WEBVTT - Mac & Bone Show - Ashley Westwood Interview 

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<v Speaker 1>And Ashley Westwood, the captain of your Charlotte FC squad,

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<v Speaker 1>is with us. Westy, congratulations on the comeback win, man.

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<v Speaker 2>How you doing?

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<v Speaker 3>Good morning, lads. Sorry, I overslept.

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<v Speaker 2>That's all right. No problem.

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<v Speaker 4>Everything went well while you were gone. We had no

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<v Speaker 4>show fights or anything.

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<v Speaker 2>We're fine.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, we did get into a bit of a Donnybrook

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<v Speaker 1>on the show. But I feel like that's your doing,

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<v Speaker 1>whether it's on the field or whether it's here on

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<v Speaker 1>this show by just delaying your appearance.

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like you're good at starting fights.

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<v Speaker 3>I can't finish them, though.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't finish them. Oh, man.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, so let's talk about the comeback. Before we

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<v Speaker 1>get into tonight's game against Columbus, let's talk about the

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<v Speaker 1>comeback against Dallas. I was absolutely ecstatic watching it, and

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<v Speaker 1>you could just kind of feel the goals coming. Once

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<v Speaker 1>y'all went down 2-0, Aloko really seemed to change the

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<v Speaker 1>game on the right wing, but y'all just were all

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<v Speaker 1>over him. I felt each time, like, I think another

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<v Speaker 1>goal's coming, and you finally got the third and pulled

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<v Speaker 1>it off.

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<v Speaker 2>What was that like to be a part of?

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<v Speaker 3>There's no better way. I mean, obviously, it's not nice

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<v Speaker 3>being 2-0 down, but when you come back and you

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<v Speaker 3>score a last-minute winner, there's no better feeling in football.

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<v Speaker 3>But I thought the first half, we actually played well.

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<v Speaker 3>We actually played well. We were unlucky to be behind. Obviously,

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<v Speaker 3>they scored one, then they scored another. But then that

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<v Speaker 3>shows the character of what we've got. We've created a brotherhood. And, yeah,

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<v Speaker 3>when you get that, it's a hard thing to stop.

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<v Speaker 4>How well, this team, as we head to the postseason, Westy,

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<v Speaker 4>how well prepared and ready for the postseason do you

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<v Speaker 4>think your squad is this year?

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, you never know. You never know. But we've put ourselves, obviously,

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<v Speaker 3>we weren't happy with the start of the season. I've

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<v Speaker 3>said that many times, and the manager wasn't happy. So

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<v Speaker 3>we've come back after the World Cup break. We've been exceptional.

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<v Speaker 3>I think there's only one team that's beat us, and

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<v Speaker 3>that's Chicago. They've beat us twice. But no, like you

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<v Speaker 3>said as well, you've got Rodolfo coming off the bench.

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<v Speaker 3>You've got Will coming off the bench. People are now

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<v Speaker 3>coming off the bench and affecting the game. So when

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<v Speaker 3>you have that, it's a nice thing to have.

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<v Speaker 1>No doubt about it. Ashley Westwood is with us. So

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<v Speaker 1>I'm assuming you are in like a hotel in Columbus?

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<v Speaker 3>We are. We are. I think we're three miles from the...

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<v Speaker 3>Ohio State College. Okay.

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<v Speaker 1>All right.

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<v Speaker 4>Nice.

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<v Speaker 2>I hate Ohio. Don't talk to those people, Westy. They're

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<v Speaker 2>not good humans.

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<v Speaker 1>Go by there and yell something, Westy. I can't stand them. Man,

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<v Speaker 1>I can't stand Ohio State.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm going to go for my morning coffee and start

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<v Speaker 3>some trouble.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, there you go.

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<v Speaker 4>Westy, what is the MLS cities that you've been to?

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<v Speaker 4>What's your favorite away city that you visited?

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<v Speaker 3>That's a tough one. Obviously, Nashville, you go for a

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<v Speaker 3>walk on the Friday night and you have to stay in.

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<v Speaker 3>So that's a fun to not get dragged into. But

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<v Speaker 3>I think Columbus is nice. There's no better city than Charlotte,

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<v Speaker 3>we say.

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<v Speaker 2>Now you're talking.

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<v Speaker 3>It's always nice to get home.

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<v Speaker 1>Now you're talking. Speaking of home, did you feel at

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<v Speaker 1>home in the torrential downpour rain on Saturday night? Do

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<v Speaker 1>you love that, being from England?

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<v Speaker 3>I used to, but now I hate it. I must say,

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<v Speaker 3>it does create, when the rain's pouring, the fans are singing,

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<v Speaker 3>and obviously the score last minute winner, there's no better feeling.

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<v Speaker 3>And like I said, I've said it before, the fans

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<v Speaker 3>turn out, it was Wednesday night, and yeah, it was special,

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<v Speaker 3>it was special.

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<v Speaker 4>Toklamati's been red hot lately. What do you think has

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<v Speaker 4>led to the surge that he's on, and how much

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<v Speaker 4>is Maxi leading to that duo really having a lot

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<v Speaker 4>of success?

