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Transcript

Bengals Fans Down Under · WhoDey All Dey!

0:43
SPEAKER_04: Gentlemen, happy May 20th, 2026, and welcome to the Hood All Day Podcast.
0:49
SPEAKER_04: I'm your host, Michael Berggs, in beautiful, not too hot, carefree Arizona, living right.
0:55
SPEAKER_04: Things are good.
0:56
SPEAKER_04: Things are good.
0:57
SPEAKER_04: But more importantly, do we have a treat for you all tonight?
1:01
SPEAKER_04: We're honored to be joined by Adrian Wood.
1:06
SPEAKER_04: 2000, is it technically 2025 International Fan of the Year?
1:11
SPEAKER_01: Yes, that's correct.
1:12
SPEAKER_04: Adrian, joining us from Australia.
1:14
SPEAKER_04: How the heck are you?
1:16
SPEAKER_01: I am very well, thank you.
1:18
SPEAKER_01: How are you?
1:19
SPEAKER_04: So good.
1:19
SPEAKER_04: So good.
1:20
SPEAKER_04: Good to have you.
1:21
SPEAKER_04: Uh, like like we were talking about earlier.
1:23
SPEAKER_04: It's like we've uh we've known you all your life being a uh a fellow Bengals fan, but we are super pumped to get to know you and have you join us tonight.
1:30
SPEAKER_04: You guys know we got our boys with us, Brian Kyle, Utah County.
1:34
SPEAKER_04: Brian, how are you living?
1:36
SPEAKER_00: Oh so good.
1:37
SPEAKER_00: It's great to be be with everybody here.
1:40
SPEAKER_00: Grateful uh that Adrian that you're uh taking the time to be with us.
1:44
SPEAKER_00: Um like we were talking earlier before we jumped on.
1:47
SPEAKER_00: Uh, you know, there's that international language.
1:49
SPEAKER_00: I mean, of course, Australians speak English, but just all you need when you see somebody in Bengals Gary, you know they're a true fan.
1:55
SPEAKER_00: If when you say all you got to say is who day.
1:57
SPEAKER_00: And if they don't respond, they they just they're posing.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: Uh but if they turn their head and give you a hoodie back, then you're part of the family.
2:05
SPEAKER_00: So welcome.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: Heck, glad to have you, Adrian.
2:09
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
2:12
SPEAKER_03: Brant, northern Kentucky.
2:13
SPEAKER_03: How are you doing?
2:15
SPEAKER_03: Uh holding down the homeland, you know.
2:18
SPEAKER_03: Excited to uh talk some bangles with you guys and get to know a little bit more about Adrian and and his experience.
2:24
SPEAKER_03: So it's gonna be a great night, fellas.
2:26
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, this is this is fun stuff.
2:28
SPEAKER_04: A little bit of history for you, by the way.
2:30
SPEAKER_04: 59 years ago this week, the Bengals franchise actually became legit.
2:37
SPEAKER_04: 24th of May, 1967.
2:39
SPEAKER_04: Should start being a national holiday in the city of Cincinnati, but 59 years ago, the franchise started.
2:45
SPEAKER_04: So it's fitting that we've got uh all now.
2:47
SPEAKER_04: We're all the way expanded to fan base out in Australia, but everybody knows the drill.
2:52
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna go four downs.
2:53
SPEAKER_04: First down, we're gonna get everybody's take.
2:55
SPEAKER_04: Schedule is out.
2:56
SPEAKER_04: No, there is a lot of positive energy uh with that, and super excited for some planning.
3:02
SPEAKER_04: Second down, we're gonna get to know uh Adrian a little bit more.
3:06
SPEAKER_04: We want to know a little bit about his background.
3:08
SPEAKER_04: How does one become not only international fan of the year, but a Bengals fan in Australia?
3:15
SPEAKER_04: Third down.
3:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh, if y'all didn't see the clip, we'll try to attach it, post it, share it.
3:20
SPEAKER_04: But Adrian crushed it at the NFL draft, live in Pittsburgh amongst all the haters, presented one of our fourth round picks, and uh, we will talk about that with uh with Adrian.
3:32
SPEAKER_04: And then fourth down, want to get uh his predictions and for the season, but what he's also what games he's looking forward to attending, and how the heck does he watch?
3:41
SPEAKER_04: It's got to be some crazy uh times and sacrifices for you.
3:45
SPEAKER_04: But first down, Adrian, kick us off.
3:47
SPEAKER_04: Schedule is out.
3:49
SPEAKER_04: What's your thoughts?
3:50
SPEAKER_04: What are your takeaways?
3:50
SPEAKER_01: What are you excited for?
3:52
SPEAKER_01: The schedule looks awesome.
3:54
SPEAKER_01: Like when I first saw it, I was really keen by how many uh teams that sucked last year.
4:04
SPEAKER_01: Like, I think we have the third easiest schedule I saw, and we are playing the AFC South, which is always an absolute mess, and the NFC South, which is always an absolute mess.
4:17
SPEAKER_01: Like it's it's exciting.
4:19
SPEAKER_01: Like, I I honestly I we could not play two worse uh you know opponent divisions.
4:26
SPEAKER_01: It is exciting, yeah.
4:28
SPEAKER_01: I mean, uh you know, just like you know, based on that, it's it's an exciting year, yeah.
4:36
SPEAKER_04: You're so right because I look, we know the division's gonna be tough.
4:40
SPEAKER_04: Those are six games that you know it's gonna be tough.
