Why A Star Coach Won’t Fix A Broken System

Start with the snow and poutine if you want, but the real storm hit when we dug into how taekwondo is being run. After a sharp recap of the Canada Open—clean logistics, solid holding areas, and a venue that actually worked—we ask a harder question: can a flashy new coach fix a system that doesn’t fund juniors, blurs roles at the top, and treats dissent as a PR problem?

We unpack the difference between symptoms and root causes. Importing a famous coach might grab headlines, but it won’t replace a real pipeline, full support for cadets and juniors, and leadership that understands sport development. We call out conflicts of interest when a head coach also shapes high performance policy. We also press on tech, comparing KP&P and Daedo: fewer phantom points, more coachable patterns, and why consistent officiating and equipment standards build trust for athletes and parents.

A leaked call turns the heat up. We talk MOUs, pressure to silence a podcast, and what “professionalism” means when it’s used to hush criticism. We push for transparency grounded in athlete rights, not gatekeeping. Families pay through qualifiers, trials, and camps; there’s no excuse for unfunded junior worlds. If the system worked, pop-up programs wouldn’t need to rescue athletes. The path forward is clear: separate powers, publish a multi-year development plan with real metrics, and fund the base before buying prestige.

If you care about athlete-first governance, coherent scoring, and a pipeline that actually moves talent from cadet to senior, this one’s for you. Tune in, share it with your team, and tell us the first change you want to see. Subscribe, leave a review, and drop your take—we’re listening and we’ll bring your questions into the next show.

Transcript

Banter And Weekend Recaps

herb 0:00

I am Sari Tunatpi Saripot. I am not Sari Sunu Plague Nanan Byana Janin Gosu Byana Jananda. Back to the warehouse 15. We are back, back in black and blue, and that's just the number of things that we have going on. It's been an auspicious weekend with the amazing and talented team out and about. They went to the temple, the AAU temple to kiss the feet, not saying it's true, of the Reverend O. And the last O I remember was Moon O of the Unification Church. Maybe this guy thinks that's where he's from, but he can kiss my proverbial you know what I'm saying. Donkey, hmm. But welcome back, gentlemen. What's going on?

Calgary Trip And Canada Open Impressions

SPEAKER_03 0:47

What's up? What's up? I'm chilling. I was in um, I was night out in the cold in Calgary this past weekend at the Canadian Open. I'm sure we'll talk about the that a little bit. But let me tell you, it was non-stop snowing on and off the entire weekend. The trucks were moving snow around. I got to see the Jamaican bobsled teams bobsled out front, so that was pretty cool. But lots and lots of snow, lots of fresh air, very beautiful. But like I'll tell you what, I'm not, I'm not uh not willing to move there. I'll tell you that. Was it cold? Was it cold? It was cold, but like again, we were only outside for 10 minutes at a time, right? So it's not like that cold. It got a little windy at times that made it feel like it was freezing. Uh one of my guys actually went snowboarding uh slash skiing right after they finished the competition. We were right across from uh, I don't know what it was, um, wind sports, uh one of the hills over there. So there's a lot of people skiing and snowboarding off of there. So it was pretty cool. We were really close to all that action. So definitely um, like I'm sure we'll get into Canada opening in detail a little bit, but uh definitely nice little refreshing trip to Calgary and back home. So how about you, Coach?

Juan 1:54

Yeah, yeah. So I um I went to uh uh turning up in Daytona Beach during bike week. So there's about a million motorcycles up there, some pretty cool motorcycles. But if you want to go back in time, go to Daytona Beach because that place is so old and so I mean, think about it. I mean, back in the day it was the spring break capital of the world. It was like off the hook, but man, it is run down and old. But the event was at the uh convention center, so that was really nice. I went and supported my friends from the organization that banned me, and I was one of the most supporting schools, so that was kind of cool. They gave me a little a nice little trophy plaque thing, and um, they made me a nice uh VIP pass since I was unable to coach because I was I've been banned by the organization. But yeah, let's cut. Where's that pass at?

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Did you bring that pass on the podcast? Where's that pass at?

Daytona Bike Week And AAU Ban Fallout

Juan 2:49

Yeah, I I will bring it. It's upstairs. It's upstairs. I should put it up. Actually, I should, right? Because not maybe not everybody saw it at the butt um, you know what's funny is that uh, you know, it you know, the I did it because I I really uh I like the guy, the host of the of the event. I'm not gonna say his name, I don't want to get anyone in trouble right now, but he's a he's a good man. And uh I told him a long time ago that I would that I would support him. It's funny because when I registered for the event and paid my membership, two hours later is when I got banned. And I was like, damn, I gave him my money. But no, it was a good event. You know, kids got some you know little matches in, but we're getting ready for the the can of I'm sorry, for the US Open next week, which is gonna be pretty good. I mean, um, at least from a dem I think for a junior and cadet level, it's gonna be good because there's gonna be a lot of good American kids. I think for the senior level, there's a lot of people. I'm not sure how deep it is with you know the Europeans or Asians. I mean, matter of fact, I know how deep it is, it's not very deep at all. So but it's big. It's big, so that's good. But hey, I want to talk about I know we have a banger. We have chapter two banger that we're gonna kind of put out, you know. But before we get to that, um I want to hit two rumor mills. Um one's not a rumor, but I think you know, the the the organization that you know me and TJ had uh our initial dust up with, we had uh there's a a significant uh departure from uh one of the people that work in the office that really works hard. Again, I'm not gonna say the name, her name, um, but um I believe they've worked there for you know over 20 plus years, 25 years. And so to see this person depart, I'm not sure why, what led to it, but I think it's kind of auspicious, you know, that that they did. You know, it's uh it's it's a weird timing, you know, it's a weird timing. And uh the other thing was I think it was we talked about you know uh a famous former athlete from Korea possibly coming over here to coach into the United States, and I heard that rumor again um this this past week, and I I started thinking about it a little bit more, TJ, and I don't know what you think, and Hyung, you jump in too.

SPEAKER_03 4:54

I heard it a couple times. Did you you heard too? A couple times, yeah, a little bit, a little bit here.

Juan 4:58

Nothing, nothing's crazy. So my question to you guys would be is that what is needed in a broken system? I'm assuming it's a broken system because we've been here for seven years and we we don't have a pipeline and we haven't supported Cadets and Juniors, and I know there's a little bit of a a tick to do that, but you know, basically through AAU giving money. But my question is that adding someone of that that stature, because he is a a a stature from an athletic standpoint. I don't know his pedigree from a coaching standpoint. I mean, if if he has been coaching, it hasn't been that long. Um I don't know his language, you know, skills. Um I don't know his his developmental skills from a junior or cadet. There can't be any. It's gotta be at a high level. So my my point is having that kind of investment, is that's what is that what's gonna take us to another step?