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<v Speaker 3>I think being away on international as well. He said

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<v Speaker 3>he played against Ireland, and Ireland have got a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of championship players. They're big, physical, and tough. When he

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<v Speaker 3>comes back, he goes, I realize you have to be–

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<v Speaker 3>you have to be physical and strong. And listen, Idan

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<v Speaker 3>was exceptional the other night, even when he chased back

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<v Speaker 3>and he was winning the ball back on the edge

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<v Speaker 3>of our box. And I think he deserved his two goals.

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<v Speaker 3>I know we should have had three goals, but Toph

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<v Speaker 3>took one off him. But no, he certainly deserved it.

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<v Speaker 3>And hopefully now we've got a striker that's on top

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<v Speaker 3>of his game and we're going to miss Archie, but

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<v Speaker 3>Idan needs to carry the torch now.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I like what y'all have going on up front

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<v Speaker 1>with those guys, no doubt about it. We got a

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<v Speaker 1>great question about you, Westy. Not from us. You made

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<v Speaker 1>the comment. Yeah, we got to go to the listeners

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<v Speaker 1>for this. And feel free to ask Westy your question, 704-570-9610.

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<v Speaker 1>Seven oh four number says Westy just said he doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>finish the fights. I have noticed he goes out there

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<v Speaker 1>and causes a whole brouhaha. Does Westy actually ever get

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<v Speaker 1>in fights? He doesn't seem like he would be a

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<v Speaker 1>good fighter.

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<v Speaker 2>You are from England, though. Y'all fight.

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<v Speaker 3>I love the scraps, but listen, my dad's always taught

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<v Speaker 3>me to, if your mates are in trouble, you have

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<v Speaker 3>to stay there. And if you get beaten, you have

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<v Speaker 3>to be with them, but you never run away from

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<v Speaker 3>a fight. But no, it's not, it's not. Yeah, I don't,

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<v Speaker 3>I don't like it. It's not me, mate. You know me,

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<v Speaker 3>you know me. I'm a chill guy.

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<v Speaker 2>You're a fun loving dude, but you're intense on the feet.

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<v Speaker 3>When I get on the field, when I get on

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<v Speaker 3>the field, I just want to win. That's my problem.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's all business. Our show's 0-2 in fights, Westy.

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<v Speaker 1>Mack Walsh, what was that, third grade? Third grade was

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<v Speaker 1>my only fight. And I got beat up by a

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<v Speaker 1>girl in summer camp once.

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<v Speaker 3>I hope you remember it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. Her name was Sarah.

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<v Speaker 4>She did the hockey-style move with the shirt over the

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<v Speaker 4>head thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh, my God. It was ugly.

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<v Speaker 3>Never forget it.

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<v Speaker 2>Never forget that butt whooping from Sarah. It was on

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<v Speaker 2>the basketball court. She threw me over the chairs. Oh,

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<v Speaker 2>my God. This gets worse. Yeah, you don't forget that, Westy.

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<v Speaker 2>This gets a lot worse.

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<v Speaker 1>Westy, we were talking earlier about the fact that y'all

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<v Speaker 1>can clinch a playoff spot tonight, but I know that's

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<v Speaker 1>not what is your goal, right? You've got to get

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<v Speaker 1>in a playoff, so get that one secured. Then it's

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<v Speaker 1>about seeding. Hopefully you can get– I know Chicago– is

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<v Speaker 1>up there now, but hopefully, you know, you tie with

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<v Speaker 1>New England, hopefully you can get a top four seed

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<v Speaker 1>and get a, get home advantage for a series. But

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<v Speaker 1>in your, in my mind as a fan, like as

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<v Speaker 1>a supporter, Westy, it's like, I feel like y'all have

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<v Speaker 1>to take the next step in the playoffs. Like you

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<v Speaker 1>have to advance around at least. Is that a fair

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<v Speaker 1>way to put it or, or no?

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<v Speaker 2>What do you think?

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<v Speaker 3>Uh, yeah, we've, listen, we've, we've not spoke about it

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<v Speaker 3>as lads for obviously the last two years. We've, we've

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<v Speaker 3>come up short, so we're not, we're not, we're not

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<v Speaker 3>unaware of what's gone on. So I think, listen, I've

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<v Speaker 3>said we wanted to reach, we wanted to be the

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<v Speaker 3>top in the East. I think we are, but Nashville

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<v Speaker 3>had a great start to the season. But it's all

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<v Speaker 3>about playoffs. And I think we've, I've said it many times,

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<v Speaker 3>we've got a very well-rounded squad. And yeah, I think

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<v Speaker 3>for us to achieve something, we have to go to,

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<v Speaker 3>we have to go to the next level. We can't

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<v Speaker 3>come short of the playoffs again. Last year, we, We

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<v Speaker 3>did what we wanted to do. We finished in the

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<v Speaker 3>top four. We got a home draw. We come up short.

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<v Speaker 3>So this year we want to go one, two, or

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<v Speaker 3>three better. And I've said it before, I won't be

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<v Speaker 3>happy until I bring a trophy home.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. You're thinking bigger than what I'm even saying. I

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<v Speaker 1>appreciate that. All right, Westy.

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<v Speaker 2>Good luck tonight.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll be watching. Good luck tonight in Columbus. And thanks

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<v Speaker 1>for joining us on the game day, man. We appreciate you.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you. Sorry I was late.

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<v Speaker 2>All good. All good, baby. All right, there you go.

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<v Speaker 2>Ashley Westwood.