4:44
SPEAKER_04: Not saying any games in the NFL are easy, but like you said, when you know that these teams are probably not elite quarterbacks, elite rosters, you get super excited licking your chops to get it get some more wins in that win column.
4:57
SPEAKER_04: So I agree with you, Adrian.
4:59
SPEAKER_04: Brian, how about you?
5:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think the schedule's great for a number of reasons.
5:05
SPEAKER_00: Like Adrian mentioned, uh, based on last year, last year's uh results, it's pretty favorable.
5:12
SPEAKER_00: Um, playing playing both the AFC and NFC South, it seems to be favorable.
5:18
SPEAKER_00: Also, from a destination standpoint.
5:20
SPEAKER_00: I mean, Bengals fans, this year's the year to to maybe get on the road and travel.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: Trip to Miami never hurts.
5:27
SPEAKER_00: Uh, no matter what you like, football, food, or the nightlife is there for you.
5:32
SPEAKER_00: Uh Houston, Texas is a great place.
5:35
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna try to, I think I'm gonna try to get that one if I can.
5:38
SPEAKER_00: And if you're feeling uh, if you're if you're in the mode of of aging and trying to be a little international, our our Cincinnati Bengals are headed to Spain.
5:45
SPEAKER_00: Uh, here I've never been to Spain, uh, been to other parts of Europe, but here's a beautiful country.
5:51
SPEAKER_00: I I speak a little Spanish, so that would be kind of fun if if that uh, but I don't think that's in the cards for me.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: But it's good for the Bengals.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: Uh Joey, Joe Burroughs, an international superstar at this point, just another opportunity for him to be on the stage.
6:05
SPEAKER_00: Uh, the other thing I love about the the schedule is just the fact that it's here, it's just around the corner.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: Joey B is is extremely excited about the team, came out today and said this is the most talented roster he's played with since being a Bengal.
6:20
SPEAKER_00: So if that doesn't get you excited about the season and the schedule, then I don't know what what will.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, extremely pumped.
6:26
SPEAKER_04: You know, you're so right.
6:28
SPEAKER_04: And I think not only just because Adrian's joining us, but uh Burrow also spoke today.
6:35
SPEAKER_04: Adrian, you were probably sleeping, but uh so if you see any of these clips, they're they're they're good, they're really good.
6:41
SPEAKER_04: But I loved Burrow speaking up and talking about the NFL almost pushing a narrative for certain teams and him being, and we're not gonna see this on ESPN because of course it doesn't help the narrative that possibly he would go to another team, but he was very clear that he wants the Bengals to be a part of that NFL narrative.
7:01
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and so you see it with Kid Cuddy that was at practice this week.
7:06
SPEAKER_04: I am telling you guys, with him going to Spain, we got Mr.
7:09
SPEAKER_04: International himself, Adrian Wood with us.
7:11
SPEAKER_04: There's gonna be a ton of hype, and uh superstars are gonna be sitting around this team, and I think they're mature enough to handle it.
7:18
SPEAKER_04: Brant, how about you with the schedule?
7:20
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I I think the one thing that stood out to me like right away was uh I think it's seven one o'clock games to start the season, which uh somebody actually put it on social media.
7:31
SPEAKER_03: I wish I had the stat, but Burrow is really good at one o'clock and his record is is super strong.
7:39
SPEAKER_03: So I think that bodes well for us starting off the season hot.
7:44
SPEAKER_03: Uh my second take though would be building off of that.
7:47
SPEAKER_03: I think I mean it's been the tail of you know as old as time for the Bengals, but we have to start fast.
7:54
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and I think uh you know, building off a little bit of what Adrian said, it's the NFC South, uh, but there's some there's in the AFC South, but the two most dangerous teams, the Buccaneers and Texans, starting out with both of them, in my opinion, from both those uh divisions.
8:13
SPEAKER_03: I think I think it's gonna be a tough first four games.
8:16
SPEAKER_03: I think it'll really decide the season.
8:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh, and I'm hoping we can at least go two and two there.
8:22
SPEAKER_03: And then I feel really strong about the rest of the schedule.
8:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh, my third thing, I know nobody's really mentioned it yet, but finally the NFL did us right and gave us the Thursday night home game against the Ravens, New Year's Eve.
8:38
SPEAKER_03: So uh, you know, four years in a row or whatever it was going to Baltimore was a little rough.
8:44
SPEAKER_03: So it's nice to get uh in division home, you know, primetime game.
8:51
SPEAKER_03: We were due.
8:52
SPEAKER_03: Uh so everything lines up really, really great this year.
8:55
SPEAKER_03: I love what Adrian had to say in terms of the positivity with the with the schedule.
9:00
SPEAKER_03: So uh bring on the season.
9:02
SPEAKER_04: You know, and it's it's such a great point.
9:04
SPEAKER_04: I'm very excited that uh Adrian will be the first one to welcome us into 2027 and will be able to tell us uh what the outcome of that game was because it'll be into the future on there.
9:17
SPEAKER_04: But yeah, that again, back to echoing the power of Joe Burrow.
9:21
SPEAKER_04: I don't we've have not had a superstar like this in the city of Cincinnati that even the NFL listened, knew he was right when he came out and he said that game needs to be at home one of these times.
9:33
SPEAKER_04: So glad that that came together.
9:35
SPEAKER_04: All right, second down, the schedule is set, the draft is complete, uh, and we are absolutely thrilled to have International Bengals Houday fan of the year, Adrian Wood with us.