Rumors, Departures, And Systemic Concerns

SPEAKER_03 5:55

Let's I mean let's let's assume his pedigree is high across the board, coaching, cadets, juniors, all this good stuff. That and we're we're talking about a broken system and we can try to tiptoe around and 100% the system's broken. You you can't make it make sense to me. And I think me and you spend a lot of time trying to figure out how it's okay, and like we've kind of reached a point where there's no way to add it up. The math is just not mathing, you know. So just being clear, the system is 100% broken in my eyes. But um, I I don't think that has could be or should be the next step. Just simply, you know, I always go back to our teams aren't funded. We're looking to invest more money into a coach, whatever amount of money that is, and our teams, our junior teams, our cadet teams are not fully funded. And for a guy like that in a country such as Korea, you know, such as anywhere in Asia, I'm sure their cadet teams and their junior teams are, I'm gonna say way more than funded. I'm gonna say supported, I'm gonna say developed, I'm gonna say targeted, I'm gonna say built, I'm gonna say purposeful. Um, so that's a even for it from his standpoint, I find it a strange move if that's the case. And obviously, I don't like talking about, I'm not big on rumors. I think we always try to stay with like fact stuff, and it's it's kind of silly that it's even floating around a grapevine. I think that's that's even more weakness in the organization, that that's even a topic of conversation amongst people outside of whatever room they had that conversation with, you know, because I'm sure from his standpoint, would you want people, random people knowing that this was something you were considering as a job move or whatsoever? I mean, I just think that's all funky too, but for sure, 100% not the move. I don't care who the coach is, what level they are, what they've done. We are not at the level that we should be implementing new coaches as opposed to, you know, trying to figure out ways to fund our team and kind of develop our own personal team outside that uh the coaching and the staff that you already said that you've been trying to develop and blah blah blah, all that good stuff. But no, the answer is no.

Juan 7:50

I I mean, I would add too, like I just again, it's it's just it's shocking to me that we keep looking outside. It's shocking to me that they they want to look outside the country. You know what I'm saying? It's just uh I don't know. It's it's strange. I I I've said this, you know, uh a few podcasts back, you know. I mean, when I look at the history from AAU to USAT, I'm sorry, USTU and how long USTU was around and when it was dismantled, and then now looking here, you know, it's been 21 years. We're on our 21st year because it was instituted in 2005. I think 2004 is when it was the NGB lost its status, decertified, but in 2005 is when it kind of got back going again. And I here I am 21 years, and I'm just kind of going, this is where we're at. This is where we're at. We are on our our let me see, I'm gonna go again, no offense to anybody because some of these guys are my friends, but I'm just gonna say the names. Gamerdella, Askiness, um uh Parton, Eric, Eric Parton, yeah, Eric Ferguson, Keith Ferguson, Young, um uh Bruce Harris, and now um this guy that's in there now. Is a seventh is a seventh CEO with zero martial art experience. And two of them had sport experience, so that was pretty good. No, actually, that's that that's not fair. I'm sorry, Mr. You know, Bruce Harris had tech one of the experience. But but you know what I'm talking about, and his his stay was short. And it's just interesting that you know we keep doing this and we keep getting non-sports you know specific people, and here we are again 21 years later, and our our system is broke. They've had seven years into this term, and what is what is the dilemma?

Would A Star Coach Fix A Broken System

SPEAKER_03 9:41

What is sorry, what is the dilemma with not targeting someone with sport background or even martial arts background as a for a CEO position? Like, why does that like is that like a frowned upon thing? Is that like a avoided thing?

Juan 9:53

I think originally it was it was well intended because there was a lot of turmoil in the country, a lot of like you know, people you know helping each other and and and and just doing maybe some under the table stuff. And it I think they went to get independence. They said, you know what, let's get someone just to organize this and and let's move forward. But I think after so long, I think it's almost time to swing back the other way. It's like the board. The board is a but there's a bunch of independents on there, they don't know what's going on, they get told what's happening, and they just go, okay. And it's almost not their fault because they it's not their full-time job. They just they get on a call for an hour, you know, every so often. The the CEO is talking to the chair, so they're you know, a group. The chair, the chair goes and tells the the board what they want to hear, so to speak, and everyone says, Yep, check it off. Let's go. There's one person on the board that's a taekwondo person that's been around for many, many generations that says it's BS. And I think I just I think we need to swing back around to support specific people from the country. That's my personal opinion.

herb 10:57

So the wrong, you know, where it's you know, you always have to deal with symptoms and causes, right? So a symptom is different than a cause. Symptoms, what happens after you have the cause, and that's like you get COVID and you're looking at the symptoms and you start dealing with the symptoms. You got a scratchy throat, whatever, whatever. You're not dealing with the cause. And if you want to fix a problem, you have to deal with the cause. And this is the idea of killing the head of the cut the head off the snake. And so in this particular situation, hiring a coach and putting him into a dysfunctional system isn't going to fix the cause. It's not going to create a better solution for the cause of the problem. It's just going to deal with one of the symptoms, which is lack of performance, knowledge, and experience of the current coaches. Well, the reason you have a lack of performance of the current coaches is you have a CEO that doesn't understand sport, doesn't have a background in sport or an education and sport development. And that's okay. If you have President Reagan, he didn't know anything. He was a great spokesperson, but he was smart enough to get smart people to implement good programs. And this guy's not smart enough to do that. So the guy that's in charge, and it's the cause of the problem, is just trying to put band-aids on the symptoms, which is lack of performance by the U.S. team. And that's because he hired coaches who are incapable of developing a program. They were basically involved in a program which was about the size of the state of Rhode Island. Then they come into this thing that we call the beautiful United States of America, which has 330 or 370 million people. I don't even know what it has anymore, which is basically beyond their scope. These are guys who have looked and swam in a pond laden with uh mud, and now they're in a big, beautiful lake, and they have all these people, and they have no idea at all except to go back to their old playbook, and which was, oh, let's go look out and find existing talent, which is what they do here. That's just pirating success. So you're not you don't need new coaches, you need a new performance director, you need a new CEO, you need a new COO. Because the current CEO, COO had no performance either. He was CEO, and under his leadership, nothing happened. Got fired. So you hire that same clown back? Come on now.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Yeah, and I'm uh I think from every time I read a signature pop-up, our one of our head coaches is our high performance director, too. That's always a little funky situation, right?

