is my favorite ever bear, wearing the number 21.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_01: Very good.
• 46:19
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I might just uh interject there and say uh you're not picking Walter Payton.
• 46:23
  SPEAKER_02: He wore number 34.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_02: In his first season with the Bears, he wore the number 34.
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_02: Did he wear number 21 in his first season?
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, in his rookie season.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_02: Well, um, actually my hint to our listeners that I've actually done some research.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: Well done, mate.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: And you call me out on that.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_02: Well, uh there was another um Packers alumni you could have picked, and I will mention him for his name.
• 46:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um last week we talked about Atari Big B having a really good name, which is why you can't hate a player with a good name.
• 46:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so whilst not my favourite number 21 for the Packers, uh my favourite name is Mr.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_02: Haha Clinton Dix, who played for us for a number of years before coming over to play with the Bears for a season in um 2019, I think he played for the Bears.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_02: So, but my uh my all-time number 21, easy pick, Charles Woodson.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um just an absolute beast of a cornerback and safety, so versatile, great player, um, defensive player of the year in 2009, uh, you know, part of our Super Bowl winning team back then, and just you know, when you needed a big defensive play, he was the guy who always stood up.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_02: He he probably um would still do a job for us today, given the state of some of our safeties and cornerbacks at the moment.
• 47:41
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, it was an easy choice for me.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_02: I loved watching Charles Woodson.
• 47:44
  SPEAKER_02: He used to scare the life out of wide receivers and um and and and like unlike a lot of cornerbacks, he was really good with short the short game in the red zone, you know, second and goal on the two-yard line.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_02: He'd be the man driving through the line, making the tackles just great player to watch.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: Great player to watch.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um we did have a running back who I did like uh back in the uh early 2000s, which was Armand Green.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, when we started getting good after the years of Don Bukowski and all that, it was nice to see a running back come out of the shadows, but uh no, no one can beat Charles Charles Woodson for me.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um he'd be up there as also challenging for the for the best NFL player.
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_01: So I we've obviously got Woodson, we've got Neon Dion.
• 48:30
  SPEAKER_01: There's a very, very good running back who also wore number 21, who would receive my vote as as the NFL great, and that's Ladanian Tom Tomlinson.
• 48:42
  SPEAKER_03: Oh yes.
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you're um you're waiting in the wing sit to tell us about your favorite raider where in 21.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_04: Oh, look, there wasn't a lot to choose from.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_04: This isn't a guy that uh I I watched live, but Cliff Branch.
• 48:59
  SPEAKER_04: He wore number 21, drafted in 1972 out of Colorado, 14 years with the Raiders, three Super Bowls.
• 49:06
  SPEAKER_04: Um he was uh when he was 69 years old, he said that he could still run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_04: He he owned the NCAA record for the 100-meter dash.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_04: Um yeah, just uh um, you know, I I saw a video about him uh with Mike Mike Ditka, Ronnie Lott, and uh Fred Bolitnikov talking about him and his ability to create space with his speed.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_04: He was just a different um, you know, you hear this term revolutionize the position a lot, but uh in in a in a time where there wasn't you know many vertical deep threats, him and Jim Plunkett uh created a really good partnership in the in the 70s and 80s.
• 49:50
  SPEAKER_04: So I'll I'll go with him.
• 49:51
  SPEAKER_04: The only other choice that uh was present there was Namdi Yasamoa.
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_04: Um so I I I mean I I I felt I had to go Cliff Cliff Branch and and you know those both names are found in nature, he's a force of nature, it just fits.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_04: Very good.
• 50:09
  SPEAKER_04: Very good.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um when you mentioned Cliff Branch, a word popped into my head, and I've just googled it to see if I had that association correct.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_01: And the word was Stick'em.
• 50:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um now stick'em was a tar-like substance, yeah, that players uh in that era used to apply to their hands.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um it was very quickly outlawed, but um, yeah, the originate the OGs of Stick'em were Cliff Branch and Fred Blitnikoff.
• 50:42
  SPEAKER_01: So um, yeah, when you said it, my brain went, I'm sure Cliff Branch is the Stick'em guy, and he was.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um I also did a uh Donald Trump fact check on you, uh Peter Thompson.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um Walter Payton was initially assigned number 21 upon being drafted.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_01: However, he switched to his iconic number 34 before the regular season began.
• 51:03
  SPEAKER_02: Very good.
• 51:05
  SPEAKER_02: Very good.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_04: This is CNN.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, uh, and on that bombshell, uh Gordy, thank you very much for your time today and all your insight into the AIHL.
• 51:19
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we will invite you back to give us a season update and and uh just join us because it's uh the conversation has been very enjoyable.
• 51:27
  SPEAKER_02: Matt, as ever, uh thank you very much.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_02: We'll we'll sync up around uh fantasy baseball teams and uh what leagues to be in, etc.
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_02: etc.
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_02: over the week.
• 51:38
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I'm off to India, so we're either back in two weeks or KG is gonna take the the reins.
• 51:44
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see which one happens first.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_02: And uh but gents, thank you for your time, and we'll see you all soon.
• 51:52
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you very much.
• 51:53
  SPEAKER_00: Ta-da! That's a wrap on another episode of the Mostly Football Show.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to subscribe and review or get in touch at mostly football twenty-five at gmail dot com.
• 52:07
  SPEAKER_00: See you next week.