9:48
SPEAKER_04: So, second down, Adrian, the floor is yours.
9:51
SPEAKER_04: Tell us about yourself.
9:52
SPEAKER_04: Where the heck do you live?
9:54
SPEAKER_04: How the heck did you become a Bengals fan?
9:56
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and how does one become international fan of the year?
10:00
SPEAKER_01: So I'm a teacher.
10:02
SPEAKER_01: Um, I teach like elementary school science.
10:05
SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm from Sydney, Australia.
10:08
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I became a Bengals fan because my dad, um, he was a massive Dolphins fan when the NFL was very hard to access in Australia in the 1980s and 90s when the Dolphins drafted Merino.
10:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, he kind of got me into the NFL as I was growing up a little bit as a kid.
10:29
SPEAKER_01: Um, I was bought a copy of Madden on Xbox, and so that was kind of my segue into being an NFL fan in general, and I chose the Bengals because as a kid I loved tigers, right?
10:43
SPEAKER_01: Tigers were my favorite animal.
10:45
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so as soon as I saw the Bengals helmets, I just fell in love.
10:49
SPEAKER_01: I began playing with them a little bit.
10:51
SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, it was like the era of Carson Palmer, you know, Chad Johnson, Hushmanzada, Rudy Johnson.
10:59
SPEAKER_01: That that offense was just unbelievable, even on Madden.
11:03
SPEAKER_01: So it yeah, it just exploded from there into an absolute obsession now, going on over 20 years.
11:09
SPEAKER_01: So it was the helmets and the uniforms.
11:12
SPEAKER_01: And at that time, I had no idea where Cincinnati was on a map.
11:17
SPEAKER_01: And so Madden is strangely enough, and the helmets is how I became a Bagels fan.
11:24
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
11:25
SPEAKER_04: That's absolutely incredible.
11:26
SPEAKER_04: I mean, think about that.
11:27
SPEAKER_04: A video game, your dad's a dolphins fan, and coming into the age of Carson Palmer's uh Ocho, like you were talking about, Hushmanzada, what a fun time.
11:38
SPEAKER_04: And then that catching your eye, absolutely love that.
11:41
SPEAKER_04: So then translate that for us.
11:43
SPEAKER_04: That is an absolutely awesome story, and we love hearing that as fellow Bangle fans.
11:48
SPEAKER_04: But then how does one become there's been such a push from the NFL to push the game internationally and to gain more fan uh hood uh throughout the rest of the world?
11:58
SPEAKER_04: How the heck did you show up?
12:01
SPEAKER_04: Obviously, we we can we can feel your passion and your love, but how did the Bengals pick up that you were such a great Bengals fan?
12:08
SPEAKER_01: So um I think it was 2015.
12:12
SPEAKER_01: Um, I obviously had been a Bengals fan for about eight or nine years at that point, just kind of me, myself, just you know, not knowing if there was another Bengals fan in the whole of Australia in a country of about 20 plus million people, which is very isolating.
12:30
SPEAKER_01: Um, I was on Facebook, there was an NFL fans down under Facebook page, and they would like occasionally post a poll like what NFL you know team do you support?
12:42
SPEAKER_01: And I clicked Bengals, and I noticed that one other person and then another person had clicked Bengals too.
12:48
SPEAKER_01: So I thought, great, I'll message these people and be like, hey, there's other Bengals fans in Australia, right?
12:54
SPEAKER_01: Like amazing.
12:55
SPEAKER_01: So we all decided to start this little community and this page for Bengals fans, and so that's how our Facebook group started Bengals fans down under.
13:06
SPEAKER_01: Um, we've been going on now almost 11 years on Facebook.
13:09
SPEAKER_01: Um, we've got almost 400 members now here in um Australia and in New Zealand as well.
13:16
SPEAKER_01: We've got about 30 members from New Zealand as well, which is awesome.
13:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, and so I guess just being like a a co-founder of that, um I saw the uh NFL's like International Fan of the Year contest pop up.
13:34
SPEAKER_01: I was aware that um Paul Hyrens from the Bengals UK group had won it last year, and I had kind of run into John, the um the International Fan of the Year from 2023 from Canada on the internet.
13:49
SPEAKER_01: So I I I was aware of the existence of the award, but I had never thought to put my name forward until this year.
13:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, you know, I decided to put my name forward.
14:00
SPEAKER_01: Um, I had to enter myself into some like videos about like how I grow the game, like my fan spirit, my community passion, and all these, you know, different kinds of things.
14:12
SPEAKER_01: Um and yeah, that was in November of last year.
14:16
SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think it was the start of March.
14:19
SPEAKER_01: I got an email from one of the Bengals' front front office members.
14:23
SPEAKER_01: It was the manager of fan development.
14:26
SPEAKER_01: And that was kind of the first little alarm bell in my head because in our 11 years of running the fan group, I've never had any kind of contact from the Bengals at all.
14:34
SPEAKER_01: So that was like, I knew that I'd, you know.
14:37
SPEAKER_04: Did you think it was a fake email?
14:39
SPEAKER_01: Honestly, I saw the Bengals, like, you know, right let ahead, and I was like, ooh, all right, this is like it's it's either a scam or it's like something to do with that.
14:51
SPEAKER_01: But no, it was the manager of fan development, and he just said, Hey, look, we would like to have a chat about um like you know, about uh like leading the fan groups, you know, like you know, he said we've had a chat to the other fan groups around the world, like, you know, and we just kind of like to have a chat chat about your story and you know how you guys run the group down there in Australia.