Leadership Failures And Conflicts Of Interest

Juan 13:26

I think it's a conflict. If you ask me, it's a conflict because if you're if you're making policy, if you're you're helping decide on distribution of of support and financial support, and then you're coaching those same people. Like I it could be, in my opinion, not could be it is a conflict because I I would be you know more apt to take care of the people that are in my room than maybe somebody that's not in my room. So again, it's if it's not if it's not, it's definitely perceived because you know you're gonna be the high performance director or whatever that you know the term they want to use and uh an astral team coach. I mean, I think that's that's pretty wild. That's a lot of control, it's a lot of influence, you know. So and it's definitely an imbalance. So um, yeah. I mean, that's you know, I'll I'll I'll leave it at that. And you know, we'll we get a couple more topics to get into, but TJ, real fast, you know, why don't you give us a quick uh I mean I watched all the matches, I watched too many matches. My head was dizzy on Sunday um of the Canada Open. What was your I know you use KPP. Um Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:32

Um I'll start. I think it was like I said, it was it was smooth, it was non-shit. They do a good job.

Juan 14:38

They do a good job.

Canada Open Operations And Tech Review

SPEAKER_03 14:39

I'll tell you what, and again, it it's crazy because I remember at the beginning of the day they made an announcement that their um Alan was gonna be in the I'll say Alan was gonna be in the Holden area running the Holden area, and then uh Brittany was down on the floor. So they essentially have two people running this entire event. Two people two people entire event. Obviously, the coaches, you got your TDs and all everyone sitting at the table to the VIPs and all that stuff. But you got two people kind of managing and working back and forth together, and it was pretty smooth. It was pretty non-stressful. I I, you know, the one thing I don't, again, I don't think it's within their control. I think it's a TD thing, I think it's a tournament director, whoever does all that stuff, and it's a WT issue. I still don't agree with the the not holding the matches. I don't like it. I don't feel like our sport or any sport should, whether it's cadets, juniors, or or seniors, we should be stressing about missing a fight for our guys. I don't know how you fix it. I don't think it's an individual tournament thing. I know that's been kind of the consensus across all the tournaments, you know, this no holding matches thing. And I think that works for a national team, but it doesn't necessarily work for a club team that doesn't have three extra coaches. Um I'm I'm very lucky because I got a lot of the peak coaches that are there with me. So we kind of help each other and we have a connectivity to a lot of different kids. And so it doesn't, it helps, but it really not is not the same as having your home coaching per chair, you know, all day and building through those matches and not missing important information and stuff. So that'll always be my one knock until we can figure out how to fix that. Um, but definitely a beautiful venue. Uh more than enough seating, food readily available at the you know, they had the stands out front for food, good food, healthy food, salads, smoothies, a big wide range of stuff. Poutine. Um, so that was huh? Poutine, yes, they had poutine. I didn't have any. I know I I I gotta get the good stuff from you know the core, but it they had they did have it on the menu there, but it was that was pretty cool. Um what else? The holding areas were good. We had enough area, uh space for the holding area and the kicking areas. We had two different kicking areas, uh, one for kind of like the main competition numbers, and then another one on the side, which was pretty cool and convenient. How about the KP and P you know stuff? I'll tell you what, if I gotta make a if I gotta make a choice, I'm taking KP and P all day. Probably 10 times out of 10. Um, listen, I think it's obviously we all get sick to our stomachs when something hits heavy to the body and it doesn't score, or something hits the face and it doesn't quite get it. But compared to Dado, when things are just popping up, I think the KPP system allows you to really still coach and it looks closer to something of what makes sense when it hits, when it scores, what doesn't score. You can kind of make it make sense, you can do a little bit better job from a coaching standpoint and building a game plan on it. So I think um it wasn't the best. Big shots didn't score, some face shots didn't score. It is what it is, but I'll take that headache over the too many cats.

Juan 17:23

I was gonna say that's a that's an interesting point. Like you said, like big shots didn't score, and like you know, that's one of our complaints that all these little these little touches score, young U and you, like all this little you know, foot fencing stuff. So in a weird way, I think it's kind of good, right? Guys are hitting each other clean and it's not coming up. I mean, not you know, I don't know. I think I'd error on that side versus everything going up and like you have no idea what's you're just people just throwing their foot out there. So I I saw some you know, a couple face shots that I'm kind of like, uh, but but again, I I you know, watching it on camera, I'm just kind of like, yeah, hit them cleaner. Or I mean just move on to the next point, you know.

SPEAKER_03 18:00

Um I feel like it's easier to say that with KP and P like move on to the next point. Like, I don't feel so offended after the match is over. I'm like, ugh, disgusted. Like the dado system just at Team Charles, we just used disgusted it. I'm pretty sure we're going back to Dado for the US Open, right?

Juan 18:14

We are, and it's it's Gen 3, and they got the gloves. I I ordered a set of the gloves for my daughter, and it's just like it looks like a mitten. You know, they don't have the part where it's locked in yet. That's gonna be for like the the international part, but I'm just looking at these things going, unbelievable that they're gonna make us pay this money.

SPEAKER_03 18:32

The overall level was um decent, um, not overwhelming. I mean, we were talking earlier compared to like, you know, the Bulgaria Open, and we're we weren't seeing those kind of matchups or though that kind of consistency in the divisions where you had a lot of people. There were some good players and good fighters at the Canada Open. We got to see some interesting matchups, which were pretty cool to watch, I'm not gonna lie. Um, but overall, it wasn't mind-blowing or anything like that. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I agree. But but good tournament, very cold outside, excellently run. Canada usually does a good job with their events.

Juan 19:05

But I want to go back to like basically it's two people, and I know that in the past, you know, I know Alan and them do a good job, but it's crazy, right? When, you know, listen, if you got a lot of people helping, that's great as well. But I guess what I'm saying is, you know, you got Canada Open that has like you know a handful of people, and then you got the US Open that has like a ton of people. Like it makes you wonder is it is it necessary? You know what I'm saying? I mean, I I know having having you know a sufficient amount of staff is is good, but is it overkill? Are we spending more money than we need to on hotel rooms, on flights, on you know, food and all that different stuff? I mean, it cuts into the with the bottom line, but I mean, that's just me.

KP&P vs Daedo And Officiating Friction

SPEAKER_03 19:45

That's just me. But overall, good, overall, good event. I mean, I'm glad we went. Um, like I said, nice and cold, super simple, got some decent matches in, some decent results, got to see some you know good action throughout the divisions. Um, definitely a good tournament. Yeah, yeah, it's cool.

Juan 20:01

Hey, so I think that's uh let's get into part due. Part due. We have uh interesting conversation um that uh that we've heard, and I'd like to get it out there, and then let's uh let's talk about it afterwards. What do you think?

herb 20:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. Let's do it. All right, let me let me get this thing loaded up and so what I bring up.

SPEAKER_03 20:25

Shout out to all the people at Canada Open that were you know looking out for the next podcast and telling me they'll be watching and telling me they're excited to hear it and that they're listening. I I really appreciate that. I actually had some interesting conversations too. Um, but I'm I'm always willing and open for a conversation, but definitely a lot of support for um what we're doing and a lot of support for just you know telling the truth and being being involved and kind of speaking what we know to be facts and our strong opinion about the sport technology in general. So I really appreciate that.

Juan 20:53

Same man. I had like moms, I had dads, I had referees, I had coaches, I had national team athletes coming up to it was again it is nice when you hear that, right? It's nice when people you know kind of support you. I mean, but but I know it's not everybody's flag to carry. You know what I'm saying? Not everybody's gonna put themselves out there and that's okay. Young, I learned from you. I mean, I can go back to when I was a kid and the way you you stood up for yourself and us. And you know, I'm I'm proud that TJ and myself are doing this because it's the right thing to do. And you know, there's no there's nothing to look back to, you know, it's it's just forward and and and let the people you know kind of be the voice of the people, be the voice of of athletes.

herb 21:35

No, no doubt.

SPEAKER_03 21:36

So I've had one interesting conversation. I had one interesting conversation where someone was worried about my reputation, and I had to explain to them that my my reputation is the last thing that I'm worried about. If if that's what you're offended by or worried about is my reputation. Listen, people have known me for a very long time. I've interacted and been around a lot of people. People know who I am, they know my character. And if me doing this and standing up for people and and point out what's wrong and what's not okay and in most some cases unlawful then I guess my reputation is lost. As long as we get to the bottom of this I'm good. So I appreciate the the worry but let's do it.

herb 22:13

Let me get we're gonna what I'm gonna do here let me get back to my podcast.

Staffing, Costs, And Event Efficiency

SPEAKER_04 22:19

I'm gonna share an audio thing and I'm going to um share this make sure it shares the audio so you'll see a uh thing and you'll start to hear audio let it play hello that was good man we're emerged the call hey course DJ and Mescaline you guys both on hey how are you morning good morning good morning sir how are you sorry I'm feeling a little under the weather you know actually meet you a little bit so uh nice well stay away from me guys because I got failed how's everything away not bad I just um I guess I got a little late start to today just not feeling too good but just getting ready to go to the gym do some work do some karate you know normal normal day um yeah I mean I mean I just wanted to um speak to you because uh yesterday yesterday I actually spoke to um uh Steve from USAT and you know obviously we're just generally speaking about you know I know that you've been speaking to uh Massa Cobra as well you know as as I told you in Croatia um for for me this is I mean a on a little bit of a different side um it to me it's not about a podcast right it's about you know when I took this position you know I want to do my best in my own way to lead a world class organization and you know we don't have to be USAT um and we're not USAT obviously there is NGVs but you know long term wise you know we I you know we have a goal to make this an international organization and kind of build on that and um do a lot of just little things for technology you know so um on that side obviously you know it's it's more than you know that it's just you know obviously for us it's it's regardless of that it's you know any anything that has to do with just professionalism it's just kind of like the goal that you know we have um in terms of Steve you know I didn't ask him you know on you know um personally I said you know I I don't know what happened in USAT. I told Steve I don't really I don't want to say about too many details but I said from what I've seen um TJ is a very important part of second though uh which is why you know we want him to be you know in a position of importance in in the new because you know obviously he's an ultimate and um I you know what from what I've seen you know obviously he's carried yourself well in person. Um and then what he said is he pretty much said you know anytime wants to call me and ask me directly you know on on any of the matters I think he says he knows you pretty well so I I'm not sure how many conversations you've had with him. But you know his his his thing right now is just he just wants again like I I think just the the the mutual feeling on both sides is we just want everybody to be professional, that's all. I think because and when when we are then when it was a built on thing, you know I'm I'm very cautious about the things I post on my social media as well because one wrong thing you know results in all kinds of you know misinterpretations as well you know so that's just maybe but anyway I just wanted to let you know that I just speak to C yesterday and he was he wasn't he wasn't negative at all. Like so I I think I I'm not sure what he'll say to you but I don't want to dig in too deep. Mm-hmm I don't need to say I don't know what the history is you know.

SPEAKER_02 25:55

Yeah I'll just give you I mean a little quick excerpt yeah I mean I've talked I've had a lot of conversation with him I've had a lot of coffee meetings with him I've had a lot of communication with him in general I mean like I said I was telling Alex yesterday it's just funny you bring that up I was telling Alex yesterday I'm like at one point he was sitting across to me and called me the enemy doesn't trust me and they don't trust me because I'm the enemy where our relationship to at one point. So we've talked a lot he's said a lot of weird strange things to me that don't make much sense.

Leaked Call: Pressure, MOUs, And Control

SPEAKER_03 26:26

So obviously I mean you you guys know I mean like Alex knows it's not a secret it's a little bit deeper it's a it's a Pete thing it's a me thing it's a culture thing it's just it's been a thing and that's unfortunate that it's kind of bleeding over the opposite direction a little bit but um I understand what you're saying. So you said he wants me to call him is what you said.

SPEAKER_04 26:45

Yeah yeah he said he goes call him because I I I brought that up and and I I think I think for him it's the same thing, right? I don't think he has anything specifically you know against you for what I see. It's it's just obviously you know when we are doing things on social media, you know many people take it the wrong way, you know so um I mean you can ask him as well. I mean obviously before you speak to him I I do think that um and I know that we're waiting on the decision from you as well. So you know if you can let us know as possible and then after that I think you should definitely give him a call, you know well let's make a decision on that because I think that's uh on his side, you know, that's also obviously like a non-negotiable on his side as well, you know yeah so just because he's called and asked okay what's the plan with Trespon regards to what his plan is so both organizations bro are looking to see what you're going to do. Yeah and and and I I think like again I don't I don't I think you you're carrying yourself on your professional you're an athlete you're an Olympic medalist and and um you know again I'm this is just just my personal view on it is I I I I personally don't know what you're really getting out of that. Like it's for me I've never watched a podcast once. So I don't really you know watch things right on my side right that is not really going to grow me as an entrepreneur or grow me as a as one of a position that I'm doing. So I've I've never watched it once. So but you know obviously when it does come out it does create a ripple effect on I don't think it's that many people but it does it is creating some unnecessary rankers in my opinion but again I'm not I'm not in a position to say what anybody can or cannot do, you know. So I mean that's a good decision at the end of the day but um I I don't know if it's about it is like monetizing or any kind of way but um I think you have a good opportunity right now and I think that's up to you at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

But I mean like I guess you said you you're not in a position to say what I can and cannot do. I mean isn't that pretty much what this MOU says or am I just misinterpreting this whole thing?