15:14
SPEAKER_01: I thought, oh, yeah, great.
15:15
SPEAKER_01: It was about 4 a.m.
15:16
SPEAKER_01: So it was a very early chat, but I thought, you know, this is definitely worth it to have a chat to the Bengals and you know, get some information out there.
15:25
SPEAKER_01: Um, but yeah, we we had a chat on Zoom for about 20 minutes or so, and then at the very end, I thought this is kind of the time we start to log off now.
15:34
SPEAKER_01: He said, Oh, by the way, you're going to the draft.
15:37
SPEAKER_01: Congratulations, you're the international fan of the year.
15:39
SPEAKER_01: I thought, oh, okay.
15:41
SPEAKER_01: Like, I kind of didn't know what to say.
15:43
SPEAKER_01: I almost cried.
15:44
SPEAKER_01: It was a very like emotional moment for me, but yeah, it was a massive honor, definitely.
15:49
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that is fantastic.
15:51
SPEAKER_04: Go Bengals, uh, manager fan development.
15:54
SPEAKER_04: I absolutely love hearing this.
15:56
SPEAKER_04: That is amazing.
15:57
SPEAKER_04: Very, very cool.
15:59
SPEAKER_00: It was very, very cool.
16:00
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
16:01
SPEAKER_00: So, Adrian, I'm I'm curious.
16:03
SPEAKER_00: I I think probably the you know, still the rare breed being there in Australia and follow following the NFL, but growing up, did you uh did you follow rugby and or Australian rules football at all?
16:16
SPEAKER_01: Um, so personally, I didn't really find a sport that kind of hooked me the way that the NFL has.
16:25
SPEAKER_01: I I like obviously we have quite a few sports here in Australia.
16:30
SPEAKER_01: Like, Australia is a very sporting nation, right?
16:32
SPEAKER_01: Like it's very ingrained in our culture.
16:35
SPEAKER_01: I didn't find a sport that really hooked me the way that the NFL has.
16:39
SPEAKER_01: Like I was kind of my parents used to follow like the it's called the NRL, it's a national rugby league.
16:46
SPEAKER_01: So it's not like rugby like rugby union, it's like a kind of a mishmash, it's like you know, rugby league.
16:53
SPEAKER_01: Um so my parents used to watch that on like a Friday night, it's the local, like, you know, Sydney Victoria League.
17:00
SPEAKER_01: Um, so I kind of would watch that and I'd like this is all right, you know, like and then like we know we have the Aussie rules football, and I was like, oh, you know, this is all right, but nothing's grabbed at me the way that the NFL has and the Bengals have.
17:13
SPEAKER_01: And that's just as I said, like it's this there's no other sport for me the way that the NFL and the Bengals are.
17:21
SPEAKER_04: Awesome.
17:22
SPEAKER_04: It is absolutely awesome.
17:23
SPEAKER_04: Love hearing that, and you're right, Australia is such a great.
17:25
SPEAKER_04: I uh I don't think I've told these guys the story, but my brother and I had the opportunity to go to the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, and we were waiting for some friends, and so we were kind of in this area that was kind of like almost a casino restaurant, and so we're just kind of hanging out, warming up, and the Australian bobsled team is playing craps, so of course we had to jump in with these guys.
17:47
SPEAKER_04: These guys acted like we were relatives, everyone's yelling and screaming.
17:51
SPEAKER_04: We have some of the best pictures of every you are so right.
17:54
SPEAKER_04: It could have been, you know, we could have been playing Go Fish, they love any type of competition and and game.
18:01
SPEAKER_04: So right, so yeah, love the Australian people.
18:03
SPEAKER_04: I can't imagine the Bengals being like, okay, Canada, you know, UK's cool.
18:07
SPEAKER_04: Wait a minute, hold on.
18:08
SPEAKER_04: Australia's got 400 fans put together sitting out there that this guy's messaging people one at a time.
18:15
SPEAKER_04: Awesome stuff.
18:16
SPEAKER_01: That's it.
18:18
SPEAKER_01: It's been fun, yeah.
18:19
SPEAKER_01: It's been fun, and like yeah, like we literally have been like drip feeding, you know, over that 11 years, finding one at a time or like two at at a time.
18:30
SPEAKER_01: It's been it's like a uh like a second job, but I you know I do it because I love it.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: Like it's just awesome finding a space for everyone to chat and to communicate with, and you know, we have meetups and watch parties.
18:43
SPEAKER_01: It's just yeah, it's awesome.
18:45
SPEAKER_01: I love it.
18:46
SPEAKER_01: Absolutely love that.
18:47
SPEAKER_04: That is fantastic.
18:48
SPEAKER_04: Well, please tell uh I want to make sure I've we've got it correctly, but it's uh Houda fans down under, correct?
18:55
SPEAKER_04: It's Bengal fans down under.
18:58
SPEAKER_04: Please tell them and their group that we absolutely love their support and uh are super excited to get to know each of them and their stories and their fanhood.
19:08
SPEAKER_04: We absolutely love this kind of stuff.
19:09
SPEAKER_04: Adrian, you're you're awesome, pumped to have you on here.
19:12
SPEAKER_04: Third down.
19:14
SPEAKER_04: So they surprise you, you're crying, you're emotional, and all of a sudden you're like, wait a minute, I'm going to Pittsburgh for the draft.
19:21
SPEAKER_04: Like, all right, let's a month later.
19:24
SPEAKER_04: So tell us about your experience of going to the draft, obviously uh presenting a pick, but just share some experiences that you had from the draft that really stand out for you.