SPEAKER_04 29:00

Oh so so the the MOU is saying that you know both organizations, it doesn't only go on on AU side. It goes on the UST side as well. Anyone that you know is against each other or you know obviously defaming each other in some kind of way then you know we're not allowed to work with that individual for the sake of technology. So you know again I would hope that you would make a decision to stop you know if is obviously as possible on your side.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

Yeah. Yeah all right I'll um I'm gonna I'm gonna I'll I'll obviously I'm not gonna get back with Alex and I'll get back with you a little in a little bit but I'll also send I'm gonna I send him an email I'll call Steve as well.

SPEAKER_04 29:44

Okay yeah I think you should definitely say like you know what you're thinking right now and obviously whatever he has going on right now as well but um when I did speak to him yesterday he said yeah I'll teach you teach you reach out to me I don't think he was here on anything specifically against um you from my from what the gist of it was but yeah he says he says I'll teach you home anytime so and then just just because I know a little bit more on the end um letting you know like because I know you guys want to usually post on Friday your guys' podcast right?

SPEAKER_02 30:16

Yeah depending on the week and the travel schedules yeah yeah all right well oh if if you're on another one I think that's gonna pretty much feel their that'll that'll seal your decision.

Juan 30:29

Yeah yeah you get what I'm saying you if hey if you need to talk it through you call me we'll figure it out all right thank you thank you guys all right all right thank you thank you episode two maybe more do you have another one I got I got a couple things I let let me I'm gonna run through these things real fast and then you guys can pick up you want I think it's interesting how how this is like a a uh throwing like weird shade or disrespect how he can say master covert and stuff like that but then he calls you TJ and then he calls you you know he says you carry yourself well and you're professional. Like I'm like like I that it kind of to me it's almost belittling like he's he's saying yeah yeah I I think you carry yourself well and I think you're professional like that that that's weird or how we can say master this master that but you're just TJ it it's strange to me it it's a it's a weird thing. Maybe I'm looking too much into it you know but it's it's it's interesting.

SPEAKER_03 31:40

The whole thing is backwards comments because I'm Olympian because I'm this and I carry myself well like I don't need you to tell me I carry myself well like this is this is not up for debate in this conversation you know these guys came to me to work with the organization they've seen what I've done in the organization and how I've been a part of the organization but my part I get stuck on is the very beginning when when you got I just talked to Steve McNally Steve McNally called and asked me this but this is the same Steve McNally and same company and organization USAT that had nothing to do with any of this right that's correct.

Juan 32:13

And then and later on he says it's a non-negotiable for McNally he actually non-negotiable he says it later on that that was my next thing because yeah at the beginning says I talked to Steve and I told him how important that you were to the organization how important you were to take you know tech wondro and to AU and moving forward blah blah blah then he talks about how you carry yourself well then it's a non-negotiable for him and then I just again I think it's another underheaded slight like I've never watched a podcast uh I don't I don't you know it doesn't really affect too many people well if it does affect too many people then why are we making a big deal about it? Obviously people are talking about it you know I'm not saying we got millions of numbers but like if it's if it's so unimportant and if people aren't paying attention why are we talking about it?

Pushback On Professionalism Narratives

SPEAKER_03 32:54

And this is just a part of their I this is just a part of their bargaining chip. You know you had the other two guys on the other side that were being blocked from I guess getting um you know work with USAT or getting any kind of movement with USAT. So I think that that led into it I just I what's the word I'm looking for it's the non-negotiable part for me from the CEO of a of the not even the same organization going it's a non-negotiable he's pulling the string that much that it's a non-negotiable for him.

Juan 33:21

And what does it mean like when he says you know we we it doesn't benefit we're not acting a professional or whatever I'm like so you can't you can't speak your mind you can't talk about a topic you can't like it it it's it's it's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 33:34

You can't have any dissent at all I mean this podcast started a long time ago so even them trying to tell me that this has something to do with it and why USAT feels the way they feel is wild. Yeah this is we know how long it's been going on but like even more so this podcast's been going over again I repeat over a year before all this stuff popped off you know so now he's the he's the bearer of what's professional and not professional.

Juan 34:05

Meanwhile I was on all their staffs and things leading up before all this prior it's it's just again it's just another way that USAT puts their finger on something puts their hand in something and is again pushing me to the side or making sure I don't have any traction or making sure people don't take me seriously or whatever their goal may be for my career this is just them trying to do it again you know what's the ulterior motive for this person because like all of a sudden he's just willing you know again if you're the director of this this organization you should be like no I'm standing up for my people I'm doing what's best for my people just just because you're trying to align doesn't mean that you hurt your organization. Like I mean listen we're gonna see I mean there's you know obviously there's there's a lot of support out there that people are you know talking about you know not doing things going with other groups you know other organizations and so I I don't know I just think he weakened an organization real fast by getting rid of you know both of us and he sided with McNally again as going to you know nothing that has really nothing to do with them. You know we're giving you guys money and you're taking away our top coaches on the AU side not top coaches but you know some of the top coaches.

SPEAKER_06 35:13

I understand what they're saying.

Juan 35:14

It's it's crazy. I mean that just you know that just doesn't make any sense to me I mean the guy's been in he's been in leadership you know since whenever that meeting was you know September or whenever it was and and here we are here we are you know they're they're blocking people they're suspending people they're they're trying to manipulate the the districts and the chairs and who has what and you know so they could have their votes or whatever. It's just it's crazy and people see it. They all see it and it it's good it's been whispered and whatever but now they hear it for their own with their own ears so I don't know I think I said that this is a just another step for people to kind of draw their own conclusions.