19:34
SPEAKER_01: So I'd say probably the first thing that really stood out to me was just meeting all the other, like yeah, like all of the other 31 um international fans.
19:42
SPEAKER_01: It was just like that's probably the like one of the best parts of it is like you know, you meet all these other international fans who like represent their other fan bases, and like you know, these people have such passion, and they all either they lead their like respective team fan bases or they are huge super fans or they are growing the game in their countries.
20:06
SPEAKER_01: It's just it's such an awesome experience to talk to and communicate with and connect with these people that like yeah, the NFL does such an awesome job of recognizing this passion and like you know, I guess um yeah, just like you know, like recognizing and celebrating this growth of the game, I suppose, which is just awesome.
20:30
SPEAKER_01: As someone from Australia who is an international fan, like the NFL is really becoming a global league, I would say, which is just it's awesome to see that someone not from the US who who you know, like as I said, I've now followed the league now for almost 20 plus years.
20:46
SPEAKER_01: It's just it's awesome to speak with these people and to see them and to you know communicate with them.
20:51
SPEAKER_01: That's so that was a really cool thing.
20:53
SPEAKER_01: Was you know, we all got to hang out, like you know, we all stayed at the same like hotel, and oh wow, that was yeah, really cool.
21:00
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, um was there a lot of pressure being the coolest fan there?
21:14
SPEAKER_01: No, I don't like you.
21:17
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
21:18
SPEAKER_01: Very good.
21:18
SPEAKER_01: That was fun, yeah.
21:20
SPEAKER_01: But no, yes, it was a good time.
21:23
SPEAKER_01: Um, the other thing that was like the draft was just how much effort and work the NFL puts into it.
21:31
SPEAKER_01: Like, obviously, having seen it only on TV from Australia and sometimes on my phone at work or like on my lunch break over the years and stuff like that, like seeing all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes and all of the production and like so many staff running around and all of the like the amenities on site and all of the buildings and everything that goes into the draft to make it run is just.
22:00
SPEAKER_01: Mind-blowing.
22:00
SPEAKER_01: Like it's so big.
22:02
SPEAKER_01: It's so intense.
22:04
SPEAKER_01: Like the NFL is such a winner in how much they make the draft work.
22:10
SPEAKER_01: It was so cool.
22:12
SPEAKER_01: Like I would say to anyone, if you can go to the draft, go to the draft.
22:16
SPEAKER_01: Like, I never thought I would be able to attend the draft, but now that I'm like, I don't want to ever watch the draft on TV ever again.
22:23
SPEAKER_01: Like, I want to go next year.
22:24
SPEAKER_01: I like I want to go the year after.
22:26
SPEAKER_01: Like, such a cool experience.
22:28
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
22:30
SPEAKER_04: I love hearing that.
22:32
SPEAKER_03: Adrian, can you can you uh expound a little bit upon like just making the pick in the fourth round?
22:39
SPEAKER_03: And did they did they have you backstage for you know on day three, just kind of waiting, or were you allowed to kind of mingle and then they gave you a time to to kind of get backstage?
22:50
SPEAKER_03: And and I'd love to even know, like it seems like some people go up there and they have no idea the name that they're reading, and they butcher some kid's name, and it's like this is his moment, and they wrote or they read the wrong name or something.
23:05
SPEAKER_03: So I don't know if they're helping you guys, or you know, if you can just expound on just a little bit of just being on stage, and I I thought you did a you know fabulous job, but just kind of that that experience itself.
23:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
23:18
SPEAKER_01: So on day three, um, all of the international fans were kind of sitting in like one area of the I guess the the inner circle part of the drafts.
23:28
SPEAKER_01: Um, and the NFL staff, um, I'm not sure how it works, like if the team calls in and says, Hey, like, we want the international fan now to come up on stage or whatever, but um the NFL like international staff come and grab you.
23:42
SPEAKER_01: Like, they came to my seat and they were like, you like let's go.
23:47
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, like, all right, that's a very intense way to like talk to a human being.
23:53
SPEAKER_01: All right, like relax, you know, but um you're not allowed your phone backstage because of all the like production stuff backstage and everything.
24:03
SPEAKER_01: So I had to give my phone to my brother, who was my plus one.
24:06
SPEAKER_01: So I was like, Oh, you know, here's my phone, and she made sure she checked.
24:10
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, Oh, okay, like relax, you know, again, right?
24:13
SPEAKER_01: The NSL does everything, like it does, you know, nothing by halves.
24:18
SPEAKER_01: They were like, No, you know, you write checking, but um, no, so they came down on my seat and they grabbed me um a couple of picks before pick 140, which was Colby Young's pick, was about pick 133, I think.
24:31
SPEAKER_01: Which um, and they came down and they grabbed me and they made sure they um like walked their backstage and they went there.
24:39
SPEAKER_01: And there's like a little backstage area, I think it was uh stage right, where they like there's like a little pick room where they fill out the cards as the teams call in the picks.
24:50
SPEAKER_01: Um and so I was just kind of waiting there, standing for about probably 10 minutes or so, just watching the screens behind the stage, waiting.
24:59
SPEAKER_01: Um, eventually they called me over and they were like, hey, you know, the Bengals pick is in.
25:04
SPEAKER_01: Um, we're just like filling out the card now.
25:08
SPEAKER_01: When you go on stage, make sure it's like quickly on, quickly off.
25:12
SPEAKER_01: Don't kind of muck around a little bit.
25:14
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, oh, okay, like, you know, again, I'm being told what to do.
25:17
SPEAKER_01: All right, like it's very intense.
25:19
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
25:20
SPEAKER_01: I was nervous as hell right now.
25:22
SPEAKER_01: Like, I'm like shaking a little bit.
25:24
SPEAKER_01: I'm like, please don't give me a hard name.
25:26
SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna butcher some college athletes like once in a lifetime moment, it's gonna be all over Instagram and Facebook, yeah.
25:34
SPEAKER_01: Threads and everything, like so.
25:36
SPEAKER_01: I'm hoping and I'm shaking, and it's like I know there's there's like 118,000 people out there like in front of me.
25:42
SPEAKER_01: This is my moment, you know.
25:44
SPEAKER_01: But uh eventually they call me over and they hand me the draft card.
25:48
SPEAKER_01: I know that if it's a hard name, like a tricky name, that written on the draft card is like pronunciation cues, like they tell you how to say the name.
25:59
SPEAKER_01: Because Colby Young is such an easy name, he literally just pointed to it and was like, Look, it's Colby Young, it's super easy.
26:06
SPEAKER_01: And I was like, easy, like great, thank you so much, you know.
26:11
SPEAKER_01: Um, so yeah, they hand you the card and then they make you stand like just off stage, and then the production assistant is like, all right, go, and just like push you out on stage.
26:22
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and then you're just staying there in front of hundreds of thousands of people and millions watching on television.
26:29
SPEAKER_04: Hey, I'm in how's it going, guys?
26:32
SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
26:33
SPEAKER_01: Like, hey guys, g'day, here I am.
26:35
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was yeah, I was very, very nervous until I, you know, did did my dance, and then it was like, yeah, that's it, it's done.
26:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so but no, as I said, everything kind of melted away when I looked out there and it was all the fans, and yeah, I couldn't hear anything except boos, honestly.
26:54
SPEAKER_01: Like when I was up there, I could hear nothing but the Pittsburgh fans booing.
26:57
SPEAKER_01: I couldn't even hear myself read the pick.
27:01
SPEAKER_01: Like, I had to go down back to when I was like back in my seat, and I asked the other international fans, could you hear me okay?
27:08
SPEAKER_01: Because I couldn't hear anything up on stage.
27:10
SPEAKER_01: Like you don't hear anything, it's so loud.
27:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a very loud environment there, live at the draft.
27:18
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, imagine that Pittsburgh keeping it classy.
27:23
SPEAKER_01: As always, right?
27:24
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
27:25
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, hate's a strong word, and we uh we we only reserve it for uh for for the good old stellar.
27:31
SPEAKER_04: So uh I'm proud of you for going through that because that would have been a lot.
27:34
SPEAKER_04: That is absolutely a lot way to fight through that and just absolutely crush it.
27:37
SPEAKER_04: But no, appreciate the background on that and giving us the visualization of like the kind of the ops behind what goes on because that is the stuff we're we love the draft.
27:46
SPEAKER_04: The three of us are the biggest draft nerds.
27:48
SPEAKER_04: We love this stuff, but then watching like the the food being made in the back, awesome.
27:53
SPEAKER_01: You it had it just been sensory overload.
27:56
SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, no, it was very um overwhelming as well.
27:59
SPEAKER_01: Being nervous as well, it was it was a lot, but yeah, like as I said, the like the NFL is a very well-oiled machine, everything just clicks and they are the cogs mesh, it's very well put together.
28:11
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, unbelievable.
28:13
SPEAKER_04: Well, Adrian, can't thank you enough for sharing that and and and the behind the scenes stuff.
28:18
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely love how you received the message that you were going to the draft.
28:22
SPEAKER_04: You could tell completely shocked.
28:24
SPEAKER_04: You still even seem shocked by that it all came together at that point as well.
28:29
SPEAKER_04: But fourth down, let's get out of here.
28:31
SPEAKER_04: Uh, hate to end time with you, but everybody was gonna want to know.
28:36
SPEAKER_04: I guarantee this is the question everyone's gonna be asking.
28:38
SPEAKER_04: How the heck do you watch the games?
28:41
SPEAKER_04: Let's just let's just typically like the one o'clock games, what are the toughest games to watch?
28:46
SPEAKER_04: And then you mentioned to us you're gonna be attending the October 4th game.
28:49
SPEAKER_04: We're gonna make some calls.
28:51
SPEAKER_04: There's no reason you shouldn't be ruler of the jungle.
28:53
SPEAKER_04: The push for the international game, your passion, your energy, come a little freaking way from Australia.
28:58
SPEAKER_04: We we need you up there getting that crowd ready because that's not gonna be an easy game against Jacksonville.
29:03
SPEAKER_04: But how are you gonna be watching the season?
29:05
SPEAKER_04: And how does a typical Sunday look for you down under?
29:10
SPEAKER_01: So um when it's the 1 p.m.
29:14
SPEAKER_01: kickoff games, they're actually at 3 a.m.
29:17
SPEAKER_01: at the start of the season.
29:19
SPEAKER_01: So in Australia, it's not an easy watch.
29:22
SPEAKER_01: It's a very hard thing to watch the games live.
29:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, so it's yeah, it's not an easy thing.
29:30
SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, often we are waking up at, you know, like at 3 a.m., like before work.
29:37
SPEAKER_01: Uh some people stay up like most of the night if they're not, you know, working on a Monday morning, because that's you know, like obviously it's Sunday there, it's Monday here.