SPEAKER_03 36:01

I love when people they they ask questions they go oh I didn't ask too much in detail like wouldn't you want to know like what's what I mean if I'm so bad if I'm so important if I've been a party organization you're trying to actually make a decision wouldn't you just want to know I mean I'm sure he'd be willing to tell you let's be honest you know what I mean I I just don't understand why it's so this tiptoey I didn't want to get too deeply it's about professionalism for the betterment of the sport you gotta be kidding and if you're so if you're such a thorough business man you're just gonna get some weird information and be like okay I don't need to get any more detail than that that's that's good enough for me like what you're not gonna do.

Collusion, Access, And Athlete Rights

Juan 36:39

See if he listens to this one yeah yeah see if he listens to this one oh he's listening he's listening he's there's no way he's not because his brother's listening and his people that filed you know whoever filed I think it's interesting we have no idea you know no up until this point nobody has has filed anything against us of what you know what we said and then all of a sudden there's somebody that filed to compliance really really I mean these guys these guys act like we were born yesterday they're act like we we we just started playing this game I said it before this guy has no institutional knowledge I'll say it to him in in Canada I'm sorry in in Las Vegas I watched him in Canada walking around on the floor and stuff like that. You don't need to be on the floor you're not coaching you're you're an administrator dude go sit up you're not even the administrator for taekwondo for AU you're the minister of you know the director of of of all markets he's there for his kids like let's stop pretending he's there for his kids I don't know why he's on the floor anytime he's on the floor or he was staying on the floor you know but that you know what that's about that's about his ego that's about his ego and and and I know he's he's talking I mean I want to talk about athletes because I love all athletes and I know they all get out there and put on the line but like you know he's talking to the different people and all of a sudden you know there's an award given at this and that come on man stop that stop that stop that stop that sit and in and you're gonna see in Vegas he'll be walking around you know holding hands with you know with with the CEO from USAT and you know kind of playing that role it's just it's just ridiculous. It's just ridiculous yeah you you can tell somebody I can tell you that this man called me the enemy and I get no reaction like oh he didn't tell me that or no like no reaction tell me a little bit more about that like why like how could you you're an American you're an American Olympic coach you're an American Olympic uh medalist why would you be the enemy to who what to these British dudes give me a f break man that's that's ridiculous he he doesn't he don't care so much he's like I I'll let that go I I don't need to know about that that's crazy TJ that's crazy that he can just dismiss that that you would call the enemy what if I called him the enemy you know he'd be like why am I the enemy I mean tell me but it's just crazy this guy has he does not have the best interest he has a self-interest you know you know he goes around trying to get people into this organization which is a huge conflict of interests I mean there's a it it's it's not good and it's becoming more and more apparent there's some kind of motive for himself I don't know if it's right now or somewhere down the line it has nothing to do with AU why would it have nothing to athletes for sure all this fake propaganda it's like it's it's it's gives me a headache like I I see all the fake pictures and fake support if there's between them and us we have real support I have real support people that have stood with me for a long time people that I've known for a long time people that approach me and tell me that they hear us and they see us and they understand where we're coming from it's real support.

SPEAKER_03 39:39

It's not forced pictures it's not Instagram post or look at me no no this is just really what's going on and really the kind of people and support that we have and that are standing with us and understand that our system is completely screwed and at one point for me it was strongly on the USAT side because I wasn't a big AAU guy. And now you lift the curtain up and you look under look on the other side it's on both sides. It's both organizations being corrupt not understanding what this sport should really be about not supporting the right people at the right times and literally like you said being self-motivated and trying to accomplish something for their own personal egos and whatever else they need to make themselves feel special before they go to sleep at night you know I couldn't agree more.

Juan 40:21

So you know I think the US Open will be an interesting uh couple days I mean let's see maybe Steve would maybe Steve will talk to you there.

SPEAKER_03 40:31

Maybe he'll pull you aside and say hey TJ you got a moment I wish I wish uh I mean but don't you think it's ironic to you how they always say why don't you give him a call why don't you give him a call do you know how many people have told me that why would I do that I'm telling you what this man has said to me I'm telling you that I have y'all are telling me to give you a call and you know he's all everything's all good and there seemed not to be any issue personally against you I've actually had real experiences with these people.

Parallel Circuits, Funding Gaps, And TOPS

Juan 40:58

TJ I just gonna discount everything I know I don't know if I said this or if I said this in another podcast stop me or let me just finish it I said this to a board member because they asked me the same thing and I said why would TJ when TJ's I go TJ's been called the enemy TJ wasn't allowed to be in the same training area as a as you know during the Olympic training TJ was asked not to come to the world championship holding area where everybody else is because he might go tell some secrets that was the Grand Prix the Grand Prix yeah TJ's TJ's athletes were invited to go train and but he wasn't he was specifically wasn't and now this and there's been a bunch of other little things I'm not gonna those let's just use those five major things and and now when this happens and supposed to go you know what let me give this guy a call let me give him a call and and just get to the bottom of this that's bullshit that's bullshit why would anybody in their right mind think that they're gonna get a fair shake or get a an honest answer or get some kind of real talk when with all these things not just now people well people don't realize this isn't just now this is seven years. This is seven years just building up building up building up and all these people that have been pushed aside all these people that have been stepped on all these people that have been run out of the organization athletes and coaches and medical for that matter they're all coming back.

SPEAKER_03 42:21

They're all 100% and I and I and I and you know like I said I I have uh it's a lot more conversations now a lot more real conversations I don't have to smile and shake the hands of people that I know don't really like me and I can I I I can deal with that better. I I sleep better knowing at least I know where you stand at least I know where the people that come and shake my hand and and tell me they have an issue with what's going on and tell me that this happened to them and this happened to them and they understand where I'm coming from and and though those those are the conversations that that will that help me and will never allow me to stop pushing forward until we figure this out. You know because like you just said it's not just about me it's not just about you. This is about the entire organization now on both sides between AAU and USAT.

Juan 43:01

Yeah you know I know they've tried to work together but maybe they should have stayed apart maybe you know you do your thing I do our thing and we just we just go. That's why like this listen this offshoot thing I know it's kind of caused some buzz this you know Adidas circuit I mean listen people people will go and support you know something that is is is real something that was good you know they don't they don't have to they don't have to go to you know AAU they don't have to go to USAT you know there's a lot of martial arts people in this world especially in this country that I think are gonna be going over there and as that organization builds watch out watch out it'll be pure it'll be just just for the reason you know for competition so and that's unfortunate I mean even you see all these other teams popping up around the country and different people trying to you know support athletes and pro teams and whatever kind of teams that that

SPEAKER_03 44:00

Again, no knock on whatever you're trying to do, but that's the issue of the organization. Those would not exist if the organization was doing their job. And I think I said this like over a year ago. If this anything, none of these would have to exist if the organization was doing what they were supposed to do.