29:48
SPEAKER_01: So yeah, we have fans over in Western Australia in the other like time zone on the other coast of Australia who are at that's at midnight.
29:56
SPEAKER_01: So they're either staying up late and then sleeping until work on the Monday morning.
30:01
SPEAKER_01: So the 1 p.m.
30:03
SPEAKER_01: kickoff games are the worst actually for us in terms of like that, because then the 4 p.m.
30:09
SPEAKER_01: kickoff games are at least like 6 a.m.
30:13
SPEAKER_01: Not bad.
30:14
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, exactly.
30:15
SPEAKER_01: So, yeah, it can be tough being a Bengals fan all the way here.
30:19
SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm surprised we we found as many as we have, honestly.
30:24
SPEAKER_01: Um, but no, we I think that's that's why it's great that we have our group because we host like virtual watch parties, like we do Zoom calls together.
30:36
SPEAKER_01: We like I post a game thread every week where we communicate on Facebook, we watch on um Instagram together, you know, like I said, we watch on Facebook together, which is awesome.
30:47
SPEAKER_01: Um, if it's ever a prime time game, we do try and get work off and we go to like the local pub or we go to like you know a hotel in the in the city where we all are together, which is great.
30:59
SPEAKER_01: Um, but most of the time it's you know, we watch in our houses or we watch with like friends uh because it's very early in the morning.
31:07
SPEAKER_01: So that's how kind of we get together, I suppose, as Bengals fans.
31:13
SPEAKER_01: Um, because of daylight savings, it does get a little bit easier as the season goes on.
31:17
SPEAKER_01: Like the 1 p.m.
31:19
SPEAKER_01: games become 4 or 5 a.m.
31:22
SPEAKER_01: Live and large still rough, yeah.
31:28
SPEAKER_01: It's really rough, but that's commandment, right?
31:31
SPEAKER_01: You know, yeah.
31:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so are the games on like regular like cable TV for you?
31:39
SPEAKER_03: You have satellite TV, or like are you getting on the internet and you have to you know pull up the games?
31:45
SPEAKER_01: So the um we do have a couple of games each week on what would like I guess would be like free TV, but because it's the Bengals, even in Australia, the Bengals get zero love, of course.
31:58
SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's all the Rams, it's all the Eagles, it's all the Cowboys, it's those classic, you know, teams that get everything.
32:05
SPEAKER_01: Um, so we either have to use the Game Pass app or we get the um DZone, the D A Z N app over here.
32:14
SPEAKER_01: Um, we can watch it on Disney, we can watch it on ESPN, um, we can watch it like there are several streaming apps we can use, which is great.
32:21
SPEAKER_01: Um, so you know, we find our ways to watch the games.
32:26
SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, some people watch on the internet, some people watch on, you know, various streaming apps, which is great.
32:31
SPEAKER_01: So people find their their you know ways to stream the games.
32:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, sometimes we stream on the the the like Facebook group, which is great.
32:40
SPEAKER_01: You know, like as I said, you know, sometimes we watch on Zoom together and someone will like stream that way, which is good for people who can't exactly watch at the time, which is great, but yeah, it can be tricky sometimes for sure.
32:53
SPEAKER_04: It'll be interesting to see as the NFL pushes the NFL product internationally, how they open that up for accessibility.
33:02
SPEAKER_04: Because I mean, we are still it's crazy how easy it is now to find games, even in the United States.
33:09
SPEAKER_04: And so I'm sure if they want to grow that fan base and they're asking you to wake up at three in the morning, the least they can do is have some sort of a subscription or something that is Australian approved.
33:20
SPEAKER_04: That's incredible.
33:21
SPEAKER_04: What a sacrifice! I love I can just picture you all sitting together and so excited that it's like a Thursday night game, and you all get to get the chance to get together in person.
33:31
SPEAKER_04: And yeah, that's that's the good stuff that we need to stream, or we're gonna have to figure something out with the Bengals to get a camera in there to get some feedback when uh as the game's going on.
33:41
SPEAKER_04: I love that.
33:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so um in our fan group, um, we're actually planning to do an open in orange in Oz to match the team for the uh home the home opener against the Bucks.
33:56
SPEAKER_01: So, you know, yeah, our orange jerseys against the Buccaneers.
34:00
SPEAKER_01: So 3 a.m.
34:02
SPEAKER_01: in our orange jerseys.
34:03
SPEAKER_01: Love it.
34:06
SPEAKER_04: The commitment's amazing.
34:08
SPEAKER_04: That is uh that is awesome, and I love knowing that the orange is uh is overtaking uh down in Australia.
34:14
SPEAKER_04: That is amazing.
34:16
SPEAKER_04: Uh now you mentioned October 4th, you're gonna be back in Cincinnati uh for the Jaguars game.
34:22
SPEAKER_04: Yes, a little bit about what you're excited for.
34:24
SPEAKER_04: What do you I mean, besides obviously the Bengals winning, but what are some of the things you're excited about and hoping for that you you get to partake in this year?
34:32
SPEAKER_01: So really excited for the um just in general, just to come to Cincinnati.
34:40
SPEAKER_01: I'm just excited to, you know, check out more of the city, um, just to, you know, check out some more of the um tailgate atmosphere, just to, you know, come and party, really.
34:53
SPEAKER_01: I'm just like, you know, excited as an like Australian.
34:57
SPEAKER_01: The um I guess the tailgates is not something that we do really here in like Australia, like it's not an Australian thing.