Juan 44:15

You know what's funny? Tops was specifically designed because athletes weren't getting into the academy. So we wanted to give them an opportunity to support them, to give them. Matter of fact, we are one of our main goals was to get them their 40 points, just to give them their advantage, you know, give uh an advantage. And and that's what we did. It's interesting. All the points, all these kids are now at the academy now, once like T uh uh Grandmaster Press said, once they get good, then they won them. And they're not developing. Matter of fact, they kicked all those guys to the curb, you know. So it's interesting because now there's there's uh, you know, again, I don't another team. And I'm like, is the USAT gonna get behind them like they did for Ace for two seconds? And the only reason they did that ACE thing was because they wanted to kind of jab at the AAU's thing with tops because that was so silly involved and you're involved, and Ace lasted about two seconds. They didn't have any funding. And what is that?

SPEAKER_03 45:09

Is that over with? Is that like done? Is that the non-existent? Come on.

Juan 45:13

I'm just asking the question. You might as well put that, you might put that right up there with next level of progression, all those things that you know that was a quick one though.

SPEAKER_03 45:21

Ace was a quick one.

Juan 45:23

They went on like one or two trips, and they didn't have to. I mean, I think I heard through the Roomville that people had to pay their own way, they were supposed to get reimbursed. So I wasn't there, I don't know, but anyway, and they're not around. Let's be honest.

Double Standards On Coaching Abroad

SPEAKER_03 45:34

No, USAT was definitely going to bat for them and you know, making statements of all this organization lets their athletes do this and this and this and this. Again, blind support doesn't mean it's right just because it benefits you at the time. Like, again, like you said, tops was we were doing that on tops, and with all knowledge of knowing that we were just building the bottom of a sport, giving, giving to athletes that could have and needed a little bit more, that that could be pushed and could be coached at a little bit higher level that weren't getting it. Not saying that they're gonna go to Olympic Games with us, not saying that we're gonna put them on a world championship team. We were there just to simply assist and be a part of their growth as athletes and people in general, you know.

Juan 46:10

But like you said, it's it's a shame that these these things have to even exist. If the organization did it, we wouldn't have to. People wouldn't have to. People wouldn't be stressed out about it. They would just be like, Yeah, the system is set up for my my cadets, my developmental cadets, my juniors, my developmental juniors, seniors, 21 under blah blah blah. But no can't do.

SPEAKER_03 46:32

Yeah, I said something last time, and I said all the coaches should be upset. But at the end of the day, all the parents that have people on their junior team, you guys should be upset. You guys should be talking to whoever your home coaches didn't figure it out, and they gotta work it out. But that you guys should be raising hell. You guys should be sending emails to USAT on and out after all the money you spent through the qualifiers and the states and the regionals and the team trials and all the and the development camps and all this stuff. How is there no money to support your kid to go to the junior world championships?

Juan 47:01

They'll pay for the rooms, too, the minimum, minimum rooms are cheap. Rooms are cheap. How?

herb 47:09

Well, I think it's I think it's interesting that these guys, what they're doing and what they're saying and what they're willing to say, and how they're willing to collude and uh co-opt to avoid having a coach be able to participate in amateur sport, which is against the Amateur Sport Act or whatever it's called now, the formerly the Ted Stevens Amateur Sport Act. You can't deny the athlete wrote administrator or coach the right to compete, and they've lost a lot of money over this over the years. So it's kind of interesting that they are trying to do this again. And it's I I thought was even more interesting is I didn't recognize um I didn't recognize that guy's voice because he didn't have an accent. So I guess he only has a Korean accent when he's speaking to a group of potential people who can pay him money at a TED talk or something. So that was some fake. I was wondering how does a guy that guy have uh an accent after being living here forever. But uh I I see that he doesn't actually have one, but he uses it to m to manufacture his persona.

SPEAKER_03 48:17

Now you gotta make me go listen to one of the things.

herb 48:19

You gotta go listen to it. No, no, go listen to the podcast, which is I gotta go to sleep.

SPEAKER_03 48:24

I gotta stop the dude.

herb 48:25

Well, don't listen to it because it's not that interesting. It's the it's the usual, you know, let me let me make money off my ethnicity. And uh, yeah, anyway, such is life.

Juan 48:36

Oh listen, that was part due. Maybe there's a part three. You never know.

SPEAKER_03 48:43

Yeah, I mean, yeah, I just don't, and again, I I know we all know, and I think people, if you're worried about how you're hearing this, then you should probably just not listen because what you're hearing should be the most important part of what's going on. Not not how you're hearing it or even where you're hearing it. Just understand that you're hearing it and it's real and it's actually happening, and it's being done as if it's something casual. It's being done, and then we we show up to competitions and walk around like it's all good, and we we hug and buddy and act like it's like you know, we're all on an up and up, and we tell everyone, I'm not doing anything, I didn't do anything.

Wrap Up, Community Support, And Merch

Juan 49:15

I wasn't doing something. These are like that, these are Epstein files. These things these people get exposed.

SPEAKER_03 49:25

It's just sad that is like I said, and again, it's not a cheering moment, it's not a happy moment. This is just sucks. I know this sucks across the board that we have to go here, that I have to that, you know, other than that I enjoy the conversation with you guys, but we get on here every single week with one mission, and that's to let everyone know what's going on and where we are in our sport, in our community in the United States, in between organizations, with the athletes, with the coaches, because we do, we do hear a lot, we do have a lot of conversations, we do have a lot of people looking towards us for support. So, what other job, what other choice do we have but to do this? Because if we don't, nobody will, and we don't fight now, nobody will.

Juan 50:02

That's what I'm saying. Like we we've we've decided to carry that flag for people, and that's and and so going back to, you know, we don't want anybody to be unprofessional. What if it's not even our opinions? What if we're talking about, listen, we've heard this and this, and we want to tell people, we want to give people the information. And TJ, I'm tired of always prefacing my conversation with everybody saying, listen, I don't feel good about this. I don't want to, I don't wake up in the morning going, oh, let me go fight. Um just the opposite. Let's just move forward, let's just do the right thing, let's get this thing going, let's let's support each other, let's let's help each other, let's work with each other. I've built my own network of people and uh people on the outside of that too. But this organization has done the exact opposite for all this transparency talk, for all this, you know, bringing people together talk, they've done just the opposite. I I've I've gone over it too many times with how many coaches have been pushed away, how many athletes have, you know, went to Hungary, Costa Rica, Haiti, you know, Puerto Rico. All those people could be right here in the United States. They could be right here in the United States. They pushed them out. In this generation, in this seven years, those people decided to go somewhere else. Don't think about it.

SPEAKER_03 51:12

You know what's interesting? You know what's interesting, and I know we talked about it on other podcasts. There was a point in time where coaches that we know and coaches that are close to us and that were condemned for coaching other countries. Condemned. It was the worst thing you could possibly do. No matter how the situation was, some athlete could need help and you just sat in their chair and it was like, oh, look, look, look, look, look. This person's doing something bad. And now we're damn near coaching the entire team from other countries, and it's viewed as okay. Or not, I don't know if it's viewed as okay. Let's say it's not condemned, it's not a problem. We as national team coaches, as whatever, we can just coach other countries within the same region to whatever extent. Yes, it's open. But there are coaches in this country that were told that that was the reason why they cannot be a part of organizations because they were coaching other countries. Not only that, we condone coaches that are in the system now to coach other athletes at the Olympic Games for other countries. We're letting our head coach coach other people for other countries. That used to be the nail in the coffin for some of these coaches that are not coaching for this country anymore.

Juan 52:15

That's true, it's 100% true. That's crazy. Getting there to qualify. That's crazy. That's crazy. Isn't that crazy? Nah, but I digress. Well, listen, let's wrap this up today. Let's uh all right.

herb 52:33

There'll be more on this. It's been hot. Yeah. As opposed to not. Um, but I I am uh I am uh the cultural expectations and ethnic modulations are fascinating to me. Go ahead.

Juan 52:47

Yeah, I got a few, I got a few shirts to give out, you know, when I was in in in uh next week, but you know, we're gonna put up on on the on the warehouse 15 uh Facebook page. We're gonna put up our our merch site that we have. Yeah, it's kind of cool.

herb 53:02

So we have a dedicated hooking y'all up. We have a dedicated merch site, we have a dedicated podcast site, we have a dedicated web-based community now that you can join and post on outside of Facebook. And for right now, we're gonna leave it open, so but we'll see how many people troll us.

SPEAKER_03 53:20

But uh, we're back on uh Apple Podcasts, right?

herb 53:23

We're we've always been on Apple Podcasts.

SPEAKER_03 53:25

So some people lost it for a couple weeks. They were like, Oh, you gotta get it back with Apple Podcasts and you listen to it while I work out.

herb 53:30

Those people, those people keeping it real, they don't know how to use the internet. We've been on Apple Podcasts for a while, but uh with all of those are listed on our website, which is new and improved, and I'm working on the app as we speak, so there'll be an app you can keep on your phone that will alert you of the new podcast, allow you to participate in our conversations, and we're creating a couple of special items right now. We started with a t-shirt, which you'll see up on the website, and it's in Korean, and we have an English version, Korean version, and soon to be Espanol version. And then uh one day I hope um if TJ can go back into his roots and give us a eubonics version. And for those of back in the day, let us know about eubonics. And if you come up with a eubonics, you don't you don't know about eubonics?

Juan 54:18

I of course I know I do, but I'm just saying no one talks about that anymore.

herb 54:21

Remember that was that's why I know, I know, but TJ still he's he speaks Esperanto and Ubonics, so maybe he can make a Ubonics version for us.

SPEAKER_03 54:31

I'll make some cool stuff for you though, for sure. Let me know.

herb 54:34

We'll get the we'll get it up on the merch.

SPEAKER_03 54:37

Bronze TJ ones.

herb 54:38

I don't want those bronze TJ underwear ones, though, so let's not do that. All right, as always, like we said, hopefully we've offended someone, not you. And if we have, just remind them of our t-shirt available on our merch site. Sorry, not sorry, or as they say in Korean, An Mianeo, mieo. And we see y'all in a couple days. See ya, see ya. We got a lot of great news today. We got stuff going on, people who see, things to be. This is the warehouse 15, and we have launched a bunch of really incredible stuff for you. Our community continues to grow as you know. We had the coaches out and about, and they went to the temple of the AAU, but there was no feast, feet kissing, no feces licking. There was nothing going on like that. It was just them being real, and I saw there was a nice badge. Welcome back, my brothers. What's going on?

SPEAKER_03 55:36

What's up, what's up, what's up? Namaste, namaste. Namaste, how are how are you, coach?

Juan 55:42

Show us the beads, show us the beads, show us your calming beads there, Grandmaster. I'm missing the neck.

herb 55:48

I I started with one and then I put on five. So these are my my brown black tiger eyes, and those are for TJ. These are my multicolored Miamis, my Miami ones. I'll send those over to you. I'll make a daughter make them for you. These are in memory of myself. It's every color in the rainbow. And then these are for Nico, these are the earthquake colors, and then this one is just a beautiful conglomeration. Should I feel weak and unempowered? It's a little of each one which I wear around, and I rub them as I drive my car. Dude, nice. Namaste. I don't got one.

SPEAKER_02 56:27

I don't got one.

herb 56:28

I'll I'll send you one. I don't got one. I'm still waiting for my t-shirt, but I'll send you one.

Juan 56:32

Hey, I got it upstairs. They just came in today, so it's quite quite. So we'll have them for U.S.

SPEAKER_03 56:38

Open then, huh? Yes, send it to the U.S. Oh, that would be nice. Let's go. They had me in uh, I just came back from the uh Canadian Open. They had me in Calgary this past weekend. Dude, I I'm gonna tell you what. It was beautiful, but like it snowed non-stop the entire weekend on and off. Like it's a crazy thing. Like, I don't know if I could live there, but it was nice. The weather with the the air was refreshing, but it snowed off and on like Miami rainfall, 15 minutes on, 15 minutes on, 15 minutes on.

herb 57:09

It was crazy, but you got you gotta love that if you're gonna love it, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 57:13

Yeah, it was nice though. We were at the I think one of the old Olympic sites for the the games for 1988 games, I believe. Don't quote me, but I think that's the one. It was yeah, it was mixed in with um the event was at a the hockey rink. So we had a couple hockey games going on to our right, which is pretty cool. No, a lot of practic hockey practice. Seeing all the kids walk in with the parents and the big hockey bags, it's crazy how big of a you know culture and tradition that is there. It was awesome to see. Pretty cool. Yeah, it's too bad they got whooped by the USA in the game.