35:07
SPEAKER_04: So you guys do before a gate, like before a sporting event, what do they do in Australia?
35:11
SPEAKER_01: Nothing, just go into the game.
35:14
SPEAKER_01: That's it.
35:15
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I say every time I talk to my like American friends in Cincinnati or I talk to anyone, I'm like, there's nothing really that we do.
35:23
SPEAKER_01: Like, we might go to like a pub or like a bar and drink, but there's nothing like we don't like tailgate like you guys do.
35:31
SPEAKER_01: It's like it's it's crazy.
35:33
SPEAKER_01: Like, I love it.
35:33
SPEAKER_01: The atmosphere is just on a whole different level, yeah, in America.
35:38
SPEAKER_01: Uh, it's awesome.
35:39
SPEAKER_01: Like, I love it.
35:40
SPEAKER_01: I just it's it's my favorite thing besides the obviously the actual game is the pre-game atmosphere.
35:46
SPEAKER_01: It's just it's it's it's something entirely, it just blows my mind every time I'm there.
35:51
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that along the riverfront as well.
35:54
SPEAKER_04: In that time of year when the weather is just awesome.
35:57
SPEAKER_04: Brandt gets to soak up that real fall Midwest weather, and when the bangles are rolling, I'm I'm telling you, that tailgate and the scene and the at the atmosphere is the music's going, the food's going, might be a couple adult beverages out there.
36:12
SPEAKER_04: It's uh it's tough to beat.
36:15
SPEAKER_04: It is tough to beat.
36:17
SPEAKER_00: Would you agree?
36:18
SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
36:19
SPEAKER_00: Uh, I'm excited for you.
36:21
SPEAKER_00: Uh, like that is a perfect time of year as well.
36:24
SPEAKER_00: It the fall starting to be in the air, not too cold.
36:28
SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, as as enticing as uh New Year's Eve in Cincinnati uh sounds, that's a little too cold for me.
36:35
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm a little too old for that.
36:37
SPEAKER_00: So no, I think you picked a good one.
36:39
SPEAKER_00: That's a good matchup.
36:40
SPEAKER_00: Jacksonville will be tough.
36:41
SPEAKER_00: Uh hopefully we come out on top and you have a great time there in Cincinnati.
36:44
SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
36:45
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank you.
36:46
SPEAKER_01: That'll be good.
36:47
SPEAKER_01: I'm excited.
36:48
SPEAKER_04: Three and oh, get ready, bring your big boy pants to the United States because uh that place will be that place will be ready to go.
36:55
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, man, it'll be rocking.
36:56
SPEAKER_04: It'll be good.
36:57
SPEAKER_04: No, it's awesome.
36:58
SPEAKER_04: Adrian, absolutely uh pleasure getting to know you, your story.
37:03
SPEAKER_04: Can't thank you enough as three lifelong Bangle fans, that uh that deep friendship here.
37:09
SPEAKER_04: We can't thank you enough for for the sacrifice that you make.
37:13
SPEAKER_04: Uh to look, I know anytime we tell people that we have a bangles podcast, that almost every week you know, we talk about the bangles, they're like, wait, you only talk about the bangles?
37:23
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, what else would you talk about?
37:25
SPEAKER_04: There's always something to talk about.
37:26
SPEAKER_04: This this is our bond, this is our strength.
37:28
SPEAKER_04: And so we just want to thank you for for joining us, join the who day all day podcast.
37:33
SPEAKER_04: Bengals fans down under, give them a follow, give them a checkout, give them some love for their commitment on that side.
37:40
SPEAKER_04: Uh we'll we'll talk to the bangles, see if we can do something fun with that with the uh with the kickoff in orange, and then maybe have a surprise for you October 4th when you come out for uh for ruler of the uh of the jungle on that.
37:52
SPEAKER_04: But before we get out of here, Brant, Brian, any comments, anything you want to say or talk to Adrian before we get out of here?
38:01
SPEAKER_00: Brent.
38:02
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I just say uh, you know, Adrian, it was awesome getting to know you, uh, hear your story, and uh, you know, moving forward, love to have you on sometime again.
38:12
SPEAKER_03: And uh, or some of your other uh, you know, Australian fans that are uh suffering through their bangle fandom with uh with all of us.
38:22
SPEAKER_03: So yeah, I can't thank you enough for jumping on board with us.
38:25
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank you.
38:26
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
38:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, definitely greatly appreciate your time.
38:30
SPEAKER_00: Uh I'll give you one other spot, you know, if you're if you're needing a little that that fall crisp air in Cincinnati along the river, you don't have much else to do.
38:41
SPEAKER_00: Uh McGlawson Farm is on the Kentucky side of the river.
38:45
SPEAKER_00: Go out there, get yourself a caramel apple, some fresh fruit, and uh enjoy the fall and get ready for uh for uh us kicking the kicking the jaguar's butt.
38:55
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, thanks again for taking the time, uh waking up being with us a little bit early.
39:00
SPEAKER_00: So greatly appreciate it.
39:02
SPEAKER_01: No, thank you guys.
39:03
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
39:04
SPEAKER_04: Adrian, when we get out of here, all we say is hood all day.
39:08
SPEAKER_04: And so we just want to thank you again for for being here and we look forward to uh getting some more updates.
39:13
SPEAKER_04: This is gonna be a fun, it's gonna be a special season, so get ready.
39:15
SPEAKER_04: So who day all day.
39:18
SPEAKER_04: Hooday all day, who day all day.